An Era-Appropriate Entrance Test

Shade nodded and noted down what the Doctor had said about appraising Rhodes Cards.

But he had not really expected the card in his possession to be genuine. Although, judging by the previous Detective's behavior before his death, the man had definitely been an avid Rhodes Cards enthusiast, he had ultimately been an ordinary person with barely middle-class income. There was no way he could have owned something so precious.

As for the museum the Detective had mentioned before dying, it was probably some kind of black market hub for counterfeit Rhodes Cards. Shade therefore planned to first have it appraised by the Seer Association when he had time, then visit the museum once he was completely reassured.

Having decided to borrow from the group to solve the Tuition Fee problem, he officially began the enrollment process.

Shade had thought the Academy would send someone over, but the Doctor handled every part of the process himself:

"Remember, we are correspondence Ring Arcanists. The Academy provides us with knowledge. We must earn the required credits through study and examinations, and obtain Practical Credit through Academy assignments. That is the relationship between us and the Academy, somewhat like a special employment arrangement. You need not concern yourself too much with the Academy—at least not until you climb the Glacier of the Far North with us and enter the Academy."

The Doctor waved his hand, while Miss Writer believed that Shade would come to understand this deeply in a few weeks.

The two official Ring Arcanists had to notify the Academy that a new correspondence Ring Arcanist was enrolling. The means of contacting Saint Byrens Comprehensive College was the Poet Level relic, the measuring object Poet Cohen's Manuscript.

Poet Cohen had also once been a student of Saint Byrens Comprehensive College, though that had been in the previous era. Although the Fifth Epoch had only female spellcasters, the Academy still admitted a small number of male students for certain research that did not require supernatural power.

His relic manuscript contained more than a hundred pages, and every page could transmit information and small objects to the manuscript's cover.

This was Saint Byrens Comprehensive College's primary method of communicating with correspondence Ring Arcanists, distributing textbooks, and receiving assignments. The manuscript pages belonging to Doctor Schneider's Schneider Group were kept by the Doctor, the group's most senior member.

It was a parchment scroll, but rather large, about the size of an opened book. It was currently completely blank and looked very old. He could even see loose threads swaying across the page.

"First, your basic information and your Tuition Fee."

The Doctor had Shade use a blue fountain pen to briefly write down his address, age, occupation, past experiences, and other information on a sheet of letter paper. Then he placed an envelope containing a stack of banknotes on the manuscript page.

As light flickered, both the envelope containing the Gold Pounds and the paper bearing his information vanished.

Several dozen seconds later, a receipt emerged from the manuscript page. Written in both Delarion Language and Kartherian Language, the two languages currently common across the Old Continent, it listed the amount received and even bore the Academy's official seal.

"Truly professional."

The receipt would remain with the Doctor for now. Shade would take it back after repaying the money.

"Next comes the trustworthiness test. The Academy needs to determine whether incoming correspondence Ring Arcanists are Cultists, or people with ulterior motives who have concealed their pasts. The Academy has its own Secret as well, and cannot let outsiders learn of it so easily."

The Doctor said this quite casually.

"How do they test that?"

Shade was somewhat worried. He did not need to worry about the original Shade's muddled past, but he was concerned about his own identity as a transmigrator.

Before the Doctor could answer Shade's question, Miss Dorothy Louisa spoke first, smiling as she did:

"Ah, how nostalgic. This has become standard procedure—please write an essay of no fewer than eight hundred words on your views regarding good and Evil, order and chaos."

"Hm?"

Shade thought he had misheard.

"This step is also to make sure the applicant is literate. The Academy does not accept illiterate students. Shade, I know you cannot read or write much, so you can just write something simple."

The Doctor said kindly.

"But why write an essay? I thought it would be some kind of lie-detection questions and answers."

The mere fact that he only had to write an essay made Shade breathe easier. What he feared were lie-detection questions. If they asked about his "past," he would likely be in serious trouble.

"Lie detection can always be cheated somehow, but an essay reflects a person's continuous thoughts—their attitude and even instincts they themselves do not recognize. It is more reliable, and far more characteristic of this era.

Oh, Detective, this is no longer a chaotic age. This is the age of Civilization and steam, so naturally entrance examinations must be more civilized as well."

Miss Writer leaned back against the sofa with apparent ease. She greatly enjoyed watching others being forced to write essays.

Thus, Shade was forced to undergo an eight-hundred-word "entrance essay test." He could understand what he heard and read, but speaking and Writing still relied on the knowledge provided by the voice in his mind, so it remained quite difficult. Yet this also allowed Doctor Schneider, who watched the scene, to confirm that his investigation into the original Shade had not been mistaken.

Good and Evil, order and chaos, were relatively broad topics. Eight hundred words sounded like a lot, but if one truly wrote seriously, it might not even be enough to finish the opening.

Following the principle of writing less to make fewer mistakes, Shade divided the small entrance test into four sections. The first would contain some lofty words, the second would discuss good and Evil, the third order and chaos, and the fourth would summarize everything.

This Way, his train of thought became much clearer, and Shade was quite skilled at Writing in this manner.

While Shade wrote his small entrance test, the Doctor was not idle either.

Saint Byron's standard enrollment procedure also included having the group's Ring Arcanists lead the gifted person in resolving one supernatural incident, in order to judge whether their character was suitable for becoming a Ring Arcanist.

The morning's recovery of the Life Countdown Pocket Watch would suffice, but they also needed to submit a report explaining the gifted person's performance.

So while Shade wrote his little essay, the Doctor had to write a report. The latter was probably even more troublesome. But Miss Louisa was quite pleased, because she was the only one who did not need to write anything.

As the two gentlemen bent over their writing, she sat there holding a teacup and watching them, wearing an indescribably content expression.

The essay and report were sent away through the manuscript at the same time. It took a full half hour before an admission notice bearing Shade's full name arrived. His admission evaluation was "Excellent." During that time, the three had continued talking, teaching Shade some basic knowledge.

"Actually, admission evaluations only have Excellent and Unqualified. They are not like annual evaluations and year-end summaries, which are divided into Excellent, Exceeded Expectations, Pass, Fail, and Absolutely Terrible."

The Doctor added quietly.

"It is one of the Academy's little tricks to win your favor."

The blonde writer added as well.

Shade found this amusing, but it also made him realize that the Academy was indeed very formal, not some minor organization.

"Then next, I will help you formally become a Ring Arcanist and push open the door to the supernatural. Only after you obtain your Core Rune can we determine which specialized Academy you will join. As for textbooks and study materials, they will be delivered in three days. The Academy needs time to prepare those things as well."