Chapter 1: The boy who had zero (1)

Baby cries. Those were heard on the little steps of the stairs leading to the door of an orphanage run by a certain magus.

After hearing some footsteps hurriedly running away from the orphanage, a child peered through a slightly opened door. She caught a glimpse of the person running away, but wasn't able to get any important details other than the long, golden hair that stood out from the darkness of the night. She then noticed the little wooden crate that contains a precious cargo, wrapped in a black, wool blanket. More baby cries. She hurriedly closed the door. After a while, a well-built bald man came out of the very same door. He took the crate along with the baby.

"One more poor soul left on my doorstep," said the man in a low voice.

Seven years had passed. The baby grew into a young lad, with striking black hair and even more striking black eyes. He grew up in the orphanage that Cygmund, the magus, had built to shelter those little children in need.

"Children, are you ready?" asked Cygmund with a smile to the group of 7-year olds who are with him. With the group is Tony, the black-haired boy. He had no other noteworthy features to tell at this point. He was just a normal little boy.

"Yes!" a certain group of children said in chorus.

"Yes, baldy!" another group of children, which you can tell are quite mischievous, followed.

"What was that?!" And the children caught a laughing spell.

Ready for what, you ask? The children of the orphanage are under the direct care of the magus Cygmund. He may not look like it at first glance but he's a well respected magus in Meharea. He's bringing the children to Tancam Academy, the closest magic school to their orphanage.

When a child turns seven, he or she can check his magic ability by swallowing a small pill created by the magi of Loche. The pill then amplifies the mana in the eyes. The latter then glow with a number of colors, and one determines the ability of the child as a magus through the colors of the glow as well as its intensity.

The children were excited. They have always looked up to Cygmund as a father-figure as well as their idol. As the one who saved them and took them in, that much is natural even without them learning about his true strength. They wanted to be magi just like their idol.

They reached Tancam Academy after a 15-minute walk. After a few formalities, the checking of magic ability went underway.

A series of "whoas" and "oohs" and clapping of hands emerged from the children as one by one they discovered their magic potential. One of them, a scarlet-haired girl, followed suit after quite a number of them have done their test. She swallowed the pill. She closed her eyes when the pill entered her throat. A few moments later, she opened them, and a bright red light glowed from her eyes. It was rather intense that her eyes were almost no longer visible. The other children got excited, and a loud "oooh!" was heard from them. When the light faded, a loud wave of claps were heard, not only from the children but even some students and teachers who stopped by to watch the spectacle.

The girl looked excitedly at the crowd that clapped for her, and shyly she went back towards her friends who hugged her and were jumping up and down excitedly.

"Certainly, that is a talent right there," said the headmaster of the academy, who was watching in the sidelines along with Cygmund.

A few more children tested themselves with the pills. After their turns came Tony's. He stepped forward, excited to know what his magic ability is just like the other children before him.

He swallowed a pill. He imitated what the scarlet-haired girl did. After taking the pill into his mouth, he closed his eyes and pushed it down his throat.

Open! He opened his eyes.

To the surprise of everyone present, including himself, there was no glow.

Tony looked towards the direction of the headmaster and Cygmund.

"Th-there must be a mistake. The pill might be defective. Can you take another one?" asked the headmaster.

Tony took another pill. He swallowed it more carefully, thinking there must have been a mistake somewhere. He closed his eyes during the process.

Then, open! He opened his eyes again.

There was still no glow. His heart started to sink.

The people around became more restless. How can this be? Two defective pills?

Cygmund approached Tony and calmly said, "Take one more pill."

Filled with hope by his idol's actions, he grabbed another pill. Slowly he placed it into his mouth. Slowly he tried to swallow it. Slowly he pushed it further down his throat and into his stomach. His eyes were closed.

Then, he opened his eyes, slowly. He feels it. He certainly feels it.

He feels that there is no glow.

Tears started to well up in his eyes. His throat had gone dry. He doesn't want to take another pill. It will only confirm what he lacks.

"Cynthia, come here. Take a pill again." Cygmund ordered the scarlet-haired girl to take another pill.

Obediently the girl went up front and took a pill. She didn't bother to do her "ceremony" back then. She simply swallowed a pill. After a couple of seconds her eyes glowed bright with a bright red color again.

The simple sob from Tony became a wail. He couldn't accept it. He had no magic ability.

Cygmund's well-built frame hugged Tony with the latter's face on the former's chest. He carried away the child while apologizing to the people around and told them to continue with the remaning children.

Tony discovered today that he had zero magic ability.