Chapter 95: 24 Hours Is Not Enough (2)
The rate of Magic students finding a proper job after graduation was less than 30%.
Simply put, this meant that out of 100 students admitted, less than 30 would ‘properly’ graduate from the academy.
Well, completing the course was possible.
There was no problem making a living with that. However, you simply ‘wouldn’t have a problem living’—but considering the efforts put into becoming a mage and the expectations usually shown by those around you, everyone tried hard to achieve good results.
In any case, this meant that the level needed to be an undergraduate was very high, and the talent required was enormous.
Of course, there were many ways for mages to make a living even if they were not from the Academy. Even if you could only use 1-chain magic, you would be sought after by noble families as a so-called ‘trophy mage’.
So, it was for show.
Your pride might be a little hurt, but it was said you could earn a lot of money that way.
In any case, the standards of the Academy’s Magic Department were very high. There was a reason that people said that they would accept everyone and leave them to their own devices.
Now, I was sitting in the library with Leila, Ernest, and Priscilla, studying for the exam.
“Dane, is that all for the test?”
“Yes.”
Everyone else was only taking up one seat, but I was taking up an entire table. This was because the scope of the test was so broad.
“…I’m so glad I didn’t learn magic.” Leila clicked her tongue as she looked at all my books.
“What about the Swordsmanship Department?”
“It’s just about swordsmanship theory. There’s also some practical skills, but it’s simple.”
Although swordsmanship was a difficult discipline in its own right, the scope of ‘study’ was narrow compared to magic. I didn’t mean to be picky, but the tests I took were the hardest.
“Ernest, you look happy.”
“The name of his major class is «Fundamentals of Map Interpretation».’”
“Ah.”
Well, it would be a piece of cake for Ernest.
“I wish they would all just die.” Priscilla was holding her holy scripture open, clutching her head and spewing out words that were offensive to God. “I wish the Academy would catch fire. Then these damn exams would be canceled. If the exams were canceled, then I wouldn’t have to suffer like this.”
Was it because she was in her senior year? It seemed like she was going crazy.
“Why isn’t there a test that only relies on divine power…?”
I shook my head and focused on my textbook.
“But Dane, can you read all of that before the test?”
“Oh, I guess so.”
“…Well, it’s you,” Leila mused.
Ernest raised his head at Leila’s words. “But the Magic Department exam is not only limited in scope and difficulty. Everyone collapses because they lack stamina.”
Stamina, huh?
Well, most mages were pretty shabby in that regard. It was understandable since they weren’t very good at sports and only focused on books and magic.
Of course, there was no need to talk about my stamina.
However, it was certainly difficult to stay up all night and focus solely on a test for twenty-four hours. The scope of the test was also enormous.
“I guess we’ll finally see Dane get tired.”
“Yeah. I wonder what your expression will be like when you’re tired.”
Unfortunately for them, I had no intention of getting tired.
To be exact, I didn’t think I would be.
An open-book exam. A test where you could bring anything except people.
I already knew all the topics of the test. I wasn’t worried about the test questions themselves or that I wouldn’t be able to solve them.
Well, there was something else that was needed for a perfect test.
“How about we go out together after the exams are over?” I asked.
“I agree! Should we go exploring for a bit?” Ernest exclaimed.
“You idiot! Midterms are over, we should go play!” Leila protested.
“I enjoy exploring…Priscilla, what kind of place is the Holy Imperial Temple?”
“It’s a shitty place,” Pricilla grouched.
“Ah…”
I chuckled as I watched the three of them talk as if the tests were already over. After all, wouldn’t it be better to finish it quickly and then play?
* * *
Reaper Scans
[Translator – Rainypup]
[Proofreader – Harley]
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* * *
Professor Dinavo was very excited to see how unusual the open-book exam would be this time.
In fact, the test time was really too short, what with the scope being what it was. However, in order to answer the questions at a level required by the department, you would eventually need to refer to texts.
Even though the Magic Department was a place where geniuses gathered, it was rare to find a genius who could finish the test in twenty-four hours.
Above all, there was the problem of stamina.
‘Last time, there was someone who cast a speed spell on his arm.’
Mages were originally limited by their stamina. Therefore, it was nearly impossible to finish the test in twenty-four hours without rest.
Ultimately, this was a test that checked not only the answers but also ‘creativity’.
Barring some cheating, the test ultimately boiled down to how much efficiency you could achieve within twenty-four hours. Ultimately, this meant that the test was not just about checking simple problem-solving.
In that sense, ‘creativity’ was naturally included in the evaluation criteria for this test.
The students might not know it, but if you had the skills and brains to get into the Magic Department, there were probably quite a few people who had noticed.
“I wonder how Dane Sogres would do?”
Arabella Sogres, a genius who was said to be the most talented in the history of the Magic Department. She currently rejected all the love calls from the empire’s magic towers and devoted herself solely to invention and research.
“His older sister came with an invention. The shorthand pen, I think it was called?”
Professor Dinavo chuckled as he recalled those days. Who would have expected that instead of buying an artifact, she would create one? And one that never existed before, at that!
It was a very famous incident that resulted in scribes, whose profession depended on shorthand, ending up feeling threatened by the shorthand pen.
He was very excited. What about Dane Sogres, who had no less talent than his sister?
“Hello, Professor.”
“Hello. Did you prepare well for the test?”
“Ah, hahaha…”
On the day of the exam, Professor Dinavo examined each student as they entered the classroom.
