Magic: Magic is the power used to achieve amazing things in the world. Magic stems from Ethernano, or Magic Particles, that have appeared in Earthland's atmosphere for centuries. The increase as time has gone on has created an abundant source of this power, allowing for everyone to achieve some form of Magic Power.
As the reliance on this power has increased, so has the correlation between Magic Power and Life Energy. A decrease in Magic Power will make you much more tired and put you at a greater risk of fatality. Think of it more as a proportion of power used, rather than the total amount-as in, anyone and everyone who uses 90% of their power will feel the same effects (note 90% is just being used as an example).
The term magic is tossed around somewhat loosely. Technically, everyone uses magic, as everyone has Ethernano in their bodies; however, whenever people say the word 'magic', they are generally referring to 'real magic'. An example of 'real magic' would be shooting a stream of fire from one's hand. In order to get 'real magic', one must eat a Magic Seed, or have some other transformation to their body.
Lucy walked toward the center of the area, pulling up the hood on her cloak. Desks circled around a large, stone fountain with water spouting around several carved statues that the work of art consisted of. Employees from the Exam Committee stood behind each table, accepting paperwork from the Applicants. An employee smiled and wished Lucy good luck on the exam after taking her forms. She took a moment to peek inside the fountain, admiring the crystal-clear water.
"Hey there, pretty girl. Why don't you come here and get ready for the exam with me?"
A young man with a smug expression stared at her. His expensive outfit immediately set him apart from the rest. A posh, white coat covered his upper body. Gold fabric lined the edges and his popped collar. A matching pair of pants covered his legs. Did he really expect to take the exam in that? The sweat seeping rapidly through his clothes in a few unnatural areas was enough to make anyone stay far, far away from him, and yet seven boys stood at attention behind him, most likely his lackeys. The boy's double chin showed off his lavish lifestyle. His swollen hand combed through his greasy, brown hair. Yuck.
"Damn," the boy said when his attempt to whistle failed. "Phil, Blue, isn't she fine as hell?"
"Hell yeah. Don't you think, Phil?" a boy with blue hair answered.
Another boy, this time with noticeable light blue gloves, agreed. "For sure. I'd hit that, no questions asked."
"Not interested." Lucy muttered. These goofs weren't worth a moment of her attention.
"Hey, come on now!" The boy in white advanced as Lucy began walking away. "Don't be like that!"
Lucy continued walking in silence, ignoring his pleas.
"Hey!" He reached out and grabbed Lucy's arm, pulling back with force. His face leaned in closer as he held onto the Celestial Wizard. "I said don't be like that...we both know you want a piece of this." He was joking, right?
Lucy pushed away from the boy. "Leave me alone." His breath stank up the air around her, showing that his hygiene completely contrasted his otherwise rich appearance.
He smirked, letting out a low chuckle before looking down into the ground and shaking his head. "I get it: you're a little shy. Those raggedy clothes, that ripped cloak, hiding underneath that hood...you probably haven't been around a guy like me before. But if you just give me a chance-"
Lucy slapped the boy's hand away as he tried to reach for her hair. "I just don't like being around disgusting assholes that don't know what the word no means. Leave me alone."
"Gary! Tyler!" He called, keeping his eyes on Lucy.
Lucy spun around, only to be met with the glares of two similar looking boys, both in red shirts. Phil and Blue-as well as three other similarly built boys-each wearing a fur coat, surrounded her from all angles.
The rich, gross one who seemed in charge of them all stepped forward into the circle. He looked down with a disgusting smile, showing off his yellow teeth. "I wouldn't talk like that. Not to me. Or else...my boys here may not be able to help themselves."
Lucy grit her teeth, staring up through her furrowed brow. Who the hell was this guy? Why didn't the man behind the desk stop them? Or anyone, for that matter? Natsu hadn't lied about there being no rules. Maybe it was just part of the test...what a messed-up system.
"Surely you've heard of the Wynfry family," the young man began. "You know, one of the richest families in the country? They make many different artificial plants, giving them magic properties. Even the Exam Committee buys from them. Well, I'm the heir to the family business." He didn't bother waiting for a response. "That's right! Good-looking and rich. So, I'll ask one more time: how about you come and join us? We can make sure you get nice and loose before the exam starts. In fact, I can even share a little secret with you to help you pass!"
