Mercenary Wars

Chapter 227 Theology
After the awe-inspiring aura eliminated a group of people, the remaining candidates, led by the academy's monks, arrived at the examination hall one after another.

The examination venue was a huge lawn with a beautiful view. As a gentle breeze swept across the open space, the fresh scent of grass and the slightly damp smell of earth filled the air, and the distant mountains and forests were faintly visible in the morning mist.

This scene actually fits the overall style of the Ax Magic Academy. After all, the academy is located on the east side of Ax City, covering a huge area with a high green coverage rate, as if it were part of the forest outside the city.

Tens of thousands of tables and chairs are arranged neatly on the lawn.

The tables and chairs were all made of stone, and a little observation revealed that they were actually temporary items created using earth magic. After all, the Ax Magic Academy only had a few thousand students, and they wouldn't normally need so many tables and chairs. Although they were temporary, the craftsmanship was quite excellent, with smooth and even surfaces.

Gaucano sat down, then turned to look at Dariss.

Daryls was placed in a corner of the examination room, more than 100 meters away from him.

The reason for this arrangement is quite simple—Dallis is too short.

Most of the stone tables and chairs were obviously made according to human body size, but Darius was a dwarf, about the size of a little girl, so she naturally couldn't adapt.

Sitting in the same area as her were other candidates of similar build, such as dwarfs, short people, or people who were too short. Of course, there were also a few exceptionally gifted child prodigies who were able to participate in the test at a very young age.

After all the candidates were seated, a notification sound suddenly rang out from nowhere and echoed throughout the room: "Ten minutes later, the exam questions will appear on your tables. Answer them as required... Please note that there is a high-level silence aura in the exam room, so do not attempt to cheat using any spells."

The sound paused briefly.

At the same time, clusters of pale blue light suddenly appeared at the edge of the examination room, and then hundreds of eyeballs made of light appeared from them, floating in the air about two meters above the ground.

"During the test, these 'Arcane Eyes' will patrol the examination area. They are silent and have no shadows, and may appear behind you at any time." The notification sounded again, "All your actions will be under their watchful eye."

"Also, if you encounter any trouble unrelated to the exam questions—such as deciding to withdraw from the exam because you can't withstand the mental impact of the Shock Aura—you can tell the Arcane Eye. Just raise your hand, and the Arcane Eye will approach you." The voice added, and this thoughtful reminder eased the tension of some of the test-takers slightly.

As soon as the words were spoken, hundreds of Arcane Eyes began patrolling the examination hall, wandering and moving silently. Their movements appeared random, but in reality, they covered every corner of the examination hall, ensuring that there were no blind spots.

After that, the notification sound went silent.

Instead, there was the occasional rustling of a breeze and the hushed whispers of some examinees. Gao Jiano did not participate in the discussion, but he listened attentively.

"How are your preparations going?" Many people asked familiar test-takers nearby with a hint of nervousness.

"It's alright, considering this is my second time here. Last time I was just a few points short of passing the test. And I asked a fortune teller, who said I wouldn't be taking the entrance test a third time."

"Hopefully, the questions for the 'Ancient Elvish' test will be a bit easier this time..."

"What's so great about Ancient Elvish? Just buy a drow elf slave, and within a year, you'll be at least at the 80-point level!"

"You have drow elf slaves?"

"Of course, it was a gift from my uncle."

"Male or female? Where did you buy it? How much did it cost?"

Time slipped away quietly amidst the candidates' conversations and inner anxieties; the ten-minute wait passed in a flash.

A notification sounded: "First test, Mosaic Theology, test duration: two hours."

As the sound rang out, the entire examination hall fell silent instantly, and all conversations ceased abruptly. At the same time, tens of thousands of stone tables lit up with a faint glow.

Gaucano's stone table was no exception; a faint light rose from its surface, causing him to look down.

Amidst the surging light, several exam questions, carved from stone, appeared on the table. These characters seemed meticulously crafted, with clear and neat lines, and even included color, making them more readable than some printed texts.

Also on the table was a slate pencil.

