◆ Avangarde Castle Town, Adventurer’s Guild ◆
On the day of the exam, the Adventurer’s Guild was overflowing with examinees. It was common for the spacious interior to be filled with unsavory characters, but today, the atmosphere was different. After all, it was the A-Rank Promotion Exam, held only once a year. The guild was reserved exclusively for the exam, meaning no regular requests could be accepted.
There were first-timers and those who hadn’t passed for years. The age range was broad, spanning from middle-aged to elderly. Just a month and a half ago, Uncle, who had analyzed the Dragon Slayer Poison, was also among the examinees.
【Barm, Level: 38, Class: Alchemist, B-Rank】
“If I can’t pass this year, it might be time to retire. I don’t want to use age as an excuse, but this world is definitely not easy.”
This Uncle, who spoke with a hint of sadness, mentioned it was his tenth attempt. The exam content changes every year, and some years can be so dangerous that it could cost lives. While the norm is to form a party for the exam, Barm had been going solo ever since he experienced a terrible betrayal.
“Are we starting yet? I want to get this over with already!”
“Yeah, right?”
【Marilyn, Level: 39, Class: Magic Fighter, B-Rank】
【Kank, Level: 40, Class: Archer, B-Rank】
The short blond-haired man lounged arrogantly in his chair, propping his feet on the table. The red-haired girl, looking like she had just stepped out of an explosion, was chewing on something while sitting cross-legged. Their attitudes were poor and unkempt; that was the impression I had of the two. Roel, who whispered to me that they looked rough, seemed to share the same sentiment.
“Hey! You just tried to steal my wallet, didn’t you?”
“Just kidding! I was just teasing you because you looked so defenseless. I was wondering if you could survive the exam like that.”
【Borbs, Level: 27, Class: Knuckle Fighter, B-Rank】
【Josh, Level: 24, Class: Thief, B-Rank】
There were also some people causing a ruckus. The angry one had a strange hairstyle, bald except for a patch of hair in the middle of his head. The one being accused looked so small he could be mistaken for a child, wearing a bandana on his head. They were endlessly arguing about whether or not a wallet was stolen, making a racket. Just as the bald man raised his fist, someone clad in silver armor intervened.
“Both of you, mind your surroundings. You should know what will happen if you cause a disturbance here.”
【Gilbert, Level: 31, Class: Knight, B-Rank】
“Oh, I recognize that face. Are you one of the Royal Knights?”
“Yes, I am…”
“Ah, I thought so. Didn’t one of your comrades die during the attack from that certain army?”
As anger began to surface on the calm face beneath the helmet, someone at the counter clapped loudly. The person who clapped, as if to say “look over here,” was someone I recognized. With long blond hair and a gentle expression that seemed incapable of harming a fly, they commanded attention.
The tension between the armored figure and the bald man dissipated the moment they saw this person. It seemed that their arrival signaled the start of the exam.
“Alright, everyone, please quiet down. It’s wonderful to see so many of you gathered here…
It’s time to begin the A-Rank Promotion Exam. I will be your first examiner; my name is Yuyu.”
Her peculiar way of speaking confirmed that she was indeed Yuyu, one of the A-Rank Top Five. A skilled priest ranked fifth, she was someone Roel secretly admired. I was a bit surprised that someone like her was serving as an examiner. The previously noisy room fell silent with her appearance, as hundreds of eyes turned toward her. After all, the exam was about to begin. I felt nervous too.
“Don’t be so stiff! As you all know, the first exam is a written test.
The venue is outside, so please follow me.”
Outside. I couldn’t help but wonder why, but we had no choice but to follow.
◆ Avangarde Plains ◆
A little distance from Avangarde Castle Town lay a beautiful expanse of grassland. Of course, there was a risk of encountering monsters. But for those of us here to take the exam, they were nothing to worry about. The real question was why they chose this place for a written test. Yuyu was still smiling, and I couldn’t figure out what she was thinking.
Everyone seemed to have the same question, but Yuyu began distributing the test papers without a care. She even provided wooden boards to write on, which was considerate given the lack of desks.
“Now, let me explain the first exam. The passing criteria is to answer at least 60% of the questions correctly on the test paper I just handed out.
Oh, please keep the paper face down for now.”
Sixty percent was just over half. Seigel had mentioned aiming for 90%, but maybe this year was more lenient. After all, Yuyu was known as the “Angel of Mercy,” so perhaps she was being kind for the first exam. I felt relieved, even if I couldn’t quite read her intentions behind that gentle smile. The other examinees seemed to share my relief.
“The time limit is two hours.
You may work together or solve the problems individually; how you choose to answer is up to you.
For those in a party, if one test paper reaches the passing score, everyone in the party will pass the first round.
Once you’ve written your answers, please bring them to me. I will determine your pass or fail at that time.”
For a moment, I thought I had misheard. She said it was okay to work together? This could mean that even if I didn’t understand anything, if Roel solved it, we would both automatically pass. I felt an urge to pump my fist in celebration.
After three months of hellish days, I felt like I was finally being saved today. Truly, the Angel of Mercy lived up to her name with such kindness.
“Wait.”
Just as I was feeling relieved, one adventurer raised his hand.
“From your explanation, it seems that those taking the exam in a party have an advantage.
