I think a team-based test makes a lot of sense. First class mages get to go into a very dangerous region plus they probably have to take a lot of dangerous missions. They’re not always going to have their party with them and they may have to work with people they never meet before to survive. Plus they may have to protect important cargo (the stille in this case). Rather than a plot device, this test is pretty well thought out. The organizers probably only put a certain number of birds in to the test area so the teams would be forced to fight each other since they’re not enough for everyone to pass.
Two childhood friends. Are close enough to constantly squable. Perfectly in sync with each other. Lawine knows all of Kanne's good points. Kanne utters Lawine's name moments before she thinks she's about to die.
@Simkin : A different flavor of tsunderes.
(yes, plural)
Can imagine them having an argument in the future about not finding any good man that ends up with them going out, possibly after a night of 'what I hate about you' sex.