The Children Of Thalia

The Poet

Ellis Grant's PoV

"Good job." Sean Fabre Sephoris walked quietly onto the stage while clapping. "Your speech makes them very fiery."

The man who stood with sweat on his forehead turned his head, revealing a wide grin as if satisfied with an achievement. "Oh, I'm flattered, thank you. Your hard work is also amazing behind the scenes."

"Not as good as you." Sean smiled thinly. "Now, what do you want to drink? We can provide anything, except wine. This is school territory, after all."

The man was silent for a moment, his eyes rolling upwards as he thought. He then said, "coffee would be amazing."

"Good choice. Our best coffee bean supplies just arrived yesterday. Maybe wait about five minutes for that?"

"Oh, then take it to the pavilion. I'll be there in a minute."

"I understand." Sean put a hand on the chest, then bowed in respect. "See you later, Mr. Grant."

The man also performed the same gesture of respect. One of the adabs in the Republic of Thalia.

Sean then walked away with steady steps and a awake posture. The man shook his head, removed the small glasses he was wearing, then clapped his hands.

"Hahah, what a wonderful thing. It was no surprise from a Chairman of the renowned OSIS academy. Isn't that right, Miss Rita?"

The man glanced back. A female teacher stood in front of the participants' seats. She smiled proudly as she nodded her head conveying an agreeable reaction from what the man in front of her stated.

"That's fine. Even as a teacher, I was often amazed by Nak Sephoris's tattoos. He'll be a big man later." Rita then walked over. "What do you think of this test system? Isn't it amazing?"

What Bu Rita showed with her arms, where they were standing, was right on the stage where the man, Ellis Grant, gave the opening speech. All around them were participants, sitting unconscious in their chairs made as comfortable as possible. Their eyes closed, their hands limp. Of course, that's how this exam works. Make all participants enter the alternative world made by Gift. That was why an impossible environment like the City of Sintes could be created, because it was all just an illusionary world.

"This will be a new breakthrough for exams in every school." Ellis commented, expressing her admiration. When the magic circle-like pattern appeared on the floor earlier, he was a bit panicked actually, but it turned out that he was not affected by the gift at all. "How is the security guarantee? Is it safe for all participants?"

"Guaranteed, Helder's standard." Replied Bu Rita enthusiastically. "Each student sits in a chair with a high level of ergonomic design, including an anti-fall, anti-legal design, as well as an arm with a calculated angle and height. The backrest is also equipped with good air circulation, so it will not feel hot. For the test mechanism itself, the gift used is certainly not dangerous, even though it is an Aggressor type. The awareness of all students is sent to one big place in a different dimension, with world programs that have been created in such a way based on existing regulations. If any student were to break the rules, their consciousness would instantly return to his body and be declared a failure. If anything works, they'll wake up with some kind of semi-permanent tattoo on the back of their arm. In the world there too they can get hurt, but they won't be taken to the real world."

Listening closely, Ellis nodded in understanding. "So, indeed Helder had calculated everything. Does that include... you know? What if there was a case where the participant's consciousness did not return to his body?"

"Oh, that's impossible, that's impossible." Bu Rita replied without hesitation, shaking her head firmly. "To be clear, this technique does not mean that it actually moves the participant's consciousness elsewhere. Their consciousness was still there, at the point of light within their brains. It would be more appropriate if I said this gift injects the data of the City of Sintes into their brains, to then build a perfect simulation with the consciousness of those who go there. Like a dream how. But this gift concept can be likened to someone who uploads a game file to the internet, then many people download it and play it on their computer. Not that their computers are moving into the world of the game, it's just that the consciousness that can be controlled on that computer processes the downloaded data for later display."

"So.. understandable." Ellis nodded in understanding. "You could say the magic circle was a kind of QR Code, which will be scanned directly by the eyes of the participants, then inject the data of the City of Sintes into the participants' brains. The participant's brain will directly process that data and execute the commands given to make the participant's consciousness play inside the City of Sintes. Right so?"

"Frightly so."

"But, now if it is likened to a computer file, of course there are other problems, right? What if this gift is infiltrated by a virus?"

"Maybe I need to remind you again that this gift is not a computer. It's just a parable. As long as the initial formula is correct, there will be no outside factors that can interfere."

"What if the virus is malware? What if our own participants were the virus?"

Miss Rita was silent for a moment. His eyes were rolling, his fingers were moving incoherently. After five seconds, he opened his mouth again. "That can be dangerous. Your point is right too. Participants who are not good can be said to be a dangerous virus, because it can escape examination. But that's why we apply rules, like computers install anti-virus. If there is a violation, immediately disqualify."

