I've been thinking this since my previous life, but it's truly a difficult task to aim for the middle.
Most people think that aiming for the middle means just getting by, but that's not the case at all.
One must have the ability to read the flow of events and a mind that can think strategically. Not only that, but one must be even more diligent than those who strive for the best.
Moreover, trials like this come along from time to time.
'A reward from Pharun?'
It wasn't a particularly tempting condition in the first place.
I didn't have much, but I didn't feel lacking. If I needed something, I could just receive it from those who had plenty.
Of course, they wouldn't want to share, but it didn't matter. If I could take it, that was all that mattered.
In this way, I am fundamentally different from ordinary people; I don't crave material things.
But this time was an exception.
'La Fite. I didn't expect there to be an entry restriction.'
The La Fite Library is divided into three floors.
The floor I can access is the first, the lower level.
It is open to Academy students and the nobility of the empire, with the lowest entry requirements, but it boasts a quantity and quality of books that far surpass those of a grand noble's library, befitting its reputation as a library in the eastern continent.
However.
'I couldn't even find the word "magic" there.'
To find any clues about the Fire Seal, I would need to go at least to the middle or upper level.
'But I can't enter.'
There was no way.
From the middle level upwards, only members of the royal family, grand nobles, or heads of prestigious families could enter.
Of course, there were exceptions.
'Professors at the Academy can enter the library freely, regardless of their status. They can enter the middle level, and possibly the upper level. Not only that, but...'
In the empire and within the Academy, professors have significant authority.
Therefore, those recommended by professors were allowed to enter the middle level, but this was where the problem began.
Three or more professors had to recommend someone.
In this situation, the reward from Pharun was a tempting condition.
'This is how difficult it is to aim for the middle. If I try to aim for the middle, temptations will come from all sides.'
I stared at the cross-section diagram and then looked away.
First, regardless of aiming for the middle or not, it's better to put in less effort.
A golem with its core exposed is no match for a single punch, but if I don't throw a punch today, over a year, it will amount to hundreds of punches.
It seems meaningless to save a little each day, but what if it's 10 years, 20 years?
It means living a much easier life than others.
That's why I looked at the cross-section diagram.
It was my effort to avoid encountering golems as much as possible and to reach the final gate.
Anyway.
'I've memorized it. The cross-section diagram.'
It wasn't difficult.
Isn't there a saying?
"Effort cannot surpass talent, and talent cannot surpass enjoyment."
But I can confidently say that no matter how much someone enjoys it, they can't surpass someone who is fighting for their life.
I have talent, I put in effort, and I enjoy it. Moreover, one mistake can lead to death, so I fight for my life.
This minor ability is one of the fruits of that process.
I've also learned various skills like flower arranging, sewing, and butchering, but I hope I won't need them in this life.
Anyway.
'Now I have to make a choice...'
Before making a choice, I observed the magic students with a determined will burning in their eyes.
After the detailed instructions were given, it was personal preparation time.
The students were requesting items from the assistant professor to use in the Trial Chamber, mainly magical materials other than artifacts.
Most students, who use intermediaries to manifest magic, were doing this.
For example, plant magic users.
'Even if they are at a high level, they can manifest magic without intermediaries, but having intermediaries is much more advantageous. That's obvious.'
A fire magic user holding a 'Fire Essence' is like additional armor, but for a plant magic user, seeds or intermediaries are basic equipment.
However, if a student uses rare plant seeds or intermediaries with their personal resources, it becomes an issue of fairness.
Therefore, the Academy provides materials to intermediary magic users according to regulations.
However, the atmosphere was quite...
'Heated.'
After all, it's a performance evaluation, and it's natural to aim for a high score.
"Assistant Professor, can I get some bomb flowers? It would be great if I could also get some flintstones..."
"Isn't your main attribute fire magic?"
"Ah, that's true, but..."
"Rejected."
It was a request with a clear intention.
Fire magic user and bomb flowers.
Bomb flowers are not difficult to grow even with a low level of high-speed growth magic, and it becomes even easier with flintstones.
If one knows how to use flintstones well, they can create a bomb flower grove from a single seed.
'They plan to blow everything up.'
Of course, the student himself wouldn't be safe.
In other words, they are giving up on the exam and only aiming for the reward from Pharun.
It wasn't just this student.
"Assistant Professor, as you know, I'm also learning alchemy, right?"
"So?"
"I recently made a golem, but I don't have a controller. Is it possible to get a controller?"
"Where is your golem? If you show it to me, I'll consider it."
"Um, I left it at home..."
Obviously, the student's intention was to try to take control of the golems in the Trial Chamber.
Whether it's possible or not, if they succeed, they can impress both the exam and Pharun's professor.
But it was just the naive thought of a student.
'It's impossible.'
