How to Raise a Dumb Wolf - Chapter 116

Half an hour later, however, everyone had completely forgotten their doubts about whether the Mage Certification Examination tested well-rounded ability, or whether that put mages with unusual abilities at a disadvantage.

“A perfect score in healing magic!”

“A perfect score in spatial magic too! That might be a record, right? Who normally studies spatial magic…? Wait, she’s taking the combat spell test now. A mage who specializes in healing usually isn’t very good at combat—ninety-one! That’s so high!”

“Does she really have unusual magical abilities? At her level, couldn’t she take the intermediate examination directly?”

“She doesn’t seem very good at transformation magic, though. She only scored in the seventies…”

“Since when is a score in the seventies bad? I’ll be happy just to pass!”

“That’s because you…”

As the voices rose behind her, Aisha kept her wand steady and maintained an even flow of magic so that nothing would go wrong during the test. Even so, she could not help feeling embarrassed. She seemed to be drawing far too much attention. People did discuss her from time to time, but there were so many voices now that it felt as though the entire examination hall were watching her.

In the end, she received a respectable eighty-five in communication magic. Judging by her scores so far, she would not merely earn her certified mage qualification in the Junior Mage Certification Examination; she would receive an Excellent evaluation as well.

It was about what she had expected of herself. Aisha breathed a sigh of relief.

“Don’t let the others affect you. You’re Eric Green’s student. It’s only natural that you would stand out,” the examiner overseeing her said reassuringly. “Keep steady.”

“Mm. Thank you.”

Aisha gave the examiner a sheepish smile. He had probably seen her high marks in spatial and healing magic, as well as her excellent result in combat magic—an area in which healing-oriented mages were generally weak—and assumed that the attention around her had caused her to underperform in transformation and communication magic. That was why he had offered the friendly reminder.

Aisha was grateful, if a little ashamed. She had not actually been affected. She was simply good at spatial magic because she had spent a year researching it for her graduation thesis. As for combat magic… that was connected to her plans after graduation. Every score reflected her normal performance.

After thanking the examiner, Aisha continued through the remaining tests. Her scores in the other branches of magic mostly fell in the seventies and eighties. Before long, under the astonished and envious gazes of the crowd, she received a certificate of qualification bearing an Excellent evaluation.

Holding the certificate, Aisha tightened her grip on her wand. At a moment like this, she could hardly keep from feeling excited. From this day forward, she was finally a certified mage. Eager to tell the people important to her through communication magic, she quickened her pace and hurried toward the exit.

A young mage who had just received a certificate with a Good evaluation saw her leaving. Still flushed with excitement, he started after her before he had even finished celebrating. His companion stopped him in surprise.

“What are you doing?”

“Uh…” Caught in the act, the newly certified mage scratched his hair, eyes shifting guiltily. “She’s that famous Eric’s student, isn’t she? And she’s such an exceptional mage with unusual abilities. Since we’re all Tower students graduating around the same time, don’t you think… getting acquainted might be helpful to both sides in the future?”

His friend had known him for years and could easily tell that he was lying because he was too embarrassed to admit the truth. With a sigh, he said, “I’d advise you to give up. I don’t know her personally, so I can’t say exactly what the situation is, but at the World Tournament two years ago, Beast’s youngest beastfolk officer gave every one of his victory flowers to her. His name is Les Wolf, and I saw him waiting outside the examination hall just now…”

…

Meanwhile, Aisha had already left the hall. Spotting the tall, straight figure waiting nearby, warmth flooded her heart. She waved vigorously and called happily, “Les!”

The young officer had been standing silently beneath a tree, his expression cool and solemn. At the sound of her voice, he paused and turned. When he saw Aisha standing on tiptoe and waving with all her might, a trace of tenderness entered his quiet eyes. Then he turned fully and strode toward her.

The moment he came close, Aisha threw herself into his arms. Les seemed to freeze for an instant, then smoothly wrapped his arms around her, lifted her up, and kissed her. Most of the examinations had not ended and few candidates had come outside, but Aisha’s face still reddened. Flustered and helpless, she stared at her fiancé for a long moment before patting his shoulder.

“…Put me down first. People may start coming out soon…”

“Mm.”

