Chapter Fourty-nine: Rank Promotion Exam
“Karen, are you gathering medicinal herbs? We could sell them to you!”
“I need to pick them myself for the rank promotion exam.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Good luck!”
“Thanks!”
As Karen picked herbs, she was approached by children who used the dungeon’s first floor as their playground.
The first floor of Earthfill’s Royal Capital’s dungeon was vast grassland. Looking up at the sky, there was a blue expanse with the sun and white clouds drifting by. You could see a forest, but you couldn’t reach it. Mountains were visible in the distance, but to get there you must pass through the dungeon gates. The forest area was the second floor, while the mountain peak was around the tenth floor.
Though geographically you climbed upward, in terms of floors, people used the term "dive." The shallower the floor, the weaker the monsters; the deeper you go, the stronger they become. Although everything appeared connected, one couldn’t move between areas without passing through the gates.
However, monsters didn’t pass through the gates. On the first floor grassland, you only encounter weak monsters. That was why children used it as a park, and Karen gathered medicinal herbs and other plants on this floor.
Believing that she could absorb the dungeon’s abundant magical power, she took a deep breath.
“I wonder if I’ll pass the rank promotion exam…”
Karen absentmindedly pondered while picking herbs.
She learned at the commoners’ school that picking herbs yourself improves the magical efficiency when making potions. She’d heard the difference was minimal, and until now, Karen couldn’t tell any difference between potions made with self-picked herbs and others.
That was why busy Karen often bought herbs from children who picked them to earn pocket money. But now, even that tiny difference might determine whether she passes the promotion exam.
After picking the herbs, Karen headed toward the exit gate to leave while they were still fresh.
The dungeon gates were two pitch-black pillars. Passing between them, Karen instantly found herself inside a building. She moved away quickly in case others came out after her. Karen came out near one of those pillars, and near the second one, people lined up to enter the dungeon. While entry was possible from either half of the gates was, to prevent congestion, one half was designated for entry and the other for exit.
Karen walked straight ahead and left the Gate Temple.
Unlike the clear weather inside the dungeon, heavy rain was pouring down on the Royal Capital of Earthfill under leaden gray skies.
“…The herbs will spoil if they get wet.”
Karen held the basket of herbs inside her robe, feeling her feet grow heavy.
If it was obvious the herbs would spoil and cause her to fail the promotion exam, wouldn’t taking it be foolish?
As she stood hesitating to step into the rain even after putting on her hood, a carriage stopped in front of the temple.
“Karen, let me give you a ride.”
“Master Julius!”
Karen’s eyes widened at Julius’s appearance in the carriage. She couldn’t keep Julius waiting, and she was blocking the exit. Almost pushed along, she got into Julius’s carriage, and they departed.
“I heard you’re taking the E-rank promotion exam.”
“Did you come to cheer me on?”
Karen asked while taking out the basket of herbs that had stayed dry inside her robe.
Julius smiled and answered:
“I came to tell you not to worry—even if something strange happens in the capital after you fail the promotion exam, I’ll protect you.”
The neighborhood ladies had been saying something was odd about the dungeon.
If that were true, staying at F-rank would be dangerous.
She had already considered that if she sought help from the Ehlertt family, they would likely come to her aid, even before Julius mentioned it.
But that didn’t feel right.
Karen let out a small laugh.
“Thank you for the very sweet temptation, Master Julius. It’s quite alluring to think I could rely on you when my life is at stake—my resolve is wavering.”
“And yet, despite saying that, I don’t feel like you’re falling into my hands at all.”
“Thanks to you, I’m feeling motivated now.”
She had been worried about failing.
It would be embarrassing to learn that her F-rank magical powers were insufficient, that her aspirations were presumptuous.
She’d been holding her head, thinking it might be better to avoid the shame of facing her own incompetence, but with such a sweet compromise waiting after failing the promotion exam, she had no choice but to exhaust all her power until she could say she’d done her best.
It would be more shameful to stand before this man without giving it her all.
“You always motivate me, Master Julius.”
“I wanted you to compromise and just marry me, but it had the opposite effect.”
Julius’s tone was playful, and it was clear he wasn’t serious.
As Karen laughed, Julius’s eyes softened.
“I’m rooting for you, Karen.”
“Thank you, Master Julius.”
After being dropped off at the Alchemists’ Guild, Karen bowed and went inside. She followed the sign for the E-rank promotion exam venue and went deeper inside.
Arriving at the alchemy workshop within the guild, she saw other alchemists preparing to take the promotion exam. Most were in their early teens, but some were in their late thirties, and there was even an elderly man.
As she entered, Natalia, who had been sitting in a chair, stood up and approached her.
“Karen, you’ll be using that cauldron.”
“Ah, the old one…”
“The cauldrons are assigned by lottery.”
Cauldrons with higher magic resistance were more efficient for making potions.
The cauldron assigned to Karen was an iron one coated for magic resistance, but to be honest, it wasn’t the best among those in the alchemy workshop. Though it was much better than the regular pot she used at home.
Karen quietly sat down in front of her assigned cauldron and waited.
Eventually, Natalia stepped in front of the examinees and said:
“The E-rank promotion exam will begin when the third bell rings. To pass, you must make fifty minor healing potions by the third bell tomorrow. You can’t leave the room, but you have access to the adjacent washroom and rest area.”
“What about food?!”
“You can bring your own. Everyone brought some, right?”
“What?! We can’t buy any?!”
“People often forget during their first exam.”
The young examinee was panicking. Though this was Karen’s first promotion exam too, thanks to Natalia’s advice, she had prepared thoroughly. The boy was holding his head in dismay. However, the exam was held regularly, so even if he failed this time, he could simply try again. The same went for Karen—if she failed now, she could always take the exam again.
“We’ll refill your alchemy water when you run out, so you can drink that to get by.”
After delivering these merciless words to the lamenting boy, Natalia turned to face all the examinees.
At that moment, the third bell began to ring.
“The E-rank promotion exam will now begin.”
Everyone started making potions at once.
The Translator's Note
I noticed one mistake. I had it that Karen lives in “adventurers' town”, but she actually lives in “adventurers' district.” And most likely in the capital’s adventurers’ district. In my defense, the character for “town” and “district” is the same, T_T.
