Chapter 11

On the morning of the exam, I woke up as usual before 5 a.m.

The weather was unfortunately rainy.

The exam was from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and I just needed to be at the academy during that time. Due to the large number of people, there was a wide time frame.

I changed out of my pajamas and put on my rain gear.

"Admirable. Are you going to run this morning too?"

Mother came out to the entrance.

"Yes, I think so. Running is enjoyable, and since it's an important day, I want to do things as usual."

"Hehe, you've really become reliable. Good luck, Allen. I'll prepare breakfast for you."

◆

Training on a rainy day requires caution.

This is because the ground is slippery.

You might think this is obvious, but in this world, there is body-strengthening magic.

If you misjudge the force, you can easily slip, and even a simple run can lead to serious injuries.

The boots made of monster leather have superior performance in terms of strength, water resistance, and slip resistance compared to sneakers from my previous life.

Still, the ground is slippery on rainy days.

Of course, if you fear injury and reduce the strength of the magic, you can run safely to some extent.

However, if you want to move quickly and powerfully, you need to carefully assess the condition of the ground, touch the ground with just the right strength, and instantly fine-tune the magic strength based on the slight sensations from your feet. This is a simple yet deeply complex task that needs to be repeated.

This type of skill, which is learned through the body rather than the mind, has always been one of 'Allen's' strengths.

I liked training on rainy days.

◆

After returning home and finishing my swings, I sat down at the breakfast table.

My older sister, who had been on spring break, was also up, ready for the start of the school year.

She was not in the sloppy outfit from the day before but had changed into a fresh green dress with a ribbon.

Her long hair was neatly braided, alternating with a dark brown scarf.

This was a gift I had given her when she accompanied me on a tour of the capital yesterday.

Originally, the day before the exam was planned as a rest day and a backup day, aside from basic training.

I felt a bit guilty, so I asked her to accompany me on a tour of the capital yesterday and gave her a cheap scarf as a thank you.

When I offered the gift, my sister was so moved that she started crying... well, that's a different story.

I had a vague feeling that the scarf matched my hair color, but I pretended not to notice.

...But I didn't expect that she would braid the scarf into her hair with her own hair...

To be honest, I was a bit taken aback.

I wish she wouldn't give me mental damage on the day of the exam...

"I kept you waiting."

Mother set the breakfast on the table.

We don't have the luxury to hire a cook for the secondary residence, so Mother prepares the meals.

There was the usual salad, bread, cheese, ham, scrambled eggs, and even a plain-flavored emergency solid food!

I couldn't help but light up like a child who was served a hamburger, and Mother sighed, saying,

"You're still a child."

And my sister said,

"Aw, Allen, you're so cute."

...Sigh.

Well, it's okay, at least my sister's mood improved.

I managed to lift my spirits by eating the solid food, despite the initial dip from seeing my sister's hairstyle.

◆

"Then, I'll see you off at the entrance. Good luck."

Usually, when nobles take the royal academy exam, parents, butlers, or tutors accompany them to the entrance of the exam venue.

But I felt a bit embarrassed about going with my parents and told them I didn't need a send-off at dinner last night.

"Now I understand why that person allowed Allen to go to the capital alone."

Oh, good for Dad!

One more issue resolved, and my heart felt even lighter.

"Then, I'm off!"

The rain had stopped.

◆

I walked slowly, enjoying the scenery, and while returning the magic power I used during the morning training, I headed to the exam venue.

I arrived at the exam venue at 10:10, and as expected, it wasn't as crowded with examinees as it would be at the last minute.

There was no deep meaning to arriving at the last minute.

The pre-exam notice recommended coming later because the earlier times were more crowded.

That makes sense.

If something happens on the way, it's better to arrive early.

I would have left home earlier if it wasn't within walking distance.

I avoided the examinees being encouraged by their parents and tutors and entered through the main gate. I then went to one of the many tents set up along the stone path for registration.

There, my magic power was measured with a special magic device.

"2488, that's excellent!

You can proceed straight down the stone path, following the directions to the practical exam venue."

The registration officer said with a smile.

Looking ahead, I saw a vast lawn filled with a large number of examinees waiting anxiously.

...Ah, those must be the ones waiting for the magic power cutoff results.

After 10 a.m., the magic power is tallied, and those who don't make the top 3000 are sent home without taking the other exams. It's a cruel system.

Of course, if all 10,000 took the practical exam, it would take all day.

If you clearly exceed the cutoff, you can proceed without waiting on the lawn.

You move forward while receiving envious looks from the nearly 9,000 people.

It's awkward...

Moving forward means one more person will be sent home.

When I reached the front of the white school building, there was a guide.

Those who want to specialize in magic should go to the right, and those who want to do something else should go to the left.

I was very curious about the right side but trudged to the left.

I heard cheers and cries from the back.

...If I don't hurry, the remaining 2,000 or so will crowd together...

◆

The practical exam venue for the knight course was a ridiculously large black soil field.

It was a bit muddy from the morning rain, but the bigger issue was the unique, soft feeling of the soil when stepped on.

I had never experienced this sensation before.

I walked step by step toward the registration area, adjusting my magic control.

At the registration area, there were various sizes of wooden swords lined up.

After giving my name, I was told to choose a weapon and go to one of the examiners scattered across the large field.

"Can I go anywhere?"

"Yes, it doesn't matter where you take the exam. You'll be sparring with other examinees."

A kind-looking young man answered.

Maybe a third-year student helping out?

I chose a suitable wooden sword and looked around the exam venue again.

...Yeah, no matter how you look at it, the number of examinees is unevenly distributed among the examiners.

Of course, even if you're sparring with other examinees, it's still a human activity.

The grading will definitely vary.

A very kind-looking examiner, who was quite far away, had more than 100 examinees gathered around him.

On the other hand, an examiner near the registration area in the middle of the field...

A middle-aged man with a scruffy beard, looking very unhappy and frowning.

He wasn't even watching the sparring matches.

...Definitely a landmine.

There were fewer than 10 examinees gathered around him.

He must be hungover...

The atmosphere is exactly like that of a hungover section chief from my previous life.

"Alright, you guys can go. You have no talent. You can leave."

He shooed the examinees away with his hand.

The examinees who were dismissed looked devastated.

It's unfortunate, but it's the examinees' own fault for blindly choosing this examiner. The exam gods exist to cut people out, no matter where you are.

And indeed.

There is also a cutoff for the practical exam.

Out of 3,000 examinees, the examiners select about 2,000 who clearly do not meet the standard, narrowing down the students who will take the written exam to 1,000.

The content of the practical exam varies slightly each year, but the pass or fail seems to be largely determined by the examiner's discretion...

How much of this pre-exam information you grasp and how concretely you visualize the exam determines your success or failure.

I thanked the 700-year history of my clan and skillfully bypassed the scruffy-bearded examiner.

...By the way, I was stopped.

2022/08/02 Revised

I corrected the confusion between first-person and third-person narration.