I follow the professor to the headmaster's office. Right next to his closed door is his secretary's workspace—a mage around fifty years old who gestures for me to take a seat and wait. I want to argue with her, tell her I have to take my practical exam, that I'd prefer to come back another time, especially if they're making me wait. However, the woman simply readjusts her glasses and ignores me. I end up swallowing my impatience and sitting in one of the waiting room chairs.

After about twenty minutes, a man wearing a royal army uniform approaches and the secretary lets him in. Five minutes later, she receives a magical notification from her boss, stands up and signals for me to follow. I, still trying to calculate how many students are left to be examined, to see if I can still make it in time, hurry to obey her. The mage knocks on the office door, opens it and introduces me:

"Headmaster, the student Bianca L'Crom."

"Thank you, Estella."

I enter and hear the secretary closing the door behind me. In the office there are only three people: the headmaster, the uniformed man who entered earlier, and what appears to be a professor. The headmaster, with gray hair and a short beard, is behind his desk. In front of him are three chairs. Two already occupied and the third seems to be mine.

I greet them feeling a bit self-conscious.

"Come in and sit down, Bianca," the headmaster indicates with a kind voice.

"Thank you."

I do so and wait for them to say something. This is so awkward that I even forget I'm about to miss my practical exam entirely.

"Bianca L'Crom," the headmaster continues, "your results on the stone slab were exceptional. Have you read them?"

I feel the army man's gaze fixed on me. I avoid looking at him, but he's making me nervous.

"Yes," I answer.

"Please tell us what you read."

"Medium elemental affinity for earth, air, fire, water and light. Very high affinity for spirit."

I hear a snap, look toward the uniformed man and see he's just broken the pencil he's holding in his hand from excessive pressure.

"And you believe her?" he says to the headmaster.

"My examiner read it. If I didn't believe it, I wouldn't have called you here. Professor Swaina, here present, specializes in elemental affinities. She has confirmed that never in history has any mage managed to have all four, not even before the last great war."

"And yet," she interjects with a voice that seems more childlike and musical than what I would associate with her thirty-something face, "in the ancient religions it was believed that someone favored could achieve them and that it would give him even greater power."

The military man slams his fist on the table when he hears her.

"You're treading dangerous waters, miss."

"Excuse me, I don't mean to talk about religion. I'm just amazed that the synergy of the four elements has given rise to a fifth never seen before: spirit."

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"Colonel, you are the highest-ranking government official in the area. You'll understand why we summoned you so you can both inform His Majesty and speak on his behalf," the headmaster explains him.

"I understand."

"Bianca, I request that you take the practical exam before the three of us, once your classmates have completed theirs."

Hearing this, I relax. I really didn't want to go home for being late to the exam. It's not just about maintaining my family's expectations anymore, but rather that the best way to improve in magic and combat is to attend the academy.

"As you say, headmaster," I answer him.

"In the exam, you'll show us the spell you possess from each magic. Just for that alone, your grade will already be a ten."

"Thank you."

"There is no need to thank me. Exceptional students always have a place in this institution but, in exchange, the government expects to be able to use their services when necessary."

That doesn't please me as much. Working for free stopped being my thing the moment they pulled me out of my body on Earth.

"For you, it should be an honor to be allowed to serve the crown and kingdom," the colonel points out.

Seems he didn't take well to the look of displeasure I must have made hearing the previous comment.

"I understand, sir," I answer him.

"You'll need to sign a confidentiality agreement, that you won't tell anything about what you see in said missions." The headmaster hands me a contract.

I really don't know how I manage to hold back from rolling my eyes. Seriously, another contract? Well... I take a look at it and sign. Truth is, it's much simpler than the seed of darkness one. I only have one obligation, confidentiality. If I break it, they'll take away my parents' title and lands. Normally, I wouldn't sign something like this in a million years, but I guess it's a standard agreement to be able to force me to work for them. You know, what they do with all students who excel. I think Count L'Crom would approve, as this is his key to more lands and more influence at court.

"Perfect," the headmaster tells me after collecting and storing the contract.

Then, he asks us to follow him for the exam. Not even an hour has passed since I left, but the area is deserted. The other students must have finished their tests.

It's a large pavilion covered by a magical dome to prevent accidents. There I show them my control over a ridiculously small stone ball, my fire arrow that hits the target, though not in the center, same with the wind blade. They've also brought what looks like a typical Earth fishbowl, circular, for me to put my head in and prove I can breathe. While I dry my face with a towel, I hear them muttering. I understand them. Just one of these abilities at medium affinity is normal. Two would be exceptional. Three the stuff of legends. Four... four they didn't believe until they saw it, at least not the colonel. The professor is super excited, looking at me like she wants to experiment on me.

"Now the channeling, explain to us what it does."

For a moment I'm puzzled. Don't they know? No, of course not, how would they know if I'm possibly the first being on this planet with spirit magic. I quickly consider whether I should only tell them part of it, as I understand it's a very broken ability that could revolutionize everything. Warriors might feel threatened by me who, without martial training, can do things they can't: enhance a weapon or part of my body with magic from one of the four basic elements.

If this gets out of here, or if the king or any of the high-ranking officials let it slip… other kingdoms might even try to kidnap me.

While I ask if I can take one of the practice swords, I decide quickly. Fire. I'm going to show them only the fire element.

I grab the weapon they hand me and head toward one of the wooden training dummies. I spend two mana points and the blade ignites in flames. Although it's wooden, it doesn't burn. The dummy's arms, however, do. I hear amazed exclamations but prefer not to turn around. Instead, I hold the flaming sword high until it goes out. Then, I leave it in the basket they took it from and ask if we're done.

I hope so, because I don't have any mana left for healing. Though light doesn't seem to interest them since it's not part of the four basic elements.

"Yes, yes. Your grade and your worth are more than clear, Miss L'Crom. You may leave," the headmaster confirms.

Good, I'm uncomfortable with so much attention. I'm going to my room.