Seen off by my family, I departed the village. Reaching the royal capital of Ulm would take about two weeks on foot. I had worried whether my poor stamina would allow me to make it, but once outside the village, I could use magic freely, easily sidestepping any trouble along the way.
"Is that..."
As I drew closer to Ulm, high ramparts studded with numerous watchtowers came into view. I had heard rumors that the city was enclosed by multiple rings of walls, but seeing the real thing filled me with a deep sense of awe.
Before the gates, armored soldiers stood in flanking lines, challenging passersby. The security didn't seem terribly strict, but for a country bumpkin like me, it was still a nerve-racking moment.
"Halt, you there!"
"Y-Yes!"
Just as I attempted to pass through, the guard on the right called out to me. Since I was dressed like any ordinary traveler, I had assumed I would get by without issue.
"What is your business in Ulm?"
"Well, I'm just traveling to the capital..."
"Traveling? For pleasure?"
"Ah, well, you see..."
I had accidentally slipped up, and the soldier's gaze hardened. From his perspective, a young man wandering around on a whim was bound to look suspicious.
"I came to take the court mage exam."
"The mage exam? You? Let's see your voucher."
The soldier reached out a hand, his armor clinking with the motion. Hmm, an exam voucher?
"An exam voucher... What might that be?"
"Huh? You're an examinee, and you don't even know that much?"
"No, sir. I just set out to make sure I'd arrive in time for the test date."
"...Kid, are you misunderstanding something here?"
The soldier let out a sigh, looking at me with pity. Apparently, I had made a blunder.
"Don't tell me you haven't even applied?"
"Was I supposed to do that?"
"...I've never seen an examinee like you in my life. Fine, go on through."
"Oh, thank you."
Bowing slightly, I started walking through the gate. Perhaps that slip of paper back in the village had explained all this. I had been so caught up in the excitement of sightseeing in the royal capital that I hadn't given it much—
"Hey! Wait a second!"
"Yes?"
Looking back, I saw the same guard jogging toward me. I braced myself, assuming I was about to be detained, but his demeanor seemed entirely different.
"The other guard let me know. They're accepting applications for the mage exam until the day before the test."
"You came all the way over to tell me that?"
"He said you caught his eye. You've clearly come a long way, but you don't have a single speck of dirt on you."
I see. These soldiers observed countless people every day, so my appearance must have struck them as odd. It was just that I hated dirt and had been diligently cleaning myself with magic, though...
"Are you an expert mage or something?"
"No... Just a farmer's son. I'm only taking the selection exam to try my luck."
"Huh... Takes all kinds, I suppose."
The soldier looked me up and down with genuine curiosity. In any case, it seemed I really did need to apply.
"Um, where should I go to submit an application?"
"Head to the church in the center of Ulm. The testing grounds are there, too."
"Thank you very much."
"Well, good luck. When you become a court mage, make sure you get me a raise."
Leaving me with that parting remark, the soldier returned to his post outside the gate. Experiencing this kind of good fortune had happened more than once or twice in my life. To think I had reached eighteen without working a day, yet the heavens still hadn't forsaken me... I couldn't help but chuckle self-deprecatingly.
Everything I saw on the way to the church was utterly new to me: bustling crowds of merchants weaving through the streets, lively food stalls calling out to passersby, and students striding along in sweeping gowns. None of these were sights you would ever stumble across in the countryside.
"Hey there, lad! A traveler, right? How about a room at our inn?!"
"Hey! Come have a slice of our piping hot pie!"
Enjoying the tempting chorus of street vendors, I continued making my way toward the church. Well-paved cobblestones, a vibrant cityscape, and savory aromas wafting through the air—just walking down the street made my heart race with excitement.
Ulm was far grander and far more dazzling than anything I had imagined. Simply arriving here felt like reason enough to call the journey a success.
"...Is this it?"
Just as dusk began to fall, I reached the church. The cathedral was striking, anchored by a soaring bell tower, and a mere glance at its exterior gave no sense of how vast it truly was.