"You can help me pass?" Lucy stupidly asked.
"That's right! Just like I'm helping these boys pass," he told her, gesturing to the Applicants around him and Lucy. "You see, when people are around me, they tend to trust me. When people know that I can get them what they want-" He brought his hands together, covering his fingers before deviously glaring at Lucy, "they tend to follow all my advice. Isn't that right, boys?"
"Yes! You can grant us all of our desires, because you have the power and wisdom to do so!" The boys said in unison.
Lucy's eyes widened and brows furrowed at the creepiness of the response. A shortcut to passing the exam sounded great. Just not from this schmuck. "I don't believe you. I've never even heard of you, and you don't look very strong."
The young man took a deep breath, as if he was trying to keep from unleashing his frustration on her. "If you don't come with me, then I may have to use...drastic measures."
"I'd love to see you try." This jackass is all talk.
A laugh gurgled up his throat, evolving into a desperate cackle. "You stuck up, precious little bitch! Come here!"
Oh, shit! Lucy eyes shut out of pure instinct, her body flinching as the young man's fist hurled forward.
"My, my..." a feminine, sensual voice said. The tone was borderline creepy. "Has the fighting started already?"
Lucy's eyes slowly opened. A woman stood tall beside her, somehow having gotten into the circle of lackeys. The woman's pale arm took place in front of Lucy's body in a flash, catching the rich, unhygienic boy's fist in her palm. A deep crimson color covered her lips, which curled into a cocky smirk. The sunlight reflected off her lone silver earring, which took the shape of a snowflake.
The asshole in white retracted his fist, his friends lining up behind him and facing Lucy and the mysterious woman with angry glares.
"Who the hell are you?" he growled.
The woman chuckled quietly, brushing back a lock of her voluminous, navy blue hair. The straight strands, soft in appearance, fell into an elegantly styled bob that angled beneath her jaw, just above her shoulders. "Who I am is of no concern, Leofric Wynfry. Son of the industrial pioneer, Weldon Wynfry and the star singer, Elizabeth Wynfry. You have some very successful genes, and yet, here you are, on your third attempt at this little test, harassing innocent women as you approach your third and final failure. Hm, failure. That is exactly what you are: a total failure. Your parents will probably disown you if you fail again. Although, I suppose their memories of you would fade in a near instant. The little spell you have your friends under would probably wear off as well, since you would be nothing without your last name."
Lucy silently listened as the woman tastefully roasted Leofric with that same, sensual tone. Her sharp, defined cheekbones stood out with each insult. The woman's frightening confidence stood out more than anything. How could someone speak in such a way while being outnumbered eight to one?
"Who the hell do you think you are?! If you don't take that back, I'll have my father come after you! We'll send the best bodyguards we have!" Leofric threatened.
"Oh, please do!" She taunted. "I would love to test my skills. Although, I doubt you would like to witness me personally murder every single member of your little security team."
"You son of a-how dare you?! I'll call the whole Army! The Wizard Saints! Don't underestimate how much power the Wynfry family holds!"
The woman shook her head and laughed. Stepping forward, she leaned down, her sharp face inches away from his chubby, sweating one. Her large, gray eyes gazed into his soul. "If you want to die, then go right ahead." Even the lackeys cowered in her presence. Her head tilted slightly as her crimson lips curved up tightly. She batted her dark, thick lashes, the innocent gesture greatly contrasting the darkness in her eyes.
Chills ran down Lucy's spine. She gulped hard but remained silent.
The woman straightened, turning to face the blonde girl she had just defended. "And what is your name?"
She cleared her throat. "L-Lucy. Lucy Hear-just Lucy."
"Well, Lucy Hear-just Lucy, to what do I owe the pleasure of meeting such a beautiful young woman? Although, you really should be more careful..." The woman nonchalantly held up Lucy's key chain, swinging it around her lean finger and causing the Gatekeys to jingle. "These are quite rare. You would not want somebody swiping them, now would you?" She tossed the keys back to Lucy.
