Once a knight, always a knight! Savior of the weak! Hero to all! Saving others from evil and being a good person! I don't remember how many of these fairy tales I have read, but every few days Emma buys me a new one! Reading sucks, but these books contain pictures that speak more than these sad words! The best parts are whenever it said “Slash!” and “Stab!”
Unfortunately, Wing isn't helping me understand anything today. This is the first time he's ignored me. Did I do something wrong?
I approach him embarrassingly; I don't want him to hate me for interrupting his reading. “Umm... Hi.”
“Eclaire? Something wrong?”
“I'm sorry for eating those leftovers.”
“Huh? Those were yours. It's fine.”
Leaving no room to continue speaking, I go back to my picture books. Emma told me he was going to take a test today, but about what? I don't understand the book he's reading either. Am I missing something else? Also, is that more important than helping me understand why the dragon took the princess away in the first place?!
I slump on the dining table and roll to my side. Without him, they're just words.
Dumb, boring words.
Unexpectedly, the entrance door opens. Emma pops out of the door with only her head. While he was unresponsive, I ran towards her.
“Wing, you ready?”
“Emma! He's being weird!”
“O-oh... I suppose it's only natural for today.”
“Also… You're early. Food?”
“Err, not this time, Eclaire. However, we are going to Fals right now, are you ready?”
Oh, what a nice surprise! We're going to town today. Why, though? I think Emma picked up my confusion and responded.
“Wing has a test today, remember?”
“He has to go to town for that? Why can't they go here?”
“Well, that'd be a nice thought, but that’s just the type of test it is.”
Emma explained that it was a test given by our country to scout kids of age for magic affinity. The thingy that Emma does sometimes. It’s when she goes “woosh” and “splash”, and then there are lots of sparkles. There will be a writing part and an affinity part or whatever that means. He looks like he really wants to get in... I want him to get in! Would he be going away?
I don't like this! Wing never ignores me. He reads a lot and has unknightly, stringy arms, but he always responds to me when I talk to him. On our walk to Fals, Emma looks uneasy, Wing is uneasy, and I'm uneasy because Wing is uneasy. If this stupid test makes us feel bad, what's the point?! I hope that the only thing easy is the stupid test!
The muttering of Wing worried me as we walked. I wanted to hop around him and ask him a million questions, but I know that would disturb him. Instead Emma was talking to me about the bakery we regularly go to. She said that regardless of the 'result' we'll be getting “the good stuff”!
Once we got near Fals, I noticed there were some tents outside, like very big tents. Near the tents were guys in black and green uniforms in front. They were talking with knights as well. Wing looked at the tent with a serious face, his amber eyes sharpened when he looked at it. I never thought he could look like that. After a pause with silence, we approached a group of them.
“Hello ma'am how may we help you?”
Emma suddenly froze up and started to choke under the pressure.
“H-howdy there, sir! Err... This is where you scout possible cadets for the military academy? Not like a soldier right?!”
“Ah, of course ma'am. Those that pass the testing today will be put down for recommendation to attend Velbus Military Academy. Not to worry though, we train the best of the best; we do expect our cadets to eventually participate in active service for at least two years when they are of age, but with the growth opportunities available, it does not necessarily mean they'd be placed on the battlefield.”
This person continues to explain details of this place, but I'm only thinking about that I was never told Wing would be leaving us. I tugged on his arm and asked him about it.
“You're leaving...?”
Finally acknowledging my distress, he responded to me.
“Assuming I'd pass.”
“But... If it's you, wouldn't you pass?”
Catching him in surprise, he looked at me and gave a brief smile. He then ruffled my hair and spoke to me.
“It'd only be for a bit, and then you'd be able to see me all the time. Ok?”
“Okay...”
The man explained to us that Velbus focuses more on training the future rather than any current war efforts. After living there on his own for a year, Wing would be able to bring us to the capital and he can commute from a home provided by the government. After the explanation of the amenities provided for its cadets, we were told that it was not only difficult because of the written test; there would be a magic aptitude following it. These amazing luxuries, as he described it, was because it was hard to pass the test.
According to the man, it was because since the cadets are given Edonai like the one Emma has, they have to make sure those who are attending have to be worth it.
My eyes started to roll into my head due to how boring the explanation is. This is all pointless as Wing would just get it done right away anyways! Emma was freaking out just from the guy's talking.
