Results

The day of the class arrangement had finally arrived, and even the noblest and most talented students were feeling nervous.

The students had received the notification that the results of the class arrangement exam had been posted on the central bulletin board outside the academy building, and they were now eagerly gathered there, chattering and discussing the implications of the rankings.

The bulletin board itself was a marvel to behold, sparkling with magic like a digital neon sign. On it were the names of all the new students, listed according to their ranks.

Despite the anticipation and excitement in the air, there was an undercurrent of tension. Everyone knew that the class arrangement could make or break their academic careers, and the pressure was tangible. Nonetheless, the students remained gathered around the bulletin board, eager to see where they had been placed.

"It would have been so much more convenient if this world had smartphones," I muttered, looking at the large group of students huddled in front of the bulletin board.

But alas, this world was still a few centuries behind in terms of technology. Instead of smartphones, they had these clunky communication crystals that were only affordable for the nobles. It was a luxury that the commoners couldn't even dream of affording. So, here we were, jostling and elbowing each other to get a glimpse of our class placements.

Suddenly, someone in the crowd exclaimed, "Hey, isn't that Caius?"

"Yeah, it is, but don't stare at him. He'll mercilessly beat you up. Haven't you seen his duel?" The others hushed him with a warning.

"Did you guys see his rank?" another whispered.

Amidst the chatter, I stood alone in front of the bulletin board. The other students had moved away, giving me a wide berth, but I paid them no mind as I scanned the board for my name.

"Actually, I didn't really need to check the results to know that I aced the examination," I muttered to myself as I examined the board. As expected, I had secured the top rank. But I was curious about who had taken the second spot, and to no surprise, it was our Regressor Aria.

[Rank 1: Caius Valerian

Rank 2: Aria Jadester

Rank 3: Ember Kaelthas

...

...

___

While I had used my skill to ace the test, Aria had the advantage of being a regressor who already knew the answers to the questions. So the results were not surprising.

"Ember will be fuming after seeing these results," I muttered as I chuckled inwardly.

It was the first time she had not come first in an examination. She was known as a perfectionist, and for a good reason – she aced everything she did in her life. And here we were, stealing her first place.

If it weren't for me and Aria, she would have created a record in Starlight Academy's history as the first student to rank first in both the entrance and class placement examinations.

As I stood there lost in my thoughts, a voice suddenly broke through my reverie. "Yeah, she's indeed fuming," said the woman standing to my right.

Turning towards her, I immediately recognized her as Aria Jadester. Her shiny silver hair and deep blue eyes were striking, and her presence commanded attention.

Aria's appearance was captivating. Her long silver hair cascaded down her back in loose waves, shimmering in the sunlight. Her striking blue eyes seemed to hold a depth of knowledge and experience beyond her years.

Her pale, flawless skin was radiant against the black outfit she was wearing, accentuating her strong and beautiful figure. She exuded an air of confidence and authority that was both alluring and intimidating.

Sniff – Sniff

As I took in her beauty, I was interrupted by a sound on my left side.

!?

I turned to see Ember, tears streaming down her face.

'She must have been upset about not ranking as high as she had hoped,' I thought to myself, trying to understand the reason behind her tears.

Ember quickly wiped away her tears and ran away as soon as she felt my gaze on her.

"Hehe, you made her cry Caius," Aria giggled mischievously.

"Get lost!" I snapped at her with a twisted expression before turning to leave.

"Huh?" Aria stopped in her giggling and stared at me puzzled with her eyes widened clearly not expecting such a sharp response. "What's your problem?"

'Stay away from me, you conniving woman! Even if you decided to team up with me, I wouldn't help you with your revenge. Find another partner for your nefarious schemes,' I shouted in my mind.

As much as I sympathize with her situation, I have no interest in getting involved in her revenge.

"It's simply none of my business," I muttered to myself, trying to distance myself from Aria's schemes.

In reality, I was still clueless about my role in this world. Some mysterious voice had tasked me with saving it, but who has time for that? I had no interest in being a hero. Besides, what's the worst that could happen if this world ended? I'd just go back to my old boring life, right?

"...."

"...Old boring life, huh? ...Well, maybe I should just level up and protect myself," I mused to myself. I mean, if I had to stay in this world, I might as well have some fun and not die in the process.

Though I was brought to this world for a purpose and without my permission, I found it more interesting than my previous boring life.

'I want to stay in this world but without being a hero bound with a duty to save the world,' I pondered.

"Tsh, what a dilemma!" I sighed as I headed towards the Elite Dorm building to check out my new room.

As I walked away, I heard Aria mutter something under her breath, but I ignored her.

"Finally, my own space to relax and not deal with crying girls," I said to myself with a smirk.

Little did I know, my peaceful sanctuary would soon be invaded by unexpected guests and hijinks would ensue.

...

...

Aria watched Caius go, still confused by his outburst. "He...is so weird," she muttered to herself, running her fingers through her shiny silver hair.

***

However, Ember was not the only one who was shocked and displeased by the class placement results.

"T-This is absurd! H-How did he rank 1st?" Adeline muttered to herself. "He must have cheated or something. There's no way he could have beaten me fairly." she bit her nails anxiously as she arrived back to her temporary dorm room after seeing the results on the bulletin board.

Though she had also ranked in the top 10 and would be in an Elite class, the fact that Caius not only ranked above her but topped the examination left a bitter taste in her mouth.

"I can't believe it! He's just a nobody! How can he be ranked above me?" Adeline continued to mutter to herself.

{Pftt, look at you ranked lower than me. That's where you belong always under my feet!} she imagined Caius saying to her.

"Noooo! T-This can't happen, never!" Adeline screamed as she held her hair tightly.

"Why do you have to change, now? You looked so good when you were chasing after me. Why are you biting your owner's hand now?" she continued to bite her nails until they bled, talking to herself in frustration.

She knew Caius was stronger than her in combat, but she prided herself on being the smarter of the two. Now, even that was being called into question.

But then she started to think. Why was she so upset? Was it really just because she was outranked by someone she saw as beneath her? Or was there something more to it?

Adeline had never seen Caius as a friend. He was always just a thing to her, something she owned and controlled. But now, he was no longer content to be her lapdog. He had broken free of her control and was asserting himself.

"He's supposed to be mine, my possession," she muttered to herself. "Why would he suddenly change?"

She considered the possibility that Caius had found someone else, "Did he find a new owner? Yes, that must be it," she said, nodding her head as she walked. "But who would dare to steal my things away from me?"

As her anger grew, she slammed her hand on her bed, causing it to crack. "I have to find out who this new owner is and take my belongings back," she said, taking a deep breath.

Adeline gathered her belongings and left her temporary dorm room. She was determined to get to the bottom of this and reclaim what was rightfully hers. As she walked towards the Elite Dorm building, her mind was consumed with thoughts of revenge.

***

As Adeline stormed out of the room, her roommate let out a long sigh and lowered the blanket from their face. They had been lying on their bed the entire time, pretending to be asleep, but in reality, they had heard everything.

"...."

"...She's a crazy one," the person muttered to themselves, shaking their head in disbelief. "I knew she was competitive, but this is a whole other level."

'Her obsession with Caius is unhealthy. Poor him,'