Silent Crown

“What is this result?” Someone said quietly, “It looks like it didn’t display completely.”

“It didn’t finish analyzing. There are too many possibilities,” the one beside him muttered after pondering. “It must be the bandages and casts all over him that interfered with the tablet.”

“But there definitely is an image.” The examiner from the School of Revelation smoothed his beard. “It doesn’t look strong enough, but he seems to be very in tune with the aether.”

“Consistency is good too, but it’s not strong enough. The explosive force is too low.”

“So he’s not fit for the School of Modifications? Maybe he can practice hymns?”

“Don’t joke. Do we have a School of Chorale? And anyway, the hymnists of the School of Chorale must be trained since childhood. His voice won’t do.”

“His mind’s tenacity is very high.”

“He has high tenacity, but nothing matters if he’s not strong enough.”

The examiners discussed amongst each other in hushed voices. Through all this, the white-haired man, Abraham, stayed quiet, wordlessly studying the image on the tablet.

At times, his gaze would fall on the youth. Watching the youth’s confused eyes, his gaze would turn complicated and pitiful, as if he already saw the result.

In the end, the examiners seemed to come to a decision.

Ye Qingxuan had straightened by now, holding his breath as he waited.

This would decide if he could become a musician. He had almost given up on becoming a musician, but after that night, his hope had sparked again.

This would also decide whether or not he could enter the academy.

He did not know what had happened with his father, but Ye Qingxuan knew that he was innocent and could not have betrayed humanity, so he had to investigate and see what had really happened. The Royal Academy of Music was a good starting place. After all, it was where his father had worked.

Ye Qingxuan raised his head, looking up at the auditorium’s domed ceiling. The stained glass created a complicated puzzle. Perhaps his father had looked up at it too?

“Father, I’m coming,” he murmured softly.

In the silence, he heard Ben’s voice. “Ye Qingxuan, you’ve passed.”

But when he looked over, he was met with their cold and distant expressions. Ben

coughed, clearing his throat he said, “But the Royal Academy of Music might not suit you.”

Ye Qingxuan froze. He did not understand what was happening, but the unsettling feeling in him expanded.

“I…Didn’t I pass the test?”

Hearing this, the examiners exchanged glances. Some chuckled, shaking their heads.

Trying hard not to laugh, Ben coughed and put on a serious face. “Indeed, you passed both the written portion and the tablet’s test. But I fear that none of the Schools here are suitable for you.”

The examiners gazed at each other. The one from the School of Summoning shook his head and said, “Your tenacity is too weak and probably won’t be able to summon beasts. We don’t need students to drag us down.”

“You have high homology, but it isn’t stable enough. The School of Revelation isn’t suitable for you.”

A stern and expressionless examiner gazed at Ye Qingxuan and stated, “Your resonance isn’t enough to meet the School of Modification’s basic standards.”

“The School of Royalty requires at least ten years of training. You don’t qualify.” When the old man finished, he turned toward the veiled woman. “Perhaps you can consider the School of Theory?”

The woman furrowed her brows behind her veil. She did not want to be part of this, but the men had clearly kicked the can to her. She did not care about the arguments between the elite schools and musician schools. She was just there to watch. If it had been like before, she would just take this kid to show some attitude…

Thinking of this, she glared at Ben, a little upset.

“Kid, you’re too late.” She shook her head. “The School of Theory is already full this year. Otherwise…”

“I understand.” The youth’s voice cut her off, stunning everyone present.

They had said so much, but Ye Qingxuan’s eyes never left Sydney’s face. This familiar face was serious, but could not hide the gloating and scorn.

Maybe…they’ve never planned on letting him pass.

Disappointment replaced the fury in his heart. The uselessness was exhausting.

He did not want to keep fighting. Maybe he really should follow the priest’s arrangements and study at the Trinity Theological College. At least there, no one would care whether this white-haired kid was a commoner or a descendant of a noble bloodline…

Thinking of noble bloodlines, he laughed lightly. Maybe he never should have returned to the city that had abandoned him.

“So be it,” he said softly, pushing himself up from the chair. “So be it.”

He did not want to say anything more and did not care what else Ben had to say.

Hobbling on his cane, he rose to leave. Ben could no longer control his expression and glared at the youth’s backside. “Rednecks are rednecks. They don’t even have basic manners.”

