6 – #006 Exam (1)
“It’s finally worth seeing.”
The room was so dirty that the cleaning, which started that night, took about two days to finish.
It’s not like cleaning a mansion, and it might take two days per room, but cleaning a room that has been neglected for years took a considerable amount of time.
People who don’t know that dirt still comes out even after wiping and wiping the floor would have thought that they were cleaning the sewer rather than the room.
‘But compared to the hardships, there is no such dramatic change.’
Of course, I only cleaned the room and didn’t bring in any furniture, so it was natural, but it was quite a shock because it didn’t produce such a dramatic effect compared to the effort I put in.
‘But if you bring something like this, it will be stolen soon….’
I’m not stupid enough to put valuables in a room where the only lock is a latch that even a child can unlock.
In fact, clothes and other daily necessities were all stored in the inventory, not in the room, and the only thing left here was garbage that didn’t matter if it was stolen.
I decided to think about this room, and tomorrow is the day of the entrance exam, so I went out before I got busy.
As the broker said, it takes 30 minutes on foot to get to downtown from my house, so I had to speed up.
‘There are many adventurers in this city, so there must be at least one weapon shop out there.’
Of course, there are enough weapons, but I needed a sword to use as camouflage, not as a weapon.
My father said that in this city where demons are sealed, groups of people who seek the blood of warriors hide in the darkness of the city and peek at the moment.
Although I am not a descendant of warriors, as I am an Asian, it is easier to stand out than others, so I needed a trap to deceive those who might be watching.
I don’t use a sword, but if I don’t carry a spear and wear a sword around my waist, people watching me will think I’m using a sword.
Of course, even if it works, it will only work once or twice at most.
However, it was worth it if you could create a loophole for the enemy by wearing a sword on your waist.
When I went out to the city, there was a suitable weapon shop between the shopping malls. I saw the plaque that said buy used outside and went inside because I thought this was it.
“Welcome!”
“I heard you buy used items, but may I take a look?”
“Yes! Sure! All the items here are used, so take a look.”
In the old days, being blunt was the norm, and in severe cases, there were times when I was kicked out after being hit by water, but just having a mask changed my life.
Feeling genuinely happy with the life he drew in his dreams, he slowly looked at the weapons placed on the shelf at the store owner’s point.
If the sword is too worn out and not maintained at all, on the contrary, it might detect that you are using another weapon, so you need a sword that is moderately usable.
‘Um… Would this be enough?’
It was moderately usable, and on top of that, it was neither too cheap nor too high-end, so it was a sword that seemed to have taken into consideration my pocket.
Without further ado, I bought the sword and put it on my waist, and it looked pretty good.
‘Should I practice drawing a sword later?’
No, no matter how much I’ve never used a sword, how much was the jjambab I ate with a spear?
I am worrying for nothing. That day, while out, I bought a decent meal in the city and returned home.
Even so, I couldn’t eat while wearing the mask.
The taste of the food was okay, but eating in a dark room without a window like this just felt tasteless.
“…… Shall I sleep?”
There is nothing more to prepare, and even if you want to practice, there is no suitable place because you have not yet entered the school.
And staying in such a prison-like place for a long time doesn’t feel very good.
Let’s just use this place as a place to sleep away from the wind and rain. I’m honestly not sure if it will completely block them, though.
*****
“… A lot.”
Since everyone, regardless of nobles and commoners, is eligible to take the exam, on the day of the exam, young people from all over the country flocked to the exam.
I don’t know exactly what Munjeon seongsi means, but seeing as his father wrote it in a crowded place, it must mean that a lot of people gathered.
Anyway, a crowd gathered at the main gate of the academy, wondering if the academy could accommodate all the people this size, no matter how big it was.
There were so many people that even if I took off my mask, they didn’t seem to care about me.
‘The exam is said to take three days, but can so many people take the exam properly in that short amount of time?’
I have never heard of the test from my father. He told me at the age of 12 that if it were you, you would be able to get through with your eyes closed, so there would be no problem, but seeing people crowding in like this made me a little nervous.
I can’t accept all of them, so I’m sure I’ll have to take a fairly difficult test to drop most of them.
My father told me not to worry, but just in case, he went into the test room nervously….
