Chapter 28: Examination (1/2)

"Crying won't work! Shouldn't you be used to water by now, Sylv?"

"Kyuuuuu…" Sylvie finally escaped fro

"Haa…" I shookup bybut a simple t-shi+rt and pants, I took one last look at the roo the i the coat andI strapped both Dawn's Ballad andout

"Trust in Jasest but don't doubt her strength and experience as an adventurer,"

"Why are Brother and Sylviee leaving? No! Stay here!" My sister was now struck with realization that I wouldn't be ho ht of her body to anchor me down

"Honey, your brother will be back, okay?" My mother attempted to console her

"Nonononono! Stay!" my sister dean shouting with tear-filled eyes

Kneeling down, I wrapped Ellie in irl now Can you protect Moone for a bit, Ellie?"

"UUuuu…hic…I can protect the her head into o of her, I studieddown her cheeks

"Atta girl Your big brother is going to be gone for a little bit but I'll be back I feel a lot better that we have so like my little sister here to protect the house"

"Yes!" she seconded eagerly, her eyes filled with a newfound deterave Mother and Father one last hug

"We'll er, okay?" My htly

"Stay safe and know your limits, Arthur" Father placed a hand onfor a response

Knows were finished, I made

I waved the both her hands as she bit her lips to keep froo, Jas on the mask and coat

She replied with a terse nod as we began heading don to the Adventurer's Guild Hall

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The Guild Hall was not what I had expected it to be A vivid is seated around wooden tables downing beer hat I envisioned Instead, it was a building filled with prestige and luxury A marble structure towered over us like a sacred museum Once inside, it was clear the aned interior There were tablesus a passing glance The whole place had an aance that didn't suitadventurers here, but I simply continued my stride

"Welcome! How may I help the two of you?" The feleamed a pearly white

Before I had the chance to reply, Jasmine slid a piece of parchment towards the woman

"I would like to sponsor him for a rank examination" Her face remained expressionless as she said curtly

"Y-Yes! I understand," the receptionist answered, nodding her head fervently as she handed back the piece of paper "Please, co up from her seat, the women opened the door beside us from the other side As we entered, I couldn't help but notice the husheda rank exairl and soh," another hoarse voice mocked blatantly

I held in any questions I had and sih the door, ere led past the row of seats behind the glass counter where the receptionists were stationed and into a small room

The office was minimally decorated with two leather couches positioned to face each other On the far end of the roo the door; a slender man was seated behind the pile of neatly-stacked papers, jotting down so with a quilted pen

Roused by the sound of his office door being opened, the ular face The head of black hair I had been staring at was parted down the center and reached just past his thin neck Behind his riarded us intently

"A-Class Adventurer, Jasmine Flamesworth has requested this…" the clerk's voice trailed off as she eyed entleman to be taken in for a rank examination"

"Yes, I'm quite aware of who Miss Flamesworth is You may wait outside, Mary" The slender man waved her away as he stood up from his seat "Miss Flamesworth, how are you these days? I o"

Jasave a terse nod, that barely reseotten sharper since co into this room, but at the mention of her father, Jasmine's hands clenched into fists

"Anyway, it is a pleasure to meet you" Thee of this branch I take it that you must have some sort of close relationshi+p with Miss Flaaze darted up and down as he quickly assessed me

"Kuu!" Sylvie answered in my stead

I hadmy time as an adventurer so her horns protruded and her red spikes were visible

"I go by Note," I answered gruffly The name didn't mean much and was made fairly h the left eye slit; it had rele half note

Kaspian's eyes widened in surprise but he quickly recovered, responding with a casual s a mana beast didn't seem to surprise him, which I assumed was because of his line of work "Yes! Well… Mr Note, ill proceed with Miss Flamesworth here as your sponsor Do you kno this ork?"

Shaking her has the right to sponsor a new adventurer for an exaive you the opportunity to be placed into a suitable rank This way, you can avoid the needless struggles of starting fro The rank exa by your weapons, I can assumenter, yes?" He looked quizzically at the black stick tied to my waist below my short sword

"Yes"

"Okay! Usually, there would be a quick application along with an inspection of your mana core before the exa you, I aive that," he continued as he opened another door at the far end of his office "Mary, take these two to the examination hall"

"Y-Yes!" The receptionist, who had been waiting outside the room, entered hastily and led us toward the back door "Please, Mr Note, Miss Flaht this way"

I peered at Jas corridor Was this the reason why she wanted to be the one to follow ree of respect, but what exactly was the Flamesworth House?

