Chapter 54: The Adventurer Exam

"What’s with the sudden question?" Warren replied. "I mean, that’s the plan."

"See?" his mother said triumphantly, turning to his father. "I told you Warren wants to become an adventurer."

In their household, his mother was the one who usually had the final say and his father rarely argued with her.

But that day was different.

His father looked at him with unusual seriousness.

"Are you absolutely sure? Really sure?"

The repeated question left Warren confused.

He had never seriously thought about his future.

He had simply assumed that he would become an adventurer someday, just like his parents.

So he did not know how to answer.

"Today at the guild," his mother said cheerfully, "a little boy even younger than you came to register as an adventurer. If you’re serious about it too, why don’t you take the registration exam?"

"I see..."

So that was the reason.

Hearing that a child younger than him was taking the adventurer registration exam had made his parents start thinking about his future.

"I don’t think there’s any need for him to rush," his father said. "His studies are important too."

"We’re asking him what he wants," his mother replied without hesitation. "You stay out of it."

As always, she showed no mercy toward her husband.

Still, the adventurer registration exam...

Warren had been wondering when he should take it.

Once someone passed the registration exam, they could accept guild requests whenever they wanted.

Some of his friends had already taken the exam simply so they could proudly call themselves adventurers, even if they had no intention of working right away.

Of course, without completing requests, they would remain stuck at Rank G Adventurer, the lowest rank of adventurer.

Even so, the title of "adventurer" still sounded pretty cool to a boy his age.

"Hmm. If you’re all that serious about it, then sure. I’ll take the adventurer registration exam."

Warren nodded casually.

He had always planned to take it eventually, and he had heard that the adventurer registration exam was not particularly difficult.

If that was the case, it did not really matter when he took it.

His mother beamed with delight, while his father still looked worried.

Warren could not understand why his father was so concerned.

It was only an exam.

"I’ll go take it tomorrow morning."

As soon as he said that, his mother grinned.

"Then let’s celebrate in advance with a good meal!"

She prepared an unusually lavish dinner.

Honestly, Warren thought it would have made more sense to celebrate after he had actually passed.

The next morning, he went to the Adventurers’ Guild to register for the exam.

The receptionist smiled and said, "There are a few other applicants taking the test today. Would you like to take it with them?"

That allowed him to take the exam the very same day.

Since there was still some time before it began, he was shown to a waiting room.

Not long afterward, another applicant entered.

It was a child even younger than Warren.

The boy had an incredibly cute appearance.

He was short and looked very young.

A child like this was taking the adventurer registration exam?

Warren found it a little surprising. Then he remembered what his parents had mentioned the previous day.

This must have been the child they were talking about.

Even so, the boy’s features were remarkably beautiful.

Had someone like him really lived in this town?

Warren searched his memory but could not recall ever seeing him before.

He was fairly certain the boy did not attend the local school either.

Perhaps he had come from another town just to take the exam.

Warren had heard that, since being an adventurer was such a dangerous profession, children who were considered too young were sometimes rejected regardless of their ability.

He casually assumed that this boy would probably fail.

At least, that was what he had thought.

"Every answer is correct... You may wait outside."

The guild employee serving as the examiner muttered those words in disbelief and Warren could hardly believe what he had heard.

The written exam had only just begun and not even fifteen minutes had passed.

The written test was not especially difficult for anyone who could read, write, and do basic arithmetic, but even so, that was far too fast.

Warren’s grades at school were above average.

He was not a poor student by any means.

Yet a child younger than him had answered every question correctly and finished the exam with perfect marks.

How irritating.

That little runt was unbelievably full of himself.

Feeling annoyed, Warren continued working through his own exam.

Unfortunately, his frustration caused him to make a careless mistake, getting one calculation wrong.

He still passed the written test, but it left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Damn it... What’s with that kid...?"

After the written exam ended, everyone moved on to the practical test in the afternoon.

When Warren stepped outside, he saw the little boy laughing cheerfully while chatting with two adult adventurers who appeared to be his guardians.

Seriously?

A spoiled rich kid with bodyguards?

The sight irritated Warren even more.

Before the practical exam began, the participants’ classes were announced.

Warren was a swordsman.

The other two were mages.

He had often heard that mages tended to be bookish people who focused more on studying than fighting.

That thought eased his frustration a little.

That little brat was probably just another child who was only good at academics.

Being smart alone wasn’t enough to become an adventurer.

Don’t get the wrong idea.

With that thought in mind, Warren stepped into his practical exam.

He cleared it without any problems.

"Alright!"

Next, a young woman who looked a little older than him took the test.

She struggled a bit, but she also managed to pass.

Then it was Qiu Nuoya’s turn.

When Warren saw this, he watched with a slightly malicious grin, eager to see the overconfident little mage fail.

Instead, he was left speechless.