I Became a Crazy Swordsmanship Instructor in the Game - Chapter 33:

“If you have confidence in your courage, choose the left door; if you wish to showcase your wisdom, take the middle door; and if you seek to apply your accumulated knowledge, then go through the right door.”

Philip nodded in understanding.

“Yes.”

He decided to open the door marked with the word ‘knowledge.’

As he swung the door open and stepped inside, the darkness was instantly replaced by the warm glow of light. The room revealed itself, filled with shelves laden with books, and in the center, a curious fox with two tails awaited. It was swinging its tails in anticipation.

“Oops!”

As the fox laid eyes on Philip, it became ecstatic, and twirled around in excitement before playfully wagging its tails.

“I thought I would go mad, slowly rotting away in this confining space forever!”

Then, the fox dashed towards Philip, placing its front paws on his lap and affectionately nuzzling its head against him. Philip accepted the show of intense affection without a word.

The talking animals within the ‘Hall of Accomplishment’ were artificial beings brought to life through the magical prowess of the great philosopher, Asura. Knowing this fact, Philip couldn’t help but feel a sense of empathy towards them.

He gently held the fox’s side and lifted it up, prompting the fox to extend its tongue and give Philip’s face an affectionate lick before suddenly recoiling and pushing away.

“Let me go. I am the examiner responsible for overseeing the test on behalf of the great philosopher Asura.”

Philip placed the fox back on the ground, wearing a slightly bewildered expression.

‘Speaking first and then acting, huh?’

Nevertheless, Philip was willing to overlook such behavior from the creatures in this peculiar realm.

“I apologize for the misunderstanding. I’m sorry,” Philip said politely.

In response, the fox nodded with a hint of pride.

“Be more careful next time.”

Having received the warning, Philip was finally ready to listen to the explanation of the test.

“This is a space where your ‘knowledge’ will be tested. Depending on how many of the five questions asked by me are answered correctly, you may receive better rewards.”

“I understand.”

As Philip nodded, the fox continued in a sly tone, “It’s highly unlikely to happen, but if you manage to answer all five questions correctly, you’ll be able to choose the most prized possession left behind by Lord Asura. My personal recommendation would be his key.”

Philip couldn’t help but smile at the fox’s craftiness.

The “Key of Asura” symbolized ownership of the revered Hall of Accomplishment in this realm.

Of course, the rewards offered here were not tangible. They primarily consisted of selecting individuals worthy of taking the exam and bestowing knowledge to handle artificial beings.

The fox hoped that Philip would select the key, thereby granting him freedom from this place.

Undoubtedly, Philip’s aspiration was indeed the key. As for other rewards like legendary swords, magic staffs, or rare materials, he knew he could easily obtain them whenever he desired.

However, the Archmage’s personally created artificial beings were unparalleled and unattainable anywhere else. Philip understood the immense power wielded by this courteous bear and cunning fox.

‘I was trying to perform an internet search by pressing Alt-Tab when, all of a sudden, a surprise battle broke out and caught me off guard.’

Switching to another window during the test was considered cheating, and that was when the unexpected battle had taken place. The students who had been confidently prepared until that point met their end with a single blow from the fox, leaving a vivid memory in Philip’s mind.

“Alright, let’s put your knowledge to the test.”

As the fox declared, hundreds and thousands of books from the adorned bookshelves whirled into the air, momentarily passing before Philip’s eyes.

And then, one of them came to a halt.

[This flower only thrives in the mist and has a perplexing effect on the human mind when ingested. It serves as a vital ingredient for truth serums and love potions, and elves utilize it as a paralyzing potion. What is the name of this flower?]

Suddenly, a radiant sentence appeared in the air, making Philip aware that this was the first question.

‘That’s easy.’

The first question was as straightforward as anticipated. Without any hesitation, Philip promptly provided the correct answer.

“Lunarise.”

This was a question that anyone who had delved into the realm of mages could answer. Though the randomization of questions differed from his previous experiences, Philip remained confident.

