Extra And MC

64  Chapter 60 - Arcana Academy Entrance Exams - Prelude

In the distance, just a fair few meters away from the Belmonts, the Steelblade Family watched from afar.

Brandon Steelblade, whom was also referred to as the Baron of the Steelblade Family watched with a tinge of annoyance and a lot of jealousy in his eyes at the Belmonts who were surrounded by two pulsing domes, one aquamarine in color and another in a golden color.

When they were growing up, his step-brother Isaac, had always been the loser of their family. The one everyone liked to trample upon.

He was an illegitimate son who had been born out of an affair that their now dead father had had with a commoner woman and whom he was later forced to marry and take responsibility for by taking her in as a concubine.

Although having to marry more than one person in Arcadia was a rare thing when compared to some other nations, it wasn't looked down upon in the least. It just wasn't a widespread practice.

The main family however, despite having no major reason to, had completely loathed Isaac's mother because she was a commoner.

Brandon's mother at the time, along with Brandon himself, put both Isaac and his mother through insufferable scenarios and situations, so much that Isaac's mother eventually died, just from the stress alone of having to deal with their frequent antics, especially when it had been well known that she was a woman with a frail constitution.

Despite his mother dying at a very young age though, this ended up being a source of motivation instead for Isaac to keep pushing forward unwaveringly.

He had then eventually decided upon becoming a researcher to help other people who also needed to be healed, something that had made his family disown him because their family were known to become rankers and dedicate their lives to operating their guild, much to Brandon and his mother's glee.

However, when Isaac had made the first high-tier potion, the Steelblade family who had found out about his achievement had tried to get him to join their family again but Isaac had vehemently rejected them and had instead, cut off all forms of ties and relations to them.

When they had also received news of his death, they had just considered it a fitting end for an illegitimate son like him who was just being stubborn despite them trying to reinstate him as a member of their noble family again.

But little did they know, that their seemingly nonchalant dismissal of his death, would come back to bite them in ass in the most painful way possible.

Although they had known that Isaac had given birth to two kids, they never would've expected that in their wildest dreams, Isaac's kids would go on to do and achieve something even more crazier than what he did.

As Brandon stared at Ivar and Ivelia in the distance, his jealousy and annoyance grew even more as he watched the sons of the Belmont family casually conversing with them while also realizing just how much both children resembled Isaac.

Ivar was almost an exact clone of his father but without the unique eye color that Ivelia had, a beautiful orange with an encroaching blue on the sides of her irises, something Isaac also had.

Adding to his now increasing annoyance and irritation was also how the Duke of the Belmont Family had completely rejected all of his letters over the past month despite his many attempts to meet with his step-brother's children

"So, those are my nieces…" Ben Steelblade suddenly spoke, snapping his father out of his thoughts.

"Yes they are son" Brandon answered in a slightly irritated tone.

"They even look just like him" Grace Steelblade, Baroness of the Steelblade Family, added with a scoff.

She had been Brandon's fiancé since they were kids so of course she also knew about Isaac.

"Listen to me son" Brandon began.

"Do whatever it takes to befriend them. Even if you also have to become friends with the sons of the Belmont Family" he ordered his son without even a speck of shame in his words.

Ben however who was now put on the spot couldn't help but just slowly nod his head to his father's command.

'Just as usual… I'm being ordered around without care for my own opinions…' he inwardly said to himself.

In another area of the courtyard though, the Adencia Royal Family and the Roseblade family were huddled up together with their own kids while watching the Belmonts too.

"So those are the famed young geniuses…" Adrian, the crown prince of Arcadia said, his eyes seemingly locked onto Ivelia especially.

"Whatever you're scheming in that mind of yours Adrian, I'd implore you to stop" Beatrice warned her brother as his eyes, which contained a glint of mischief lingered over the orange-haired girl.

"I make no promises Beatrice" Adrian responded with a shrug to his sister's words, a small smile playing on his lips.

"I'm already getting a severe headache just thinking about whatever it is you're planning to do" the crown princess of Arcadia voiced in resignation.

