The so-called "qualification certification" assessment system had, at its inception, more to do with "protection" than "honor."
This system, jointly drafted by the Magic Affairs Institute and the Research Institute, existed solely to prevent magical girls, whose forces had not been particularly strong at the time, from blindly hunting Aberrant Beasts beyond their capabilities.
Without reaching White Card status, one was not to face a Pupa Stage enemy without authorization; without obtaining a Letter Card, one was not to challenge a Molt Stage enemy beyond Half-Molt. Tying strength to "qualifications," rather than judging it solely by one's Blossoming stage, was a system designed to spare precious reserve combat strength from meaningless losses.
For that reason, in the early days of the qualification certification system, there had been no such thing as a "written test." Back then, qualification certification had only two "practical" sections: one to test Magic Armaments, and one to test mastery of Spell Formulas and other fundamental abilities.
As the times changed, many things changed with them. The symbolic meanings of the "White Card" and "Letter Card" gradually shifted. They no longer served merely as "licenses to hunt," but came with greater honor, rights, and obligations. At the same time, the contents of the White Card and Letter Card assessments gradually diverged. Today, they had become two vastly different examinations.
Even the White Card test itself had evolved from two simple practical sections into its current four written tests and four practical tests, all to assess a new magical girl's abilities from more dimensions.
Yet one thing had remained unchanged from ancient times to the present: the Magic Armament test. Rather, ever since the magical qualification certification system had matured, Magic Armaments had never once been removed from the White Card assessment.
There was no doubt about it,