“…Lord Exus.”
“What is it?”
“Would you consider working for us? Even if you’re not a mage, we can offer you a branch manager position.”
“I have no intention of doing that.”
“I see… Honestly, I believe you’d be more suited for this than being a noble… Would that be an insult?”
With that, Backs showed a slimy smile.
“No, it’s an honor.”
I returned the smile.
“Your proposal was truly excellent. Not only is the product itself wonderful, but you also presented a sustainable, profitable long-term plan… Few merchants can do this.”
“Is that so?”
“Regarding the products, we will launch them as soon as we confirm their arrival. There will be about a week’s wait due to transport, but…”
“That’s fine. Please proceed.”
“Haha, thank you. The pleasure is ours.”
With the business concluded, I spent some time exploring and familiarizing myself with the area.
Not that there were any particular sights to see.
Bored, I occupied myself with developing a new game while waiting…
Before long, the day of the entrance exam arrived.
The academy!
Located just outside the capital, it’s a massive mansion with a large ground!
Unlike the gothic style favored by the nobility in this world, the buildings have a practical and solid design with minimal decoration.
And it’s not just one or two buildings.
Like a university on Earth, there are multiple buildings. Including the gymnasium and halls, there are about ten?
Number tags were distributed, and the exam began…
Wait, a written test?
There’s no paper in this world.
Only parchment exists.
So, exams are usually practical tests and interviews.
Of course, literacy is also taught, but that’s learned by writing on wax tablets since parchment is expensive.
So, this time it’s a practical test.
Since it’s a magic school, it makes sense that being able to use magic would be enough.
Over a hundred children gathered to take the exam.
There are various departments, and it seems this venue is for the mage exams.
Well, that makes sense…
Combining mages and knights in the same department would be too unfair to the knights.
Even the weakest mage is stronger than an elite knight.
Of course, depending on the distance and other conditions, the knight might win, but it’s like asking who is stronger, someone with a rifle or someone with a knife?
Clearly, the rifle is stronger, right?
Unless the knife wielder attacks before the rifle is aimed, a knife is useless against someone with a rifle.
That’s the kind of power difference we’re talking about.
So, the mage and knight departments are separate.
However, since both are military-oriented, their courses are somewhat similar, and they do joint exercises sometimes.
There are also departments for theology, law, and the arts.
Economics…? Not here…
Rumor has it that schools in the Republic of Proxia, a maritime trading nation, have an economics department.
In this country, money is considered lowly! That’s a dead end!
Now, the exam.
About two hundred mages have gathered here.
Probably all the mages of this age group in the country.
Since there are only about two hundred per generation, gathering them in one place for standardized, advanced education makes sense.
The ultimate goal for mages is to be combatants, so uniform military education is essential.
Huh? Nurturing individuality?
Are you kidding?
There’s a saying that schools crush children’s individuality to turn them into cogs in the machine, but if school can crush your individuality, it wasn’t going to survive in society anyway.
It’s better to be shaped into a cog, so you can at least make a living.
I went to school, but my individuality wasn’t crushed, and I became a world-renowned programmer.
And do you think the unique athletes and entertainers on Earth didn’t go to school?
It’s the same here.
If you’re as overwhelmingly powerful as I am, you can continue to develop your individuality.
However, for the majority of ordinary mages here, it’s more beneficial to learn how to behave in the military and become a cog.
At Francis’s level, maybe they can start thinking about developing individuality?
…Am I too strong to understand the difference in power? Well, this will make it clear.
“Number twelve! Step forward!”
“Yes!”
A young mage steps forward.
His magic power is average for this group.
He begins his chant!
“Here I go! ‘Pop Wind Mana Add One Pop Blast Mana Add One Output Front’!!!”
…Result?
The wooden dummy set up as a target fell over.
Well, about a 30-meter per second wind gust? Enough to blow away a person?
…Yes, this is the average power of magic here!
Huh? Wind attribute should have vacuum blades?
What are you talking about?
How can gas cut flesh?
If you could attack with wind blades, using those resources differently would be a more efficient way to destroy a body.
That’s how difficult it is to attack with wind.
…Well, I can do it, though!
Let’s see the next one.
“Next! Number thirteen!”
“Yes! ‘Pop Water Mana Add One Pop Shot Mana Add One Output Front’!”
Next is a water user.
How powerful?
A water mass is shot out at the speed of a water cannon.
Well, if it hits a person, they’ll be blown away?
But its lethality is…
Self-defense level?
In other words, most mages are weak!
