𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏
(1)
A bundle of documents was placed heavily on the counter in a face-to-face style.
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“Now, we will proceed with the interview.”
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In front of it, Luo was shrinking in fear.
It was a small office located in an annex of a massive government building.
Bureau of Magic Arche branch.
Inside the room, about ten officials were busy grappling with paperwork.
For the registration of wizards, there are two procedures. An interview is conducted for those who come forward on their own, and a rigorous interrogation is done for those suspected due to reports or allegations.
In Luo’s case, it was a standard interview.
The officer in charge was named Knox.
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“First, please briefly explain your name, age, place of origin, the day you ingested the demon beast egg, the name of the parent demon beast, and the magic you can now use. If you don’t know the name of the parent demon beast, you can describe its size or appearance. We will later verify it with a demon beast encyclopedia.”
“Ah, yes.”
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Listening to Luo’s flustered explanation, Knox seemed irritated. Sensing his mood, Luo became even more disoriented, leading to a vicious cycle of confusion.
Luo’s interview was challenging. Knox had a habit of tapping his fingers on the desk, which increased in speed, and by the end, he was fluidly tapping with all five fingers.
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“Now, let’s move on to the practical test.”
“Prac. . .tical?”
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Luo was taken to a dimly lit room in the basement of the office. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all made of stone, with no furniture. There were various weapons, armor, torches, a bucket of water, and wooden mannequins. Near the ceiling on one wall was a window with iron bars, from which Knox’s voice could be heard.
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“Now, we’ll evaluate your abilities. You can use any tool. Please use your magic in the way that best expresses your capability.”
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Luo struggled with such instructions. If given specific tasks, he might have managed better. But he was left to decide on his own.
As he pondered, a series of tapping sounds came from the window with iron bars.
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“――Eek.”
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At that moment, Luo’s mind went blank.
He put his hand on the stone pavement, tearing a piece out. He didn’t even shape it, leaving it roughly the size of a fist.
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“. . . . . .What are you going to do with that?”
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A cold voice echoed from behind the bars.
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“Um. . . . . .”
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Confused, Luo threw the stone at the wooden mannequin. But it fell short, rolling a bit before stopping.
From behind the window, Knox looked even more irritated.
Sure, the use of tools was permitted, but he hadn’t said anything about breaking the floor. Thinking quickly about the costs and paperwork for repairs, he felt deeply frustrated.
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“Knox, what do you think?”
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Another official was in the room. Evaluations of wizard abilities are always done by the responsible officer and their immediate supervisor. Knox’s boss seemed uninterested, lounging on a sofa with a reddish face, probably from a hangover. Knox saw no need to reprimand him. It would be a waste of time and effort.
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“It’s ‘miss’, isn’t it?”
“I see.”
“It seems like the ability to chip away at stone.”
“Hmm, that’s unusual.”
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The boss stifled a yawn.
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“Should I send him to the mines?”
“He’s still a child. From what I see, his nutritional status isn’t good either. His magical power is weak, and he won’t be of any use if sent to the mines. It might just increase complaints.”
“So, what should we do?”
“Actually, there’s a job opening for a lookout from the dismantler at the employment agency. It’s a short-term job though.”
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A dismantler is a craftsman who dissects demon beasts and distributes them. They are indispensable for the city of Arche, but tend to be shunned by the city’s residents. Many of them live in the “outside the wall” slums.
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“He absorbed the power of a predatory demon beast, so he seems to have quite good vision. It’s not a physically demanding job either, so he seems suited.”
“Well, alright then.”
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The boss stamped a large seal on the registration form.
“Fourth-grade wizard”.
In terms of power and usefulness, he’s at the very bottom. In other words, he’s a “miss” of a wizard.
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“Now, what will the nickname be?”
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The boss began considering with a hint of excitement.
Wizards registered at the Bureau of Magic are given nicknames that concisely represent their abilities. It’s not legally defined, and it’s unclear when this tradition began. It was an old custom.
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“Stone-cutter, pebble. . . . . .no, no.”
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The boss checked the documentation Knox had written.
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“Hmm, a unique skill in rock climbing, huh? That’s different.”
“In his hometown village, he used to gather blue moss.”
“Ah, that’s great on grilled meat. Makes the drink go down. Knox, how about a drink tonight?”
“No, I’d rather not.”
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Getting on the good side of the boss doesn’t necessarily mean faster promotions. Seniority rules. That’s the fate of officials working in remote areas. The boss didn’t seem to take offense, and casually said.
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“Let’s go with ‘Rockwall’. ‘Rockwall Luo”. Has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? I always think I have a knack for naming.”
“It seems so.”
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With a feeling of profound indifference, Knox agreed.
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