Victor's excitement deflated rapidly. "Seriously? Can't we just… I don't know, let it slide? I mean, come on, I'm S-ranked now! Aren't we supposed to get special treatment?"
"S-ranked or not," Lysandra voiced firmly while shaking her head, "rules are rules. Until your punishment is complete, your new rank benefits won't be activated. That includes the private dormitory, skipping morning routines and lectures at your discretion, access to your personal training facilities, and—yes—your one-million-credit monthly allowance."
Victor's face turned from disappointment to despair at each perk she listed.
The bright future he had envisioned crumbled before him. "But Vice Chancellor, isn't this a bit unfair?"
"What's unfair," she retorted calmly, "is thinking rules don't apply just because you're talented. Think of this month as a lesson in humility, Mr. Revenant. Or you can consider it an incentive. The sooner you finish your punishment, the sooner you reap your benefits."
