The Queen of Scrolls never admits defeat

"..."

Upon hearing about the practice test cards, Lilith, Vasida, and Sylph all had subtle expressions.

Other newly graduated witches would work hard to do problems because of the rewards from the problem-solving cards.

The three of them weren't short of money and had long forgotten about these cards.

“If you do the practice questions, you’ll know. In the {Practice Question Card - Continental History}, there are some extra extension questions that involve the Magic Empire’s Mage Movement. The nobility assessment appeared after the Third Mage Movement,” Moran said.

Since her friends weren't willing to do practice problems, she had to tutor them herself.

"During the first Mage Movement, the Magic Empire declared that all mages could become nobles and receive hereditary titles and fiefs."

Later, because the descendants of the old mage families occupied most of the titles and fiefs, the new mage nobles had no land to be granted, which led to the Second Mage Movement. The Magic Empire then abolished the hereditary system of titles and fiefs.

From then on, a mage's title and fief belonged only to that mage. If a descendant had a mage of the same rank, he or she could inherit the ancestor's title and fief first; otherwise, the title and fief would be revoked and reassigned to another mage.

However, as the status of mages in the magic empire rose and the mage training system gradually improved, more and more new mages emerged, the empire's financial pressure increased, and the number of fiefdoms decreased. Mages had to queue up to obtain their original titles, benefits, and fiefdoms.

Mages with powerful connections and influence might even pull strings to jump the queue and get priority access to titles and fiefdoms.

As a result, many mages reached the corresponding rank but waited in line their entire lives, never receiving the titles and fiefs promised by the empire, thus sparking the Third Mage Movement.

After this movement, the titles and benefits of peerages were separated.

Those who only have titles are called ordinary nobles, while those who have titles, benefits, and fiefs are called fief nobles.

The latter has greater strength and foundation than the former.

You can directly obtain a noble title once you reach the required rank, but the benefits and fiefdom associated with the title can only be obtained by passing the nobility assessment.

Each country holds a title conferment examination based on its own vacancy situation and talent needs, and qualified mages compete for one or more titles and fiefs.

If there are no vacant titles, you must challenge a mage who has a title and fiefdom. If you win, you can obtain the mage's title.

However, because the financial situation of each vassal state is different, the frequency of the assessment for granting titles varies, and the benefits and fiefs for the same title also differ.

Generally speaking, imperial titles are stronger than those of kingdoms, and kingdom titles are stronger than those of duchies.

Although the Duchy of Lance is a border state with defensive pressure, it is well-governed, has a sound financial situation, and receives subsidies from the empire for border states and land reclamation. As a result, the nobility conferment examination is held more frequently, once every three years in recent years.

Moreover, the benefits of a title are better than those of a regular duchy, comparable to those of a typical kingdom, and the resources of the fiefdom are also quite good.

In short, the fiefdom nobles of the Duchy of Lance offer excellent value for money.

However, the examination for nobility in the Duchy of Lance is a bit stricter. Whether it is a count or a marquis, everyone needs to pass the examination. If you fail the examination, you will not be granted a nobility title.

Unlike some vassal states, which only conduct assessments for viscounts and barons in order to attract high-level talent, the titles of earl and marquis can be obtained directly through application without waiting for assessment.

That's why those mages mistakenly thought we were also rushing to participate in the nobility conferment examination.

"Should we participate?" Lilith asked.

Although they originally planned to travel through the Colorado Mountains, it wasn't for the title-granting assessment, but because it was the shortest route.

Moran shook his head:

"Don't go!
Being a feudal noble is good, but it's not an easy job. You need to take responsibility for governing your territory, especially the feudal nobles of the Duchy of Lance.

The Duchy of Lance has higher requirements for the governance of its fiefdoms than most countries. If a fiefdom is in disarray and reported by the people to the capital's governing hall, the fiefdom and title benefits may be revoked after verification.

To be a good feudal noble, one must either stay in the fiefdom and govern it, or learn to employ people and support those who help manage the territory.

None of these are easy tasks.

Our target is a mage who has mastered magical energy, not an ordinary human. It's best for us to stay in Lance City, where there are the most mages; going to the fiefdom would be inconvenient. Besides, we don't lack those resources, do we?

"To earn those meager resources and become a feudal noble, it's much easier to do more practice problems and earn the reward cards."

"Cough cough, I'm full!"

"I'm full too!"

Lilith and Sylph ran away.

Vasita took out her Devouring Stomach, filled it with all the uneaten food on the table, and then ran away.

I'm outta here! No way I'm going to do any more coding problems!

Moran: "..."

Indeed, sometimes being too rich isn't a good thing; it makes you lose the motivation to study.

This can't go on. People are treating her like a magic book, asking her anything they don't understand.

She can't stay with them forever.

After thinking about it, she decided to change the way she answered their questions.

The next morning, while having breakfast.

Moran said, "After we leave the inn, we'll go to the government center to take the magic test. You guys will take the test to get your mage badges, and I'll upgrade mine."

Della's grandmother had already gotten her a mid-level mage badge issued by another country, with many update records.

However, Lilith, Vasita, and Lilith don't have them yet; they need to apply.

They were pretending to be apprentices of mages, having only recently become mages themselves, so their new applications seemed plausible.

Lilith asked Moran, "What's the difference between a mage's badge and a witch's badge?"

“Chapter 7 of Volume 89 of ‘Valen Continent’,” Moran said.

"???" Lilith almost thought she had misheard: "What?"

“Look up the information yourself!” Moran said. “The process of looking up information is also a form of review!”
Besides the target information, at least I can review some other knowledge.

"..." Lilith was speechless. She could avoid doing practice problems, but she couldn't avoid flipping through books!

"At worst, I won't watch it. They'll probably tell me when they test my magic!"

"Be careful not to give away your identity because you don't know the situation!" Moran said with a smile.

One sentence hit Lilith right where it hurts: "Fine, I'll translate it!"

He summoned the Book of Witches and quickly searched: "Valen Continent, Volume 89, Chapter 7, found!"

I only found the answer after reading the entire chapter.

Knowledge entered her mind with a forceful force.

"So, what exactly is the purpose of the Mage Badge?" Vasida asked Lilith.

Sylph also perked up her ears.

"Want to know?" Lilith asked, raising an eyebrow.

Vasita nodded emphatically. (End of Chapter)