‘What is this?’
The test was easy. It was still only the first exam, and the second exam and interview were ahead, but even taking that into account, it was so easy that it made me yawn.
The first test took several tests to see physical abilities such as physical strength, but compared to the hellish training I had with my father, it was like child’s play.
I passed easily without breaking a sweat, and I looked around thinking that everyone would do this if they were aiming for the academy, but everyone who took the test with me had fainted for a long time.
‘Are you kidding me?’
From noble mtl dot com
I hoped that if I waited for a while, it would happen again with a humorous smile, but that reversal did not happen, except that everyone was dragged away by the test supervisor.
Moreover, the other test takers who were watching from behind were so frightened that their turn hadn’t come yet, so they gave up and went back.
‘With this, I can take the exam in three days.’
Anyone can see it means that even if you don’t have the ability to pass the test, you can take the test.
Besides, the test fee isn’t that expensive, so if you include those who took the test half-jokingly, you’ll be able to finish the test in three days.
“No. 1,765 John Doe. Passed the first test.”
In the group I was included in, only I passed and everyone else failed.
There were several stares glaring at me, as if it was not so bad that a savage like me passed the exam alone, but no one thought of attacking me.
And the next day, the second test began, but the number of people gathered at the academy was incomparably smaller than yesterday.
Of course, although it was small, it seemed that there were about 500 people including those who entered the exam hall, but it still did not compare to yesterday.
And finally, when it was my turn to enter the exam room, I heard whispers from all over the place.
“It seems that even monkeys are qualified for the exam these days.”
“I mean. What a world.”
“Can’t we skip things like that at the academy….”
Childish words of contempt that I have never heard because I have been wearing a mask lately are directed at me.
I was used to this kind of treatment, so I listened to the instructor’s explanation as I sat down listening with one ear and letting the other go.
The second test was a simulated battle with the third grade students of the academy, and this was a test to evaluate us as well as them.
The battle against the students who passed the tough exam and trained for 3 years at the academy was a big challenge for the students who had just taken the exam.
As evidence of that, most of the students who passed the first exam struggled, but honestly, I didn’t look very strong.
Looking at the way each one holds a weapon they are confident in and how they actually fight, you can tell that the basic skills are solid and that they have accumulated their own experience.
But in other words, that’s all. I didn’t feel anything special that could threaten anyone’s life.
It’s not weak, but it’s an ambiguous strength that makes you shake your head if you ask me if I’m strong.
It’s not like they’re seriously engaged in a slaughter battle, so I don’t mean it, but even considering that, I didn’t feel particularly threatening.
“You passed too?”
“Huh?”
As she turned her head to her familiar voice, the red-haired girl she met on the train was smiling.
Equipped with leather armor covered in her plate in places, she held a red long spear like her head in her right hand, and she seems to use a spear like me.
“Hey, look over there! Miss Agravain… !”
“… That woman is the daughter of the Agravain family. But why is she talking to barbarians?”
“Well… I wonder if you mistook a person?”
I was supposed to be talking quietly, but my ears were bright and I could hear it as if I was right next to it at this distance.
‘By the way, I knew he was from a good family, but I didn’t know he was from the Agravain family.’
Not the knowledge I received from my father, but the knowledge I gained while traveling.
The Agravein family is the great lord of the west, and it is a powerful family that affects not only the west but also the royal capital, so even a savage like me could not be unaware of it.
“I didn’t know that you were the daughter of such a great family, so I behaved disrespectfully.”
“… That you did something wrong And since you’re throwing up, don’t use honorifics.”
Rather than a daughter of a noble family, she spoke more like a member of a mercenary group.
Seeing the way he showed on the train before, and the way he approached Asians like me without hesitation, he seemed like a free-spirited person, even if it should be said that he was easy-going.
“But there….”
“Rose, call me Rose.”
“Oh, yes. Did Rose just come in?”
“No, I came in before you, but I went to get some water… Ah, the old man told me not to use these words…. I went outside for a while and picked some flowers.”
“…… You did.”
No, not easy-going, but just like a man? As she was thinking about that, the examiner called her number.
“Trial No. 198! Rose Aggravain! From now on!!”