How did I even lose those? I thought they were underneath my cloak the whole time... "S-Sorry. Thanks." She made sure to securely fasten them to her belt.
"Would you mind if I joined you? I am just so bored waiting all by myself, and I would much rather enjoy studying your beautiful face, rather than this fat pig's."
Once again, the glares from the boys fell upon the woman's slim body, only this time, they appeared to be mixed with fear, as if they knew all eight of them couldn't take her on, despite knowing nothing about her power. She oozed a unique aura. Not necessarily all powerful. Just...way too cocky for a normal person. It wasn't like Lucy had never been around exceptionally powerful people before. But, this wasn't the same. What would Natsu think of this woman? She didn't appear to be much older, despite her strange demeanor.
"I guess. I'm not alone, though," Lucy told her.
"Even better! Please, lead the way." She gestured for Lucy to step in front of her.
Leofric stepped forward boldly, yet heavily. "Hey! Where do you think you're going, you bastard! I'm not done with you!"
The navy blue-haired woman turned and glared into Leofric's soul with a murderous gaze. The Wynfry took a step back, nearly stumbling over himself.
Leofric grit his teeth, stomping his foot angrily against the grass as Lucy and the woman walked away. "Damn it! That bitch! That stupid, blonde-haired bitch! I'll make her pay...She doesn't realize that I know exactly what this exam has in store for us! I'll have plenty of opportunity to get her back." He licked his lips, drooling at the prospect. "I'll have her screaming...I'll put her through something that would make death look like a walk in the park!"
Lucy removed her hood and gave Rebecca a small wave as she approached with the mystery woman.
"My, my...what a beautiful smile you have! What is your name?" the woman said immediately to the waiting girl.
A slight blush spread across Rebecca's face. "Hi, I'm Rebecca. And you?"
"You can call me Ill. It is a pleasure to meet you."
"The pleasure is all mine. I see you made a new friend, Lucy."
"She's not my friend, but she did help me out"
Ill shook her head. "Ouch. My apologies for my forwardness. You see, a new acquaintance of mine seems to have rubbed off on me. Although, they were more forward with insults toward me, rather than compliments." Ill pouted playfully.
Lucy sighed quietly, taking a seat in the middle of the bench by Rebecca to make room for Ill, who lowered herself gracefully on Lucy's right. They gazed at the surroundings of the park in silence, taking a breather before the Exam officially started. While the young woman had helped Lucy earlier, she still had a strange feeling about Ill. That's what caused her to not call Ill her friend just yet: the off feeling that surrounded her, as if the young woman had something to hide.
Rebecca giggled, bringing Lucy out of her thoughts. "I was going to say they sound like a nice person, but I guess it's the opposite."
Ill joined in the laughter. "He is just a depressed, sad existence of a man. In any case, talking about myself bores me. Is this your first time applying?"
"That's right! There sure are a lot of people, aren't there?" Rebecca answered enthusiastically. "It makes me nervous. I don't know anything about anyone, really."
"I see." Ill looked out among the Applicants, pursing her crimson-colored lips slightly. "You are not the only ones applying for the first time. This is my first time as well, but I am not nervous at all. I also see a few in the crowd that are also rookies."
"Oh, really? Are they strong?" Rebecca asked, leaning forward as her eyes darted across the crowds.
"You could say that. They certainly will be strong, once they grow. I suppose it is a matter of potential. I really only know the ones who are worth watching."
"Can you point them out?" Lucy asked her. "It would be useful to know who to look out for."
Ill scanned the crowd. "Let us see..." She slowly turned her head to the right, gesturing subtly to a young man. "See that boy over there? Talking with those girls? He is tall, tan skin, and he has those chiseled biceps. His jawline is sharper than a knife-damn, what a handsome devil. He could stand to style his hair, though. It looks rather shaggy."
Lucy found the person in question. A long, white headband, with two ends flowing in the wind helped to keep his shaggy hair in place. He clearly studied some form of martial arts, given that he wore the top part of a sleeveless fighter's uniform. His white pants matched the top's color, and black stripes went down the sides, all the way to his white shoes.
"Oh, I see him! What is his name?" Rebecca wondered.
