Chapter 55 - It's Your Fault!

-- Aaris - POV --

What should I do?

10 minutes have passed and I haven't even drawn a dot, I can almost answer sixty of them but there is not enough space for three answers! 

If this goes on I won't even hit the passing marks-,

Wait they didn't tell us what is the passing marks,

I got it! there aren't any passing marks!

It is the trial to test candidates' abilities to analyze a situation and choose between fight or flight!

That's right!

'Miss. Bianca!'

"Yes? Any questions?"

'I answered only 5 questions! I want to quit!' I know there is no passing marks so will i-'

"You'll fail! Passing marks is sixty and for each question, do you want to reconsider?" How come her smile always stays unfazed?

'Yes, thank you very much." I bowed and started erasing the previous answers.

Back to square one!

"I am done." A boy from the first row stood up.

"My! As expected from the crown prince!" Bianca clapped in excitement, "Finishing the test in just eleven minutes! truly amazing, the imperial family never ceases to impress, I remember your older brother finished his in just six minutes! It was-" 

"Madam! Can I go now?" His tone suddenly changed, it became cold, Bianca flinched but her swifty smile appeared again.

"Yes, leave the paper on the table and tap your G.S.C card on it once it will register your name and submission will be complete, You can leave then." 

Bianca explained and closed her eyes.

Soon he finished and talked with Bianca a little more and left, every candidate looked at him with envy but accepted the reality.

In a little while, thirty minutes passed and many students finished and bailed out.

And here I was cracking my fingers and neck again and again, for me, time was going very slowly, my sheet was dirty… What should I do? What should I do?

Should I take a peek at my neighbor to my right, she seems to write for a while but what is she writing and where? But Bianca clearly said that cheating is prohibited but I don't have many options. Also, I am at least fifty meters away from them and also in the highest corner seat, they can't see me, It's just a peek!

I grabbed my neck with both hands and slowly raised my chin, swiftly rolling my eyes from left to right… damn it, I can't see it, her hand is in the way! Lemme stretch just a little more… my neck bone is about to break, just a peek!

Her hand moved! Finally, I can- what the fuck,

I looked at her sheet and saw her doodling on the sheet!

Then I looked at her face and she looked at me, she was crying too!

I can't even be angry at her… she was suffering from the same grief.

We are doomed! 

I can't even think straight now and five more minutes have passed, Wait! 

there is still one option left… Maybe this could work. Let's try it. I looked at her and drew her attention and she looked at me.

I can't even describe how miserable she was at that time, her nose flowing and tears from her eyes soaked her cheeks.

I tried to talk to her, but I couldn't make a sound. Then I looked at their eyes, blurry brown and puffy eyes, she was sniffing and biting her upper lips with lower ones and her face looked like a bunny.

I could understand what they were trying to express, 

"-- Please help me, if nothing is done I will fail… please, they are so cruel! --"

I wiped my tears and tried to hold a conversation with my eyes too…

'-- I know right! I don't know if it will work or not but I have an idea --'

"Really!?" She yelled and jumped in excitement.

"Do you have any kind of trouble, Miss. Ruth?" Bianca noticed us.

"Nothing ma'am, I am okay!" She wiped her tears with her sleeves and sat down.

"Are you sure? Well then, please continue." Bianca moved away from her gaze from Ruth.

Ruth gawked at with shining eyes, 

"-- what's the idea? Hurry up we don't have much time --"

I tried to explain the plan without words but with this silent chat, we had...

Her expression changed from gratitude to distrust,

She raised her eyebrow and curled her lip in doubt, 

"-- Are you kidding me? Are you sure this will freaking work? --"

I raised both of my eyebrows and smiled,

'-- Do you have any other better options or ideas? --'

She sighed and gave me heartfeltly smug,

-- Let's go! --

She started writing vigorously!

I need to start too, more than thirty minutes have elapsed and half of the students have walked out of the hall.

Many candidates are still scratching their heads but I don't have time to worry about others!

And I executed my plan to pass the test!

Operation tiny words!

If I try I could answer each question in two lines, the page is a bit longer and broader than the normal one and there is no rule saying we can't write on the back too! 

I started writing and I really finished the first answer in two lines though the words aren't visible normally. They will have to pull the paper close to the eyes and squint their eyes or maybe use a magnifying glass.

Hehe, I am not breaking any rule, I am safe!

Also, I studied so much before, I could at least get passing marks.

I scribbled as fast as I could and answered fifty-seven questions but both of my pages were filled and the pages looked like the night sky, both back and front were totally black with many white dots, which were the spaces between the words.

I still need to answer three more questions to hit the passing marks but there is no space left!

I dug my eyes into the pages to find some room between the lines so that I could fit three more answers, fortunately, I found it but this time I need to write the words more tinier than before!

But only a few more minutes have left and a handful of candidates are still in the hall.

I slipped my grip and pinched my pen's nib with my nails.

Began writing more vigorously, 

"Attention all candidates only one minute has left," Miss. Bianca stood up and took a yawn,

"So, please submit before the due time, if you somehow fail to submit the sheet and try to submit it after it, your sheet will be rejected automatically and won't submerge to the marking oracle."

Damn it, just one more answer… 

Done! Now what? Oh yes, where is my card? Found it… now I can -

"Alright, candidates!" I heard Bianca's voice again and my heart jumped out of my chest and I got settled and my card slipped in the air.

That's it, I am done! I am Sir. Serlin and Miss. Ilin but it looks like I won't make it to the next trial!

"The First official trial has ended! For those who didn't make it to the fixed submit time for assessment, I am really sorry but you won't be able to move to the next trial by default."

It was my first time seeing a concerned look on Bianca's face, perhaps she truly felt sorry for the failed candidates.

"Please humbly go to the waiting collect your belonging from the waiting chamber and stay there for a while-" 

before Bianca could finish a roar broke in the hall, 

"I don't accept this! You fucking assholes! There neither was enough time nor space to write all the answers and you never told us how to solve the paper! Now you are telling me to dawdle after doing us dirty!" A boy from the second row slammed his desk and broke it.

Not just him, the remaining candidates broke down into tears, and sounds of weeping and cursing filled the hall.

"Calm down master Menso, nobody here is to blame for your failure but you, we can't change rules for anyone, also this isn't the end you could again try- " 

Bianca tried to calm him down but didn't have any plans to do so,

"DON'T FUCK WITH ME! NEXT YEAR? I AM THE FIRSTBORN OF THE GREAT VONDAKE FAMILY! YOU ARE TELLING ME TO TRY AGAIN YOU FUCKING BITCH!" Cutting Bianca at short he cried out.

"But I guess you are right, I didn't realize it isn't anybody else fault" he turned his head to me and looked at me with his fuming red eyes, 

"It's this bitch's fault! We got late because of him and missed the general instruction, so you can't fail me! It isn't my fault fail him! Kick Rise Kier out! Not me!"

He pointed his finger at me and punched his desk.

"Enough master Menso I know you are depressed and it is reasonable for you to be angry but let me assure you master Rise is not at fault, the only thing you all missed was a general introduction and the rules and procedure which were already explained during the examination." Bianca crossed her arms and leaned on the teacher's desk.

"I had enough of your shit!" He yelled and jumped at me, 

"It's all your fault, you lowlife!"