NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 18: Nito
...
"Sister, what exactly is an adventurer?" Fleda asked, her eyes wide with curiosity.
"Listen well, Fleda!" I replied enthusiastically. "An adventurer is someone who is truly free! They possess great wealth and can journey to any corner of the world! They're incredibly strong and noble, serving as role models for everyone across Zea!"
"Free...? Is that really the case, Sis? I've heard that adventurers have heavy responsibilities to maintain balance throughout Zea," she mused thoughtfully.
"Ah, but that's precisely what I mean by 'freedom'," I countered, a spark of excitement in my voice. "You can go anywhere, without spending a single coin, all while doing something thrilling—adventuring! It's entirely possible that during your travels, you'll meet humans, dwarves, centaurs, halflings, or even dragons, fairias, or demons!"
"Every moment, you'll encounter something new—fresh experiences, exotic foods, new friends, different homes, or even a new family!"
"Hmm." She'd squinted. "You just want to skip chores."
"And you'll beg to join me!"
Fleda smiled softly. "Well then, if it's your dream to become an adventurer, I would gladly accompany you!"
"Ooh! Excellent choice, Fleda!" I exclaimed, clapping my hands together. "In that case, let's strive hard together to achieve our shared dream of becoming adventurers!"
Ah, I miss those times. Days when everything was as it should be. No doubts, no conflicts. We simply enjoyed our childhood like any other—gathering together, eating together, playing, chatting endlessly—with Fleda, Mom, and Dad.
But then...
"GET OUT OF HERE, YOU WORTHLESS WHELP!"
"YOU SHOULDN'T BE HERE!"
"Dear Adele... Why do you defy Mom's orders? If I'd known it would come to this, I SHOULDN'T HAVE RAISED YOU."
Yes, I realise those days are gone forever. Yet, after spending a week at Claudia's mansion, those memories resurfaced. It felt wonderful to eat and share happiness with Fleda, Manfred, Alruna, Leofric, and the twin. The warmth I felt in their presence reminded me of the past.
Haha... It's pitiful, isn't it? I was certain I'd never think of those times again. And now, here I am, longing for them.
...
"...Sis...!"
"...Sister...!"
"Wake up! We'll be late registering for the Nito!"
Whack!
Once again, while I was still half-asleep, Fleda snatched my pillow away. Consequently, I jolted awake.
"Ow!" I raised my war banner: the blanket. "Why do you always do that, Fleda!? I've told you not to pull my pillow when I'm sleeping!"
"I should be the one saying that, Sis! Don't you remember what day it is today!?"
"What day...? Oh no! You're right! Hurry, Fleda!"
In a flash, I scrambled to get ready. I washed my face hurriedly, tidied my hair, dabbed on some olive perfume, changed into my best outfit, grabbed the leftover bread from last night, and dashed back to the room. It took me only three minutes to complete my morning routine. With a piece of bread clamped between my teeth, I reported to Fleda.
"I'm ready!" I mumbled through the bread.
"Honestly, having such a lazy sister..." Fleda sighed, shaking her head.
***
"I-I-I'm g-gonna puke..."
"H-hey, Alruna! D-don't say that! N-now I'm n-nervous!"
"Heh. Why are you both getting jittery after everything we've been through? With your abilities, I'm certain a test like the Nito will be a breeze for you."
"That's because you're too relaxed, Sister!"
After a few minor hiccups before setting off, here we were, awaiting our turn for the Nito test. The three of us—Fleda, Alruna, and I—had registered smoothly, thanks to our citizen identification cards. Though we were a tad late, which unfortunately placed us towards the end of the queue.
This year, the number of applicants for the Nito wasn't as high as in previous years. Normally, thousands would cram these benches, but winter's endless frost had thinned the ranks. Only the desperate or delusional braved the trials now. Perfect, I thought. Less competition. More room to fail spectacularly.