"That is Ryu Ken." Ill answered. "Now, look at the opposite corner of the area. See that girl? The one that looks like the opposite of Ryu?"
Lucy turned her head to see a girl of more average stature alone, practicing some kicks. Her frame more resembled Lucy's. A black headband rest on top of her long, white hair, which was styled in a high ponytail that rested snugly inside of a tall, black holder. The sleek curls fell from the ponytail down to the small of her back. Her outfit consisted of a uniform like Ryu Ken's, the only differences being that it was black with white stripes, and she had kept the sleeves.
"Oh, there she is!" Rebecca said. "Wow, she's so pretty! But she's all alone..."
"I take it she's related to Ryu in some way?" Lucy guessed.
With a dip of her chin, Ill told her, "That girl is Sofia Wade. Their similarities stem from a big rivalry, spanning all the way back to their childhood. She and Ryu both come from Gladiolus Town, but they are originally from Bosco, growing up in the slums of a city together. It used to be a harsh place, and to an extent, it still is. Honestly, I am not sure how they even escaped to Fiore. In any case, apparently Sofia takes the rivalry seriously, whereas Ryu treats her like a friend. However, he is much stronger than she is, and she obviously does not like it."
"Aw, I wonder why she cares so much. I bet he's mean about it! No way a girl like that would be mean without a good reason," Rebecca concluded. "What kind of magic do they use? Do you know?"
"They both use Fire Magic. Growing up in Gladiolus, they studied different Combat Styles. They are Fire Combat Wizards, meaning their magic is at its strongest when used with Martial Arts of some kind. That is not to say they cannot do some things a Standard Fire Mage can do, but their streams of fire are weaker, while their fire punches and kicks are much, much stronger. They could potentially become two of the strongest wizards, some day. The potential to boost your speed with the fire, as well as your attack power and defensive capabilities...it is an exciting thought," Ill rambled, biting her lower lip.
"Wow, I didn't even know that Application existed!" Rebecca marveled.
"There are many interesting Applications," Ill informed her, coming out of her daze. "To go further into their rivalry, Ryu studied Blaze Combat Style, and Sofia studied Flare Combat Style. Ryu's is more focused on strikes with the hands, and Sofia's is more focused on using her legs."
"Wow! Talk about a true rivalry! How fascinating is that?!"
"It is interesting, but I do not buy into it that much. They came from the same upbringing, and if they were living in the slums of Bosco under The Old Regime, it could not have been easy. I am sure deep down, they are closer than it appears."
Lucy nodded slowly as she observed Ryu and Sofia. Sofia appeared to be a bit younger, while Ryu looked to be Lucy's age.
"I see more people than I thought around my age," Lucy mentioned. "Don't most people take this exam at fourteen?"
"They do, but in some cases, there are things that take priority," Ill answered. "In Ryu's case, graduating from his dojo came first. The only reason Sofia left early was because she did not want to fall behind."
"I see." What kind of a reason is that? It probably isn't even a rivalry. I bet it's more like a little kid nagging their older sibling.
"So, how strong are they?" Rebecca asked Ill. "Should we try to make friends with them?"
Of course Rebecca would think of something like that.
"Ryu is definitely one of the strongest new Applicants, at his current level. He is probably number one on a guild like Fairy Tail's list, due to his young age and huge potential." Ill shifted her attention across the Waiting Area. "Sofia has a good amount of potential, but she is not there yet. Having said all of that, at this very moment, compared to actual strong people, neither is anything special."
"Wow, even if he isn't that strong now, if he's that high on Fairy Tail's list, he must be special!" Rebecca said.
"Indeed." Ill looked around the crowd once more. "Look at that boy there. He is bald, although he is only eighteen. Also tall and defined. He wears a ninja uniform with no sleeves. I just realized, both his shirt and pants are black. Ryu and Sofia had a matching top and bottom, too, and so do I!" She glanced down at the fabric on her body.
"You're right! I like your light blue the best, though, and at least you accessorize with a bracelet. I have one that looks just like that, but I didn't want to risk losing it during the exam!" Rebecca said. "That ninja guy has bandages around his wrists and ankles. Is he injured?!"
"Maybe it's a new trend," Lucy deadpanned.
