Magic has always been one of the most important studies, both in the past and the present.
If there is any means to manipulate reality itself, it is only natural that it should be developed.
Under that premise, the study of Magic has literally advanced to an unpredictable level.
Thus, this exam can be considered quite important in the modern magical society.
If one places well, not only can they receive a reward of one million gil, but they will also earn qualification to participate in the International Magic Competition.
Winning the Academy Magic Competition leads to the International Magic Competition, a structure that undoubtedly ignites the competitive spirit of young children.
It is reminiscent of gladiators in an arena.
An infinite competition.
However, having any goal is a good thing.
Without goals, a person cannot grow, so competition can serve as a rather simple and clear standard for setting goals.
On a different note, the fact that one must step on someone else to rise is not particularly romantic.
———-
“Luke, wake up. We’re almost there.”
“Ugh… Oh, are we already there?”
Luke rubbed his eyes and stretched.
He had been quite mentally exhausted from living together with Diana lately, making it difficult to shake off sleep.
The consistent noise of the vehicle and its bumps felt like a lullaby playing while he sat in an armchair.
How could Luke not sleep in that situation?
“That’s the Mage Tower.”
As Luke turned his head in the direction Dayton was pointing, he nodded.
“The Mage Tower, it’s been quite a while.”
Luke recalled a time long ago when he scratched at the nature of the Mage Tower, criticizing those mages who holed up in its corners and refused to understand the world, declaring they were not true mages.
From Luke’s perspective, who was born a practical mage, those mages who would isolate themselves and research all day were incomprehensible.
Moreover, the information control was so severe that he shuddered at the closed nature of the Mage Tower, which never revealed any information it discovered to others.
How can there be any advancement in knowledge when one is extremely unwilling to share their knowledge?
Luke held the position that such selfishness hindered the progress of magic and had tried to spread that spirit while running the academy.
In the end, the Mage Tower also gradually began to relax its closure, but it still did not view Luke favorably.
“The Mage Tower probably doesn’t remember that day.”
Luke chuckled.
“What am I so excited about?”
Dayton found it impossible to understand the emotion behind Luke’s smile.
Well, when facing an exam, one usually gets very nervous, but Luke showed no signs of anxiety.
Just looking at him falling asleep as soon as he got in the car was enough.
“If it were me, I’d be too nervous to sleep properly right now.”
It was the first time he met someone who enjoyed taking exams.
After all, Luke was not a normal child…
“Is there some kind of brainwashing that makes studying enjoyable?”
Honestly, that option seemed quite likely.
If brainwashing could make studying enjoyable without side effects, it could rake in a fortune from countless parents.
———-
“This is the Mage Tower.”
“……”
The Mage Tower that Dayton led him to was simply magnificent.
A towering structure, surrounded by various buildings in a circular formation, with “Prya Mage Tower Association” written at the entrance.
On an ordinary day without a special event like today, it was a building constructed to function as the Mage Tower.
“Wow……”
Looking up at the Mage Tower, Luke was honestly in awe.
The tower rose so vertically that it seemed almost endless, reaching heights that were truly connectable to the skies.
It wasn’t that Luke’s body made it look larger; it was significantly taller than anything that could be compared to 5,000 years ago.
“The presence of magic is different when viewed online versus in person.”
That tall tower had a magical aura that photographs could not express.
Indeed, towers were to be tall buildings.
Since magic inherently requires the position of stars, mana, and complex calculations, it had a deep relationship with astronomy, allowing for the observation of increasingly clearer celestial mana as one moved away from the mana emitted from the ground.
Thus, since 5,000 years ago, towers were built as high as possible using all magical knowledge available.
To encapsulate the purer image of the celestial realms within crystal balls.
“If it’s that high, surely one could obtain an extraordinarily clear image.”
“Well, that’s true.”
Dayton answered nonchalantly.
The Mage Tower would manage itself.
Ordinary people really had no interest in what the Mage Tower did.
The facts they uncovered didn’t immediately change the lives of the public.
But Luke was not ordinary; he was a mage.
Naturally, his interest in the Mage Tower was vastly different from Dayton’s.
“What should I do? I’ve become more interested in the Mage Tower than the exam.”
But for now, it would be best to hold that thought.
Due to the preparation for the Magic Competition, they likely lacked personnel.
“Which way do we go to take the exam?”
“I don’t know either. Go over there to the information desk and ask.”
As Luke walked towards the information desk, the attendant, who had been looking at him fondly, smiled warmly and asked.
“What brings you here, little lady?”
“……”
“Little lady” was a phrase that was always incredibly uncomfortable to hear.
Neither little nor a lady.
Why was it that nothing was right?
“I’m here to participate in the Magic Competition… I have a recommendation letter as well. Where should I go?”
“Oh, I see—? Still so young and already a recommendation letter? That’s impressive~.”
