Chapter 61

The academic city of Doctus is a town nestled between the Saewum Mountains to the north and the Fathas River to the south. Originally, it was a fortified city built as a military stronghold in the northern part of the Kaerum Empire.

Initially, it was a desolate frontier town, consisting only of a stone-walled city with a side length of one kilometer. However, as the Mage Guild established its headquarters here and the traffic on the Aurella Road increased, new urban areas developed around the walls, and the city has now grown to be two kilometers from north to south and four kilometers from east to west.

Doctus has a dual structure of the new and old city districts. The old city district, surrounded by the walls, serves as the academic city, while the new city district outside the walls functions as a commercial city. The old city district has a population of 5,000, and the new city district has a population of 10,000, making it a large city with a total of 15,000 residents.

The new city district is surrounded by simple fences, so there is no entry tax to enter it. However, to enter the old city district, an entry tax of 2C (approximately 2,000 yen) is required.

We decided to take a room in the new city district for the time being and then either look for a room in the old city district the next day or continue staying in the new city district and pay the entry tax each time.

However, I realized that this was a mistake when we started looking for a room in the new city district around three in the afternoon. Almost all the rooms were already booked.

When we asked the innkeepers, we learned that many examinees had gathered for the magic academy entrance exam, which was why the rooms were all occupied.

After checking about ten inns, we finally managed to secure a three-person room that had become available due to a cancellation.

"This situation was unexpected. I hadn't considered the number of examinees for the magic academy."

"Yeah, I forgot about it too. I remember that there were about 200 successful candidates, and the number of examinees was about three times that. Some of the examinees have homes in Doctus, but most come from elsewhere, and when you include their accompanying families, over a thousand people need accommodation."

Lidi sighed with relief at the explanation but then realized there was one bed short in the three-person room. We asked if there was an extra bed, but we were told that all of them had already been taken.

Gai, looking troubled, suggested sharing a bed with Sharon, but Sharon looked displeased when she heard this. Noticing this, Gai looked hurt and lonely.

Lidi, seeing this, laughed and invited Sharon, "Let's sleep together." Sharon nodded vigorously, and Gai looked even more hurt.

"Sharon is just a ten-year-old girl... I guess it's the age when fathers start to feel uncomfortable. I don't have children in Japan, so I don't know, but if I had children in this world, I might understand how Gai feels..."

"Anyway, this room is too small. We should probably look for another room tomorrow."

When I said this, Lidi shook her head.

"Probably not. The examinees who were delayed by the rain will arrive tomorrow."

"Then, will it be okay after the exam is over?"

"The results won't be out until after the practical exam, which follows the written exam. It takes at least ten days for everyone to complete the practical exam, and it takes another five days for the results to be announced, so this situation will last for about half a month."

The Tilia Magic Academy's exam consists of a written exam on July 22 and a practical exam in front of the examiners. The written exam covers five subjects: Common Language, Arithmetic, History, Geography, and Magic Studies, and it is completed in one day.

The practical exam is taken by all the candidates who took the written exam, so it involves several hundred people. Even if it takes ten minutes per person, it would take 100 hours for 600 people, so it takes about ten to twelve days.

I thought that reducing the number of candidates through the written exam would be a good idea, but apparently, the practical exam results are the deciding factor. If the practical exam results are good, the written exam results won't affect the outcome.

If that's the case, I thought, why not eliminate the written exam? However, most of the practical exam results are at the lowest level, and the written exam results are the deciding factor. In fact, only about 20% of the successful candidates pass based on the practical exam results.

Getting back to the topic, the results are announced about five days after all the exams are completed, so the examinees will remain in the city during this period. While some examinees come from Doctus and nearby towns and villages, they make up less than 10% of the total. The rest of the examinees and their accompanying families will stay in inns.

Furthermore, many of the unsuccessful candidates will take entrance exams at the private schools in Doctus, so the city will be filled with examinees until the end of August.

"If that's the case, this situation will last for about a month. By the way, Sharon and I will be staying in the dormitory, right?"

Lidi smiled slyly and said, "Usually, that would be the case... but I have a plan."

I felt uneasy about her plan and looked at her suspiciously. "A plan? I haven't heard about it. It's not something strange, is it?"

"We'll rent a house and live together. The dormitory fees for the Magic Academy are quite high. While meals are included and it's convenient to be close to the academy, renting a house in the new city district is much cheaper. You'll be exempt from the admission fee, but the tuition and dormitory fees will still be a burden. The dormitory fees alone are about 1,000C (approximately 1,000,000 yen) per year. By renting a house, you can save that amount."

"But there will be rent and food expenses. Wouldn't the burden be the same?"

"I'll cover those costs. I was planning to rent a house here anyway, and the size of the house won't change much with three people instead of one. Food expenses will also be lower with three people. Plus, Sharon is a good cook."

Sharon's eyes lit up at Lidi's words.

