༺ The Entrance Exams (2) ༻
The written was finished. The sun was already past midday.
The school cafeteria tended to be crowded during lunchtime and today, it was as chaotic as usual.
Fortunately, I knew my way around the school so I got my portion before anyone else.
After I found a decent spot, I sat down and quenched my thirst. Though I was also hungry, it came second to my parched throat since I hadn’t drank any water for the past four hours.
The cafeteria filled up quickly with examinees. Within ten minutes, all the seats were gone.
“How was the written?”
“I blew it.”
“Did you get question 19 of Magic Theory? I couldn’t even attempt it.”
“I got that one easily. But I probably got number one wrong.”
“Ah! I miscalculated! Arrrghhhh!!”
As I absentmindedly ate my food, I could hear heated discussions about the exam around me. The CSATs had also had students comparing answers like this during breaks.
At the next table over, it was the group of female students I had seen in the test room. And same as earlier, the one in center was the girl with shoulder-length red hair and red eyes.
They were exuding elegance even while eating. They must all be the daughters of reputable nobles.
“Miss Lotte, how did you find the test?”
“Overall, it seemed alright.”
“I thought the same. It felt much easier compared to the private one.”
“Ah, no, not to that extent…….”
Whoa. They also took a private mock test. Was there some kind of cram school that I didn’t know about in this world, too?
If the rich kids were taking the exams after attending a cram school, that was worrying. That meant I was already behind them with information. Not that I could’ve attended a cram school even if I knew since I didn’t have money.
“Ah, right, did you solve the last Basic Magic Theory question? It seemed completely different from the mock test.”
“It was a Fire Magic problem. Wouldn’t Miss Lotte have solved it? You did, right?”
“Well, actually…….”
Ah, I finished.
I was curious about the next part but I should get up for the next person.
After getting up from my seat, I put my tray away at the counter and went directly to the large field. The number of people who were already there could be counted on one hand.
“Hey, you! You didn’t eat?”
I’ve heard that voice before. It was the little menace.
The brat who I met this morning looked up at me with her arms crossed. She called herself a dwarf but I think she was being delusional.
Since I had been occupied earlier, I only took notice of her height and overall dress but the witch’s hat on her head was also way too big. The brim was wide enough that it could be used as an umbrella if it rained.
“You’re ignoring me again!”
“I already ate.”
“That quickly? But the cafeteria is packed!”
“I ate before that. Then what about you, kid?”
“You want to get punched? Don’t call me kid!”
What, then what am I supposed to call her? She hasn’t even told me her name.
“You aren’t growing because you don’t eat properly.”
“YOU PUNKKKKKKKKKK─!!!”
While I bickered with this leech of a kid, the examinees including the red-hair-eyes girl’s group and the elf boy started to gather one by one.
When most of us had gathered, the invigilators showed up in succession. The tension arose as they brought out a mana-measuring crystal ball, magic papers, ingredients for alchemy, and other equipment for the practical assessment.
“Pay attention, everyone!”
Their voice was loud for their stature. They must have raised the volume via magic.
“You may already know this but we’ll tell you once again. First of all, the practical is divided into four sections.”
Mana measurement, alchemy, scroll fabrication, and Combat Magic.
Mana measurement was exactly as it said so it couldn’t exactly be called a test.
One could make an effort to increase the amount of possessed mana but it was mostly influenced by the person’s inherent ability. Basically, it was genetic. The equivalent of this would be IQ in my original world.
And my IQ was zero. That was the physique of Golden-Eyed people.
“Each section will be out of 25 marks. The total is out of 100 and any mark less than 40 will be a fail. Examinees who do not pass this portion will not be accepted regardless of your written test result so please be aware.”
Then one student raised their hand.
“Um, will we know our marks right away?”
“That’s a good question. Due to the number of applicants, the practicals will be marked individually by the invigilators in each sector and announced respectively. Those marks will be added together with the written test marks afterwards to determine your acceptance but you may know your results for the practical test beforehand.”
No one reacted to 40 being the cutoff. Except me.
It’d be nice if I could get a higher mark but 40 was the minimum. I had only had three months to prepare in the first place so I didn’t expect to get high marks in both written and practical.
So my plan was to pass with ‘high marks for written + minimum required marks for practical’. It was safe to say that the other students applying here were using the same strategy.
Because the practical portion was partially a realm of skill and the privileged kids would have an easier time succeeding.
On the other hand, the written was solely the realm of effort. A realm in which you had a chance as long as you studied. Unfortunately, the problem was that the questions were heinous because every applicant was bright as fuck and the school needed to differentiate them.
Like that last question in Basic Magic Theory. The one who came up with it deserved to be beaten to death and more.
But the practical was a little more lenient in the sense that one could ‘get decent marks’ since it was based on subjective assessment.
It graded you based on your completion of the product within the time limit and combat abilities. That was a qualitative evaluation rather than quantitative so how was that truly fair?
