Vesta Sevarion was left awestruck by the outcome of my magic paper test.
"Uh-oh!" I exclaimed.
I was not exactly sure if the reaction he, a warlock of the Mage Society, gave me was a good thing or a bad one.
The magic paper had simply just vanished in my hand, not showing any signs, symbols or transformation.
In the blink of an eye, it disappeared.
Vesta blinked a few times before clearing his throat, trying to take control of the situation.
He looked around and saw the rest of the class watching both of us, confused by what had happened.
The warlock made a desperate attempt to play on our ignorance.
"Hehe," he laughed nervously. "That's weird."
Of course it was and I feared that it would be. Tsk, I blame myself partly for the confusion that overwhelmed everyone.
If I had kept it simple and chosen to display a specific type of magic, then this would not have happened.
Vesta started to shuffle the papers again, a meaningless act that contributed nothing to the test.
"Ahem! Let's do this again."
Thank goodness! I got a chance to remedy the situation.
If I could show them all a certain type of magic, then no one would put so much thought into it.
...
...
...
What magic should I display?
Fire? Water? Wind? Earth? Lightning?
I hesitated for a moment before picking a paper.
Turning back to the rest of the class, I could see them gawking at me with eyes that beamed with anticipation.
Miss Double D and Vesta Sevarion had those same eyes as the entire Emerald class.
Tch! I'm sure at the back of their minds they were already thinking that I am a special kid, especially Miss Dorian and Vesta.
With the way they looked at him, it was clear as day what was going on in their heads.
From their supposedly vast experience in the field of sorcery, I assumed Miss Dorian Dandelion and Vesta Sevarion would hint at my possession of a unique type of magic.
Displaying a plain magical ability would be a bland performance and might even arouse Vesta's suspicions towards me.
He had witnessed, first hand, how the magic paper disappeared and from the closest distance than any other person.
If he was a tad bit skilled, he would be able to sense my magical power.
That was enough for him to make unwanted assumptions.
I heaved a sigh.
Why do I have to deal with this?
Why I can't just have one life where I have no worries?
...
...
...
Vesta cleared his throat, gaining my attention.
"Oh... sorry," I apologized, remembering that I had another paper in my hand.
I channelled my energy into the second magic paper, this time it was at a calculated measure.
Perhaps, my carefree infusion of magical energy into the first magic paper may have been responsible for its disappearance.
Vesta smiled as he saw the symbol on my paper.
It was the sign of a lightning bolt — a black lightning bolt.
Vesta took the paper from my hand and looked at it with so much curiosity.
"Hmm," he muttered, "A black lightning bolt. Hmm, that's a rare type of magic you have there."
Even Miss Double D's interest was piqued.
"Did you say black lightning bolt?" she asked from where she watched the test.
"Mm-hmm looks like we've found a special one."
Miss Dorian hurried to Vesta's side, then she took the paper and looked at it to confirm for herself if what the warlock had said was true.
"It's indeed a black bolt sign," she pointed out before looking at me.
I pretended to shudder at their gazes because it would seem unnatural if I confidently stared back at these well-experienced mages considering the current situation.
Oh, yes! That's right. Act inquisitive, Dickens.
"What... does... it mean?" I asked, acting like I cared to know.
I produced that mark. Of course, I know what it meant but I still allowed them the chance to boost their ego of experience.
"Arcane magic," Miss Dorian answered with a stern look on her face and a serious tone of voice.
"It's the rarest type of magic in the world. I'm surprised I discovered one myself in this lifetime," Vesta added.
"Who?"
"You, of course," Vesta declared with profound excitement.
He put his hand on my head and playfully brushed my hair.
"What is your name, kid?"
"It's Dickens... Dickens Nuttinson."
"Dickens," Vesta repeated after me in a whisper.
"Well, Dickens Nuttinson..."
...
...
...
— Ruby Class, Second Year —
"You possess an arcane magic, Mr. James Melbourne. Be glad. You are one of the few handpicked by the heavens," Violet said to James, who she made to wait behind after the magic paper test.
Violet Levoline was the witch from the Mage Society that oversaw the magic paper test for Ruby class.
James was moving his eyes between his teacher, Mr. Clamon and the witch, Violet Levoline.
He got the ick from the eyes that Violet served him at intervals.
Her gazes were sensual and inviting but James did not fancy her. For him, her physique was quite masculine for a lady and James was not into that.
Meanwhile, Karmen waited far ahead for James to be done with the two mages.
She did not understand what was taking so much time.
Karmen got even more irritated watching how touchy-feely Violet was with James.
It made her blood boil and her muscles tense with increasing rage.
James would look at her from time to time, making funny faces to cheer her up and move his lips in a manner that she could read them.
"Come and save me from these people," he said once, his voice inaudible but Karmen could read his lips.
She chuckled and responded to him that she was coming.
"What we are trying to say, James, is that you possess a mysterious type of magic. It's rare but it does exist.
"We don't want you to worry so much about it, that's why we are here. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to let us know" Mr. Clamon admonished him.
James gave a salute. "I hear you, sir," he said before leaving them behind and walking towards Karmen.
"What were the odds?" Violet wondered.