Chapter 44: So Even This World Has Interviews

“The examination is the day after tomorrow!?”

I shouted when Eve suddenly told me the date.

“I’m sorry! And because the examination will be held at a military garrison northeast of Delcour, we have to leave today if we’re going to arrive in time.”

Eve bowed apologetically. None of this was her fault, but it was certainly sudden. My whole body was still battered and bruised.

“You haven’t done anything wrong, Eve.”

“I’ve been ordered to return to the garrison for now, so I’ll travel with you.”

“That’ll be a great help.”

Ever since that great battle, events had been moving at a frightening pace. Would I truly be useful in the military… and as a strategist, of all things…?

“We’ll leave by nightfall, so make sure you’re ready.”

With that, Eve departed.

I wanted to tell Neon that I’d survived, but apparently there was no time. In the end, I set out for the garrison carrying Becker’s letter of recommendation and the reward money he’d given me.

The garrison we eventually reached was an imposing structure worthy of being called a small fortress. Though old, it had been sturdily constructed, and numerous armed soldiers hurried through its halls.

“Are you nervous?”

“Of course I am. I can’t fight at all, so why am I even in a place like this?”

“But you defeated a grand crocodile.”

“I wasn’t the one who—”

“Have some confidence! Delcour might have been destroyed if you hadn’t been there. What you did was that incredible! There isn’t much time, so the examination should begin soon. It’s a good thing you had Becker’s recommendation. Normally, you can only join after taking the annual examination.”

Eve spoke brightly, without the slightest doubt that I’d pass. Perhaps because the workplace was mostly male—or simply because Eve was beautiful—many of the knights’ gazes were fixed on her.

A muscular young man with short hair, the very image of a soldier, approached us from ahead.

“Sibyl, we’ll begin the written examination now. Come with me.”

“Yes, sir!”

My voice cracked slightly as I answered.

“Good luck, Sibyl. I hope we’re assigned to the same knight order.”

Eve whispered gently into my ear.

Steeling myself, I headed toward the examination room.

“I wonder how I did…”

After finishing the written examination in a small room, I stared blankly at the ceiling. Naturally, I’d answered every true-or-false question correctly by asking Lady Metis.

I’d also been raised as a noble, however little that meant now, so I thought I’d answered nearly all the general-knowledge questions.

But the written questions on military strategy were another matter. I’d understood almost none of them. I’d never studied the subject, so of course I’d been forced to write whatever came to mind.

An aspiring strategist who knew nothing about strategy.

Wasn’t that a serious problem?

Still, perhaps they would accept me based on my future potential. It wouldn’t matter much to me if I failed, but I didn’t want to disappoint Eve and Becker after they’d placed their faith in me.

As I turned the matter over in my mind, the door opened.

“Next is the interview. Come with me.”

“Yes, sir!”

There was no point worrying about an examination I’d already completed. Resolving myself for whatever came next, I headed for the interview room.