The morning was dedicated to the aptitude tests. For better or worse, likely due to the massive crowd of examinees, Lumine and Roman were nowhere to be seen. It was genuinely peaceful, completely free of any irritating physical clinginess.
A small fraction of the crowd did keep their distance while whispering and gossiping about me, however. Nine times out of ten, it was about the incident with the foolish prince. I had gone pretty far off the rails myself, so if anything, having this little notoriety was probably on the low side. Not that I cared how anyone perceived me anyway.
One way or another, several of the aptitude tests wrapped up.
The first was the mana capacity test. Naturally, if I—"the most incompetent person in the world"—possessed mana on par with an A-rank hunter, it would cause a massive uproar. So, using the God-Sealing Gloves, I adjusted all my stats to an average of 1 and cleared it without issue.
The second was the magic activation test. There were a rare few who, like me, couldn't activate magic at all due to their Gifts. This test was designed to weed such applicants out by asking examinees to cast any spell whatsoever. Naturally, when I announced that I couldn't use magic, the examiner shot me a pitying look, while the other students sneered derisively. Yep, a completely expected reaction.
The third was the physical fitness test. It was an evaluation to assess standard attributes like strength, durability, and stamina. Having naturally adjusted my stats to an average of 1 with the God-Sealing Gloves beforehand, I finished it smoothly without drawing any attention.
And next came the final portion of the testing: the summoning aptitude test.
Apparently, the test evaluated whether you could get that large, white-furred canine creature to take a liking to you. According to the pamphlet, the exam was titled "Affinity with Kouma." "Kouma" had to be the name of that canine creature.
When a student with a buzz cut tried to touch it, the white beast growled in a low voice and bared its fangs right before he could reach.
The next student met the exact same fate. In fact, up to this point, this canine creature called Kouma hadn't let a single soul touch it. Since it growled the split second anyone got within a hair's breadth of it, causing a slight stir each time, this might actually just be a test of how close you could get to Kouma.
The blonde girl with the bob cut trying next was Lumine.
Lumine had loved fluffy things for as long as I could remember. True to form, her eyes lit up, and she threw her arms right around its neck.
Kouma clearly hadn't expected such a reaction. For a moment, its eyes darted in bewilderment, but as Lumine buried her face in its pure white coat and squealed with delight, Kouma let out a heavy sigh and closed its eyes.
Murmurs and cheers erupted from all around. Rather than being liked, wasn't the beast just utterly exasperated? It looked like it was thinking, Well, there's no helping this kid. Still, if it truly hated her, it would have shaken her off, so Kouma must have favored Lumine over the other students.
As Lumine clung to it without letting go, a flustered tower staff member finally pulled her away, bringing her test to an end.
And then—it was finally my turn.
"Next, Number 20456!"
Hearing my number called, I took a step forward.
Being liked by a canine creature, huh? When it came to dungeon-born canines, I was strangely well-liked by them, starting with Fen. Then again, they were just monsters from an Easy Dungeon.
This Kouma didn't look the least bit strong either, but it was supposedly a divine beast chosen by the tower to serve as an examiner. Pure strength wasn't the only measure of a spirit or divine beast's caliber, after all. This guy probably possessed some hidden power that Fen and the others lacked... probably...
Just as I smiled and began approaching Kouma, who was lying down and watching me with utter disinterest—
"Master! Master! I'm hungryyy!"
The wolf pup Fen suddenly materialized at my chest, wagging his tail furiously as he made his usual, predictable demand. Come to think of it, it was about time for lunch.
"Sorry, but I'm a bit busy today. Go have Nine-Tails make you lunch instead. In exchange, I'll make your favorite hamburger steak for dinner. So be patient for a little longer, okay?"
I gently patted his head, speaking to him like a parent reasoning with a young child.
"Mgh, fine, I'll wait!"
"Good boy. You're always so well-behaved, Fen."
When I embraced him and stroked his fur, he narrowed his eyes in pure bliss.
"In exchange, hamburger steak, okay? It's a promise!"
He held up a tiny paw pad, making his customary reminder.
"Got it, got it. I promise."
Satisfied with my answer, Fen vanished. Smiling wryly, I turned my attention back to the white canine creature, Kouma.
Kouma sat there dumbfounded, jaw slightly agape, but the instant our eyes met, its entire body froze in terror. The blood rapidly drained from its face, and it began backing away with its teeth chattering loudly.
Hmm, no matter how you looked at it, the thing was terrified. How strange. I didn't think I had a ferocious face that would frighten a canine creature. Lately, Zack and Asta had frequently joked that even a Demon King would run from me barefoot, but did I really look that menacing? No, there was no way. Their senses were just out of whack. That had to be it.
For now, I decided to give it a smile so it knew I bore no ill will.
Upturning the corners of my mouth into an ironclad grin, I cooed,
"Theeere, nothing to be afraid of, nothing to be afraid of."
I spread my arms wide and moved toward Kouma, coaxing it in my sweetest voice.
"Eeeek!"
The moment Kouma caught sight of me, it let out a tiny shriek and bolted at lightning speed behind the Tower of Babel examiner—a female staff member wearing a navy robe and a pointed hat—where it dropped flat, covered its head with both front paws, and began trembling violently.
As I froze in place with my smile still plastered on, Lumine, who had been on her way out of the room, rushed back over in a panic.
"Look what you did! You terrified this poor thing with that creepy, fake smile of yours! Hurry up and get lost!"
She planted herself in front of the shivering Kouma, throwing her arms wide to shield it while glaring at me in outrage.
Hmm, it seemed I had completely failed at making physical contact. Since this test was all about whether this canine creature liked you or not, scaring it this badly meant I had definitely failed.
Fine by me. I was only taking this test in the first place because Rose had badgered me into it.
Well, if I was being completely honest with myself, the thought that Zack's joke about my smile looking like a Demon King's might hold a grain of truth did sting a little.
"Is the test over?"
When I asked the female staff member, who was staring in utter bewilderment at Kouma's behavior, she stammered,
"Y-Yes."
She gave a nod, and with that, I left the summoning aptitude test grounds behind.