The day after the exam period ended, the students of Class 5 stood up and chatted excitedly after school.
"Hey! Let's have a party to celebrate the end of the exams! Party!"
"Karl! You know something? I'm all for it!"
Just as Karl and Iliana were planning the celebratory party,
Creak-!
The classroom door opened, and Harlind entered.
"Everyone, sit down. I'll give you five seconds."
"Whoa!"
"Hey! Move! Move!"
The students of Class 5, who were about to leave, hurriedly returned to their seats.
Thud-!
Seeing the students quickly seated, Harlind nodded in satisfaction.
"The exam grading results are out."
The students' faces tensed up.
"Ugh! I had forgotten about that."
Karl clutched his head and slumped over his desk.
Seeing this, Harlind said,
"The student in our class who received a recommendation for withdrawal is... none."
"Oohhhh!"
"Hooray! We're saved!"
"With this, we can make it through the first semester!"
The students cheered.
Those who had barely passed shed tears.
Not only in Class 5, but cheers could be heard from other classes as well.
"Shouting during my speech. You all have some nerve."
Silence immediately fell at Harlind's words.
"Don't get too carried away. No one received a recommendation for withdrawal, but many are on the edge. I've prepared a schedule for after-school tutoring for those students."
Then Harlind called out the names of the students who needed tutoring.
The faces of those called out turned pale.
"Looks like you're not happy."
"I'm happy."
"I'm so happy I could cry! Haha. Hahahaha."
"I have one last announcement."
Everyone's attention turned to Sena.
"There will be a party tonight to celebrate the end of the midterm exams."
The atmosphere in Class 5 heated up at this news.
"Also, we plan to set the schedule for the school trip that will take place a week after the party."
Class 5, which had not understood this at first, suddenly had a blank look on their faces.
A moment later,
Cheers erupted from all over.
"Oohhhh!"
Lumern Academy holds a school trip once a year, by grade.
Sometimes it's by class, and sometimes it's by department.
This time, according to Harlind, it would be by class.
"Our school has a subtle cruel side, you know."
"The school trip was already on the 1st-year department schedule, wasn't it?"
"It was, but there was no specific date. Now it's suddenly a week from now."
Chelsea shook her head, and Nella smiled lazily.
"Heh. Finally, it's my turn to step in."
Karl put his hand to his chin and looked smug.
"What do you mean by 'your turn'?"
"I have a lot of connections, you know? I've already gotten to know the seniors from 2nd and 3rd grades. I'll go and find out what the 1st-year school trip is all about!"
"Hehe. Then I'll leave it to you."
Karl quickly left the classroom.
'School trip, huh.'
Leo propped his chin and looked out the window.
'Now that I think about it, I haven't explored much since I was reborn.'
The places Leo had been to were limited to the Flov family's territory, the family mansion in the capital of Delrad Kingdom, and Lumern Academy and Lumeria City.
This was in stark contrast to his travels at this age in his previous life.
Feeling a strange sense of anticipation for the trip, Leo smiled.
***
"Where will we go for the school trip?"
"It would be nice if we could get a little healing, no matter where it is."
"Still, we should be able to have some fun, right?"
That evening,
A party was held in the dormitory auditorium.
It was a celebration party for the end of the first midterm exam.
Moreover, with the announcement of a new department event, the atmosphere was generally excited.
Of course, the mood wasn't entirely positive.
This party was also a farewell party for the students who received a recommendation for withdrawal.
"Our school has a subtle cruel side, you know."
Dressed in a tuxedo for the party, Karl grumbled.
"Indeed."
Taid said, nodding in agreement.
This party was mandatory for all 1st-year students.
That meant even the students who received a recommendation for withdrawal had to attend.
"Though it's not as harsh as survival of the fittest, the atmosphere constantly pushes us to look up."
"Well, it's a school for nurturing great heroes, so what can you do?"
At Taid's mutter, Karl sighed and scratched his head.
While the two were talking, students began entering the dormitory auditorium one after another.
The students of Class 5 also entered one by one and approached their designated seats.
Among them, some entered with a male and female student together.
When this happened, the other students would shout playful jeers.
Taking advantage of this atmosphere, Karl burst out in admiration when he saw two female students enter the auditorium.
"Nella and Ilia."
"Where? Where?"
The other male students of Class 5 also showed intense interest.
"Ooh! As expected, Nella!"
"Ilina is usually tough, but when she dresses up, she's a real beauty!"
The appearance of the two girls representing the class made the male students exclaim in admiration.
Then, noticing other male students approaching, they quickly moved.
"Hey! The bugs are swarming!"
"Go and get them!"
The male students of Class 5 rushed over.
"When will the class president come?"
"I want to see the class president in a tuxedo quickly!"
"Nella~ Ilia~ Come on over."
The female students also greeted the two with bright smiles.
When the auditorium was mostly filled, two students entered together.
Of course, the atmosphere was different from the earlier jeers.
A boy and a girl with light blue hair and eyes.
None other than Abad and Chelsea.
There was no way to jeer at them entering together.
Even if they had entered separately, their status was too significant.
When the Lwalin siblings appeared, several students from the Lodren Empire gathered around them.
"Seeing them again, they really are from a powerful family."
Karl whistled.
Lumern Academy has many students from hero families.
