Estimated read time: 13 minutes
[This story is entirely fictional and has no connection to reality.]
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Mefas Academy was a prestigious institution in the Mefas Kingdom. The academy had ten classes, each holding a distinguished title. Every year, roughly two hundred students were granted admission—a tiny fraction of the kingdom's population. While nobles had a better chance of entering, commoners were not entirely barred from attending.
This year, 201 students had been admitted, the same number as every year. Yesterday, the academy conducted its entrance tests, and today all the passing students had gathered in the enormous auditorium for the final induction. On the first day, students were divided into three divisions based on the type of energy they could harness: Aura Division, Mana Division, and Pran Division. Each division had two separate lines: one for boys and one for girls.
In the academy, titles didn't matter. Nobles and commoners alike were placed in the same line, which immediately sparked tension.
> "How dare a poor commoner stand in the same line as me? Do you even know who I am? I am from the Daraba family!"
> "Little master of the Daraba family, this is not your family's domain. This is Mefas Academy. Here, entry is earned by effort, not family influence," replied a common boy calmly.
The Daraba scion grabbed the boy's collar, about to strike him, when the entire auditorium suddenly trembled. A teacher, just entering the room, held a long, heavy sword upright, resting his hand on the hilt. An aura radiated from him so powerful that most of the students immediately dropped to their knees, paralyzed by fear.
> "Does anyone here think Mefas Academy belongs to their father? If so, step forward!"
The teacher's voice thundered across the hall. By now, 80% of the students were kneeling, 19% were trembling with fear, and only 1% maintained slight composure thanks to superior mental fortitude.
> "The academy has rules, and the most important ones must be followed by everyone. Everyone means everyone—dukes, princes, even the king's children are not exempt."
The line fell silent. Even noble children had to endure this moment, knowing they wouldn't escape strict oversight later.
> "Yesterday's test covered many of the academy's rules. I'll highlight just one: anyone who attacks a student using power or family title will be expelled immediately, no exceptions."
> "Sir Azro, please stop intimidating the students. Expelling a few would only benefit us. The academy doesn't admit students who can't behave properly. Titles mean nothing without proper conduct."
> "Madam Helen, you seem to underestimate the nobles again. But if you investigate, you'll find the commoners are the ones causing trouble."
> "Whether noble or commoner, this is not your home. Behavior here will follow the academy's standards, not family pride."
With the arrival of two more teachers, the auditorium now held three instructors. Sir Azro taught Aura Division, Madam Helen oversaw Pran Division, and Madam Diara was in charge of Mana Division.
> "Students of the Healer Division, follow me. No tests are needed for you. You will all receive E-class titles. One month from now, your first exam will allow you to change class based on your abilities," instructed Madam Helen, leading ten Pran energy users out. Pran users were extremely rare—of twenty thousand test participants, only eight girls and two boys possessed this energy.
> "As usual, Madam Helen's test concludes here. Aura Division students, your trial is simple: run ten laps around the academy before sunset. Anyone failing will not be allowed in tomorrow."
Most students were in Aura Division, leaving the auditorium largely empty. Only 70 Mana users remained, which seemed plenty to Madam Diara. The remaining divisions' tests concluded fairly smoothly, but the Aura test was notoriously grueling, especially for girls, who struggled to keep up.
The strongest energy among the three divisions was one's own. Pure-blood nobles often despised commoners, expelling them from the academy for minor offenses. For noble students, almost anything was permissible. For a commoner, a poisoned sword was all they could hope for.
> "Unlike the other divisions, my test won't be easy. Everyone experienced yesterday's energy test, so today should take less time," explained Madam Diara, holding a Mana Stone, distinct from the energy stones students had used.
Mana Stones, found in the tower's special chambers, detect Mana energy and its attributes. Various attributes exist: Fire, Air, Water, Earth, along with rarer types like Lightning, Light, Dark, Poison, Ice, Plant, Sound, Space, Gravity, etc. A glance at the 70 students allowed Diara to distinguish nobles from commoners immediately.
Five years had passed since the new principal joined the academy. He had little interest in monitoring student tests until now, observing from the VIP chamber. Any misstep by Diara would result in expulsion, potentially even the loss of noble titles. So, she had to maintain full control.
> "There are four primary attributes: Fire, Air, Water, and Earth. Ninety percent of humans unlock one of these first. Time and Mana control allow some to unlock two or even three. Initial attributes grant E or F-class titles; two attributes can earn A, B, C, or D-class titles; three attributes can reach A+, A, or B-class. Those unlocking no attributes must retake the entrance test next year."
The rules, intended for commoners, were clear. The testing of the girls began. Even a slight excess of a particular energy in their body increased the chance of unlocking an attribute. High-level stones could unlock attributes in low-level users, but the academy primarily used low-level stones to select potential Elite Mages.
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(Alex's Perspective)
If I'd known it would be this boring, I'd have arrived later. Thanks to my mother, I already understood Mana, so the lecture was dull—but something interesting was unfolding. The girls went first. Among 70 students, 40 were girls, 30 boys. Who would succeed? Tomorrow, I'd find out I'm a Mana user. My father had cried last night, hoping I'd be an Aura user like him. I felt proud; Mana is incredibly powerful. According to my mother, Fire and Lightning were the most potent attributes, extremely rare, capable of destroying a city alone.
Of the 40 girls, only 20 unlocked their attributes; the remaining 20 were dismissed, though they had a chance to transfer to the Capital's Mana School to try again. Among the 20 successful girls, four unlocked two attributes:
Myra, daughter of Duke Mandela: Fire and Light
Elin, daughter of Duke Uexkul: Water and Ice
Two twin daughters of Marcus Varesvo: Light and Plant
No girl unlocked Fire or Lightning, confirming Lightning's rarity.
> "Not disappointed at all. The Duke's daughters and Marcus's twins are truly talented," I thought.
The girls finished and left. My turn as a boy arrived.
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Joy filled the girls who had entered after hardship. The Duke's daughters stood side by side, greeted by the others, but they moved away to converse with Marcus's twins.
> "I thought our attributes would match, but now it seems we're opposites," Myra said to Elin.
> "That's true. Competition will be fierce," replied Elin.
Elin glanced at the boys' line.
> "Who did you send the invitation letter to? Did they pass?"
Myra looked but couldn't see me at the back of the line.
> "I don't see them from here."
> "Your letter wasted, commoners rarely achieve anything special," said Elin.
> "Why dwell on small matters? Focus on someone you like among the boys," Myra teased.
> "Not me. Why would I watch them?"
> "The Second Prince is obsessed with you, so maybe you need someone to escape him."
Myra annoyed Elin, but Elin ignored her, watching the boys' test. Edward von Uexkul, Elin's elder brother, stepped forward first.
The boys couldn't unlock any attributes initially. Edward placed his hand on the Mana Stone—lightning surged, stunning everyone.
> "Lightning attribute!"
> "I've never seen anyone unlock Lightning!"
Edward hadn't finished. Water energy swirled around him, revealing he unlocked two attributes—like father, like son.
> "Your brother is exceptionally talented; he may surpass your father one day."
> "Why rejoice? He's just in another's shadow."
> "Your perspective hasn't changed, Elin," Myra remarked.
> "It won't. Those who survive by family pride can never be men. I hate looking at them."
Elin adjusted a thin bracelet on her left wrist with her right hand.
> "I don't need to seek him. He will come to me—if not for me, then for this."
Her bracelet glowed red, unnoticed by anyone else.
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To Be Continued…