Chapter 55 - 18

Inside the inn room, Lilith and berith were currently having a serious conversation. Berith looked both surprised and happy when he heard what Lilith said.

"What!? Is that true, lady?" Berith who looked very excited asked Lilith.

"Of course, but we will carry out this plan once we are accepted into the academy." Lilith nodded slightly then she opened the manual in her hand.

"So, how can we finish off the humans in the academy without us having to intervene?" Berith was curious about the plan Lilith had said. He could not stand to mingle with humans for long. Even though he had only been there less than a day. But his pride didn't allow him to be in one place with the lowly races. That's why he wanted to finish his mission as soon as possible.

"So here's the plan...." Lilith started to explain her plan in detail to Berith. They didn't know that in the barrier they created in that room, there was a hole the size of a needle. From that hole, someone was listening to what they were planning.

***

Ziel who was sleeping on the bed opened his eyes. From the start, he had always monitored the movements of Lilith and Berith. He also knew that their room was right next to his. Then Ziel felt that their room was suddenly covered by a barrier. He then punched a hole in the barrier the size of a pinhole and started listening to what they were talking about. There, he finds out all the plans that Berith and Lilith will carry out.

"Troublesome..." Ziel sighed and mumbled quietly without anyone hearing. He looked at Clara and Beatrix who were chatting on the bed. They had been chatting ever since they entered this room.

"Okay... I'll go back to Academy, Clara. It's also getting dark and I have to prepare everything for the academy entrance exam tomorrow morning." Beatrix got up from the bed and stroked Clara's head.

"Eeh...you want to go already?" Clara held Beatrix's hand as if reluctant to let her go.

"What are you afraid of? Isn't there already someone taking care of you here?" Beatrix smiled and glanced at Ken who was lying on his bed.

"Auntie, what are you saying!? What if ken hears it!?" Clara became restless and her face turned red after hearing what Beatrix said.

"So what if he heard about it? Didn't you hear from your father that he was here as well as your guardian?" Beatrix then flicked Clara's forehead and prepared to leave their room.

"But aunty..." Clara still feels embarrassed if she has to be left alone with Ziel in the room. But Beatrix cut her off before Clara could continue what she wanted to say.

"You will take care of Clara, won't you?" Beatrix looked at Ziel who seemed to be sleeping.

"I'll take care of it because it's my job." Ziel said flatly.

"What!?" Clara was shocked because she thought that Ziel had been sleeping all this time. If he's awake from the start it means he's heard everything Clara and Beatrix are talking about.

"Then I'll go first. Bye-bye Clara." Beatrix quickly left the room.

An awkward atmosphere enveloped their room. To be precise only for Clara and not for Ziel. Because it's the first time she's in a room alone with Ziel under normal circumstances and she doesn't know what she wants to talk about.

"Lady, if you feel uncomfortable with me being here, I will try to find another room or inn." Ziel spoke breaking the silence in the room.

"No! It's not that I feel uncomfortable with you. It's just that I'm a little embarrassed and don't have anything to say in a situation like this." Clara immediately covered herself with the blanket, her voice slightly muffled as she spoke quietly and was blocked by the blanket. Her ears which were not covered by the blanket looked red.

"Then you better go to bed early. So, tomorrow you will be fresher and more focused on taking the exam." Ziel didn't want Clara to keep pushing herself into the conversation. At this rate, they wouldn't be able to sleep even until midnight.

"Hmm... well." Clara turned around and covered her whole body with the blanket. From the tone of her voice, she was a little disappointed and reluctant to sleep early. There was silence for a moment, but only for a moment.

"Ziel...are you asleep?" Clara asked from under her blankets. But no answer came from Ziel.

"You seem to have fallen asleep, even though I still want to chat with you. But somehow I don't know what to say when I'm in a situation like this." Clara continues to say even though Ziel is asleep.

"Let's try together tomorrow. We've come here and I don't want to fail and just go back home. I don't know if with my mediocre abilities I can become a great mage? And I was thinking if I study in the academy, I will be able to achieve that. That's why I don't want to fail..." Clara's voice sounded a little shaky at the end of her sentence.

"Therefore I will try my best to pass with the best score in the 3 exams tomorrow." Clara continued her one-way conversation.

"Yawn... I'm already sleepy. Good night, Ken." Clara then closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

"Good evening, My lady." Not long after Clara fell asleep, Ken's soft reply was heard in the room.