Rebecca chuckled. "So, who is that man? He's a real ninja?"
"Yes. Hanzo Kitizune. He just recently 'joined the outside world,' as he is slated to become the head of his ninja clan. It is required that the next head comes and understands what life is like before returning, so that they can provide great wisdom and advice to their clan. He uses what I believe is called Ninja Magic. I have absolutely no idea what that entails, which just makes him all the more exciting." Ill rubbed her hands together.
"Ninja Magic? Is that Scarce Magic?" Lucy asked.
"Definitely. That is a danger for any wizard, but it is much more prevalent for Scarces. You do not know their power until you see it. Once you see someone use Fire Magic, or once you hear that they do, you can understand how most of their attacks will be used. But once you hear or see a Scarce's ability, it does not necessarily mean anything. That is the Scarces' best weapon: keeping their ability a secret. In the time you are trying to figure it out, they could easily defeat you. It is also one of their biggest weaknesses, though, because if you do figure it out, then they are most likely finished. They say that, once a Scarce's ability has been found out, there is almost always a way to beat them. So, they must finish you quickly. It does not apply to all of them, but it does to several. That is why they lie on that silly form they have us fill out. They claim they do not share it with anyone, but I am not trusting them."
Rebecca gulped. "The idea of fighting a Scarce sounds scary."
"But that makes it fun, doesn't it?" Ill asked.
"Yeah...no. It doesn't."
Ill laughed. "I suppose not. In any case, look at that woman sitting on the bench there. Quick! Look now!"
Lucy darted her eyes toward a young woman, sitting on a bench similar to their own, though, hers was underneath the shade of a tree. Waving her hands through the air, her forms floated through the air, toward the fountain in the center.
"Telekinesis?" Rebecca asked, watching the papers land on the desk of a startled worker.
"That is correct. It makes people so much lazier when they can move things without having to move themselves. Her name is Jordan Solomon."
"She has such a...baggy outfit. Both her sweatshirt and sweatpants look quite big on her, but that necklace is beautiful! The diamond pendant looks amazing! It really sticks out from everything else!" Rebecca admired.
Ill smirked. "It does. Her long, brown hair and dark skin are a sign that she is from the country of Minstrel, which is on Prola, the continent to the south of Ishgar," she informed the two girls.
"I see! That's cool to see people from completely different continents!" Rebecca said.
"There is another one around your age worth mentioning. He is walking by the fountain now, with short, brown hair, combed to the side. He is wearing glasses, too. I would say he is the most average looking guy here. What really stands out about him is his necklace of coins. He uses Coin Magic. I believe he is able to infuse his Light Magic into the coins, making them stronger than Magic Bullets. He also keeps a bracelet on with just one coin, but I think that one is just for show: Troy Laguardia."
"He must really like collecting coins, if they are that powerful," Rebecca commented.
"Indeed. I wonder where the attachment comes from. In any case, there is a group of Applicants sitting over there. They are all much older. Some of them have backpacks. A group of seven. The man sitting at the head of the other six has long hair, tied back in a bun, as well as stubble on his face. Do you see?"
"Yeah," Rebecca said. "Not gonna lie, they look...kind of suspicious."
"I thought the same thing. In any case, I do not think they will pose much of a threat to you, but I figured I would bring them up. Do not worry too much about them. Keep in mind, though, that they are not pushovers. I am sure they can progress far." Ill leaned back against the bench. "There is a young woman by the name of Wren Fowler, sitting underneath that tree over there." She tipped her chin to the right. "The one with long, blonde hair. I know she hails from Gladiolus Town as well. On the other side of that tree is a young man by the name of Fernando Nicolosi, with very short, dark hair. He hails from Joya, which is another country on the continent of Prola. Both Wren and Fernando should be able to get to the final stages. That group I mentioned earlier will, too. I do not think they will bother messing with anyone, though. Or maybe they will. What do I know?"
"You're making me nervous, Ill," Rebecca said. "That woman Wren looks nice. Fernando, too. Those other people look scary, though."
"So...how do we compare to all of these people?" Lucy asked.
"What do you mean?" Ill inquired.
"You seem to be pretty good at judging people. And you're knowledgeable, too. So, do you have any idea about how they rank?"