He picked up the stone pen, took a deep breath, and began to answer. The moment the pen tip touched the stone surface, a faint magical fluctuation emanated from it, and corresponding lines appeared on the stone table.

theology.

In almost all examinations in the Farallonian world, theology is an essential subject. The only difference is that the Mosaic nation tests Mosaic theology, while the Yemeni nation tests Yemeni theology.

This is the case all over the world, and the entrance exam for Ax Magic Academy is no exception.

The test consists of four parts: "Principles of Mosaic Theology", "An Introduction to the Interpretation of Faith by Roden", "An Outline of Church History", and "Cultural Foundations of Believers and Canon Law".

These were all extremely dry, dogmatic, and even contradictory things; for the pseudo-believer Gaucano, studying them was nothing short of torture. Every time he opened a theological text, he had to mentally prepare himself, forcing himself to read and memorize it.

In fact, most of his knowledge in this area came from the church in Driftwood Town. At that time, he had no choice but to learn, otherwise even eating would be a problem.

As he grew up and his living conditions improved, he almost never actively sought out theology again. The dogmas and theories he had once forced himself to memorize gradually faded from his memory.

It wasn't until he was preparing for this entrance exam that Gao Jiano crammed for a while.

Fortunately, he still has the foundation from more than ten years of church life, and he is much smarter than before, so he can manage to pass, at least he can get by.

Two hours later.

He successfully completed the answer.

Actually, I could have finished the exam half an hour ago. However, as a test-taker eager for a good score, I would write as much as I could during this kind of exam and never stop until the very last moment.

This is a targeted test-taking strategy.

Perhaps many test takers took an unconventional approach. They might have been confident in their theological knowledge, or they might have been unable to withstand the mental impact of the impressive aura, and finished their answers early, handing in their papers and leaving the examination room ahead of time.

Therefore, by the time Gaucano finished answering the questions, almost half of the candidates had already left.

"Test complete. Second test to begin in half an hour," the notification sounded.

Immediately, light surged across the stone table, and the stone carvings vanished swiftly and completely, as if they had never existed. The stone pen also re-integrated into the tabletop, restoring it to its original flatness.

The aura of awe also vanished.

As the mental shock subsided, the test takers couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

Immediately following was a lively discussion.

Someone couldn't wait to boast, "The seventh question—my theology teacher just gave me a similar one yesterday! Thank you Mosa, thank you St. Grostete, I'm sure I'll pass this time!"

Some people complained: "I'm doomed! I barely reviewed Chapter 4 of 'An Outline of Church History,' and yet two of the questions on the test were on it!"

"Stop wasting time, hurry up and review the Ancient Elvish! Let me test you, how do you say 'Dedication is the path to light, gratitude is the ladder to nobility' in Ancient Elvish?" Clumsy Elvish words rose and fell.

Half an hour later, the second test began as scheduled.

Compared to Mosaic theology, Gaugano is quite proficient in Ancient Elvish. After all, he studied Blood Elvish intensively for a long time in order to translate the Blood Magic Notebook. At least in terms of reading ability, his level in this area is no less than that of some scholars who specialize in Blood Elvish literature.

The only problem is that Blood Elf language and Ancient Elf language are not exactly the same.

To use an analogy from my past life, the relationship between Blood Elf language and Ancient Elf language is somewhat similar to that between vernacular Chinese and classical Chinese, or between English and Latin.

This involves the mythology and history of elves.

In the beginning, God created the primordial spirits, and the language they used was called "Primordial Elvish".

Primal Elvish, a language inscribed on the Tower of Babel, is an "inlay" of the laws of the universe, possessing natural spellcasting abilities. Many spells in magic today are in Primal Elvish.

However, the transmission of the Primal Elvish language is difficult. Some scholars even believe that the Primal Elvish language is actually an organ of the Primal Elves and cannot be acquired through learning. The language spoken by humans is not the Primal Elvish language, but merely an imitation of it. This theory can well explain why the spells of human mages are often less powerful than those of the legendary Primal Elves.

