Chapter 273: Class A Placement
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 273: Class A Placement
Keridna Whiteclark.
As the daughter of the Ducal House of Whiteclark, she was a top-tier student at the prestigious Märchen Academy. She was a true all-rounder, lacking nothing in beauty, lineage, or talent.
She also had a deep love for plays and novels. While she found it easy to empathize with the characters she read about, her own acting skills were subpar at best. Anyone could tell when she was attempting to play the role of a clumsy villainess.
Today, she stood before the class placement board in Orpin Hall, staring at the list with a vacant expression.
"Uuuuuugh..."
She had been standing there for ten minutes, letting out absentminded, zombie-like groans.
The results of the placement evaluation were in: Keridna had been moved to Class B.
It was obvious who had taken her spot in Class A. It was Isaac. He was, quite simply, someone she had no choice but to yield to. If the other Class A students were comparable to wild beasts, Isaac was nothing short of a natural disaster.
But still...
The feeling of falling from the elite ranks to a lower class was indescribable for someone of her pride. It was complicated. It was tragic. It was so distressing she felt as if tears of blood might spill from her eyes at any moment!
"What are you doing?"
"Eek!"
A male student approached from behind and spoke, startling Keridna. She recognized the voice instantly and whipped her head around.
"Ah, Isaac..."
The student standing there was indeed Isaac. He had the polished look of a model student, complete with glasses. However, contrary to his gentle appearance, he was a monster who held terrifying titles like "History’s Youngest Archwizard" and the "Ice Sovereign."
Suddenly, Keridna recalled the incident at the Whiteclark mansion and felt her face flush. A romantic entanglement between Aichel and Isaac... it seemed impossible. But she had certainly done something embarrassing back then.
When Keridna had questioned her sister about it, Aichel had only responded with a mischievous smile, placing a finger to her lips and whispering, "Shh."
Rumors that the House of Whiteclark had formed a close bond with the Ice Sovereign had already swept through noble society. Many had witnessed the white dragon descending upon the Whiteclark estate. Rumors traveled fast, and the balance of power had naturally shifted, significantly raising the prestige of the Whiteclark family.
Aichel and Isaac—were they simply using each other? It was impossible to tell. But just the thought of the man having done those sorts of things with her sister made Keridna’s body run hot.
What am I even thinking...!
Keridna shook her head violently to dispel the intrusive thoughts. Isaac watched her, his expression one of mild curiosity.
Snap out of it, Keridna!
She took a deep breath to steady her racing heart.
"What... what is it?"
Keridna almost slipped into formal speech without realizing it, but she quickly corrected herself to a more casual tone.
"You’ve been staring at that board for a while. Are you depressed because you didn't make it into Class A?"
"..."
He had hit the nail right on the head. There was no need to even say it.
Keridna made a tearful face and let her head hang to the side. Her entire body language oozed resentment.
If it weren’t for you, I would have stayed in Class A.
That was the unspoken message behind her slumped shoulders.
"What can you do? Blame your own lack of skill."
"Ugh...!"
A cold, blunt reply. Keridna gnashed her teeth in frustration.
He could have at least offered some words of comfort, but he just had to say something irritating!
Yet, considering who he was, she couldn't find a rebuttal. She could only swallow her anger and hold her tongue. In the first place, Isaac wasn't wrong. According to Aichel, Isaac even had a close relationship with their family now. The fact that she could only be angry at herself made Keridna even more miserable.
"Hoo."
Keridna took another deep breath to calm herself, then glared at Isaac with fierce eyes.
"Is that the only reason you're here? Just to mock me?"
"Do you really see me that way? I only spoke to you because you were standing there like a statue. Don't be so sad. It’s starting to bother me."
"As if I’d be that upset over something like this," Keridna huffed. She let out a small, involuntary laugh before quickly covering her mouth with the back of her hand. She spoke more firmly now. "I am a daughter of the Whiteclark family. Do you think I’ll be away from Class A forever? My excellence is everlasting, no matter where I am. I’ll definitely be back in Class A next semester, so prepare to welcome me then."
"Is that so?"
Isaac grinned and handed Keridna the flask he was holding.
"Then take this."
"Huh? What’s this?"
"Cocoa."
"What? Why are you giving me this all of a sudden...?"
Keridna tilted her head in confusion.
"Drink it if you get bored during class or while you're studying later."
"No, but why?"
"You made tea for me last time. Consider this a token of my gratitude—I prepared something special. I’m not sure if it’ll suit your taste, though."
"Wait, how did you even...?"
