My Magical Girl System-Chapter 36: Written Test

Andrey let out a quiet breath of relief as he watched Sarah walk beside Lisa, chatting about something. Her voice was normal, her posture relaxed. The cold tension from last night had melted away, replaced by something that looked almost like the old Sarah.

’Seems like Lisa managed to convince her,’ he thought, his shoulders loosening.

As if sensing his gaze, Sarah glanced over her shoulder. Their eyes met for a brief moment. Then she huffed, turning her head away with a slight pout, her pace quickening just enough to put a few extra inches between them.

Andrey blinked, then sighed internally. ’Well... maybe not entirely convinced. Still a little something left to fix.’

He adjusted his glasses and quickened his own pace to catch up, falling into step beside them as they approached the Association headquarters.

Lisa clutched her bag straps, her expression nervous. "I’m a little worried about the written test. I hope it’s not too hard..."

Sarah waved a dismissive hand. "Eh, it’s probably just a formality. I mean, our main job is fighting, right? What’s the point of a written test anyway?"

Andrey shook his head, his tone patient but firm. "That’s not entirely true. We need to understand the basics—different types of gates, how cores function, emergency procedures if you’re trapped inside. There’s also information about the flora and fauna found in gates, and which materials are valuable or dangerous. All of that is useful for new heroes like us. The higher the gate rank, the more unpredictable the situations become. We need to arm ourselves with knowledge as well as power."

Lisa nodded slowly, her nervousness easing slightly. "That makes sense... I guess I’ll just do my best."

Sarah glanced sideways at Andrey, her expression impassive. Then she looked forward again, her voice softer.

"...You’re not wrong. But don’t expect me to enjoy studying."

Andrey kept his pace steady, his expression calm but focused.

"The important thing is that you both pass," he said, glancing at Sarah and Lisa. "Leave the rest to me. I’ll handle the logistics, the paperwork, the planning—whatever needs to be done."

Lisa beamed at him, her earlier nervousness fading into genuine admiration. "Andrey, you’re the best. You’re always so reliable."

Sarah rolled her eyes, but there was no heat in it. "You really are reliable when it comes to stuff like that. I mean, back at the office, even the bosses relied on you for everything." She paused, then added with a hint of grudging respect, "Not that I ever told them that."

Andrey adjusted his glasses, a faint flush creeping up the back of his neck. "I just did my job."

Lisa tilted her head, her twintails swaying. "But you really like working, don’t you, Andrey? Aren’t you ever tired?"

Andrey considered the question for a moment. "When you’re used to it, it’s not hard," he said finally. "Besides, I’d rather be busy than idle. So... you can both rely on me. That’s what I’m here for."

Sarah glanced at him sideways, her expression softening just a fraction. "Hmph. Don’t let it go to your head."

Lisa giggled, and the three of them pushed through the glass doors into the cool, air-conditioned lobby of the Association headquarters.

The reception desk was the same as before—sleek, modern, with a long counter and a row of terminals. Behind it sat the same bored-looking receptionist who had helped them last time, though today she had a cup of coffee in hand and seemed slightly more awake.

She looked up as they approached, her eyes scanning over them. Recognition flickered across her face.

"Back again?" She set down her coffee and tapped at her keyboard. "Let me guess—rank promotion assessment?"

Andrey stepped forward, pulling out his hero ID. "That’s correct. We’re here for the written test and practical evaluation. All three of us."

The receptionist raised an eyebrow, glancing at Sarah and Lisa in turn. "All three? You’re not splitting up?"

Sarah crossed her arms. "We’re a team. We stick together."

Lisa nodded firmly beside her.

The receptionist shrugged, typing rapidly. "Fine by me. The written test is held in Room 1204, same as last time. You’ll have one hour to complete it. After that, if you pass, you’ll be scheduled for the practical demonstration." She slid three sheets of paper across the counter. "Fill these out and head up. Good luck."

Andrey took the forms, handing one each to Sarah and Lisa. They filled them out quickly—names, IDs, current ranks, and a brief statement of intent.

As they walked toward the elevator, Lisa clutched her form to her chest. "I’m still nervous..."

Sarah patted her shoulder. "Relax. How hard can it be? It’s not like they’re going to ask us to calculate gate core resonance frequencies."

Andrey pressed the call button. "Actually, that might be on the test."

Sarah’s face went pale. "You’re joking."

The elevator doors opened.

Andrey stepped inside, a small smirk playing at the corner of his lips. "Maybe."

Lisa giggled nervously as they filed into the elevator, the doors sliding shut behind them.

The soft hum of the elevator filled the small space as it ascended toward the twelfth floor. Andrey stood with his hands clasped behind his back, staring at the glowing floor numbers. Beside him, Lisa clutched her bag straps, her earlier nervousness creeping back. Sarah leaned against the wall, arms crossed, trying to look unconcerned but her fingers tapped restlessly against her elbow.

The elevator chimed. Doors slid open.

They stepped out into a quiet hallway, the walls lined with doors marked with small brass plaques. Room 1204 was at the end, its door slightly ajar. Soft light spilled out, and they could hear the faint rustle of papers and the occasional cough from inside.

Andrey pushed the door open wider and stepped through.

The room was modest—rows of individual desks, each with a terminal built into the surface. A handful of other heroes were already seated, some looking confident, others visibly sweating. At the front of the room, a proctor stood behind a podium, a stack of test booklets in her arms.

She glanced up as they entered, her expression neutral. "Find any open seats. The test will begin in five minutes. No talking. No phones. No collaboration."

Sarah muttered under her breath, "Joy."

They found three seats in the back corner, close enough to feel like a team but far enough apart to avoid suspicion. Andrey settled into his chair, pulled out a pen from his jacket pocket, and placed it neatly beside the terminal.

Lisa sat to his left, her hands trembling slightly as she arranged her own supplies. Sarah sat to his right, slouching in her chair with an air of forced relaxation.

The proctor cleared her throat. "You may begin."

Terminals lit up across the room, displaying the first set of questions.

Andrey’s eyes scanned the screen. Multiple choice. Gate classifications. Core stabilization techniques. Emergency mana conservation protocols.

His pen moved steadily, efficiently. Question after question, his answers were precise, confident.

Beside him, Lisa bit her lip, reading each question twice before answering. Her brow furrowed in concentration, but she kept moving, kept filling in bubbles.

Sarah... Sarah stared at the screen for a long moment, then let out a quiet sigh and started clicking answers with a resigned shrug.

The minutes ticked by.

Andrey finished first. He sat back, reviewing his answers with a critical eye, making a few small corrections before finally pressing submit. The terminal flashed: "Test Complete. Please remain seated until all participants have finished."

He glanced sideways at Lisa. She was still working, her tongue peeking out from the corner of her mouth in concentration. Sarah was staring at her screen with an expression of mild annoyance, her pen tapping against the desk.

Andrey allowed himself a small smile.

’They’ll be fine,’ he thought.