"Here," Quinlan said, gesturing faintly around them, "effort matters in ways I can't even begin to describe properly. Talent matters. Luck matters. You can start with nothing and climb to the very top. That alone is obscene privilege."
His gaze shifted, settling on a familiar figure nearby.
"Black Fang would be dead in that forest if not for her ability to level up and gain classes."
"And look around," Quinlan went on. "Some of you would already be slowing down. Bodies wearing out. Time catching up. Others would be already..."
He lowered his hand.
"This system isn't fair, but it's the closest thing to fairness I've ever seen. Rank-up trials exist to stop people from drifting upward on advantages they never earned. This is the true balancing act put into place, not the 'mage princess will never reach the highest peak because she was carried her whole life on the back of others.'"
Iris scoffed, seeing that Quinlan truly read her mind.
