This chapters starts after the weekends, They are now on their respective class. Reymund still isolated from Class 1-C social standing. Just seating on the last row left side armchair, opposite the windows. He keeps looking at the window despite his far distance, trying to entertain himself with the moving clouds.
Professor Earl Come barging into the class, go straight to his table. Some students that unanticipated his arrival startled quick before going to their respective seat.
Reymund who saw the change of the atmosphere and the professor's sudden mood shift, he can get an idea that their home room teacher is not really fond of this class.
He thought to himself, Its probably best to stay out of Sir. Earl's bad side.
Then Professor Earl started explain the changes, "As of you may already know, the faculty done a major discussion which made it so i wasn't able to attend much for the last week."
"Some of the changes is with regards to the duel notice, effective as of now, you need to get a signature from the clinic. They will run test to make sure both parties physical and mental state is tolerable."
"Other changes is with regards to your classmate, Bryant McGonadaile. He receive a commendation notice for participating major part on saving the victims life. As a result, he moved up to Class 1-A effective today."
.....
Murmur can be heard on the class. while on the back row seat Reymund can faintly tell that some students likes the fact that the wannabe hero is finally out of the picture. they are not so fund with their former classmate Bryant.
"And lastly a student from Class 1-A volunteered to step down in exchange for Bryant, and she will be introducing herself right this second.
"Come in dear." declared by Professor Earl.
A girl walked in, mesmerizing all the male student with her elegant look and demure impression. She introduced herself in front of the class, "Hello everyone, my name is Elinoise Aston. I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion, i hope i could still be friends with you all."
The male student then started talking and some is saying offensive comment.
"Wow, she's cute..."
"I like her already..."
"Wow, this is by blessed day. Not only that nerd is gone, but also a new cute girl arrived at the class"
"I know right, maybe just this once i will commend that nerd Bryant"
Reymund unheard these conversation and is looking straight at Elsy with a shock on his face.
Elsy also saw her childhood friend at the back and charmingly waves at him. Suddenly, all male student from the front started looking at Reymund with despise. All Reymund can do is avoid all eye contact and face to the wall beside him.
Elsy requested to professor Earl, "Sir. can i seat next to Reymund? We've been friends from Class 1-A so i wanna seat next to him. Is that not okay?" Elsy asks professor Earl with a sly look.
"Yes that will be no problem dear, everyone open a seat next to Elnier Reymund, Kindy adjust until there is no vacant seat." Professor agreed and demand the class to adjust.
"Hello... Hi... Excuse me" Elsy says every time he is passing every row until she gets to Reymund's last row seat.
At that she was able to seat beside him and she tried to look at him, but he still looking at the wall.
"Don't be shy, I know it's sudden but there's no way i can leave you alone." Elsy is smiling and proud to be messing with him.
Reymund who was concerned if she told Diane, her friend. "Hey, did you tell Diane about your voluntary demotion?"
"that's right, i did tell her earlier that i decided to go to your current class and she understood saying "As long as you're happy, i will not object" she said." Elsy told him with full detail about their conversation.
Reymund giggles facing the wall, and then he slowly started looking forward again, "Well to be honest i was kind of a loner after i was transferred here, so having you by my side helps me a lot." He said his appreciation to Elsy for staying with him.
During Professor Earl discussion, at some point Lukas asks Elsy about the hieroglyphic of summoning magic. And Elsy was able to drag her armchair close to him as she explain the process.
for the first time in a while he finally enjoy being in Class 1-C.
....
Before Professor Earl class finishes he inform the class about the preliminary examination, "Class 1-C, i just want to inform you that this week, your Preliminary Examination will be held, and its going to be an Objective-based Examination."
Everyone started getting excited. Reymund who is confused as to why everyone was overjoyed, he ask Elsy what does Objective-based Examination do.
Her respond "Oh you don't know, basically instead of the usual written exam there will be a set of objectives or less that you must do before deadline to passed all subject."
Reymund was a bit confused as to confirm it, he ask if it counts as one objective per subject.
Elsy then confirm "No, you only need to do one objective and if you passed, all your subject is gonna passed"
she also mentions the disadvantage of this exam. "The problem of this kind of exam is that, if you did not complete the objective, you would get zero on all subjects even if you master the topic on the other ones."
"So you have to be prepared for the OBE since i am not allowed to disclose the instructions of the exam, as much as possible review all the topic including your other professor's subjects. You don't know which one among your 7 subjects is going to be the exam" Professor Earl warns them to study as much as possible.
Chime!...
Chime!...
Chime!...
Lunch break starts....
They started eating at the Cafeteria again, Reymund and Elinoise sat side by side and on the other side is just Diane. They started discussing about the OBE.
"I think its just gonna be another magic circle exam, i mean that is the major subject that we need to master in the future anyways." Said by Diane
While Elsy and Reymund is listening, both of them have the same meal inside their respective lunchbox, a pork sisig. At this point Diane is not even surprise at this point.
Reymund then started opening up his struggles from activating a magic circles. for him he follows the steps, he studied the process but whenever he try to apply it, it just doesn't work.
"Eli you have to teach your friend here about that, isn't that the reason you switch section for him?" Diane said to Elinoise trying to remind her about her reason.
.....
after finishing to eat quickly, they began looking for vacant rooms to practice magic circles. They found a room that has no active air conditioner, but they don't really care and just went inside.
