I must admit that, like the hermit that I am, I was not in my comfort zone. I was surrounded by about two thousand people in the academy gardens, all the kingdom's aspiring magicians and their magic knights.
There were even magicians from nearby nations, except from the kingdom of Rimbel, since their relations with Forlan were not the best.
Behind me, I had Nilithien Thindelor and Fiammetta Canimios, my two magic knights. They were both more anxious than I was for the exam to begin.
Especially Fiamme, since returning to the academy was one of her family's longings. It wouldn't be like a magician, but the status of a magic knight is not low at all in today's world.
Suddenly, the conversations around us began to silence, and one of the professors on the podium in front of the candidates began to approach.
She was a young woman with bright sky-blue eyes and pink hair, surely the vestige of a Gift of one of her ancestors. Upon reaching the center of the podium, she made a movement with her finger, and a small magic circle was drawn in the air.
The circle levitated until it was positioned in front of her mouth; its purpose was likely to increase the volume of her voice, a kind of magical megaphone.
"Ahem... Good morning, my name is Mariella Atagly, and I'm in charge of extlaining... Explaining! What the exam is about."
It seems that appearances were not deceiving this time. The young professor was also in the youth of her career, and it was evident to everyone that Professor Mariella was quite nervous.
"As you already know, the exam is going to measure the abilities of the magic knights," Mariella said, then scratched her temple with a finger while she tried to find something on the sheet she carried as an aid. "I'm not sure either why we're doing it like this this year; I don't even have a magic knight... I would have failed this exam."
Before the astonished gaze of those present, two other professors approached Mariella to reproach her, to which she nervously apologized before continuing to explain.
"Anyway... It doesn't mean that the future magic apprentices aren't going to do anything during the exam. On the contrary, they must accompany their magic knights and give the pertinent instructions during the exam.
Some began to murmur; no one was sure what the exam was, but the fact that magicians could accompany their magic knights gave them some ideas.
"The exam will be carried out in groups of three magicians and their respective magic knights; this is for safety. Since the exam will be held in Brightwood Valley, near the border... Won't it be too dangerous?"
Mariella rushed to apologize to one of the teachers who was beginning to approach her again, while the intensity of the murmurs increased among the applicants.
"Now, what the exam is going to consist of. It will take place during three days, in which each group must hunt a monster..."
The murmurs of the students were starting to become open screams while Mariella tried to continue explaining. But it was clear that she herself was unsure of what she was reading.
"One of the magicians' raison d'etre is to maintain a safe territory free of monsters. Therefore, it seems pertinent to the academy to determine who has the capabilities to do it from the beginning... of course, participating in the exam or not is completely up to the aspirants."
Mariella paused for everyone to digest what she had just read; both she and the applicants showed some insecurity on their faces. Of course, it would be weird for a magician not to face a monster some time in their lives; it even was a curriculum of the academy, it seems.
But it was undoubtedly odd for it to be the exam without any instructions or guidance whatsoever.
It is necessary to clarify that not all aspiring magicians or magic knights have experience fighting monsters. Even Fiamme lacks it.
Nili, on the other hand, looked somewhat calmer. While she had trouble with the deathsickles, she was an experienced adventurer.
"To pass the exam, each group must hunt at least one monster, and as I already mentioned, you have a period of three days to do so," Mariella continued. "However, if you hunt more, your rating will increase, as will the more dangerous the monster is... But please don't take too many risks!"
Even though Professor Mariella went off script again, none of the other teachers tried reprimanding her this time; it seems they agreed.
"The final results of your groups will define which class you will be assigned once the academic year begins. Class A is the one with the greatest benefits. Like, for example, a room in the Blue Wing, the wing of the dormitory reserved for the nobility and the best students."
Mariella stopped briefly and looked at the two thousand people before her.
"But I repeat, even though the benefits are great, like being exempt from tuition fees and those rooms which are better than mine (and I would greatly envy anyone who gets one), nothing is worth risking your life. Settle for a rabid rabbit or some other low-danger monster."
An older professor came to where Professor Mariella was, and the two left with somewhat worried faces. Although the rest of the professors were concerned about following the protocol and reprimanded the young Mariella sometimes, the concern was shared by everyone.
It was to be expected since, although there were "somewhat" older people like me, most applicants were young people who would only turn sixteen this year.
After Professor Mariella came the turn of other professors who spoke about the principles of the Rosdan Academy and what the magician's duty to society should be as people of power.
But, in the end, magicians always ended up doing what they wanted. Only those who joined the kingdom as retainers were obliged to fulfill those social functions established by Forlan.
In the end, we were told we had two days to prepare. Afterward, we had to return to the academy to form groups and be transported through magic to the location where the exam would take place.
"My Lord, the exam is going to be easier than we expected; even before you shared magic with me, I could already hunt about five rabid rabbits on my own," Nili stated with a smile.
We were on the way back to the inn, but people still surrounded us, so she still treated me formally.
"Don't be overconfident, Nili," Fiamme reproached her. "I know you have experience, but so did my great-grandfather, and he died when a rabid rabbit bit his jugular out."
What Fiamme said is also true. While the exam seemed more accessible than I expected, the location was Brightwood, which worried me a little… It was a long time ago; maybe I'm overthinking it.
Now that I think about it, the valley is on the border, near the forest where I spent my last hundred years.
It's sooner than planned, but I'll send a message, just in case. I will need to go to the tower before I leave (by that, I mean I'm going to summon it).