After completing the registration for the first-tier mage exam, Aesc and the others left the Continental Magic Association.
"How rare," Frieren remarked, holding up a necklace with mild surprise. "To think someone from this era would still recognize a Saint's Staff Certification."
"Thanks to that, I get to participate now," she added casually.
"I had no idea what to do when I learned only mages ranked Level 5 or higher could take the exam," Fern admitted with a relieved sigh.
Frieren, technically uncertified by the association, didn't meet the formal qualifications of a "Level 5 mage." By the rules, she shouldn't have been allowed to join the exam.
"It seems that old man at the association holds quite the high position," Aesc commented with a small smile. "I could sense it—he's strong, you know. Frieren, if you're not careful, you might lose to him."
Frieren didn't bother denying it. Lying to protect her pride was not in her nature.
"He's no ordinary person… He saw through my mana concealment," she admitted.
Most powerful mages had immense mana reserves, and Frieren had learned to suppress her overwhelming mana to mislead potential enemies. Over a thousand years of practice had made her exceptionally skilled at this. Very few individuals could see through it.
Even Aura, one of the Seven Sages of Destruction, had failed to notice and had fallen into Frieren's trap.
Yet here was a human—a short-lived one at that—who had seen through her magic.
"Still, it looks like he's nearing his limit," Aesc said with a shake of her head, her tone tinged with regret. "In just a few more years, the world will lose yet another unparalleled genius."
"That's inevitable," Frieren replied, her voice cold and distant. She had undoubtedly witnessed countless similar tragedies over the millennia—the rise and fall of geniuses, each burning brightly before their time ran out.
Her own master, Flamme, who had founded the human magical system, had ultimately succumbed to the limits of her lifespan.
"By the way, I'm surprised you have certification from the Magic Association, Aesc," Frieren noted, glancing back at her. "Level 5… When did you take the exam?"
"I took it on a whim," Aesc replied lightly. "Having official credentials can be convenient sometimes."
"Then why not aim for a higher rank? Don't tell me you couldn't do it," Frieren teased.
"Of course I could," Aesc shot back. "It just so happened that the Level 5 exam was available at the time. I only needed the identification, not a fancy rank."
"That makes sense."
Frieren nodded in understanding. "Anyway, let's head to the library and research the exam requirements. Fern mentioned there's a practical component, so we'll need to strategize."
Magic was the power to turn the impossible into reality.
With it, even altering the landscape or the weather wasn't out of reach.
Frieren, despite her vast experience, never underestimated another mage.
While humans' shorter lifespans made it difficult for them to match the magical prowess of long-lived races like elves or demons, their ability to innovate and pass down knowledge gave them limitless potential.
Over her thousand years, Frieren had been defeated by eleven mages whose mana reserves were inferior to her own.
Four of them were demons, one was an elf, and the other six… were humans.
"Besides," Aesc added with a hint of excitement, "this is the magic capital. Who knows? The library might have some rare spells tucked away."
Fern, ever practical, responded, "If the magic is that advanced, it probably wouldn't be in the public library. It'd be stored somewhere more secure."
"Well… you never know," Aesc replied sheepishly, scratching her cheek. "After the library, let's grab some food. I'm so sick of eating rations every day. With the money we made from yesterday's ruins, we can splurge on some good desserts…"
"Desserts…"
The thought seemed to awaken something in Fern.
"Lady Frieren, let's hurry!" she exclaimed with newfound energy.
"You're so easy to please, Fern," Frieren remarked dryly.
---
The next three days passed quickly as the group split their time between eating, training, and researching for the exam.
When the day of the test arrived, Stark stayed behind at the inn while Aesc, Fern, and Frieren headed out together.
The first round of the exam lasted seven days. Despite its grueling nature, all three passed without issue.
After returning to the inn, Aesc immediately indulged in a long, luxurious bath.
Although she could use magic to clean herself instantly, nothing compared to the relaxation of soaking in hot water. The warmth eased away the tension from their week of survival in the wild.
By the time she emerged, freshly bathed and wrapped in soft towels, Aesc felt like she was on top of the world.
She collapsed onto her bed, reveling in the comfort. "This… this is the peak of happiness," she murmured, drifting off into a pleasant nap filled with vague but sweet dreams she couldn't quite remember upon waking.
A loud knock at the door jolted her back to reality.
"Coming!" Aesc called groggily, shaking off her drowsiness as she opened the door.
Standing there was Frieren, her usually calm face betraying an unusual urgency.
"Something's wrong. It's serious," Frieren said hurriedly.
"Something… serious?" Aesc's posture straightened instinctively. She snapped her fingers, and her comfortable loungewear was instantly replaced with white armor and a flowing cloak.
"Lead the way," she said, fully prepared for trouble.
Frieren dragged her next door into the room she shared with Fern, where Stark sat slumped in a chair, looking half-dead.
"Uh… what happened to him?" Aesc asked, blinking at the sight. "Why does it look like he coughed up a ball of yarn or something?"
Frieren waved off her question impatiently. "Forget Stark. The real problem is Fern. We need your help to calm her down."
Aesc's gaze shifted to Fern, who sat on the bed with her back to them, radiating an aura of unmistakable fury.
"Yikes," Aesc muttered under her breath. "You're asking me to deal with that?"
"Yes," Frieren said without hesitation.
"…"
After a long, silent stare at Frieren, Aesc turned and walked straight toward the door.
"Goodbye. I'm not doing this."
"Don't leave me alone with her, Aesc! You're my only hope!" Frieren cried, clutching at Aesc's cloak.
"No way! One of us dying is better than both of us going down together!"
Despite her protests, Aesc eventually gave in to Frieren's pleading.
With a resigned sigh, Aesc approached Fern cautiously.
"Fern…"
"Lady Aesc, please leave me alone," Fern said coldly, not even looking at her.
Aesc retreated immediately, shrugging in defeat. "Well, I tried. She won't listen to me. It's all on you now, Frieren."
"Don't you dare leave me to handle this!" Frieren exclaimed, grabbing Aesc again.
After much back-and-forth, Aesc finally sat down in defeat. "Fine. But at least explain what happened. Why is she so mad?"
Frieren hesitated, her gaze distant as she recalled the events of the past week.
Apparently, Stark had developed several bad habits in their absence—staying up late, skipping morning chores, and drinking juice before bed. Meanwhile, Frieren had overslept and delayed the day's grocery run.
"It's no wonder Fern's mad," Aesc muttered after hearing the full story. "Stark's acting like a spoiled kid, and you're being your usual unreliable self."
Fern, sitting silently on the bed, didn't respond.
"Fern," Aesc said carefully, "how about this: Stark and Frieren will treat you to desserts. Sound good?"
At the mention of desserts, Fern's head turned slightly.
A moment later, the group found themselves at a pastry shop.
"Fern, which one do you want?" Stark asked hesitantly.
"Anything is fine," Fern replied curtly, clearly still not over her frustration.
"…That's definitely not true," Aesc whispered to Stark. "It's the kind of answer people give when they're dissatisfied with everything."
"You're not helping," Stark muttered, defeated.
After a moment of thought, Aesc walked over to the shopkeeper.
"Excuse me," she said politely. "Would it be possible to borrow your kitchen?"