The Entrance Exam 2
2065 Words
THE train stopped in front of the tall white building which was the only building in that place. There were constructions that were ongoing so Talia assumed that this street was new.
When they all stepped out of the train they were all guided by the guard from the royal kingdom. They lined up again and walked to the building were the entrance exam will take place.
As soon as they went inside, Talia thought that her amazement about the Royal Capital ended when she saw the City earlier but no. It continued when she went inside the building where the wall was painted with white and black minimalist design. The floor of the building was filled with marble tile.
The staffs inside were all women who wore a neat uniform, it was blue skirt and white blouse on top then their hair was neatly styled into bun. They all have their name tags on the left side of their chest. Every staff were smiling to the children that would walk inside.
"Welcome to Elementum Facility, goodluck on your exam!" Is what everyone would say to each children.
Talia looked at them with amazement in her eyes, especially when she saw another surprising thing. There were two elevators, each with a guards standing beside them.
The staffed group them into ten which was the maximum capacity of the elevators. Talia were one of the first people to get picked. She went inside the elevator with the others then closed her eyes when she felt that she suddenly wants to throw up.
As soon as the door opened, Talia and the others where guided to another room filled with chairs, tables, a blackboard and a Projector. She sat on the last row behind on the left side of the room.
A woman in her thirties went inside the room, she wore a heavy make-up and uniform just like the staffs earlier who greeted them. She was holding stacks of paper when another staff came in.
"Good morning everyone." She looked around first. "Since the room is full, I assume we can now start the exam?" She said then signaled the other staffs to give the papers to the children sitting in front of her.
Talia saw that the papers were thick, it means that there are lots of questions prepared for them. As soon as she got hers she touched it and saw that there are a lot of questions in a page.
"The coverage of our exams are history, mathematics, economics and... Magic... Of course in theory, we won't do exhibition matches or anything else." She was flipping the test papers as she say the coverage of the exam, then showed the last page. "You have two hours to finish and after that, gave your test paper back to me and we'll lead you to your rooms."
Talia looked at the first page which was about their history.
1. How many years has the Elementum Kingdom been in existence?
2. Who was the founding father/God of the Elementum Kingdom?
3. What is the name of the fifth (5th) king of the Elementum Kingdom?
4. In which part of the continent does Elementum Kingdom belong?
Talia easily finished answering the 30 questions about the History if their kingdom. The next were Mathematics, Accounting, Finance and Entrepreneur which was shocking for her. She knows the answer, it's just it shocked her that even finance and entrepreneur were included.
It was also shocking when they included a bonus points about answering certain issues about their country as if it was a survey. They also asked about lots of different things like first aid.
Talia frowned then looked at the Supervisor who is now looking at her like she knew that Talia is already answering the bonus parts.
The hell? Did she purposely gave me this paper with these questions?
She answered the Bonus Questions which took some of her time. Most of the people who also took the exam were already done. There are only two people in the room now. She and a woman with a short black hair who was nervously answering the papers.
After Talia finished the exam she looked at the girl who also stood up and went to the Supervisor.
The Supervisor smiled at them. "You two... Did you see the Bonus Questions?" She asked while smiling.
Talia and the short black haired girl looked at each other before nodding.
"Yes.. why?" Talia asked as she frown.
Hmm, interesting there are two students in this section. The supervisor looked at the two staffs before looking at the two again. "Follow us, please."
Talia looked at the girl beside her who was shaking nervously as they walked side by side. She didn't know what was happening to her since she the day started, she was so confused yet she still tried to talk to the girl.
"Talia."
The girl looked at her confusedly. "Huh?"
"My name is Talia, you?"
The girl forced a smile hiding her nervousness. "I'm Rika.. Rika Cunanan."
Talia looked at Rika. "You're parents are middle class workers or merchants?" She knows that only the Royal family, Nobilities, Middle Class workers and Merchants are the one who can have a surname.
Rika nodded. "My father works for an engineering company."
"Commoner." Talia shrugged as Rika looked at her intently.
Talia didn't really cared if others would accept her as a commoners. She don't care about social status especially because of their social system.
They rode an elevator and she noticed that the staff pressed the top floor.
"You don't look like one." Rika said then stood beside her which made Talia frown. "The way you know like bring or present yourself? It's so different from other commoners I knew." This time Rika was talking to her casually.
Talia stared at her, she thought that Rika have this aura around her which makes her comfortable to be with or maybe Talia just don't want her to feel uncomfortable?
"Well maybe because I'm confident? I studied hard you know." Talia said then chuckled, she noticed that Rika was fidgeting her fingers. "You don't have to be nervous, I don't think they'll do something to us."
The elevator opened, a spacious library is what welcomed them. There Talia saw the mage earlier, the one who was speaking harshly about the Kingdom and the King earlier.
The mage stilled as if she felt something at the back of her head.
