The Ability Evaluation Exam
“Master~”
“Master~ Time to wake up~”
A sweet, soft voice lingered by my ear in the darkness. Like a bridge connecting dream and reality, it gently parted the curtains of deep sleep.
“Wake up! It’s morning~”
Sunlight slipped through the gaps in the curtains, warmly dyeing the room. As the light seeping through my closed eyelids grew stronger, I slowly rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand. Shaking off the drowsiness, I sat up in bed.
“You’re awake? I’ll prepare the clothes you’ll wear today.”
“Do your best today too, everyone!”
Eily’s voice brimmed with energy. She was as bright and cheerful as the morning sun. Every gesture overflowed with vitality, and her smile—brighter than usual—filled the room. Her laughter tickled the ears like clear stream water.
It seemed the time she’d spent alone with me on the streets still had her all excited.
“As you know, Master, today’s the day of the big exam!”
Eily clenched her fists and held them near her chest, radiating enthusiasm. The pose felt a bit exaggerated, but it carried her signature cuteness. Her sparkling eyes shone like diamonds in the midday sun, heating the air in the room.
“Right, today’s the ability evaluation.”
A hint of resolve crept into my voice as well. It was like a signal chasing away the sleep. I stretched lightly, gradually clearing the fog from my mind.
“I’ll wash up quick.”
As she said, today was special. With a touch of hyperbole, it was a day that would mark a page in the lives of the other students.
“Yes! And for breakfast, it might be good to eat extra hearty today!”
“Breakfast is the most important, so you have to eat properly~?”
“I’ll eat more than usual today too, build up my strength, and show Master my best side!”
Eily planted her hands firmly on her hips and declared it with vigor. Filled with determination, she looked like a hero steeling herself for battle. I nodded, gazing seriously into the distance. A thought flashed through my mind.
Today wasn’t just important in reality—it was also a day with an unmissable event in the game.
Returning students’ individual ability evaluation.
In my world, the ability evaluation played a role as crucial as midterms and finals. Held twice per semester, it was the primary system for grading students and the prime chance to assess their skills.
But this evaluation had a clear distinction. It wasn’t just testing knowledge—it evaluated responses in real situations. The core was applying lecture material, staying calm amid crises and chaos, and overcoming trials with flexible thinking.
“Alright, today I’ll fight harder than ever!”
The atmosphere around us was electric, brimming with motivation. Passion spread through the air like crackling flames. Varis was the first to voice his resolve loudly, followed by everyone chiming in with their own vows.
“Master can definitely take first place! I believe in you.”
Eily’s words felt less like self-encouragement and more like pure faith in me. Her hesitant yet confident expression carried a bold energy.
“I’ll prove it for sure. That I can be someone useful to you.”
Elisha was no different. Her vow—to prove herself not for her own sake, but for mine—burned with steadfast resolve in her eyes. It felt like ice-cold determination fused with a blazing flame.
“Heh~ Everyone’s so fired up? But if it’s just about resolve, I won’t lose. I want to be a woman worthy of Arnold too…”
Melina’s words were sharp and direct. Unlike the others, she had her own firm goal. Yet oddly, the drive behind it felt like rivalry toward them. It wasn’t a simple pledge—there was an implicit challenge to outdo each other.
…Why were they all like this? Their vows seemed less about acing the exam and more about impressing me. Just look at those three sets of eyes—they were all fixed on me. It felt burdensome. For some reason, they were hyper-aware of me over themselves.
“Huh?”
“What?”
“Why…?”
But that lasted only a moment. Eily, Elisha, and Melina simultaneously glared at each other. Their gazes were razor-sharp, hiding nothing as they locked eyes. The confident smiles faded, leaving only cold wariness.
“Why are you two worrying about Master? Honestly, I think just having me by his side is enough.”
Eily spoke first. Shadows darkened her eyes as she issued a snappish warning. Her demeanor turned feral, like a wild animal sensing a threat.
“Me? Obviously because I’m Arnold’s fiancée. A wife’s incompetence harms her husband— is that a problem~?”
Elisha kept her smile, but the chill behind it sharpened like a blade. It was provocative, her thin smile masking arrogance and disdain.
“Obviously because I like Arnold. Isn’t that reason enough?”
Melina stated her true feelings bluntly. She puffed out her chest, shrugged casually, and declared it proudly, as if she didn’t care who heard. The hidden desire and confidence in her attitude felt like her personal weapon.
“Ugh…!”
“Hmph.”
“Oh ho?”
Sinister sparks flew in their cold stares. This wasn’t just competition over grades. Ironically, it stung that I was at the center of it. They were wagering their wills and prides to best each other.
“At it with the catfight again.”
“Lucky guy. So jealous.”
The murmurs around us were par for the course now… They might sound like jokes, but the cynicism stung my heart. I no longer cared about how the academy viewed me. As long as it wasn’t the old wary glances that avoided my eyes, I was grateful.
“Everyone, calm down~”
Varis, quicker than anyone to notice, stepped in with a panicked look to mediate. But the responses he got were brutally cold.
“Sorry, but stay out of it.”
“Yeah. This is something I can’t yield as a woman.”
“Varis~ You’re a good guy and all, but read the room.”
Their words targeted his heart like icy arrows. The warm atmosphere shattered like thin ice over frozen waters. To them, the rivalry came first. Who would claim me—that was the priority. No matter how good Varis was, he’d become mere collateral.
I couldn’t even comfort him anymore; their words to him were that ruthless. He should have been at the center of all this competition and emotion. Seeing him reduced to a mere ‘spectator’ filled me with guilt. I knew all too well why he was here, why they were fighting over me.
“Urk— ”
Varis let out a groan like a dying gasp, utterly shocked. His mouth hung open, his face drained of strength. His eyes looked utterly pathetic and hollow, beyond words. The enthusiasm he’d first shown had burned to white ash.
Loss was etched plainly on his face.
“You okay?”
His appearance was heartbreaking above all else. Something surged in my chest.
On one hand, I felt sorry… As I’d said, that affection was originally meant for him.
“……”
The exam hadn’t even started, yet exhaustion hit me from the morning. Seeing those three already burning with rivalry made my head spin. For some reason, this whole thing felt ominously unsettling on multiple levels. My instincts warned that today wouldn’t be smooth sailing.