Given that the majority are here solo, isn’t this clearly an unfair exam?”
【Sabeel, Level: 26, Class: Swordfighter, B-Rank】
“That’s merely the responsibility of those who chose to take the exam alone.”
“While it’s true that taking the exam in a party isn’t prohibited, it would be fair to have an exam that is equitable for both solo and party participants.”
“Eh? I wasn’t aware of that.
I have no intention of changing the exam content, so if you’re not satisfied, feel free to withdraw.”
I understood what he was saying. I was lucky to be taking the exam with Roel, but what if I had been alone? I might have shared his thoughts. I could see the protestor’s expression darkening, while Yuyu seemed to dismiss him entirely, already moving on with the exam.
“Now, let’s begin. You have two hours starting now.”
“But the discussion isn’t over!”
“You’re being a nuisance; I’ll consider that a disruption to the exam.”
The swordsman’s head was struck with a staff. The dull sound didn’t seem to carry much force, but the staff’s tip struck his temple, causing him to collapse to the grass without even a shout. The other examinees, witnessing his quiet fall, took a moment to process the fact that he had just collapsed.
“Um, you see…
I’m a support class, and I’m not confident in my physical strength.
But I can certainly take down a goblin in an instant.
Of course, I could say the same about everyone here.”
The sequence of events made it clear that dissent was not tolerated. Yuyu was the examiner, and here, she was the law. To oppose her was to risk disqualification, just like the unfortunate swordsman. Yuyu continued to smile, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that beneath her angelic facade lay something else entirely.
“Alright, the exam has begun. Please turn over your test papers.”
“Okay, then, Lua-chan. Let’s work together!”
“Yeah!”
Question 1: Name the monster that inhabits the Afikaru Strait, which is the most commonly traded monster in the Paraland region.
“…Roel, what’s the answer?”
“Let’s fill in the ones we know first.”
Question 2: Name the floor monster of the Giginaga Volcano. Also, write down the methods believed to be effective against that monster.
“Roel, you answer this one.”
“Next, next!”
Question 3: What is the highest temperature recorded at Blizzard Mountain?
“Roel!”
“I don’t know this stuff! Lua-chan, don’t leave it all to me! What is this?! None of these questions are what we reviewed, and besides, Giginaga Volcano and Blizzard Mountain are supposed to be off-limits for B-Rank!”
On the third question, Roel got angry. Ah, but didn’t someone mention that the Floor Monster of Giginnga Volcano had already been defeated? I think it was someone relatively close to me, but I can’t quite recall. Someone also said something about Blizzard Mountain.
I glanced at the previous questions, and they were filled with things I had no clue about. Names of places I had never heard of popped up without hesitation, and according to Roel, they were all targeting areas unrelated to B-Rank. It made sense that I needed to know this information to become an A-Rank, but still, I could learn all that once I actually became one. Isn’t that why I’m striving to reach A-Rank in the first place?
The other examinees around me couldn’t hide their frustration either. Even if they protested, they risked being tossed aside like that earlier person, so no one dared to say anything to Yuyu. As for Yuyu, she continued to watch over us with her ever-present smile.
“The time limit is two hours! Please write down your answers and bring them to me by then!”
“Alright, I’m done!”
“Oh my, that was quick. You must be Josh. Huh? Oh my, oh my… you got every single question correct!”
The phrase “every single question correct” made everyone react. It hadn’t been long since the exam started, yet this Josh person breezed through it without a hitch. Incredible! He didn’t seem that knowledgeable, but I guess people can be deceiving.
Josh lay back in the grass, humming to himself with a smug expression.
“Everyone’s overthinking this like fools. Well, let the idiots worry for the rest of their lives. I’ll just enjoy a nice nap.”
And with that, Josh began to snore. Was he really planning to sleep until the exam ended? There were still monsters lurking around here, and he was being far too careless. His attire was quite light, but what class could he possibly be? He didn’t seem to possess the knowledge required for such a feat. It might be rude, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that he had done something underhanded.
But even if that were the case, would Yuyu really let something like that slide? She seemed surprisingly sharp. Even with her cheerful demeanor, she was scanning the area, keeping an eye on all the examinees. There was no need to compare who was superior between Josh and Yuyu; if either of them did something strange, they would end up like that earlier person—knocked out cold.
“Roel, what should we do?”
“Hmm, I can’t shake the feeling that something’s off about that earlier person. I’m convinced they did something.”
“Do you think so too, Roel? I was wondering about that as well.”
“Hey? Is that you, Roel?”
Roel jumped slightly at the voice from behind us. There stood three Adventurers. Without needing to confirm, I knew they were also examinees, but were they acquaintances of Roel? One was a Swordfighter with slicked-back hair wielding a sword, another was a short-haired wizard with brown hair, and the last was a woman dressed almost as if she were naked, exposing her dark skin. She wore something that could hardly be called underwear, draping down like a mere apron, making her look far from a typical Adventurer.
Aside from the nearly naked woman, the others seemed like ordinary Adventurers. Yet, they were approaching Roel.
“You’re Roel, right? Am I wrong?”
Roel didn’t turn to face the man who spoke with a forceful tone. More than feeling annoyed that they were walking around so casually during the exam, I was intrigued by Roel’s reaction. Fear flickered in her eyes.