Thief Mage

14

Back at the dormitory door, I heard a flurry of complaints. Apparently, eating up their breakfast had already caused significant resentment. Jack, clutching a large pile of food in his hands, pushed the door open with his foot. The people complaining were all looking in our direction. Seeing the delicious food we were carrying, I, the enemy who had eaten up their breakfast, immediately became a beloved brother. They rushed over to help unload the food, enthusiastically saying, "Ah! Look, we were just saying you were nice!"

Did they say that? But I still feigned a smile. Student life offers plenty of free time, but life is certainly hard. Faced with so much delicious food and wine, and the fact that we rarely get together for a full meal, several of us gathered around the table, happily feasting and drinking. For a moment, I was swept up in the joyful brotherhood, laughing and joking around. I quickly became one with them.

I was so excited that I didn't pay attention. My head was starting to fog after all the drinking, but I still had a bit of clarity to remind me I had to register for school today. I dropped the chicken bone, staggered to my feet, and mumbled, "Brothers, I still need to register! Just one more step. You're all good people. I'm going to be with you in sixth grade. Trust me, I will! Wait for good news!"

Those guys also looked quite drunk, mumbling and stammering. I couldn't make out what they were saying. I ignored them and wandered out of the dormitory worriedly.

I stumbled dazedly to the registration office. Although it was called the registration office, it occupied a rather large building. Many applicants were coming and going. Kate told me that the school didn't register at the beginning of the semester; you could register at any time. After registering, you had to go to the magic test field to test your magical abilities for class placement and grading. If you had enough, you could be immediately assigned to the sixth grade.

I groggily arrived at the first floor of the registration office. It was spacious, and the crowds were unusually high. The hall was buzzing with activity, and the air was thick with sweat and heat. Ten registration booths were set up, presumably to accommodate the large number of applicants. After squeezing through the crowd, I naturally chose a booth with a shorter line and waited quietly.

I casually glanced at the applicants nearby. Their expressions varied, but they could be roughly divided into two types. One looked lazy and helpless, as if their parents had driven them here. The other, their faces brimming with hope, must have genuinely hoped to learn something. Many of these applicants were younger, brought by their parents. Perhaps their parents were hesitant to entrust such a large number of students to their inexperienced children!

My head was still fuzzy, apparently the alcohol was really taking its toll. I'd already reached the registration counter. Across from me sat a younger teacher, and the registration desk was full of young teachers. I figured a senior teacher wouldn't be assigned this job. He pushed his glasses up and gave me a skeptical look. I half-closed my eyes and gave him a silly smile. The young teacher handed me an application form and told me to fill it out. I groggily filled it out.

Name?

Of course I couldn't use my original name, Richie!

Gender

I instinctively felt down.

Hmm! Male.

Age... Marital status... After filling out all sorts of information, I came across a multiple-choice question. I tilted my head to read the words clearly! It was a magic test. There were four options: Water, Wind, Fire, and Earth. Without hesitation, I checked the Wind test. As for the Wind test, I was confident in my abilities; I should be more than capable of doing anything by sixth grade. After filling out the form and paying the tuition and fees, the young teacher instructed me to take the test at Magic Test Site No. 1, designated on the form. After thanking him, I took the test form and wandered around the open-air test sites next to the registration office. There were approximately fifteen magic test sites arranged in a row across a large open space, each separated by a stone wall. It was quite large. I wandered around for a long time before I saw a sign with the number 1 stuck in the ground. I excitedly trotted in. There were quite a few people inside, about seventy or eighty students, watching. In the center of the site was a huge magic test stone. They were gathered around it, watching the test takers with great interest.

I handed the test form to the test instructor at the entrance. He briefly reviewed it, then pointed to the mountain-sized magic stone and instructed me:

This chapter is unfinished. Please turn to the next page to continue reading... The Thief Mage, latest chapter, Chapter 14, URL: "You must cast your best fire spell and use your maximum magic power to attack the magic stone. We will use your magic to measure your mental strength, magic power, technique, and other factors, and then combine them to give you a score. Your score will affect your grading. Do you understand? Yes, I understand. Wait here. It will be your turn in a few students."

"What? Fire spells?" I sobered up immediately and scratched my ears in disbelief. "You mean fire spells?" I reassured.

The test instructor reaffirmed: "That's right. Look at the entrance to the test site." He pointed toward the door.

Following his direction, I looked horrified toward the entrance to the test center. The bright red words "Fire Test Center" caught my eye. I frantically shouted, "Didn't I sign up for the Wind Test? How did I get assigned to the Fire Test Center?"

The test instructor was puzzled for a moment. He flipped over my test form, looked at it, and then confirmed, "That's right! You chose the Fire Test. Look for yourself, it clearly says Fire!" He pointed at the form I'd submitted. I hurried over to take a look! Indeed, there was a checkmark next to the Fire Test...

Ah, I see! I must have mistaken the Fire Test box for the Wind Test in a moment of confusion. Oh my god! I know nothing about fire. What should I do?

I carefully inquired about how to correct it, and the answer was—Absolutely not! Hearing this answer, I slumped down on the bench. Seeing my loss, my teacher comforted me, saying that while fire magic wasn't my specialty, the effects of magic were determined by both mental and magical power. While I might be a bit lacking in technique, the differences between different types of magic were similar based on the test.

Frustrated, he probably didn't realize I was so specialized in wind magic that I had no clue about other types of magic! What should I do? I heard that seniors can bully juniors, and that pretty girls don't like boys younger than them! How bleak my school life will become. Why, why is it like this? I sat there, feeling downcast.