"True, I've heard it's not a full boarding school, so it shouldn't be a problem... But isn't there an entry tax to enter the old city district from the new city district? Considering that..."

"Don't worry. Students of the Magic Academy become associate members of the Mage Guild. Guild members don't have to pay the entry tax when they pass through the gates."

The Tilia Magic Academy is a school run by the Mage Guild, and students are given a guild orb upon enrollment. However, they are not full members during their studies and only become full members after graduation.

Other private schools don't have this system, and to join the Mage Guild, a recommendation from a member and a membership review are required, along with a membership fee of 1,000C. In many cases, private school students cannot become guild members until they graduate.

I felt a sense of unease about Lidi's smooth explanation.

"When we were in the village, you always said, 'It's from the past, so I've forgotten,' but now you're talking so fluently. Did you plan this from the beginning?"

Lidi's eyes darted around when I said this.

"Never mind. If Gai doesn't give his permission, this plan is off."

Lidi looked surprised and pleaded with her eyes, "You don't want to live together?"

"I can't live alone. If it's not with Sharon and the three of us, I'll stay in the dormitory."

Honestly, I found the idea of living with Lidi quite appealing. However, the purpose of attending the Magic Academy is to train myself, and living with her would likely make me forget that goal. With Sharon around, I can maintain self-control, and it would be cruel to leave her out. If Sharon wants to be independent, that's fine, but at least until she makes friends, it's better for her to be close by.

I sought Gai's opinion.

"To be honest, regardless of me, I think it's better for Sharon to live with Lidi. She's growing up now, and there will be things she wants to discuss with an adult woman. It would be better if there's a familiar adult woman nearby. If you're uncomfortable living with a man, I'll stay in the dormitory. What do you think, Gai?"

Gai looked bewildered, as if he hadn't anticipated this situation.

"...Things to discuss with a mother... I understand... I trust Mr. Zack, so there shouldn't be a problem living together. But, I don't want to be a burden to Miss Lydia..."

"I don't think it will be a burden. In fact, it might be better for Lidi. She's basically lazy, so someone needs to manage the house. It could get messy otherwise. With Sharon, I'm confident it will be fine. She can cook and do housework."

Lidi pouted, "I can manage just fine, you know."

"Then, have you ever lived alone?"

She looked away and said, "Well..."

"That's what I thought. Gai, can you lend Sharon to take care of Lidi?"

I tried to persuade Gai by suggesting that Sharon would take care of Lidi. Honestly, I didn't think Lidi was that irresponsible. She can cook and is relatively tidy, so the house wouldn't be a mess. However, I thought that if we focused on the economic benefits, Gai might not agree. Gai doesn't like to be a burden to me and Lidi. He loves his daughter, and the financial situation is tough, but I didn't think he would accept Lidi's help just because of that.

If Sharon could be useful to us, it would ease his concerns. That's why I deliberately suggested that Lidi was irresponsible.

After thinking for a moment, Gai nodded and turned to Sharon.

"What do you think? You'll have to balance your studies and housework. This isn't like home; your mother won't be there to help. You need to ensure Mr. Zack's health. Can you handle it?"

Sharon looked Gai in the eye and nodded firmly.

"I can do it. In the village, even younger children took care of the house. I can do it if I try."

Impressed by her determination, Gai nodded at her. Then, he turned to us and bowed deeply.

"Understood. Mr. Zack, Miss Lydia, please take care of Sharon."

With that, the three of us decided to rent a house. However, after that, I had a hard time cheering up the sulking Lidi.

The next day, July 20th.

After having breakfast at the inn, we headed to the Tilia Magic Academy to apply for the exam. Since we stayed at the edge of the new city district, we arrived at the main gate, passing by the old city walls.

The main gate was already crowded with young examinees and their accompanying adults, who were going through the entry procedures.

(There are quite a few. They must have been delayed by the rain like us.)

We joined the line at the main gate. The gate was a massive, imposing structure made of gray stone, which seemed out of place in the city.

(Looking at this, I can see why there was no new city district before. It's clearly designed to defend against enemies...)

We paid the entry tax at the checkpoint. The guard looked at me curiously, perhaps because I was a young boy carrying a sword, but the procedure was completed without any issues.

After passing through the main gate, the cityscape changed to stone buildings, unlike the new city district. The houses were made of the same gray stone as the Armasweight we saw on the way, and it didn't feel like an academic city.

As we walked, Lidi pointed to a grand fortress-like building in front of us.

"That's the library. It has the largest collection of books in the world."

"Library? Can we enter it after enrollment?"

"Yes, for free with a Mage Guild orb."

"How much does it cost without an orb?"

"If it hasn't changed, you need to pay a deposit of one gold coin (100C, 100,000 yen) and an entry fee of one silver coin (5C)."

"FiveC just to enter... That's quite expensive."

"There are many valuable documents, so it's understandable. I used to visit it quite often in the past."