"Let us see...I could try to rank you all. I do have a keen sense of magic, if I do say so myself. Do you want to know how I rank you all right now? Or how I rank you all, considering your potential?"
"Both." Ill knows a lot. Almost too much. I'm sure she would be a sound judge of our skill. All cocky people are. There are those she finds worth her time and those she doesn't. I want to know where I stand.
Ill chuckled. "Okay. In terms of your current power levels, the group I mentioned is the strongest. Individually, they are a bit weaker, but I doubt that they will ever travel alone, so we may as well rank them as a whole. Then, Ryu would come next. After him, Hanzo. Then, Sofia, Wren, Troy, Fernando, Jordan, Rebecca, and you, Lucy. In that order."
"Tsk..." Lucy's heart sank into her stomach as her tongue turned sour. "Great."
"That's not true! Lucy has Zodiac Gatekeys! She's way stronger than me!" Rebecca crossed her arms and pouted. "Not that I'm pleased with where you put me!"
"Sorry about that. I did see that Lucy had Zodiacs, earlier. That certainly is impressive, but I disagree with her strength. You asked for my rankings, did you not?"
"Whatever. What about considering our potential?" Lucy asked.
"This will probably make you happier. Out of every single person here, myself included, you, Lucy, will be the most powerful. It may take awhile, but it will happen."
"R-Really?"
"That is right. Your magic is simply the best. At this very instant, Ryu is miles ahead of you, but Celestial Spirits are very strong. I supposed Ryu would come second, in that case."
"So, Lucy is first, and Ryu is second...that means I'm third, right?!" Rebecca asked with a smile.
"Unfortunately, no. Third would have to be Hanzo. Yes, his magic is a mystery, but I can just tell he will be strong. You are fourth, though, Rebecca."
"Yay!"
"You and Lucy will be great motivation to push each other. At fifth is Sofia. Chasing Ryu will be a great motivation for her. It may take awhile, but she could possibly end up at his level if she really pushes hard. At sixth, I will say Jordan. While her magic has the most potential out of all of us, I do not even know if it is possible to reach those levels. Then, at seventh, I will put Troy. Having said all this, I do think you will all be incredible wizards. Being seventh does not mean anything bad. That group from earlier is already at their peak. Wren and Fernando certainly could be special, but I do not care enough to really think about it."
"What about you, Ill?" Rebecca asked. "Where do you rank against all of us?"
"Oh, where I rank does not matter. I am much too high compared to you all, so it would not make sense to compare our strength."
"What about that guy from earlier?" Lucy asked. "What was his name? Leotrick?"
"Oh, right. Leofric Wynfry. He-"
Rebecca gasped, startling Ill and Lucy. "Wait, Leofric is here?!"
"You know him?" Ill asked.
"Oh, god...did you tell him I was with you? Please, tell me you didn't! Please! Please!" She bent down against her thighs and hid her face.
"No, I didn't," Lucy said. "I didn't know you knew him."
"Ugh, I do. His father is good friends with mine. He's such a piece of shit! He thinks he is all that, just because of his family, but he's not! And he's already failed this exam twice! If he fails again, he'll literally be a total failure. I pray he does. He's so entitled. He thinks we just owe him a spot in a famous guild. He's...evil. He's not a good person...I mean, with a name like Leofric, it's obvious he thinks he's royalty. What the hell kinda name is that?!"
Ill burst out laughing. "You really seem to hate this guy! I love it! He is not anyone to worry about, though, at least in terms of the exam. I do not think he has eaten a Magic Seed. He just relies on his goons to do all the work for him."
"He kept trying to get me to hang out with him," Lucy said. "He was acting so creepy..."
Rebecca scoffed. "He's such a pig. A disgraceful...ugh, it makes my blood boil! I promise I'll never let him near any of us. His family is always trying to get him married; it's so annoying. They don't even like him. They just want to get rid of him."
"He is fairly rich," Ill added. "And his father is fairly powerful."
"He probably knows a lot of important people. He did kind of hint he knows a lot of information that'd be hidden to the public. Maybe it'd be worth marrying him just to use him..." Lucy stroked her chin.
