The Perfect Knight and the Illusionist (BL)
Chapter 8: The Aptitude Test

Chapter 8: The Aptitude Test

LEO

"I’m sure Marius didn’t mean it, Leo. Don’t worry too much about it," Isabelle said, trying to comfort me.

"Pretty out of character for him to make such a mistake, though," Thomas said and shrugged.

I sat on the chair looking at the tips of my shoes.

Things were really strange today in this strange place. I was happy I got to make friends like Isabelle and Thomas, but I embarrassed myself so badly during the introduction time and made a powerful enemy. Mario apologized to me and said it was a mistake, but the way he was turning from his seat at the front to glare at me periodically gave me chills every time.

Then the classroom suddenly went quiet as all the chatter stopped. I looked to the front and saw that an old man in a funny robe with a white beard came into the room and stood by the podium. I noticed Isabelle’s eyes twinkle with excitement and anticipation.

He looked around the room once in a single sweep, but I felt like his eyes took a short pause on me as he did so.

Why was I getting singled out again...

The old man said nothing, turned to the board and wrote his name. He then turned to face the class again and began speaking, while I was still trying to figure out how to pronounce it.

"As per procedure for the first day of magic class, we will start by measuring your magic aptitude. Remember, it is not a definitive test, except when it is. Those of you who show no aptitude at all will be exempt from practical modules and will only attend the modules on magic theory and tactical applications."

Isabelle was listening very attentively while Thomas seemed to be drifting off.

As for me, I was getting a little nervous.

I got into the Academy because of my ’talent in magic’ as that strange traveler told me, but I was certain that my aptitude would be nowhere near anybody else in the room... and everybody would see that.

Students took turns to go to the front and place both hands on a rod laid horizontally, which was connected to a chunk of transparent rock on each side. The first kid went up, did the test, and it showed nothing. But when the second boy touched it, the rocks glowed faintly blue on both sides. The third kid’s test showed orange glows, and the fourth kid showed nothing again. It went on like that and I couldn’t figure out what the colors meant.

Then came Mario Boy’s turn. Everybody seemed to be super curious about what color the rocks would glow, but Mario’s test showed no result.

"So Marius can’t use magic at all," Isabelle whispered.

Mario didn’t seem disappointed, though.

When Isabelle got up and walked to the front for her test, Thomas said to me with a grin,

"Watch this."

I watched closely as Isabelle took a deep breath, placed both palms on the rod, and closed her eyes. The rocks didn’t react at first, but slowly, they started to glow. But unlike anyone else, one rock turned red while the other turned blue. There was a lot of impressed oohs and aahs, and even the teacher with the unpronounceable name smiled for the first time.

"She’s kind of... special?" I asked Thomas.

"She is," Thomas said with not-so-well-hidden pride in his voice.

Thomas then got up for his turn and bumped fists with Isabelle on her way back as they passed each other (so they do this in the city too, heh~). Thomas’s test showed no reaction.

I was the last one to do the test, and I regretted sitting at the back of the class. Everyone was sure to pay more attention to the last one... and then... even the rocks were going to be disappointed.

I copied Isabelle and took a deep breath, placed both palms on the rod, and closed my eyes. I didn’t want to look at the result, but couldn’t help but open my eyes when I heard the class explode into another round of oohs and aahs. My rocks were also glowing red on one side and blue on the other.

Eh...? I’m also... special?

Then something unexpected happened. The red glow from the right rock started to flow into the rod, and the blue glow did the same. I wanted to take my hands off the rod but the teacher’s eyes told me I should keep them on it. The red glow slowly traveled to the center of the rod and the blue glow from the left did the same, and as if the two colors had mixed, the rod turned purple. And then, the right rock started to glow blue as if the light had transferred to that side, and the left rock turned red as the rod lost its color again.

"Excellent."

I heard the teacher whisper in a quiet but very satisfied voice, and suddenly, my knees grew weak and everything turned black as I collapsed to the floor.