Chapter 9 The Waiting Game

The entrance examination went smoothly for Napoleon. Having a full blessing from the Goddess really helped him on acing the test. Now, he only has to wait for seven days to know if he will be admitted or not. Though truthfully speaking, he is confident that he has passed the exam.

Looking back at the expression of the proctor earlier, he was stunned, completely dumbfounded upon seeing his test paper. Well, nothing is certain without an announcement.

Exiting the Brienne-le-Château, Napoleon now faced another challenge. Where to stay?

His father gave him an allowance for the week to rent a hotel where he can stay while waiting for an announcement. Should he fail the exam, the remaining money that he will have on the day will be used as a fare for his trip home.

His father has placed a lot of trust and confidence in him, expecting that he will pass the exam. Returning home with a failure would be unacceptable and would bring great shame to his family.

Napoleon walked around the town, searching for a place to stay. He asked the locals for recommendations, but they all pointed him to the same expensive hotels. He couldn't afford those hotels with the allowance his father gave him.

As he was about to give up, he stumbled upon an old inn located on the outskirts of town. It was small and old-fashioned, but it had a cozy and homey feel to it.

The owner, an old man, welcomed him warmly upon his entrance.

"Welcome, young man. I'm Mr. Dubois, the owner of this place."

"Thank you, Mr. Dubois," Napoleon said, taking in the cozy atmosphere of the inn. "It's a lovely place you have here."

"Thank you. We take pride in keeping our guests comfortable and happy," he replied.

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Napoleon followed the old man and led him to a room. It was small but clean, with a single bed and a small writing desk.

"This room is perfect for me," he said, nodding his head in approval.

"The price is also reasonable," Mr. Dubois said. "It includes breakfast and dinner."

"That's great," Napoleon said, relieved that he wouldn't have to worry about food for the week. "How much is the room per day then?"

"It'll cost you fifteen livres per day, but I'll be happy to lower it down to twelve. Consider it as an expression of my hospitality,"

Napoleon was pleasantly surprised by Mr. Dubois' generosity. "Thank you, sir. I really appreciate it. I'll take the room for the week," he said with a smile.

"Well, I guess I'll find it tomorrow."

And the day came.

It was his last day in the inn and he had donned himself in his formal attire, making sure that he looked presentable in front of the headmaster.

Before leaving, Napoleon bid farewell to the owner of the inn. After that, he made his way to the gates of Brienne-le-Château.

Though a school based on merits, Napoleon couldn't help but feel overwhelmed at the sight of the exquisite carriages pulling up to the school gates. He was used to a simpler way of life and this world of nobles and aristocrats was foreign to him.

The students who were exiting the carriages even have their own butler assisting them. Talk about being privileged.

But he pushed his thoughts and entered the gates. He made his way toward the headmaster's office, navigating the complex maze of corridors and staircases.

Napoleon took a deep breath and opened the door, stepping into the room. The headmaster, a tall and imposing figure, sat behind a large desk, his eyes fixed on Napoleon.

"You must be the new student," the headmaster said, his voice cold and formal. "I am Headmaster Duval. Take a seat."

Napoleon sat down, feeling even more nervous under the headmaster's steely gaze.

"I have asked to see you because I wanted to speak to you about something important," the headmaster said, his expression unreadable.

Napoleon's heart began to race as he waited for the headmaster to continue.

"I have read your application, your exam results, and your background. It seems that you come from a very humble upbringing," the headmaster said, his voice softening slightly. "And yet, you have managed to achieve full marks on the entrance examination. Not only that, you also went through all the questions that were designed to eliminate the... weaker ones, in a mere 30 minutes. We had several new students whom we had expected to top the exam, but their scores didn't even get close to yours."

Napoleon chuckled nervously, overwhelmed by the praises of the headmaster. So that was it huh? He just wanted to praise him.

"Thank you, Mr. Duval. I don't know what to say"

"Since you are the first student in our school to have gotten full marks, I am thinking of giving you a reward. How about a discount on the tuition fee? Instead of paying 500 livres per year, you will only have to pay 200 livres per year. That is if you maintain your academic performance throughout your time here," the headmaster said, his eyes still fixed on Napoleon.

"Really?" Napoleon's eyes widened. "That would be a great help for my family."

"That's great then. Very well, I must have taken a lot of your time. You must go to the registrar's office and get your timetable. There you will see the list of your subjects and the schedule of your classes," the headmaster said, standing up and signaling the end of their conversation. "I wish you all the best, Mr. Bonaparte. I hope to see great things from you in the future."

Napoleon nodded and stood up, bowing respectfully before leaving the room. This is what he has been waiting for aside from the announcement. The first day of school.