We had to leave our carriage at the entrance. Since the adults' expression didn't change when they were told so, I thought that it was a normal thing for us, however, I saw that some groups could still move with their carriage inside. I wanted to question about this, but my father gave me a glance as if knowing what I was about to ask, to tell me to not say anything.

When we stepped inside the city, the previous image I had of it crumbled.

Although I could clearly see those amazing house made of bricks, and ironwood, although I could see the smile plastered on the faces of many of the residents, from the corner of my eyes, I could see them.

People with shredded clothes, messy hair filled with filth and hollow eyes.

I tugged my father's hand.

"Father, why are these people like this?"

Looking at where I was pointing, my father saw what I was talking about, but he only sighed and shook his head.

"This is why you guys need to get to school and be better than anyone as long as you can. This is the era we live in. Since there many people in the city, there isn't a shortage of workforce. It's the opposite, there are too many people and not enough work. So those who don't have a job will end up like this."

"Why is no one helping them? They could..."

"Stop right now... When I first came here, I was like you. I wanted to help them, so I gave someone a bit of money to help him out. He was a bit older than you, I think he was twelve, but his body was so weak and frail he looked like an eight years old boy. And by the time I was done with my errands here, I came back to look for him and invite him to come with us since his life at the city was at risk..."

"Huh? Is he in our village now? Who is it?"

"I never found him. When I asked around, people told me he was robbed and killed by a notorious gang here. Apparently, he owed them money and couldn't pay his debt so they tried to rob him, but he defended himself and got killed in the process."

He owed them something, he couldn't give it to them, and he was killed. I didn't why, but something inside me felt weird. I knew this feeling very well.

Taking another look at them, and what was around me, I finally realized something. The warmth inside me could turn cold. Colder than what I ever felt.

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We kept going without looking back, as the examination starts in the afternoon, we couldn't afford to be late. But with every step I made, the disgust I had was growing even more. I didn't say anything. I kept a straight face as I watched Djar and the others looking around being amazed by the buildings and the stalls of the 4th district.

...

We finally reached a huge structure called Amphitheater. the adults and those accompanying the children had to stay in the seats which were around the arena located at the center. The seats could be divided into two categories, those at the top and those at the bottom. Those at the bottom were mainly people from the outside, from surrounding and further village. Those at the top were citizens of the 5th and 4th districts. The nobles were in specials lounges, with guards at the entrance, preventing us from entering. Since the school had to be impartial in the treatments of students, the children of nobles and normal citizens had to pass the same tests and in front of everyone's eyes. To prevent unfair treatment.

With Djar and the three girls, we had to form lines with the other children for the first test: Talent. The school refused to take in talentless people who couldn't live up to their expectation. Late Frost City's School was known for producing at least Stage 2 individuals. Something which was hardly achievable for talentless children or low-grade talents.

We stayed like this for a while until a white-robed man entered the arena with an object warped in clothes. There two other people following behind him, wearing very strange outfits. Their clothes looked like the one noble would wear but each string of their clothes emitted a faint but very distinctive light.

I recognized this light. It was Divine power.

...

Sigh

While lazily looking at the children in front of me, I noticed that one of them was looking at us strangely. No, it seems he was paying attention to our clothes instead. Although he tried to hide it, I could perceive a strange feeling in his gaze.

Looking around to see if my fellow brothers noticed it too, I saw them with their eyes closed in half meditation state.

As I was about to say something to them, the teacher we were escorting stopped in his tracks and started unwrapping the item.

A small black orb was inside it. This orb was one of the most common products created by the  Four Progenitors. These orbs are used to sense the affinity one had towards one of the four main elements. 

"I will point at each one of you successively. You will come here and place your hand on the orb. The results will be displayed by the brightness and the color of the orb."

After thinking this through, I decided to drop the matter. A child looking at me like that was unusual but nothing to mind. But I really wished to see what results he will have by the end of this since he picked my interest.