The afternoon sun shines through the dense shade of the trees, and Hill is lazily lying on a smooth stone slab with a green branch in his mouth, and a few white goats are leisurely eating grass in the shade. It's summer. Not far away, there is a river, which has been scorched by the scorching sun, and the temperature of the river is warm and moderate. It is a good time to play in the water, there is a group of children playing in the water on the river beach, some are rolling in the mud, some are fluttering in the river, the originally clear river quickly becomes muddy. The air was filled with the smell of youth and summer.

Hill is a shepherd, and although he envies the children who play in the water, Hill is still resting on the rocks, and his goats are grazing on the grassy slopes not far away, and there is a cute goat that may have been infected by Hill, and even lies down in the grass to graze. This must be a lazy goat, but at the same time a clever goat. A goat that has the potential to understand the true meaning of the sheep's life. The other sheep were not so smart, and they all buried their heads in the grass and ate grass diligently. The chirping of cicadas in the shade of the trees is accompanied by the occasional birdsong.

Suddenly, a horn sounded in the distance, accompanied by the sound of horses' hooves coming from afar.

Hill woke up instantly, turned over, climbed a big tree beside him like an ape, looked at the official road in the distance, and saw a team of knights, neatly armored, majestic and urgent, and a white horse riding by the leading knight was very handsome. Behind him were eight knights, all with solemn expressions.

Hill cast an envious look. This is the knight of the Empire, with the most elite weapons, the most powerful samurai. This is a rotating squad, and once a year there is a routine rotation, and a group of cavalry will pass by and go to the front line to take over. But this time, Hill saw a difference, at the end of the cavalry squad, there were a few people who did not wear samurai armor, but only robes, and they were not riding military horses, but strange creatures. It seemed to be a demon deer, and a few people rode like wind wolves, and Ciel remembered that this was a magical creature recorded in the Empire's Biological Atlas.

The rotation of the garrison is just a small episode of summer, and once a year at this time, the people here have become accustomed to the regular defense of the army, and the adults cannot farm under the scorching sun, so they can only hide in the shade for a cool lunch. The children playing in the river are still laughing and laughing, but the knights in robes, the demon deer and the wind wolf that are rarely seen, the war on the front line of the empire may have changed.

In the afternoon, the village sounded the sound of a gong for the assembly. The old village chief brought the latest news of the empire: the war is about to begin, and the Oga Empire in the north can no longer suppress the restlessness of the people and wants to start a war against the Hiren Empire. Several principalities in the south are also restless, and serious trade frictions have already occurred. Sidlyles, the wise and resilient leader of the Empire, has realized that war is coming, and in order to prepare for the imminent start of war, he calls on the Empire to bid farewell to the liberal order and transform into a wartime system. At the same time, the village chief also brought the latest announcement of the empire, the empire will open the selection of magic apprentices, within the empire, select all children who are gifted to become magicians, and select them to be sent to the Imperial Academy of Magic to receive magic learning.

The night wind, cool and free, gently stroked Hill's fluffy hair, he is nine years old this year, although he herds sheep every day, but he has followed his father to know a lot of Oren Empire's words, occasionally have the opportunity to see some Oren Empire's parchment rolls, Hill is like a treasure, the reason why Hill knows the strange monsters in the cavalry squad today is from a parchment scroll called the Imperial Biology Atlas, those strange creatures, have always been in Hill's mind, can not be dispersed for a long time.

"Mother, I'm going to try recruiting magic apprentices. Hill said.

"But if you are leaving, there will be no one to take care of the sheep. Your sister is too young to herd the sheep. A simple rural woman replied.

"My grandfather can help me herd the sheep, but if he can't, my mother will sell the sheep. Hill said.

"But?" said Ciel's mother, "let him try," said a majestic and old voice, "a magician is much more productive than a shepherd, and if Ciel's becoming a sorcerer, he will be the glory of our family."

Hill's grandfather, a gray-haired old man, whose face has been wrinkled by the wind and frost of the years, has bent over after years of hard work, but no matter how weak his body is, he is still the majesty of the family.

"Tomorrow is the day of the selection start, the time is pressing, and each village only has half a day to select the day. Hill is a smart kid with a gifted aura. Hill's grandfather said.

"But if Hill is gone, there will be no man in the house. Hill's mother said.

"Don't worry, Rachel, although I'm old, I'm not dying so easily, I can live for a few more years, and in a few years, Nina will grow up and will help you. Hill's grandfather replied.

"Good father, let Hill try it tomorrow." Hill's mother said.

"Grandpa, can't Nina go?" asked Ciel, cautiously.

"Nina is so small. Let's go back in a few years. Grandpa replied.

"I'll take care of Nina. Hill said, full of manly strength.

"Okay, my Hill has grown up!" Grandpa seemed to be very happy. "Let's see tomorrow after the test. ”

The stars in the night sky are shining, and the cool summer wind can't take away the sorrow in Hill's heart, nine-year-old Hill has begun to think about the meaning of life, the seemingly carefree childhood is actually full of sorrow, the smile on his mother's face is getting less and less, the empire is leviing more and more grain, and the family's food reserves have begun to appear dangerous, fortunately, his mother is capable, and she can always find suitable weeds and wild vegetables to eat in the name of improving her diet, but Hill knows that the taste of wild vegetables is bitter, rough, and hard to swallow, and her hungry belly is constantly protesting that the owner of the body should eat。 The northern Oga Empire, the barbarians living in bitter cold lands, was full of killing, plundering and warfare. They don't know how to build, and although they are not outnumbered by the Hiren Empire, the hardships of survival make them ruthless, tenacious, indifferent and cruel. Compared to the Hiren Empire, the Oga Empire rarely had long-lived elders. Ciel's mind drifted, from his body to the north, from the north to the stars, and finally to chaos.

