Ch.66 – A Carriage Journey Without Skips

<6 – A Carriage Journey Without Skip>

[Training period has ended.]

[All increased training efficiency returns to normal.]

The month-long training was over.

It was a difficult time, but I worked hard since it was an opportunity to gain significant experience with minimal effort.

By actively utilizing the know-how I knew from player knowledge to increase experience points, the power of my sword and archery skills improved dramatically.

Maybe I’m a bit strong now?

Before entering the academy, my sword and archery skills are definitely good enough that no one would ever call them insufficient.

“I’m not sure if Miss Oknodie knows this, but Gift Academy is a facility that nurtures the world’s finest talents. Anyone under the age of 20 can apply.”

“Uh. I already know that much?”

“Then you must also be aware of the qualification exam that tests one’s eligibility to take the entrance exam, given the overwhelming number of applicants.”

Of course I do.

The qualification exam is the first test for admission.

<Entrance Exam Qualification Event>

You who wish to enter the continent’s premier academy.

To prove you have the minimum qualifications to challenge the academy, you must pass the qualification exam for the entrance exam.

Find an examiner who distributes entrance exam tickets, take the test required by each examiner, and receive a ticket as proof of passing.

If you’re on your own, gathering information costs a fortune, and getting there costs even more.

There’s a reason people take blood donation jobs, clinical trial jobs, or experimental jobs in back alleys.

To gather money for places like this, you really can’t afford to be picky about whether a job is safe or unsafe.

Of course, for the wealthy starter Oknodie with 100 gold coins in support funds, part-time jobs are a distant story.

I just trained hard.

“There are three examiners you can visit in this area. Two are lower examiners with several tickets, and one is a higher examiner with dozens of tickets.”

“Then obviously the higher examiner!”

“Such confidence without asking about the difficulty of the test. Are you sure you won’t regret it?”

Heh, lower? Intermediate?

Tests from examiners with just one or two tickets, or at most around ten, are content for beginners or intermediate players.

For veteran players like me, places where you only get a ‘ticket’ are inefficient.

“Where is the higher examiner?”

“At the ‘Garden of Gods,’ one of the world’s ten famous sites. It’s on a list of places that travelers who love wandering the world should visit before they die, at an altitude of 12,500 meters.”

“Hmm.”

“You’re quite confident.”

“Don’t worry. I’m Oknodie, remember?”

“With that confidence, your success seems guaranteed.”

Fortunately, the Divine Mountain wasn’t too far from the starting point.

The exam locations you can visit are limited by physical proximity.

If you had money to burn, you could travel by airship looking for easier exam locations, but that’s burdensome even for the noble papa route that starts with 100 gold coins.

Maybe if it were the great noble route that starts with 1000 gold coins.

‘There are shortcuts though.’

There’s also the method of flexing gold coins to buy tickets, but it’s just an entrance exam.

The market price for a ticket is 10 gold coins.

It’s too frustrating to spend a fortune while risking getting fake tickets.

The price for a guaranteed safe ticket is 100 gold coins.

That would mean giving up all my support funds.

As a veteran player, that’s out of the question.

‘This round of skill training went well.’

Thanks to the butler’s care, I could focus solely on training, and my sword and archery skills improved greatly.

Thanks to using the maid for training, my stealth and hiding skills also showed remarkable improvement.

“I must emphasize again that wand magic is sealed until you enter the academy. Do you understand?”

“Yes~”

Instead of the long name “qualification exam for the entrance exam,” players and NPCs call it the ticket exam.

Of course, this exam, where luck runs wild, also has elements determined by probability.

‘Surprisingly, the examiner isn’t random.’

Instead, the test given by the examiner is random.

You only find out what test you’ll get after the examiner presents it on site.

‘If it’s an examiner from Divine Mountain… it won’t be trivial.’

The ticket exam, I’m starting to look forward to it a bit.

* *

“Are you sure this luggage is sufficient?”

“This is enough.”

The butler looked at my bag with disapproval.

A standard adventurer’s set filled with preserved food, adventure tools, and first aid supplies.

Along with weapons to protect myself.

This was all I had.

He probably thinks these items don’t suit a ‘young lady.’

But I have lines I won’t cross.

“Things like teddy bear pillows or cumbersome ribbon headbands. Such mysterious young lady items are just annoying and extra baggage.”

“The master will be sad.”

“Hmph. I can train hard, but I refuse anything that suits a girl’s taste.”

My body may have become a girl, but my mind is still male.

Although I was transmigrated into a game world after suddenly becoming TS overnight, I have no intention of living like a real girl.

Before being a girl, I’m a player.

That identity is more important to me.

Because it’s the only way left to remember who I was when I was male.

The result is extreme efficiency.

A cold basic outfit that doesn’t consider appearance at all, the adventurer’s set (female).

“It suits you well, Miss.”