Anyway, watching the scene, it was hard to tell if these guys were clueless, shameless, and brazen street thugs or actual mages.
They must know how they look to others.
But for the reward, they are willing to try anything.
Unexpectedly.
"Teacher!"
Demian also called the assistant professor, seemingly needing something.
"Technically, I'm not a teacher, but anyway, Demian? What do you need?"
The assistant professor, who was standing some distance away, approached Demian with a wary look.
It was as if he was looking at a goblin about to explode or a goblin with a manic disorder, unpredictable and ready to jump.
His expression became even more intense when Demian made his request.
"Give me seeds!"
Suddenly asking for seeds.
The assistant professor frowned and asked.
"Seeds? What kind of seeds?"
"Give me vine plant seeds. Twenty will do."
"..."
Vine plant seeds are not just a few. The Academy alone provides over five types of vine plant seeds.
By the time you reach intermediate or advanced classes, there are dozens of types.
Yet, Demian just said 'vines,' as if any type would do.
The assistant professor spoke then.
"But Demian, your main attribute is..."
"I don't have one."
"Right, you don't."
If you excel in one thing, you can call it your main attribute, but if you excel in everything, you don't have a main attribute.
The Light of Healing was a non-elemental magic, and Blando's vision, like Deculan, didn't encompass all elemental magic but had extremely high versatility.
Anyway.
"But, I don't think you're a plant magic user, right?"
Demian shook his head.
"I can do it!"
...and pointed his hand at the ground.
Bang!
A sprout emerged from the dry soil right then.
"..."
The assistant professor closed his mouth.
Although it was a tiny sprout, manifesting a plant without an intermediary was impressive.
At least, it wasn't at the level of a basic class student.
This was enough to consider Demian a plant magic user at the basic class level.
"Twenty seeds, then?"
"Yes! Twenty will be enough."
"Alright... here you go."
The assistant professor, despite his uneasy expression, took a seed bag from his subspace and handed it to Demian.
Chenbi, who had been watching, also asked the assistant professor.
"Assistant Professor, the Trial Chamber is an artificial cave, right?"
"Yes, it's an artificial cave."
It was an artificial environment created by earth magic, located underground.
"Then, I was wondering if there would be any restrictions on using earth magic..."
It was a reasonable question.
Earth magic, which fundamentally uses the ground as an intermediary, changes the terrain when manifested. The Academy must have taken measures to prevent students from creating new paths to bypass the exam or altering the shape of the Trial Chamber.
Just in case.
The assistant professor shook his head.
"You can use it freely. As long as you don't create new paths, the measures are in place to ensure that your methods won't affect the exam."
"Ah, thank you!"
Chenbi nodded, seemingly relieved.
It must have been a concern for Chenbi, who mainly uses earth magic.
Anyway.
Seeing Demian, who usually doesn't care about exams, making his own preparations, I continued my train of thought.
'What should I do?'
Aiming for the middle is tempting because of the reward from Pharun. But if I aim for the reward, I'll have to deal with future minor annoyances.
While I was pondering,
"Now, I will assign the starting points."
The assistant professor's voice rang out.
There were 11 starting points in total. Considering the number of magic students, about seven would be assigned to each.
The assistant professor displayed the pre-drawn assignment list as a hologram, and the distribution of students was not much different from what I had expected.
'I'm... at starting point 3.'
"Friend! See you inside!"
"Aster, Demian, good luck on the exam."
While the magic students lined up according to their starting points, Demian and Chenbi also moved to their respective starting points.
There were seven students assigned to starting point 3.
I went to the back of the line, still deep in thought.
While waiting for the escort,
"Are you Aster?"
"..."
I snapped out of my thoughts at the sudden voice.
The one who spoke was one student, but two more were behind him, making a total of three students looking at me. They didn't seem to be from M3 class, but the one in front said,
"I'm Deveid. I heard you're quite good. I have a proposal."
"Go on."
Deveid cautiously checked the assistant professor's reaction and lowered his voice.
"I want to buy the bracelets of the eliminated. 30 gold each. There are three other students in our starting point besides you and us... if you take care of those three, I'll give you 90 gold."
"Hmm."
30 gold is equivalent to a month's income for an average commoner family.
So, he was offering that much for each bracelet of the eliminated.
Seeing my hesitation, Deveid added,
"It's not a bad deal for a black and white zone vagrant like you. You might be favored now, but how long will it last? You should start looking for a way to survive."
The fact that I was a black and white zone vagrant wasn't something I needed to hide. When someone asked about my background, I would casually answer, and it seemed to have spread quite a bit.
I carefully considered Deveid's proposal.
He was right, but not entirely.
These guys are just good at using what they have. Other students might see them as cowardly, but I saw them positively.
But I had a question.
"Why 90 gold?"
"Is it not enough? Okay, 35 gold each. That's 105 gold in total."