Around noon, just a few days before the third exam. While waiting to meet up with Elena and Hermann, I stood outside the cathedral, idly watching the crowds come and go through the streets.
Mothers taking their children shopping, technicians maintaining the street lamps, bustling merchants on the move. By now, the vibrant sights of Ulm had become entirely familiar.
"My, we certainly run into each other often, don't we?"
Sophie called out to me as she walked past. It seemed she had just stepped out of the church on an errand. Come to think of it, I really did cross paths with her a lot.
"Good afternoon, Sister. I'm just waiting on some friends."
"I see. That reminds me—you made it through to the third exam, didn't you?"
"Yes, thanks to your support."
"Congratulations. What a relief. I was honestly worried about how you'd fare in the second exam."
"How so?"
"Some of the examiners favor candidates born in Ulm. I'm sure you can guess what that means."
She meant that if I had been assigned to one of those rooms, I probably wouldn't have passed. Not that Room 1 had been an easy draw either... but realizing there might have been rooms where the odds were stacked entirely against me made her point hit home.
"...I had no idea. Thank you for telling me."
"Passing is what matters in the end. Still, it seems we won't have many chances to see each other for a while."
"Why is that?"
"The church isn't involved from the third exam onward."
Sophie smiled, a touch of regret in her expression. It made sense; the pool of candidates had already been narrowed down to fifty. The organizers no longer needed the church's help to conduct the tests.
"Thank you for everything you've done for me up to now. I truly appreciate all your help."
"Think nothing of it; there's no need to thank me. If anything, I'm just relieved my duties wrapped up without a hitch."
"No, I really am grateful. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have been able to take this exam..."
"Keep doing your best in the next stage. The road of the mage examination is still a harsh one."
Offering me a warm smile, Sophie turned and walked away. I was truly glad I had met her. If she hadn't accepted my application back then... If she hadn't given me that advice during the first stage exam... I definitely wouldn't be standing here today.
"Heeey, Bauer!"
As if swapping places with her, Hermann and Elena arrived, and I waved back in response.
Gathered around a table at an eatery, I had intended to ask the two of them for advice on the third exam... but Elena's answer caught me completely off guard.
"No preparations?"
"That's right. From the third exam onward, there's no way to prepare."
"Stop talking and eat. The meat's going to get cold."
Elena let out a weary sigh, while Hermann speared a bite of meat with his fork and popped it into his mouth. What did she mean by having no way to prepare? Putting aside a country bumpkin like me, I had fully assumed two preparatory school students would have devised some sort of strategy.
"Let me explain again. In the third exam, the fifty remaining candidates are cut down to twenty."
"Yeah, and?"
"The format is a practical magic exam....And that is literally all anyone knows."
"Wait, why?"
As I tilted my head in bewilderment, Hermann raised the knife in his right hand. He drew it across his throat in an exaggerated gesture and flashed a mischievous smirk.
"Because of this. Anyone who leaks the contents of the third stage and beyond faces execution."
"Honestly, you have atrocious manners for a nobleman."
"My apologies, my apologies. At any rate, we don't know the exact details of the third exam either."
"I suspect that's part of the reason passing the second exam earns you the title of court-appointed mage," Elena added. "Once you enter the court's employ, you're bound by an oath of confidentiality."
"Well, maybe the details have leaked somewhere, but... basically, it's a surprise waiting for us on the day of."
So that was what she meant by "no way to prepare." Now that she mentioned it, during the briefing after the second exam results were posted, I recalled them saying nothing more than, "We will be conducting a magic exam, so bring a staff if you require one."
"By the way, what about the fourth stage and beyond?"
"Totally clueless. Maybe we just play a grand game of tag among the candidates?"
"Stop talking nonsense. This is the court mage exam, for heaven's sake."
"It was a joke, just a joke! Come on, let's just eat already."
Urged on by Hermann, Elena and I picked up our knives. Eating with such fine utensils was something I'd rarely done back in the countryside. The place certainly lived up to its reputation, given that an examiner had personally recommended it to Elena.
"...So good."
When I took a bite of the sliced meat, rich juices burst forth the moment I chewed. The tender lean cut paired with a faintly sweet, savory fat that sent a wave of pure bliss through me.
"How's the food, examinees? Good, isn't it?"
"Yes, it's exquisite."
"It's delicious."
"Glad to hear it! Eat to your heart's content!"
A passing waiter chuckled boisterously. It turned out that showing the examinee numbers on our left wrists earned us a discount here as well. I keenly felt just how privileged my current position was. But—if I failed the exam, that would all vanish.
"Speaking of which, Bauer, did you find out anything about that book collection?"
"No, I only just sent a letter asking about it. I doubt I'll get a reply for a while."
"I'm curious about it too. Why on earth would there be grimoires sitting in a farmer's barn?"
"Yeah, it's a mystery to me too..."
Chatting with the two of them, I worked my way through the feast before us. Since there was no way of knowing what was coming anyway, racking my brain over the exam was pointless. For now, I might as well enjoy this luxurious meal.
A few days later, the third exam commenced. Surprisingly, its challenge proved to be extraordinarily simple, leaving all of us candidates breathing a sigh of relief. We thought anyone could pass a test like this...
However, we were about to learn firsthand that the path to becoming a court mage was anything but smooth.