I was forced to squint as htness as we exited out of the dark passage As the blinding glow subsided, I was able to htly lit area was an indoor, dirt-floored arena with standard theater seats that appeared erated stairs While most of the seats were empty except for the scattered ten or so people, there was a tense atmosphere as everyone's eyes focused on the two people at the center of the arena

"Please, follow me to your seats There are quite a number of examinees today so if you would remain seated until the examiner calls your name, it'll really help speed up the process" The receptionist gave us one last, quick, bow before scurrying back down the rows of stone seats

Placing Sylvie between Jaset a better view of the two fighters about to duel Jass crossed

"Haht!" the larger, balddown his polearainst his opponent The e build with short black hair and a jagged scar that ran down his cheek, but he was easily dodging all of the bald hter had an apathetic expressionthe broadsword he had in his right hand as he continued weaving around his bald opponent's brash attacks

Face red in frustration, the bald fighter bellowed, "Take this!" The fact that he had announced his next attack meant that he was either confident or he was simply an amateur In this case, it seeht up high above his head suddenly began glowing a die as a heat wave surrounded his weapon The scarred ed from boredom to mild surprise

"hell Smash!+" the bald man roared as he hacked down Just like how conjurers chanted spells to focus their intent,si the name of their attack However, for such a simple move, it seemed excessive

Even froh as he simply held up his broadsword to take on the attack

The sharp ring of hout the arena However, the sight of the polearh in the air e was

The large cueball of adown at his empty hands, apparently surprised that his ace attack was so easily dealt with

"Your skills as a polearm wielder is nonexistent and your battle senses are lousy… and that's th compared to your mana reinforcement, which throws your attack's balance off It says you've just turned thirty-five but you're now only at the dark orange stage I would nor how you have a fire affinity, if that little heater move you just did can even be called fire, I'll pass you as a D-class…barely" The scarred examiner's assessreed more with him

"Next! Diane Whitehall!" the scarred lythe way

"Yes! Co!" A woman on the other side of the stadiu the way

She was a freckled girl that looked to be well into her teens She had her curly brown hair tied back and earing a standard conjurer's robe that looked et her wand out of her belt, butit

Snickers and giggles spread through the arena froirl—Diane—even more so in embarrassirl," a boy's voice to ht ly shake his head

The boy didn't look much older than me, which surprisedto beco a conjurer's robe, it was on a different level; it really did make Diane's robe look like a bathrobe in comparison With his embellishments and other fineries, it was apparent that he was a noble With th blond hair that covered his ears and was trireen eyes, it was easy to tell that he was an attractive boy By the permanent smirk plastered onto his face and the way he lifted his chin just a tad so he was always looking down at everything, I'ht of hiht my eyes was the polished white, wooden staff that was by the boy's side Ee ruby-colored gehts

He was a fine exa way, so I chose to turn e

The scarred exa down, replaced by a woman The person, who I assumed was the conjurer's exae cone that set a shadow coveringher hat back, I was able to see the instructor's pale face Her thin eyes darted around at the audience before she let out a loud cough to have everyone settle down

"Ahehteen, a conjurer at the solid orange stage with a single specialization in water Let us begin" The female examiner threw the notepad towards the scarred exarey staff

Once a conjurer had reached the orange stage, it was apparent where his or her specialty lied Instead of wasting ti to be adept at all four elements, it was much hest affinity Single specialization, in her case, meant that she relied primarily on water spells Dual specialization and up, there would be a strict test to see if you really were adept at two elements

Instantly, the freckled exa a bubble of water to surround her

The basics of battling as a conjurer was setting up defensive measures They did this sincetheir bodies with mana

Diane's examiner, however, didn't cast a defensive spell but instead chose to go on the offensive

"Sandstorale of sand whirled around the freckled girl and her defensive water bubble