The night was very short, when Hill opened his eyes, it was already dawn, and some birds and insects began to chirp, and Grandpa often said that early birds have worms, and Hill always secretly thought that early worms were eaten by birds.

Grandpa had already gotten up, wearing the gown that he would occasionally wear for holiday celebrations, the color of the gray, and if you looked closely, there were traces of repair. Hill also put on the white robe that he had only worn three times, and the originally wide and loose sleeves were a little tight, but they fit well. Go to the threshing floor in the village with grandpa. The only piece of land in the village that is fairly flat and wide.

Almost all the children in the village came, and the test device was a transparent stone the size of a pebble's egg, and in the hands of a man in an ornate robe, the village chief was whispering to him.

"Lady Betty, these are all the children of the right age in our village, do you think the test can begin?". The village chief said.

"Let's get started. Then the children stood in a row, and I tested them one by one. Betty said.

Hill looked at Betty, who was wearing a beautiful robe, with purple cuffs trimmed with gold trim. A delicate face was wrapped around a blue jumpsuit, and it happened that Betty was looking at Hill, who had blue eyes and blond hair.

Betty is pretty, with curved eyebrows, but Betty's expression is not very happy. Hill thought to himself.

"I am the junior magic instructor of the Imperial Magician Academy, Wizard Betty, and I am in charge of the selection of potential magic apprentices nationwide under the Imperial War Mobilization Order, and I am responsible for the selection of your Fengqi County. So far, I have completed the selection of 97 villages out of all 122 villages, and I have found only one qualified child, who has been sent to the Imperial Academy of Magic. I hope your village will surprise me," Wizard Betty made a simple pre-test mobilization. The village chief has lined up the children according to their age. Hill's nine-year-old is already a big doll, second to last in the line, and the village's older child is only ten years old Mondy.

"So, let's get started now!" said Mage Betty to the front of the line with the test stone. "Child, stretch out your hands, close your eyes, calm down, and hold this stone. ”

The eyes of the crowd immediately focused on the magic test stone, and Betty tapped it on the child's forehead, but the stone did not respond.

"No magical talent, next. "Mage Betty seems to know the outcome, and it seems that the talent of a mage is not just a child's.

There was a sigh from the crowd.

Eight children have been tested, and the magic test stone has not responded, and the ninth child is Nina, although she is not ready to make Nina a magician, but all the school-age children in the village will come to the test, so Nina also followed to the grain field early, and stood in line with Hill.

Nina grasped the magic test stone and closed her eyes tightly, Betty was about to reach for Nina's forehead, but suddenly stopped. "Kid, don't be nervous, just calm down!"

"Look at the light," someone in the crowd suddenly shouted.

"There really is light. Someone chimed in.

The transparent magic test stone actually emitted a glowing light, so faint that you couldn't see it if you didn't pay attention. Mage Betty finally smiled and happily retrieved the Magic Test Stone from Nina's hand.

"What's your name, kid?" asked Betty.

"Nina, Mage Betty. Nina's voice was crisp, like a pleasant silver bell.

"You've got a talent for magicians, you've been chosen!" Betty said.

There were cheers from the crowd, and at the same time, there were jealous glances. Hill is also very happy, and it will be his turn next. Betty took the magic test stone from Nina and placed it in Ciel's hand.

Ciel held the magic test stone, which didn't seem to be a stone, but rather like a soft feather, light, round, and smooth. Hill closed his eyes, trying to calm himself.

Mage Betty was in a happy mood and prepared to test Ciel's forehead.

"Wow, why did the Philosopher's Stone turn black?" Someone in the crowd said.

Yes, instead of glowing, the Philosopher's Stone has darkened, and the original crystal clear Magic Test Stone looks like a black stone.

Mage Betty frowned, it was the first time she had encountered such a situation, her teacher had never told her about it, but since the magician had reacted, it must have been a child related to magical talents.

"Very well, you also have a talent for magic. What's your name?" Mage Betty's voice was calm.

"He's Hill, my brother. Nina said.

"Hello Venerable Mage Betty, I'm Ciel. Hill also said.

"Very well, you also have a talent for magic, you and Nina stand together, and I will arrange your itinerary when I finish the test. "It turned out to be brother and sister, no wonder they both have the talent of magicians. Mage Betty thought to herself. But why do they have strange colors? Wait until you go back and ask the teacher what the reason is.

The ensuing test was quick, and it became clear that none of the remaining children had any magical talents.

After completing the test and having two children with magical talents, the village chief was also very happy. When the magician Betty came to the village, he said that every village empire with a magical talent would reduce the food supply for three years, which was crucial to solving the food crisis that had begun in the village. And with two children, that's six years.

Wizard Betty is a skilled and unobtrusive mage, and after the test is completed, she tells Ciel and Nina to go home to say goodbye to their parents and leave for the Academy of Magic.

The moment of farewell was short, and Hill's mother packed up a few clothes for her daily wear, took out some dry food that could be eaten on the road, and packed it into a package for Hill to carry.

A carriage had been parked at the intersection of the village, apparently from Wizard Betty, who had not been seen walking out of the village.

Magicians are amazing, Hill thought to himself.