The one shouting was a tough-looking man with a Mohawk.
“No matter how I look at it… that’s clearly a baby who hasn’t even turned one yet!”
“Oh, are you talking about me? Don’t worry—I’m not the one taking the exam.”
“Oh, I see! My bad, my bad! I actually have a nephew around the same age, so I just got curious. Besides, no one under five years of adventuring experience should even be eligible for this exam!”
Apparently, he wasn’t angry at all, well, just loud.
“W-wait… a baby is talkiiiiinggggg!?”
Yeah, thanks for the expected reaction.
“Now, we’ll begin the explanation of the exam.”
Ignoring the astonished Mohawk man, Randia began to speak.
“The exam is divided into three stages: the first, second, and final rounds. Each stage has its own passing criteria. Should you fail to meet them, you will be disqualified on the spot and will not be allowed to proceed to the next stage. Please take note of this.”
Meanwhile, the Mohawk guy was losing his mind, yelling, “Wait… this is really a baby?! My nephew can barely say ‘ah’ or ‘uh’!”
Everyone else, however, listened intently, fully focused on Randia’s explanation.
“The first and second stages of the exam will take place in the Great Magical Frontier that spreads around this headquarters—the Infinite Wastelands. As you are all aware, the Wastelands are home to countless vicious monsters, and it is said that the deeper you venture into its heart, the stronger those creatures become.
The Wastelands are divided into zones: the Outer Rim, the Mid Layer, and the Deep Layer. Our headquarters lies at the very edge of the Outer Rim.
The Deep Layer… once you step into it, even S-Rank adventurers are not guaranteed to return safely.
For the exam, the first stage will take place in the Deep Layer, and the second stage will push even further—into the deepest part of the Deep Layer itself.”
While several candidates gasped, the Mohawk man still tilted his head in confusion, muttering to himself: “Wait… maybe my nephew’s development is just slow? Do babies normally start talking this early…?”
Randia continued
“The passing rates are roughly twenty percent for the first stage and ten percent for the second. Naturally, there is also a risk of death during the exam. In fact, around fifty candidates have died in past sessions.
Even if you fail, you may attempt the exam again after a year, though many are left traumatized by the experience. In reality, only about one in five of those who fail ever return to take the exam a second time.”
It was shaping up to be an incredibly dangerous exam.
The other candidates grew even more serious, their faces tightening with resolve—but the Mohawk man was so lost in thought, muttering to himself: “I’ve never dealt with a baby other than my nephew… I have no idea what to do! Damn it, I should’ve spent more time around babies!”
The explanation continued,
“Honestly speaking, there is little practical advantage in becoming an S-Rank adventurer. By the time you reach A-Rank, you should already be earning plenty, and the privileges granted by the Adventurers’ Guild are largely capped. There is little you will gain by reaching S-Rank.
Now, is there meaning in risking your life to aim for it? There is still time before tomorrow’s exam begins, so I strongly recommend that each of you reflect on this question carefully. Should you ultimately decide not to proceed, that would be a completely sensible choice. You won’t be critized if you backed out.”
The candidates listened with serious expressions, though a few couldn’t help but chuckle at how unusually frank the examiner was.
…Meanwhile, the Mohawk man was still muttering to himself, nodding and groaning as if the world depended on his thoughts.
In reality, no one here would seriously consider withdrawing. These were adventurers who had climbed to the top of their ranks—they were fearless, reckless, and utterly uninterested in money or privileges.
“I can’t help but worry about my nephew! I’m sorry, but I’m going to withdraw from this exam!”
“““…Eeh?”””
Wait, seriously!?
Hey, Mohawk guy!?
“By all means, feel free.”
Randia said with a calm smile.
With that, the Mohawk man bolted from the room with all the force of a cannon, leaving everyone else blinking in stunned silence.
“That brings the number of candidates down to eleven. The promotion exam will begin as scheduled tomorrow at 10 a.m. so please gather in the lobby by then.”
With that, the briefing concluded. As the candidates filed out of the conference room, I called out to Orion.
“Orion-niichan, I’ll return this to you.”
I pulled out the full set of orichalcum equipment once worn by Lion, the hero and ancestor of Orion, from my subspace.
When we left the Arseral Empire, Orion had entrusted it to me, saying, “If I keep this, I’ll rely too much on its power—so please hold onto it for me.”
“I think you could easily draw out all its power right now.”
Orion hesitated for a moment, then shook her head.
“No. I want to get through this exam without relying on it. If I pass, it will mean I’ve truly become someone worthy of this equipment. Only then can I wear it again with confidence.”
“I see… Got it. Good luck, Orion-niichan. …Oh, right. Actually, I did use it once—temporarily took an adult form and wore it while naked, so, uh… sorry about that.”
“W-what!? What does that even mean!? That’s way too much information at once that I can’t even process it!”
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
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