There were some things Eric was too embarrassed to ask others about. After all, for most people, the Knight Academy exam process was common knowledge. *"Looks like I need to buy a computer,"* Eric thought to himself. But then he quickly realized that buying a computer would cost money—and right now, he barely had enough for food.
Although he didn't know much about the exam, he figured Joe Johnson, who had been planning to apply to Knight Academy for a while, would know more.
Since Joe had just mentioned the exam, Eric casually said, "I remember last year's Knight Academy exam wasn't that hard, right? With your skills, you should have no problem getting through four of the hurdles, right? Or did they change the rules this year?"
Eric's words were intentionally vague, since the exam policies changed every year, and he didn't want Joe to overthink it. He also threw in a little flattery, hoping to get more information out of him.
Sure enough, Joe didn't take offense at Eric's lack of knowledge. In fact, he looked even more pleased. It was rare for Eric to show interest in Knight Academy, and Joe was more than happy to talk about it.
Chris, on the other hand, wasn't interested in these topics. Before Eric showed up, Joe might as well have been talking to himself. But now that Eric seemed engaged, Joe's enthusiasm skyrocketed. "You're giving me too much credit. Knight Academy exams are never easy! But there have been some policy changes this year. I'm not entirely sure what they are yet, but when William gives his speech in two days, he'll probably explain everything in detail. Still, I've done some research and talked to a few teachers, and there are definitely some differences compared to last year."
Joe paused, clearly trying to build suspense. Eric, of course, saw right through him and decided not to press the issue. He knew Joe wouldn't be able to hold back and would spill the details eventually.
Sure enough, when Eric didn't respond, Joe couldn't contain himself any longer and continued, "Take the first hurdle, the political screening."
Eric raised an eyebrow, and Joe went on, "In the past, the screening checked the criminal records of direct relatives up to three generations. This year, they've loosened that requirement—it's only two generations now, so it just checks parents and siblings. But that doesn't really affect us, unless your grandfather was a criminal."
The first hurdle of Knight Academy's entrance process was political screening, which made sense. After all, knights had far greater destructive potential than ordinary people, and the country poured significant resources into training them. They couldn't afford to have knights breaking the law. While no one assumed that a parent's crimes meant the child would follow suit, when given a choice, the selection process naturally favored those with cleaner records.
"Sure, they've relaxed the rules a bit, but it's not really an advantage for us—it just means more people will be eligible. But the second hurdle is where things work in our favor."
Joe continued with pride, "The second hurdle is the physical exam, but the important part isn't the exam itself—it's the age limit. In the past, the upper limit for applicants was 22. This year, they lowered it to 20. I'd love to see how all those repeaters handle this. Bet they're furious!"
The physical exam for knights was notoriously strict, and in the past, there had been plenty of repeaters—people who kept retaking the exam for years, hoping to finally get into Knight Academy. The previous age limit of 22 had given these repeaters more chances. But now, with the limit reduced to 20, many repeaters were out of luck. Most high school students were between 18 and 20, so repeating for another year could push them past the age limit, disqualifying them from the exam.
Eric wasn't worried about this—he was only 18. He could afford to repeat two more years if needed.
He thought for a moment and asked, "Didn't the repeaters protest?"
Joe laughed. "Of course they did! There was a big fuss about it last week, but what good did it do? It's their fault for not getting in the first time. Besides, even if they do get in, they'd be holding everyone back. Protesting won't change anything. Most people are happy to see them go, anyway—more chances for us fresh graduates."
Eric nodded, then asked, "How different is the knight academy's physical exam from the one for liberal arts?"
Joe scratched his head, glancing at him oddly.
Chris, who had been mostly silent, finally chimed in, sounding a bit exasperated. "Seriously? Of course there's a huge difference! Did you forget what kind of exam this is? The Knight Academy physical isn't just for show. I've heard plenty about it. Do you think that $10,000 registration fee is for nothing?"
Chris explained further, "The Knight Academy physical exam includes in-depth tests, like checking for bone fractures or deformities. People with poor eyesight, damaged bones, or major scars won't make it through. But the most important part is the vitality test. If your vitality is too low, it doesn't matter how strong or smart you are—you won't get in. Some people are just born with low vitality, and no matter what they do, they'll never become knights."
He continued, "And usually, students from poorer areas fail the vitality test. Acceptance rates in big cities are higher than in small towns, and small towns do better than rural areas. The poorer the place, the fewer knights there are. It's all about weak bodies and poor nutrition."
Eric nodded, considering his own situation. Ever since gaining the system, his vitality had definitely improved—he was probably stronger than the average person now. But with a vitality level of 1.1, he wasn't sure if that would be enough. He figured he'd need to increase it further before the physical exam.
Eric also became curious about how vitality was measured. According to Chris, Knight Academy had a specialized process for it, which made sense given how advanced their training program was. But to Eric, the idea of "low vitality" sounded more like something from traditional medicine, not modern technology.
While Eric was lost in thought, Joe continued, "Other than that, not much has changed. Once you pass the political screening and physical exam, you move on to the third hurdle—practical testing. Then there's the written and professional exams, which are the toughest."
"Wait, what?" Eric suddenly remembered something he'd read online about the written exams but hadn't paid much attention to at the time. Now, hearing Joe mention them, he couldn't help but ask, "The written exams are hard? Even for you?"
Eric had assumed the written exams for Knight Academy were similar to those at art schools—where physical ability was prioritized, and academics weren't as demanding. He hadn't expected Joe to laugh bitterly at his question. "Eric, maybe you'd have a shot, but me? No way. Last year, the minimum score for Knight Academy was 10 points higher than the top liberal arts schools. My grades? I'm not sure I'll even make the cut."
Chris calmly added, "Knights aren't just muscle-bound fools, Eric. High marks on the written exam are important. They want warriors who are skilled both in body and mind."
Chris's explanation left Eric with a headache. He had assumed that the Knight Academy exam would focus mainly on physical fitness, but the academic requirements were much stricter than he had imagined. And to make matters worse, there was also a professional skills test he had to pass.
He had never even heard of these professional skills before. With the exam just around the corner, how could he possibly learn everything he needed in time?
"This is going to be painful," Eric thought, his face turning sour.
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