Of course, failing it in a town may also (if a guard notices you acting like a mad man) get you either killed (they might assume you are being taken over by some dark force or power) or thrown in a dungeon to rot. 

This is medieval times. Remember that. Especially in these archaic evil times where all magic is considered super bad shit. Someone acting like a mad man, talking to himself, they are gonna assume something not normal is up.