Chapter 63

The day after the application, July 21st.

Since the exam was the next day, at Sharon's insistence, we decided to study. Lidi said she would go to town to gather some items, accompanied by the guard, Guy.

However, even if we said we would study, there wasn't much we could actually do. Since this was a journey, we had to minimize our luggage, and we only brought one introductory book each on history and magic. We would study history and magic theory, but for Sharon and me, these were books we had read since we were five or six years old, and we had almost memorized them. We proceeded with the study session by answering her questions, occasionally engaging in small talk, and decided to end when Lidi and the others returned.

When Lidi asked, "How about it? Do you feel a bit more confident?" Sharon nodded and replied with a shy smile, "Yes, a little bit."

The next day, July 22nd.

The sky outside the window was a clear blue.

Amid the noisy cicadas in the morning, Sharon and I, accompanied by Lidi, entered the gate of the Tilia Magic Academy. Since no personal items, including writing tools, were allowed in the exam room, we entered the classroom alone. On the desks were name tags with exam numbers, ink pots, and three quill pens. It was not yet 8:30 AM, but more than half of the examinees were already seated. Some, seemingly nervous, went to the bathroom multiple times, and I was reminded of my own past.

(Now that I think about it, during my university entrance exam, I really wanted to go to the bathroom just before the test. I couldn't wait until the papers were distributed, but once the exam started, I didn't feel the urge at all. That kid must be feeling the same way...)

At 9:00 AM, a male staff member entered to give the exam instructions.

"We will now check the orbs. Once the check is complete, you cannot leave this classroom. If you need to go to the bathroom, please do so now."

More than half of the examinees stood up at these words. Sharon remained seated, showing no sign of standing up.

"Are you okay with the bathroom? If you need to go, now is the time."

"I'm fine... I'm a bit nervous, but I'm fine."

She answered in a firm tone, so I wondered if something was wrong, but it didn't seem like the right time for small talk, so I quietly waited for the orb check. The check was completed for everyone in about twenty minutes, and the classroom became as quiet as if water had been poured over it.

At 9:30 AM, the exam papers were distributed, and the word "Begin!" echoed through the room. The sound of flipping papers filled the classroom, and the exam began. The sound of quill pens scratching on paper dominated the room, creating a serious atmosphere.

The first subject was the Common Language exam, equivalent to Japanese language or modern literature in Japan. The questions were surprisingly easy, and I finished in about fifteen minutes.

(Are these questions easier than elementary school Japanese? The reading comprehension was also simple... I reviewed it three times, but there's still more than thirty minutes left...)

During the exam, you cannot leave the classroom under any circumstances. Even if you finish the questions, you must remain in your seat until the examiner gives the signal to end. With nothing to do, I flipped the paper over and leaned on the desk to take a nap. The examiner passed by a few times but said nothing, perhaps thinking I had given up on the exam.

An hour after the exam started, a sigh of relief escaped from the examinees as the signal to end was given. The next exam was scheduled for thirty minutes later, but if you went to the bathroom, you would have to wait for the orb check again upon returning. Finding it troublesome, I continued to lean on the desk and nap.

The second subject was arithmetic, which involved basic operations and simple geometric calculations. I finished this in about fifteen minutes as well, leaving me with spare time.

(I understand what Lidi meant. If we don't make any silly mistakes, both Sharon and I should get full marks...)

After the arithmetic exam, it was lunchtime. Lidi was not around, as she was scheduled to return in the evening, so Sharon and I were to have lunch alone. We could order a simple meal at a student cafeteria within the academy, but I didn't want to eat with the tense examinees, so we decided to go out. There were several restaurants around the academy, and we chose one at random to order our meal.

I muttered, "It was easy," and asked, "How about you, Sharon?"

"It was easy... Are these really the exam questions? Did I get the wrong paper or something?"

Apparently, the questions were so easy that she was now worried. We confirmed the questions until the food arrived, and she sighed in relief, realizing they were the same. Feeling a bit more relaxed, I brought up her determination before the exam.

She explained in a small, slightly embarrassed voice, "Yesterday, Lydia told me that if I wanted to stand by Zack's side, I should think about the battles."

I didn't understand and asked, "Battles?"

She nodded firmly.

"Yes, Lydia said, 'The most dangerous thing in battle is to lose your composure. So, you can put in as much effort as you want for the exam, but approach it with a calm mind.'"

(I see. That's why, despite her determination, she remained calm. Well, having experienced life-or-death battles, it's something she can do...)

After finishing our meal and returning to the classroom, we took the same kind of exams as in the morning, covering the history of various countries, the geography of the continent, and magic theory. History and geography were as easy as the previous subjects, with no challenge at all. The only subject that was a bit more difficult was magic theory, but since I had learned it from Lidi when I was six, it was no problem.

(When was the last time I took such an easy exam? I remember the written test for my driver's license being a bit more difficult...)

After all the exams were over, the male examiner began to explain the schedule for the following days.

"Starting tomorrow, we will begin the practical exams. Your exam will be on the eleventh day, August 3rd. Please check the time before the day of the exam. Thank you for your hard work today."

