As twilight fell upon the city of Cheford, the lamplighters came down each street in pairs, one carrying a ladder and the other a dozen sacks that could fit in one's palm. With practiced movements, the one with the sack would climb to the top of the street lamps on each side of the road, lighting up each one.

When all of the lamps were lit, the streets became as bright as day, allowing the citizens to carry on their business long after the sun had set. The lamps, to Theodore's surprise, were not of candle or oil, but within each one held a small pebble emitting a bright light.

(Are those what I think they are?)

Through the window of a travelers' inn, Theodore gazed down upon the streets, marveling at the glowing pebble that could not be found in the countryside town that was Eastcliff. Developed as it had become, it was still considered rural by the kingdom's standard.

In the room with him was Annaliese, to Theodore's dismay. When they were on the road, Theodore would sleep in the carriage while Annaliese had no qualms camping outside, so Theodore had hoped that they would get separate rooms. However, it would seem that Annaliese had no intention of letting him out of her sight, forcing Theodore to keep his guard up at all times.

"Those are called brightstones," Annalies explained, noting that Theodore had been staring at the lamps.

"Brightstones, you say?" Theodore expressed mock confusion so as to not reveal the depth of his knowledge. He knew that Aether does tend to glow when a large enough amount was gathered at one spot, but not with such intensity. The glow of Aether was something softer, gentler, and not quite enough to light up the streets.

(This isn't part of the world Remigia created. This... This is something else.)

While in thought, Theodore settled onto his bed. Taking his eyes off the window, he glanced over to the lamp on the table close by.

"Why aren't we using brightstones as well?" asked Theodore. "We've been only using oil lamps during the trip here. Are they expensive?"

"No, not quite. While they do cost more than oil in equal weight, they shine brighter and last longer. Besides, it is the Mage Tower that produced them. I could easily get some for free if I so choose. I dislike using them for an entirely different reason."

"Is that so? They seem rather convenient to me, though."

"Convenient for the short term perhaps."

"What does that mean?"

"I am afraid that I cannot say. The production methods for brightstones are to be kept an absolute secret."

"Oh, come on now. You can tell me. I can keep a secret." Theodore began to pester the master enchanter. He didn't truly need to know the secret, as he already had an inkling as to where those were made, but he thought that he ought to continue acting his age.

"If you want a lecture so badly, I suppose I can give you one, though it's not going to be about the brightstones. Instead, I'll be covering the basic knowledge of magic. Consider it a preparation for the exam you'll need to take before enrollment," said Annaliese, her voice giving nothing away.

"I thought I was already enrolled though?"

"That was a lie. The Archmage simply told me to bring you back by any means necessary. To officially enroll, you'd have to take an exam first. There would be a written portion and a practical portion, your performance in those two exams will determine whether you'll become an apprentice or a preparatory student. Only an apprentice is considered properly enrolled, by the way. A preparatory student will be placed into preliminary lessons and training before they attempt the exams again. Under the usual circumstances, the entrance exams would only be held once every four years or so, but for you, under the premise that you may be a reincarnation of an affiliate of the Mage Tower, a special examination has been arranged."

"That sounds like a pain."

"It can't be helped. We have only so many masters capable of teaching and there are only so many apprentices they can instruct at the same time. Magic is, by nature, a dangerous art. The students needed to be closely monitored and instructed. It's not something that could be casually taught to a class of students with varying talents and temperaments."

"But wait, what happens if I fail the exam?"

"When that happens, we'll merely have the examiners look the other ways, hence the reason it being a *special* exam. In truth, it is merely a formality so that we aren't accused of bending the rules or giving anyone special treatment."

"Uh-huh..." Hearing that, Theodore made an exasperated expression. "You make it sound like mages play dirty all the time."

Those were the honest, unfiltered thoughts of the boy named Theodore. Of course, he understood the need for the deception, but that did not necessarily mean that he had to like it.

That being said, the display of his feelings was a deliberate choice. Knowing full well that he was being observed, Theodore realized the need to forge a favorable persona to impress upon his observer. It would be one meant for the very deception he found distasteful, the same deception he had been doing for as long as he could remember, a deception made from a mix of truths, half-truths, and outright lies.

Witnessing the expression of disgust, Annaliese couldn't help but let out a small laugh. It was as Theodore had planned, his naivety had made an impression on the master enchanter. Whether or not the mask would hold, however, will rely on his vigilance.

"Would you have rather gone with the Paladins then?" asked Annaliese, knowing full well the answer.

"That, I'll pass."

"Well, the trickery aside, if you do well on the exam, the masters would of course see you in a better light than if you were to fail. At least, they won't look down on you. And trust me, the other apprentices could tell as well. When it comes to mages, you do not want to be looked down upon. They'll trample all over you if you give them the chance."

Annaliese did not say that to be considerate of Theodore's future. It was an attempt to motivate him in some way. In truth, the exam itself would serve as a trial for Theodore, one to determine if he was someone dangerous. The Circle of Mages was wary of the Demon Lord, of course, but they also had quite a fair number of enemies to watch out for.

Just for the recorded cases alone, those who had attempted reincarnation magic included mad mages, heretical mages that had once been exiled, and some very old enemies of the Circle of Mages. The list of threats went on, and with the Circle being filled with mages paranoid enough to reach a ripe old age, they could not help but be wary.

The 'special exam' was designed to test the kind of knowledge Theodore possessed, filled with questions and tasks not found in the usual examination. Naturally, the Circle did not expect Theodore to reveal it all with this one test. If he truly were their enemy, they expected him to be as careful and wary as they were. Still, if they kept tossing one trial after another his way, surely, he would slip somewhere along the line.

"So? Will you like a lecture from his master enchanter or not?" Annaliese offered.

This too was a trap. Having spent six days grasping the boy that was Theodore, Annaliese had formed an expectation for the range of questions he would ask. Depending on the kind of subjects he would inquire about, it could serve as a clue to what Theodore truly held knowledge of.

"Well... I suppose it can't hurt too much, better than being looked down on, at least," said Theodore, realizing the trap he was walking into. However, he couldn't find a proper reason to reject her. He could have just pretended to be lazy, but being the actively curious person he was, he likely hasn't given Annaliese that impression. Even if he were to start pretending at this point, it would only appear unnatural.

It would be three days before Theodore arrive at the Mage Tower, and these three days might very well prove to be his longest three days yet.

***

End of Chapter 16

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