The bells that tolled through the city had awoken the twins. Laying there looking at each other, Isla asked softly "Are you ready?"
"Of course. We've been training for so long, I don't believe we won't be able to get in" Sila answered haughtily.
The two looked at each other in silence, then burst into laughter. Isla quickly calmed herself before admonishing Sila "Okay, okay. That's enough messing around. Let's get going before we miss the test".
Without any more distractions, the twins got up to wash their faces and have breakfast. After putting on some casual and loose fitting clothing, they walked out together.
The streets around their district were very sparse, but even from here they could hear the distant chatter. Following the voices to the testing area, they finally saw the huge crowds that had amassed for today's test.
Isla saw the end of the line and grabbed Sila's hand, leading her to stand in position together. The addition of two beautiful girls didn't spark much interest from the crowd, whose attention was on the front, where people were currently being tested.
"High affinity, water magic" one of the academy guards said with a deep and resounding voice.
The eyes of the crowd were all on the young man that stood in front of the testing orb. A bookish boy with a calm and restrained demeanour stood in place, accepting the gaze of the crowd.
Erin looked at the young man while asking, "What is your name and your age?"
The young man answered in the same calm tone as his appearance, "M'lady my name is Arthur Retis and I am 23 years old".
Erin wasn't too surprised, not being able to sense any strength from him, she guessed that he hadn't known about his affinity, or perhaps his family had no need for it. Looking at his clothing, he probably came from a small merchant family in the city.
"Very well. You have passed the first test. You are guaranteed a place in Larsille academy. However, tomorrow will be an ability test. Your position in the test will determine what level of resources you will receive at the academy.
I am aware that some people may never have received the information to be able to train their talents, so a book on basic exercises will be given to those who pass the initial test. Mr. Retis, you should do your best to try and learn any of the spells by the days end to get a more favourable position" Erin explained to both the crowd and the young man.
Arthur was stunned by the revelation, he hadn't expected to have an affinity for magic, but after he found out he was extremely excited, however a bucket of cold water seemed to have been poured onto him at the knowledge that there would be a practical test to determine the position he could achieve in the academy.
He was quickly ushered off by the academy guards and handed a book on the basics of magic. After he received the book he rushed home, not bothering to waste any time watching the follow up.
The line continued on under the wails of constant failings and dashed hopes. Until a haughty girl walked onto the testing platform. After putting her hand onto the orb, a bright red light rose from it.
The academy guard shouted "Extremely high affinity, fire magic".
The crowd gasped in amazement. Even Erin sat up a little from her seat. She asked the same question, "What is your name and your age?"
"My name is Lucy Dallivan. I'm 19 years old this year" the girl said in an arrogant tone.
Erin didn't like this woman. Her arrogance was unfounded. Although an extremely high affinity was unusual, but it was by no means the rarest. At the Larsille academy there were never any shortage of geniuses. Some had even had perfect affinity, which was the greatest and rarest of all.
Having perfect affinity is as if you could understand the path without hesitation or distraction. Everything about it comes as naturally as breathing. Erin personally met someone in the academy with a perfect affinity for wind magic. The terrifying power that comes from that person can still make Erin feel trepidation.
Compared to that, extremely high affinity is nothing to mention. Even Erin herself was tested to have excellent affinity with fire magic, which is the next level up from extremely high.
Bored by Lucy's attitude, Erin impatiently rushed her off, but a gaze from a certain place showed a gloomy interest in the arrogant little test taker.
Baldwin Retwick stared at Lucy with interest. He especially liked those arrogant women. How they would cry and beg him for mercy when they were underneath him. He especially enjoyed how broken they were when he was done, then he'd pass them around to his lackeys to enjoy.
He didn't dare to look at the daughter of a Marquis like that, especially with the monster that guards her standing there, but a little known aristocratic family from an unknown city? Add to that how many similarities there are between Erin and Lucy, he felt he could savour the young thing before he destroyed her.
Erin didn't care why the disgusting guy that sat there was smirking, but she had no intention of finding out either. Delia had told her to avoid cretins like him and she had no objections.
The line that had been in front of the twins finally dispersed under fail or the rare few that had succeeded.
Isla went up first, her breathing steady. Raising her hand and placing it on the orb, she waited patiently for the result.
The orb shone with a powerful lustre. A different colour from the normal magicians, this energy was very violent inside the orb.
The academy guard stood there in shock, he quickly voiced the result, "Near perfect affinity, warrior aura".
If Erin hadn't been sitting down before, she would probably have fallen down by now. Just as she was thinking of the perfect affinity, a girl with a slightly lower affinity appears. What are the chances?
Even Delia couldn't help being surprised at this result, she had noticed that the girl was at the strength of a gold rank, just like the twin sister behind her, but she couldn't have guessed that her affinity would be so horrifying.