Isaac simply wanted to cheer up the disheartened Keridna. He had made the cocoa using a powder gifted by White, who claimed it was a delicacy only tasted in the Imperial Court. A maid from Charles Hall had assisted him, ensuring the flavor would satisfy Keridna’s refined palate. After all, cocoa was a rare luxury in this world.
"Good luck, then."
Isaac gave her a kind smile, patted her on the shoulder, and walked away.
"...?"
She stood there, dumbfounded.
"Why on earth would he give me this...?"
Keridna stood frozen for a long moment, looking back and forth between the retreating Isaac and the flask of cocoa. Eventually, she unscrewed the lid and took a small sip.
"Mmm...?"
It was delicious.
*
Last week, following the completion of the placement evaluations, the new class rosters were finalized. I was placed in Class A, while Keridna Whiteclark was moved down to Class B.
I wasn't sure if she liked the cocoa. I only gave it to her because she had served me tea before. In retrospect, it felt like a bit of an odd gift. I could understand why she looked so puzzled. I had a nagging feeling I might regret giving it to her, but it probably didn't matter.
"I am Professor Philip Meltron, and I will be in charge of your class for the second semester."
I was seated in the middle of the Class A second-year lecture hall.
At this academy, the professors in charge of each class changed every semester, with the sole exception of the lowest rank, Class D. This was done to provide students with a diverse education.
The current professor for Class A was a middle-aged man with vibrant red hair. He was a status supremacist who had been thoroughly outmaneuvered by my team during the joint practical evaluation: Professor Philip Meltron.
When our eyes met, he frowned briefly, but he didn't seem to harbor any genuine ill will. It just seemed like things would be a bit awkward between us from now on.
"I believe at least four of you will understand when I say this: I have a great fondness for raw gems—the elite few like you who will lead the future of the Empire."
Professor Philip began the session with blatant flattery. Then, he made eye contact with me.
"Isaac, you who have newly risen to Class A are no exception. It was wrong of me to judge you based solely on my personal values regarding grades and past performance. For that, I apologize."
"Oh, uh, yes..."
Professor Philip actually bowed his head to me. It was a formal apology, but I could sense the sincerity in it. I had already beaten him soundly in the past, so I didn't hold a grudge. Still, the already awkward atmosphere became even more uncomfortable.
Professor Philip raised his head again.
"And there is one thing I wish to ask you."
"Yes?"
"Are you truly taking this class just to hone your basic skills?"
"Yes... why do you ask?"
"It’s nothing. Then, let us begin the lecture."
This man... he wasn't showing it, but he clearly felt pressured by my presence in his classroom.
It was my first time actually attending one of Professor Philip’s lectures. His teaching style was calm, structured, and very orthodox.
I glanced around the room at Kaya and Luce.
Kaya clearly wanted to sit next to me, but she was holding herself back, likely worried she would get distracted from her studies. She kept stealing glances at me, and whenever our eyes met, her face would turn bright red as she quickly looked down at her desk. It felt like a scene straight out of a teen romance.
Ah, how innocent.
Luce, on the other hand, was calmly listening to the lecture, focused and composed.
"Grnnn... sss..."
Meanwhile, Ciel was slumped in the corner, fast asleep. She was hugging the pillow I had given her last year; she liked it so much that she still carried it everywhere.
Professor Philip was notoriously lenient with the "elite" students. He didn't even attempt to wake her, seemingly having already given up on her.
*
During the break, I stepped out into the hallway after a quick trip to the restroom.
"Isaac."
"Sis?"
Eve Ropenheim appeared suddenly, standing in front of me as if she had been waiting. She definitely hadn't been there when I went in.
"Do you want to walk home with me today? If it’s a burden, I understand..."
Eve shyly stroked her hair, which was tied to the side, fidgeting with the strands. Now that Baron Ropenheim’s restrictions were gone and we had reconciled, she seemed eager to become a regular part of my daily life.
I was Isaac, and Eve was this body’s only living blood relative. I couldn't help but feel a certain protective fondness for her. However, it was difficult to accept her brave suggestion today.
"I have a friend I usually walk with, so today might be a bit difficult."
"Oh... really?"
Eve’s eyes shifted to the side. Her voice trailed off, her gaze lowered, and the corners of her mouth drooped in a display of subtle displeasure. Soon, however, she looked back at me and forced a small smile.
"Then it can't be helped."
"Let’s meet up when we both have some free time."
"Sure."
I gave her a smile and started to walk past.
"But you guys are always together... It’s quite distracting."
"...?"
Suddenly, her subdued voice rang clearly in my ear. I stopped and turned my head to look back at Eve, but she was already walking away in the opposite direction.