There is a very handsome teenage slim and lean boy that is staring at the sea with eyes filled with determination... That is, if you ask the young man to narrate the scene. While the boy is somewhat handsome, he is nothing out of the ordinary, and his black eyes look somewhat dead and creepy with a tad bit of determination in them.
"Just one more month... Just one more month..."
"One more month until you take the Mana aptitude test and become disappointed with yourself."
Cahara looked back and saw William smiling at him. William had the facial features of Cecilia and the green eyes and blonde hair of his father. Safe to say he was very handsome, much to the dismay of his little brother.
Cahara's inner monologue: "Tch... Pretty bastard. Why didn't I get that fat bastard's eyes and hair color?"
"Hahaha... I laughed."
Cahara said sarcastically. William's smile softened and then became serious.
"But honestly, what's your plan if you don't have Mana aptitude? You and Julia seem very focused on becoming a mage."
"I already have a few plans if that fails."
Cahara's inner monologue: "That's the neat part, I don't."
Cahara lied with a poker face. William just looked at him with dead eyes, as if saying 'No, you don't.'
"You know I can tell you are lying, right?"
Cahara's inner monologue: "You know I don't give a shit, right?"
"My adorable elder brother, let me tell you something. Lies don't need to be believable. They just need to have no holes."
William just rolled his eyes.
"If you spent half the time thinking of what to do with your future rather than coming up with some quotes, you could've already started a successful business on our island."
Cahara's inner monologue: "Says the man who became a womanizer at 14."
"OUR island? Interesting choice of words, elder brother."
William looked away, his eyes becoming sad and filled with some guilt.
"Look, Cahara. When I become the Baron, I promise I won't discard you or any of our siblings. You don't need to leave."
Cahara's inner monologue: "... Alright, I may have been a bit harsh."
Cahara stayed silent for a second.
"Will, I am not preparing to leave because I think you will discard me. I am leaving because this island—"
"Because this 'shitty' island can't sustain your ambitions, right?"
Cahara's inner monologue: "Huh, he isn't that much of an airhead, I guess."
Cahara looked at the sea again, then looked William in the eye.
"Yes, you are absolutely correct."
"... What about Mom and Dad?"
Cahara's inner monologue: "While it pains me to some extent... I don't really give a shit that much. People come and go. That's life."
"... It will pain them, but they'll still have you guys."
"Okay, do whatever you want."
William said that with disgust and walked away.
Cahara's inner monologue: "Welp."
---
Somehow, this one month of waiting felt longer than the last 15 years for Cahara.
"Today is the day..."
Cahara, Julia, and hundreds of other children of the island gathered near the harbor, waiting. Some of them imagined the mages would come while riding a dragon. Some imagined they would come here with a flying ship.
However, all of them were wrong. They saw a large cog being carried by multiple huge fishes that had a single horn on their temple each. Soon, a plank was lowered. Then, figures wearing black robes came walking down the plank. Some looked at the people with no emotion, some with hatred. Some lacked limbs, others were no longer human or were disfigured. One of them, however, was wearing a gray robe. He whispered something, then the ground beneath him came up. Then, he pulled out a pinkish-white orb and placed it on it. He said with a hoarse voice:
Cahara's inner monologue: "Huh. I expected something... more? Let's not judge fast; after all, you can't judge a book by its cover. Guess Father wasn't lying that the academy was a hellhole for most people."
"Make a line. Hold on to the orb as long as you can and do not disturb the acolytes."
Quietly, they naturally formed a line. One by one, they held the pinkish orb. The first one to touch the orb was a young girl. She touched it, then collapsed on the ground immediately. The man in the gray robe said in a hoarse voice:
"0%, next."
The same scene was repeated tens of times until a boy touched the orb for 12 seconds, then collapsed.
"12%, E level. Here."
The man in the gray robe pulled out a paper, wrote something on it, then handed it to the boy.
"You have until tonight to pay the 10 Mana crystals."
The same scene of teenagers collapsing on the ground tens of times again until a young girl with blonde hair came up and touched the orb for 51 seconds, then collapsed onto the ground.
"51%, C level. Rare talent. Here."
He wrote something on the paper again, then handed it to the blonde girl. He continued:
"You need to pay 6 Mana crystals until tonight if you want to sign up for the academy."
Cahara's inner monologue: "Interesting... so, every second of holding that orb equals 1% mana aptitude. That man's talent level was E, and he had to pay 10 Mana crystals. The girl with C talent can sign up with only 6 crystals... I think I should settle in the range of 70% to 80%. It attracts attention, but not that much. After all, the brightest stars get snuffed out the earliest."
It was finally Julia's turn.
Cahara's inner monologue: "I know she will most likely fail, but... I feel like she will not?"
Cahara looked at her with interest. She instantly collapsed onto the ground. Cahara's eyes lost their focus.
Cahara's inner monologue: "Hmph, what did I expect? This is not a game."
Many people tested again and again, until it was Cahara's turn. He looked around at the figures in robes. He saw that they all had a collar.
Cahara's inner monologue: "Wait, does the academy enslave its acolytes? Fuck... I hope that's not the case..."
"What are you doing? Touch the orb."
The man in the gray robe said.
"Uh, sorry."
Cahara then touched it. Seconds passed.
Cahara's inner monologue: "Alright, I have decided. I will act like I struggle around 50% and collapse at 72%. No need for anyone to know my 100% Mana aptitude."
Around fifty seconds, he started to 'struggle'. Then, around 70 seconds, he started to collapse.
"71%, B talent. Here."
The figures in black robes looked at Cahara with jealousy. Others with anger. Some showed no reaction.
Cahara's inner monologue: "Seems like all of them have very low-level talent and are jealous. Wait, he said 71%? Well, no different from 72%."
Cahara turned to look at the man in the gray robe. The man in the robe handed Cahara a check. Cahara looked at it and saw that... nothing was written on it, but he didn't question why.
"You have until tonight to pay 4 Mana crystals."
"Mhm. Thank you, sir."
Cahara left.