What, What? You Underwent Additional Awakening?

“The Magic Officer Qualification Review consists of three stages: a written and practical exam that you should be able to handle easily if you didn’t sleep through your classes, and a mana grade check to determine awakened suitability.”

Below the square where hundreds of cadets were lined up in an orderly manner, Rustet continued his final address before the qualification exam.

“It has been a long semester. Some of you may have made precious friends, while others may have grown through consistent training.”

Zzzzing!

“There’s one thing I really want to convey to you all.”

He gripped the crackling microphone and looked down at the cadets spread out before him.

“Your time spent at the military academy will by no means have been in vain.

Today, you’ll be evaluated on the towers you’ve painstakingly built. Some may fall into despair and disappointment, while others will savor joy. That’s the cold reality of the qualification review.”

“However, I firmly believe that for all of you, the memories at Astrakhan will serve as good fertilizer for future development.

Even after leaving Astrakhan Military Academy, I want you to participate in Bern’s great strides based on the knowledge you’ve acquired here. You are valuable assets of the nation.”

From this day on, the fate of the candidates will be decided. Whether it’s a best friend you’ve been with throughout your school life or a classmate you’ve just started to get close to, one-third of the people around me will disappear indiscriminately.

Perhaps because of this, a gloomy atmosphere hung over the square.

From the perspective of cadets who know about separation and understand parting, how would the qualification review be perceived?

They could see it as finally reaching the finish line of realizing their dream of becoming officers, but they can’t simply smile because they might have to say goodbye to friends.

“Show the maximum of your abilities that you can boast in the qualification review. Leave no regrets! Give your best in the exam.”

Knowing this, Rustet raised his voice even more to motivate the cadets.

He didn’t allow the cadets to fall into helplessness.

Drawing on his decades of experience encouraging soldiers under his command, he encouraged the children to face the review with their own abilities.

“Yes──!”

This produced quite successful results.

“For the Empire.”

“For the Empire!”

In the end, cadets were cadets. When a general who serves as their role model sent a message of encouragement, they soon regained their spirit and their eyes blazed with determination.

“See you later! Yena, fighting!”

“Yes, Erika, you fight too.”

“I’ll be going too.”

“Alright.”

Erika and Lina were the same.

They set off towards the exam room with a posture full of determination.

“The second exam room is…”

After Rustet finished his speech, the qualification review started smoothly.

“It’s here.”

The candidates moved to their assigned exam rooms following the instructors’ guidance.

As announced, the first was the [Written Exam].

They were to solve problems based on what was taught in classes, like the 《Theory of Magic》 that Erika and Lina had mentioned before.

It reminded me of a verification method similar to some modern exams.

Even the point of having to solve problems in a classroom was exactly the same.

“The time limit is until noon. It consists of a total of 100 questions, and if you’re caught peeking at someone else’s exam paper, you’ll be immediately disqualified. Understood?”

“Yes!”

“Then… begin the exam.”

The scene upon entering the exam room was also similar. I solved problems under the supervision of instructors along with about forty other candidates.

The qualification review wasn’t anything grand.

It was the kind of method that ordinary universities might implement.

If you were expecting a barbaric method of fighting and ranking, with failing cadets being completely eliminated, you’d be disappointed.

It was more appropriate to see it as a time to verify the knowledge gained so far.

Most of the evaluation had been completed even before the semester ended anyway.

The hardships endured in Sevirpol and during training couldn’t have been in vain. They were already reflected in the evaluation each time.

“Exam over! Everyone put your hands under the desk.”

“Ah, I couldn’t finish…”

“D-Did I write it wrong?”

“Quiet! Who’s talking? Do you want to fail before the review is even over?”

“N-No, I’m sorry…”

“Anyway, tsk, candidates whose exam papers have been collected may leave.”

The rest of the process wasn’t particularly unusual either.

“Student name?”

“Yena Freud.”

“Ah, you’re that… ahem! Let’s start the practical exam.”

The practical exam also consisted of processes such as disassembling and reassembling firearms, checking if flight equipment is worn according to the correct procedure, and responding to various wound models with appropriate medical actions.

“Next is the comprehensive ability test…”

That’s why I approached the qualification review without any particular reaction. If it had been interesting, I would have come to the square with a big smile.

