A week has passed since they arrived at Silverine State.
Alex had immersed himself in training and studying all day with little rest. Tomorrow is the official start of the entrance exam.
Today, Princess Eva is helping him prepare for the entrance exam. He had already been taught by his grandparents and parents, but things may have changed in recent years.
So, the princess came to help Alex. Inside the study room, Alex and the princess were engrossed in a book titled "A Moron's Guide to Passing Silverine Academy's Entrance Exam."
Alex almost felt embarrassed seeing the book's title, but the princess explained that it is a bestseller and contains everything currently known about the entrance exam.
"Alex, you know things could change. They love to give surprises, so there might be changes in the way the exams are conducted," Princess cautioned Alex, who was absorbed in the book.
Alex looked up at the princess's worried gaze and nodded. "Yes, I've already been told that generally it remains the same, but once in a while they change it."
Still worried about how he would pass, the princess said, "Let me tell you this: when I took the entrance exam, the contents changed drastically. First, they checked everyone's levels, then there was a written test, and finally, there was supposed to be a tournament-style competition where the winner would advance. But they changed it to a battle royale, where everyone was sent to a location, and the last one standing won. Rankings were determined by survival time and by how many tokens you collected from eliminating others. For each elimination, you got one token. Tokens could be stolen or taken after a final blow, so you had to surrender if you didn't want your tokens to be stolen."
Alex had rehearsed this thing at least a dozen times by now, but he still put on a smile and asked, "What rank did you get?"
The princess grinned at Alex's question and lifted her chin smugly. "I got first place in the battle royale but third in the written test."
Alex nodded and asked, "Why did you get third in the written test?"
The princess faltered at his question, a look of distaste on her face. She answered, "They changed the written test and added out-of-syllabus questions. Previously, if you practiced the past ten years' questions, you could easily pass. But now, they switched to random questions with answers that depend on one's perspective. For example, there was a question about how the status system came to exist. The answers varied for each individual; there are theories, but it was explicitly stated to write your own theory."
Alex nodded. He had been told beforehand that there would be changes, but not to this extent. His parents and grandparents had only taught him what they felt was necessary and what they had gone through themselves. They had completely skipped mentioning this change. He wondered why they had left it out—had they not known about it, or did they think he was sufficiently prepared for the written test and should focus on physical training instead? He wasn't sure.
He shook his head to clear the distraction. "So, who got first place in the written test? That person must have given quite a good answer."
The princess paused, noticing the curiosity in Alex's eyes. She answered, "A girl got the top rank in the written test, but I outclassed her in the battle royale." Her tone was not smooth and carried a hint of bitterness as she mentioned the girl.
Alex sensed some kind of conflict between them, so he didn't pry further. "Tell me, what were the questions?"
The princess listed the questions one by one, and the last one was the only one that piqued his interest: "What are the chances that the status system is actually a manipulative tool given to people to make them completely reliant on it?"
Alex fell silent at this question. He had heard all the questions, and for most of them, he had at least some kind of answer. He had finished most of the books in his library, searching for answers about the status abnormality in his status window. Maybe that was why his family had made him focus on training rather than studying for the entrance exam. They believed he could pass the written test, so they focused less on it.
Alex fell into deep thought, his brows raising slightly and his face tightening as he dismissed one theory after another. For example, since the status system was universal and supposedly given by the universe, the chance of it being manipulative seemed unlikely—something he dismissed immediately. He thought of other possibilities, like the fact that no one knows its origin, and wondered if someone could be behind it...
The princess shook him from his deep state as he became too engrossed in thought. He looked at her, noticing her worried expression.
She said, "Don't worry too much about the written test. As long as you attempt it and write what you believe is right, they will give you credit. There is no single correct answer, so they can't judge the answers strictly, but those that resemble or align more with general understanding will earn marks."
Alex nodded. He knew from the questions that there was no right answer, and even if there was, the teachers grading the papers would most likely be unable to confirm it, as these were creative questions meant to explore the mysteries of life.
They spent the whole day in the library, with the princess sharing her wisdom on how to survive the battle royale and what he needed to be wary of.
Occasionally, Ariana would join them, but seeing them discussing things that went outside of her mind, she would pout and run out of the room.
The whole day was spent on the theoretical part, and the Princess taught and corrected him as he went along.
At last, the sun began to set, painting the sky in vibrant shades of orange and red.
Princess and Alex stood at the entrance of the house, the carriage waiting behind her with the door open, and one female knight was stationed beside the door.
Before bidding farewell, she spoke with a resolute voice, making it clear she would not take no for an answer: "Run away, hide, and try to protect yourself. Don't put yourself in a fight you can't win; it's better to hide and run than to fight the other examinees."
Alex nodded. She gave him a light flick on his forehead at last as she added, "I will watch your fight, make sure to keep yourself safe." There was a hint of worry on her face, despite her trying to mask it. Alex could feel her concern.
He grabbed her hand as she turned to leave for her carriage. He smiled and said, "Thanks, Princess."
The princess looked back at Alex.
"Dummy, don't thank me. I'm just returning the favor. Now I don't owe you anything."
Alex let go of her hand as memories of her saying she owed him resurfaced in his mind. A bitter taste filled his mouth as he realized how quickly time had passed.
He retreated back to the estate as the carriage left the gate.
- - -
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