As if hearing the muttering behind his back, the youth suddenly halted outside the door.

Turning back, he stared at those faces. Under his eyes, the stern examiners furrowed their brows. It was uncomfortable to be stared at by those annoying and piercing eyes.

“I will become a musician.” Quietly, he said, “…I will become the best. I will.”

He shut the door.

—

The auditorium was silent as the examiners exchanged shocked glances, wondering if they had heard correctly.

“What did he just say? He’s out of his mind!”

Someone scoffed, “He didn’t even know who he was talking to. It’s good that he’s gone. We can stop wasting our time.”

“Whatever, why get hung up on a kid like him?”

Sydney stood up with an unchanging expression, ready to leave. He seemed to not mind Ye Qingxuan’s violation at all. It only proved that the principal was out of luck now.

They had won long ago, and now it was time to collect the fruits.

No one noticed that the old and stiff man had walked from the corner to the stone tablet. Reaching over, he brought out Ye Qingxuan’s data and studied the strange line.

After a long time, he seemed to understand something and snapped his fingers at the stone tablet.

The line on the stone tablet began wavering.

—

—

“Did you fail? Did you fail? Cousin, did you not pass?”

Outside the Academy, under the waning sun, the youth sat forlornly by the fountain. Beside him, Bai Xi asked without restraint. But Ye Qingxuan did not know how to answer.

“Don’t be sad,” Bai Xi murmured, poking his face. “It’s okay. You can follow me and I’ll protect you! Let’s be in the mafia too! It’s easy to make money. Our successful future is already waving at us! Don’t be sad. How does it sound?”

She counted on her fingers. “Look, I’ve already found a really good territory. We can start from the bottom. You’ll be in charge of ideas, I’ll be in charge of the punching, and Old Phil will be in charge of biting. We can steal from thieves. Once we get rid of the Shaman, we’ll be the boss! The kind that earns however much they want…”

As she talked, she ran out of things to say. In the end, she hung her head. Tugging at Ye Qingxuan, she said, “Hey, can’t you laugh, or just smile…What happened to you? There are so many jobs in this world. Why do you have to be a musician?”

“I don’t know.” Ye Qingxuan managed a smile and scratched his head, sad like a defeated dog. “I guess I really don’t suit it.”

Bai Xi fell silent. Watching him, she suddenly went on her tiptoes and hugged him. “It’s okay. They’re blind. Don’t listen to them.”

“Umm, excuse me…” Behind her, a white-haired old man asked quietly, “Is this Ye Qingxuan?”

“Who is it?” Bai Xi craned her neck. She looked from the stiff and awkward face to the steel hand connected to his right arm. Impatiently, she huffed and said, “What do you want? My cousin is in a bad mood. If you piss him off, he might beat you up. He’s really powerful! Have you heard of the word ‘undefeatable’ before? That’s him!”

“I apologize for disturbing you. I am Abraham, a professor from the Academy.” He seemed to not speak regularly, choosing his words carefully. “…Would you like to come to the School of History?”

“Huh?” Ye Qingxuan gaped.

The old man rubbed his white hair in distress, trying to make himself seem more at ease. “I can teach you. Uh, even though I only have one hand, but I can still teach, and uh, I have a lot of experience I can tell you about.”

“…”

Seeing the doubt in Ye Qingxuan’s eyes, he panicked a little. “Uh, even though I’m not dressed well, I’m a musician too. I’ve taught for more than ten years and have researched a lot and…”

“You’re willing to accept me?” The youth’s unsure voice interrupted him.

Seeing his eyes, the old man awkwardly took back his hand. “Of—of course if you don’t want…”

“I do!” Ye Qingxuan grasped his hand. His eyes shone, as if he was grasping his last straw. “I don’t care about anything else, as long as you can teach me!”

Abraham froze in shock. Suddenly he broke into a smile, letting out a breath of relief. Pleased, he said, “That’s just great. I mean…that’s great! Uh, please wait a bit, I’ll be right back!”

The old man seemed to remember something suddenly and ran off somewhere.

“Hey, cousin, are you sure? He doesn’t seem too reliable…” Bai Xi watched as Abraham walked away. “What if he’s lying? And anyway, why did you choose an old man? Couldn’t you choose someone young and attractive?”

“Because he never laughed at me.” Ye Qingxuan watched the old man and remembered everything that had happened. “Not even once.”