While the Dean found it cute, there was someone who didn't.
Old Man Franci stood up as he scolded Lucifer for lying.
"Franci, sit down," Xaen said calmly as he subtly glanced at Franci.
"Yes, Dean." Franci sat down and didn't make a scene.
"Little Alex, I think you might be misunderstanding a bit," Xaen opened his lips as he started explaining to Lucifer.
"The Great Family isn't something which you can add to any family. It's a title that is only given to twelve families on this Island. Two families each in North, East, South, West. And four families in the Capital."
"The ones that introduced themselves before you belong to those families so they can do it. But your using it is disrespectful," Xaen said, smiling.
"Anyway, I think you're new, and you didn't know about this. I read your file. You lived in a village all your life, and it's your first time out, right? So I can understand how you wouldn't know this. Just don't do this again," he said.
Lucifer nodded his head. "I apologize. I thought we were doing this to name our family with respect. I didn't know it was an actual title. I won't do it again." Lucifer said as he stepped back.
"That's better," Xaen said as he smirked.
"Alright. Since it's the Orientation of students, it's time to have some fun. The five of you will have a little competition. Whoever wins the competition will get a special advantage," he added.
"What advantage you might be thinking? Win and find out. But I will say, this will come really handy in saving you later on."
"What competition? Battle?" Cassius asked.
Hearing his question, even Dash started frowning. Did he really have to fight against four people on the first day itself?
"Not at all. There's no battle or anything like that. It will be a singing competition. Each one of you will sing a song, and whoever wins will get a prize," Xaen said, chucking.
'Ah, so that's why the Dean called more than one this time. Instead of having fun with one, he wants to bully all of them. Our Dean is really a kid at heart,' Yovann thought, sitting in the back.
"I can't sing," Cassius answered. "I withdraw from the competition."
"Oh, no-no. You can't. I forgot to mention, the one who withdraws will lose one of his three chances as this will count as breaking a rule," the Dean said, laughing. "You must attempt at least."
Cassius's face twitched unwillingly as he heard the words of the Dean. Did he really have to do such an embarrassing thing in front of everyone?
"Come on, don't be shy. I know all the people of your Great Ziani Family are talented. You can do it," the Dean further said. From his face, it was clear that he was enjoying himself.
"Fine!"
Cassius stepped forward as he took a deep breath.
Opening his lips, he started singing. "Oh, great moon..."
His song lasted for only twenty-second before he finished as he stepped back.
"Pretty good. See, you had no reason to be shy," the Dean said before he looked at the next one in the row.
One after another, everyone kept stepping forward and singing a song they remembered.
Soon, it was Lucifer's turn.
Lucifer also stepped forward, not knowing what to sing. He hadn't heard any song and didn't know anything.
'All I can do is sing something random. At least it'll count as an attempt,' he thought, clenching his fist
Lucifer closed his eyes and calmed his mind as he tried to form some words to sing when something strange happened. It seemed as if a song had suddenly appeared in his head which was being sung by a lady.
He opened his eyes to look around to see who was singing, but no one was singing there.
"Come on, sing. Don't delay," the Dean reminded Lucifer, who decided to stop thinking and just sang the song that had appeared in his head.
" In the night, darker than dark, don't be scared, my child. As soon as you call my name, I'll appear like a shining light..."
Lucifer kept singing the song and continued it for three minutes. He didn't know why, but as he was singing, tears started forming in his eyes as if his heart was aching. There was a feeling of loss that he was feeling, but he didn't know why.
Tears kept trickling down his cheeks one after another as he sang a distant song. Everyone listened to this beautiful song carefully, as if they were dazed by the lyrics and the emotions that Lucifer was putting inside the song.
As for Xaen, he couldn't help but stare at Lucifer as he tilted his head. "Interesting."
After four minutes, the song finally finished. Lucifer didn't move for a moment as he stood still. The pain in his heart was still there. And it was hurting. He took another deep breath as he wiped his tears. What was happening to him, he couldn't understand.
"Alex, can I ask you a question?" Xaen asked Lucifer.
"Yes," Lucifer replied as he looked back at Xaen.
"I haven't heard that before, and I'm sure it's not from our nation since I heard all the songs. Where did you hear it from? Or was it that you made it yourself?" Xaen asked Lucifer.
"Where did I hear it? I don't remember," Lucifer replied blankly. He himself didn't know where he heard it from. He didn't remember hearing it ever.
What he didn't know was that it was a song from his true life. The song that his mother used to sing for him when he was young. It seemed like his memories were trying to slowly break the obstruction and come free.
"Interesting. It must be that someone made this song, and you heard it accidentally. And then you forgot. I would love to meet the person who came up with such beautiful lyrics," the Dean told Lucifer.
He stood up.
"Alright. I don't think the winner could be any more clear. Alex Alaric is the winner!' Xaen declared.
As soon as the Dean declared, the students started clapping. As for the people that were in Class A, they just looked at Lucifer.
"As I promised, the winner gets a prize. As for your prize, it's that you can skip any one yearly exam from the first three as per your wish, and you won't be considered a failure in that," the Dean told Lucifer, laughing.
Even though he said these words lightly, they were shocking not only to the students but the teachers as well.