"Oh, there are two in your group?" She said as her back was facing the two. "You're lucky Ms. Rin."
Ms. Rin, the supervisor of Talia and Rika's exam earlier chuckled. "Well what can I say? It's in my nature Ms. Janna."
Ms. Janna the one who was serious earlier chuckled then looked at the two, then looked at them. "Immediately check their exam paper." She commanded.
Ms. Rin nodded then bowed. "Of course we will ma'am." She said then went in between the two. "We'll wait for you two outside." She said then patted their back.
Ms. Janna looked at the two children in front of her. Her hair... She stared at Talia whose hair was a little wavy and brownish.
"So have the two of you ever experienced feeling mana in yourselves?"
Ms. Janna walked to then after she grabbed the magic ball which was placed above the cushion. She looked at the two curiously waiting for their answers.
Talia shook her head while Rika nodded.
Rika spoke. "I think m-my power is related to metal.."
Talia stared at Ms. Janna flatly.
Ms. Janna looked at Talia as if she was studying her. "Like some, I can't personally use magic, I'm only relying to magic gems." She said as if consoling her then placed the magic ball above the table.
Ms. Janna was literally staring at Talia as if she was thinking of something. The moment she laid her eyes on her earlier, she sensed something she couldn't explain. It was like the gap between the two was too thick she doesn't dare to come near her.
She sighed. "Come here." She said then signaled the two using her hands to come near the magic ball. "Just place both of your palms to the magic ball."
Rika wasn't moving so Talia initiated by moving first to the magic ball. She placed both of her hands and felt warm, then suddenly the magic ball showed different colors as if having a hard time telling what her power is. The magic ball was like that for five seconds then suddenly Talia felt electricity around her palms.
"Ouch!" Talia flinched. "S-shit.." Talia's hand were numb and blood fell from them.
"Are you okay?!" Rika panicked as she saw how Talia suddenly flinched. "H-hey." She looked at her palms. "O-oh my god..."
Talia nodded. "I'm fine... Y-your turn." She said, she forced a smile as she tried to calm herself down.
Before Rika could even threw bad words to Ms. Janna, she rang a bell which made the two of them frown. The door was opened then Ms. Rin came with the other staffs.
Ms. Rin was frowning as she walked inside. "What happened Ms. Janna?"
"Is there a healer with you?"
One of the staff behind Ms. Rin raised her hand. "Me, ma'am."
"Heal the browned hair girl." She commanded as she pointed at Talia who was hiding her hands from Ms. Rin.
The staff exchanged a look to Ms. Rin who nodded, before the healer went to Talia then held her hands.
"Let me see." The healer held Talia's hands then frowned. "What happened?"
"I held the magic ball then this happened."
The healer nodded then held her palms which were bleeding. She traced it carefully using her index fingers.
She closed her eyes then kneeled as if praying. "O dea lucis... sana manum eius"
A light was formed in their hands, it was not a blinding light but it was bright. Talia felt really comfortable as she was held by the healer.
So this is what healing magic feels like. Talia felt that the numbness had disappeared and the blood too. She can now move her hands freely without feeling any pain.
"Are you okay now?" The healer asked her.
Talia nodded as she held both of her hands. "Thank you."
Rika was looking at her palms when Ms. Janna spoke. "Hey you short haired girl." She said while looking at her. "Your turn."
Rika nodded nervously then walked to the magic ball. She sighed deeply before she held the magic ball which changed the color to grey.
"You're blessed by Goddess Opal, the gift and psychic goddess." Ms. Janna smiled but disappeared when she looked at Talia who was smiling at Rika.
Ms. Janna signaled Ms. Rin that the session now ended.
Ms. Rin looked at the other staffs. "Take them to their rooms now."
The five staffs nodded then guided Talia and Rika to their respective rooms.
Ms. Rin sighed deeply then looked at Ms. Janna with a serious expression in her eyes. "What happened? The magic ball rejected her?"
She knows that the only reason why the magic ball reacted that way is because there are instances that a person can't or don't have mana with them. It means it's either their body can't manage to store a mana or they are just really born without one.
"I can sense mana within her, but it's too faint." Ms. Janna sighed as she felt like she need to find the Key to the Vault of the library. "There's something I want to confirm." She said as she held the key high showing it to Ms. Rin. "Follow me."
The both of them walked at the back of the Librarian's desk then opened the Vault. Ms. Janna immediately whispered something to the fairies who were the guardians of the vault.
"What is it Ms. Janna? Do you think they'll still accept her to Elementum Academy?" Ms. Rin asked as they sat on one of the chairs inside the vault.
Ms. Janna sighed. "This never happened.. I really felt something with her, like there's something I can't..."
The fairy dropped the book on the table which the two were.
"This is?" Ms. Rin was bewildered.
Ms. Janna nodded.
"I think her magic was..."
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- Writer
