Watching the boy's retreating figure—hesitant, yet forcing himself to walk with confidence—Downs stroked his chin. "Interesting."
In fact, the frail boy with Number 88 had been the last candidate to make it into the examination hall.
After him, though some managed to pass the first two trials, none could endure the electric shock and get a number plate.
Downs glanced outside at the now-empty lot, stood up, and announced in a clear voice, "I hereby declare that the 88 candidates who qualified for the final examination today are the ones listed above. The exam will last one hour, and I'll collect the papers as soon as time is up. My master, Your Excellency Tesla, has promised to announce the final results within half an hour of the exam's conclusion at the latest."
"Ooooh!" The onlookers outside let out a chorus of curious exclamations.
Whatever else one might say, this method of choosing an apprentice was truly novel. It wasn't just the people who had come specifically to watch the spectacle—even the rejected candidates stayed behind, unwilling to leave.
After all, everyone could spare an hour and a half.
So thousands upon thousands of people spread mats, blankets, and the like on the ground in the chilly weather, as if setting up camp. They pulled out the provisions they'd prepared in advance and waited, chatting and bragging.
Ganis, standing among the crowd, was deeply moved. "From what I've seen so far, this has been an incredibly fair and open examination. I truly wonder what kind of education that lord received to have such an open mind."
Master Famit was curious. "How did mages take on apprentices before the Age of the End of Dharma?"
Ganis gazed toward the clear sky in the distance, his eyes somewhat unfocused. "For most mages, taking