Book 1 Chapter 346

The exam period was a week away.

Consequently, a sense of tension pervaded the first-year students of Seirun.

"This is my seat!"

"It was an empty seat, so why is this yours?"

"I just stepped out for a moment. I had my book on it, you see?"

"There was no such thing."

"What? You moved my book intentionally, didn't you?"

The first-year library.

Sharp voices clashed in a place that should have been quiet.

"Both of you, be quiet! Can't you see we're studying?"

At that moment, an irritated voice interjected between the two.

The two students, who had been reacting sharply to each other, flinched.

Watching them, the girl snorted.

"Hmph, typical intermediate class riff-raff, always bothering others."

"What? What did you just say?"

"You're only in the advanced third class!"

"Oh my? Is the advanced class the same as the intermediate class? You scraps."

"This…!"

Their voices rose again.

Watching them, Eclair, who had been studying, stood up from her seat.

As the exam period approached, the atmosphere among the first-year students became increasingly tense.

In particular, nervous disputes were frequent between intermediate class 1, who could move up to the advanced class at any moment, and advanced class 3, who could fall back to the intermediate class with a single misstep.

'This isn't right.'

Eclair muttered to herself.

Advanced class 1.

Despite being the class representative, Eclair had recently found it difficult to adapt to the school's atmosphere.

She knew well that competition was inevitable in a school.

She also understood that as the class representative, many people were eyeing her position.

However, even so, the recent school atmosphere was too blatant.

Except for Lea and Elix, whose grades were higher than hers.

Students in advanced class 1 were preoccupied with keeping Eclair in check.

Many students didn't even bother to speak to Eclair, and those who did would gossip about her behind her back.

The class atmosphere wasn't good either.

She was just receiving intense scrutiny because she was the class representative.

The students in advanced class 1 were also eager to undermine each other.

'The new homeroom teacher, Mr. Geras, seems to be fueling that atmosphere…'

Lea was somewhat different.

Being the overwhelming top student of the year and a direct descendant of the Tingel family, everyone was eager to befriend Lea.

Among them were some who explicitly tried to drive a wedge between Lea and Eclair.

This was the work of the children of prestigious families who underestimated Eclair's Wellaaroon family.

Of course, Lea was explicitly ignoring them.

'But… a school life with only two friends I can confide in… I never imagined it.'

Eclair drooped her ears and looked for a quiet place to study.

After all, as the third-ranked student in the first year, she had to do her best.

Arriving at a secluded spot in the outdated classroom building of the first-year building, the "Castle of Beginnings," Eclair looked around.

The old classroom building.

It was a place rarely visited by anyone.

'Here, I can study quietly…'

"Ahahahahaha!"

At that moment, she heard the sound of multiple people laughing from a distance.

Eclair's ears perked up.

It was an incredibly joyful laughter, for some reason.

Clutching her textbook, Eclair crept towards the sound.

And when she arrived at the old corridor, Eclair's eyes widened.

'Lower class?'

As Eclair realized she had arrived at a lower-class classroom, she blinked.

"Correct! Emetra's Magical Thermodynamics Theorem!"

"Wrong!"

"Eek!"

"You idiot! What happens if you're wrong! It's a penalty!"

"It's a penalty! A penalty!"

Calls mixed with criticism and jeers could be heard.

However, there was a lot of playfulness in their voices.

Swallowing dryly, Eclair cautiously opened the back door of the classroom and peered inside.

There, lower-class students were divided into teams and engaged in a quiz competition.

The scope of the quiz seemed to be the written exam material for the upcoming midterm.

As penalties, they ate incredibly sour and spicy fruits.

Eclair stared blankly at the joyous scene.

Creak-!

"Huh?!"

The door suddenly opened.

Thud-!

"Gasp?!"

Leaning against the door and watching the lower-class students play, Eclair fell forward.

For a moment, the gazes of a hundred lower-class students were fixed on Eclair.

"Eclair Wellaaroon?"

"She's the class representative?"

"Why is the class representative in the lower class?"

The lower-class students looked at Eclair with wary expressions.

"Ah, sorry, I was just looking for a place to study and ended up here by chance!"

Eclair said as she got up.

"What? Are you here to spy on us?"

"That's right! She might be here to tattle to the advanced class teachers."

There had been several occasions when students from the advanced and intermediate classes, trying to curry favor with their teachers, would find fault with the lower classes on trivial matters and get them in trouble for violating school rules.

