The morning was still bright. The air was very cool like in the mountains. Dew fell like rain. The chirping of canary birds sounded melodious. The cold feeling pierced the body. The faint shadow of the moon was still visible as the cloudy clouds slowly left the sky.
A pair of teenage boys walked casually in the corridor that was starting to get crowded. Every eye watched the interaction between senior and junior that was so close. Sam, a third-rank middle-rank mage whose future was guaranteed, instead of being with other great students, he chose to approach Louis in a friendly manner.
In Sam's eyes Louis was cute and funny. Sam, who had always wanted a younger sibling since long ago, felt happy with Louis' arrival by his side. Louis was a good kid. He was sweet, smart, and generous, even though sometimes he looked frightening. However, whatever form Louis took, Sam liked him.
"How was the exam yesterday?" Sam, who was walking beside Louis to his class, asked.
"I passed the written exam with the best score." Louis answered.
"What about the other exams?"
"Because yesterday there was an evacuation warning, the teachers decided to continue the exams today. The element determination and magic measurement will be done at once."
Sam patted Louis' shoulder lightly, "I'm sure you'll get the best result, then enter the class for the top ranks."
Louis laughed awkwardly, "I'm not too sure about that, bro."
"Why?" Sam turned to walk in front of Louis with his gaze fixed on him. "Aren't you the angel of Artar city? My father even bragged about you in his letter."
"Enough. Bro, go into class before the teacher starts looking for you and I'll get scolded too." Louis forced Sam to enter the class not far ahead by pushing him from behind.
"Meet me during break later!"
"Alright."
Sam entered the class. The ten-year-old kid got into a middle class that was considered good for a commoner. If not mistaken he held the rank of Ignis, the third position of middle rank. Amazing. Besides his striking red hair, his greatness was no less striking.
"Wow.. it's so big." Louis was amazed by the very large training arena with audience seats surrounding every corner. It felt like this was like a Roman colosseum.
"Has everyone arrived? Tsk." A woman dressed very sexily. Smooth thighs exposed and breasts that somewhat bulged out. Scanty clothing with an iconic magic hat. Just call her Clara. A young woman aged twenty who had become a professor with the Nexus rank, third in order for the highest mage level.
"Who is that woman? Her face is so annoying. I'll admit she's indeed beautiful, but I don't like her." Commented a student, while staring at Clara's black hair and gradient eyes between green and mint.
"She is Clara Eryndor, the only daughter of the late Duke Eryndor. She only needed two years to graduate from the academy and not long after became one of the seven top-rank mages until she was nicknamed the prodigy child." Explained a female student who knew about Clara.
"We have seven highest mages who become professor figures in this academy, who move under Lord Niel's orders directly." Added another student.
"Alright. Who wants to try it first?" asked Clara who was floating up there with her black magic staff.
A male student stepped forward from the crowd of students, "Let me try it." He stepped forward proudly. "Look. I will prove that this is just a child's game to all of you." He said, making Clara laugh amusedly.
"How arrogant you are."
The male student earlier came closer. His mouth began to mutter a magic spell. His gaze focused toward the doll in front. He did not expect there would be something inside it. With confidence he finished reciting the spell. The teacher, Clara, looked at him with a disdainful face. A way of thinking that was too amateur.
"Fireball!"
The fireball shot, slow, but also fast, toward the straw doll in front. The doll's face looked exactly like a demon. Scary. And the result... Missed! Apparently that doll figure was Clara's clone! That doll was able to reverse the opponent's magic back to its owner. Fatal wounds did not occur because of the magic neutralizer installed by Niel.
"How?" asked Clara with her arrogant face. "Weren't you saying that this was just a baby's toy? You didn't know the real exam opponent was against my clone that has agile movements to dodge? Fool. You have to be faster." Her disdainful face was brought close to the student earlier, until he cried and ran away from the training arena.
"Is this all there is to the physical exam?" asked Leanor, the ice princess. She stepped forward with a firm posture. "Can I be declared to have passed if I can complete it?"
Clara flew closer toward Leanor, "Correct. Do it if you can. I will support you." She moved away.
Leanor prepared her magic staff, striking it hard until it produced a blue ice magic circle typical of her family. "O goddes of water, bearer of calm within chaos, permit me to forge you into ice crystal, then break!"
