Golden City
As he walked out of the portal and entered the massive and magnificent city, Ery couldn't help but be amazed. Despite already having visited this city several tis, Ery always found himself gasping in wonder by the bustling and lively spectacle it offered.
Unfortunately, Ery would not be able to enjoy the sight today, as he had very limited ti. He needed to rush for the exam appointnt that would be held in a few hours. And, as if that wasn't enough, he knew nothing about the exam's rules nor procedures.
Ery indeed learnt a lot from his mother's book collections and from granny's dical expertise during his ti with her. He also did a few of his own experints on the subject. However, apart from those things, Ery had no real study or formal education about apothecary.
During his ti in the academy, Ery had been so busy as his attention had been split up between his cultivation, spells and acolyte competition, leaving him no ti to think about other things. If Ery didn't receive the notification regarding the incoming exam, he would have probably missed it completely.
Therefore, he had no improbable expectation, like succeeding the exam with a good score on his first try. Even though Ery thought of that, barely passing was surely better than failing in his book.
Ery swiftly went through the rowdy streets and headed straight to Institute of Apothecary. When he arrived at the place, Ery's eyes were greeted by three towering buildings situated like a triangle.
Ery made his way towards the one on the back, the apprentice building. As he walked inside the building, to his surprise, Ery found there were nearly a hundred or more people gathered in the main hall. All of them looked extrely focused and tense.
These people were most likely apprentices like him who ca for the exam. However, Ery noticed sothing odd among them, to be more precise their attire. Only one third of the people here who wore the sa uniform as him.
Not sure what to do amids this sea of people, Ery decided to roam the seventh floor to find Cedric. Alas, his effort only resulted in finding only another apprentice who told him Cedric was currently going through his exam. Only then Ery recalled the fifth rank exam Cedric wanted to take was scheduled today.
Shaking his head inwardly and thanking the apprentice, Ery returned to the main lobby. As he looked at those people, who wore a different attire from him, he couldn't help but turn worried.
Hence, to make sure he didn't do anything wrong, Ery went to the reception desk where a dwarf was seen attending it.
"Excuse , I ca for the apprentice exam. Am I in the right place?"
"Yes, you are. You and all these people here want to take the exam. That will be 10,000." The dwarf said with a smile.
Ery's brain short-circuited for a mont when he heard that number. "W-Wait… What? I'm sorry. Did I just hear that wrong? 10,000? As in spirit stones?"
"Yes. hand 10,000 spirit stones for the exam fee."
"Why is the exam fee so expensive?" Ery asked in disbelief.
"The exam fee is determined by the ingredients used for the exam and they aren't cheap at all. So pay up if you want to take the exam, or bug off." The dwarf sternly said.
Ery was flabbergasted, as he knew nothing about this outrageous exam fee. To make matters worse, he didn't have any spirit stones. He spent most of his spirit stones purchasing the spirit serums and he had only 300 of them left at the mont.
Noticing the awkward expression on Ery's face, the dwarf seed to know what was going on and said, "You can also pay using your contribution points."
When he heard that, Ery hesitated for a mont, as he understood that contribution points were worth much more than spirit stones of equal value. However, he was swimming-, no, drowning with contribution points at the mont. Hence, he thought it would be fine to do so.
Ery was about to pay the exam fee when a young man with a similar uniform approached him and tapped his shoulder, "Don't forget to say you are in the elite class." the young man said with a smile.
Upon hearing the young man's words, the expression on the dwarf's face changed a little. "Aah, you should have said so from the beginning, young man." the dwarf hurriedly said, earning him a confused gaze from Ery.
"An elite class acolyte's first rank exam will be paid by the academy. In short, it's free."
Ery was dumbfounded when he heard that. anwhile, the dwarf checked his identity through the database. When it proved Ery was an elite acolyte, the dwarf quickly gave him a tal slip, as a symbol of his participation in the exam. Ery was still stunned, as all of this was happening.
When the dwarf handed out the tal slip to Ery, who received it absentmindedly, he also added, "You can also receive your tools for the exam from the apothecary store. Oh, it's also free."
Ery was shocked, truly shocked. Such a different treatnt and he was only an elite acolyte! This event made him wonder what kind of treatnt he would receive if he beca a privileged class acolyte.
Turning around, Ery did not forget to thank the young man for his reminder. If the young man didn't indirectly tell the dwarf Ery was an elite acolyte, Ery would have spent his contribution points aninglessly. True, the amount of points spent wouldn't be much compared to what he had now. But it was still resources and they weren'tt easy to get.
"Thank you for your help."
"No problem, it was a simple matter. By the way, I am Sabil, from class 92, a regular acolyte just like the previous you."
Hearing that, Ery was startled. The youth before him seed to know him, but Ery did not rember eting him before.
"Do you know ?"
The young man laughed when he heard that, as if Ery's question was the funniest joke. "Hahaha, of course I know you. Right now, you are the hot topic among the regular acolytes circles. You are Ery, the savage acolyte."
Ery's mind froze for a second when he heard the last part, "S-Savage acolyte?"
"Yeah. That's your title, given because of your feats in the last ga."
Ery was unsure about his feelings regarding this new title of his. It was also the first ti for him to be considered famous. So, he could only make a wry smile.
A mont later, Ery spotted a little girl walking towards the reception desk while shouldering a worn-out bag that looked full of sothing. When she reached the counter, the girl opened the bag and Ery could see yellow spirit stones, lots of them.
The girl looked at the stones very carefully, then gave the bag to the dwarf with much caution. When the dwarf finished counting the stones and went ahead to process the girl's data, she breathed a long sigh of relief.
Noticing Ery's gaze at the girl, Sabil explained, "She is a participant from outside the academy.
When he noticed Ery's puzzled gaze, he continued, "There are only 30 acolyte from academy who will be joining the exam, the rest are people from outside the academy."
Finally, Ery realized why there were so many people with different attires. Apparently, they weren't from the academy. No wonder.
Ery then bid goodbye to Sabil and headed towards the apothecary store. There, he received his free apothecary tools, courtesy to the benefit of the elite class.
[Beginner Cauldron]
[Beginner Mortar and Pestle]
Ery himself already bought these tools before, so this was his second set. However, having an extra was always a good thing. When he was about to walk away, Ery realized the sa little girl was crying and begging to the acolyte who attended the store.
"Please! Can I borrow the tools just for the exam? Please… Please... Please..." the little girl begged, bawling her eyes out.
Alas, the acolyte only coldly glared at her and said, "No! You country bumpkin should know this rule. You can always co back next month!"
"Bu- But... I already paid for the exam! Please, please, please..."
Suddenly, a set of tools she was asking for was put on the table, startling her. The girl then turned her head to the side, only to find Ery who was already turned around.
"You can have that one." Ery said, before he left the store.
"Thank you, brother. Thank you..." The girl was grateful and etched the figure of the young man who just helped her inside her mind.
The 100 participants were gathered inside the hall and the exam was about to start. Ery was completely clueless about what the exam will be about.
----------------------------------
Written and Directed by Avans, Published by W.e.b.n.o.v.e.l,
User Comments
0 comments from readers