Based on this, and with the proliferation and differentiation of the original elves, the Ancient Elvish language came into being. This language was similar to the original Elvish language, but was relatively easier to learn, and thus became the common language of the Ancient Elves, as well as the prototype and advanced written language of later Elvish languages ​​such as Blood Elf and Drow Elf.

Casting magic requires the language of the Primal Elvish.

To understand the ancient knowledge of the elves, one needs the ancient Elvish language.

Therefore, Ancient Elvish is a required course for every magician.

With his deep knowledge of Blood Elf language, Gaucanor needs to put in some effort to learn Ancient Elf language, but not much.

After the test, he felt almost no pressure and even had the energy to appreciate the beautiful elfin sentences and expressions.

After the Mosaic theology and ancient Elvish language exams were finished, it was lunchtime.

Some candidates who had been tormented by the overwhelming aura of the competition can finally get some rest.

Gao Jiano and Dalis left the examination room together and went to the "Star Hotel" for lunch.

The Starry Night Hotel is the closest large hotel to the Academy of Magic, and it's always bustling with business, so it's even more so now.

Fortunately, Gaucano was a distinguished premium customer of the Fitzroy Prophet's Express, which specifically reminded him of this matter, allowing him to reserve two dining seats at the Star Hotel in advance.

While eating, Gaucano and Daris discussed topics related to the entrance exam—just like most of the guests at the inn.

"How do you feel about your theology exam?" Gao Jiano asked.

Daryls, munching on a lamb chop, said, "At least ninety points."

"So tall!" Gaucano exclaimed in surprise.

“I’ve been burned before,” Darius said.

Gao Jiano thought about it and agreed.

Daryls was burned at the stake to death, which can be attributed to her inadequate theological understanding.

"So you often study theology on your own?"

“Yes,” Daryls nodded. “Who knows when a similar risk might arise.”

“At least during Pope Fonfredo’s reign, this shouldn’t happen,” Gaucano said casually.

Darlis seemed to remember something: "By the way, wasn't Pope Fonfrew a librarian at the Ax Magic Academy when he was young?"

“Yes,” Gao Jiano said, “If we pass the test, the Pope will be considered our senior…”

After lunch, the two continued to discuss the afternoon's test until the test arrived.

There was only one test in the afternoon.

Arcane Arts.

Arcane studies are the study of the nature of magic, and are therefore sometimes referred to as the "philosophy of magic".

This is a hardcore and esoteric field of study.

It is closely related to the fields of runes, magic circles, and spatial magic.

It is also related to theology.

Of course, it's hard to find anything in this world that isn't related to theology, since according to the doctrines of Mosaic theology, everything in the world is a creation of Mosa.

However, the connection between arcane science and Mosaic theology is very subtle.

Because many who study arcane arts do not believe that Mosa is the source of all laws in the universe.

Moreover, unlike ordinary mages who simply use magic without questioning its origins, their pursuit is to get to the bottom of things and understand the most fundamental source of magic.

As a result, the arcane school often implicitly contains a unique interpretation of theology, or even a certain degree of confrontation, and is at the forefront of theological struggles.

Regardless, everyone acknowledges that arcane science is an extremely difficult discipline.

Its tests are naturally a prime location for cheating.

Midway through the test, Gaucano glanced around and noticed an Arcane Eye flying swiftly through the air.

Despite its astonishing speed, it remained completely silent.

About half a second later, the arcane eye appeared directly above one of the examinees' heads, its pupil shimmering with a pale blue light, the color of ice.

The student being targeted failed to notice in time, as he was answering questions while occasionally glancing down at something.

He clearly brought cheat sheets.

The method was very simple.

As a way to cheat in a magic exam, it's even a bit ridiculous.

But there's nothing that can be done about it. After all, many blessing spells will fail under the influence of the Greater Silence Aura, not to mention magic.

Therefore, unless one possesses an exceptionally rare and extraordinary ability, most people can only use this simple and crude method if they want to cheat.

Such methods were destined to be exposed to the Arcane Eyes that filled the entire arena.

(End of this chapter)