“Correct. Now, for the second question.”

As the fox confirmed the answer, the books once again swirled around in a mesmerizing dance.

[Manticores are monstrous creatures that possess the knowledge of magic. They often inhabit ancient ruins or underground dungeons, guarding them against unwanted intruders. Due to this peculiar habit, the ancient people used to refer to manticores as #%@$.]

This time, the challenge was a fill-in-the-blank format question.

Dealing with ancient knowledge posed a significant challenge, as it was a realm with limited exposure, even for someone as well-versed as Philip.

“Secret Devourer.”

Philip confidently provided the correct answer. It was a relatively easy one.

“That’s right. Let’s move on to the next question.”

[Ah, he was once a symbol of justice and judgment, revered by all knights who served him. But now, it has become exceedingly difficult to trace his footsteps. $%^$% Oh, forgotten ancient god, may your light shine upon us once again.]

As the difficulty increased exponentially with consecutive questions, this one proved somewhat tricky even for Philip, the knowledgeable one.

‘… What was it? Lu? Something like that.’

As it wasn’t crucial information, Philip couldn’t recall it entirely.

In games, names of such ancient gods often served as modifiers for items you come across, rather than being the ultimate prize themselves.

After pondering for a moment, Philip cautiously proposed his answer.

“Lubetus?”

At that moment, the fox leaped in excitement.

“Correct!”

As Philip aced the third question, admiration shone in the fox’s eyes as she looked at him.

The great scholar Asura had presented this problem to professors and instructors from the Magic Department and the Humanities Department before, and only a few managed to solve it.

“Perhaps this person will solve all the questions in one go.”

The fox thought, her eyes gleaming.

And so, the next question was unveiled.

[This organization was established a long time ago with the aim of enslaving humankind…]

“Ah, The Radiant Society.”

Philip answered without even waiting for the entire question. It was a question that he had come across during gameplay.

In a matter of seconds, Philip had passed the fourth level out of five, prompting the fox to nervously chew on her tail.

“That’s correct. You… Scribe? Forget about Asura’s key I mentioned earlier. In truth… possessing it won’t be of much help to you in obtaining the treasures of this place.”

It seemed the fox’s conscience had pricked her. Philip responded with a smirk.

“It’s up to me to decide. Please proceed with the final question.”

“Hmph. This one is truly challenging. Even if you’ve read many books, answering it would be difficult unless you lived hundreds of years ago.”

The fox spoke with a sharp tone, attempting to unnerve Philip.

And precisely five minutes later, Philip emerged from the door of knowledge, holding ‘Asura’’s Key’ in one hand and supporting the fox’s butt with the other.

“Crunch, crunch.”

After centuries of being confined within the Hall of Accomplishment, the fox finally emerged, and joyfully wagged its tail as it savored its newfound freedom.

“Visitor, what’s that?”

The bear exclaimed in astonishment as it saw the reward Phillip had chosen. Phillip turned to the bear and informed it, “I’ve been granted ownership of this hall, which means you all must now follow my lead. Please summon the other examiners.”

Responding to the bear’s call, the two examiners responsible for the tests of courage and wisdom appeared – a majestic tiger and a monkey wearing glasses.

“Nice to meet our new owner.”

They said in unison when they noticed the Asura Key held by Phillip. Each artificial being expressed their obedience in their own unique way, filling Phillip with a sense of confidence, akin to having a formidable army at his command.

“Please don’t address me as a master; call me the administrator instead. You will carry out my orders or enjoy freedom, except when students use this hall. First, let me explain the basic policies…”

Phillip proceeded to explain the plan he had in mind to the animals. He emphasized how they would play a crucial role in effectively nurturing the children who would become Lua comrades.

‘During times when I can’t be attentive, these animals should inspire the children’s sense of improvement.’

Phillip explained. Essentially, he intended to release the animals for automatic hunting while he focused on other tasks.

“So, to sum up, we must now become both examiners and teachers.”

Inquired the monkey wearing glasses, and Phillip nodded approvingly.