Calmly, Wing shooed us off as he went inside the testing area, leaving Emma and me lingering outside. I pulled on Emma's arm to snap her out of it.
“Food?”
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“Oh... Uh... Let's wait until Wing's done with his test!”
“But. I’m hungry… and I'm bored.”
“How do you switch moods so easily?”
“Heh?????”
I was ignorant to what Emma meant, and she chose to have us both go to the bookstore and get something for Wing. It's easy to tell that Emma was being weird today.
At Karla's bookstore, Emma just told me to grab the storybook with the prettiest pictures. Easy task for me. Usually Wing chooses ones after he reads them without me. Panicked, Emma goes between the “hee-story” section of the store and the classic “litter-atchure” one. I wanted to ask Wing how to pronounce these words, and I didn’t want to bother Emma. Eventually she got tired and went to that Karla lady.
“Karla, help!”
“Uh... It’s rather unusual for you to drop by without your boy, something up?”
“Need book. Now.”
“Emm, that's extremely unhelpful.”
A tiring exchange of words between the two happens as I realize the pretty picture book I got sucked. The other ones I found also suck. After the fifth failure, I slump on the floor and just listen to them talk.
“Aaah, I see, so he's taking that test.”
“Do you know anything about that? What are his odds?”
“Well, I failed it. So I'll start with that. However, as a mere fourteen year old child, your son has kind of cleared out some pretty advanced books here that even I can't read. If anything, you should worry more about having to live a year without him taking care of you at home.”
Deflated, Emma starts to trace circles into Karla's desk. Sometimes Emma gives off the feeling of a pathetic lady.
“Ugh, then there is that...! I don't really want him to go off; he's mature, but his reason for wanting to get in isn't great...”
“Oh? Did he get tired of mommy being kind of pathetic?”
“Rude! It's the opposite, somehow.”
“I'm joking, Emm. It's not 'somehow', you do your best. I don't understand as I never got a kid, but it's his choice isn't it? His future would be great if he got in.”
“I guess...”
After acknowledging the fruitless nature of the living world, I realized that pretty drawings suck. Every time I find something that looks good, it's bad… at least, in this selection of books.
Wait… I got an idea!
After buying the books, we returned to the tents where people were testing. On the waiting bench, Wing sat listlessly in front of him. We both could tell he was lost in thought, so Emma went to talk to the man responsible for leading Wing into the testing area.
“Excuse me, sir?”
“Oh, you were the woman from earlier.”
“Y-yes, uh, what are the results?”
The man glanced at both of us, then Wing, and then directed his attention to Emma. Even I could tell she was nervous.
“You see, your son, Wing Agelheed, was it? I actually do have the results for his testing.”
“Was it bad...?”
Emma grabbed the side of her dress to brace for the bad news. However, to our surprise the man responded pretty quickly.
“Actually, this young man answered all the questions perfectly; in fact my higher up said he might have gotten the highest score of his age bracket.”
“Really?! That's great!”
After the good news, the man's face soured then continued to speak.
“However... He failed the other test, so we won't be able to take him.”
“What...? What do you mean?”
He continued to give Emma words. More words. So many words that I don’t care about. I don’t like him.
“Well you see, he passed the practical test with flying colors, but he failed the more important one. His magic aptitude... Well, he doesn't have any aptitude for magic.”
“There must be some mistake! Surely, there's a misunderstanding here; maybe there was a miscommunication somewhere?”
Probably because of the thought of Wing failing at anything sounding faker than the fairytales I read, Emma started to plead to him.
“Isn't there some way? If he doesn't show any promise with magic now, then when he gets older, surely he could gain some sort of aptitude.”
“Once again, I apologize ma'am. However, Velbus has mandatory magic classes along with intensive studies from the start of enrollment. Having a student that 'might' get better isn't the same as a student who can participate from the beginning.”
“But that's…”
“With utmost efficiency. The saying of Elkysti, it wouldn’t work out. However… I noticed that his last name is Agelheed… By chance…?”
“It's just a coincidence…”
“I see.”
I looked at Wing meekly. I don't want him to leave, but I don't want him to fail at doing what he wants either...
Almost as if my inner thoughts were being read, he ruffled my hair and pulled me next to him. Wing briefly looked between me and Emma, and then walked over to them.
“Emma, it's fine, let's go. It's what it is. I failed, it's fine.”
“But Wing...”
“It's fine. Let's go. You said you'd get us something regardless of the results right?”
“Yeah...”