Whether it was due to the intense focus or the sheer tension of the moment, the testing period flew by in what felt like an instant. Before I knew it, the proctor’s sharp, booming voice announced the end of the session. It really had gone by in a flash. I had been chipping away at my bookkeeping studies for nearly six months, squeezing in practice whenever I could find a spare moment, and yet it was all over so abruptly. I really hope I passed.
Once the papers were collected, the proctor officially declared the conclusion of the Bookkeeping Certification Exam with a few brief words of appreciation for our hard work.
"It’s finally over..."
A wave of relief washed over me. I thrust my arms upward, stretching out a body that had grown stiff from the unfamiliar pressure of a public certification exam. The test we had taken today wasn't a school-sanctioned group exam; we had applied as individuals, meaning we were sitting alongside adults two or three times our age. Unlike the periodic tests we took at school, the atmosphere of a professional qualification exam—teeming with people of all ages and walks of life—was unique and incredibly nerve-wracking.
However, perhaps my experience as an explorer had paid off. While I had been tense before the start, I found myself able to focus entirely on the problems once the clock began ticking.
"I wonder how the others did."
Yuji and Hiiragi-san have plenty of experience through our explorer activities, so I doubted they’d be overwhelmed by the atmosphere. I was more concerned about the juniors. Mika and Saori-chan are active explorers, so they were likely fine, but I couldn't help but worry that Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san might have been swallowed by the pressure and failed to perform at their best.
During the study sessions we held leading up to the exam, I had confirmed that everyone had reached a level where passing was well within their grasp. The only question was whether they could actually exercise that ability under pressure.
"Good work, Daiki. How do you feel about your performance?"
"Ah, Yuji. Good work. Well, I think I did alright. My gut says I hit the passing mark, but I just hope I didn't rack up a bunch of easy mistakes, like misreading a prompt or writing down the wrong figure."
"I hear you. I'm in pretty much the same boat. I think I'll pass... probably. I hope."
Yuji and I shared a wry smile. We both felt relatively confident, yet neither of us felt bold enough to declare a definitive victory. Since we had filled in answers for almost every question, we should be fine as long as there weren't any major blunders.
Wearing identical expressions of uncertainty, Yuji and I stared at each other for a silent moment.
"Ahem. Well, now that it's over, let's go find Mika and the others. They’re probably feeling pretty anxious about the results."
"True. A good number of people are already heading out, so let's meet up and get going."
I glanced around the hall. About a quarter of the examinees had already vanished, and another half were busy packing their things. I suppose if you don't have any acquaintances in the room, there's no reason to linger.
Yuji and I gathered our pens and belongings and waded into the thinning crowd to find the girls.
"Ah, there they are. Hey, Mika! Good work, everyone."
"Ah, Onii-chan!"
Despite the crowd, it didn't take long to spot them. It seemed they had all gathered the moment the exam ended and were already deep in conversation.
However, while Hiiragi-san, Mika, and Saori-chan looked relatively unfazed, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san had distinctly clouded expressions.
"So? How was it? Did you feel good about your answers?"
"Oh, um, yeah. We feel like we did okay, but..."
Mika trailed off, her expression turning conflicted as she cast an awkward glance toward Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san. Following her gaze, Yuji and I saw the two of them looking visibly dejected.
It looked like my hunch was right; the unique pressure of the exam had gotten to them.
"I managed to fill in every answer column, but I didn't have any time to review my work... I don't know if I actually got them right..."
"The questions themselves were things we went over in the textbook, so I knew the answers. But..."
Having been overwhelmed by the atmosphere, it seemed it took Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san a significant amount of time to find their composure. According to them, their minds went completely blank for the first few minutes of the exam. By the time they regained their focus, the clock was already against them, and they had to rely on raw intuition to fill the columns. Consequently, they had no time for a final check, leaving them with very little confidence in their success.
If this had been a school-based group test surrounded by their peers, they likely would have stayed calm. It was a clear case of being unaccustomed to the setting.
"I see. But hey, you filled in every single answer, right? You say you relied on intuition because you ran out of time, but that intuition was built on all that hard work you put in. Even if it was unconscious, I bet your brain chose the right answers."
"He's right. You can't even have an intuition for this stuff without a solid foundation. It means the knowledge you've been working so hard to acquire was working for you in the background. I know it's stressful, but believe in yourselves—that intuition is the fruit of your labor."
Yuji and I offered these words of comfort, though our eyes wandered slightly as we spoke. It felt a bit clumsy, but as Yuji said, you can't derive correct answers intuitively without a proper base. Their effort would surely pull them through... probably.
Hiiragi-san watched our awkward attempts at encouragement with a slightly exasperated look before speaking to the girls.
"While you should take what these two are saying with a grain of salt, the exam is over. It’s time to change gears. Historically, the pass rate for this exam is only around thirty to forty percent. Statistically speaking, more people fail than pass. If two or three of us out of this whole group pass, we’re actually doing better than average."
"Th-That's right! Besides, it's not like you've officially failed yet. It's better to wait for the announcement before you decide to be happy or sad, right?"
"Mhm, let's just wait for the results."