"I understand. Maybe it's true that believing in you guys is the best thing, seeing how strict the standards are here."

"Of course, we're proud of our standards."

Certainly not. Ellis knew it was a loophole, and Bu Rita herself understood that students who had bad intentions could become a virus themselves. They know, but they don't talk about it. At the very least, the world where the participants conducted the examination was a simulated world, not a real world. Even if there was an incident, their consciousness would instantly return to their original bodies in the hall. The world has been given a rigorous and complicated program, all to prevent possible criminal acts, even its own observations are on almost every corner. Therefore, Bu Rita convinced himself that Sintes City was a safe simulation city.

Of course, he was also aware of his habits. He tightly held his pen tightly, closed his eyes, then let out a long sigh. The information needed has been obtained, the rest just leave it to the others.

"Okay, maybe that's all from me." Ellis tidied up her red suit, quietly putting her pen into her pants pocket. "Thank you for the time, Miss Rita. Sometimes my curiosity is hard to control."

"Oh, it's okay," Bu Rita shook her head gently with a smile. Elegant woman, a reflection of the teacher of Helder Academy. "I'm happy with people who are curious about gifts. I myself am a master teacher of gift skills. For me, meeting people who are interested in gifts may be the same as you who meet your fans. After all, a gift is our trademark as a receiver, and I am happy to meet people who are interested in gifts. If there's anything you want to ask me again, you can meet me for further reduction."

Ellis smiled, looking down politely, "I really appreciate it," then put a hand on the chest, a final greeting. "See you." And he walked straight off the stage.

Ellis Grant is the most famous and respected poet of Thalia. His poems brought encouragement to the Thalia people during the Fallen Angel Incident, his career culminating in Ulkafa's first aggression against Thalia. His verses became a message of struggle for the people, bringing every news through digital media, and the first to proclaim Thalia's victory against Ulkafa's aggression at that time.

"Good acting, yes. Even Miss Rita doesn't realize it."

Ellis Grant turned toward the voice. A young man grinned widely, leaning against the thick-cold wall that became the main gate of the hall. There were no guards, all of them had gone inside to secure the examinees who were in the middle of the test. Or no, there should be. There should be guards there, but they're all under control.

The young man walked in the shadows, approaching Ellis Grant who was fixated in confusion. The grin on his face revealed knowledge, his gestures revealed calmness and confidence. He did not hesitate in the least, because he knew that the man in front of him was not what people saw.

"Why confused? You were there, weren't you?"

Ellis did not reply, did not open her mouth in the slightest, did not sweat in the slightest. He looked unshakable, but the expression on his face revealed shock. The young man in front of him advanced again, making him walk back slowly until he came out from the shadow of the hall building.

She was cornered, no doubt, but Ellis Grant's reaction was to smile calmly. He fixed the tie, fixed the suit, then looked at the young man sharply.

"It would probably be wiser if we had a discussion in the pavilion. Today's weather is hot enough for us to sit outside." Invite Ellis while putting his hands on his chest. Although it was already so polite, but the smile on the young man's face even disappeared.

The young man just nodded slowly, following what Ellis wanted. "Yes, whatever."

They finally left, leaving the hall quiet. The way they walk is so contrasting with each other. Ellis stepped firmly and firmly, while the young man behind her was more relaxed and free. The bustling front plaza passed by, people watching, talking silently, wide-eyed, breathing in disbelief at the figure that had just passed them. Some tried to approach, responded kindly, but were also told he was in a hurry.

"It's complicated being famous, isn't it?" Insinuating the young man. They were already in front of the pavilion after fifteen minutes of walking and being mobbed by people.

"Oh, I'm quite enjoying it." Ellis said, "I see teenage children now means have not forgotten the literature of the past."

"Heh..... Hahahah."

When Ellis entered the pavilion room, another person was already there, sitting politely while sucking on a cup of coffee that he prepared himself. His extraordinary gaze was easily recognizable, but his gaze on Ellis was different from when they were on stage.

"Oh, just in time."

Ellis grinned. "So it's really prepared, huh?"

"Sure, Helder's offer is always right." The man placed his coffee cup on the table slowly. "Sit down, this room is soundproof."

"It's amazing, it could be faster then."

Ellis Grant, without sitting down, pinched her own cheek strongly, until it appeared to have slipped off her face. He pulled the full face, tore it apart, then threw it into the corner of the room. Another face was visible, a familiar face. It was the face of the head of the Merlins Secret Service, Elijah Marceau.

"It's also hot to wear that mask." The young man took off his tie and red suit, then took off two buttons on his shirt. He knocked himself down, sitting casually on the carpet like melted jelly. "It's very hot today."

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