I turn when I hear the door open, surprised to recognize the one who will presiding over our exam.

Miss Talia enters the room, her eyes closed as usual, dressed in a simple gray robe. She glides down the aisle between the tables, the young girl who I recognize as her attendant following behind her with another cart, this one with papers stacked a top it. I hear many of the initiates speaking about her closed eyes, and a few of the men about her beauty, as she moves to the front of the room.

“Good morning,” she says smoothly. “My name is Umphrieltalia. I am not an instructor, but the dorm mother of the Gold Dorm. I have been asked to assist the instructors and I assure you that I am very qualified to do so.

“You will be given a test paper with twenty questions and a blank paper on which to write your answers. Answer as many questions as you can in the time allotted. Do not speak to anyone. Do not attempt to cheat, as I will know. I am allowed to clarify questions. If you require, raise a hand and wait for me to come to you. Are there any questions?”

If someone did have any questions, I doubt they’d ask. Miss Talia’s presence is both oppressive an unnerving. I know that the other initiates can feel her attention on them, something their minds are telling them is impossible given her closed eyes. At least I know she has a powerful mental affinity. They have to endure the weight of her scrutiny without understanding it on top of the mounting stress of the impending exam.

“Very good. Marie, please pass out the tests.” Ah, that was her name.

[Good morning, Lou.]

I nod toward Miss Talia as I hear her voice in my mind. Good morning to you as well.

[I should inform you that I was specifically chosen to administer the test for your group because of you and your succubi.]

I understand but I must admit to being disappointed. As a summoner, shouldn’t my elementals count as part of my abilities? I can understand forcibly reading someone’s mind being a big no no, but I have no intention of doing any of the sort.

[You are correct. The Hall would not begrudge the use of your elementals. As you say, it is a part of your strength. There are mental spells that can aid in recall. To ban your elementals would mean banning all mental casters as well. What I am here to prevent is the use of your succubi to aid others. Many attendants of the Hall are quite wealthy and would pay good money indeed to achieve perfect scores. The instructors need correct information from which to invite new students so I can’t allow this.]

Saints damn it, that is a wonderful idea. I can’t believe I didn’t think of it. Ah, well, you have nothing to worry about. I’m currently in the middle of a competition that doesn’t permit the use of succubi.

[Yes. A competition with the blonde beside you. You have yet to introduce me.]

Hm. Is that a note of displeasure? I can never be sure with Miss Talia. Really, you’re a hard woman to get a hold of. You’ve declined many invitations over the past few weeks. I missed you.

[Unfortunately, the Grandmaster himself asked me to assist the crown in its investigation of Quest. Besides that, there have been a series of incidents in the Gold Dorm, petty grievances, and violence. It seems the young nobility have become restless.]

This time, I can clearly make out a hint of disappointment, along with the smallest downturn of her lips. Why don’t you suggest something? With the impending end of mandatory lessons, I’ll have all the time in the world.

[Hm. I will have to think on it. For now, good luck with your test.]

Thank you, but I don’t need luck.

Once Marie finishes handing everyone their papers, Miss Talia announces for us to begin.

I look at the question sheet. Hm. Twenty questions divided into four categories of mana, spellcraft, enchantment, and history. Mano didn’t lie, there is no way initiates would be able to answer all of these. And some of them are deceptively simple. The first question on the page is something I’d expect.

What is mana?

The simple answer, the one that even children know, is that mana is energy. A fundamental force that powers the world.

While there is a simple answer, there are also plenty of casters who dedicate their lives to the mystery of mana. Whole books have been written on the subject. Some could say we don’t know what mana is. I wonder what kind of score that answer will get.

They have questions that progress in difficulty, I assume to gauge someone’s skill. There’s the question—

Construct a basic and intermediate spell of each affinity.

-which is simple enough, I suppose. For the basic spell, you can do the ‘arrow’ spell which is just throwing a mass of the affinity in a direction. Intermediate spells are also easy as any channeled spell can be considered intermediate, which is as simple as leaving out the mana coefficient in a spell and replacing with a channeling variable.

Right below that is an impossible question.

Construct an advanced and master spell of each affinity.

For saints sake, a master spell of each affinity? If these questions were being scored, we’d all fail. Master spells are in an entirely different league. They’re the spells that can raise a building in one day, call down storms, and blow away a city’s walls. They’re the spells that string along dozens of variables, compounding several smaller spells into massive feats of magic. Master-level spells are priceless, the knowledge of them strictly monitored by the kingdom. And they’re asking for one for each affinity? Saints give me the strength. Anyone who can do that needs to skip right past acolyte and straight to instructor.