Fleda elbowed me, her whisper frantic. "You okay? This morning, you were... crying. In your sleep."
Ah, there it was—her ever-concerned nature making an appearance. Despite often scolding me, she always worries about me, overly so. Truly a troublesome little sister.
"Oh, don't worry. Just some nightmare about the past." I lied.
"..."
Her jaw tightened. Mentioning the past always did this—shuttered her like a boarded-up window. I can't blame her; everything she held dear was destroyed in a single night. She witnessed something so horrific that even the term 'nightmare' fails to capture it.
I glanced at her, noticing the way she averted her gaze, lost in thought. I wished I could ease her pain, but I knew better than to press the matter now.
"Applicants 269 through 279," a clerk droned. "Proceed to examination chambers."
Our turn had come.
Fleda shot me a wobbly grin. "Don't... y'know. Die."
"I won't!" It's just an oral exam, seriously.
Out of the ten examination chambers available, each participant was to enter the room corresponding to their number. In my case, holding number 269, I was to enter the room on the far left.
Before me stood a sizable oak door, reinforced with iron, like a prison gate. Behind it, we'd face the oral exam, answering various questions posed by an instructor. The questions would cover logic, general knowledge, specialized survival techniques, personal inquiries, and more. It is a function of the instructor in charge and your background.
As I stood before the door, a slight tremor ran through my body. It was ironic—after telling Fleda and Alruna not to be nervous, here I was, feeling the jitters myself. Well, no point in overthinking it. Best to take a deep breath and step forward.
Creak...
"E-excuse me...?"
"Enter."
A familiar voice boomed from within, so commanding it startled me. To my surprise, the instructor assigned to me was Claudia.
Everything around her seemed to transform into a military barracks—strict, disciplined, with no room for error. As I stood there, momentarily stunned, Claudia sat poised on a wooden chair, arms crossed, a stern expression etched on her face.
Oh dear, I take back what I said earlier. Looks like I'm going to die here soon. I hoped she wouldn't bombard me with bizarre questions or interrogate me with her piercing gaze.
"You. Adele, correct? The girl lodging at my estate?"
Claudia's voice could frost a forge. I nodded, knees locking.
"Hmm? No need to be so tense. I'm not angry with you. It's just that an annoying participant was here a moment ago. Sit there."
"A-alright then."
I took a deep breath, trying my best not to be nervous in front of Claudia.
"Okay. I don't like beating around the bush, so I'll get straight to the main point."
"Rules are simple: fifty questions, thirty seconds each. Correct answer: four points. Wrong: minus one. Silence: zero. There's also personal queries. They don't affect scores, but will be taken into consideration for your admission. The maximum score is 200 points, while you need minimum 120 points to pass. Twenty five minutes total. Understood?"
In other words, participants are forced to think quickly and accurately when answering questions. I've heard that some questions have very long answers, and participants end up losing points because their answers are incomplete. For some people, this stage might be a real headache, but I'm fairly confident in my knowledge.
The tricky part about this test is that you won't be told whether your answers are correct or incorrect until after the test is over. This means that some people who are overconfident about passing end up failing. Moreover, the instructor won't stop bombarding you with questions every 30 seconds for the entire 25 minutes.
"...Yes!"
"Begin."
One: "Define the Guild."
"A multinational organization established post-Old Concordat. Independent, apolitical. Governed by the Accord's statutes."
Her eyebrow twitched. I'd answered in ten seconds. The clock ticked louder.
Two: "Ingvaeon's population per the 280 Zea parliament census?"
"7,453,193. Predominantly elves, minimal mixed races."
More silence. This is what happens when a question is answered in less than 30 seconds. My palms slickened. Guild rumors were right—answering too fast unnerved examiners.
Three: "Vōs omnēs in agrīs labōrāvistis. In the Ingvaeon language, the word 'labōrāvistis' translates to?"
"'Habe gearbeitet.' Past perfect tense."
