CHAPTER 52: RESULTS [2]

Chapter 52: Results [2]

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"She’s truly that good."

"How did she?"

"Damn, Ravenscroft."

Those were some of the murmurs that filled the hallway as Elisa stood at the door entrance beside Professor Vaelian. She was the star of the scene, and her expression was composed as ever.

"Now that we know who got the highest grade," Professor Vaelian said. "It’s time to proceed before the combat test begins."

With a quick nod from the professor, his apprentice, Mage Ronin von Furstenberg, quickly turned off the amplified screen. "As you can see, the amplified screen is turned off, so if there were any worries of your score being viewed by everyone, then that shouldn’t be the case anymore."

Instructor Bale quickly took the stage and darted his gaze around the group of students lined up in the hallway. "The time has come. You either give it your all or you don’t. You either rise to the occasion or you don’t. It’s now or never. It’s all up to you."

"Now, you will each come forward and place your thumb on the edge of the tablet to view your score breakdown," Instructor Bale said.

As Instructor Bale tried to bring the tablet to the first person in the line, someone from behind broke formation and came forward. He walked slowly, every eye on him as his expression never wavered.

*What’s he doing?* Arios thought, confused as to why he would just step out and start walking to the front.

It was Nathan de Acosta, the self-proclaimed rival of Elisa Ravenscroft. He casually walked and faced the instructor, placing his thumb on the edge of the tablet with a small smirk.

The tablet’s screen began to load, a series of codes running as it analyzed the results database. With his thumb still pressed against the surface, Nathan began to speak, his voice clear and resonant, carrying over the stunned silence of the crowd.

"I’m a boy from the coast with nothing," he said, his eyes scanning the faces of his classmates. "I lost my father when I was young. My mother was nothing more than a maid for a rich noble family in another kingdom. I had to do my early schooling in another land, learn a new language, and adapt."

He paused, letting his words sink in. "I had to hone my academic skills, topping everyone who had it easy compared to me. My mother wanted me to be a magistrate for a noble house— a high-paying job, indeed. But that wasn’t where my heart lay. I wished to wield the sword, to protect the people I cared about, to make sure they weren’t trampled like my mother was."

He continued, his voice gaining momentum. "After school every day, I would train with the sword. Then, my mother came and told me about a free, elite academy that recently opened up and guaranteed college acceptance. But after my research, I found out the academy mostly tailored its training to Mage Knights. Still, I swore to enter and here I am, at this very academy, standing with you all."

The tablet screen in Bale’s hand lit up, it was finally illuminating with his score breakdown. The line immediately broke apart as students surged forward, gathering around Nathan to get a glimpse of his score. Why wouldn’t they? After his emotional speech, he had given them the notion that he was an underdog destined to rise to the top. Who doesn’t love an underdog story? In that moment, everyone became keenly interested in his score.

After some seconds of further analysis by the tablet, a collective gasp rippled through the hall as the numbers appeared: an overall score of 96. His individual grades were equally shocking: Mathematics: 100, Science: 100, Magical Arts: 89, and Civics & History: 98.

Immediately the sound of murmurs returned, even louder and more frantic this time. Students who earlier had whispered about Elisa’s score were now looking at Nathan in a new light. How could someone from a town in the coast, with no noble bloodline, achieve a score that was only two points shy of the class genius?

Arios watched from his spot in line, a sigh of worry escaping his lips. Greg, standing beside him, was completely speechless. Arios had been so focused on his own plan and on making sure Greg was prepared that he hadn’t truly considered Nathan’s potential. He had only known him as the self-proclaimed rival of Elisa, not that he wasn’t aware of his academic prowess from the anime, but living it rather than seeing it was completely something else.

He’s something else, Arios thought, a genuine flicker of respect in his eyes. No wonder the professor was so impressed. He’s not just talented; he’s a true genius. One who had it rough.

Nathan, his thumb still on the tablet, smirked, his eyes locking onto Elisa. Her composure, which had been so unwavering just moments before, slightly cracked. His cold, hard gaze was now directed at her, a look of pure, unadulterated resentment.

"My score is not far from yours," he said, his voice low and cutting, the words meant only for her. "Only a mere two points. But you, you had everything handed to you. The best tutors, the best books, and the best environment. You didn’t have to worry about where your next meal would come from or whether your mother was going to make it home alive. You had everything, yet you still couldn’t gap me enough."

Elisa remained silent, but Arios could see a flicker of something in her eyes, a mixture of surprise and something akin to guilt. Nathan continued, his voice rising with every word, the emotion pouring out of him.

"I had to work for everything," he said, his body trembling with the weight of his words. "Every single point on that screen is a testament to sleepless nights, to moments when I wanted to give up, to moments when I had to fight just to get by. So don’t you dare look at me with that air of superiority, you—"

Just as the last word was about to leave his mouth, chief marshal Eldric Lionsheart, who had been watching the scene unfold, stepped forward. His expression was calm, his voice filled with a gentle wisdom that seemed to calm the rising feud in the room. He placed a hand on Nathan’s shoulder, a gesture meant for comfort and understanding.

"Do not dwell in the past, young one," the marshal said, his voice dropping low and soothing. "Your past made you who you are, it gave you the grit and determination that allowed you to achieve what you have achieved today, but you must not let the bitterness consume you." He squeezed Nathan’s shoulder lightly. "Let go of the grudges you hold against the nobles, against those who had it easy. The past is but a step on your journey, not the destination."

He continued, his voice now a gentle rumble. "The nobility of this world is nothing but a title, a piece of paper that gives them power. But true power, true strength, comes from within. You have that strength, and you have proved it today. Now, prove to yourself and others that you are truly a noble, not by birthright, but by your actions and your heart. And do not waste your heart on people who don’t deserve it."

Nathan’s body trembled with emotion. The words, the kindness from a man who was once a misfit himself, were too much for him. A single tear rolled down his cheek. He had never had anyone acknowledge his struggles like he did, and the emotions that he had bottled up for years finally began to leak out. He shook his head, his face a mask of conflicting emotions.

"You don’t understand," he whispered, his voice cracking with the sheer force of his emotion. "You don’t understand what it’s like to be on the outside, to be looked down on by those who have never had to struggle." His voice rose quickly turning into a sharp roar. "You don’t understand what it feels like to have to fight for every single thing, while they simply have to open their hands and it’s given to them!"

The space at this waist side shimmered, and from his side meant for the hilt of a sword, a dagger materialized. He moved with a speed that startled everyone, his body a blur as he tried to strike the Marshal. But before his dagger could even come close, a shimmering curtain of fire erupted around Eldric Lionsheart, a perfect barrier of flames that deflected the attack. The dagger hit the flames and simply melted away into nothing.

The crowd watched in stunned silence. The Captain hadn’t moved an inch, a calm and collected look on his face. The fire barrier, it turned out, was a permanent barrier that activated the moment anyone tried to attack him, a show of his sheer power and a clear indication of why he was the Hell’s Knight.