Evaluation [I]

After completing my interview, I immediately visited the Admission Office. And I was utterly taken aback when I got there.

The lady behind the desk informed me my tuition was only twenty-five thousand Credits. 

Twenty-fucking-five thousand Credits?!

What the hell?!

I guess the rumors about the Academy were true. They really liked bleeding nobility for everything we were worth.

But still!

Still!

I had given those shitheads the foundation for a theory that could practically change how the world views the Spirit Realm!

And what did they give me in return?! A fee order of twenty-five thousand?!

Yes, by the way, that theory was what someone in the game came up with — a prodigious alchemist named Rexerd Cronwell.

He would've come up with this theory in around five years from now, yet here I was handing it to the Grandmasters today!

Sure, part of me wanted to impress them, but my main goal was to secure a lower tuition!

But no, they still hit me with twenty-five grand!

Argh!

Those bastards should be thankful that they kept their identities hidden because—

"If only I knew where they lived, I'd sneak into their homes and reset all their phone alarms to go off five minutes before they are supposed to wake up, just to ruin their day before it even starts!"

I started laughing maniacally, like a supervillain monologuing his evil plans.

"Young Master, stop. You're creeping people out," Juliana said in a reproachful tone.

I shot her an indignant glance and surveyed the surroundings.

…Okay, sure enough, people were eyeing me like I'd just escaped from a mental asylum.

"Oh, come on! Can't a man laugh at his own diabolical schemes in peace?" I huffed, returning my focus to the fair young woman behind the desk, who looked ready to bolt away from me.

Rolling my eyes, I grudgingly fished out my comm device and emptied everything I had in my online wallet.

"I'm paying five thousand extra. Just put me in whatever residence that will take it," I demanded like an entitled brat I was, not bothering to read the list of dorms and their prices displayed on a screen right next to the counter.

Juliana raised an eyebrow at me.

"...What?" I snapped, not bothering to look at her.

"Nothing," she replied, turning away. "It's just… are you sure you'll be fine living without money, without servants, eating mess food, surrounded by peasants, in a dorm that's not overflowing with extravagance and luxury?"

I shot her a withering look. "What? Do you think I'm so spoiled that I can't handle some... penury conditions?"

"The fact that you call those penury conditions proves my point," Juliana countered with the smugness of someone who used to winning petty arguments.

The small, almost unnoticeable smirk on her face was infuriatingly self-satisfied.

"Tsk," I clicked my tongue in frustration.

"Here," the young woman at the counter chipped in, handing me a long receipt. "Your tuition for the term is paid, and those extra Credits got you a room in Dorm 6-B on Zephyros Street."

Wow. Just wow.

Five thousand Credits just for a room on Zephyros?

The Academy was looting Cadets in broad daylight!

The thing is, residence halls were spread across five streets in Ascent, each named after one of the five Monarchical families.

When the Ascent Isles were built, the Monarchs of that time donated whatever they could for the construction of the floating islands.

The dorm streets were named after their families in honor of their contributions. 

And the more a Monarch donated, the more extravagant were the dorms on their streets.

Guess who donated the least?

Skint Vein Zephyros — the Northern Monarch. 

What else could you expect? His name was Skint! It meant "broke!"

He was also known as the Beggar Ruler. Why? Because he was poorer than most beggars in the West!

Yes! He was that broke!

So yeah, dorms on Zephyros Street were nothing more than tiny quarters, exactly what one would expect for broke teens to be living in.

Oh, well.

It was fine. It didn't matter.

I wasn't planning on staying there for long anyway — just until the Evaluation.

On the day of Evaluation, I'd score in the top ten – possibly first, since I had my eyes on the winning prize – and be rewarded with the Golden Badge.

Getting a Golden Badge would grant me lodging in any dorm at reasonable prices, a significant reduction in tuition, cheap meals anywhere on Ascent, and a myriad of other benefits.

While I was daydreaming all that, I noticed Juliana summoning an Acquire Card and placing it on the counter.

Though she masked it well, I sensed regret in her emotionless blue eyes.

The young woman at the counter looked confused, so I interjected before she could ask anything. 

"She's my Shadow," I explained curtly.

Shadows had to pay tuition too since they would be attending the Academy as well.

Their fees were set the same as their masters'.

Usually, it was the masters who paid for their Shadows.

So I couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt that Juliana had to use one of her own Cards for the payment.

But the guilt went as quickly as it came. Why would I feel something for a slave who wouldn't let go of a chance to kill me?

And yes, aside from Credits, Cards were also a viable form of currency in this world.

"Oh!" the counter girl exclaimed, taking the Card from Juliana and silently equipping it to her Soul Arsenal.

She then typed a few buttons on her keyboard, checking something on her computer.

After a couple of minutes, she looked back at Juliana, handing her a receipt with a warm smile. "This Skill Card is valued at sixty-five grand on the legal market. We've deducted your current fee from that amount. If you return within six weeks and pay the remaining balance, we'll return your Card. If not, bring this slip back next term, and your fee will be waived. Would you like a dorm room as well?"

Juliana nodded, her demeanor steady but her gaze undeniably somber. "Give me one on Alaron Street. Something with a good view."

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. Alaron was the second most expensive street on Ascent.

But I guess it made sense why Juliana wanted that. She needed peace of mind and enough privacy to work on her future plans.

"What?" she asked, noticing my stare.

Suddenly, I couldn't help but smile so wickedly that it would put the most corrupt politicians to shame.

"Nothing," I shrugged, turning away. "I'm just thinking… you were probably right."

Her eyes narrowed in a silent question.

I grinned. "No, you most definitely were right! I couldn't live in a cramped room, eating mess food daily, surrounded by unsophisticated plebeians, with no servants to attend to my care."

Juliana leveled me with a long look. "Let me guess, Young Master. You want me to get you a dorm on Alaron Street as well?"

I threw my head back and laughed, causing the people behind me in line to flinch.

"Come now, Juli. Do I look like a man who'll let his servant pay for him?"

Juliana half-lidded her eyes at me. Her expression practically screamed 'Yes! Yes, you do!' but she held her tongue.

I couldn't help but laugh again. "No, instead, you shall come live with me on Zephyros."

Her eyes went wide. "W-What? Sorry?"

"No need to be sorry," I gave her an innocent smile. "It's decided then."

She shook her head so fast I thought it might come off. "No, come on, Young Master! You're dragging me with you because I joked a little! Surely, even you can't be that petty!"

I looked at her as if I genuinely didn't understand what she meant. "What do you mean petty?! In fact, I like you so much that I can't live far from you! You should be honored! Come now!"

With that, I grabbed her hand by the wrist and asked the counter lady to arrange a dorm room for my Shadow near mine.

The young woman shot me a glare as if I were human trash, before casting an apologetic look at Juliana, who was barely holding back tears and screams and curses right now.

After everything was settled, I dragged Juliana away, feeling oddly at peace.