***

Today is the day the academy exam is held. Ken has been up since early in the morning. He had already showered and prepared himself to go to the academy. But on the other hand, But on the other hand, Clara is still sleeping soundly in her bed.

"Lady, it's already morning. You need to get up soon." Ziel opened the blanket that covering Clara's face.

"5 minutes more, Ken. I'm still sleepy." Clara said half sleepy.

"You'll be late for the exam if you keep sleeping. Or... Do you want to fail to become an academy student?" After Ziel said that, Clara immediately got up from her bed.

"No! I will pass this exam and enter as a student in the academy!" Clara subconsciously screamed after she woke up. Realized that he suddenly shouted in front of Ziel. He went back into the blanket.

"Okay lady, you get ready first. The warm water is ready. I'll wait for you outside for breakfast. And... please tidy up your nightgown." Ziel quickly got out of the room. Clara who heard what Ziel said, looked at her nightgown which was now slightly open.

"Kyaaa...!" Clara immediately shouted not long after Ziel came out of the room.

***

Piqmentia Grand Academy, with 7 skyscraper towers looks very majestic and amazing. Currently, thousands of people gathered there, from royal families, nobles, merchants to commoners. They will examine to become official students of the academy. Currently, Ziel and Clara who will also be taking part in the exam are standing in front of the silver tower.

"Lady, I can only take you here." Ziel had arrived at the academy since morning. But unexpectedly, the enthusiasm of other prospective students was also very high. Those who thought that when they got there, the academy was already crowded with prospective students who would take the exam.

"Thanks, Ken. Good luck with the exam." She talks like usual but Clara's face was strained.

"My lady, please accept this." Ziel took out a leaf-shaped hairpin from his pocket.

"Uh... What's this, Ken?" Clara was surprised and confused to see Ziel suddenly gave her a gift.

"This is a magic tool that can reduce your tension. And this is a gift from me. I'm sure you can pass this test. So you should be more calm and confident." Ziel gave the hairpin to her. Clara was initially shocked but still received the hairpin from Ziel.

The hairpin that Ziel gave was an artifact of the same rank he gave to Princess Aishia. It's just that the function is slightly changed. The first is to drastically increase the amount of mana the wearer has and make it easier to control. The second one is the same barrier as Princess Aishia's but Ziel changes its shape. And the third one will be active when the time comes.

"But Ken, is it okay for me to accept this kind of valuable item?" Although Clara is happy that Ziel gave her a present. But when she found out the value of the gift, she hesitated to accept it.

"Of course, so please accept. This thing might help your exam." Ziel gave the item as well as a precaution for future troubles. Because he won't be able to always be by her side to look after her when they get accepted into the academy.

"Okay. But can you put it in my hair?" Clara squeezed her voice just for saying that.

"Nn... Of course." Ziel gave a small nod at her request. Then he took the hairpin from Clara's hand and put it in her hair. With a leaf hairpin in her hair, Clara looks much more beautiful and cute. The hair clip fits her perfectly.

"Thank you, Ken." Clara said it shyly. Her face turned red and she just lowered her head, not daring to look at Ziel's face directly.

"You're welcome, my lady. Then I'll go to my exam site first." Ziel immediately go to the red tower and left Clara who was still lowered her head in shame.

***

After walking for a while, Ziel arrived in front of the red tower. He immediately entered the tower because the exam time was about to start. After entering the tower, Ziel looks for a room to use for the exam. He was able to find the room immediately because he scanned the tower and looked for the room with the most people.

Ziel entered the room and there were already many prospective students sitting waiting for the examiner to come. He looked for an empty seat at the very back and the least crowd of people.

Time keeps running, more and more prospective students came and one by one the empty seats began to be filled. Ziel was looking at the podium, there suddenly 2 people wearing black and gold combination clothes appeared out of thin air. One male and one female. The man has short blue hair and wears glasses on his blue eyes and the woman has long green hair and has emerald-colored eyes. The most striking thing apart from the woman's beauty was the shape of her pointed ears. She is an elf.

"My name is Christof Glaucio and the partner next to me is Kalya Venetia. We will oversee your exams." Christof introduces himself to the prospective students he looks like a sociable person. While Kalya just nodded slightly without saying anything.

"I'll say it straight away, you have to get a minimum score of 60 to pass this exam." Christof then snapped his fingers and a test paper appeared in front of each prospective student.

"You only have 2 hours. Exams begin!" Christof's scream echoed throughout the room which is a sign that the exam has started.