The church sat at the foot of a small hill, and looking up, I could see the inner keep surrounded by castle walls. In other words, I was standing right at the core of Ulm.
I had half-expected the area to be swarming with applicants, but the courtyard was entirely quiet. As I stood there, wondering where to go, a young nun walking nearby called out to me.
"Do you have business at the church?"
"Huh? Ah, um..."
"Entry is currently restricted due to the upcoming mage exam. I am terribly sorry, especially since you have traveled from so far."
It seemed she had mistaken me for a devout pilgrim. That was awkward. As I sheepishly scratched my head, the nun noticed my hesitation.
"Um... Did you come for some other reason?"
"Well, I'm here to apply for the court mage exam."
"Excuse me?"
The nun's mouth fell open. Had I said something strange again?
"Um... An application? The exam is less than a week away, you know?"
"Yes, but I was told applications are accepted until the day before."
"Well, that is true, but... most applicants submit theirs at least a month in advance..."
In short, turning up at the eleventh hour like this was considered thoroughly improper. A twinge of guilt crept over me.
"In any case, allow me to show you the way. Applications are processed in the office."
"Ah, thank you. Sorry for the trouble."
Following behind her, I was led toward a smaller building beside the cathedral.
"Sister Sophie, I have brought an applicant for the Court Mage Selection Exam."
"Come in."
When the nun opened the office door, an older nun—presumably Sister Sophie—was waiting inside. Wearing a pair of reading glasses, she sat behind a counter, peering over it at me.
"Well then, I will take my leave."
"Thank you for your help."
The younger nun quickly slipped out of the room. Sister Sophie looked me up and down with a measured gaze before breaking into a warm smile.
"You don't carry a staff, I see."
"Is that required for the application?"
"No, I was simply curious since you are carrying such a large pack. More importantly, this is quite a last-minute application."
"I only learned about the exam very recently. Have the applications already closed?"
"No, we can still accept it. Please fill out the necessary details on this form."
Sophie placed a sheet of paper on the counter. Name, place of birth... parents' occupation? What an odd detail to ask for.
"Writing a lie carries the death penalty. Take care."
"The death penalty?"
"That is the nature of the Court Mage Selection Exam. Now then, as for this section..."
Seeming to recognize that I was naive to the ways of the world, Sophie kindly and patiently walked me through how to fill out the form. Between her and the guard from earlier, I really seemed to be blessed when it came to the people I met.
"There, that completes the application."
"Thank you very much. So, um..."
"Come over this way. Take a seat at that desk."
Sophie lifted a hinged section of the counter and gestured for me to step through, pointing toward a vacant desk nearby.
"What is this for?"
"We cannot allow just anyone to take the exam. The examiners' hands would fall off from grading all the papers."
Without quite grasping her point, I sat down as instructed. Wondering what was in store for me, I watched as Sophie set another sheet of paper on the desk.
"What is this?"
"Applicants are required to take a preliminary test. Now, now, don't look so worried. Anyone with basic literacy can solve it."
"Right..."
I see. They used a preliminary test right at the application stage to thin out the herd. Looking down, however, the sheet was completely blank.
"Um, where is the question?"
"We need to provide different questions for each applicant. It will appear shortly."
"Huh?"
Sophie offered another gentle smile. An instant later, faint traces of writing materialized on the paper, the ink gradually deepening.
"This is..."
"It is enchanted paper that uses magic to randomly generate exam questions. Go on, give it a try."
Eventually, the characters linked together into a complete sentence. It was magic that altered the material's reaction to light to manipulate its color. To think such sophisticated magic was being used casually in the royal capital.
Written across the sheet was: "State the author of Principles of Magic." It was a book so renowned that even a country bumpkin like me knew it. Answering would be effortless.
"Is something the matter? It is a simple question, is it not?"
"Yes. Very simple."
Sophie pressed me with a deliberate smile. I pinched the edge of the paper and raised it high.
"I wouldn't take a test like this if you paid me."
The next moment, with a sharp, resounding rip—I tore the exam paper in two.