While it might not be for other students, things like practical and written exams were utterly boring for me.

How many times have I taken qualification reviews?

I’ve even memorized the model answers, so that says it all.

Click, click!

“Oh, Yena Freud?”

“Officer Derian?”

[Ability Testing Center]

Not long after the practical exam, the last exam location appeared. And I quickly bowed my head at an unexpected encounter.

“I didn’t know you were serving as an examiner.”

“Well, it’s not really that, I got stuck with it after losing a bet.”

“……”

“Come this way, let’s check your mana first.”

The place I arrived at following Derian was a spacious open area in front of the testing center.

“Urgh, ugh!”

“One more, last one!”

“Argh…”

Do you remember the test conducted on the day of the entrance ceremony?

This comprehensive ability test was similar to that.

It followed the procedure of verifying basic physical abilities such as strength and stamina to check how much they had improved compared to the beginning of the semester.

One difference was…

“Hans Bine, mana grade 7. Disqualified.”

“Ah, as expected…”

“Next, Licht von Raiern, place your hand on the magic stone.”

This time, they were also conducting mana grade checks right next to the physical ability testing room.

Their intention must be to fail those who don’t meet the qualifications without further consideration. Indeed, the military academy was truly ruthless in these aspects.

“Yena, will you be alright?”

“Pardon?”

“I heard your mana grade is very low.”

“Ah… so you knew.”

Knowing the academy’s intentions, Derian couldn’t bring himself to leave my side.

It seems he already knew my mana grade.

It’s not particularly classified information, so it’s bound to spread.

“Even if you receive an unfavorable result, don’t be discouraged. If you wish, I’ll personally endorse you as my direct secretary and arrange for you to work in the staff department.”

What a warm consideration.

Look at that heart, willing to readily offer his secretary position. It’s not a low-ranking title either. As he mentioned, the secretary belongs to the staff department, a position that can only be appointed if one wields considerable influence in the department.

Of course, the decision-making power lies solely with the officer in charge, but for the sake of smooth work processing, it was common to hire capable personnel from the staff department as secretaries.

“Haha, thank you.”

Whether that statement was sincere or not, I could at least tell that he thought well of me.

“However, I’ll just accept the sentiment.”

I bowed slightly to Derian, who was looking down at me with gentle eyes, holding both my shoulders.

“Officer.”

“Hmm, go ahead.”

Anyway, all of his talk only applies in the situation where I fail, right?

Normally, mana grade wasn’t a figure that changed in a short period of less than a year. That’s why Derian must have spoken with failure in mind.

“Since I’ve undergone additional awakening. You don’t need to worry.”

“Uh… huh?”

But I wasn’t a cadet belonging to that ‘normal’ category.

Thud, thud!

“Ye-Yena! Wh-What did you say?”

Derian’s urgent cry can be heard.

I moved towards the mana testing site right in front of me, using this as background music.

“That instructor seems to be calling you, are you sure it’s okay not to go?”

Nod─

“Alright, your name?”

“Yena Freud.”

“Ah, you’re the one… You received grade 7 in the last test, right?”

“That’s correct.”

“Sigh, that’s unfortunate. I heard Instructor Gartel favors you.”

A man wearing the same officer uniform as Derian pointed to the magic stone with his chin.

“Just place your hand here.”

A mana measuring device, huh?

Memories of the candidates exclaiming “Wow, it’s a magic stone!” at the beginning of the semester came flooding back.

It was fun watching the children’s reactions back then.

“Yes, understood.”

Now, it’s a sight we can’t see anymore as everyone has become accustomed to the school equipment.

Zzzzing!

As I placed my palm firmly on the purple gem, the light characteristic of the mana measuring device scattered around. At the same time, the screen displaying the grade lit up.

“Yena Freud, grade 7, disqualified… huh?”

The man in charge of the mana test was about to mark a fail on the result sheet with bleary eyes.

Ding ding!

[6]

Until a completely unexpected number appeared.

“Gasp!”

The man ended up dropping his fountain pen on the floor.

“I pass, right?”

Additional awakening.

“Uh, um… that’s right, y-you pass.”

It was the moment when my achievement was finally announced to the world.