Finally, it’s time for my magic measurement. My 8th birthday was held today, and tomorrow I’ll be going to visit the church with my family.

During these past few years, not too much happened. The biggest thing is that I got two new brothers! Dimitri is 3 years old now and Alexis is only a couple months old. I play with them often, there’s not much for me to do other than read in the library or attend my tutoring lessons. Testing out my magic is too risky in case someone sees me, sadly privacy isn’t something that exists for an 8 year old.

A quick rundown on why exactly I’m going to the church; All magic measurements are conducted in the church because the people of this world believe magic to be something ‘holy’. There is a legend that magic was bestowed upon the humans by the gods, and every human is gifted one or more elements upon their birth. The more elements a person is gifted, the more they are considered to be loved by the gods.

This is an ancient story passed down through the generations of people that have come and gone. And so the accuracy of this story is something I can not confirm. I haven’t read into much about the beliefs of this world, other than the prayers I see my mother and father make before eating.

I’ve finally managed to acquire most of the elements I’d read about from a few of the books in the library, the only exception being dark since I want to try creating a more creative ability this year after my magic measurement.

Recently, something has been concerning me. Apparently magic can’t be used until a child gets their measurement taken and has their elements defined and activated. I’m guessing there’s something I'm missing here, because I didn’t understand what they meant by ‘activated’. My hair color hasn’t changed a single bit, and I could not find any information about it at all. I couldn’t ask my parents about it, because they don’t know I can already use magic.

These oddities have made me start questioning what exactly ‘magic’ is. It’s a question that’ll probably take me some time to answer, so I’ll put it off for now.

~•~•~•~

As we approached the church, my parents were practically beaming with excitement.

“You sure are excited today, Aliu.” Sera said.

“Yeah!” I replied, trying to match their enthusiasm. I’ll finally be able to make an ability other than magic, and language comprehension.

“She’s always been very interested in magic, of course she’d be jumpy today.” Alucard gave a chuckle as he replied to his wife’s observation.

“Aliu, there will be some other noble children there for their magic measurement as well. Remember to refer to us as ‘Father’ and ‘Mother’, okay?”

“Yes, father.”

Alucard smiled, “We’ve been blessed with such a well-mannered daughter, there is no doubt the gods favor her.”

“Perhaps she will be the first in our family to be able to wield more than one element!” Sera said in response.

Their behavior made me feel both happy and nervous at the same time. I couldn’t wait to see their reaction when they found out that I could control basically all the elements, but at the same time, I didn’t want to disappoint them if my measurement didn’t go as well as they hoped.

As we stepped inside the church, I took a deep breath and prepared for whatever lay ahead.

~•~•~•~

There was a lot of murmuring as Aliu sat down with the other children, she couldn't help but feel a bit anxious. She already knew her elements, so this test was merely a formality for her. However, she didn't want to arouse any suspicion from the others, especially her family.

She watched as the other children nervously fidgeted in their seats, their eyes wide with excitement and anticipation. These children were about to discover their magical abilities for the first time, while she had already known hers for years.

Aliu’s mind wandered to random thoughts, not paying attention to the priest explaining how the test would be conducted.

After some time, the priest had finished speaking, and it was time for the children to begin their tests. One by one, they stepped forward and were measured.

Aliu held her breath as she approached the priest and the elder who would conduct her magic measurement. From what Aliu had observed with the other children’s magic measurements, the hazy orb they held shone when it detected the wielder held magical power, the brightness of which depending on the strength and intensity of the magical power they had.

As Aliu lay her hand on the smooth surface of the orb, it shone blindingly brightly, causing the elder to gasp in surprise.

The priest and the elder exchanged a glance, and then the elder approached Aliu with a small smile. "Congratulations, young lady. You have indeed been blessed by the gods with the gift of magic."

It seemed they did not try to check what elements the children could control, the idea of privacy wasn’t really a thing in this medieval society, but it seemed they did not inquire because many nobles tended to hide their abilities.

Aliu beamed with pride, running back to her parents.

As they left the church, her parents praised and congratulated her on getting a positive result for her magical measurement.

“You were amazing, my dear," her mother said.

“Well, of course! Aliu’s brilliance is certainly unmatched at her age.” Alucard exclaimed.

Aliu blushed a little at that statement. Her father had a tendency to start bragging about her whenever the chance presented itself.

She felt a sense of relief and excitement now that her magic had been officially recognized. She could now openly use her abilities without fear of being discovered.

As they walked home, Aliu's mind was buzzing with ideas for new and more powerful abilities. She could hardly wait to start experimenting with her magic and exploring the limits of her powers.