Three days later...
The sun shone brightly over the central fountain square of the magical city of Äußerst. Sunlight refracted through the huge fountain, creating a small rainbow. Pigeons and waterfowl cooed as they strolled across the smooth stone pavement or paddled in the fountain, occasionally begging passersby for food or scattering in fright.
It was fair to say that this magical city was the largest and most prosperous human settlement Frieren and the others had encountered in the Northern Lands so far.
Yet at that very moment, two people looked completely out of place amid the square's bustling crowds.
That's right!
The two who didn't fit in were none other than Annie herself and her foolish, narcissistic student, Elaina!
They sat side by side on a bench beside the fountain, each holding a skewer of sizzling, fragrant, glistening grilled meat.
And yet, for some reason, neither of them looked like they were enjoying their food. Instead, both wore the exact same listless, crestfallen expressions, like eggplants battered by frost.
See?
"Sigh..."
Elaina suddenly let out a long, weary sigh. Even her silvery hair, usually as radiant as moonlight, seemed to have lost some of its luster.
After sighing, she took a small bite of her skewer and chewed without tasting it. Gloom filled her beautiful violet eyes.
"Teacher Annie..."
She turned to the tiny teacher beside her, her voice tinged with impatience and melancholy.
"It's already been three days..."
"How are we supposed to find a way to register successfully without cheating—um, without using unorthodox methods?"
"We can't just sit around doing nothing forever, can we?"
"I heard Frieren's been putting Fern through intensive exam prep lately so she can pass!"
To be honest, Elaina wasn't worried about whether she could pass the First-Class Mage Exam. Her only concern