"What's with this overly detailed description"?!
"Paladin? Druid? I've never heard of these binder classes before"?
"Recommended affinities? I thought that was just a Concordant thing".
"Uhh... Professors, what's happening and what are those classes? I never heard of them before", I lied through my teeth.
"I'm not sure... Scholar Harrison?", a woman dressed in purple piped up. In response, an old man with big glasses and a long silky beard stood up and cleared his throat.
"As you all know or will come to know, the art of binding evolved from the magical arts that the maji themselves once practiced and just like us, they categorized their maji into classes as well. Some of the names remained the same as time moved on, like Scholar and Alchemist, but others changed to adapt to the times such as how Elementalists became Concordants and how Rogues became Scoundrels. The classes you see before you, Paladin and Druid, are now what we call Knights and Rangers. As for what's happening...it appears that the array has somehow changed to able to determine not just the most immediate talent a person may have, but latent abilities as well. How fortuitous", the old man explained in a long winded manner. The others nodded in agreement, and I could overhear some of the students chatting about what this could mean for them as binders. Granted, I couldn't really focus on that since I had to focus on Voxea.
[Voxea. Why and how]?
[I'm going to answer those questions in reverse. Thanks to you clearing out the excess aether from the array, I took the opportunity to do some upgrades to it. I remembered back in my days how someone made an improved version of the array just by adding a few key runes. I figured since everyone were blinder than a mole with cataracts, I'd take the opportunity to do them and you a favor], Voxea explained in a breezy manner.
[A favor]?
[Why yes. Every would-be maji,or in this case binder, has the potential to grow to unimaginable heights. The only thing is that they need a proper guide to do so. Now that I know what you're capable of, I can now help you grow into a proper maji], she told me smugly.
[And the description bit]?
[A happy accident].
[Right...].
"Miss Rosewood", a sharp voice called out to me.
"Ah. Yes"?
"After some deliberation, you are to be assigned to several courses to help determine your binder aptitude. This applies to all incoming students as well", the wolf woman announced aloud, "With that, will the previous students please line up for re-evaluation".
"You may now step down, Miss Rosewood".
"R-right".
As I stepped off the array and walked back to my friends, I couldn't help but notice that some of the attendees were staring at me with either curiosity, animosity or just plain awe. I didn't know what to make of it, so I just kept my head low and walked back quickly.
"What happened up there Sil-Sil?", Savina asked me in a worried tone.
I just gestured to my neck and kept quiet. She nodded in understanding.
_________________________________________
[Applicant: Noctis Toxicant]
[Description: An opportunist fighter that's more akin to survival fighting,skullduggery and trickery than head-on dueling. Understands that it's smarter to keep at least three aces up their sleeves as opposed to just the one].
[Recommended classes: Rogue, Alchemist, Druid].
[Recommended Affinities: Wind, Basic, Verdant]
"While it's not wrong, I do feel a little called out by it", called out a boy with a shifty look. The past hour or so went on like this with a surprising amount of applicants agreeing with the arrays' assessment. There were a few dissenters, but it was less against the class recommendation and more against the description bit. I'm not sure what Voxea did, but apparently people weren't happy about their flaws being called out alongside their positive traits.
Evidently, my friends were not spared from the arrays' barbed tongue.
"A heart as big as my belly... I'm fairly small for my age, does that mean I'm unkind?! I need to make a bigger effort to be nicer?", Bori lamented.
"I don't think the array understands cultural and dweller differences Bori. I'm more curious of it what meant by calling me 'naively trusting'...", Savina pondered while comforting Bori.
"I consider recklessly brave a good thing myself", Albina said amused, "either way, it appears we're ending up in similar classes. This is going to be an interesting year".
"What do you mean 'arrogant' and 'tricky'?!", a shrill yet familiar voice cried out.
"Yup. Interesting is one way to say it", I replied with a smile.