Chapter Ten : The Class Evaluation

“Moria,” Johann called out. 

I halted and faced him with a practiced smile. Nellie and the others grinned at me and bid their farewells insisting that they go back to the dorms first. I nodded reluctantly accepting the awkward atmosphere between me and Johann. 

“How’s your day? We haven’t seen each other all day long,” Johann said, plastered in his face was his usual gentle look. 

My brows met upon hearing his statement. I just saw him this morning after all. Ah, so he really didn’t notice me earlier. For some reason the thought irritated me. But I quickly extinguished the feeling, as I know it was not quite right. I avoided his gaze but later realized it was a wrong decision. I caught a glimpse of the Aces’ office and unfortunately, the vice-captain was inside.

“It was alright, I just encountered some ‘bothersome’ incidents,” I said. His forehead creased hearing my statement. 

“By the way we would be having our class evaluation this Friday,” I said avoiding the precedent topic. Johann tilted his head slightly to the left and looked at me curiously. He then placed his hands in his pants pocket and leaned in the wall.

“I heard you met with Lalia?” he asked. I suddenly felt tension in my body.

“Yes, how do you know her by the way?” 

“She’s an acquaintance. You should learn from her. She’s quite well-versed in wind mahò. She can probably help you refine your spells.” He explained, although I agree with what Johann said after experiencing Lalia the wind mage’s might I still felt uneasy by the thought of her. Maybe it was because of the bad first impression.

“Are you the one who told her about me?” I asked wondering how Lalia knew me because it was my first time seeing her.

“No, she saw you, if I was in control I would not let you meet her.” A lump formed in my throat. I awkwardly laughed and asked him why would he do that but he brushed my question off and told me he would be away for a while.

“Where—“ I cut myself off and told him to take care instead

“ I would be going to the Crooked Forest,” he said looking straight into my eyes. I was quite taken aback by the words he suddenly blurted out.

“It’s okay to ask me this things Moria, don’t hold back.” He said gently which made me smile. He ruffled my hair and motioned me to move forward.

“Let me escort you to your room so you could rest. I’ll ask Lalia to come train you so you could perform well in the evaluation.” As we walked back to the dorm my unsettling feelings were already gone. My attention was now focused in the evaluation. This would be the second tie I have to prove myself after the entrance exam.

“This far should be enough,” I told Johann when we arrived in front of the building.

“Take care in you mission,” I added while tiptoeing and kissed his cheeks.  He nodded and slowly walked away. I watched his back move farther away when he stopped and looked back.

“I’ll give you something when I get back, so do well in your evaluation class.” I nodded again and Johann slowly turned, now walking away.

Entering the dorm I was greeted by my roommate’s teasing faces. And I could only shrug my shoulders.

**********

I felt eyes looking at me and I felt shivers in my body. I opened my eyes and saw the white ceiling of our dorm. The feeling of being stared at was still there, I surveyed the room in attempt to find the suspect but could not find anyone, perhaps I was mistaken? Suddenly the windows opened letting a strong gush of wind entered the room. I hugged myself and stood up to close the window but when I was about to shut it I was pulled by a greater force and I found myself falling down fast. 

“You’re late Listarte!” shouted Lalia as she was twirling her wand. I heaved a deep breath and closed my eyes while biting the insides of my cheeks. I’m glad I quickly realized the situation and successfully floated. Her ways of meeting up are always so unique. I’m speechless.

The sun has not yet peeked in the horizon and the luminescent moon was reflected in the lake. After falling from the dorm building I was led towards here by the wind and found a grinning Lalia sitting in the gazebo. The blue moonlight flowers around the gazebo glittered elegantly like expensive jewels. A few translucent butterflies were also hovering around. The night was magical except for the malicious smile in Lalia’s face.

“You should be happy for seeing your master Listarte,” she said insinuating I greet her and I nonchalantly abided. 

“Now now, the lessons will officially begin,” she announced.

During this time I still see her as a noisy weird mage, but never did I thought that after three days my impression of her would completely change. As the deadly training begins I realized I was not as strong as I thought compared to mage like her. She was an S class, a level I could not fathom. when the day of the evaluation arrived, I became the Exuberant Mage’s apprentice in body and mind.

**********

Year 1028 A.G 

Day of the Class Evaluation

The training hall was packed with mahò users. The senior were also looking forward to this day as all the freshmen are trembling with nervousness. Although there are some who are quite confident, quite conceited, and quite careless, almost the rest were tensed and I was one of them. I was confident that I’d do well after the trainings with Lalia, but the feeling won’t go away.

“How were your trainings?” asked Nellie beside me. 

These past few days, we did not have the time to talk leisurely. Upon returning to the dorm I was already beat up and would go straight to bed. Early in the morning I would already be outside with Lalia.

“I think it went well.” I said

“Whew! How strong did you even become? You were already powerful before now you should be ridiculously strong!” Nellie said excitedly.

“Don’t flatter me too much, I just refined my spells and done mock battles with Lalia, how about you? How did your training go? I heard you were with your brother?” I asked

“Don’t even mention it, that freak is always so proud, always telling me how he is older when it was only a matter of seconds,” I chuckled because of her annoyance. This twin always banter but it was obvious that they always think of each other.

