Harbor

Time passed quickly. Everyone not involved had been driven out of Ellendal Harbor's Port District, leaving only those who knew the truth to wait inside.

As one of the candidates, Green arrived outside the harbor early. Countless nobles had already gathered there, endlessly urging their sons and daughters to join a Wizard Organization.

Watching them made Green sick. Those nobles did not truly want their children to become Wizards. Sending them across the sea simply created an unknown possibility. Because of that possibility, other nobles who knew the truth would treat their families more favorably. No one knew whether it might pay off, and if it did, their own Lineages would be the ones in trouble.

Put simply, most of those selected were sacrifices for their Lineages. They had been kept in the dark and did not even realize it. Those with poor aptitudes would eventually be pressured by their Lineages into joining Dark Wizard Organizations, where nine out of ten would die.

As usual, Eric had arranged for people to set up recruitment camps for the major Wizard Organizations. They would not stay long. Wizards gave off a power ordinary people could not perceive, and spending too long around them could even put ordinary people's lives at risk.

Green was observing the harbor when George approached with the other five.

"Green, are you ready?" George asked with a smile, though it looked forced.

"More or less. What about you?" Green replied with a smile. George had given him information, after all. Though it had been an exchange, information was tightly controlled in this world, and George's had been valuable.

"By the way, do you know how the selection works?" Green asked George.

"The Wizard Organizations will put up their Academy emblems outside the tents set up here at the harbor. If one interests you, you can go in for a test. You only take the test at the first organization you visit, though. Afterward, you'll get a sheet listing your aptitude. If that Academy doesn't accept you, you can take the sheet to other organizations and ask," George told them all, though he was mainly explaining it to Green. The other five had already learned these basics from their Lineages.

"An aptitude test?" Green thought of his own aptitude. He knew only that he had Wizard Aptitude; whether it was any good, he had no idea.

Academy tents? Isn't this just like university clubs recruiting new members in my previous life? Except there's an aptitude test.

Everyone in the group began praying silently. Even Fila and Fia had put their private schemes aside. They fell quiet, praying for their futures.

As time passed, more and more people gathered outside the harbor. Through the Chip's visual count, Green could tell there were at least a thousand people there, with more still queuing on the outskirts. But the East Coast had dozens of well-known Wizard Organizations, not to mention other small and midsize groups. There were not enough people here to go around, and not everyone had the talent to become a Wizard.

Yet despite the thousand-plus people present, the area remained remarkably quiet. Even those who spoke kept their voices as low as they could.

"That's because someone once shouted and angered the Black Wizards. More than a hundred people were killed or injured," George explained softly, noticing Green's curious expression.

Green nodded at George's warning. It seemed Black Wizards really did have bad tempers. He had better follow the rules and avoid angering any Wizards.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the annual recruitment is about to begin. Please prepare yourselves and keep quiet. If the test shows you have no Wizard Aptitude, leave promptly so others can enter." At some point, Eric had taken his place before the harbor gates and was calling out to the crowd.

"You may now enter the harbor and choose an Academy. Remember, before you sign a contract, you may choose any Academy you like. But once you sign, there is no going back, and you may not leave the harbor! Try to leave by force, and the Wizards will drag you back to suffer for eternity!" As Eric warned them, he had his soldiers slowly push open the harbor gates.

The candidates began filing into the harbor. Green's small group moved with the crowd. Perhaps because they had arrived early, it was not long before their turn came.

Following the signs, Green and the others soon reached the edge of the harbor. A vast cluster of tents came into view.

Fifty-six tents. That means there are at least fifty-six notable powers on the East Coast. The Chip had counted them through Green's eyes at once.

While they were still some distance from the tents, soldiers blocked their path. To prevent overcrowding, they were letting one person in for each person who came out.

One dejected noble son or daughter after another left the area. At last, it was Green's turn.

"Once inside, find an Academy and take the test immediately. Don't linger to wait for your group. There's little chance you'll end up together." Just before Green entered the tent area, a soldier's flat voice reached his ears.

Green turned to the soldier and nodded. He gave George a look over his shoulder, then entered the tent area.

The moment he stepped into the camp, a clamor struck his ears. The contrast was so sharp that Green needed a moment to take it in.

"A barrier that cuts off sound between inside and outside?" Green murmured, listening to the stark difference.

"Chip, show me what changed in the environment just now."

[Retrieving.] A blue screen appeared, analyzing the moment Green had entered the camp.

[Unknown energy layer detected. Absorbs sound and blocks the transmission of vibrations.]

[Locating boundary.] A hemispherical barrier appeared in Green's vision, enclosing the entire tent area.

[Analyze and construct a Sorcery Model? Estimated time: three days. Proceed?]

"Begin the analysis immediately." Green did not know what lay ahead, and the Chip had processing power to spare. There was no reason not to study it.

After setting the Chip to work, Green looked around. Most of the people nearby were candidates like him. Some were alone; others had formed small groups.

He glanced back at the other six, who were still waiting. Remembering the soldier's warning, Green turned and headed toward the tents.

At the center of the tent area stood six enormous tents, impossible to miss. Their distinct patterns showed that each belonged to a different power.

Long lines stretched before them, though the vast majority of people who went in emerged with heavy expressions.

Green's goal was White House Academy. As one of the six major organizations, it had a long line outside its tent. He could have taken the aptitude test elsewhere, but to avoid any unexpected trouble, Green joined White House Academy's line without hesitation.