Nora quickly made her way off stage and joined the dozen or so children who had also passed both tests in a small building to the side of the courtyard. Just as Nora joined the crowd a young girl with luscious white hair approached Nora. Immediately Nora recognized the girl, she had been the one to reach the highest elemental affinity out of all the test goers, High Air. In a very stuck-up and pretentious attitude said, "I guess you can be one of my friends," the disdain for all others evident in every word. Nora having heard countless arrogant people throughout her life as the First Paragon simply ignored the pretentious girl and continued walking. Just as Nora was passing, the white-haired girl grabbed onto Nora's shoulder and with all her force pressed her nails into Nora's skin.
Nora now feeling insulted by this girls act turned to face her. Nora could feel the force the girl was using in her nails. Nora could feel through the force being applied that the girl had already reached the second stage of Mana Circulation, presumably an impressive feat at such a young age but to Nora who had cultivated, 'Dragon Kings Incarnation' to the fifth stage, insignificant. The force hadn't even managed to mark Nora's skin let alone damage it.
The white-haired girl was somehow oblivious to the fact that her attempt to injure Nora had completely failed yet, arrogantly she declared, "I am Emilee of the Imperial Lightcrow Family, how dare you disrespect me after I was so charitable to you".
Nora being far less childish than this petty little girl responded in clear, "Leave me alone". Nora's gaze seemingly starring into Emilee's soul, behind it an even clearer meaning of, 'I'm warning you'.
Nora turned to leave once again but Emilee once again reached for Nora but before Emilee could grab onto her another girl who appeared to be in Emilee's posse interrupted and stopped Emilee's hand from connecting. In an attempt to calm Emilee the girl started, "Don't bother with her. She's just a nobody. She'll eventually hate herself when she sees what she missed out on."
Although Nora had been a potential future friend and prospect for many of the children from influential families, most of them now simply avoided talking to Nora in an attempt to themselves not anger the young girl, Emilee, the proclaimed genius from the Lightcrow Family.
Nearly all the children who had the aptitude to become mages had been from influential families, mostly due to the fact that Mana bearing parents had a high chance of producing children with the ability to wield mana. Never the less the very few children from non-influential families who had managed to luckily be born with affinities were in an even worse position in case they managed to offend someone from the Lightcrow Family.
Therefore as Nora traversed the group the many children in her path simply moved out of the way in their best attempt to distance themselves both socially and physically. That is all but one. The first child to be tested had already been ostracized by the crowd of children. The clothes the young boy wore were in such a state of disrepair that most of the children simply avoided him in order to maintain their high-status appearance.
Nora quickly noticed that the young boy was also being ignored due to him being "from a lower class". She knew the feeling of being looked down upon. When she was a slave everyone looked at her with distaste. When she arose from slavery and became free, the brand of once being a slave shackled her to the lowest of classes. Only once she became powerful did they all finally stop and respect her. She knew how lonely and painful it was to be all alone. At that moment she decided that she was going to help this young boy. She was going to be there for him. She was going to be what she always wanted during those long, lonely years a friend.
With a newly found skip in her step, Nora made her way towards him. Seemingly surprised, the young boy looked at the cheery girl who somehow parted the sea of people to approach him and became thoroughly confused.
Nora promptly greeted the young boy, "My name is Nora. What's yours?"
"Perceval, but my friends call me Percy." replied the young boy, still in a perplexed state of confusion.
"Wanna be my friend Percy?" noticing the boys rather straightforward response, Nora decided to in turn be straightforward as well.
Percy couldn't help but thinking, 'Who the hell is this girl? Why me?'
"Because I know your pain..." as if reading Percy's mind Nora replied.
Percy visibly taken aback finally understood, 'Birds of the same feather do indeed flock together'
Nora felt like she had stumbled upon an opportunity and said, "Percy do you like ships?"
"Why?"
"Because this friendship has sailed"