"How can I ever be happy or proud that my place in society is made to be in the lowest levels?" Ermand felt his throat dry.

Ermand was suddenly interrupted by gasps from everyone in the room except for Mr. Zaugustus Lewcent and one of the Professors. Both of them remained with the same expression they had a moment before. Ermand noticed that the Professors sitting near him, gave him a deadly glare. It was then he realized what he had blurted out a moment before.

"I don't think the interview should proceed any further, Professor Lewcent. He should be eliminated. We don't--"

"Mr. Qorder, please do sit down. Now, Ermand, tell me. Why do you think so?" Professor Zaugustus Lewcent asked him, giving a curt nod to Professor Qorder.

Ermand inhaled deeply. He didn't know how it'd go. Now there was no turning back.

"Clanship brings a sense of stereotype and preconception of the lower clans to remain low among people, which should not be the aim of any country. People should be sorted into a single unit which cannot be possible in such a situation. One should only be judged with what he has by his own means and not by what he is categorised as," he said.

The Professor nodded at him, clasping his hands together. It was later again when Ermand realized what he had just blurted out in front of all the Professors.

"I see that your point of view differs from the way new applicants usually answer, and I sense a bit here..."

Ermand nodded. The Professor produced a cream-coloured card. He scribbled something on it with the wooden pen. The paper was passed from Professors to Professors until Ermand received it.

When he tried to unfold it, the High Professor interrupted him.

"I prefer that you read it after knowing your results your professors will give you, Ermand. Ten points from each and sixty from my part, which makes a total of two fifty points. You should score above two-hundred points to pass this interview," he explained.

Ermand nodded nervously.

All of the Professors were confused at the High Professor's action. They continued with their work, doubtfully.

After a short while, they passed their scores to Zaugustus Lewcent. He scanned the paper without turning a glance at Ermand.

"Here are your results, Ermand... Zero points from eight professors..."

Ermand nodded. He knew it would've happened. He glanced at the door from the corner of his eyes. He was sure he would fail, however his concern was about his parents probably standing behind the door.

Suddenly, Professor Lewcent paused.

"Could you please wait outside for a few minutes until we ask you to come back in? We need to have a discussion about your final score."

"Sure," Ermand replied before exiting out of the room.

"Professor Lewcent, I think he's an arrogant fellow. I am not reluctant to say that I'm one of them who gave him no score," a man with a blond tuft of hair over his forehead suggested.

"I agree with Professor Qorder, he is indeed an arrogant boy," another Professor agreed.

"I don't see a tinge of arrogance anywhere in his personality. He seems as if he was nervous and the most honest boy I've interviewed till now," the High Professor replied. "However, I grant all of you to take your rights in giving the score you wish to."

Ermand was called in again.

"Here is your result," the High Professor said.

"You earned sixty-two from the twenty teachers here, and fifty points from my part which makes a total of one-twelve out of two-fifty. I'm afraid but you'd need eighty-eight more points to score the average."

Ermand nodded. He knew why all the Professors put his points down.

I should've told something else rather than blurting my point of view that has no value.

"It's alright, sir. I've never seen such a tremendous and substantial college ever in my life. I'm happy that I got a chance to see this place," Ermand replied.

"Any questions you're yearning to know?" Mr. Zaugustus Lewcent offer him a fatherly smile.

It's better I don't ask.

"No, sir."

"You are a very precious and gifted boy, Ermand. Good luck in your future..." (He said with the same smile twinkling upon his face.)

"Thanks," he said, before leaving the room.

After he left, the room remained silent for a moment.

"He seems to be a confused and an odd boy," a woman commented, staring at the page in front of her.

"It's good that the boy is eliminated. He's a threat to the whole world!"

"Mr. Qorder. You should remember that you are a teacher and as an educator, you have a pivotal duty to all students. He should never deprive a child mentally or physically," Zaugustus Lewcent stated , his features softening. Mr. Qorder turned his head in disagreement.

"Those who gave him low scores had deprived a gifted and a remarkable boy..." He muttered. No one heard him and he was relieved that none did. He reminded himself that confronting the clanship law in the most opposing way was a crime.

Outside the huge door, Mrs. Chisel weeped on her husband's chest.

"Did you say anything wrong in there, Ermie?" She asked, wiping her warm tears.

"No..." Ermand replied, scratching his neck. "But it's alright mum, I'm not unhappy with this. I'm really okay, you don't have to feel sorry..."

He knew it was all because of him. He should've kept quiet in the beginning.

"It's fine, Ermand. I know you're feeling bad about this. It's not your fault. Let's go back home," Mr. Chisel said, hugging his wife closely and walking her towards the huge hall a few feet away from them.

Ermand suddenly stopped in his tracks, a thought struck him. The note!

Without any second thoughts, he quickly produced the note Mr. Zaugustus Lewcent gave him inside the room from the pocket of his jeans. He reminded Ermand to open it only after Ermand got to know about his score. (He opened the note.)

Ermand,

You were already selected even if you passed the interview or not. After leaving this room, wait outside in the Great hall until the interviews are all over. An instructor will lead you to your department once the interviews finish. I wish you a successful academic year ahead.

P.S : I guess we share the same point of view.

Zaugustus

He couldn't believe the note held between his fingers. The High Professor of Agledon University had written him a personal note!

He dashed toward his parents with the note clutched tightly in his hand.

"Dad, look what I've got!"

Ermand gasped. Mr. Chisel never saw such surprising happiness in Ermand over the past few months.

"What is it Ermand?" He asked with hope filled in his voice.

(Mr. Chisel stared at Ermand while Mrs. Chisel was busy dabbing her tears with her pink handkerchief.)

Without explanation, Ermand gave the note to Mr. Chisel. While Ermand was panting, Mr. Chisel's face changed from sorrow to gleeful as his eyes wandered each of the lines beautifully handwritten by the High Professor.

"This..."

Ermand nodded, smiling.

"You-you passed!"

Mrs. Chisel, confused with the sudden change in her husband, grabbed the note from his hands and read it immediately. (After reading), her face bloomed with a warm smile.

"My boy," she cheered, hugging Ermand tightly.

"He told me to wait with the others in the Great hall," Ermand said, gazing at the man with his scroll a couple of feet away.

Helmuth glanced at his wife, who nodded enthusiastically.

When they entered the Great hall, Timothy was expecting him. It seemed he had made friends with a couple of boys who stood near him, chatting.

"So..." Timothy's eyes shrinked.

"Yes, I did it." Ermand beamed.

"Say hi to Charlie and Emiley," Timothy said, turning to a boy who was an inch shorter than Timothy and had dark hair that matched his thick black framed spectacles. He sniffled a handkerchief close to his tiny red nose.

"My name is not Emiley, I'm Emile Waps," the boy said. "Hello. Please don't bother with my sneezing."

"I've got goblin flu, make sure you stay a bit away from me. I didn't want my first day to be ruined like this..." Emile added, managing to smile.

"And. I'm Charlie Daller. Hi," The other boy introduced himself. He had frizzy dark brown hair and an exuberant face. However, his face wasn't as dull as the clothes he wore, he seemed bright. Ermand recognized him as the boy who debated with his mother about joining the department of Protector Training. It seemed he had finally given in.

"Hello, I'm Ermand Chisel," he smiled.

************

Editing credits ~ sticklady2015