Furthermore, the lower-class students were studying the forbidden "[Beginner's Guide to Star Magic]," so their vigilance was even stronger.

Seeing the lower-class students displaying overt distrust and hostility, a flustered Eclair waved her hands.

"Ah, no! I really just came to study for the exam! I swear!"

Eclair said with a piteous look.

"Hey, stop it, everyone. She said she came to study."

Angre said, calming his classmates.

"Besides, Eclair Wellaaroon is different from other advanced class students. She's a good kid."

"If Angre says so, then…"

"But if you're the class representative, can't you study in the best seats in the library?"

"That's right, why did she come to the lower-class area?"

The students looked at each other and tilted their heads.

"Advanced class students must have their own troubles."

Eclair's ears drooped at Leo's words.

Seeing Eclair like that, Angre scratched his cheek and said.

"If you need a place to study during self-study hours, would you like to study with us?"

"Really? Is that okay?"

Seeing Eclair smile brightly, Angre nodded.

"Of course, is everyone okay with that?"

"Yeah. We don't mind."

There was an atmosphere of general agreement with the words of Angre, the class leader.

Watching them, Leo smirked.

'The atmosphere is good.'

The next day.

As soon as classes ended, Eclair headed somewhere.

The advanced class students watching her began to murmur.

"Did you hear? Eclair was hanging out with the lower-class kids yesterday."

"A disgrace to the advanced class."

Laughter poured out from everywhere.

Lea, who was organizing her books, glared at them and looked at the door Eclair had left through, thinking.

'I'm jealous! Eclair!'

In the lower class, there was Leo, whom Lea admired immensely.

Eclair was going to study with Leo.

'By now, the lower-class students must be receiving guidance from Senior Plov, right? I wish I could go and study with them too.'

But Lea couldn't.

She recalled what Leo had said to the two seniors in the second year, Lunia and Eiran.

'He said that raising grades with only the strength of the lower class has value.'

If Lea went to study with them, there would undoubtedly be gossip.

'Of course, Eclair could also be the subject of discussion as the class representative, but…'

Lea couldn't stop Eclair.

She knew that her best friend, Eclair, was having a difficult time at school.

'Eclair wants to make a lot of friends.'

The current atmosphere in the advanced and intermediate classes made it impossible to make friends.

As Lea sighed softly.

"Lea."

"Yeah, Elix."

"Eclair… shouldn't we stop her?"

Elix expressed his concern, worried about his friend.

Looking at Elix, Lea packed her school bag and said.

"It'll be fine. Don't worry too much."

"Still…"

"You should worry about yourself instead."

"What?"

"You might lose your second place to Eclair."

Lea smiled faintly and left the classroom.

'Our school needs to change.'

Lea sighed, receiving the awe-filled gazes of other students.

The scenes she had always taken for granted now looked different after hearing Leo's story.

She realized that the lower-class students were clearly discriminated against.

'If things don't change, I'll transfer to Lumern, regardless of my father's objections.'

Lea clasped her hands and fell into a reverie.

'Then I can have a happy school life while receiving guidance from Senior Plov, right?!'

Lea left the classroom.

Teacher Geras, who remained in the classroom, narrowed his eyes.

'Eclair Wellaaroon… associating with lower-class students, is she really just an unexceptional family member?'

With an annoyed expression, he curled the corners of his lips.

In his hand was the list for the practical exam team assignments.

The power of the homeroom teacher of advanced class 1 was immense.

The team assignments for the practical exams for the entire first year were under his authority.

'Hmph, if she's put in the same team as those lower-class brats, she'll realize her mistake and regret it.'

***

After school.

While the lower-class students were self-studying in their classroom to prepare for the exam.

Laura called Leo separately.

"Student Leo, the practical exam list has arrived."

Laura said in a reluctant voice.

"Student Leo is not on it for now."

"Of course, he wouldn't be."

Leo is not a student of Seirun for now.

It would be a big problem if he were on the exam list.

Even if he were, Leo's presence alone would be a balance breaker.

The first-year students of Seirun, who hadn't even shed their freshman status, stood no chance against Leo.

"Yes, but there's something strange."

"Something strange?"

"Yes. The class representative, student Eclair… has been assigned to the same team as our class students?"

Leo looked utterly bewildered.

"She's in the same team as the lower-class kids?"

"Yes. It seems she's fallen out of favor with Teacher Geras for associating with our class students."

Laura sighed.