Diane turn on the lights, while Elsy started looking for a whiteboard marker on her bag pack and after that she draw a hieroglyphic on the white board, one that she already master and try to teach Reymund to repeat after her.
In the end Both Elsy and Reymund's drawing of magic circle are identical with same symbols and hieroglyphic. Elsy commended Reymund for drawing an exact copy, "Wow, you actually made me happy with your drawing."
Reymund blushes in embarrassment, "no don't tease me, i told you i know this but whenever i try to put my magic in it, it doesn't work"
To find out why it doesn't work, Elsy ask him to pull out his power to the magic circle. Reymund who is hesitant at first due to shyness, slowly lift his right arm and puts it closer to the circle.
he said as he was about to touch the circle, "look at this". suddenly his and Elsy's magic circle shines so bright in an instant leaving behind a blinding light across the room. Elsy and Diane covers their eyes on time to avoid the painful sensation of looking at a bright light. in just 1.5 seconds after touching the circle the light instantly vanish, and the magic circle also disappear along side it leaving behind a clear white board.
"See, i told you it doesn't work" Reymund said in a bothered tone.
Diane and Elsy who just started opening their eyes got a slight headache after that.
Diane said, "What the hell is that light?" in surprise.
"I've never seen a magic circle that shines that much before. I just assumed that you were incapable of drawing magic, but it turns out that you draw too much." Elsy's conclusion about this.
She asks Reymund, "is this your full magic release?
Reymund said, "hmm, i guess that is about half of release." as he try to think about his last attempts he mention, "I once draw out, what i think is 100 precent but the magic circle just disappear in me"
Elsy advice Reymund to draw out just 10-20 percent of your magic power. Reymund take that advice and draw out his power at 10 percent, still the same result happens. blinding lights fire off inside the room, people outside start noticing a bright light coming out of a window on one particular room multiple times.
.....
After some time multiple fail occurs, no result was made.
Elsy out of exhaustion brought her knee down as a sign of surrender, and she started getting worried, "No way, that's 0.1 percent of your magic, why is it still not working?"
"It's no use, this is never gonna get into fruition. i am just not fit to master magic circles & hieroglyphic." Said by Reymund, he also surrender trying to draw magic from these circles.
Elsy stood up and said, "Oh well, lets not worry till its the day of an exam then. You know Rey-Chan, if only i have the appraising magic, i would have looked into your magic structure to see what is happening, you know?"
"Yeah we did get a knowledge about appraising magic, wait a minute, is there no appraiser magic here in school?" Reymund asks.
Diane sigh at the back.
Diane then started talking, "Are you slow, it is a bloodline magic. Nobody cannot learn it in any textbook available."
Reymund says his sorry and asked who is the current holder of that magic.
Diane replied by shaking her head and said, "i don't know the name, but the current holder is residing on the kingdom of Jasminum."
A little context about the world, where Reymund live in is the outskirt of the Jasminum Kingdom, Gardendale. Using carriage there is about five days of travel distance to reach the capital of Jasminum and in that city is where the current holder of appraiser skill works part time as the professor.
.....
After school, it was night time. On Elnier's household there is one room stand out the most. At any moment brightest light instantly engulf the windows, making light the shape of a window frame on the sky.
Reymund's mom, Katniss, knocked outside the door and opens the door afterwards.
"Rey what's wrong dear?" She asks Reymund
She saw Reymund laying down on the bed and right on the floor an unfinished drawing of magic circle.
"You're not gonna fool your mother by pretending you're sleep Rey, tell me, is it about this circle?" Katniss asked Reymund
Reymund then slowly raise his head and seat down on the bed looking at the magic circle. "Mom i might fail this subject, i don't know what to do." Reymund worriedly told his mom about his struggle on using magic circles.
His mom walk to his room and started taking the marker to finish Reymund's incomplete magic circle. After finishing the circle she seat down to the bed besides Reymund and told to him, " You know Rey, your father struggle the same issue as well"
She then laugh and said, "You really are your father's son."
She then points her pointer finger to the circle and it started shining blue neon light on the floor. Reymund was surprise, her mom did not even touch it. "Woah mom, how did you do it?"
His mom smiles at him and said, "this is an alternative fuel of a magic circle. Instead of using magic power, i poured out some of my mana reserve to alter the structures of the circle."
Suddenly a blue hologram of symbols and hieroglyphic is starting to float on top of the circle.
"Sure i can't release the magic without the input of a magic but in this method. i can rewrite the very structure of this circle. how much the intensity would be release, how much magic power is required to complete the task, you can also program and compute the very foundation of the circles with this."
She then followed by saying, "In your current curriculum they are only teaching the basic of the common magic circle, and releasing it." She looks at Reymund and said, "I'm gonna teach you the basic magic circle alteration and impress everyone in class."
Reymund was happy as he started hugging his mom and said to her, "I love you mom, you're the best."
His mom was overjoyed to be received a loving hug coming from Reymund as she looks at the picture frame on the table. It is a picture of Victor and a six months old baby Reymund sleeping on his arm. After seeing that, in Katniss mind she remember clearly the day of the graduation from their university days. When both her and victor was about to graduate and he propose to her surprisingly.
"I promise we will make a family" He boldly declares to her after graduation. Katniss still remember that scene as clear as day.
She thought to herself, Victor, you two have the same eyes.