After the examination involving the battle against the flesh golem concluded, every examinee was instructed to gather in front of the professors. The purpose was simple yet heavy with anticipation—to reveal which class each student would be assigned to within the academy.
The wide stone plaza in front of the examination grounds slowly filled with murmurs and quiet tension. Some examinees looked confident, while others wore expressions of unease, their earlier exhaustion still visible on their faces. The air itself felt different now—not with the pressure of battle, but with the weight of judgment.
Standing at the front was a male professor whose presence immediately drew attention.
He wore the official academy professor attire, but unlike the others, his appearance was strikingly unique. His long hair shimmered with an iridescent blend of white, purple, blue, and faint pink hues, flowing smoothly down to his shoulders. His ears were pointed, distinctly elven in shape, and behind him fluttered two delicate, fae-like wings that glowed faintly as they reflected the light.
His race was known as the Elven.
The elven race was widely respected—and feared—for their innate abilities. They were renowned for their capability to distinguish lies from truth just by looking at facial expressions, often sensing deception even when no words were spoken. Additionally, many elves could hypnotize others using the subtle movements and light emitted from their fae-like wings. Most of their kind resided deep within the Inner Continent, rarely interacting directly with common folk.
The plaza gradually fell silent as the professor spoke.
"How are you, everyone? My name is Professor Niel Everoot," he said, his voice calm yet authoritative. "I hope everyone here is not too tired to listen, as we will now reveal your assigned classes based on the results you have shown."
His serious expression left no room for misinterpretation.
With a gentle motion of his hand, mana surged through the air. Soon, a massive projection formed above them—crafted entirely from shimmering water. The floating screen displayed a long list of names, organized neatly into three class .
Class A. Class B. Class C.
Phoebe lifted her gaze, her heart pounding slightly as she scanned the projection. Her eyes widened when she spotted her name.
She was listed under Class A.
Before she could even process it fully, Ammy let out an excited voice beside her.
"Wow, congrats, Phobe! You belong to Class A—that's so cool!" Ammy said brightly, her face lighting up with genuine happiness.
"T-Thank you," Phoebe replied, still surprised. "But which class are you in?"
"Me? Hehe, I got Class B," Ammy said, pointing upward. "You see? I can't believe I managed to get B Class."
"I see…" Phoebe nodded, then frowned slightly as she looked closer. "So you were with… huh? You were with Kael? Why is Kael in B Class, not A?"
Ammy blinked. "I don't know. It's not just him either. Even Young Master Claude and Lady Sera are in B Class. Look."
"I see… so the exam wasn't about how fast you defeated the golem," Phoebe said thoughtfully.
"Yeah, I think so too. Otherwise, I'd probably be in C Class," Ammy laughed lightly.
"Then who else is in my class?" Phoebe asked.
Ammy leaned closer to the projection. "Let me see… the ones with you are Robrecka—well, that was expected. Next is Lucas… and the other one is—hey! The troll guy!"
"W-What?" Phoebe blinked. "I expected Robrecka and Lucas, but the troll guy… I didn't expect that."
She gave an awkward smug.
"If he annoys you, you can try beating him," Ammy said with a playful thumbs-up. "You're strong, Phoebe."
"N-No, if I did that, I'd definitely get into trouble," Phoebe replied hurriedly.
After a short pause, Professor Niel spoke again, his voice carrying clearly across the plaza.
"Everybody, keep quiet. I assume everyone here now knows which class they belong to. If your name does not appear on any of the lists, that means you have failed to enter the academy. Please retake the next examination instead."
Several faces visibly fell, though none spoke.
"Now, back to the main point," Professor Niel continued. "I expect all of you to attend your classes properly and avoid causing unnecessary trouble. Tomorrow, since you are freshmen, some of you may not yet know where your classes will be held. For your information, all freshman classes will take place in the west sector of the academy."
He paused briefly, then concluded, "If no one has any questions, you are dismissed."
Soon, the students began dispersing. Some headed toward the academy dormitories, while others made their way to the warp gates that connected the academy grounds to the residential districts outside its walls.
Phoebe and Ammy joined the flow of students walking toward the eastern warp gate, which led out of the academy and toward the private residences beyond.
"By the way," Phoebe said, "where do you stay, Ammy?"
"Oh, on the east side of the academy," Ammy replied casually. "My family owns a manor there."
"M-M-Manor?" Phoebe froze. "You have a manor…? W-Well, what did I expect—you're a royal."
She laughed awkwardly.
"Huh?" Ammy tilted her head. "What did you think of me before?"
"N-No! I mean—it just didn't sink in earlier, that's all," Phoebe explained quickly.
"Oh, I understand," Ammy smiled. "What about you, Phoebe? Do you also have a manor here?"
"Well… you see, Princess Ammy," Phoebe said as she smile, "I'm just an orphan who currently living alone in an inn."
"Oh…" Ammy's eyes softened. "That's amazing. You're so brave, living alone in such a big empire. I respect that."
"Well, I need to be this brave if I want to become a ranker, right?" Phoebe said proudly.
"Oh, you want to become a ranker?" Ammy said with admiration. "That's a wonderful dream."
"Hm? How about you, Ammy? Didn't you enter the academy because you want to become a ranker too?" Phoebe asked curiously.