“Thank you, Leaf.”

Unlike the butler who only speaks properly, Maid Leaf only says pleasant things.

Because of this, I tend to rely on her often, but it’s not a loss since I can get snacks.

Ah, today’s candy is a bit fizzy in my mouth.

Is it a star candy concept?

“I’ll get a uniform when I enter the academy anyway.”

“We need photos to report to the master.”

“…That must be really expensive.”

In a world where scientific development has been delayed due to the existence of magic.

The magical device <camera> created by magic is an extravagant luxury with limited shots.

To use such a premium item just to see how his daughter dresses, this father must be quite the daughter-obsessed parent.

‘Well, if he’s extraordinary enough to assign someone as amazing as Jona as a butler, he’s not an ordinary noble father.’

For a noble who generously provides 100 gold coins as support funds, what’s a camera?

“Just once, okay?”

At a rest stop for the carriage.

The other passengers laughed as the butler actually brought a teddy bear and ribbon headband.

“Whew~ Aren’t you cute, miss.”

“Hey mister, don’t flirt with a child.”

“Bard sir, I’ll give you three copper coins, so stop being creepy and sing us a song.”

The bearded hunter silently stealing glances at my legs from the corner, and being treated like a cute child by the hiking tourist couple, are both uncomfortable.

The bard who made eye contact keeps winking at me.

“Then the song I’ll perform now is… The White-Skinned Girl.”

Oh please.

Stop this humiliation play!

* *

The exam site was crowded with capable people under the age of 20.

The inn at the foot of Divine Mountain was packed with people trying to meet the examiner.

“Every year I think this, but the ticket exam is really popular. All the nimble explorers and powerful rookie adventurers have gathered.”

“Mister, you’re over twenty, so why are you here?”

“Haha. What else can old folks do, miss? Obviously to watch. Of course, I’m here to cheer for the most beautiful participant, you!”

Unlike the other passengers who got off on the way to Divine Mountain, the bard who shared the boring carriage journey to the end blows a kiss with his hand to his mouth.

At first, I thought he was a creepy pedophile, but after realizing the bard’s value during the long, boring journey, my perspective changed.

In a world without <Fast Travel> or <Skip>, a bard on a carriage is as popular as a celebrity with thousands of fans.

If it weren’t for the bard alleviating the boredom of the long carriage journey, everyone would have gone crazy from the uncomfortable butler and maid who cast silence debuffs.

‘Well, that was until the bard got hit after trying to make a move.’

I can’t excuse his attempt to put his arm around my shoulder pretending it was a drunken mistake.

Because of Jona who acted first, one of the bard’s eyes is still black like a panda.

The atmosphere became terrible after the other passengers all got off at the mountain entrance, having realized the butler’s frightening nature.

“Miss, your heart is too loose. Don’t be too fond of wandering bards who peddle stories and songs.”

“What’s wrong with that? It was nice not being bored.”

After casually waving goodbye to the bard, Leaf slightly shifted her steps.

“Where are you going?”

“I have something to attend to briefly.”

“Can’t I come with you?”

When I grabbed her maid skirt with an inexplicable anxiety, Leaf silently sighed.

“Lucky bastard…”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Then let’s go together.”

Ms. Leaf seems cheerful but actually talks very little.

Her occasional quiet muttering also makes her seem unsociable.

She’s the type of maid who seems a bit unsafe to leave alone.

“There are a lot of people.”

“If you wish, I can stand in line instead. Since it’s a rare trip, how about enjoying some sightseeing?”

Bustling crowds.

A waiting line that stretches endlessly like people crazy about a famous restaurant.

The snake-like coiled shape makes me dizzy.

The stress is overwhelming just looking at the line, enough to break Leaf’s resolve to improve her social skills.

It’s obvious we won’t get in within a day or two.

When people gather, some mindlessly join the back of the line without knowing what it’s for, then get angry when they end up at a street vendor’s skewer grill.

In the end, the skill of the street vendor who sells skewers to those people is somewhat admirable.

“Don’t even think about it.”

The butler noticed my gaze and issued a warning.

“It might be meat from rats that grew up eating mud water on the streets. As long as I’m here, I won’t let such junk food enter your mouth.”

“Butler Jona, you’re too strict. If you’re that picky, there’s nothing we can eat outside.”

“Then from now on, you should only eat food that I prepare.”

“Tch. It’s not like you’ll be with me forever.”

Jona’s expression darkened slightly.

If I had to compare, it was like the face of a father who realizes his daughter will grow up, marry another man, and leave his care.

Feeling a bit sorry, I gently took his hand, and he frowned severely.

*squeeze*

While pretending to dislike it with his expression, the butler carefully holds my hand as if touching a sugar sculpture that would break with the slightest pressure.

They say male tsunderes are disgusting, but our butler might be a little cute.