The Second Hand of Time

CHAPTER THREE I MET THE MASTER OF ACRONYMS

"You are already one and a half hour late. You cannot take the entrance exam, I'm sorry." The female proctor of the exam said. "I believe there are still schools who will accept tardy kids as their students."

The proctor turned her back on me and tried to enter the examination room where the exam is still going on. "Now, let me go back to my examinees and make sure they don't cheat."

"But I got into a fight on the way here! I saved the nephew of the head of the theater arts curriculum! Teenagers ganged him up so I tried to save him! He said he was carrying his uncle's staff that could control gravity around the user. So, I guess I did a good job!" I said this loudly that the students inside the classroom tried to see what was going on.

The proctor's eyes widened. "Theodore's staff? You saved his staff?" She asked this as if the staff was much more valuable than Janus' life.

"Um, I saved Janus, so I think I saved the staff too." I said. "I think Janus' life is much more important than the staff, personally."

"You're right but, that staff was created by the legendary craftsman who prefers to have his name hidden in the shadows. If the teenagers got it, there will be deaths more than we could count." She said and then balled up her fist and stared up at the sky. "Stupid Theodore, his nephew brings his things!"

She mumbled insults and stuff towards the head of the theater arts curriculum as if she knew him somehow. "I'm gonna kick him in the butt if I see him!"

"Um. Maam?" I interrupted her. "So, can I take the test?"

"Hmmm. I suppose I can make a consideration." She said. "I'll let you take the test after all of these students are finished. But, I must say that whatever score you get in the examination, you'll end up in the last section!"

"What?!" I retorted. "Then what's the point in taking the test?"

"Oh, this test is not only for determining your section. This test would determine your initial ranking for the overall combat points." She said. "Acquiring combat points will make you rank up, and have more privileges as a student here in UPS."

"Oh." I'll do it then. Thanks." I answered.

"For now, wait until all of these examinees finish their test." She said.

"Okay."

***

I was sitting at the lobby when Janus approached me. The fat sword Clifford let me borrow was back on its black sheathe. It was lying beside my chair.

"Oh, hey, how's the test?" He asked. "Were you allowed to take it?"

"Well, yes, but after the others. Plus, my section is already predetermined. What about you?"

"For us, as students from the theater arts, we are not having any sectioning. We just choose the subjects we should have for the first semester." He said. "Oh, hey Leigh, my uncle wants you to see him right now at his office."

"Oh?" I looked at the time on my watch. "Okay. I still have enough time before the test."

"Okay, follow me sir." He said as he led the way.

I stood up and grabbed my backpack and the fat sword. I followed as Janus walked the halls with me at his back.

Busy people goes here and there, and you could see the higher years look at us with pride in their eyes, as if saying, 'Hey. We're too cool to be here.'

I also saw some students inside a classroom painting something. I didn't have the time to see what they were painting at this distance but it must be pretty amazing. Janus turned right. I saw girls.