Get off work and become a magical girl

Chapter 368 Magic Armor Assessment
—"Please make way for the next candidate."

Through the door, the examiner's voice could be clearly heard in the corridor outside.

Compared to the massive maze of the first assessment, the examination venue for the second assessment was undoubtedly much simpler—it was just a classroom in the Silver Corridor.

Although it is a national educational institution, the classrooms in the Silver Corridor are not simple. They have two significant characteristics: first, they are large, and second, they are numerous.

They are considered large because their interiors have generally undergone spatial stretching modifications, allowing them to accommodate larger equipment when necessary.

There are so many classrooms because they are usually configured according to subject, with each class having five to seven classrooms depending on the subject. In order to implement the concept of personalized and elite education, the trainee magical girls who receive training in the Silver Corridor on weekdays even use their own equipment, rather than sharing it.

Perhaps it is precisely because of this high-investment preparatory education that magical girls from the Silver Corridor make a greater average contribution to their careers than their counterparts from other backgrounds, and the number of them serving in the five national academies is also much greater than that of magical girls from the material world.

Of course, such future events are still somewhat distant for the candidates currently undergoing practical assessments. To illustrate this more concretely, we must mention the "Top Performers" list that Mint previously compiled.

The top-ranked magical girl on that list, whom Mint considers the strongest in this year's assessment, is from the Silver Corridor.

To go further, if we expand this so-called "big shot list" and categorize the fifty individuals on it according to their identity tags, then "Silver Corridor Faction" would undoubtedly be the most frequently appearing tag. Following this tag, perhaps identities like "Central City Garrison Team" would come next.

During the first maze test, because the rules mandated that candidates act in small teams, and the maze's complex terrain made it difficult for them to locate each other, these factions based on their backgrounds weren't very apparent. At most, it was only in the later stages of the test that some candidates with similar backgrounds would band together to form larger teams.

In this second assessment, probably because it mainly relied on individual effort and did not require teamwork, many candidates naturally chose to team up with their closer companions.

Magical girls from the Silver Corridor prefer to be with their former classmates; magical girls from Central Cities tend to stick with teammates from their own city or other Central Cities; and magical girls from smaller cities feel they have more in common with test-takers from other smaller cities…

However, there were still people who gathered together according to their exam groups.

For example, Lin Xiaolu, Bai Jingxuan, and Mint.

At this moment, the three of them stood together in the corridor, gazing at the testing process taking place in the classroom.

Although they stood together, Lin Xiaolu and Bohe were quite far apart. Although Bohe didn't seem to show any reaction, Lin Xiaolu made no attempt to hide the disdain in her expression.

This dislike wasn't because the other person was related to Black Dawn. Rather, it was because Lin Xiaolu wouldn't harbor prejudice after learning that Mint hadn't participated in the evil deeds committed by Black Dawn.

What truly made her dislike Mint was, in the end, her behavior yesterday after Mint had gone to great lengths to contact Lark through her.

"That's disgusting."

That was the thought that Lin Xiaolu blurted out at the time.

While it's perfectly normal for the other person to be a fan of Cui Que, and Lin Xiaolu even approves of it, the obsequious attitude they displayed was simply unacceptable to her.

What's most unacceptable, besides Mint's tendency to scream like the most mindless fans, is that she actually went too far and asked Celeste for an autograph.

Even Lin Xiaolu herself didn't have Cui Que's signature.

Although she knew that if she asked Cuique for an autograph, Cuique would probably sign one for her, the two of them were now far too familiar with each other, making the act of "asking for an autograph" seem very strange.

Furthermore, Lin Xiaolu believes that she is now, in name only, Cui Que's student, and in private, she is still Cui Que's acknowledged "daughter." Although it's only in private, she can still call her "Mom"! She and Cui Que are already so close, wouldn't asking for an autograph lower her status?
In short, inexplicably, Mint, this "outsider," accomplished things that Lin Xiaolu had never done and possessed things that Lin Xiaolu had never had.

This made her very unhappy. Even though Mint later said that she only admired those famous and powerful magical girls and that she became a fan of Cornflower only because she admired her deeds and legends and had no other intentions, it still didn't make Lin Xiaolu feel any resentment.

Ultimately, even if Lin Xiaolu doesn't admit it, there's a sense of mutual repulsion between the two of them in this matter.

Lin Xiaolu really likes Cuique and believes that Cuique deserves to be liked by more people. But when other people show affection for Cuique in front of her, she feels a little jealous.

Yeah, a little bit.

This has led to the strange relationship and way of getting along between the two. Mint doesn't want to stay with other beastmen, lest she act unnaturally and give herself away, but she prefers to act with Bai Jingxuan and Lin Xiaolu, whom she calls "sacrifice children". Lin Xiaolu, on the other hand, is not very comfortable with Mint, "a person of the Black Dawn", and feels that it might be safer to keep her within her sight.

Both agreed that they should act together, but Lin Xiaolu still found Bohe somewhat disagreeable.

Bai Jingxuan, who was initially quite hostile towards Bohe, returned to normal after learning that Bohe was not a true crippled beast.

Now, Lin Xiaolu and Bohe are standing on the left and right sides, with Bai Jingxuan in the middle. Although the three of them are standing side by side, they are subtly at odds and don't even communicate much.

They were just watching to see what the candidates who came out of the exam hall had to say.

Right now, it was time for the last examinee to finish the test to come out, and as soon as she stepped out of the door, the magical girls all gathered around her.

The examinee hadn't even had time to put away his magical costume when he came out, so Lin Xiaolu could see its appearance from afar—it was a simple white handheld windmill, seemingly no different from the cheap toys sold by street vendors.

And this unremarkable magical outfit, she said, actually received a "B" grade rating.

This naturally aroused great curiosity among the candidates watching from outside the gate.

However, to protect the privacy of the examinees' abilities, the examination hall windows were sealed off, and even a spell to block perception was cast. Therefore, the examinees waiting in the corridor could not see the abilities of the test takers inside. The magical girl who had just finished her test clearly did not want to reveal her magical abilities, so she only exchanged a few simple pleasantries before leaving.

"This person seems to be lying."

An unfamiliar voice suddenly reached Lin Xiaolu's ears from the side.

Lin Xiaolu turned her head and found a group of examinees she didn't recognize. At that moment, the magical girl standing in the center of the group said something.

Undoubtedly, her views were somewhat sharp and intriguing enough that the small group of people surrounding her asked her questions with great curiosity.

However, after saying that, the magical girl seemed to realize she had spoken out of turn, shook her head, and stopped talking about the topic.

Another annoying person who likes to play riddles.

Lin Xiaolu couldn't help but roll her eyes.

However, when she looked away, another member of the group made a move. Mint, who had been restless because no one was paying attention to her, seemed to have suddenly found a target. She left Bai Jingxuan's side and walked towards the small group.

"Hey, wedding candles!"

Then, as if encountering an acquaintance, he naturally called out to the magical girl standing in the center.

(End of this chapter)