“Unacceptable,” Ravina hissed. The heat burned the air around her as she seethed at the large score sheet posted at the academy entryway. Six months at the academy, and she was sure she would be top of the class in no time, only to be beaten. By half a point.
Half a point.
Earl - 100.5
Emily - 100
Tommie - 87
…
Despite it being the first day of the academy's 20 day, halfway break, the seething girl rushed into the academy, quickly heading to the headmaster. She was lucky; the school's headmaster was quietly working, staring outside the window and wondering what bar he should go to today.
“Headmaster Graham,” Ravina called.
A slow, deliberate sigh fell from his lips. He took a deep breath before he turned to face her. “Miss Grant,” he said with a strained smile, lamenting internally that there was always one. Each year, there was a student dissatisfied with something just before the break. Didn't these kids know that the break was for the teachers, not them? Cursing her internally, he asked, “To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?”
Ravina took his calming smile as affirmation to continue as she pleased. Thankfully, the headmaster was always so understanding. “I want to know why Earl was able to get half a point above the maximum,” she cut right to the point. “Was there already confirmation about not being able to receive any such extra points?”
Internally, the headmaster, Graham, screamed. It wasn't his fault but that crazy old bat. If she wasn't a grand mage, he would have tossed her out a long time ago, for she rarely followed the rules. “She decided to give the young Mr. Earl extra credit due to his assistance in finding a few flaws in the test.”
“Flaws in the test—what test?” she blinked at the news.
“The 13th Exam,” he sighed. “There have been multiple instances of students using an Abkürzung, a shortcut. You may not know this because it isn't taught, but some students find that they could supplement the need to use Lissial’s formula. This shortcut uses an idea that the cost per Αρκαδία is always the same.” Graham rubbed his head, knowing that a student like Ravina would require a full explanation before accepting it.
With a strained smile, he continued, “While it is partially true that they are, there are other elements that… alright, can you tell me what the Alocueshia formula is?”
“Of course,” Ravina began, “M=A×F.”
“The full formula,” he insisted.
“Full?” Ravina blinked thinking for a moment. “MCost =(A )×Envfactor ” she replied (somehow). It was M=A×F but less simplified. In the end, it was the same, so Ravina didn't understand why she needed to repeat the full bit.
“Now, why do you think the sum of mana costs for the spell's components (Αρκαδία) is in parentheses for the actual formula?” Ravina fell silent for a moment, thinking. Graham offered a hint, “Think about Lissial’s formula, specifically what it shares with the Alocueshia formula.”
Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
“What do they share?” Ravina smiled. That was easy. “The environmental factor,” she stated proudly. She didn't just study the material she needed to learn but everything that had to do with magic. If anyone was
“Correct. Now, you all have been using the base of 1.37 for the environmental factor in classes, but these factors would change in the real world. Next year, we will be including this in your studies, but for now, the problem with the test is that it encourages students to find and use an Abkürzung.”
“But what does that have to do with extra credit?”
“Well, therein lies the problem. By using the base standard of environmental factors, students lose the ability to identify changes in the base cost of the Αρκαδία. The main problem is that teachers never address this issue. Not even I was able to identify that this led to massive failures the next year. Bad habits are ruinous to the future of students. Thinking back on it now, it could be why we lost so many good students.” Graham shook his head.
“So the extra credit was-”
“Because he found a flaw that would have ruined other students.”
Ravina could only grit her teeth. How could she argue with that? She herself was using this Abkürzung. She doubted she would fall into the same rut of overreliance like the other students might. After all, it was obvious… but at the same time…
She tutted her frustration and turned on her heel. “Unfair,” she found herself saying under her breath. Headmaster Graham could only watch her walk away without another word to him, sighing as he thought he should leave sooner then later, least another student come to argue.
Meanwhile Ravina was still mulling over that half a point. Sure, he found a flaw, a big one, but still. Half a point ahead of max. MAX. There was not supposed to be something higher than 100---it was a percentile! How was she supposed to compete with that? Grinding her teeth in frustration, she stormed away until she arrived at a familiar café, 30 feet from the magic academy.
“Emily!~” The musical tone of a young girl filled the room as Ravina caused the doorbell to ring as she entered. Immediately, Ravina's mood improved. Her heart melted at the sight of a young girl, not eight years old. She had short black hair cut into a bob, pale deep blue-black eyes with a slight red hue to them. She wore a simple outfit, its only flair was a small, round white fluffy dog held in the girl's arms.
“Lisa!” Ravina cheered out her name with a smile. “How are you doing today?” she inquired, taking her usual seat in the window, giving her a view of the people milling around the City of Education.
“Meu-Mue and I are doing great!” she said as she joined Ravina in the opposite seat. “We just finished with the morning rush; Papa is preparing for the lunch rush!”
“Oh, sounds like I came just in time,” she said with a smile. Lisa was one of those children who could warm anyone's heart. Honest and kind. And most importantly, cute.
“Sure! Hey, how did that law test go?”
“Law test?” Ravina repeated with a slight tilt of her head.
This time Lisa tilted her head, Meu-Mue copying her action. “Didn't you have a test yesterday? You’ve been studying those law books every time.”
“Oh, yeah, no --- I haven't really done any legal studies… just reading here.” Ravina didn't forget her resolve to be a law student. Though she didn't attend the academy, it didn't really matter. She was studying law for herself and herself alone. “Well, it doesn't matter, I got top marks.”
“Huh.” Lisa nodded, shrugging it off. She smiled, “Congratulations! We can celebrate with your coffee half off, so long as you buy a pastry!”
Ravina giggled. Half off on coffee with the purchase of a pastry was a standard at the restaurant. It was the thing that set them apart from the others. “Well, that sounds lovely,” Ravina responded. “Why don't we have two kolade cakes and a coffee, then you could join me and tell me all about your day.”
Lisa’s eyes sparkled at her words, and she nodded vigorously before jumping off the seat and scurrying away to put in the order. Ravina put her head in her hands and watched her push into the back of the café. She let loose a content sigh.