The Queen, who after squeezing time and clearing a bit of her schedule, along with Selena who were directly behind Adrian and Beatrice, weren't even paying attention to their words because they also seemed to be having a discussion of their own.

Although the King had also wanted to show up to support his kids, he had way too many duties to attend to that could not be put off and as a result, couldn't spare time to come along.

Caroline however who was also with the prince and princess and had also overheard their conversation, watched with a lot of her curiosity resolved.

Now that she now understood who the sleeping girl who had been comfortably latched around Flynn, and the orange-haired male youth she had seen a month and a few weeks ago were, a lot of her curiosity had been resolved.

She was still however very curious about who exactly Briar was.

'That being said… I just want to walk over and talk to him! But, I can't just do that can I?' she inwardly conversed with herself while releasing a soft sigh.

Before the Belmont's had gone on full-on lockdown, Anna had contacted both Selina and Hela and had informed them about the scenario they would be in for the next month.

As a result, both families had not been as shocked, as much as Arcadia and the world had been when the potion had been released into the market.

Caroline however had been a bit sulky about her not being able to visit Aiden again and had predicted, that the next time she would probably be able to see him, would be at the Academy.

As Caroline was having her own thoughts though, another female youth was having her own thoughts at some other place in the expansive courtyard.

15:36

'Ivelia Steelblade…' Amelia thought to herself as she watched Ivelia and Flynn converse over something while sharing a slight chuckle between themselves.

"Are you perhaps wondering if he replaced you with her?" Bryan said, his words clearly meant to poke fun at his sister but all he got instead was a glare from her.

"I was just joking little sis, c'mon!" Bryan spread his hands with a relaxed gesture and a smile that clearly showed that he was messing around with his sister.

"That smile on your face says otherwise though" Lucas who had also been standing next to Amelia, voiced his opinion with a bit of annoyance.

Duke Noah of the White Family, along with Duke Reinhart of the Ellfire Family who were just behind their children too, also paid little to no heed to their children's conversation and just continued discussing a few mundane things of their own here and there.

"Stay out of our conversations Lucas" Bryan immediately snapped back coldly in a low tone, his mischievous smile completely gone.

Lucas however just scoffed in response to Bryan's words and instead voiced out another opinion of his.

"Flynn truly is an idiot though. Casting spells when he doesn't even have that much mana right before an entrance exam" he said with a lot of contempt in his tone.

Amelia and Bryan however did not respond to his comment but still, they also couldn't help but agree with his statements.

Although they all knew that he probably might've perfected his combat art, today's exams, based on the information they had previously been given, would require more than just combat arts but more of weapon arts usage and how well one could manipulate their mana to perform spells.

As the courtyard continued buzzing with people who were watching and surrounding the Belmonts, a loud voice echoed through the vast expanse of the courtyard's sprawling grounds, immediately gathering all of their attention.

"Welcome everyone to Arcana Academy's entrance exams!" an animated yet booming male voice resounded in the air.

Everyone then raised their heads up to watch as a young man with slicked-back brown hair, probably in his very late teens, dressed in a three-piece black suit and a top hat, stand atop a small floating platform.

This seemingly excited young man, beamed at the crowd below him with a delightful smile, his palms placed across the other and over a cane the he held directly to the ground in a poised manner.

It was obvious to all the onlookers that whoever this youth was, he was totally committed to his role as an announcer.

"I, Derek Loyster, a member of our prestigious academy's planning committee will be your humble announcer for today!"

"Now, without further ado…" Derek declared with a snap of his fingers and instantly, every candidate that was supposed to partake in the Academy's exams, immediately watched as white hue surrounded them till they faded away and disappeared, almost as if they were being transported and moved somewhere else.

Their parents and guardian who had also been pre-informed about all these formalities and possible mass transportation of their wards to the arena where they were going to have their exams beforehand, gave their good wishes to their sons and daughters as they began to fade away.

"Let the Arcana Academy entrance exams begin!" Derek concluded, his animated voice booming through the air with a delightful glee to it.