Mia found herself in one of the spacious rooms within the academic building, resembling the large university classrooms from her previous life. The room featured an unusual magical blackboard. There were precisely one hundred students in this classroom, an apparent standard number for these tests. The building's various rooms were evidently being used equally for the examinations.
Each student was provided with several sheets of paper, a pen, a pencil, a curious wooden tool that functioned like an eraser, and, of course, the test papers themselves. Once everyone had received their examination materials, a supervisor, likely a professor, instructed them to begin. They had three hours to complete the test.
The initial questions were basic, primarily designed to assess if the test-takers possessed a minimum level of literacy and numeracy. If one could read and write the continent's common language and perform basic mathematics, these questions posed no challenge. Notably, the language didn't have a specific name; it was simply referred to as "common ", something that Mia thought was just a translation error of her ability but turned out to be the actual name given to the language.
The subsequent set of questions delved into basic history. Unfortunately, Mia's knowledge of history was extremely limited, as it wasn't a topic that received much attention in her old town. Given that she had to write her responses, she managed to complete only one question. It asked for a brief explanation of the continent's current status. Mia knew just enough to jot down that the continent had once been a unified super-kingdom several millennia ago. However, due to the appearance of powerful monsters, it had fractured into the distinct kingdoms and empires present today. Her region had enjoyed a century of relative peace, though this merely indicated that neighboring nations were not actively engaged in conflict, given the ever-present monster threat.
Next came the geography questions, and once again, Mia found herself at a disadvantage. She could answer only a few, including one that requested a basic overview of the world, to which she wrote that the planet consisted of four large continents separated by oceans, with icy regions at the poles. Of the four continents, three were inhabited by intelligent races, while the fourth was predominantly overrun by monsters and other creatures. Another question inquired about the countries neighboring Azuria. To the north, there was a mountainous region primarily inhabited by modest monks; to the west and southwest lay the Razan country, known for its expansive plains and horse exports. To the south was a dense forest inhabited by elves and beast-people, who lived in a more primitive, non-civilized manner. They served as a natural buffer between Azuria and the militaristic Kingdom of Armis, which had a history of conquest. Mia wished she could have answered more, but her opportunities to research history and geography in the past few days had been limited, and while she had stumbled upon a helpful library, there wasn't enough money to purchase books at the moment.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Following these were questions about magic, specifically regarding emitters, controllers, cultivators, and how they advanced in their respective abilities. Mia managed to answer all these questions using the knowledge she possessed. While they were relatively simple, most individuals typically had knowledge of only one of the various types of mana users.
The final segment of the test proved to be a stark contrast to the previous sections. It was as if she had been playfully sparring with a child, only for the child to suddenly transform into a championship boxer and attempt to knock her out.
Logical math questions, questions in languages she couldn't understand normally, and inquiries about military strategy and governance suddenly appeared. Mia summoned her memory to answer the mathematical questions, though it took a considerable effort. For the questions in unfamiliar languages, she employed her peculiar ability, swiftly responding to queries like "What color is the hair of Character X in this text?" She also took the precaution of creating a cheat sheet for these languages on the spot, writing down translations to ensure she could decipher them later, should her ability wane. When it came to military inquiries, Mia did her best to remember the knowledge of Sun Tzu's Art of War to formulate her responses. For questions concerning governance, her answers consistently emphasized letting the most qualified individuals assume roles of leadership and advocating for personal freedom as long as it didn't harm others.
Barely managing to finish within the allotted time, Mia submitted her test papers. Glancing around, she noticed that many students wore expressions of frustration and dissatisfaction with the examination. Whispers filled the room as some lamented that they had scarcely answered half the questions.
Once everyone had submitted their papers, they were directed to a waiting area within another building. A grand feast was laid out, and it appeared to be more of a celebratory gathering than a mere break. People from diverse backgrounds socialized, creating a lively atmosphere akin to a party.
Mia promptly located her family amidst the crowd. They were engaging in lively conversation and enjoying the food. While some individuals chose not to mingle with what they perceived as "commoners," Mia paid them no mind. Whispers about the next two tests circulated, reminding her of the challenges ahead. She needed to be at her best to secure good results.