Chapter 353: Casual Chat During the Magic Armor Examination

The so-called "qualification certification" examination system, at its inception, was intended more for "protection" than for "honor."

This system, jointly drafted by the Magic Affairs Bureau and the Research Institute, was designed solely to prevent the then-powerless magic girls from blindly undertaking campaigns against residual beasts beyond their capabilities.

Those who have not reached the White Plate should not rashly engage pupal-stage beasts; those who have not obtained the Character Plate should not rashly challenge beasts beyond the half-molted stage. Linking strength to "qualification" rather than judging capability solely by the Bloom Stage is a system designed to spare precious reserve combat power from meaningless loss.

Precisely because of this, in the early days of the qualification certification system, there was no so-called "written examination." At that time, the certification consisted of only two "practical" items: one to test the magic armor, and another to test mastery of spells and other foundational abilities.

As the times progressed, many things changed. The symbolic meaning of the "White Plate" and the "Character Plate" gradually shifted; they were no longer merely "campaign qualification certificates" but were endowed with greater honor, rights, and obligations. At the same time, the testing content for the White Plate and Character Plate examinations gradually diverged. To this day, the White Plate and the Character Plate have become two vastly different types of tests.

Even the White Plate examination itself has evolved from a single pair of practical tests into the current four written exams and four practical tests, all to evaluate a newcomer magic girl's capabilities in a more multidimensional manner.

However, one point has remained unchanged from ancient times to the present: the "magic armor" test. It should be said that since the magic qualification certification examination system matured, the "magic armor" item has never been removed from the White Plate examination.

This is beyond doubt, for the magic armor is the absolute core of a magic girl's capabilities; a magic girl who cannot properly develop her own magic armor abilities is almost destined not to go far.

Capability specifications, scope of effect, application fields, development potential, stability level... these are all indicators the Examination Bureau will reference. Only after combining these testing contents will the examiners issue a comprehensive rating for the magic armor.

"Representing the highest tier, like a crown of flowers blooming alone, the Soliflore grade; symbolizing the shining star, the Aster grade; then corresponding to the blue sky, the atmosphere, and the gentle breeze, the Briza grade..."

Huazhu's mouth kept spitting out one isolated national language word after another, leaving Mints and Lin Xiaolu standing there in a daze. Fortunately, they were not entirely ignorant of this examination, so they managed to guess through a mix of speculation that the words Huazhu was uttering likely referred to the true meaning of the "S," "A," "B" type ratings they had heard before.

"You should know that the potential of a magic armor is related to the complexity of its external form, right? Paired magic armors have more potential than single-piece magic armors, and grouped magic armors have even greater potential."

Huazhu, who had already detached herself from the small group of Silver Corridor graduates, occupied the empty space between Lin Xiaolu and Mints as naturally as an old friend, explaining to the two: "Precisely because of this, that child who claimed to be Grade B was probably not telling the truth."

"Why?" Lin Xiaolu asked curiously.

Knowing that the person she had sought out was herself, not Senior Cuique, she felt she had no reason to refuse and agreed. Since others had brought the news right to her door, adhering to the principle that one might as well listen if it's offered for free, she naturally decided to ask a few more questions.

"Because it has never been heard of in the Silver Corridor that a non-'paired' magic armor could receive a rating above Grade C."

Huazhu's tone was very calm: "That child's magic armor, judging by its form, is merely a very simple single piece. Although I do not mean to discriminate against others... from the lowest Grade E to Grade C, a single-piece magic armor must cross three levels to break through to a Grade B rating. Such an unprecedented feat has been extremely rare since ancient times. She does not seem like someone capable of achieving such a thing."

"A single-piece magic armor cannot have a rating above Grade C?" Hearing this, Lin Xiaolu became somewhat displeased.

Although she did not speak it aloud, she knew her own situation clearly: her magic armor could only be described as a "single piece."

"Highly likely, or rather, almost impossible at the White Plate stage."

Huazhu seemed not to detect the emotion in Lin Xiaolu's words: "Some magic girls, after reaching the Bud Stage, will cause their magic armor to evolve from a single piece into other forms. But this is the result of personal effort and fortune; at the White Plate examination stage, examiners cannot raise scores for a vague and illusory future."

"But what if that child is exceptionally talented?" Lin Xiaolu was still trying to argue.

"Perhaps, but certainly not that child." Huazhu glanced sideways at Lin Xiaolu.

"Hmm?" Lin Xiaolu sensed the subtext in her words.

"One of the external manifestations of my magic armor ability is that it allows me to discern the truth or falsehood of others' words to a certain extent."

Huazhu looked at Lin Xiaolu with her heart-shaped irises: "So I heard it; that child was bluffing."

"... What the heck, can you read minds?" Lin Xiaolu instinctively stepped two paces away from Huazhu.

"Not to that extent. I said, I only distinguish between truth and lies."

Huazhu paid no attention to Lin Xiaolu's movement: "For instance, just now when you said she might be exceptionally talented, I could hear that you yourself did not believe what you were saying."

At this, Lin Xiaolu fell silent.

"So, does a paired magic armor guarantee a rating of Grade B or above?" Lin Xiaolu's silence gave the listening Mints an opportunity to ask a question.

"Generally speaking, a paired magic armor is only rated Grade C if its performance is truly very poor."

Huazhu spoke without holding anything back: "Just as a grouped magic armor is only rated Grade B when its performance is truly very poor."

"What about a set?" Finally, it was Bai Jingxuan's turn to ask.

"Undoubtedly S." Huazhu's answer was equally definite: "It should be said that from the beginning of the nation's history to the present, there have only been two magic girls who achieved an S-grade rating for their magic armor at the White Plate stage. The vast majority became famous figures in history books, or even important figures still seen in the nation's upper echelons today."

Lin Xiaolu and Bai Jingxuan exchanged a glance, and the two children almost simultaneously thought of the same person.

"Then, you say Cornflower..." Finally, unable to hold back her impatience, Lin Xiaolu spoke up with a question.

"Cornflower never participated in the White Plate examination; she skipped it."

Huazhu looked at Lin Xiaolu with deep meaning: "The Character Plate examination does not test magic armor, so no one knows what rating her magic armor should receive."

"Oh, that makes sense." Lin Xiaolu, unwilling to meet her gaze, awkwardly averted her eyes.

The four of them leaned against the corridor wall, chatting intermittently. After exhausting the information related to the examination, Mints took the lead and began discussing various strange tales and gossip... It must be said that Mints indeed possessed a talent for heating up the atmosphere and generating topics that ordinary people could not match, so even though Huazhu was a stranger to them before today, they were able to chat for several hours together.

Just like that, when the four of them were so engrossed in their conversation that they were on the verge of forgetting what they had come to do, the door to the examination room before them finally opened, for who knew how many times.

This time, the examination number called was Bai Jingxuan's.