Students unable to hide their anxiety entered the exam room one by one in alphabetical order.

“…What could the final test possibly be?”

Allen’s voice trembled.

“They say we need to believe in ourselves, but what exactly are we supposed to believe in? If it were the Swordsmanship Department, I’d be more comfortable just relying on my sword and body.”

“What are you talking about, Allen? If you were in the Swordsmanship Department, you’d be preparing to repeat a year already.”

Nigel willingly took the light punch that Allen threw at her immediately.

“Allen Evans.”

In the midst of their bickering to relieve tension, Allen’s turn quickly approached. Allen cursed his name written on the first page of the attendance book as he was dragged into the exam room.

Meanwhile, Nigel observed the faces of students coming out of the exam room. Some trembled with fear, while others smiled as if relieved.

Far from providing clues about the exam, it only made things more confusing.

Moreover, the time students spent in the exam room varied greatly. Compared to Allen, who came out in less than 5 minutes, a student who entered around the same time took over half an hour to emerge.

‘It seems the exam questions are different for each person.’

Having roughly grasped the situation, Nigel loosened her arms that had been crossed all along.

No matter what situation was given, she was confident in believing in herself.

After all, that’s how she had come this far hiding her identity in Tillin.

“Nigel Ars.”

When Heres finally called her name, Nigel entered the exam room, encouraged by the surrounding children.

Thump, thump.

Three or four students followed closely behind Heres.

Where Heres stopped was a long corridor with five glowing doors arranged in a line with large gaps between them.

The doors shining in various colors emitted magical energy that could be felt even without closing one’s eyes and concentrating. Next to those doors, assistant students stood silently guarding them.

Swish.

At that moment, Noah, standing in front of the third door, spotted Nigel and waved his hand slightly.

That small gesture made Nigel’s heart flutter. At the same time, remembering Meriel smiling brightly while facing Noah, Nigel turned her head as if shaking off those thoughts.

“It seems all the students are finally ready to hear my words.”

Noticing Nigel’s gaze, Heres smiled mischievously. Ever since the ball, people around them would giggle whenever Nigel and Noah were together. Of course, Oliver was at the forefront of that.

“You’ve all worked hard taking tests today. The final exam will test ‘mental strength’, which is perhaps more important for a mage than magical power and control.”

In the quiet corridor, someone could be heard gulping.

“Once you enter the door, you will face memories you’ve carelessly forgotten. You will pass if you simply open a door identical to this one and come out from within those memories.”

“What about the range of forgotten memories…”

“It’s random. Therefore, this test may be easy for some and difficult for others. But if you believe in yourself, you will eventually be able to open the door. And…”

Heres paused for a moment and looked at each student with eyes full of trust and affection.

“I guarantee you’ll pass, having watched over you for a year.”

The tension had completely disappeared from the faces of the Magic Department students, including Nigel.

“Well then, I wish you good results.”

Heres smiled gently and soon left the exam room.

The remaining students stood in front of their respective doors. Nigel, thanks to her classmates’ consideration, ended up standing in front of the door Noah was guarding.

Nigel unconsciously clutched the note inside her robe.

…What nonsense about believing in oneself, when she couldn’t even control her emotions.

Knowing she shouldn’t like Noah, yet still assigning meaning to insignificant actions and letting her expectations run wild.

“Thanks for the note.”

A shy laughing voice, like a small flower bud blooming above her head, was heard.

“Actually, I wanted to say it directly, to cheer you on.”

Isn’t this cheating? Nigel wanted to grab him by the collar while looking at that purely smiling face.

‘Don’t misunderstand, you’re just a friend to him.’

Recalling Meriel’s bright smile and Kestnia’s deep sobs, Nigel hid her emotions. Yes, preserving their happiness was more important than her own.

Nigel raised her head and met Noah’s eyes.

“…Thank you, having a friend cheer me on gives me strength.”

Noah tried to say something. But Nigel opening the door was a step faster than being hopelessly drawn into those blue eyes.

Darkness. Then, light filled everything, and next, the surroundings changed.

“…!”

This place with green leaves forming lush foliage was Tillin in summer. The view was different from usual, reaching only the bottom of the trees.

