I loaded the Mysticism panel.

Chapter 255 Failing the Exam (Bonus Chapter 32 for Monthly Tickets)

The day after the assessment ended.

The results were then announced.

The associate professors graded these papers very quickly, basically just glancing at them.

All the students in the special class crowded in front of the notice board.

Richard walked over at this moment, and when the other students saw him, they automatically moved aside, their eyes filled with awe.

Richard, who was kept after school every time, was already a top student comparable to Montagu.

Richard looked at the notice board.

A red list was posted on the bulletin board, with a line of text at the top.

"List of trainees who have successfully completed the training."

There are twenty people in total, arranged by ranking.

First place.

Under immense pressure - Montagu.

Second place.

Richard Williams.

Richard's gaze lingered for a moment on his own name and Montagu's name.

Congratulatory voices gradually rose from behind him.

"Williams, congratulations."

"Congratulations, Richard."

Richard turned around and bowed slightly to his classmates.

Then, he looked down at the list again.

Third place, fourth place, and fifth place.

Richard paused for a moment when he saw that the team was in sixth place.

Catherine Blackwood.

At that moment, Catherine squeezed in from the other end of the crowd.

Based on her assessment results, she should have been ranked ahead of sixth.

But the reality is, he only came in sixth.

Richard glanced down and his doubts were answered.

There was a line of inconspicuous small print at the bottom of the bulletin board.

Evaluation criteria: assessment results + comprehensive quality evaluation.

The so-called comprehensive quality assessment is about development potential.

The phrase "development potential" is worth reading carefully.

The stability of your loop, the resources your clan can access, availability during wartime...

a lot of.

Including the small notebook in the hands of the internal affairs representative.

These are all potential.

Richard also realized that this potential is not about how well you are doing right now.

It takes into account various factors to assess where you can climb in the future.

Behind Montagu stands a master of solar tradition.

His family has already prepared everything he needs for his future signature, oath, and all the resources he will need to climb the ranks.

Even if he is currently tied with Richard, in the eyes of the evaluators, the ceiling he can reach in the future is higher than Richard's.

The people standing behind them are different.

Although Ashford's house is behind Richard, it's just a lampstand that's going downhill.

As for Catherine, there's no need to say more.

The hunters of the North.

It sounds good, but her elders are either dead or scattered, and there is no one left to support this girl.

Although Professor McFee opened a narrow gap for her.

But this is still not enough to compare with others.

In comparison, she dropped from third place to sixth.

Richard recalled a quote from Mr. Hutton years ago.

There is no such tree behind you.

Development potential is determined by how thick the tree behind you is.

Richard's gaze continued downwards.

Eighteenth place.

Edith Carter.

Richard glanced around behind him and spotted Edith in the corner.

The girl was holding the book she always carried with her, looking at the list with anticipation in her eyes.

While others viewed things from top to bottom, she viewed them from bottom to top.

Soon, when she saw that she was ranked eighteenth, she was not discouraged at all, but instead breathed a sigh of relief.

Her foundation wasn't very strong; her assessment score was probably around fifteenth.

That's acceptable, but if we factor in its development potential...

Who would stand behind a girl carrying sacks at a mill?

All things considered, she should have fallen off the rankings.

But in the end, she stayed.

Only Richard knew what was going on.

Croft would occasionally keep him and Edith behind for extra tutoring after his private lessons.

He once said something in person back then.

Every year, the college has one or two students who are recommended for admission.

If these students perform well, the associate professors will most likely be willing to say a word on their behalf.

It's obvious that Edith is the one.

Richard snapped out of his thoughts and scanned the twenty names on the list again.

No Phillips?

He looked at it carefully again.

still none.

Richard frowned slightly.

This guy really failed the exam.

Richard went outside and walked around to an old sycamore tree behind a building.

A young master was sitting on the stone steps, holding a copy of "The Metamorphosis" in his hand, reading it with great interest.

Hearing footsteps, Phillips looked up and smiled at Richard:

"You've arrived."

Richard: "You failed the exam."