The staff answered with exaggerated enthusiasm while smiling broadly at Luke.
It was clearly treating him as a child.
A girl in a school uniform attempting to appear serious while holding up a neatly folded recommendation letter just didn’t make sense at all.
Moreover, why were her ears and tail so temptingly perky and twitchy? It almost seemed to be inviting a pat.
But since Luke’s expression had turned quite cold, the staff could not act on that impulse.
Had Luke’s expression relaxed even a little more, the staff wouldn’t have been able to hold back.
“Ugh…”
On noticing the staff’s reaction, Dayton turned his head and twitched at the corners of his mouth.
It was evident he was trying to hold back laughter.
With a sigh, Luke said, “…Stop teasing me and just guide me, please.”
——
“Alright, everyone, please take your seats.”
Each seat had a number written on it, and Luke walked over to the seat corresponding to the number he received and sat down.
There was already an exam paper on each desk, but the cover had a note that said not to unfold it until instructed, so he left it as it was.
While waiting somewhat absent-mindedly, Luke had nothing much to do except glance around.
“Hmm, as expected, there are only young people here.”
None as small as he was could be seen.
Though he had anticipated this, it seemed that too many eyes were on him than he had expected.
Luke rested his chin on his hand.
Is it that surprising for a child to take an exam?
If the criteria had been set so in the rules from the beginning, it should have been an expected scenario.
In any case, while brushing off the many piercing gazes, the proctor, checking his wristwatch at the front, spoke up.
“When the bell rings, you may begin.”
A few seconds after that statement, the bell for the exam rang.
– Ding, dong -.
That sound was like the starting signal of a race, and the children immediately unfolded their exam papers and began to tackle the questions written on them.
Luke also unfolded his exam paper in accordance with the others.
Accompanying the exam paper was a grading scroll, an enchanted scroll that could process many evaluations in an instant.
This scroll, which combined simple anti-counterfeiting measures with detection magic, graded extremely precisely and coldly.
Not by a person, but a fearsome tool that could render the efforts of the author worthless with mere transcription errors.
Considering the method of examination was more precise and ruthless than expected, Luke was slightly impressed.
However, the issue was that the questions weren’t difficult enough to match such rigor.
Well, given that it was something for children, maybe it was to be expected.
Luke expressed mild disappointment while writing down answers on the grading scroll.
——-
The proctor looked at the seated children.
All of them appeared to be diligent students.
Among them, the most eye-catching was a small child with a unique appearance, who was the youngest.
A child of the beastkin race, so small and cute that it was hard to believe she could solve such a difficult exam, with a desk and chair far too large for her little body.
With platinum hair, cat ears perked up at the top, something resembling horizontal horns, and a plump tail that looked fluffy, along with heterochromatic eyes.
Honestly, she stood out far too much to be ignored.
It seemed other children shared the same thought, all looking at the unique child.
“Ah, I forgot to announce the exam instructions.”
“When the bell rings, you may begin.”
That was not supposed to happen; however, the child was so peculiar that he kept looking at her, and before he knew it, some time had passed without him properly supervising.
Perhaps because of that uniquely enchanting appearance, he thought she somehow fit right in.
About five minutes later, the child raised her hand.
“Did you make a mistake in the scroll entry?”
Mistakes in grading scroll entries were quite common.
Given the child’s age seemed to be around ten years old, a blunder of this magnitude was rather cute, wasn’t it?
So the supervisor smiled, intending to reassure the child, and approached her with a new grading scroll to hand over.
However, the child shook her head in panic and said,
“I finished everything; it seems there was a misunderstanding. Here, take it.”
With a bright smile, the child handed over her exam paper.
She had genuinely filled it out…
“Did you just guess?”
If so, that made sense; there was no way a ten-year-old could handle such difficulty.
“Well then, what should I do now?”
“Hmm, you can sit still or do anything you want as long as it doesn’t disturb others’ exams.”
“Hmmm… I understand. Can I step out?”
“Are you perhaps wanting to go to the restroom?”
Had she suddenly felt the urge to use the restroom and guessed all the answers?
Unfortunately, it appeared this was her first major exam, and she was excessively nervous.
Yet the child denied it.
“…Not really.”
“In that case, you cannot leave your seat. You can’t just leave your seat freely during the exam.”
“Then why is going to the restroom an exception?”
“That’s unavoidable. We can’t risk any accidents in your clothes.”
“Oh, so you wanted to go to the restroom after all.”
It appeared that was indeed the case.
Given she was a girl, it was likely a bit embarrassing to state that outright. So cute.
“Well then, shall we go together?”
“…Do I have to go to the restroom with someone?”
“Of course, not that I think you would, but if you don’t, you might do something strange in another room?”
“Well, that makes sense. I can’t help it.”
But what was with that tone she’d been using?
The child seemed to have an unusually adult way of speaking.
If there were a child born from nothing but oddities, it would possibly be her.
