On the day of the third exam, we examinees were gathered beneath an open-sided shelter standing in the center of a vast plain. Known as the Gery Proving Grounds, the place was apparently used for mage training under normal circumstances.
Looking around, I noticed various structures scattered across the field. They were undoubtedly intended as magic targets. In that case, it wasn't hard to guess what the exam would entail.
"Welcome to the Gery Proving Grounds. I am Edel Wittmann, and I will be grading your third exam."
Standing before us was Wittmann, clad in robes with a staff held in his right hand. I certainly hadn't expected him to be the examiner here as well.
"Gathered before me are the fifty candidates who passed the second exam. Today, we will narrow that number down to twenty."
Wittmann cast a sharp glare over our ranks, sending a ripple of tension through the crowd. Thirty people failing meant more than half of us would be cut right here. I had already known this from Elena, but the competition was undeniably even harsher than in the second exam.
"The purpose of the third exam is to assess your fundamental magical capability. The duties of a court mage are multifaceted, and there are many occasions when one does not use magic at all. However..."
A sharp clang echoed across the pavilion as Wittmann drove his staff into the ground. Startled, the examinees snapped their heads up.
"It is an undeniable fact that magic is the driving engine of our kingdom. We cannot permit anyone lacking magical aptitude to stand before His Majesty as a court mage."
My posture straightened. Absolute magical prowess was the very core of what made a court mage, and no one would pass without proving it—that was the message he meant to convey.
"Now, I shall explain the exam itself. Everyone, eyes on me."
Nearly every gaze focused on Wittmann at once. As I wondered what he was about to do, he leveled his staff toward the open plain.
"Do you see it?"
At the tip of his staff stood a large, signboard-like white structure. Concentric black rings were painted onto its surface, giving it the unmistakable appearance of an archery target.
"The task before you is remarkably simple. You need only follow my example."
With that, Wittmann fixed his eyes on the tip of his staff. A localized whirlwind gradually whipped up around him, rustling the fabric of his robes. As the candidates watched with bated breath, a red flash shot from the staff's tip—and a burst of flame engulfed the target.
"Whoa..."
Admiration rippled through the candidates. Impressive firepower, to say the least. To command that much mana without an incantation proved he truly deserved his post as an examiner.
As the smoke gradually thinned, the target emerged once more, entirely intact. It seemed to be protected by a formidable layer of defense magic. With fifty examinees to test, having to replace it after every shot would have been an unnecessary hassle. Now then, what were we supposed to do next—
"...That concludes the demonstration. That is the entirety of the exam."
"Huh?"
"That's all?"
"Just fire magic?"
"Indeed. You need only strike that target with fire magic."
As Wittmann turned back toward us, a buzz of confusion broke out among the examinees....That was it? Just shoot fire magic at it? Could someone's aptitude as a court mage truly be measured by something so basic?
"Bauer, got a second?"
"Yeah, Hermann."
Right then, Hermann tapped me on the shoulder from behind. Like me, the excessive simplicity of the task seemed to bother him.
"They're really looking down on us, aren't they?"
"Yeah..."
"A kid fresh out of their first lesson could pull off a task this simple."
Hermann shrugged and let out a dry sigh. Fire magic was among the most primitive forms of magic, the very first thing beginners learned to cast. It hardly seemed like the sort of benchmark suited for a court mage selection exam. Could it be that the test was actually far easier than we had feared...?
"We shall proceed in descending order of examinee numbers. Number 97, step forward."
"Y-Yes, sir!"
At Wittmann's command, a young man emerged from the crowd. Dressed in a gown, he was likely another preparatory school student.
"Hermann, do you know Number 97?"
"Yeah. He barely scraped by on the written exam, but his practical spellcasting is actually pretty solid."
"I see..."
"Hitting a target like that ought to be child's play for him."
Staff in hand, the young man took his position before the group. Facing the plain, he leveled his staff at the target just as Wittmann had done moments earlier.
"You may fire at your own pace. Aim carefully."
"Yes, sir!"
Every eye locked onto him. Casting magic under this level of scrutiny had to be a rare and nerve-wracking experience.
"Maybe staying calm under pressure is part of the grading criteria," Hermann joked from behind me.
"I doubt it."
Of course, that couldn't be all they were testing. Still, I couldn't help wondering how they intended to differentiate the candidates. Ah, looks like he's about to cast.
"Haah!"
With a sharp yell, the young man unleashed a beam of red light from the tip of his staff. His gaze was fixed dead ahead, and his fire magic should have struck true....Or so it seemed.
"Whoa?!"
"Huh?!"
"What happened?!"
An instant later, the beam slammed violently into the ground nearby—and a massive burst of flame erupted at point-blank range. Shouts of panic broke out among the candidates, but Wittmann remained standing in calm composure, as though he had anticipated the outcome all along.
"Number 97, your exam is finished."
"W-Wait... No, that's not right! I was aiming right at the target...!"
"I said you are finished. Next. Number 94."
"Th-That can't be...!"
Wittmann was utterly merciless toward the young man as he desperately pleaded for a second chance. It had been a basic fire spell, and from this distance, there was no way he should have missed....What was going on here?
"Hermann, what was that...?"
"I don't know for sure. But I've heard a rumor about this stage."
"A rumor?"
"That a monster lurks within the third exam."
"You mean..."
Number 94 stepped forward, visibly trembling. The exam was supposed to be easy. It was supposed to be a simple exercise anyone could perform. Could it really be—
"The Monster of Gery. It's devoured hundreds of examinees before us."
The moment Hermann spoke those words, another explosion of flame tore through the air.