The tiger chimed in, “Oh, how I look forward to meeting those adorable children. They must be absolutely delightful!”

Phillip couldn’t help but chuckle at the tiger’s sentiment.

‘Well, the kids might not share the same enthusiasm.’

He thought to himself, but outwardly he smiled and nodded.

“Fear not, you will meet them soon. In fact, I’ll bring a few of them here, so please bear with me for a moment.”

———-

“I’ll come along to help find any rundown areas.”

“And I’ll assist with the cleaning; this place needs a little sprucing up,” offered Cheryl, as she observed the dusty warehouse.

Janice, her companion from the library, followed her silently, ready to lend a hand.

“I can clean later; it’s not a big deal. The truth is, I stumbled upon something here, and I really want to show it to all of you.”

“…?”

Cheryl cautiously treaded through the dust-filled warehouse, and tilted her head in curiosity. As she explored, she accidentally disturbed a pile of boxes, sending dust flying into Janice’s narrow nostrils.

“Ah-choo!”

She sneezed reflexively, and the spray of mucus and saliva accidentally hit Philip’s neck from behind.

“… I’m sorry, really sorry.”

Janice’s face turned a deep shade of red as she hurriedly pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to Philip.

“Don’t worry about it. It happens.”

However, Janice wasn’t feeling okay at all. She was utterly embarrassed and wished she could disappear.

Just like any noble girl, she couldn’t help but feel a bit conscious about appearing attractive in front of someone as handsome and kind as Philip. After all, Janice owed her life to him, and that made her feelings even more complicated.

“Here it is. It’s dark, so I’ll go first.”

As Philip descended the stairs, the two girls followed suit. Now inside the ‘Hall of Accomplishment,’ which Philip had come to own, they were greeted by a talking bear.

“Oh, dear administrator, you’ve returned with charming and beautiful ladies as you mentioned.”

The Bear spoke in a polite and considerate tone, leaving Cheryl and Janice surprised, and they held onto each other for support.

“Mommy!”

“The Bear can talk…?”

Soon, they listened attentively to all the explanations about the Hall of Accomplishment, and their curiosity and adventurous spirit were sparked. It wasn’t surprising, considering their youthful desire for recognition and achievement.

“I’d love to take the test of wisdom. Actually, even though I work in the library, I hardly get the chance to read as much as I’d like.”

Cheryl declared that she wanted to enter the Test of Wisdom.

“I’ll take the test of bravery.”

As Janice bravely voiced her determination, Philip’s concerned gaze penetrated her tender heart.

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?”

Philip asked gently. To Janice, it felt like he was asking if a little girl like her could handle it.

“I-I’ll be fine. I was just startled earlier. After all, I’m a direct descendant of the Morrela family, which produced two great sages. This test should be a piece of cake…!”

She clenched her fist and confidently opened the door of bravery ahead of Cheryl, only for the door to close behind her. After a moment, Janice’s scream filled the air.

The first stage of the ‘Trial of Courage’ was all about conquering one’s deepest fears. Janice must have confronted the very embodiment of what terrified her the most.

“AAAAH!”

“Oh my, oh my! Hey, little one, are you alright?”

With a frantic roar, the door swung wide open. The tender-hearted female tiger gently gripped Janice’s limp form in her mouth and placed her at Philip’s feet.

“I didn’t mean to scare the poor thing so much. It’s my fault; the kid is just too adorable, and I couldn’t resist playing a little prank.”

“It’s not your fault. Some children are just more fearful than others.”

After consoling the Tiger, Philip sat down on the ground, offering a place for Janice to rest her head comfortably.

“… Do you think I’ll end up like that too?”

“The Trial of Wisdom won’t subject you to such fear. So don’t worry. Once you pass a few stages, there are valuable rewards waiting for you.”

Encouraged by Philip’s words, Cheryl unlocked the door of wisdom.

Philip patiently waited, keeping a watchful eye on Janice until she emerged from the trial.

———-

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