Ch.6 - Now that i think about it...

Now that I think about it they never explained how this school worked, I mean 1000 people per year? Isn't that a bit too much? How can a school contain a total of 5000 people?

Easy, it cannot.

Looking at the accepted people around me I realized something important: this world adjusted itself from the half-assed novel it came from.

To explain it briefly there were a total of 452noble families, except the king, with an addition of 548 mayors, (fluctuating number) they are defacto nobles with baron-like administrative powers. For a total of 1000 noble families circa.

This year was a good year and a total of 550 students (they always try to have round numbers) were divided into 11 classes based on the results of the test; in that number, exceptional commoners were included.

Nobles were freely admitted and the test was made solely for sorting, however, commoners had to fight for it: every year multiple pastors from the church would test young kids and those talented enough would receive basic reading and writing education a few years before the academy there would be another screening test of those kids and those few who made this cut would be finally sent to Avalon Academy where they would need to pass the written and physical test.

The reward for all this? The chance to be chosen under a Noble and serve them for huge benefits.

Our hero comes from a destroyed village meaning that the results of his tests were never revealed, he also did not need to learn to read and write making the Duke believe he comes from a disgraced Noble family... A series of misunderstandings allowed the hero to rise without much difficulty.

What does all of this mean? Why is this string of information so important?

Because that means that this world is fixing itself from the author's plot holes, there could never be numbers 669 and 996 who in the story gave their soul to demons for power, meaning I couldn't nip the problem in the bud.

Minor problems.

"Number 10, Arden Christopher, class A congratulations."

Hearing my name I stood up and directed myself to join the other 9 present. Of the 9 here 4 were harem members while 4 will be in the party that will kill the demon king.

...

Sitting down in the classroom I decided to introduce myself to the person next to me, the blonde-haired girl the author probably forgot about.

"It seems like we will be neighbors for the remainder of the year, my name is Christopher Arden, a pleasure to make your acquaintance" She turns to me her face kinda expressionless, it was only thanks to the month I spent having a girlfriend with a similar temperament in my previous life that I understood that like everyone else here she was just as awkward.

"Anya, Anya Chillhowl, the pleasure is mine" no follow-up question, so either she doesn't give a flying fuck, which I doubt as she kept staring at me, or she doesn't know how to continue.

"I heard that the temperature is quite frigid there, have you been adapting to the weather here?" yup, the weather small talk, always works, and always will.

She shakes her head "I haven't, the difference is quite noticeable, in fact, I am keeping ice shards in my sleeves" says the girl showing me her arm.

Raising my eyebrows at the interesting revelation I answer, "Uh, that's an interesting application" I paused before speaking again "How good are you with range? My examiner said I have to improve on that as I was wondering what was the golden standard for new students"

She nods "Fair enough, I can get to 7 meters and a half. What about you?"

"Three meters, I guess it makes sense now, but I still do not understand why I was placed 10th" I answer pouting a bit

"I assume you believe you deserve a better rank?" she asks imperceptibly narrowing her eyes

"The opposite honestly, I thought I would be somewhere around 15th. Eh, obviously I am not complaining but students here are probably going to try to and challenge me for that position, and that is very annoying."

"I suppose it would..." We then started talking about classes and some life experiences before being joined by two other girls and a guy.

The guy was the 9th place, Emerson Ravenbeak (baron) the two girls were the 17th place and 19th place, Mara Morrison and Celine Fisser (both counts).

Just like that, in this university-like class, a small clique was formed.

...

Entering the class was the head professor of this class, and incidentally, my examiner, professor Geralth Proudmore, in tow his assistant I quickly forgot the name of.

The class proceeded quickly, Mana Construct Formation Theory started with explaining the various theories regarding the nature and essence of mana. No theory was yet proven correct but different mages had success following different theories that suited their creed, lifestyle, morality, and opinions.

"During the "Years of Reconstruction," Jean Pierre Levante developed a new comprehensive theory, his objective was to provide a safe path for new mages to thread before branching out into their preferred category later in life when their personality and set of values would then be fully formed. In his Magnus opus: "Theory of Chaotic Order" Levante proposed that the only possible way to let new mages safely and effectively learn magic was to just let them experiment, teachers simply had to tell them what to do and show an example of how to do it, children would then implement their own existing beliefs to their magic through trial and error and would then discover their own way; only then would they be able to follow a path or create one of their own ensuring continuity of magic through time and generations; the continuity of Order through Chaos" the teacher paused to let everything sink in before asking the class

"This theory, which we still use to this day, however, was turned on its head by the headmaster of the old Morai kingdom Military Academy, can you deduce how?"

The class was painfully silent, after seeing that none had the answer and people were giving the most disparate answers I raised my hand.

"Yes, Mr. Arden?"

"I guess that the headmaster probably thought that if children could be left free to develop they could also be inducted from a young age to a certain path. If kids could be quote-on-quote brainwashed to follow a certain specified system of beliefs they could then streamline education for everyone creating stronger mages way quicker than the competition. Naturally, as they were used as the bulk of the army there was no need to let them think too much about things, they only had to act."

Geralth smiled "Wonderful answer, yes that is exactly what happened in fact the Headmaster..."

The lesson continued undisturbed for the rest of the day, and no, nobody was awed by my brilliance, I am not living inside a shitty fanfiction.

(jokes on you my dear mc)

During lunch I again spent time with Anya and the other nobles, I learned that while a bit stuck-up kids remained kids, they liked to form friendships and make conversations. If magic wasn't a constant reminder I would have thought I was back in my old world.

Attachment, feelings, emotions... Troublesome stuff, but it is what makes life worth living.