As for the poster incident, it didn't reach the Forging department. If anything would be said about the artisans, then they were crazily absorbed and totally focused on forging and nothing else.
"It's me," William didn't feel any hostility like he used to get when someone would mention his past as a porter. Instead, he felt a weird shock coming from that master.
"It's an honour to meet you!" Just out of everyone's expectations here, the master who everyone dealt with utmost respect and veneration moved and formally greeted William by cupping his hands.
No matter how anyone saw it, they felt like this master was dealing with William as if he was a master like him, not a mere disciple like them.
"Master, what's wrong?!" From the side, one of those who showed their hostility to William before, spoke up. He couldn't control his puzzlement anymore.
"What's wrong about what?" the master turned to that disciple, who was one of the few gold grade spirit masters here.
Even if the two were at the same rank as gold spirit masters, there was a huge difference between the two in the forging field.
"He is a porter, a traitor who works for the dark side!" That disciple was so focused on his hatred and enmity towards William to miss the tiny clues about how this master deeply respected William.
"A traitor? That issue is already dealt with," the master gave that disciple a look from head to toe, "whoever told you this missed to tell you the latest development about this issue. William isn't a traitor."
"My friend from the Bronze Lizard clan told me he is a traitor!" and even with all these glaring signs that this master was on William's side, and trying to frame William was a lost case, this disciple failed to notice this.
"He got cleared by the headmaster himself," and when the master heard what this disciple said, his tone changed to an icy cold, "are you telling me that your friend knows better than the headmaster himself?"
"This…" that disciple finally got what was going on. And that left him out of words. However, it was too late for him to realise that.
"Just stay silent and don't speak nonsense," the master harshly said in warning, "or else I'd expel you from the test on his behalf."
"His behalf?"
"What does that mean?"
"A bronze spirit master is more highly valued than a gold spirit master?"
"What's going on in this world?!!"
Many shocked exclamations came when the master said his words. And William remained on the side, watching such a show in deep interest and great amusement.
'Ellina… What the heck did you tell others exactly about me?' William could already see the crux of the problem here. He heard things about how highly the Forging department valued him, including giving him a title and such.
He only did one thing that could attract their attention beside the deal. After all, the deal was just an empty promise.
If he gave Ellina anything back then to impress others, then it'd be his new ways to forge things.
'Tsk! It seems she found a loop in that oath of hers,' William couldn't accept such a thing as it already happened. And he now didn't care about any of that.
Even if others knew the little tricks he used in front of Ellina, it wouldn't be a big deal. He already showed part of his real power back at the Long clan.
"You know him as a bronze spirit master," and under all the loud exclamations of everyone, that master didn't even flinch as he added, "but to us, he is our honorary disciple."
"Honorary disciple?"
"The one who is supposed to lead us in the upcoming competition?"
"How come?"
"A bronze spirit master will lead gold spirit masters? I never heard about such a thing before!"
"Silence!" the master didn't tolerate any more of such words, "he is your leader, that's if you passed the test. And so, if he doesn't want anyone to be on his team, he has the right to expel anyone. If you don't show him the respect he deserves, I'll take on the task of dealing with such impudence on his behalf!"
This time the master used direct threatening words to silence everyone. The disciples around looked in conflicted gazes towards William, not knowing what they should do right now.
They thought this porter was going to get the biggest embarrassment in his life, losing his spirit crystals, and even getting expelled entirely from the Forging department.
And yet things ended up quite the opposite! Alfred from the side couldn't help but look at William in a weird way, as if he was seeing him for the first time.
William could feel all the gazes falling on him, and he ignored all of them. "Master, is master Ellina inside?" That was why he came in the first place.
As for this test thing and that upcoming competition, he decided to keep these questions for Ellina.
He intended to not let her off the hook this easily. She gave him an oath and ended up finding a way to break free from it. Even if he didn't get any problem from such revelation, and even ended up getting help, he still wouldn't let her off this easily.
She was the one who gave him a gold grade sword on the spot without any prior preparations. If he could make her feel guilty, he dreamt about getting a good grade glaive out of her thanks to that.
"She is inside," the master pointed towards a direction before adding, "she is at the twelve test building."
"Thanks master," William cupped his hand, and moved towards the gate before getting stopped by the master.
"Take these," the master moves were swift as he took out the crystals William placed in the cauldron and gave them to him, "you won't take any test and don't need to pay anything."