"Don't." Rebecca shook her head. "His family isn't as powerful as you think. He's not the only one who is rich, though. If you want money, Lucy, then you should marry me! My family is pretty important, too!"
"Wait, what?"
Ill joined in the confusion. "Wait...you like girls?"
Rebecca stared at them blankly, her brows furrowing slightly before her eyes widened. "Oh...oh god...I didn't mean to...oh, no!" Long, hard breaths escaped Rebecca's lungs. She covered her face again, shaking her head emphatically. "Oh, shit! I really didn't mean for you to find out! Not this soon...I...this isn't going to affect our relationship, is it?!"
Ill cleared her throat. "Of course not! You are you, and love is love. It breaks my heart to see that you feel as though you have to hide your true feelings."
Lucy face-palmed. "I don't think that's what she meant."
"Eh?"
"I...don't like to tell people I'm from a rich family," Rebecca said. "Everyone I've ever gotten close to only tried to use me for my money. As soon as I told them I wasn't interested in that kind of relationship, they'd leave. Stop coming to the house. Stop talking to me. Tell me to forget I knew them. They'd...leave me...alone..."
"I see. That sucks," Lucy said passively.
"Y-Yeah..."
"Why do you look all sad?"
"I-I do? I'm not..."
A tear nearly fell down Rebecca's face, but she wiped it away. Why? Was she upset about her past? The sentiment failed to resonate with Lucy, who stared at Rebecca with a blank face.
"What do you want? Stop staring at me," Rebecca said, turning away.
"You're not sad about your past, are you?"
"No! Why would you think that?!"
"I don't know. You don't think that I care about your money, do you? One revelation isn't going to make me forget about our time together thus far. If you're upset about how some shitty people treated you in the past, then stop." Lucy bopped Rebecca's shoulder. "Forget about them. You got me, now."
Rebecca blinked twice, as if she couldn't believe something like that was coming from Lucy. She smiled, briskly wiping away a tear. "Yeah...thanks, Lucy. It means...a lot..."
That worked? Wow, I don't get her at all. How weak can she be? She comes from a rich, privileged family, yet she cries about people no longer being her friend? Who the hell cares? She has no idea what it's like to feel pain. What a load of shit. It's not like I lied; I really don't care about her money, but I have no interest in being friends with someone so frail.
"Uh, I do not mean to interrupt..." Ill scratched her head. "But...are we not going to confirm the girls thing, or...?"
A bell sounded, startling the group of three. An announcement that the First Phase would start in fifteen minutes blared across the hill.
"I'm getting nervous," Rebecca said, rubbing her hands together.
"Yeah," Lucy muttered.
"You're probably fine, right, Ill? You said you had experience, and you already know a lot about the other Applicants."
"Yes, I am quite skilled."
"Say...how do you know so much? I mean, you knew so many details and even some backstories."
Ill looked down into the ground. She wore the same cocky smile that spoke with Leofric. "I prefer to be well-informed. It is...a byproduct of a hobby of mine."
"Oh? What might that be?" Rebecca asked.
Ill sighed. "I guess I may as well tell you. You are bound to find out eventually."
Bound to find out eventually? What does she mean by that? And why...does she look so...?
"I do not actually go by Ill. It is just a fake name I am using to take this exam. My real name...is Illusia. Illusia Trivela."
Lucy looked out of the corner of her eye to see Rebecca completely freeze, a quiet gasp releasing from the brown-haired girl's mouth. Illusia Trivela? Haven't I seen that at least once? Maybe just in a newspaper or something...but what's the big deal? Why is Rebecca so freaked out?!
"You may also know me as...The Wizard Hunter."
Illusia reveals her true identity. Next chapter, Ill takes off her mask. Illusia Trivela: Wizard Hunter.
Note: So, I threw pretty much every adversary/rival Lucy would have during this exam into one chapter. I don't know why I chose to make this many. I just...did. I'm sure we will interact with them as we go, so we will see more of their personality and whatnot. I pronounce Illusia as ill-oo-see-uh, with the emphasis on the second syllable, but ill-oo-juh might work, too. We're almost at the start of the exam. It should start the chapter after next. Thanks for reading!