Phillips: "I know, I checked the list first thing this morning, I looked at it from beginning to end, and my name wasn't on it."

Richard's tone turned serious: "So what are you going to do now? Is there any other way?"

Philip Stein said sincerely, "Of course, I will go to the Royal Academy."

My dad already made arrangements for me. There are even more aristocratic children over there than at universities in Beijing, and the pomp and circumstance are no less than here.

Richard: "And what about scholarship?"

Phillips shrugged: "Of course, it's a long way off."

But it's only a little bit short, so it's perfect for someone like me to go there.

Anyway, all I want is to become a lecturer, read the books I want to read, and live a comfortable life.

After hearing this, Richard had nothing more to say.

Phillips said somewhat angrily, "But there's one thing that really bothers me: Oliver is there too."

Richard remembered this person.

No wonder I didn't see him during the summer training program.

Richard teased, "So you'll be classmates with him this time, remember to get along well."

Phillips rolled his eyes at Richard, clearly annoyed.

"If I had known it would turn out like this, I would have made sure to finish those few things properly no matter what."

…………

Around noon.

Elizabeth came to Richard's dormitory.

She also had a food box in her hand: "Now that the exam is over, don't study anymore."

Take a break today; consider it a day off for your brain.

Richard nodded and put down the book.

Isabella opened the food box, which contained several dishes that were much more refined than those in the school cafeteria.

It was obvious that she had specifically ordered it from a restaurant off-campus.

She sat down by the bed and poured herself half a cup of grapefruit tea.

Isabella hesitated for a moment, then finally managed to say:

"Actually, getting second place is pretty good too."

She probably wanted to comfort Richard, fearing he might be upset about not getting first place.

Richard couldn't help but laugh; he just thought his aunt was sometimes kind of adorable.

"Auntie, I know why I came in second."

Isabella became interested: "Tell me about it."

Richard: "In the assessment section, I'm about the same as Montague, basically a tie."

The reason I lost to him was simply because of the comprehensive quality assessment.

The development potential mentioned there is not as good as his.

Catherine was also because of this.

He added, "Of course, Edith is too, otherwise they could all be taller."

The assessment of development potential is not based on the individual, but on how tall and thick the tree behind them is.

Isabella forked a piece of roasted pork knuckle, ate it, and then said:

"You understand quite well, but there's no need to be upset about this column. We can fill it in using other methods."

Richard's eyes lit up: "What method?"

Isabella then introduced the development plan she had specially tailored for her nephew:

"Once you're in the preparatory course for Classics, don't just sit around and wait it out."

"Go as fast as you can, the faster the better. Finish those preparatory courses as soon as possible, and ideally graduate a year early."

Richard asked, "And then what happens after you graduate early?"

"Graduating from the preparatory course does not require an exam and allows direct entry into a bachelor's degree program."

Isabella continued, "Once you get to your undergraduate degree, I'll share all the research materials I have with you that I can."

Richard was somewhat moved: "Auntie..."

Isabella waved her hand: "No need to thank me in time."

It wouldn't be against the rules to share what I have with you, but there's only so much of it.

The rest you'll have to earn yourself.

During your undergraduate years, focus on building a solid foundation first; don't rush into jumping to higher levels.

Ideally, you should be able to reach the level of a "professional in your own field" before starting graduate school.

"What if you can't touch it?" Richard asked.

"If you can't reach it, it's better to delay graduation than to force yourself to move forward."

Why?

Elizabeth: "Because once you become a graduate student, you are semi-independent."

The college will start assigning you fieldwork.

Normally, this kind of work isn't too bad; it won't kill you.

She paused, then continued, "But things aren't normal now, you understand?"

During wartime, everything will be put to good use.

If you're sent out before you've built a solid foundation...

He stopped there and didn't continue.

But Richard had already understood.

If your foundation isn't solid, you're likely to die if you go out into the world.

Isabella changed the subject: "You still remember Sofia and Clara, right?"

In a few days, they'll probably be sent out too.

Richard: "Independent fieldwork?"

Isabella nodded, her gaze falling on the food box.

