In the blink of an eye, the day of the examination arrived.
Deep within the Magic Association's branch in the magical city of Äußerst, the atmosphere was a little tense in a wide corridor lined with smooth marble walls and a dark red carpet.
A dozen or so candidates who had passed the first two rounds—including Annie, Frieren, Fern, and Elaina—had gathered there, waiting for the third round that would decide their fates.
At the end of the corridor stood a heavy wooden door, tightly shut and carved with intricate magical patterns. The area beyond it was most likely where their third-round examination would take place.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
"..."
Unable to help themselves, many of the candidates kept glancing toward the door, as if trying to catch a glimpse of what lay beyond.
Unfortunately, the heavy door was sealed so tightly that they couldn't see a thing.
No one knew how long they had been waiting. Just as Annie was beginning to grow impatient, a Magic Association examiner emerged through the door. He wore gold-rimmed glasses and a stern expression, and his attire marked him as a first-class mage.
"..."
He adjusted his glasses and swept his sharp gaze over the candidates in the corridor. They were of all shapes and sizes, but every one of them gave off an impressive magical aura. Then, in a clear, somewhat stiff voice, he announced:
"Silence!"
"I hereby announce!"
"The third round of the first-class mage qualification examination, which is also the final round, will be—"
He paused deliberately, making sure he had everyone's attention before continuing:
"An interview!"
A faint stir and a few gasps rose from the corridor. Clearly, some of the candidates hadn't received the news beforehand!
And compared with the first two rounds' straightforward combat and teamwork,