Four: "Name the five ducal capital of the Aragon Empire."
"Montreuil, Thunderer, Vlaardingen, Castilla, Benevento."
Five: "Why did Ingvaeon transition from absolute to constitutional monarchy?"
"The constitutional monarchy system was implemented by King Alfredo to replace the old absolute monarchy. It was established to prevent another totalitarian regime like that during King Randolf's reign."
Her quill scratched like a rat's claws.
Six: "Translate 'Die piraten segelten mit schiffen zur insel' into Zean."
"'Pīrātae ad īnsulam nāvibus nāvigābant.' Pirates sailed ships to the island."
"Who is the figure worshipped by the followers of Wika in their religious practices?"
"Azura, the Lord of Wisdom."
Seven: "Why—"
Claudia continued to fire random questions at me. Each question had almost no relation to the previous one. One time she'd ask me the population of some countries, and the next she'd ask me why the Scripts used to invoke Law were divided into 3 main languages.
Fifty: "What are the differences between the three major Script languages?"
"First, the Zea Script, created by the dragons. Simple, reliable, mana-efficient, and easily modifiable with a wide range of commands. But it's lengthy incantations make it unsuitable for rapid use."
"Second, the Demonic Script. It has a wider range of commands than the Zea Script, but it's also unreliable and more mana-intensive."
"And finally, the Fairia Script. It is said to have an almost unlimited command range, surpassing both Zea Script and Demonic Script. However, its drawbacks are unknown according—"
"Stop. The test is now over."
She cut off my words right after the 30 second timer expired.
"Now," Claudia leaned forward, her quill poised like a dagger. "Personal questions. Answer truthfully—your honesty may determine your passing."
My soul might as well have left my body. Twenty five minutes of relentless interrogation had left my mouth cotton-dry, eyes bleary, skull throbbing. Claudia's presence alone—a glacier in human form—made the air feel thinner.
"Adele. You're a high elf. Are your kin numerous where you hail from?"
"...No." I swallowed. "I was adopted. My birth parents... I don't know them."
Her quill scratched. "Why join the Guild?"
"Embarrassing as it sounds..." I rubbed my neck. "My sister and I idolized adventurers growing up. The freedom to roam, meet cultures, taste foods, discover secrets... It's the 'liberty' I've craved since childhood."
"Common fantasy." A rare smirk tugged her lips. "I once shared it. But know this—" Her voice hardened. "Adventurers aren't wanderers. They're balancers. You'll slaughter monsters, brave cursed ruins, even purge entire cities if necessary. All to maintain Zea's fragile equilibrium. Still want this?"
"That's why I'm here." I met her gaze. "No pleasure without sacrifice. I've burned my bridges. Failure's not an option."
Claudia stared. Then—"Hah!"—a bark of laughter. "Well said, girl! Let's see if your steel matches your tongue."
She slid a parchment across the table. "Congratulations. Perfect score."
"P-perfect...?"
"Don't play modest." She tapped the paper. "Fifty questions. No errors. No silences. You've broken a nearly three-century Guild record."
My brain short-circuited. "But... how? The population question—the census isn't public!"
"Ah, that." Claudia's eyes gleamed. "Explain."
"I... cross-referenced old city census books from 260-270 Zea. Calculated growth rates—elf longevity keeps demographics stable. Added major cities, estimated rural areas..." I trailed off, cheeks burning. "Mostly guesswork, really."
"Guesswork." She snorted. "You reverse-engineered Parlemian's sealed data. With library books."
"I... read a lot."
"So I see." She leaned back, assessing me anew. "They must have called you a bookworm, didn't they?"
"W-well, almost everyone who knows me has said that..."
"Hahaha! Fine then." Her laugh shook the room. "You're dismissed. Now's time for the next fool."
I stumbled into the hall, parchment clutched like a lifeline. Fleda and Alruna materialized instantly—Fleda pale, Alruna's braid frayed.
***