As soon as Elijah heard his comment, he slowly stepped away from him.
"Yep. Noted. I'm never cheating, not even by accident."
Aestrea shook his head at these words.
Some of the defeated students lying near the trees glared weakly at Aestrea, but he didn't even look their way anymore.
In his mind, once someone was caught, they were already irrelevant.
The professor stepped forward, raising his hand, and the noise slowly died out.
Leaves kept falling from the tall trees above, and the wind finally softened after hours of fighting and running.
Everyone who passed the test stood in rough lines, some breathing heavily, some looking proud, and some trembling as if they barely survived.
"Good. Now that everyone who obeyed the rules is gathered here, we will proceed with the next stage," the professor said.
His voice became lower, heavier, and much more serious.
"This next exam will be one of the most important evaluations of your future in the Divine Academy."