Leo also wore a reluctant expression.

"Don't the teachers in charge of the advanced class dislike the lower class?"

"…Yes."

"And yet, they're assigning her to the lower-class students?"

"Yes."

Leo, with a look of disbelief, watched Eclair laughing brightly among the lower-class students.

'The team she's on will definitely be in the top 5, at least? What on earth is that advanced class teacher thinking?'

***

The day of the Seirun first-year midterm practical exam.

All the students of Seirun gathered at the "Castle of Beginnings," the first-year building.

The exam was to be held on the parade ground outside the first-year Castle of Beginnings.

As the exam task was monster subjugation, the faces of the first-year students were filled with tension.

Some, however, had expressions of excitement at the prospect of showcasing their skills in front of seniors.

This midterm exam was the first official opportunity for first-year students to demonstrate their abilities to seniors.

The first-year students wanted to make connections with the renowned seniors.

"Gasp! Are those the Trian seniors from the second year?"

"That's right!"

"Should we try talking to them?"

The first-year students buzzed with excitement as they looked at the Trian siblings, who ranked 4th and 5th in the second year.

The lower-class students also discovered the Trian siblings and were surprised.

"Gasp! Senior Trian!"

"I like them."

The Trian siblings were initially in the lower class when they entered.

However, after a semester of strenuous effort, they had moved up to advanced class 1.

Eiran, the second-ranked student in the second year, was also a remarkable talent who started in the intermediate class and quickly rose to the second rank. However, for the lower-class students, the Trian siblings, who had also started in the lower class, were even more admirable.

Leo glanced at the lower-class students.

Despite studying hard, they looked quite nervous on the day of the exam.

Looking at the lower-class students, Leo approached the Trian siblings.

"Let's see, are there any outstanding juniors?"

Aris, the younger sibling, said with a meaningful expression as she surveyed the juniors.

Garin puffed out his chest at Aris's words.

"I can feel the admiring gazes of the juniors."

"That's not you, brother, that's me they're looking at."

Aris asked with a sly smile, and Garin scowled.

"No way! It's me they're looking at!"

"Shall I tell you three reasons why they're looking at me?"

"What are they?"

"First, because I study better than you. Second, because I've been class representative. And third, because 'you' haven't been class representative. Does that explain it?"

"How much better do you study than me! And you only lasted a week as class representative! And you! Did you just call me 'you'?"

"If you're going to complain, then rank higher than me! And are you going to flaunt being born 30 seconds earlier? Normally, the one who studies well is the older sister, so in that sense, I'm the older sister!"

"How can you be so unreasonable?"

As the twin siblings began to fight in earnest, the first-year students were taken aback.

The students who couldn't interfere in the fight of their heavenly seniors and were observing cautiously burst into laughter.

"What? Aren't they from the lower class?"

"A lower-class student talking to an advanced class senior?"

"They don't know their place."

Putting aside the ridicule, Leo approached the two siblings and said.

"Seniors, our classmates say they admire you a lot. Could you just say a word of encouragement?"

When someone spoke to them, the Trian siblings, who were about to grab each other's collars, stopped.

Then, clearing their throats, they looked at the person who had spoken.

"Yes, what class… *cough*?!"

"Brother, why are you… *gasp*?!"

Garin and Aris, who were belatedly trying to show their seniority, stopped in surprise upon seeing Leo's face.

"You, you! You, you, you! Why are you here?"

"No, why are you wearing our school uniform…"

"Shhh-"

Leo put his index finger to his lips and smiled faintly.

Garin and Aris then closed their mouths.

"Could you cheer on my classmates? They're from the lower class."

As Leo pointed to the lower-class students, who were opening and closing their mouths, Garin and Aris looked at each other and headed towards the lower-class students.

As everyone's eyes widened, Garin said to the lower-class students.

"Don't be discouraged just because you're in the lower class!"

"That's right! If you work hard, you can do it too! This idiot even moved up to the advanced class?"

"Idiot? Did you just call your brother an idiot?"

"If you're going to complain, then study better than me!"

"I'm telling Mom!"

"Ah! I'm going to tell Dad you pulled my hair!"

The two siblings, who had been cheering, started fighting again, grabbing each other's hair.

Watching them, the lower-class students burst into laughter.

Leo smirked and said.

"Everyone, relax and just do as you've practiced. I guarantee it."

Leo said, looking at the intermediate and advanced class students.

"By the end of this exam, the positions will have changed."