Year seven

  This test supposedly teaches you patience. Hebe and Michael already passed it.

  Bde Grandmaster guides me into a small room with a weird-looking chair inside. Two female caretakers standing there.

  ''All you need to do is st one day strapped in pce while water drips on your forehead. Simple.'' He grins at me. ''You will be released whenever you wish, but if you can't st until the water level passes through all twenty-four markings you fail.''

  He leaves me there.

  This seems child's py.

  I gave up after one hour. I was almost ready to tear all my bonds in front of the caretakers monitoring me, just to scratch my nose. The test is so easy, but it's not.

  It takes me weeks of intermittent trying to pass it. I focused on my breathing and learned how to numb my tactile perception around the forehead. It wasn't easy. Is it cheating? Yes. Well...it's only really cheating if you get caught. And I've used my own ability. So not really cheating, I think.