Moreover, crucially… at the fingertips were short, sausage-like fingers, and at the wrists were sleeves of pure white clergy robes.

“What’s wrong, Nigel?”

As always, Handel’s kind voice was heard. Except for the lack of laugh lines around his mouth, he looked exactly the same as now.

“You must be tired after visiting the Northern Temple? You worked hard taking the test, Nigel.”

Handel’s hand covered nearly half of Nigel’s back.

Nigel finally realized she had entered the memory of when she was around 10 years old, taking the apprentice clergy test. And that this test would show her memories of the boy who had disappeared.

“Well then, shall we go home?”

Nigel walked towards the orphanage, feeling uncomfortable with her shortened stride. Handel silently matched Nigel’s pace. Nigel’s heart softened at this consideration, which she hadn’t noticed back then.

Eventually, there on the hill, the orphanage with a less worn exterior than now came into view. And in front of it stood Zeronin, even skinnier than Allen, looking awkward.

Handel leaned down to whisper to Nigel.

“Zeronin was very worried about you. He said he said some bad things to you, so please don’t hate him and treat him well.”

“…Yes.”

Back then, Zeronin had told Nigel it must be nice not having parents, so Nigel had cursed and ignored Zeronin with all her might. It was before she knew that Zeronin had just returned after being insulted and beaten at a family event.

Nigel walked up briskly, just as she had done in the past, and extended her hand to Zeronin.

“I’ll forgive you this time.”

Back then, she had offered her hand with the mindset of graciously forgiving him as someone who had lived longer.

Now, more than feeling upset with Zeronin, she was more concerned about Zeronin’s hand wearing thick leather gloves instead of thin cotton ones.

Pft, Zeronin laughed, just like in the memory.

“What a kid…”

And so, Nigel’s promotion test began.

The life of a 10-year-old child was repetitive like a hamster wheel. Eating meals, going to the village school, eating again, and the day would be over.

Since it was just about following the forgotten memories like a puppet, the only freedom allowed was in thoughts.

While gradually growing tired of going along with the mischievous pranks of the orphanage boys, the boys diligently and consistently played their tricks.

“What’s going on this time?”

As Nigel approached the noisy group, the boys willingly made way.

The naive boys, blinded by hierarchy, gave Nigel, who had been at the orphanage the longest, some respect as a senior.

“…Who’s this?”

Among the group was a small-bodied boy. The boy with an unfamiliar face in Tillin, where everyone knew each other within two degrees of separation, was wearing expensive clothes with a sailor collar and fitted shorts.

A boy with unfamiliar features, as if cut out from Nigel’s memory. This boy was surely the starting point of the sacred power manifestation and the key to the promotion test.

At that moment, Nigel’s short legs began to move on their own.

“Are you bullying him right now…?”

He looks like a noble at a glance, how are you planning to deal with the consequences?

“You know it’s bullying when a group surrounds and threatens a minority, right?”

Hmm, her younger self hadn’t lost her innocence yet. Nigel felt the passage of time.

Regardless, young Nigel helped the boy stand up.

“W-we didn’t bully him!”

“That’s right! We just asked because we were worried. You know, like Zeronin hyung…”

The freckled boy who had been strongly denying the accusation trailed off.

Ah.

Looking closely, there was a worried expression on the playful children’s faces.

They had thought nobles would never become orphans, but Zeronin walking into the orphanage on his own, abandoning his perfectly fine parents, had been quite shocking.

“…Still, suddenly surrounding someone like that would scare a child.”

Her younger self seemed to have the same thought, as her actions became more cautious.

“He’s not a child. He’s the same age as you, Nigel.”

“What?”

Judging by his size, she had thought he was a couple of years younger than Nigel.

“S-so we were hiding him. If he was being chased by bad adults, we were going to take him to Director Ron.”

“Fortunately, he didn’t come because of bad adults, but because he’s sick. From over there~ at the palace!”

The “palace” was the nickname for the unknown nobleman’s villa across from the orphanage.

Come to think of it, I thought they only knew how to play pranks, but they had this side to them?

Just as Nigel was about to admire the children’s thoughtfulness, young Nigel opened her mouth.

“…So you’re new to Tillin?”

…Did I also engage in hierarchical behavior?

For the first time, she felt ashamed of her past.