Ansu: Dare to compare answers with me?

Noon.

Alchemy Holy See district, Sixth Church.

The Alchemy Holy See's full name is the 'Alchemy and Mechanical Holy See', which worships the Lord of Alchemy, the deity who governs alchemy and magic tools.

The Saints of the Alchemy Holy See are all masters of alchemy. They also excel at creating Alchemy Arrays, designing Alchemy Dolls, and manufacturing Magic Tools.

There's also the matter of world design and exploration for the 'Naraku Game'—though this important work is primarily handled by the Astral Holy See.

The third day of testing, the final session, would take place within the 'Naraku Game'—a game designed to please the gods.

Incidentally, the green train from Ansu's hometown was also built by Saints of the Alchemy Holy See.

The ingenious design of using cheap, first-tier, older sorcerers as power sources to drive the Magic Train was also conceived by the Alchemy Holy See.

They studied civil engineering, but not only civil engineering.

The interior decoration of the Alchemy Cathedral had a distinct civil engineering feel, reaching a full six stories high.

Metal-textured murals, a statue crafted from pure white mercury, a massive Alchemy Array, and a coat of arms featuring pure iron gears—all showcased their strong style.

Sunlight streamed through the mercury dome, casting dazzling metallic light across the Alchemy Cathedral. Outside, the leaves of the plane trees cast dappled green shadows. The hall of the Sixth Church was vast, the size of a football field.

In the center, suspended from the ceiling, was a huge Magic Screen capable of displaying the entire hall.

Tomorrow's exam would be held in the hall of the Alchemy Sixth Church.

This Magic Screen would broadcast their actions live.

Ansu felt the gazes of the surrounding examinees were ill-intentioned.

It was already noon.

News traveled slowly in the Border City, and the first batch of morning papers had already been printed, making revisions difficult.

However, at the examination hall of the Seven Holy Sees, especially among these Saint candidates, the news that Ansu had submitted his paper first had spread on a small scale.

The candidates had, more or less, learned about this fellow Ansu. They also knew that as soon as he left the exam hall, he'd declared, "The last question was easy; anyone who couldn't do it is an idiot."

Thus, the looks directed at Ansu became complicated.

Especially from the candidates in the same exam room as him.

Unparalleled resentment, silent rage, and intense malice, beneath which lay even a hint of envy and admiration—such complex and encompassing emotions.

Ansu was familiar with these gazes. In his previous life, when he was the top student in his grade, he'd often been subjected to similar scrutiny.

"Hmph."

He could even hear someone snort coldly.

"What's so great about that?"

Faced with these ill-intentioned, bullying stares, Ansu recalled how he used to handle such situations in his past life.

He would handle these interpersonal issues with great tact and kindness.

"Keep staring at me, and I'll start reciting the answers to the multiple-choice and fill-in-the-blank questions."

Ansu said with a smile, his expression bright and cheerful.

"Let's compare answers."

In his previous life, during high school, Ansu's favorite pastime was to return to the classroom right after an exam and loudly recite his answers—enjoying the constipated expressions of his classmates was a great pleasure.

At his words, more than half the hall fell silent.

They were as quiet as cicadas in winter.

The looks directed at Ansu were no longer filled with anger or resentment, only respect and apprehension.

This effect was more potent than an Evil God's descent.

No one wanted to compare answers with the top student, unless they were the second-ranked student, especially on the first day of the exam—this was true in any world.

It would shatter their exam mentality.

The surroundings finally quieted down. Ansu raised his eyes and looked towards the second floor of the cathedral, narrowing his eyes slightly.

Meanwhile, on the second floor of the Alchemy Holy See, several Alchemy Priests and Divine Officials were observing the candidates below through an Alchemy Screen.

They were the invigilators for tomorrow's exam and were currently gathered around a large circular table and chairs, carefully observing each candidate and occasionally exchanging quiet words.

Although the candidates below were all Acolyte Saints of the Radiant Holy See, if any performed exceptionally well, they could be poached for their own Holy See, provided the price was high enough.

After all, they were all part of the Seven Holy Sees; who they believed in was their own business.

"Priestess Ashley, which candidate do you favor the most?"

A very old Bishop held a newspaper. "I think this student named 'Ansu Morningstar' is quite good; he left the exam hall early."

"He's from the Borderlands," Priestess Ashley replied without looking up.

"Oh, right, I remember now. You don't like Borderlanders," the Divine Official chuckled sheepishly.

"After all, they're from the borderlands. I can still smell it on them."

Ashley had a poor impression of Border City. She was a native-born Imperial Capital Aristocrat, and her family even had some distant blood ties to the royal family.

She herself was also a genius, possessing a rare talent for all attributes. Therefore, besides Alchemy, she had also mastered magic of most attributes.

On the Ratio and Reuse of Sorcerer Memory Slots—This thesis, published by Ashley at the age of nineteen, allowed her to smoothly ascend to the position of Priestess at a young age.

She was now twenty years old and already an Acolyte Fourth-tier Sorcerer.

'Magic genius'—this was the public's evaluation of her.

"Tomorrow is your examination, isn't it?" At the head of the round table, the District Bishop of the Sixth Church spoke slowly, "Be careful with your actions."

"Yes, Your Excellency."

Ashley replied, though her mind was on other matters.

Her senior brother, Percy, from the Order Church, had just come to find her.

He had listed three names and warned her to be wary of these three candidates from the borderlands—these three were not to be trifled with.

But it didn't matter, After all, they were just from the borderlands.

That small place.

Hmph.

She truly didn't take them to heart.

Ashley was proud, and she had the capital to be so.

Thinking that it was about time, Ashley stood up and gave the Bishop an elegant bow.

She wore a snow-white long dress, embroidered with brilliant golden patterns. The collar bore the emblem of a gear. As she bowed, she slightly lifted the hem of her robe:

"Then I shall go and read the important notices to the candidates first. Your Excellency, I shall take my leave."

Perhaps because the invigilator had not appeared for a long time, the hall downstairs began to get a little noisy again.

But Ashley seemed to possess a magical aura. She walked down the steps unhurriedly. She made no sound, yet her mere presence there silenced the surrounding candidates.

Ashley surveyed the candidates around her, her thin lips parting slightly.

"Good afternoon, everyone."

"I am your examiner tomorrow, Ashley Milton. You may address me as Priestess Ashley."

"Alchemy is a wonderful discipline."

"Wisdom, courage, and perseverance—these are the three great elements of Alchemy, and likewise, they are important virtues in magic."

"Tomorrow's examination,"

She said elegantly, "Please use your insignificant wisdom, please employ your meager courage, and of course, your unyielding spirit—please utilize these three virtues and do your utmost to defeat me."

The entire hall erupted in an uproar.

Defeating an Acolyte Fourth-tier Priestess, what kind of joke was this?

"Please be quiet." Ashley had already spotted the three from the borderlands in the crowd—they wore the borderlands' emblem on their attire. A faint smile played on her lips.

"Now, I shall begin announcing the examination rules."

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