CHAPTER 36: FIRST CLASS (2)

Chapter 36: First Class (2)

"Good morning, cadets."

Even her tone carried weight. Smooth, commanding, but with a dangerous undercurrent. The kind of voice that could lull you into leaning closer without realizing you’d already walked into the fire.

"My name is Evelyn Whitehound."

The whispers started again, louder this time.

"Whitehound...? Evelyn Whitehound?"

"No way—that’s her?"

"The youngest S-Rank hunter...!"

I watched the wave of recognition ripple across the classroom. Some cadets stiffened in awe, others exchanged nervous looks. Even Leon’s lips parted slightly, his composure slipping as he realized who stood before us.

Evelyn’s smile widened, clearly amused by the reaction.

"I am an S-Rank. Class designation: Magic Queen. Ranked 160th globally."

Her words hit like a hammer.

For a first-year class to be assigned an S-Rank as their homeroom teacher... it was unheard of. Unthinkable. Normally, cadets were lucky to even glimpse such hunters at distant events, let alone be trained by one.

And yet, here she was.

"I also hold the title of the youngest S-Rank in recorded history awarded before I turned thirty."

That sent another ripple through the cadets. Some male students’ jaws practically hit the floor, a mixture of admiration and... other thoughts. More than a few pairs of eyes dipped where they shouldn’t.

Evelyn noticed, of course. Her lips curled into a sly grin.

"And before any of you think to ask—don’t."

Her tone sharpened, playful but edged with warning.

"A woman’s age is her deadliest secret. Asking it is a crime punishable by... severe consequences."

A few chuckles broke out, nervous and awkward. Eric actually laughed openly, shaking his head.

"Hah! Now that’s a teacher I can respect."

Ren elbowed him quickly, whispering frantically,

"Shh, you’ll get us both killed!"

I leaned forward slightly, resting my chin on my hand. My mind was already racing.

This is a divergence. A butterfly effect. My Rank 1 status must’ve triggered it. The Academy must have decided to assign someone stronger, someone who can keep Class A in line. Evelyn Whitehound instead of Sara Everheart... which means the script is already off track.

Excitement flickered in my chest. Unknown territory. Risky... but far more interesting.

Evelyn clapped her hands once, the sharp sound cutting off the whispers.

"I will be your homeroom instructor for the next four years," she announced. "Which means I’ll see you rise... or watch you crumble."

Her gaze swept across the class again.

"And I expect nothing less than your absolute best."

She paused, then her eyes flicked back to me for just a second. A subtle, unspoken challenge.

My stomach tightened only for me to exhale slowly, a smirk tugging at my lips.

Of course.Her gaze flicked back to me as she said it.

I felt my jaw tighten.

A few cadets noticed too. Whispers trickled immediately.

"She’s looking at the commoner again..."

"Rank 1 caught her eye? Figures."

"He’s dead. Absolutely dead."

I sighed silently and pinched the bridge of my nose.

’Fantastic. As if I didn’t already have enough enemies, now the celebrity teacher just painted a target on me with one look.’

But before I could dwell further, Evelyn’s tone shifted, lighter now.

"As for what awaits you... you’ll soon be tested in ways you haven’t imagined. The upcoming Class VR Wars will decide not just rankings, but your reputations."

That stirred the class immediately.

"VR Wars...?"

"I’ve heard of those—they simulate kingdom-scale battles."

"We’ll actually be commanding armies?"

Evelyn nodded, letting the murmurs rise.

"Yes. Your class will be thrust into a battlefield simulation against another first-year class. Each of you will be given roles: King, Strategist, Knight, Scout, Command Unit Leader... and beneath you, two hundred soldiers. F-Rank baseline. What you lack in strength, you’ll make up in numbers and strategy."

Gasps. Whispers. Leon sat up straighter, his fists tightening on the desk. Selena’s eyes narrowed thoughtfully. Lyra practically vibrated in her seat, muttering,

"Yes, yes, yes!" under her breath like she was already ready to charge in.

Meanwhile,

Aurelia simply crossed her arms, lips twitching faintly. Aiden grinned fiercely, already imagining the battlefield.

Evelyn’s gaze flicked back to me. Again. Longer this time.

Why me?

Her lips curved in that knowing smile once more, as if she enjoyed watching me puzzle through it.

Finally, she exhaled softly. "But that’s a lesson for another day."

she said lightly, "since this is our first day together, I won’t be burying you in theories or endless note-taking."