For some examinees, their life depended on admission into the Academy. If they got too many marks deducted, then their parents–the nobles–could come after the school and cause a huge stir.
In the end, the admissions office decided to administer the practical test using absolute evaluation with the thought that ‘practical skills can be learned after admission’.
That would also be part of the reason why the evaluation system was set as 400 marks for written and 100 marks for practical.
“Then we will begin the first test.”
The practical exam invigilator lined us up in two files and started the mana measurement. When it was my turn, the one in charge of measuring scrunched their brow, unsurprisingly.
“Zero sievert.”
Everything was fine until this point.
“Actually?”
“Not a drop of mana…?”
But the rather loud utterance attracted attention. The students behind me poked their heads out and snuck a glance at the result that was recorded. They all seemed to be in disbelief.
As much as I had been resigned to it, it was still utterly humiliating to be publicly exposed like this. Even if it wasn’t my fault that I had been put into this body.
I could hear typical reactions like, “I guess it’s because she’s a Golden-Eyed,” and “I’ve never seen their kind before,” from here and there. The brat from earlier approached me with a smirk.
“Keke, look who’s a manaless loser.”
I almost used some of the mana grass that was inside my robe. I wanted to smack her but held myself back.
Walking past the students’ burning stares, I headed to the next test site.
Once an exam was finished, the other exams taken afterwards were graded by another invigilator. Due to the numerous applicants, the exams needed to be carried out simultaneously in order to get through the whole procedure within the day.
So, as my group was getting their mana measurement done, another group would’ve been taking the scroll fabrication or alchemy exam.
My group proceeded with the exam in order. After mana measurement, it was alchemy then scroll fabrication and even here, my lack of mana was an obstacle.
I managed to get through finishing the alchemy and scroll fabrication. The issue was that they both needed to be activated as part of the evaluation. It was detrimental as this body couldn’t even use a low-level scroll without smoking.
“Your understanding of alchemic theory is excellent but you aren’t able to activate it. Since we cannot see the results, it will be 12 out of 25.”
“Your circuit comprehension is unusually high. But it’s very much a problem that you can’t apply mana to it in a practical test. It’s unfortunate, but that will be 13 points.”
This was why I was concerned about avoiding failing.
Excluding the mana measurement where I was revealed as a ‘manaless loser’, the total of the other two subjects was 25 points. Since it came to this, I needed to get at least 15 points in Combat Magic.
Our group arrived at the last test location and listened to the invigilator’s explanation.
“Combat Magic is an evaluation of your combative capabilities where two of you will be picked randomly to fight for a certain duration.”
I recalled Professor Heerlein’s advice.
Combat Magic wasn’t about just beating up your opponent. The trick to getting a good mark was to pace yourself well by using the right magic at the right time, and putting up a steady fight while preserving your stamina and mana.
─ You need to use magic, too, but it’ll be your win if you make your opponent use more. The accuracy rate is what’s important in the real world.
There was that advice, too.
“We allow certain tools such as mana grass because Combat Magic is reflective of real-world combat. But you will need to inform the invigilator beforehand if you intend to use one. Marks will be deducted for the usage of magic equipment and if you are caught using it without prior reporting, then you will automatically fail and be prohibited from applying to the Academy for the next three years.”
Including myself, there weren’t many who reported the usage of magic equipment.
In addition, the summoning of a staff was exempted from mark-deduction. Since it was ‘Combat’ Magic, the evaluation couldn’t take place without a staff.
“It’s minus five points per stick of mana grass.”
That’s a hell of a minus.
Then my starting point was 20. If I lose more than five points, then I was going to be shipped off to the palace. And before that, get beaten up by Hasfeldt as a bonus.
Even just picturing it made me want to die. So I needed to keep my head on straight.
While I awaited my turn, all sorts of magic flew around before my eyes. As I watched the examinees use a variety of both familiar and novel magic, I suffered from a sense of relative deprivation.
Why am I the only muggle?
When the invigilator called my number a little while later, I stood up and walked over to the test area.
The ground wasn’t very smooth overall because of wet patches and pitted areas. It was reminiscent of the floor of the slave market when I was being bought by Hasfeldt.
A now-familiar face stood in front of me.
The red-haired, red-eyed girl was inspecting her staff. Her hair was pinned neatly to the side.
Was she tired from the continuous testing? She looked visibly worn compared to this morning.
“The one on the right must be the lady of the Saliere family. She’s talented enough that the Hasfeldt family have their eyes on her, so I hear.”
“That poor Golden-eyed child. She’ll certainly lose. The mana capacity of the Saliere family is known to be one of the highest in the continent.”
Thanks for the great info, everyone.
So, the opponent had so much mana that she’d be able to shoot fireballs without any cooldown, is what you’re saying? Then it was going to be like fighting against a mini-Hasfeldt.
“Then we will begin the test after the final notice. Will the two examinees enter into the ring.”
But it doesn’t matter how much mana you have, you know?
After all, as long as you won’t be able to use it in the end, it’s all water under the bridge.