Of course, compared to some of the mind-bendingly complex spells Geneva has shown me that weave together thousands upon thousands of variables, it’s child’s play, but I can’t even look at those without getting dizzy.

I barely pause on the section on enchanting.

The last section is history. Interestingly enough, not just about the Harvest Kingdom. The very first question is—

What was the event that caused the division of the races? What caused the event?

Whew. What a loaded question. I know what the history books tell us. I also know what the elves have passed down. I’ve listened to the firsthand accounts and information Geneva gathered from other succubi contracted during the time. Despite that, I can’t answer the question confidently.

For humanity, the Great War came about when goblinoids attacked their settlements on Green Mountain, forcing them to flee to the yet unconquered Harvest. Why they suddenly attacked is lost to history, though some say it was a result of decades of persecution against the far weaker and less intelligent races.

Why the dragons warred, shattering their continent into the group of islands now known as the Dragon Isles, no one knows. We do know that the aftermath could be felt around the world and that draconids fled to every continent, bringing devastation as they sought to build new homes.

Fighting dragon kin is impossible for all but the greatest heroes. Which meant that the other races had no choice but to fight against themselves. The goblinoids chased humans to Harvest, fighting hard for the coast. Once they fled toward the south, they involved the elves in the, who reigned death on the southern half of the continent. At the end of the day, the fighting was too intense for anyone to stop and wonder ‘How did we get here?’

I find myself feeling taxed when I finally set down the quill, enchanted to use mana for ink amazingly. I haven’t answered as many questions as I imagined when I heard there were going to be twenty, but I’m confident I’ve demonstrated an above average understanding of the topics. I could have amazed someone by writing out a few master spells, as I understand the theory well enough, but there’s no need for that. Like I said, priceless, every single one of them. I’d be harassed every day, besieged by people wondering who taught me or wondering how they missed such a prodigy. The last thing I need are a bunch of casters salivating over me.

Despite my closed eyes, I can track the others’ progress. Some people are muttering to themselves, racking their brains for every little fact they can remember. A few quills write with barely a pause, the scholars in our midst enjoying the exercise. There are quiet groans from the unprepared, lamenting their lack of focus.

After enjoying a buffet of expletives meant for no one’s ears from someone near the front, I turn my focus to my friend. Alana’s quill is still moving, pausing often as she contemplates the questions. I don’t want to put Miss Talia in a bind by blatantly looking at her paper so I can only guess as to her progress but from her slightly elevated heart rate and more frequent sighs, she’s not doing as well as she’d hope.

“Should have studied more,” I whisper once I hear her put her quill down.

“You put your quill down before me,” she whispers back even more quietly, having plenty of experience with my hearing.

“That’s because I’m confident in my knowledge.”

“Confident enough to up the wager?”

“Where does this end? Pretty soon you’ll be wagering your hand in marriage.”

“And what are you going to offer me in return? I won’t even consider it for anything less than…the kingdom.”

“If that’s what you want.” Hah, I really wish that’s what you wanted. I’d gladly dethrone a king. But for now, we’ll keep playing pretend. “You raising the bet to three hundred gold?”

She huffs. “Yeah. And if you win…”

“Then our fun day becomes a fun weekend. Oh, and you have to call me honey the entire time. Like you mean it, Alana.”

“Damn it, Lou.”

“I think you’re getting off easy. The last woman who tried to get that much gold off me—”

“Agh, fine. You’re going to lose anyway.”

“When you lose, don’t take it too hard.”

“Whatever you say, honey.”

Shivers go down my spine. “I take it back.” Saints give me patience, if she calls me that in that tone of a little shy wife, I’m going to do something stupid. “No deal.”

“Oh, no. You can’t take it back, honey. We’re on.”

I let out a controlled breath to combat the strange twisting in my gut that word causes. “One of these days, you’re going to have to take responsibility for toying with maidens the way you do, rogue.”

“Hmph. Point out those supposed maidens first. And you’ll be taking responsibility before me, you flirt. It’s a good thing people can’t have pure affinities or you’d burn away the clothes of every pretty girl that passes your sight with your shameless thoughts.”

That’d be a whole new way of undressing someone with my eyes, heh. “Bring it on. I’d be well on my way to establishing my harem by now if it weren’t for you. Don’t worry. I like jealous women, too.”

“Who’s jealous?” she hisses.