The Crown Prince Thinks I'm a Guy

The Storm Part 3

"What did you do?" the examiner looked upon me with the most serious eyes.

Whatever I just did, though, I knew I shouldn't be showing off. I could already imagine the stern face of Professor Whitaker, already chiding me for the stupidity of my actions.

But it felt weird. I knew I shouldn't be meddling with these kinds of strange magic (and especially not now during the Test of Waning), but at that moment, I had felt a pull. Before my mind could even register it, I was already doing it. I had no excuses, but I knew I should think things through very carefully from now on.

"Well?" the ageless faced man asked again, making me flinch out of my thoughts.

I shook my head, already calming myself down until my heartbeat steadied. "I don't understand your question, sir examiner."

He stared down at me for a long second, but I held my ground.

Fortunately, Kendra came to the rescue. "Oh, sir! About that earlier, Eleftherion was only worried about me because I was a girl. Oh, but I really am fine! I'm ready to take the test now."

"Right!" Joren came forward bravely. "He was only helping her out."

"Helping?" the examiner asked. "In what way?"

"I, uh-" Joren mumbled, his confidence dwindling by the second.

"I couldn't really help her, of course!" I ventured. "I just kept asking if Kendra was alright the past few minutes. I figured that she could gain back her strength within the time limit."

"And I did! Geez, Eleftherion. You didn't have to make such a fuss about it!" Kendra continued on without missing a beat, smiling all the way.

I knew all this lying would trick the man. After all, he should have sensed something irregular to make him come here in the first place. But if this really blows off into a problem...

"Alright, then. I was mistaken," the man said, which almost made me act suspiciously by shouting out in surprise. Thankfully, I hid it with a timely cough. Through my fist, I stared at him through my lashes.

'Why is he suddenly letting this go?' I thought.

However, he was already turning his body to go back to the center of the hall, his movements brisk. My mind didn't even have time to take this all in.

I found myself looking at my friends. Joren looked happy to see I wasn't in trouble. Albert had a troubled look on his face. The high prince had pursed lips, while Kendra only looked at me with a small, nervous smile.

When the examiner started his last warnings about the time limit again, I inched closer towards the smaller girl. "Are you really feeling fine?"

"Yes!" she whispered back with wide eyes. "What did you do?"

"... I didn't do anything," I said with a shake of a head. I knew that this old school probably had ears on its walls as well like the Order, so it would be better to simply lie about this now. Well, lies beget negative emotions, and so for the next moments, I had to suffer from the hard stares from the noble girl.

I was actually very grateful when the time finally reached its limit. I found it odd how I suddenly felt happy to take a test which I was just nervous to take bare minutes ago.

"Test takers, come forward."

I observed how some of the first years could barely even stand up from their seats on the ground. Sighing, I knew I couldn't give everyone my help, so I walked on forward with my team of five.

"Alright," said the examiner when a couple more students decided to leave. "Now, a pre-test will be done as of now."

Almost immediately, sick-looking students started to scream in protest.