As the examiner left the classroom, the examinees began to leave one by one. Some, who seemed to have performed poorly, had tears of regret in their eyes. It might have been a difficult exam for ordinary children.

(With these questions, even my childhood friends, Mel and Dan, could probably do most of them... Indeed, the level of education in this world seems to be quite low.)

We met up with Lidi at the school gate. She asked with a smile, "How was it?"

"It was a piece of cake. I think both Sharon and I will get full marks."

Lidi tried to suppress a laugh and said, "I told you so. You two will definitely be fine."

I sighed slightly and said, "Now I understand what you meant. But there's still the practical exam. We can't let our guard down."

"That's not the case. You two will definitely pass. Rather, the question is how you will hold back."

"Hold back? There's no need for that. Well, I don't plan to use any original magic."

"Sharon aside, you are a multi-attribute user and are quite famous. Show your true strength. The Magic Guild and private tutors will be very interested in you. Even with Sharon's current level, she would be the top in a normal year. As I said before, your skills are already on par with a court magician. If you show the same level of skill as Sharon, you two will definitely be the top and second in the class."

Indeed, she was right. We had been quite famous even during the application process.

(Being in the spotlight is a hassle. I'd rather let Sharon be the top and aim for a top five finish.)

"But is it okay to hold back? Won't the examiners, who are magicians, notice?"

She waved her hand and laughed, "No, they won't."

"I don't know about the current teachers, but when I was here, only one person could notice such things. Besides, it's not common for such a great teacher to be an examiner."

We talked about this as we returned to the inn where Guy was waiting. Guy, who seemed quite worried, was waiting in the lobby. He asked, "How did it go? How did you do?" while glancing at the girls. I suppressed a laugh and said, "Both Sharon and I were perfect," and Guy nodded, visibly relieved, placing his hand on Sharon's head.

The next day, we went to McCloud Real Estate to receive the keys to our new home. McCloud said, "As a service, I've done a little extra for the discount you received." When I asked what he meant, I saw that the house was cleaned and a table set was placed in the living room.

I asked, "What's this?"

"It was left behind from another property. It's a high-quality item, so if you like it, please use it."

(Is this real estate agent more honest than I thought, or is my image of real estate agents too negative?)

The table McCloud provided was a high-quality piece made from polished oak, with few scratches and almost like new. The six chairs were all made of the same material and had a comfortable design.

When I thanked him, McCloud changed the topic.

"By the way, about the calculations from the other day, could you teach me and my employees?"

It seemed he was interested in the discount rate and present value calculations and had done the service to learn them.

"It's not a big deal, but I can teach you if you want."

He bowed and said, "I would really appreciate it."

"Once the exams are over, I'll visit your store. Is that okay?"

(My first job in Docitus is economics, but it's more like being a math teacher. Unlike physics or chemistry, it's not a big deal to spread this knowledge...)

After that, I visited McCloud's store a few times and taught him about discount rates and present value calculations. Starting with an explanation of cash flow, it took some time, but as a merchant, McCloud understood the concepts relatively quickly.

(I'm looking forward to seeing how McCloud's store will develop. He might become a great merchant...)

Over the next two days, we gathered cooking utensils and other items, and the new home started to feel like a home. Guy had sold the horse and registered with the Adventurer's Guild during this time. It seemed he had doubted Lidi's words that we wouldn't fail the exam and had secured a way back. For a single person, a rented horse from the guild would have been sufficient, and considering the cost of maintaining a horse for half a month, it was better to sell it quickly.

With the new home set up, we had about ten days until the practical exam, so I suggested going into the forest.

"There's nothing to do tomorrow, so I want to go into the forest. What do you think?"

Guy immediately answered, "I have no objections."

Lidi also lightly agreed, "I'm fine with it," but added,

"But it's a waste. At your age, you can't register with the guild, so you can't level up."

The registration requirement for the Adventurer's Guild is fifteen years old. There is an exception where a guardian who is a third-level or higher adventurer can register someone under fifteen, but since Guy and Lidi are both fourth-level, they don't meet the requirement. This town always has active hunting requests, so entering the forest would easily complete these requests. With Guy around, we could even take on sixth-level requests and quickly reach eighth-level.

"I don't really care about the levels. I want to focus on leveling up. If Lidi completes the requests, the money shouldn't be a problem, and there's no need to be tied to the guild."

"That's true, but... Your skills are already at the sixth-level. You should let other adventurers know. Some will probably mock you..."

"I agree. The guild's levels are the best way to show Zack's skills. If I were third-level, it would be easier, but..."

I didn't fully grasp what they meant, so I decided to ask Sharon what she wanted to do.

"Anyway, are we going into the forest tomorrow? What do you think, Sharon?"

"I want to go. If Father allows it..."

Sharon looked up at Guy.

"Since it's just a reconnaissance tomorrow, it's fine to go together, right?"

When I said this, Guy reluctantly agreed, saying to Sharon, "Try not to be a burden."