On the food box, there was a picture of a big fat cat drawn with a marker.

This was a gift that Sofia had given her before.

"They've only been practicing for two years."

Isabella's voice was somewhat deep: "According to the rules of previous years, they will have to stay under my command for at least two more years before they can go out on independent field missions."

This year, everything is different.

Richard comforted her, "Auntie, don't worry too much. Both of you are professionals in the field, so you're probably fine."

"Practitioners?"

Isabella raised an eyebrow: "Your uncle was already a professional at seventeen."

uncle.

The word had been mentioned to Richard by his mother, but she had never gone into detail.

Therefore, Richard was still quite unfamiliar with this person.

Isabella stroked the fat cat on the food box and asked:

Has your mother ever told you about your uncle?

Richard: "He only said that he followed the hunter's path, nothing else."

Isabella: "Your uncle is the oldest in our lineage."

He's almost ten years older than me.

When he was thirteen, his father started training him, so four years later he was able to become a professional.

Unfortunately, he remained stuck at the level of minor proficiency until he was thirty.

Richard: "And then?"

Isabella: "Later, he made a decision himself and went to the New World."

New World.

Richard was both familiar with and unfamiliar with this word.

Newspapers often feature headlines about the New World.

But all the news was about the expeditionary force repeatedly heading to the New World and losing contact time and time again.

Richard tentatively asked, "And what about my uncle now?"

Isabella: "She's still alive. She even sent a reply a while ago."

Richard breathed a sigh of relief.

Isabella continued, "Many hunters are stuck before reaching the threshold of minor proficiency."

Most people accept being stuck with their jobs their whole lives, simply wanting to be a stable and content professional.

But he didn't acknowledge your uncle.

His reason for going to the New World was to find an opportunity to break through his previous level of expertise.

"Did your maternal grandfather agree to let him go?" Richard asked.

"How could I possibly agree?"

Isabella shook her head: "Father tried to stop him, but he couldn't."

"My older brother is a..."

She paused here, her expression unreadable, neither smiling nor anything else.

"The older brother is just like his son Vincent. He usually seems carefree and easygoing."

But once he's made up his mind about something, no one can change it.

However, before he left, he said something to his father.

Richard: "What?"

Isabella imitated her older brother's tone:

"Instead of being stuck in the Old World for life, why not take a gamble in the New World?"

If they win the bet, the Ashford family will have another member who can hold their own in this generation.

"I lost the bet, so consider it my way of scouting the area on behalf of my family."

After she finished speaking, she fell silent.

The two looked at each other in silence and slowly finished the food in the lunchbox.

After finishing their meal, Richard was about to wash the dishes when Isabella suddenly remembered something:

"There's one more thing, and I'd like to take advantage of this free time today to explain it to you."

Richard stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

Isabella: "If a fight really breaks out, you can submit an application to the branch office."

Richard: "Apply for what?"

Isabella: "Your parents are in Briston, and someone will arrange shelter for them."

"Through the Ashford family's connections, they'll receive top-priority protection."

She sighed: "Actually, the safest way is to bring the whole family back to the capital to live."

The Ashford family owns many mansions in the capital, each with proper seals and enclosures, making them much safer than Briston.

Richard thought of his father Rogers's stubborn personality and shook his head:

"My father will not agree to it; what he values ​​most in his life is being self-reliant."

And then there's his job as an engineer.

If we let him sit at the Ashford mansion every day, eating and doing nothing...

Richard smiled helplessly: "That would be even more painful than killing him."

Last year during the Cicero Cup, he only stayed in Beijing for half a month, but he kept checking his watch to remind me to go back early.

He felt uncomfortable even when the housekeeper served him food.

He just liked staying in Briston, spending his days glued to the blueprints.

Isabella was not surprised by these words:

"My brother-in-law is definitely like that; that's probably what my sister likes about him."

She thought for a moment and said, "Let's proceed according to the shelter's procedures."

If it really comes to the last resort, then a designated person from the branch office will pick them up.

Faced with danger, even a brother-in-law had to suppress his temper and prioritize survival.