"Ink, Insight, and Invisible Eyes"
The morning air tasted like charged mana.
It crackled faintly on the tongue, like the breath before a storm. Hundreds of candidates stood in organized rows outside the First Trial Pavilion, a towering structure of ivory and rune-etched marble. Floating stones circled its spires, and beams of sunlight curved unnaturally through the air — bent by residual enchantments older than kingdoms.
This was it. The Theory Trial. The first official test of eligibility for Valeborne Magic Academy.
And it was far more than a written exam.
The Trial Grounds
"Candidates, forward," a cold voice echoed.
Standing on a floating platform, a Professor-Arcanist clad in deep blue robes surveyed the crowd with half-lidded eyes glowing faintly. His name, whispered among veterans, was Professor Malvyn, a known Seer-Class examiner.
"To pass this trial," he said, "you must demonstrate not only rote memorization, but understanding of magical fundamentals: theory, structure, logic, historical applications, and arcane ethics. Your scrolls will record both answers and mana resonance."
"Cheating," he added with the ghost of a smile, "will be… difficult."
Behind him, several Eidolic Monitors — faceless, floating mage constructs with glowing eyes — shimmered into visibility. Their presence alone made many candidates stiffen in fear.
Kieran, watching silently near the middle of the crowd, smirked.
[System Notice] Auto-Scan: Enchantment Type – Divine Arcane Surveillance, Rank: A-Countermeasures Suggested: None. Recommendation: Proceed Naturally.Passive Function Activated: Mental Recall Efficiency Boost (Minor)
'No need to cheat when you remember everything,' Kieran thought.
Divided by Status
The candidates were guided into rows of marble desks etched with mana glyphs. Each would be isolated by a minor illusion — vision obscured, sound dampened. But even so, a subtle pattern emerged.
The nobles were placed toward the front, near the glowing hearthstones for warmth and focus. The commoners toward the back, where the illusion fields sometimes flickered and the temperature dipped just enough to distract.
Riven looked around, frowning. "Oh good. Rigged from the start."
Lyra muttered, "The exam is fair. The conditions are not. Two variables. I'll adjust."
Near the front, Leonhart Duskveil stretched casually, a silver quill floating in the air beside him. He yawned.
"Let's get this over with," he muttered, conjuring a minor spell to sharpen his senses.
Beside him, Velia activated a memory-link bracelet with an expensive flick of her fingers. Though magical memory aids weren't banned, they were rare and highly regulated — symbols of power and wealth.
Brynwald simply crossed his arms and waited, eyes closed. He didn't seem to care whether he passed or failed — or perhaps, he simply knew he wouldn't fail.
The Test Begins
A chime rang out. The magic illusion barriers shimmered to life around every desk.
A voice entered each mind — smooth, neutral, emotionless:
"Begin the Theory Trial."
The scrolls before the students glowed faintly. Words began to appear in ornate script.
Section I: Mana Theory – 10 Questions
Define the structure of a Tier-1 Spell Circle.
Explain how elemental affinities affect casting time.
Describe three known mana types and their counter-elements.
Section II: Magical History – 5 Questions
Who was the first Grand Magus to invent multi-layered glyph arrays?
What were the Five Forbidden Theories decreed by the Magelord Tribunal?
Section III: Arcane Ethics – 3 Questions
Define Soulbinding and list its lawful exceptions.
Is it legal to alter a being's magical core? Explain why or why not.
Kieran's Mind: A Library Unlocked
Kieran didn't even glance at the questions. He sat back, eyes closed, as the System softly pulsed in his thoughts.
[System Recall Active]Accessing: "Mana Theory: Foundational Pillars – Complete"Accessing: "Modern Magical Law, 3rd Edition – Complete"Memory Link: Cross-reference, Synthesized Response Formatting…
The quill floated gently and began to write in smooth, precise strokes. Every answer was written with not just accuracy, but depth — citing obscure laws, dissecting theories, even offering improved diagrams.
Around him, commoners struggled with nerves and second-guessing. Some nobles looked bored, others furrowed their brows.
And in the far-left corner…
Mira, the quiet psionic girl, sat without writing a word — but her scroll glowed. The runes on it pulsed as if being filled directly by her mind.
[System Note: Mental Transmission Magic Detected. Passive Psionic Writing Interface – Rare Ability]
Kieran raised a brow. Recruitment Priority: High.
Pressure Mounts
Hours passed. Sweat beaded on brows. Hands cramped. Mana threads flickered in some who attempted to cheat — instantly shut down by the Eidolic Monitors with cold bursts of silencing magic.
One boy fainted from stress.
Another girl burst into quiet tears as her quill refused to write — blocked due to insufficient mana resonance.
And yet, at the front, Leonhart was drawing runes in the margins, casually showing off his custom glyph combinations.
Kieran finished his paper with time to spare and sat back once again, breathing slowly.
But inside, his mind was abuzz.
[System Notice]Theory Trial Complete.Passive Observation: 21 Potential Assets Identified.Notable Individuals Ranked: • Mira (Psionic) • Lyra (Mental Pattern Caster) • Riven (Charismatic Combat Mage) • Krell (Beastkin Berserker Type – Controlled Madness) • Velia Martaine (Ritual Specialist, Noble Access)
Note: Optional Sub-Mission Available – Manipulate Final Trial Rankings Without DetectionReward: Hidden System Function Unlock
Kieran's eyes glinted.
Now that's interesting.