As we continued walking through the old city district, we entered an area with shops. The buildings were made of the same gray stone as the main gate, giving a slightly heavy feeling. However, the shops tried to create a bright atmosphere by decorating their colorful awnings and wooden windows with flowers.

Most of the shops were still preparing to open, but there were many bookstores, stationery stores, and shops selling materials for magic tools.

As we walked further, a grand stone building appeared on our right. It was surrounded by a wooden fence, and looking through the gate, we could see a three-story building and a courtyard.

"This is the Tilia Magic Academy. The registration should be done there."

Lidi pointed to a large sign that read "Exam Registration."

"Usually, we leave our weapons here, but during the exam period, we can bring them in because there are accompanying guards."

Looking closely, there was a notice at the entrance instructing us to leave our weapons at the gate.

We followed the sign and entered the building. There were already about ten examinees lined up at a table that looked like a registration desk.

"I'll wait over there. Just follow the instructions of the staff."

Lidi said this, took Gai's arm, who looked worried, and went into the waiting room for the accompanying adults. I and Sharon joined the line at the back.

Soon, it was our turn, and a kind-looking female staff member in her thirties handed us the application forms.

"Please write your name, age, place of origin, and race. If you know, write the attributes you can use below."

I and Sharon filled out the necessary information on the forms.

(Should I write all attributes? They said they would check during the aptitude test, so it should be fine.)

After finishing the forms, I handed them to the staff member. Her expression stiffened for a moment as she looked at my form and compared it with my face several times.

"Um, Mr. Rockheart, is what you wrote here true?"

I deliberately answered, "Yes, I'm still ten years old," and nodded.

"Um... I mean... You wrote 'all attributes.' Do you understand what that means?"

I nodded with a full smile at the flustered staff member.

(All attributes are rare, I guess. Since they'll find out later, there's no need to be so surprised.)

"...Understood. Your exam number is 525. Please follow the route."

(525. The same as my birthday. It feels like a good omen.)

While thinking this, Sharon's registration was also completed, and we followed the route together.

As we walked deeper into the school building, we encountered another line of about ten examinees. We joined the back of the line and waited. We were instructed to wait quietly as they would conduct an aptitude test for magic here.

Examinees entered the room one by one and came out after about a minute. After about ten minutes, it was my turn, and I entered the room.

Inside, there was a large wooden box, similar to the one used to create the orb, and a young male staff member stood next to it.

"Can I see your application form and orb?"

I handed the form to the staff member and showed him the orb.

"You're Zacharias Rockheart. A, all attributes! ...Well, please go inside."

Again, the staff member was surprised by the "all attributes" on the form, but I entered the box without hesitation. As soon as I was inside, the lid closed.

"Let's start the measurement. It will be over soon, so please stay still."

As soon as he finished speaking, primary-colored laser beams scanned my body. The process took about twenty seconds, shorter than when I created the orb, and the light suddenly disappeared as the lid opened.

"That's it. Please follow the route with your form... I can't believe it's true..."

The staff member was sweating and looked flustered.

(All attributes are rare, I heard, but is it that surprising? It seems like an overreaction... Still, what exactly did they check?)

I waited outside for Sharon to come out and looked at the application form in the meantime. My form had a red checkmark, and circles were marked next to the name, age, place of origin, and attributes, with "recheck completed" written below.

(They must have verified my identity with the orb and checked my attributes with that magic tool. Still, a "recheck"... It's probably because of the all attributes.)

When Sharon came out, I looked at her form. It had similar checkmarks, but there was no "recheck" written.

Following the route, we arrived at a room with desks arranged like a classroom. About thirty examinees were seated inside. A man in his forties was waiting at the entrance and asked us to show our forms.

"Please sit at the desk with your exam number. Once all the seats are filled, we will give an explanation about the exam, so please wait quietly."

After returning the form, I and Sharon sat at the desks with our number tags. The number tags were wooden with a pin on the back to attach them to clothing.

I looked around and muttered, "A classroom... It feels nostalgic."

I was remembering the wooden school building from my elementary school days.

(The worn wooden desks and chairs, the polished floor, the slightly creaky door... I remember the wooden school building that was demolished. It had knots in the floor that sometimes opened up... It would be perfect if the windows were glass...)

The windows in this classroom were wooden and were all open.

After about ten minutes, the room was full, and the male staff member who had checked our forms earlier stood at the podium.

"Your exam applications have been officially accepted. The exam will be held the day after tomorrow, July 22. We will collect the forms you have now and give you the number tags on the desks to take home. On the day of the exam, we will verify your identity with the orb, but please wear the number tag on your chest so we can recognize you..."

The staff member's explanation was simple: the exam would start at 9:00 AM on July 22 in this room. The exam would begin at 9:30 AM and consist of two subjects in the morning and three in the afternoon, ending at 5:00 PM. We were instructed to wear the number tag on our chest and that the school would provide writing materials to prevent cheating.

"...Of course, if any cheating is