"Hm? Me?" Ammy hesitated. "To be honest, I didn't enter to become a ranker. Nobles and royals are required to attend the academy—to gain knowledge and connections."
"Required? Why?" Phoebe asked.
Ammy stopped walking and looked at her seriously. "Tell me, Phoebe. What do you think all rulers have in common?"
"Power? A throne?" Phoebe answered.
"Yes. Power," Ammy nodded. "But kings and emperors only possess imaginary power. Without support, they are ordinary people. In truth, aside from gods and sovereigns, the ones who truly hold power are high-ranking rankers and the Adventurer Association."
"Why rankers?" Phoebe asked.
"When wars happen, armies fight armies. Strategy decides victory," Ammy explained coldly. "But once even a single ranker joins, everything changes. A high-ranking ranker can wipe out entire armies alone."
Phoebe swallowed.
"Some nations gain absolute authority because they have powerful rankers backing them. They can invade others, commit crimes, and face no consequences. Any nation that defies them risks annihilation."
Phoebe felt a chill run down her spine.
"That's why most nations force their heirs to attend the academy—to build relationships with future rankers or secure protection," Ammy concluded.
"I… I didn't know being a ranker carried that much weight," Phoebe said quietly.
"Yes," Ammy replied. "If a ranker protects your nation, it can even prosper."
Phoebe suddenly smiled brightly. "Then if I become a famous ranker someday, feel free to ask for my help, Ammy."
"R-Really?" Ammy's eyes sparkled as her face lit up with excitement. "Thank you! Father will definitely be happy to hear this." She smiled brightly, almost bouncing in place.
"O-Oh… y-you will tell him?" Phoebe replied awkwardly, caught off guard by Ammy's enthusiasm.
Soon the two started to walk again, soon the two arrived at the eastern warp gate. They stepped through, emerging at the central warp gate, then entered another portal and finally came out at the southern warp gate, the one located directly in front of the academy. After exchanging a few last words and warm goodbyes, they parted ways.
Ammy climbed into her carriage and rode off, waving cheerfully, while Phoebe turned and began walking toward the inn.
As Phoebe made her way through the city, the sun slowly dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and violet before darkness settled in. One by one, city lamps ignited, their warm glow lighting the stone pathways. Even though night had fallen, the streets remained lively—people laughed, chatted, and walked past one another, filling the air with noise and life.
When Phoebe arrived at the inn, she pushed open the door and stepped inside. The familiar scent of food and drink greeted her. Behind the counter, she saw Ryze wiping a wine glass, placing it carefully onto the stemware rack nearby. The inn was as lively as ever, filled with customers drinking, talking, and laughing.
Their eyes met, and Ryze gave her a warm, gentle smile.
"Welcome back, Phoebe," Ryze said softly.
"I'm back, Ryze. How's the inn?" Phoebe replied as she walked closer to the counter.
"How was your day at the academy?" Ryze asked. "Did something interesting happen?"
"Yes!" Phoebe said excitedly, her eyes glistening. "I met a lot of people, and I even became friends with an orc princess. She was really kind and sweet. Ah—and I passed the exam and got placed in Class A!"
"Really? That's wonderful," Ryze said with a pleased expression. "Being in Class A gives you advantages when applying to become a ranker. As expected of one of Mister Alfred's children."
Phoebe smiled shyly before asking, "By the way, Ryze… do you need help with anything?"
"Oh no," Ryze replied quickly, concern flickering across her face. "You just came back. I can't ask you to help—you should rest instead."
"I'm really okay, hehe," Phoebe said reassuringly. "Even back in the orphanage, my best friend and I would help prepare dinner after finishing hard chores."
Ryze hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Are you sure? Thank you, then. But please change your clothes first so they don't get dirty. Wear this maid outfit. And eat something first—it's already late." She handed Phoebe a neatly folded black-and-white maid outfit.
"Really? Thank you, Ryze—you're the best," Phoebe said with a soft smile.
Later, Phoebe changed into the maid outfit, ate the meal Ryze prepared, and helped around the inn—serving food and drinks to customers. Some patrons couldn't help but stare, their faces turning red as they glanced at her.
Eventually, the crowd thinned, and the inn grew quiet.
"It's almost midnight," Ryze said gently. "It's no longer busy. You should go rest now, Phoebe. You have class tomorrow."
"Oh… but what about you, Ryze?" Phoebe asked. "When will you sleep?"
"I can sleep even while awake," Ryze said with a laugh.
"W-W-What?" Phoebe exclaimed in shock.
"It's true," Ryze explained calmly. "Some of us beastmen can do it. It's called unihemispheric sleep."
"Oh… I see. If you say so, then goodnight then, Ryze," Phoebe said with a warm smile.
"Goodnight, Phoebe," Ryze replied just as warmly.
Soon, Phoebe headed to her room. She changed out of the maid outfit and into her sleeping dress before lying down on her bed.
"Today was a good one," she whispered softly. "I hope tomorrow will be even better. Goodnight, Uriel."
"Hump… yes," Uriel responded from within the rapier.
Not long after, Phoebe drifted into sleep, while outside, the city and the inn remained lively—filled with footsteps, voices, and the quiet rhythm of a world that never truly rested.