First challenge of the test: scary mage.

The day had come — it was today. She was extremely nervous, afraid of seeing people and having to interact with them, and worst of all, probably having to face them. Just the thought sent chills down her spine.
She grabbed her makeshift wand (literally a stick wrapped with a blue ribbon), because she didn’t want to go to the store to buy one (and she didn’t like using wands anyway). But it was mandatory to bring one.
Calmly, she made her way to the testing site. When she arrived, she couldn’t believe the size of the place and the number of people. If she hadn’t promised herself, she would have quit on the spot. With a lump in her throat, she kept walking.
Upon entering, she was impressed. The location was massive, resembling a castle, with golden columns and decorations everywhere. She immediately noticed a magical barrier — probably to protect the site and prevent anyone from entering or leaving once the test began.
She reached the main hall and was assigned number 380…
“What?!” she murmured indignantly. There were 380 people here!
It was both impressive and terrifying, and her face showed shock. There was no turning back — she was already inside. Seeing the crowd, she quickly moved to a far corner, sat down, closed her eyes, and began reciting the number pi to calm herself.
She continued until a woman in a floor-length cloak — like hers — began speaking.
But… that was the mage’s cloak! Only one of the 15 mages was allowed to wear it. She was a mage.
Akiko carefully observed her as she said:“Now the tests will begin. Please proceed to your assigned rooms. Everyone with numbers 1–100, go to Room 1; 101–200, Room 2; 201–300, Room 3; 301–400, Room 4…”
And so on, continuing up to 600.
“Ahhhhhhh! There are 600 people!!!” she accidentally squealed.
Her face went pale instantly. It was worse than she had imagined. She struggled to walk properly.
Without realizing, she was already seated in Room 4 when the exams began.
A voice rang out:“You may begin. You have three hours. The test consists of 146 questions,” said the mage, wearing a sarcastic smile.
Her mind instantly focused on the test, shutting everything else out.
Minutes passed, and before she knew it, she had finished in just one hour — half the time. She reviewed her answers and, with trembling legs from embarrassment, handed in the test.
The exam was considerably difficult — even impossible for some — but not for her.
She headed toward the mage’s table, but glanced back and realized she was the only one who had finished. Her shame grew, but she managed to reach the table.
The mage chuckled upon seeing a skinny little girl in a floor-length cloak, barely able to walk, trembling. Then the mage said:“Since you gave up on the test, go to the end of the hallway.”
“I-I d-didn’t g-give up,” stammered Akiko.
The mage looked at the test and asked, “You’ve already finished?”
Akiko nodded. The mage said, “Alright,” taking the test with an ironic smile.
The mage assumed the funny little girl had guessed all the answers.
Akiko returned to her seat, still trembling, trying to calm herself by thinking about formulas.
Time passed, and the test ended, but the students had to remain seated. Akiko recited formulas and calculated in her head when something distracted her. She heard several students grumbling:
*“I guessed everything.”**“I’m a disaster.”**“Why did I even come? I knew I wouldn’t pass.”*
Akiko noticed that most students with low mana were crying and complaining, while those with higher mana were calm. Some students with even greater mana were whining as well.
She realized that the students crying with the highest mana were actually examiners — this was truly a test…
After a few minutes, she calmed herself.
Then the mage began announcing results:“Number 303 — failed.”“Number 309 — failed.”“Number 307 — failed.”
And so on…
The mage handed out results, including to those who had failed. Akiko glanced at her neighbor’s test and confirmed this was a real test.
She looked at the mage, silently asking for an explanation. The mage answered loudly for everyone to hear:“Some warlocks failed the written test; others failed afterward.”
The warlocks exchanged confused glances, while the others understood.
“After the written test, the second test began. Those who doubted themselves failed. Once you cast a spell, you must not question whether you should have cast it. A mage and warlock must trust themselves and make the right choices to avoid harming innocents,” said the mage, smiling seriously.
Akiko thought: *If they had evaluated me during the test, I would have been disqualified.*
Then she heard:“Number 380, come here.”
Akiko instantly went pale. *Do they think I cheated? If I’d known no one had finished, I wouldn’t have completed the test so fast.*
She walked forward, trying not to tremble. The mage noticed and chuckled, then whispered:“Did you cheat?”
“No,” Akiko replied.
The mage looked at her with a seemingly fake smile:“You noticed the examiners, right?”
Akiko nodded. She already knew there were examiners disguised as students.
“They say you didn’t cheat, but no one has ever finished this test so fast with everything correct — especially at your age. Not even the mages, nor I.”
She said this loudly, so others could hear, her expression shocked.
Akiko didn’t want to stand out, but when it came to numbers, she focused solely on them and hadn’t realized she had finished so quickly.
Now the mage’s face became serious and intimidating:“You really didn’t cheat?”
Akiko quickly answered: “No!”
The mage gave her a very serious, frightening look and said:“Then go sit down.”
Akiko tried not to cry. She was pale, trembling, and wondering if she should have said she guessed on the test or something.
The mage had reasons to be suspicious — her age, her mana which seemed small but was actually concealed to hide her being an elf, her mana could be greater than some mages’, her nervousness, and more.