However, the Lwalin family had a presence that refused comparison with ordinary hero families.
"There's another big shot who doesn't fall behind them."
Just as Ilia finished speaking, another pair of students appeared.
This time, there were no jeers.
A girl with black hair and a boy with white hair.
Leo and Selia.
"It's the class president!"
"Sure enough, as expected!"
The female students of Class 5 cheered.
"Usually, she's so dignified, but dressed like that, she's definitely beautiful."
"Selia! She's beautiful!"
From Class 1, cheers erupted regardless of gender.
Selia, who was usually dignified and confident, was popular among both male and female students.
With her in a red dress, the atmosphere couldn't help but be enthusiastic.
"But why is she the vice president of Class 1!"
"And why is he the president of Class 5!"
The two classes, which simultaneously burst with the same complaint, glared at each other.
Harlind and Sedgen.
The rivalry between these two professors, known for their high reputation at Lumern Academy, was already famous.
Of course, it was a one-sided declaration by Sedgen, but thanks to it, Class 5 and Class 1 inadvertently developed a rivalry.
When Selia appeared, the students of the Lodren Empire naturally gathered around her.
Seeing this, Leo slipped away and came to where Class 5 was.
"Why are you here already? Chelsea is still talking over there."
Karl asked with a puzzled look, and Leo shrugged.
"It's not a place for me to join in."
"Not a place for you? Aren't they all from the Western Exam?"
Ilia asked, holding a fork in her mouth, and Leo chuckled.
"They're all from the Lodren Empire, even if they're from the Western Exam. I'm from a different country."
"Ah!"
The Western Exam is mostly taken by students from the Lodren Empire.
Since the Lodren Empire itself is a vast empire covering the entire west, it couldn't be helped.
"Class president! Will you dance with me during the dance time?"
"You have to dance with me too~"
"Leo, you bastard!"
"You have good grades and are popular too?"
The female students of Class 5 smiled at Leo, and the male students grabbed him and shook him.
"Hehe. Everyone is having a lively time."
"Ooh! Assistant Professor Sena!"
Sena, the assistant professor, approached Class 5 with a smile.
"I'm so happy that no one in our class received a recommendation for withdrawal. Let's keep studying hard!"
Seeing Sena's bright smile, the students had a warm expression.
To the students of Class 5, who always received Harlind's fierce education, Sena was like an oasis in the desert.
As the lively atmosphere continued, the lights in the auditorium went out.
At the same time, two students appeared on the stage.
"Everyone~ Hello!"
The appearance of Harlind and Artian, the homeroom teachers of Class 5 and Class 8, known as the terror of the 1st-year students, brought an instant silence to the noisy party.
"Why, why are you all so quiet? Parties are supposed to be fun, so you don't have to be quiet."
Even with these words, the students couldn't easily start talking.
Just as Artian was about to make a pained face,
Professor Harlind spoke into the microphone.
"Enjoy it while you can, I'm telling you."
"Whooaaa."
"It's so, so fun."
"Hahaha."
As if nothing had happened, the students started chatting again.
Seeing the noisy students again, Artian said,
"Enjoy while you listen. We will now announce the top students in each department."
'No! While telling us to enjoy!'
'Why are they announcing grades in a public setting!'
"First, we will announce the top three students in each department. Then, we will announce the top student in the grade."
Professor Artian smiled.
"Also, the overall rankings will be displayed throughout the party, so please check them."
The assistant professors could be seen bringing out covered bulletin boards.
Finally, Harlind added,
"And this party is also a place to console the students who are leaving. Keep that in mind."
The atmosphere in the auditorium turned cold.
"Cruel. Cruel. Anyway, this school really knows how to motivate students."
Karl clicked his tongue.
Announcing top students while consoling those who received a recommendation for withdrawal.
This was a message to the middle-ranking students.
Work hard to move up, and you could end up like them at any time.
"So, we will start with the top students in each department. First, the Knight Department. The top student is..."
The drum roll began, and the spotlight started moving around the party.
"Selia Gerdinger from Class 1! Congratulations!"
The spotlight focused on Selia.
"Everyone, give her a round of applause!"
Clap clap clap clap clap-
Applause erupted.
Selia brushed her hair back and smiled sweetly.
It was a confident and fitting appearance for her.
"The second place is Duran Moira from Class 1!"
The spotlight focused on Duran, who had his arms crossed, but he looked displeased.
"Selia! Duran! You two are amazing! It was literally a one-point difference between 1st and 2nd place!"
Professor Sedgen, standing below the stage, wiped away tears and clapped.
"Third place is Chen Xia from Class 10!"
Chen Xia, dressed in a traditional costume with a broad and elegant atmosphere typical of the eastern region, smiled with her hands in the sleeves of her dress.
"Wow! Leo didn't make it into the top three!"
"Well, they call the top three in the Knight Department the 'Three Monsters.'"
Chelsea clenched her fists in frustration, and Ilia shook her head.
"Heh. It's your turn, Leo."
"Too relaxed, aren't you? If you don't make it into the top three in your department, you won't be the top student in the grade!"
"Then, the top student in the mid-term exams. We will now announce the top student in the grade."
Tension filled the air at these words.
With everyone's attention on the nine students, Artian spoke.
"Top student in the mid-term exams! Leo Flov from Class 5!"