The Woman Found the Will I Wrote

5 – Test 1

Like the saying, ‘When I came to myself, a long time had passed’.

I, too, was lost in time, absorbing a new magic and iterating on it.

I let out a wry smile at the time that had flowed faster than I thought, and focused on the professor’s explanation of the exam in the classroom.

“The test is divided into a written test, which is the primary test, and a practical test, which is the secondary test.”

The smiling female professor fondled her cross-shaped staff as she explained.

“The primary test will have all magic students gather in the auditorium. Detailed content will be provided there. Just know that the test will be taken together.”

By intentionally not divulging the examination method, the students, who are still freshmen, were visibly restless, casting anxious glances around.

From their standpoint, concealing the exam method itself would be an alien factor.

I propped my chin and turned my gaze slowly.

‘The test.’

When I heard of exams back on Earth, I would get inevitably nervous, but strangely since coming here, I haven’t felt such tension.

I don’t know if it’s because it doesn’t feel real, or because my brain is spinning from research…

One thing’s for sure, as long as it involves magic, I was confident there would be no problem I couldn’t solve.

‘Well, whatever happens, we’ll know when we take the test.’

I knocked my fingers on the desk, listening to the explanation of the exam.

Suddenly, Ariel, who had switched seats with the student next to me, leaned over and asked with a smile.

“Did you prepare well for the exam, Derun?”

She seems kindly during conversations.

But knowing that her true nature is that of a torturer who derives pleasure from others’ pain, I simply feel uncomfortable.

‘But I have to keep gathering information.’

Despite my distaste, I responded by nodding my head.

She lets slip some rather crucial information, still assuming I’m on her side.

“Try not to come up to the rooftop during the practical test.”

“…The rooftop?”

I asked deliberately, but she merely returned a cryptic smile, unable to reveal any more information.

Watching Ariel’s reaction, I sardonically replied, thinking that anyone would link this to Lumi.

“I’ll consider it.”

“You’d be better off not coming… right? Maybe you’d like to come? There is someone I should introduce.”

Ignoring her suggestion outright, I turned my head.

Ariel chuckled at my response and continued her conversation.

“See you later, anyway.”

I closed my eyes without answering Ariel’s greeting.

* * *

The third exam room.

A three-story building built on the outskirts of the academy.

I occupied a seat, thinking that the building looked more like the main academy building than an examination hall.

Trying to relieve the fatigue that had built up, I closed my eyes, when a professor on the podium announced the notice using volume amplification magic.

“We plan to begin the preliminary test shortly, please pick up one spellbook each.”

Hearing this, I picked up a conveniently placed book.

The professor calmly continued to explain about the test in a calm voice.

“The first test is a relative evaluation. The person who answers all the questions correctly first will receive the highest score. The remaining students will receive scores distributed according to the order of their correct answers.”

The students looked at each other with astonished faces.

They hadn’t anticipated that they would have to answer all the questions correctly.

Already aware of this, I nodded my head unenthusiastically, as the professor slowly continued the announcement.

“Gradually, with the passage of certain time intervals, the most difficult questions will be removed, so do not worry too much.”

After this, a timer, showing the remaining time until the next question disappeared, was displayed in the center of the hall.

The moment this appeared.

The professor, as if he had been waiting, smiled and waved his hand.

“We will now start the preliminary theoretical test. All students, please start your test immediately.”

At the professor’s succinct words, all the first-year students in the hall quickly opened their spellbooks.

* * *

The head professor, Melvin, casually sat in the hall, sipping coffee and watching the first-year students engrossed in solving problems.

As always, watching young people engrossed in something was a considerable pleasure for her.

‘Don’t all give up and try to match.’

She believed that a test was not something that brought despair but a tool that reaffirmed one’s level of ability.

That’s why she intentionally chose the ‘direction of making the test answer all the questions correctly.’

‘Of course, there was a great deal of opposition since it was a testing method that was not used anywhere else.’

Thanks to the achievements she has accumulated, she was able to pass the test method in the end.

Whether the testing method was successful or not would have to be verified later, but she decided to watch the students for now.

The excited voices of nearby professors could be heard.

“The freshmen this year are so exceptional. According to the professor in charge of the entrance exam, the average grade was unprecedentedly high.”

“It certainly seems so. What I feel during classes these days is that the students understand so quickly that I don’t know how comfortable it is.”

“So I am quite curious about the results of this exam.”

Listening to such conversations, Melvin interrupted the conversation by casually sipping his coffee and bringing up a topic.

“Which student do you professors think will be the top?”

At that, everyone stopped talking for a moment and looked at the students, and then they each started expressing their opinions.

“Obviously, it will be Lumi. She was the only student who scored full marks in theory in the entrance exam.”

Other professors oppose the comment.

“But she is a commoner after all. Students who grow faster with the help of their family are more likely.”

“Professor Glen, isn’t that crossing the line?”

“Did I say something wrong? Isn’t it true that academia grows faster with capital investment?”

“Regardless of right or wrong, it’s not something an educator should say.”

Melvin, watching the professors arguing with each other, slipped out of the conversation with a look of enjoyment.

Her goal was achieved.

‘Teachers should compete with each other so they can provide a higher level of education to their own students.’

From the start of this argument, they would do their best to prove that they were right.

This alone would be a great help to the students.

Watching the argument, she felt quite satisfied with the results.

A junior professor in the corner, noticing the atmosphere, brought up a new topic.

“Will there be a student who can solve the last problem …?”

At that question, the arguing professors closed their mouths for a moment.

Then, as if it was nothing, they defaulted back to a laughing tone and started talking about the last problem.

“Professor Sirius, you seem not to know because you are new. It’s an unspoken rule to make the last problem unsolvable.”

“… Pardon?”

“It’s to find students who stand out from the rest and give direction to the students at the same time.”

“I get the part about standing out… but giving direction?”

“Showing them that such application is also possible. Of course, it is virtually impossible to solve it because the level is too difficult.”

“… I see.”

Listening to the story, Melvin calmly smiles and adds an explanation.

“It’s really an old habit. But there are also a lot of things you can gain from this, so it hasn’t been removed.”

“Sounds reasonable …”

Melvin looked at the nodding junior professor and then turned her gaze and continued speaking.

“Returning to the main point. There likely won’t be a student who can solve the final problem.”

“Is that so …?”

“Yes. This year’s final question is even more difficult than any previous exam.”

The last problem was in a magic book.

Looking at the [Increase the efficiency of this magic by 10%], he continued speaking.

“After precisely understanding the given magic formula and modifying it towards a better direction. It’s nearly impossible to organically connect them without getting it twisted if one lacks a fair understanding of magical theories.”

It was hard enough to understand magic of my level.

It was nearly impossible for those at a student level to modify it to a better level.

‘Even though taking on the challenge would be a great help.’

Assuming that no one would be able to solve the problem, he included it just for the sake of looking at it.

Contrary to her expectations.

-9 minutes 52 seconds. Student Dern answered all the questions correctly.

Approximately every 2 minutes, one student solved all the questions including the last one.