Chapter 11: Honour List

A year passed.

In this year, a lot had happened. The children had gotten used to the atmosphere of the Academy, their teachers, and the other children. Three months into the year, the Academy had released an Honour List. Children were ranked according to the graces and penalties they had received. It was constantly being updated.

It had only one goal: encouraging competition. The competition was intense, and the little geniuses were thriving so much that even the top brass of the Bloom Academy was surprised.

They even had to change the condition to open the secret vault of the Bloom Store. It was no longer 10 graces but first place on the Honour List. Otherwise, their secret vault would be looted by five-year-olds.

Currently, Lucas was in third place with 38 graces and 0 penalties. Second place had 39 graces while first place had 42. But that was about to change. Lucas was giving a test whose reward was a whopping 10 graces. If he scored full marks on this test, he would take first place.

And if there was one thing that Lucas loved aside from reading, it was winning. Granted, Lingling would chew his ear off afterward for taking her position, but it would be worth it.

While he was taking the test, two kids, a boy and a girl, were staring at the screen displaying the Honour List. Surprisingly, the boy was Derek, the quiet kid. Lucas had gotten him to open up a little in the year they had spent together as roommates. His past was still a mystery, but at least he wasn't as silent and awkward around people as before.

Derek looked at the girl and said, "What are you doing here?"

The girl was about to answer, but Derek interrupted her, "Wait, I know. You're counting down the seconds before your name goes down to second place, aren't you?"

The girl replied in a meek, almost whispering voice, "You don't know that. Lucas might mess up."

Derek replied, "Are we talking about the same Lucas Zenith? When has he ever messed up a test?"

The girl flared up and said, "Shut up, you big meanie!"

Derek replied, "Or what? What will you do if I don't, Lingling?"

Lingling showed him her small fists and said, "I'll punch you."

Derek showed her his back and said, "Go ahead. Football practice was brutal today, and I need a massage."

Lingling blushed in shame and said, "Why are you so chipper? If I take second place, that means you will be pushed to third place."

Derek replied, "Big deal. I just need to win another game, and I'll be second once again."

Lingling's cheeks puffed up as she said, "That's it. I'm going to the Dean. It isn't fair that the sports events and the library tests have so many grace points as rewards, but the video gaming events don't."

Derek paused. Not because she was right, but because he was confused. He said, "What are you talking about? Video gaming events have the greatest rewards because a majority of the students participate."

Lingling, who was all fired up just a moment ago, also stopped. Derek was right. Video gaming events did in fact have the highest rewards, and they were the most brutal of all events. Most were single-player events where the winner takes all. There were very few team events.

She said, "But—"

Derek interrupted her once again, "Even if what you were saying was true, do you think the results would be any different?"

Lingling sighed, "No…"

Derek said, "That's right. Lucas would still be in first place. But we will defeat him. We just need to train more."

Lingling cheered up once again. She said, "Let's go train."

As they were about to leave, Lucas's name on the display board lit up and went up to first place with 58 graces. Seeing this, both children sighed. It was not just them. Almost every student sighed at the same time.

They, too, had received the news via their Bloom Watches, a device that acted as their phone, debit card, and ID card at the same time. They had received them at the same time as the Honour List was released. Well, they had to purchase their Bloom Watches using their BP.

One of the kids said, "Guys, Lucas is back in first place!"

Another kid replied, "Not again!!"

While some were lamenting the fact that Lucas had topped the Honour List once again, others were elated.

Ben jumped in joy, "The Enchanted Owl Society is back on top."

Noah, who was chilling with him, suddenly stood up. Ben asked, "Where are you going?"

Noah replied, "To convince Lucas to join Fenrir's Fangs. He's my best friend. He'll join us if I ask him to. We also have Derek. He can help me convince him."

Ben said, "No fair. Besides, Lucas created the Enchanted Owl Society. No way he will leave us for you guys."

Lucas, Lingling, Derek, and Geneviève had created four clubs under the orders of the Dean.

The Enchanted Owl Society for the bibliophiles, math wizards, and the like.

Fenrir's Fangs for the sports lovers.

Draconis Guild for the video gamers and the tech-savvy kids.

Phoenix Dreamweavers for all things creative such as art, craft, music, etc.

The clubs had internal competitions, but they were especially competitive against other clubs. They competed on the sum of graces of their members on the Honour List.

This was not the only thing the Dean had introduced. She wanted the kids to be financially educated, so she had the students pay tax, the percentage depending on their wealth, i.e., the amount of BP. Graces were not included in this.

She also wanted them to understand how society works, so she went a step further by introducing the idea of democracy. She formed a Student Council made up of the Club Presidents and Vice Presidents.

The positions for Club President and Vice President would be decided via a biannual vote. The City Lord was intent on realizing the students' full potential and making sure they win the next Antharia Tamer's Tournament.