“By the way, Euna, Kimi, and Joanna are already in the prep room right?” I asked Nellie.

“Yes, they will go first so we will get to see them. I heard the top three would be last so that would be you, me and Luther.” Antonella replied.

We surveyed the hall for any sign of Luther and successfully found him in a corner clad once again in a full black outfit.  Antonella grabbed my hand and gestured me to go towards Luther.

“Hey Luther, how are you?” Luther just stared at Nellie and nodded then fixed his gaze in the dais again. Nellie pouted and crossed her arms but didn’t bother Luther again.

“Are the first years ready?” A good looking man with jet black hair stood in the dais. The hall erupted into shouts of cheers.

“That’s our professor. Joseph Jiseo Debra,” I nodded at Nellie’s explanation. I wonder why all our professors so far are all good looking even Lalia is so elegant. Well, being surrounded by beautiful pieces of art has its perks too.

“Then let us begin the class evaluation of the first year mahò users, let us call on aboard Kimi Karina Hallivil,” 

Kimi emerged from the prep room and the professor stepped out from the dais. When Kimi settled in the middle a huge barrier formed around the audience benches. The scale of magic then appeared in front of her. The huge transparent crystal ball would show numbers after a colored smoke that represents the strength of ones mana or aura fills the crystal ball.

Kimi moved farther away from the crystal ball, I guess she is a mana user. She closed her eyes and conjured her staff. The staff has an emerald gem circled with corral like holder, she began to hum and a green and white smoke manifested inside the crystal ball. The melody she emitted was soothing and calming that everyone in the hall fell silent watching her. A siren, so her origin was siren. Her mana was manifested through her song it was a beautiful attribute. A few seconds passed when numbers appeared in the crystal ball, two and four.

“Let us clap our hands for Lady Hallivil. Attribute: Soothing Melody from the Sub Element category, Class D Level 4” Professor Joseph announced. Together with him stepping in the dais the barrier around the crowd disappeared and applauses can be heard all over. The Professor approached Kimi and patted her shoulders saying his congratulations. 

“As Lady Hallivil prepares for the second test let us call on our next mahò user,” 

Three mahò users was evaluated before it was Euna’s turn. Euna entered confidently on stage, I guess she came prepared, immediately as the banner was erected she summoned her staff that resembles a tree branch styled artistically with little red gems on the handle. Euna raised her staff and chirping began to noise in the hall. As she used her mana birds started to flock the hall hovering around the barriers, the crystal ball was filled with brown smoke and number started to appear, two and seven, a Class D level 7 mahò user with the attribute animal calling belonging in the Natural category.

It was Joanna’s turn when we started to head to the prep room. I was eventually beginning to get nervous, I chose to do the third test for my beginning performance. That would be showing my strongest spell, as per Lalia’s influence this would be the best test to show my prowess. In order for people to look forward to my performances I need to bait them with my strongest and most stunning spell, sometimes the people’s influence really helps, so if the crowd loves you it would be better according to Lalia. Although I am not sure if she is serious or just blabbering, nevertheless there’s no harm in trying.

Joanna’s test ended. She was an aberrant and a rare one at that. When her exams finished she was approached by one of the teachers.

“That was a seer from the tower, and our one of our professors. I think Joanna has been scouted. She’s amazing after one test she already showed her worth, we ought to do our best too then,” Nellie said in a little voice. Joanna’s attribute was foresight belonging to the aberrant category. She was Class D level 5.

 It was indeed amazing, when her test was in progress the crystal ball turned pitch black and thunder started to form inside. Joanna who was pouring mana into the ball was stunned for a moment, her eyes glowed light brown and after a second the crystal ball turned transparent again, that when the numbers appeared but it was weird how the teacher hurriedly went to Joanna, well maybe she was really good. 

Afterwards, the rest of the first years performed the tests some even did the second test and the third test as their beginning performance. The spectacular color changing of the scale of magic was fascinating to watch but it did not ease my nervousness. 

Tomorrow will be the day that Johann comes back, if I do well here he would be happy. Also after the evaluation the lectures will follow the normal time already because it would not be self- practice anymore but it would be the beginning of the real competition to the top with the guidance of the professors hence I convinced myself that I would be fine after all there are myriad things at sake. 

I remembered all the things the monks and Lalia thought me, the spell I will perform today is my original spell, or is it? I often see this in my dreams, an abstract configuration which I surprisingly understand. I have researched this for a long time but I haven’t found book about it, when Lalia was teaching me I eventually found the answer. I pray for the success of this spell. May the blessing of Gaearandys be with me.

I stepped into the dais and the barriers protected the audiences, I closed my eyes and pictured my core slowly meditating and spreading my mana all through -out my body, sending my mana energy into my wand, I flicked my hand and performed my quirk. A magic circle appeared hovered in the air and glowed, a soft breeze passed by every person  in the hall, I started to whisper my chant, and performed a wind spell that will leave everyone in awe.