Pointed ice crystals shot quickly. One, no! The number was around ten pieces. They shot and left melting ice fragments. The appearance of the magic owner changed beautifully, like being wrapped by an ice gown for a moment before changing back after the magic successfully landed on every vital point of the target.
Leanor snorted happily. "How is it, teacher? Can I be declared to have passed this exam?" she asked.
Carla woke from her daze. "Amazing. You can use that middle-level magic, truly great! The daughter of the Bherliend family indeed does not disappoint." She praised.
Leanor returned with her arrogant posture. Then, a female student stared unpleasantly toward her while saying, "Her face is so pretentious! Even though she's only doing something that everyone can do easily."
"How about you prove it?" Clara offered.
That student flicked her hair, "I will show you all the real magic." She pointed her chopstick-like magic staff forward, mouth open reciting a magic spell, and, "Fireball!"
A high-speed fireball struck toward Clara's clone, making Clara impressed. Apparently she was not just big talk. Her strength and arrogance were equal. This was a real mage, Clara thought.
"Indeed not as good as Leanor, but you are amazing!" Shouted Clara who was flying haphazardly up there.
"Hey, isn't she the younger sister of the kingdom's fire squad captain?"
"The one who was able to match when fighting phoenix fire magic? Wow!"
"What's her name?"
"Alice Forger, from the Marquees Forger family. A family that has served the Kingdom for generations."
Alice heard their whispers and arrogantly lifted her chin. "Hah," She snorted proudly. "Watch and learn." Then, she returned to her line.
"Alright, next."
Alternately they challenged Clara's clone that kept rising again as a result of the user's magic mana. Clara watched difficulty and success together. Among them, only a few experienced difficulty at the start, before success that birthed happy expressions.
They could use magic very well on the first day of entering the academy. So jealous to see it. This year there will be a small chance of students filling the lowest class, and a big chance the elite class will be very full. Leanor the ice princess and Haidan the fire prince leading.
And now, it was Louis' turn. His body was so cute. Both closed eyes added a mysterious impression as he stepped forward, passing the line of other students. Curious gazes that were very uncomfortable to feel. The soul felt as if torn apart by them.
"Please." Said Clara who stood beside Louis. "You can use the magic you master."
Louis gripped his arm tightly. "U-um..." He looked at Clara with a confused face. "How do you use low-level magic?" he asked.
Clara was confused, "You... can't use low-level magic? Is it true you came wanting to become a mage?"
"True."
Clara snorted softly. This was the first time she saw a human who could not perform basic magic. "Watch how I do it." She pointed toward the doll while reading a spell very quickly. A great mage is indeed different. "Waterball!" She exclaimed together with water balls that shot and hit the target.
"Amazing! You are really great for being able to do it!" Shouted Louis with a very, very enthusiastic face.
"Now it's your turn to try it." Clara ordered as she stepped back slightly.
"I will try." Louis demonstrated how Clara did it earlier. The seriousness on him made Clara hope more behind there, together with the other students who couldn't wait to watch. "Waterball!"
Whoos..
Everyone was stunned. Not because of greatness, but strangeness. Not a single spark of magic was visible. Only felt the wind blowing past the emptiness in front of Louis. All students were made gaping in disbelief. How could there be a human who didn't emit a single spark of mana?!!
"Sorry!" Louis bowed deeply to Clara.
Haidan. The child who was said to be the fire prince, who burned Clara's clone completely, snorted amusedly. "Lame."
Clara shook her head quickly, snapping out of her shock at Louis. "You... are really human? Not an inanimate object?" she asked.
"True. I am human."
"How is it possible you can't use magic?"
"U-um... about that..." Louis' words were cut off by Clara.
"You don't need to explain it. Your case is very unique, because of that I will not expel you immediately."
"Thank you."
Clara glanced confused at Louis who walked back to his line. "What makes his face look so happy about his failure? He... is crazy, huh?" She thought.
"What's with those eyes of his?"
"Is he blind?"
"So unfortunate."
Louis didn't care. Right now he was happy while continuously cheering 'I finally succeeded' in his heart. That innocent Louis showed a face full of desire for something unknown to anyone. Only the author knows what Louis is actually thinking.