Les nodded and set her down. In truth, the movement had simply come so naturally to him that only afterward did he realize how abrupt it might have seemed. Still, the thought that he and Aisha were now engaged warmed his heart, and his gaze softened further.

After a pause, he asked quietly, “…Did you pass?”

“Mm.”

Aisha smiled, nodded, and showed him the certificate in her hand.

“I should be able to try the Intermediate Mage Certification Examination next time. I’ll take it once I return to Vitas… though that may be a while. I’ve already discussed it with my parents. After I officially graduate, I’m going to live in Beast for a while, as a sort of graduation trip… just as we planned before.”

Though the matter had long since been decided, Aisha still felt shy saying it aloud. She smiled bashfully at Les, and he too looked slightly awkward. He had always trusted her ability, but seeing her succeed so brilliantly—and seeing how happy it made her—filled him with joy all the same. He struggled to suppress the upward curve of his lips and nodded seriously to show that he understood. Then he carefully sheltered her at his side and prepared to escort her back to the Tower of Magic.

So much time had passed in what seemed like the blink of an eye. After Beast and the Helman Federation ratified the treaty opening their borders, the initial hesitation and cautious curiosity of their peoples gradually gave way to ordinary tourism and trade. Several additional routes had opened between the two countries, both over land and across the sea. Seeing members of another race in one’s own country still drew curious looks, but compared with the past, the peoples of the two nations had unquestionably become much friendlier toward one another. Once Aisha obtained a travel permit, she could naturally travel to Beast without difficulty.

She and Les now wore matching engagement rings. This visit to Beast would allow her to understand him more deeply and see the place where he had grown up. Of course, she would also formally meet his elder once again.

Once everything was prepared, all that remained was to choose a date for the wedding. At the thought, they exchanged a knowing smile. Les tightened his hand around hers and instinctively drew it protectively before him as they walked toward the Tower.

“…So, will your graduation ceremony be at the end of this month, or next month?” he asked.

“This month.”

Aisha smiled. She had taken the certification examination only after her graduation thesis had been accepted. In other words, she had now met every graduation requirement. All she needed to do was submit her certificate and other documents to the administrative office on the first floor of the Tower’s public section, and she could attend this month’s graduation ceremony.

Because of the Tower’s special nature as a magical institution, its students did not graduate on a fixed date like those at ordinary schools. Once a student’s teacher approved their work and the student earned certified mage status, they could graduate. The Tower therefore held a ceremony every month, though the number of graduates varied. Occasionally, no one graduated at all and the ceremony was canceled. Compared with schools whose students graduated together, the ceremonies were relatively small.

Tina had graduated at nineteen. Aisha wished to come as close to her mother’s record as possible, so she naturally chose the earliest available date. Even without such a personal wish, most people chose to graduate as soon as they could. At any school, graduating early was something to be proud of.

But…

Thinking of something that worried her, Aisha lowered her eyes, unease and sadness faintly clouding her face.

…

The Tower of Magic and the assessment center both stood in central Wold, not far from one another, and the two soon arrived. After exchanging a farewell kiss with Les, Aisha entered the Tower alone.

This month’s Mage Certification Examination coincided with the Tower’s recruitment season, making the public section busier than ever. Curious young faces were everywhere, arms full of application materials. They were most likely this year’s candidates.

When they saw Aisha’s Tower uniform, many looked at her with envy. Their gazes differed from those of the students at the examination hall, carrying far more hope and longing.

Aisha pressed her lips together and strode deeper inside. She had taken the public route instead of the direct passage so that she could bring her certificate to the administrative office for confirmation. Yet when she reached it, she hesitated for several seconds. Then she turned away and headed directly for the upper section.

She soon reached the ninth floor. After studying here for nearly three years, Aisha knew every detail of it. She opened the door with practiced ease, but then her steps faltered. Instead of moving on at once, she slowly looked around the room.

Eric disliked change. The ninth floor therefore looked exactly as it had when Aisha first arrived. Thorne had once told her that their teacher had actually rearranged the place somewhat to welcome her, but Aisha had never seen its earlier state. To her, it had always looked like this.

It was a comfortable, quiet place, perfectly suited to research.

Aisha pressed her lips together, finally walked on, and stopped outside Eric’s laboratory. After a moment’s hesitation, she raised her hand and knocked.

“Teacher… I passed.”