Mika and Saori-chan winced slightly at Hiiragi-san’s blunt logic, but they quickly chimed in, urging the others not to get depressed until the official verdict was in. It was true—just because they didn't feel great about their performance didn't mean they had failed. If they were going to be miserable, they might as well wait until there was a reason for it.
Of course, the results wouldn't be out for another two or three weeks, which meant a long period of lingering uncertainty.
"I... suppose so. There’s no point in being down at this stage."
"Yeah. I did fill in all the answers, so there's still a chance."
Though they still seemed to be dragging the weight of their perceived failure, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san decided to try and stay positive until the results were released.
Given the typical pass rates, there was a real possibility that half of us had failed. If we did pass... well, I’d have to attribute it to a mix of hard work and a healthy dose of luck.
"Well, the room is clearing out, so why don't we head out? We can keep talking at a family restaurant or something."
"Good call. Most everyone else has left. If we hang around, we'll just be in the way of the staff."
"Very well, shall we go?"
"Okay!"
We gathered our things and left the testing hall behind.
Thus, our first Bookkeeping Certification Exam was in the books. There would be a wait before the results, but I hoped for the best.
We tried to find a family restaurant near the Chamber of Commerce, but it seemed every other examinees had the same idea; the place was packed. After walking for a bit, we found a cafe near the station. Fortunately, they had some space in the back where we could push two tables together, so we headed inside.
Once seated, we all ordered our drinks.
"First off, good work, everyone. Regardless of how the results turn out, congratulations on reaching our goal."
Taking the bookkeeping exam had been a target since the club’s inception. Now that it was done, the rest was in the hands of fate. While passing was the ideal outcome, the primary reason for the exam was to build a track record for the club, and we had already done plenty of that. Whether we actually got the certifications wouldn't change that success much.
Though, personally, it’s a handy qualification to have, so I’d certainly take it if offered.
"The results won't be out for two or three weeks, so try not to stress about it too much. You'll just tire yourselves out for nothing."
"So the announcement might not be until December... That's a long wait."
"With this many examinees, it can't be helped. Besides, I looked it up, and for the Grade 1 qualification, the results take nearly a month longer."
"Waiting almost two months for the results? That sounds terrifying."
We had studied hard, but for us, this was a trial run primarily for club points. I could only imagine the nerves of an examinee who had staked their career on passing Grade 1. Like Yuji said, it sounded agonizing.
Hiiragi-san frowned slightly, letting out a small sigh of disapproval.
"Alright, you two, that's quite enough. The exam is finally over, so let's try to keep the conversation positive, shall we?"
"Ah, sorry."
"My bad."
Following Hiiragi-san’s gaze, I saw Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looking dejected again. We had just managed to cheer them up, and then we'd gone and steered the conversation right back into the gloom.
I scratched the back of my head to hide my embarrassment from the glares of Mika and Saori-chan, then cleared my throat to reset.
"Anyway, great job today. Let's get something good to eat and forget about the exam for a while."
"Exactly. And hey, this round is on Daiki and me. Order whatever you like. We made a decent bit in the dungeon the other day, so don't worry about the cost."
"Eh?"
I shot Yuji a look that clearly asked, When did we agree to this? He shot back a look that said, This is how we recover from our mistake.
While Yuji and I were having our silent debate, the girls moved on without us.
"Oh, how generous. Everyone, it seems Hirose-kun and Kokonoe-kun are treating us. Let's make the most of it."
"Wow, thanks, Onii-chan! I’m going to order something great."
"Thank you so much! Asami-chan, Suzune-chan, they said we can have whatever we want!"
"Um, thank you very much."
"Thank you."
Hiiragi-san, clearly sensing Yuji’s intent, gave a knowing smile as she encouraged the girls. Mika and Saori-chan picked up the cue immediately, opening the menus and coaxing the hesitant Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san to pick out something delicious. Well, if it helps them feel better, I suppose it's fine.
It’s not like I could back out now, anyway. A quick glance at the menu suggested they didn't use dungeon food, so the bill shouldn't be too astronomical.
"Don't hold back, order whatever you like."
I steeled myself with a small sigh and prepared to be the big spender.
Please go easy on me, though.
As we were finishing our meal and lingering over post-exam coffees, Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san suddenly turned to the three of us with very serious expressions. Mika and Saori-chan didn't seem surprised, so they likely already knew what was coming.
A consultation... what could it be?
"So, what's on your mind? Did something happen at school? Are the first-years who became explorers over the summer starting to cause trouble?"
"Ah, no, school has been perfectly fine. It’s been peaceful—everyone is mostly trying to stay under the radar."
"Ever since Goto-kun and his group left, the people who used to make a lot of noise have become very quiet."
"Is that so? Then what is it?"
I had wondered if some new power struggle had broken out among the students after the summer break, but apparently not. I suppose the shadow of the mass withdrawal is still too heavy for any new troublemakers to rise up just yet.
Tatebayashi-san and Hino-san looked at each other, nodded firmly, and then spoke with total resolve.
The truth is... we’ve decided we want to become explorers!
They declared it with straight, unwavering gazes directed at the three of us.
It seemed our club juniors were now looking to become our juniors in the world of exploration as well.
With the exam behind them, were they finally ready to step out onto a new path?