Chapter 6. Results

"What do you think you'll score?" May asks while we are walking back to school. We ate a few bowls of soup with vegetables and meat in town. The place is apparently very famous, to which I saw many people eating and relishing the food.

"I-I think I did well," I say hesitantly, "there were some points I did not understand.”

"We shall see." She smiles as if consoling me. Her smile gives me some confidence.

A few moments go by in silence. We are walking the very same street I walked this morning, finding my way to the school. The potter is not there anymore. It seems that vendors change places throughout the day, finding the best spot to sell their goods. There are indeed fewer people now, it must be because everyone is working and has dispersed into their workplaces.

"Who are you exactly?" I ask May finally. This question has been in my head ever since she saved us from the bandits. I need to find out who she really is, who she was, and why she is fit to be a maestro. Why did she live a life with me in a small town called Orma?

"What do you mean?" She answers as if taken aback by my bluntness. She then giggles this off, trying to shake off my interrogative voice.

"Well, just coming to this town today. A lot of mysterious stuff has popped up about you. I want to know," I answer with clear sternness.

"You always want to know things, dear." She pats my head, I feel uncomfortable."Well, just like you, I entered the school when I was sixteen. I have gotten the Indixus strand on my first day unlike you though." She points at my purple badge which I wear proudly on my vest. "I joined a club which dealt with crime in Dirya. Our club was to keep the peace. The place where I have earned my way up. I wonder if the club is still there," she said briefly. I know there must be something else. I do not want to pry upon further into this. I think it is better to hear about this little by little rather than forcing her. It must be a delicate subject.

"How did you get the money?" I showed my pouch which I took from my pocket. "We usually don't get this much money in one go. How did you get it?"

I am curious.

"How? Well, Aura, I have done lots of missions with my club as well as being old enough to save that much money for my beloved little one." She pats my head again, just like she always did when I was younger. "Well, we are almost at school. The results should be up on the board."

Is it just me or did she try to revert the conversation? But anyway, we finally arrived at school. The architecture still astonishes my mind, the immense structure, as well as its beauty, is very enlightening.

"Where do we find the results board?" I ask May as we enter the main hall again for the second time today. The blue and white color scheme of the interior still is very captivating to look at.

"Ah, I can follow you there for a little while. I have a briefing with the other maestros," May says. We start walking in the direction of a hallway that seems to be full of people.

In my excitement, I try to walk at a faster pace. Not knowing that the hallway has an intersection, I, once again, bump into a person. This time, though luckily, we don’t fall on the ground. May luckily holds me up as she was fast enough to react. I soon realize that this person I bumped into is also a girl. Luckily, not the same girl this morning, she is shorter than the one earlier. I sigh, having to save myself of embarrassment. The girl only stumbles a few steps, before regaining her balance.

"Ah! Sorry! Are you okay?" I ask her apologetically. I then notice her face. She is beautiful with red hair and light brown eyes. Her hair, flowing from her head of medium length, as if framing her face in a gentle red frame. Her lips are lusciously red and plump. I somehow find myself blushing at her beauty.

"Ah yes, I am sorry as well." She bows politely as she apologized. While she lifts her head from her apology, I see her purple badge on her uniform. As if she saw the same in mine she enthusiastically says: "Ah, are you also new here?" I nodded politely. "You are also a Yttrancia manipulator! You are the first one I have spoken to! Wanna go to the results board together?" she asks. The first impression I have from this girl is that she has so much energy. I look at May as if relaying a question through telepathy: can I trust her? As if it actually works, May nods.

"You guys, just go to the crowd over there." May points at the crowd off into the distance which seems to be reading off a board on the wall. It is the results board. "I have to go to my briefing now anyway. Good luck, both of you"

As the girl and I walk towards the board, I seem to not be able to talk for a while. Her cuteness leaves me stupefied. I can't believe walking with someone so cute, next to me, and a girl the same age as me.

"So, what's your name?" She finally asks, probably sensing the awkward air and trying to eliminate it.

"My name is Aura," I say in a light tone, still very shy.

"Ah! Aura, what a cute name! My name is Mia, Mia Wynnfred," she introduces herself while looking me in the eyes, ending with a graceful bow in what might seem to be very regal. I suppose she is noble. Someone I probably don't want to get upset.

"Ah, excuses for my rudeness earlier. Are you sure you're okay?" I ask politely, afraid of making enemies with nobles.

We slowly reach the board by now. She says: "Don't have to be so polite! Ah, here we are, I'll find my name. Hopefully, I get into a good class! I'll talk to you again!"

Her enthusiasm can't be one-hundred percent, it is one-hundred-and-ten. She walks off to another place in front of the board. The names on the board are chronologically ordered from the first letter of one's first name.

Not everyone possesses a last name like Mia. It is rarely a peasant having a last name. I have never heard of one possessing a last name.

I walk off to the first rows of the board. After a while searching for my name under 'A' I see the entry.

[Aura of Orma - Section 3 - Enchanter]

I almost jump in happiness as there are ten sections in which the tenth being the lowest and one being the highest grading. I hear a few shouts of happiness as well as a sigh of disappointment in the back, but I have to focus. Where do I go now? No one explained to me what to do after knowing the results. I start to panic inside.

Mia then walks back towards me, with a big smile on her delicate face. She said: "I am in section 3! I am so happy! How about you?" And when she realizes her rudeness: "Oh sorry, I didn't realize, it might’ve been rude." She then soon again bows in apology, realizing her mistake. Other people are looking at us and I feel a little bit embarrassed.

"Ah, I am also in section 3. Lift your head up please." I say briefly. She lifts her head, and as soon as I see her face, her smile changes into a shock.

"What, that's awesome! Well then, what are we waiting for, Aura?! Let's go to our section room!" She says, suddenly holding my hand and pulling it off to a direction I never went to.

This much energy from a person. How?