Entrance Exam

 
 
 ☆
 
 
 “Renee’s issue is magic power control.”
 
 After we all went to apologize to the neighbour.
 While having tea on the garden deck, Johanna said this.
 
 “I’m sorry…”
 
 Renee was dejected.
 Seeing her like that, I tried to console her.
 
 “There’s no need to feel down. It’s excellent that you’ve been able to do this much after it being only half a year since you started practicing magic control, and the neighbour even said 『Don’t worry about it』.”
 
 “But…”
 
 
 Renee slumped again.
 
 Fortunately, the elderly couple living next door laughed and forgave us, saying 『It’s a common occurrence this time of year』.
 
 Apparently they were both ex-adventurers, and the madam even said 『I too broke various things during my apprentice days』 while laughing elegantly.
 
 Be that as it may, it’s bad to not sort things like this out, so we asked them to give us a call when the repairs estimate comes in.
 
 “Being descended from the Marquise Astrid, a Family noted for their sorcery, it seems Renee possesses quite a lot of magic power. Practicing for half a year’s going to be like that. Just being able to activate it is enough.”
 
 Johanna said so, smiling wryly.
 
 “In that sense, Letty might have it harder. Because she learnt magic before, it seems it’ll be tough for her to get the image for attribute conversion right.”
 
 Gulp, I swallowed my scone in one go.
 
 “Well, we’ll just have to do it from the basics.”
 
 “Will I make it in time?”
 
 Coming this far without being able to get admitted would be too much.
 When I asked this anxiously, Johanna just shrugged her shoulders.
 
 “That depends on Letty’s efforts. ——— But well, it might be a stroke of good fortune. Letty, who has perfect magic control but is a beginner in sorcery, and Renee, who can activate sorcery but is inexperienced in magic control. If you put them together, isn’t that just perfect? You two should do your best to teach each other.”
 
 ““Yes.””
 
 Renee and I answered at the exact same time.
 
 ———Hm?
 I feel like I’m forgetting something…
 
 “Uhm… So what should I do?”
 
 With a troubled smile, Anna timidly raised her hand.
 
 Looking her way, Johanna grinned.
 
 “Anna will be taught by me directly. ——— Well, we have a week, I’ll drill all the necessary things into you.”
 
 “P-, please be gentle.”
 
 Anna’s smile twitched.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 One week later.
 The day of the exam.
 
 Renee and I trained extensively together, but in the end I could use sorcery well.
 
 I almost got it, but I just couldn’t get the attribute conversion right.
 
 Renee told me 『Imagine heat rather than fire』 and I tried it, but no matter what I do, it becomes 『fire』 itself at the very end.
 
 By the way, I practiced with Renee the Ainsworth-style magic power control training that Theo and Anna did previously, so now she is able to hit the target.
 
 And as for Anna, she was able to promptly activate sorcery, after which she and Johanna went somewhere for 『secret training』.
 
 In conclusion, I was the only one who couldn’t use sorcery in the end.
 
 On the morning of the exam, I was at a loss, thinking that I might have no choice but to reapply for the exam next year.
 
 In the carriage on the way to the harbour, Johanna informed us of a fact we hadn’t thought of.
 
 
 
 “Huh! You can take the exam even if you can’t use sorcery???”
 
 “You can. Didn’t I tell you? 『If there were just people who could use sorcery well from the beginning, then there’d be no need for the school』.”
 
 ““Huuuuhhh?!””
 
 We screamed out.
 
 “Of course that doesn’t mean it’ll be easy to pass. Activation and skill in sorcery, magic power control, extensive knowledge of sorcery… this total score and the interview will decide whether you pass or fail. To mention a past example, there’s an instance where a test-taker who possessed barely any magic power but pushed through the entrance exam with almost just the written exam, and was noted as having pushed out the best score ever by a huge margin… incidentally, that person became the director of this country’s sorcery agency at a young age.”
 
 ““Woaaahh…””
 
 We were left speechless by the various amazing things said.
 
 “Letty can take the one for magic practical skills for now. Although you’ll be able to get points for that, some points will get deducted. Then you can cover the rest with magic power control.”
 
 “Okay…”
 
 I was relieved, but also a little depressed.
 
 “Renee has also become able to sort of hit the target, and Anna can also use sorcery. The three of you have reach a level where you can sufficiently pass the exam. After that depends on the level of the other test-takers, but… well, just take it easy.”
 
 Saying so, Johanna roared with laughter.
 
 Seeing her like that, we exchanged glances with one another,
 
 ““Sigh…””
 
 and breathed out a sigh.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 “Woah, there’s so many people here to take the exam.”
 
 Getting off on Porta island where the school building was, there wer far more people gathered than there was the other day.
 
 Probably about 500 people.
 From children as young as myself, to grandmas and grandpas with bent backs.
 Regardless of age, gender, or skin colour, there were all kinds of people standing in the queue for their number, clutching at their exam admission ticket.
 
 “Of these, only 150 people will be accepted. The ratio is about 3 to 1.”
 
 “That serious…”
 
 Renee turned blue.
 I hurriedly followed up my words.
 
 “Renee will be fine. Probably only half of the people here are of a passing level. The rest a re people who are just casually here to try their hand at the exam.”
 
 “Really?”
 
 I strongly nodded at the uneasy Renee.
 
 “Johanna said so too, didn’t she? That we have reached a passing level.”
 
 “… right, that’s true!”
 
 Pumping both fists tightly, Renee’s mood was restored.
 
 “We’ll each have to do our best from here on. Letty, Renee, good luck to both of you.”
 
 Renee and I nodded at Anna’s words.
 
 “Well then, see you after this. let’s meet up in the cafeteria once the exam is over.”
 
 Thus we each went our own way to our numbered line.
 
 
 ☆
 
 
 The entrance exam has begun.
 
 Just as I’d heard from Johanna beforehand, the contents of the written exam was diverse.
 
 Starting on whether one could write their own name, questions on ancient language vocabulary that form the basis of magic and sorcery, addition and subtraction, and the history of the Labyrinth Country. The test was even set with fundamental knowledge of the adventurer’s guild, and questions on monster names and special traits.
 
 According to what Johanna said, the written test is mainly used to cut off weak applicants, and in the first place, there were so many questions that it would be impossible to get full marks.
 
 At any rate, as long as you write your name, and then solve a few questions, you’ll be ok.
 Afterwards, the written exam is taken into account in case you did poorly in the practical exam.
 
 So, as to how I did… in the limited time give, it felt like I got half of it right and half of it wrong.
 
 Although I was perfect in ancient language and calculations, I frankly didn’t understand the questions on history and knowledge pertaining to monsters.
 
 But, I should have at least made the cut-off mark.
 
 Renee also said that she learnt writing and simple calculations at school, and Anna received an education befitting an aristocratic young lady when her parents were both still alive and well.
 
 The three of us had no issue with the written test.
 
 The problem is the practical test.
 Especially for Renee and I.
 
 Test-takers who had finished the written test were guided to the grounds by assistant students.
 
 
 
 ——— And finally, the fated practical exam began.