A sigh of relief rippled through the cadets. Some even straightened, their shoulders relaxing as though they’d just been spared execution.

"But..."

She raised her hand, fingers snapping once—snap!—a crisp, echoing sound.

✨ SHWOOOOOM—

A shimmer of white light coalesced in the air beside her, particles of mana gathering like a swirl of snowflakes. Slowly, deliberately, the energy condensed into shape...

A crystal orb.

It hovered above her palm, glowing faintly before settling onto the desk with a soft thunk.

Gasps ran through the room.

"What’s that...?"

"Is that... a mana testing orb?"

"Wait, are we doing it now?"

Evelyn placed her hand lightly atop the orb, her crimson nails gleaming under the mana-lamps. Her smile widened.

"And now..."

Her golden eyes swept across the room one final time.

"...let’s begin."

Every eye in the room widened.

The crystal shimmered with an iridescent sheen, colors rippling faintly across its surface like oil on water.

"Today," Evelyn continued, smiling faintly at our reactions, "we begin with something simple. Elemental Affinity Testing."

A low murmur swept the classroom instantly.

"Affinity testing... already?"

"I thought that was done in Year Two..."

"Wait, no, this is an advanced orb. I’ve only seen one in guild towers."

Evelyn tapped the crystal once with her finger. DONG. A clear sound resonated, echoing faintly in our bones.

"Most of you have a vague idea of what element your mana leans toward. Fire. Water. Wind. The basics. But mana isn’t always honest. Some affinities hide until forced to reveal themselves."

Her gaze lingered briefly on the first row. "This orb was created precisely for that purpose. When you channel mana into it, the crystal will react and reveal your affinity. Flames for fire. Sparks for lightning. A breeze for wind. And so on."

She tilted her head, silver hair brushing her cheek. "In rare cases... more than one reaction may occur. Which, naturally, will mark you as gifted."

That last word sent a ripple of competitive tension across the class.

I could practically feel the collective thought buzzing in the air: I’ll show her I’m gifted.

Evelyn smiled faintly at the unspoken war she had just ignited.

"Row by row, we’ll proceed. First row, step forward one by one. The rest of you—watch and learn."

---

The air thickened with anticipation as the first cadet stood.

Lyra.

Her long golden hair caught the chandelier light as she rose with grace, her footsteps soft but confident as she approached the podium.

The whispers started immediately.

"Lyra of the Braveheart Family... a prodigy, they say."

"Of course she’d go first. She looks like she belongs up there."

Even Evelyn’s smile softened, as though curious.

"Place your hand on the orb, Miss Braveheart."

Lyra nodded gently, her hand gliding over the surface of the crystal. She closed her eyes and exhaled softly, her mana flowing.

For a moment nothing happened

Then

✨ FWOOSH!

Flames burst inside the orb, dancing like a living inferno. The glow lit up Lyra’s face in warm orange, casting firelight shadows against her features.

Gasps filled the classroom.

"Fire affinity..." Evelyn murmured with approval. But before she could continue

SPLASH.

Droplets of water appeared inside the crystal, raining down in perfect miniature before vanishing, as though an unseen tide had briefly filled it.

The flames did not vanish. The orb shimmered with both—fire and water, opposite elements struggling but coexisting within the same vessel.

The class exploded.

"T-two affinities?!"— Sakura

" It that even Possible"— Noora

"That’s impossible—they’re opposites!"— Ren

"The Bravehearts really are monsters..."— Aiden

Even I had to raise a brow.

Fire and water. Opposing elements. And she awakened both? In the game, Lyra was strong, but this is an upgrade. My butterfly effect is snowballing again.

Evelyn’s lips curled into an approving smile.

"Impressive. Dual affinity and opposing elements, no less. That balance... with training, you could rise beyond most of your peers. Congratulations, Miss Braveheart."

Lyra bowed her head politely, her expression calm but the faint glow of pride in her eyes didn’t go unnoticed. She returned to her seat with grace, her hair swaying like silk behind her.

The room buzzed with whispers even after she sat. All eyes had been caught by that display.

And me? I leaned against my elbow, sighing.

Of course. First test of the year, and already we’ve got someone breaking the balance. Story pacing? Dead. My life expectancy? Dropping.

Still, I couldn’t help the faint smile tugging at my lips.

Well... things just got more interesting.

Evelyn’s gaze swept across the class once again, her voice calm, yet carrying that faint excitement only a true predator felt when hunting potential.

"Next."