The mage in charge of Rick's test was carried to the fourth treatment room. It was the best-equipped room next to the central venue.
He lay on the bed, breathing heavily in pain. The two examiners who had brought him here sighed and spoke.
"...Still, that was insane. That examinee just now."
"Yeah. Complete no-chant First Realm Binding Magic repelling a full-chant Fifth Realm Binding Magic. I have never seen anything like it. Actually, I have never even seen complete no-chant magic before."
At that moment, the door opened and a man entered.
"I heard one of my subordinates collapsed. Is he all right?"
When the man stepped in, the two examiners snapped to perfect attention.
He was Eldrett Simmons, Captain of the Third Unit of the Mage Church and a First-Class Mage.
Despite being a mage, he had a muscular body over two meters tall. His sharp gaze made him feared as the Mage Church's top assault leader.
Pressed by Eldrett's overwhelming presence, one examiner reported in a rigid stance.
"It is a classic case of 'magic depletion syndrome'! He should recover after some rest."
"Magic depletion syndrome? From a mere E-rank exam attack role? For a Second-Class Mage like him?"
"Yes, sir. We could hardly believe it ourselves. But an unbelievable examinee appeared."
Eldrett listened to the full story from the examiners. They told him everything truthfully: the no-chant magic, the earlier test where Rick pulverized a composite superior slime bag with one kick, and more.
"Hmm. I see."
Eldrett nodded once, then spoke.
"Are you two messing with me?"
He gave the most reasonable reaction possible.
"Who told you to describe 'my imagined strongest middle-aged examinee'?"
He cracked his thick knuckles with a loud pop.
The two examiners, sensing real danger, desperately defended themselves.
"No, sir! It is absolutely true!"
"Yes! Examinee number 4242—that unlucky number that seems targeted on purpose—really exists!!"
One examiner pulled out Rick's profile sheet and showed it to Eldrett.
"..."
Eldrett took the paper and studied the two men. He judged they were not lying.
"But if what you say is true, this is an interesting examinee. A complete monster in fundamentals."
The examiners asked about his words.
"Fundamentals?"
"Yes. In battle, the basics are stamina, body control, magic control, and magic quantity. This examinee has abnormal skill in the first three. His stamina and body control are obvious from the attack test. He used the basic 'First Realm Binding Magic,' yet it far surpassed the other examinees—and even the examiner's higher-level techniques and spells. His magic conversion efficiency must be extraordinary, and his technique polished like a master swordsmith's blade. It shows relentless physical training and magic control drills. But... who exactly is he?"
The unit captain scanned Rick's resume.
"Hmm... Wait, this work history. Is there some hallucination magic on it?"
"Yes, we suspected the same... But he scored perfectly on the written exam. His answers on guild administration questions were so detailed that he must have worked in guild office roles for years. On one question about a new system, he even wrote 'This new setup is inconvenient; it should revert to the old one.' There were even subtle complaints about the system."
"I see... But still, a man who was a receptionist until age 24 becoming an adventurer... And reaching this level in just two years. Where and how did he train to become like this?"
At that moment, Eldrett's eyes stopped on one spot in the resume.
The address section.
- Restora Territory — Alquest District — No. 13, Beekhail Castle.
"Hiii!!!"
Suddenly, Eldrett let out a scream and crouched on the spot.
The man who had radiated grizzly-bear intimidation moments ago now looked like a frightened puppy.
"Wh-what happened!! Is it hallucination magic after all!!!"
"...I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I will never abuse my Church Mage authority or act arrogant again... Ah, stop, human necks can't bend that far..."
Beekhail Castle. It was an old castle now rumored to be used as a gathering place by "a certain party." In his younger days, when Eldrett was a talented and hot-blooded rookie, the former Mage Church Chairman had dragged him there for training—to break his arrogance.