Ebook Exclusive Bonus SS: Lister National School First Exam

"One gold coin a night?!"

I raised my voice unintentionally at the innkeeper's words. Father Zeke had warned me it would be expensive, but I didn't expect it to be this much.

"Sorry, lad. This is peak season for us too. But if you go further north in the city center, it gets even pricier."

A friendly-looking woman came out from the back, apologizing apologetically.

I could look for another inn, but it would be disastrous if I couldn't find a decent one. The foot traffic in this city is many times—no, dozens of times—that of Almeria. It's easy to imagine that by the time I came back, this place would be fully booked.

"Understood. One night, please."

I handed the gold coin to the owner, and the friendly woman guided me to my room.

Once in the third-floor room, I looked out the window at the city.

—Academic City Regan.

Located almost in the center of the Central Continent, this city is said to be one of the most prosperous not just on the continent, but in the entire world.

The main street is said to be over fifty meters wide, yet the flow of people makes it feel narrow.

There were examinees looking around nervously like children lost in a maze. There were those who looked like daughters of great nobles, walking with an air of ownership alongside fathers and accompanied by knights in glittering armor. Residents stopped to admire them. And there were well-dressed adventurers.

I will definitely enroll in the Lister National School and become a person worthy of walking in this city… No, I will become a man who won't bring shame to Mars as his brother!

With renewed determination, I studied until I fell asleep.

—Day of the Exam.

I ate at the inn and headed to the exam venue, the Lister National School. Outside, examinees my age were all heading north toward the school. It seemed traffic was restricted today for anyone other than school personnel and examinees; residents needed prior permission to go out.

Considering that in busy years over fifty thousand people take the exam, it was a natural precaution.

"Let's definitely pass the first exam this year!"
"What's the passing line this year?"
"It was 10 the year before last, and 10 last year, so it'll probably be 10 again."

On the way to school, I listened to familiar-looking examinees whispering to each other. Passing line 10? What is that? As I walked slowly with the flow of people, I saw people already walking back from the school. They were all looking down, and many were crying.

"Oi, results are out already?"
"Brutal as always."
"That might be us in a few dozen minutes."

What?! Results are already out? And that might be us? Does the exam end that quickly?

Questions bubbled up one after another, but I kept walking with the crowd until the main gate of the Lister National School came into view.

The gate was as wide as the road, over fifty meters. A divider was set up in the center; examinees entered from the right, and those who failed exited from the left.

The volume of people coming out was insane. The dropouts were being spewed out at the same speed—or faster—than people were entering. Looking closely, the guy who was just saying "Let's definitely pass this year" had tears in his eyes, shoulders slumped, walking as if being pushed out into the city of Regan.

"Form two lines! Form two lines!"

As we approached the gate, school staff shouted at the examinees. I lined up in the right lane as instructed. Passing through the gate, I saw five adults on the right side, staring intently at us examinees and muttering something. Behind each of them stood someone writing on paper.

I understood immediately what they were doing. Appraisal! All five of them were appraising us! They were conveying the results to the scribes behind them, who were writing it down!

"Receive a paper from each person! Make sure you get one from all five!"

So, five people appraise us, and we get a paper with the results from each.

As I passed the first person, I felt a gaze clinging to the surface of my body. It felt similar to when Lucia appraised me. I say similar to Lucia, because when Mars appraises me, it feels like he's seeing through everything, right down to my core.

I received the paper from the scribe behind the first appraiser. It had my name, numbers, and letters written on it.

『Ike, 10, 7, 5, 4, 9, S, S』

I kept walking without stopping and received papers from all five. All five sheets had the same numbers and letters. As I walked while looking at them, someone suddenly tapped my shoulder. I turned to see a man who looked like a teacher.

"Congratulations on passing the first exam. Proceed straight ahead and show those papers to the man standing over there."

The other examinees were turning in an arc toward the left side of the gate. There was no one else near me heading straight.

Mars, Clarice, and Ellie were worried about the first exam, but with this system, the three of them would definitely pass.

…I had no way of knowing that Mars would fail an exam that even I could pass.