A Little Whim of Authority

The Holy City was not too far from their residence. The two followed a familiar road to the examination site, a branch of the Holy City True Magic Association.

From a distance, it was a tall building made of grayish-white stone bricks. Yet in stark contrast to the building, which could hold a thousand people, only a few dozen True Magic Users waited at the entrance for the exam to begin.

Among them were young people around Fern's age, as well as older True Magic Users with graying hair who looked to be nearly fifty.

It was actually quite normal for there to be so few.

True Magic Users were a rare profession to begin with, and even fewer were capable of taking the qualification exam, especially the exam to become a Third-Class True Magic User.

According to Heiter, a Fifth-Class True Magic User was considered capable of standing on their own, and there were currently only about six hundred Fifth-Class and higher True Magic Users in total. Sixth- to Ninth-Class True Magic Users were called Apprentice True Magic Users, and there were about fourteen hundred of them.

That was fewer than the number of mages in the Clock Tower, and the Clock Tower practiced secrecy. Since True Magic was public knowledge in this world, why were there still so few True Magic Users?

After thinking it over, the only conclusion was that unregistered True Magic Users might make up the majority.

Just as the two were about to join the back of the line, a familiar voice suddenly came from beside them.

"You're so slow, Little Puff-shroom."

Fern stopped and looked toward the voice.

Übel was leaning against a stone pillar beside the association's main entrance, her staff held in her arms and her long green hair stirring gently in the morning breeze. When she saw Fern notice her, she raised a hand and waved.

"You're really early, Scissor Girl."

"Of course. I live right here in the Holy City, after all."

Übel spoke smugly, but could someone who had moved to the Holy City later really be called a local? That was a very big question mark.

If someone with poor manners heard her say that, they might bluntly retort, "A damn outsider came to the Holy City to beg for food."

Then again, Heiter did not seem to be a Holy City native either. Who knew whether people like that thought the former archbishop had also come to beg for food...

"Were you waiting here for us?"

"Of course."

Übel admitted it without hesitation. Now it was Fern's turn to feel a little embarrassed. She had thought Übel would definitely find an excuse to deny it, but had not expected her to admit it so readily.

"So how are you going to make it up to me, Little Puff-shroom?"

Übel stepped forward and pinched Fern's cheek.

"Mmph... Please let go. Besides, Lord Lorenzo did it too, so why do I have to make it up to you?"

"Because I only want you to make it up to me."

Übel let go, being completely unreasonable.

"Then... I'll treat you to dessert after the exam. Lady Frieren also asked us to bring some back anyway."

Fern rubbed her cheek.

"All right, you two can chat later."

Lorenzo reminded them from the side.

"If we don't register soon, we might actually miss the exam."

Lorenzo led Fern and Übel to the back of the line. When their turn came, they found an unexpected person sitting behind the registration desk as an examiner.

"Zanze? Why are you here?"

Hearing his voice, Zanze looked up from the list she had been checking.

Her hair, which hung almost to the ground, was so distinctive that even sitting there, she could not possibly be mistaken for anyone else.

"I should be asking you that, Mr. Lorenzo. Are you here to take the Third-Class True Magic User exam too?"

Zanze looked at Lorenzo expressionlessly.

"The exam is only one reason. I'm also here to bring Fern to take it."

"You don't need to take the exam."

Zanze lowered her head again and wrote Lorenzo's name on the blank registration form.

"Just register your information and wait outside. I'll call you when it's time to hand out the certificates."

"You're just passing me like that? Is that really within the rules?"

Lorenzo was somewhat surprised.

"My authority as an examiner is unlimited."

Zanze looked up and spoke to Lorenzo earnestly.

"Besides, it's just a Third-Class True Magic User exam, nothing important. And with your abilities, passing would be easy. There's no need to waste that time."

She was talking about something that looked like an abuse of authority from every angle, so why did she seem so unconcerned?

"After all, I'm a pacifist."

After saying that, Zanze deliberately emphasized the point. Its meaning was completely unclear, as if a dog had been fitted with a voice pack containing only two lines, so that no matter what happened, it could only say "I am Thor, the God of Thunder" and "For the glory of the northern gods."

"Then can I pass without taking it too?"

Übel appeared from who knew where and leaned over the registration desk to ask Zanze.

"No."

Zanze answered without hesitation, but for some reason, whenever she met Übel's gaze, she felt a little creeped out. Even the long hair behind her instinctively drew together a little.

"Come to think of it, your hair really is beautiful. And it smells so nice, too."

Übel suddenly picked up a lock of Zanze's hair and held it to her nose for a sniff.

"Thank you."

Zanze responded calmly, not understanding at all why this young girl had suddenly brought up her hair.

"It must be fun to cut."

The air fell silent.

Fern immediately grabbed Übel by the sleeve and pulled her back a little, afraid she would be apprehended on the spot for threatening an examiner.

"Please don't say strange things like that to the examiner."

"I was just complimenting her."

Übel spoke with an innocent look on her face.

Zanze did not join their argument. She simply picked up her quill and wrote Übel's name on the registration form.

"What kind of True Magic are you good at?"

"True Magic that cuts things apart."

"What exactly can you cut?"

"As long as I think I can cut it, I should be able to."

Zanze glanced at Übel, then at the long hair she had just gathered behind her. The inexplicable unease from earlier seemed to have grown more pronounced.

"I should make this clear in advance: attacking the examiners is forbidden during the exam."

"Huh, really?"

Übel looked disappointed, but from what Lorenzo knew of her, she was definitely pretending.

"In any case, Übel and Fern, get ready. The exam will begin shortly."

Zanze rose from her seat. As she moved, her long hair, which hung almost to the ground, slid off the back of the chair, and Übel's gaze followed it.

Zanze quickened her pace a little.

What was with that feeling of someone following her with scissors? She seemed to be starting to regret not having another examiner handle registration.