Most of them had books and notes. It seemed like one had brought a notebook with him that contained notes and chapters about his weakest subjects.
Of course, that was not enough. If that were the solution to the problem, this test wouldn’t have been so notorious.
“Oho.”
Some of them brought mana stones. It seemed that they wanted to draw on the mana contained in the stones in times of emergency.
However, a lot of mana stones were lost in the process of converting them into mana within the body. It also took a long time.
It was a decent idea, but it wasn’t very impressive because it wasn’t very efficient.
‘By the way, I heard someone created a ridiculous mana stone…’
Professor Dinavo chuckled as he suddenly remembered the ridiculous rumors he had been hearing recently. An unknown mana stone that was said to be at least five times more efficient than the existing highest-grade mana stones.
He had heard about such an item floating around the market. It seemed like it was still just a rumor.
Of course it was.
‘Mana Stones are such a slow-growing field… Five times? If the efficiency were to increase by just 0.5 times the current efficiency, it would be a great discovery.’
If the rumors were true, Professor Dinavo would be confident enough to kneel before the creator and beg him to sell him a mana stone.
‘If it’s true, I want to see the face of the person.’
“Hello, Professor.”
Professor Dinavo looked up at that and saw Dane’s face. He had been waiting.
Professor Dinavo, who had no idea that his wish had come true, greeted Dane with joy. “Dane Sogres. How are you preparing for your exams? Hmm, you didn’t bring anything with you? I thought I said subspace wasn’t allowed.”
Dane laughed in response to that. “Not now, but it will be here soon.”
“hmm?”
Looking around, it seemed like Dane hadn’t brought anything in particular. What on earth was he thinking? Could it be that he was so over-confident that he wanted to spend twenty-four hours doing nothing?
“I’ll head to my seat.”
“Well, sure.”
He would know if he watched.
As midnight approached and all the students entered the classroom, Professor Dinavo finally stood up on the podium.
“Alright, we’ll start the test soon. The test papers are right there in front of you, so you don’t have to look for them. I repeat, cheating is prohibited. The test will last twenty-four hours, and if you want to drop out, please come up and let me know. Any questions?”
It was quiet.
Professor Dinavo smiled and said, “Alright then, before we start, you may take out what you’ve prepared.”
There were rustling noises all around.
Thud!
Some students had piles of books 一
“What is that?”
“A mana stone.”
“Are you stupid? How efficient could that be?”
“It’s better than nothing!”
As Professor Dinavo had predicted, some students took out mana stones.
Meanwhile, Dane took out an odd object.
Professor Dinavo narrowed his eyes and asked, “What is that, Dane Sogres?”
“Oh, food.”
“I thought I said you couldn’t eat anything separately.”
Dane shook his head at that. “It’s not for me to eat.”
“…?”
‘Has he given up? I don’t think so.’
It was at that time that Professor Dinavo’s curiosity grew, and the surrounding students began to turn to Dane.
Dane raised both his hands and—
“Answer my call.”
A seal was made.
“Kkiiing?”
A 4th-grade summons.
‘Altemar’, who Dane had summoned as soon as he got his summoning mark, appeared.
Dane said, pointing to Altemar, “This is food for this little one to eat.”
The 4th-grade summons, Altemar. Dane had prepared food for the summons to eat.
“What on earth…?”
A commotion arose.
“Isn’t that cheating? How does a summons make sense?”
“Not a notebook or a book, but a summoned beast?”
At first, everyone was dumbfounded by the absurd sight. But after a moment…
“No, were summons included in the rules in the first place?”
“The professor said anything but people was alright.”
“The professor said anything was possible!”
Public opinion gradually shifted towards it being acceptable. Professor Dinavo looked absolutely dumbfounded.
‘A summons?’
It made no sense.
No one in the history of the Magic Department had ever brought a summons to an open-book exam.
This was only natural, since it was the Magic Department.
But Dane was from the Autonomous Department. A genius freshman with four talents: spearmanship, magic, summoning, and swordsmanship.
Truly一
‘It’s something only that boy could come up with.’
It was only possible because it was Dane.
Professor Dinavo was troubled over whether to allow it or not. Then, he quickly came to a conclusion.
“Dane Sogres, I grant permission for you to have your summons.”
“Thank you, Professor,” Dane replied.
“A summons? That’s incredible.”
Dane smiled brightly at Professor Dinavo, who was laughing in disbelief. Professor Dinavo suddenly tilted his head.
He asked, “By the way, why a summons?”
“This one can bless me with improved focus and physical abilities.”
“Oh.”
The 4th-grade summons, Altemar. A summoned creature with no attack power and a weak body that could be defeated by 7th-grade summons.
However, the blessings it could provide to its summoner were considerable. In terms of physical ability, it allowed summoners, who were no less weak than mages, to fight tirelessly.
Dane brought Altemar with him to keep himself from getting tired, to help him focus better, and to move his hands a little faster. He had also brought food to give it for twenty-four hours.
‘Wait.’
But the question remained…
Twenty-four hours.
Had there ever been an instance where summoners could summon creatures for twenty-four hours?
No.
“Will you be alright? No matter how much of a blessing you get from him, you’ll probably just exhaust yourself while using up all your mana.”
Professor Dinavo, a mage, also knew well that ‘summoning time efficiency’ was important to summoners.
Dane exuded confidence here.
“I don’t think that will happen.”
