A Secret Friend

—Well, this is how you can easily chop down trees. It might be difficult, but if you try hard... Please subscribe and like, and I'll see you next time.

The video ended.

After reviewing the logging technique in my mind, I left the library.

"Hmm?"

There was a large poster on the corridor wall.

College Board Participant List

As I read through the list of College Board participants, a mixture of anticipation and uncertainty welled up within me. Magic High School had its own intricate hierarchy, based on status, wealth, lineage, and magical abilities. This list represented the upper echelons of that hierarchy.

At the very top were the S+ tier, occupied by only two individuals: 'Amada Black,' the eldest daughter of the Black family, and 'Emma Rivers,' the second daughter of the Rivers family. Below them, in the S tier, were 'Ren Dover,' renowned for his exceptional talent, and 'Lyra Hall,' known for her wealth.

I couldn't help but notice the connections between these high-tier students and myself, whether they were positive or negative. It was a reminder of the various encounters and experiences I had endured during my time at the school.

The notice about the Provisional Assembly Date, scheduled for tomorrow at Clemen Hall, caught my attention. This gathering was an opportunity for the College Board participants to meet, scout potential allies, and assess their competition.

"I'm going to see those faces again after a long time," I muttered to myself.

The upcoming assembly would undoubtedly be an interesting reunion, filled with both old acquaintances and new challenges.

***

Crackle- Crackle-

The comforting warmth of the firepit enveloped the room, and as I woke up, I was pleasantly surprised by how refreshed my body felt. I had expected to be sore from the strenuous work of chopping wood the previous day, but instead, I felt invigorated.

As I glanced around the temporary residence on the second floor of the old building, I took in the scattered logs I had prepared. My clear eyes surveyed the room, and I couldn't help but acknowledge that I was in good condition that morning.

"…I'm in good shape today."

The clock on the ceiling displayed a time that made my heart race.

[9:03 AM]

The date was Monday, March 2nd, the day of the Provisional Assembly at Clemen Hall. The warning at the bottom of the poster echoed in my mind: "There may be disadvantages if you do not attend."

"Shit!"

With a surge of urgency, I leapt out of bed and dashed out of the old building, sprinting across the campus toward my destination.

My goal was the round building southeast of the clock tower, Clemen Hall.

"Haah, haah."

My heart pounded as I pushed my body to its limits. Finally, I arrived at Clemen Hall.

"…."

I pressed my ear against the door, listening to voices already emanating from inside. I adjusted my school tie and straightened my clothes, taking a moment to regain my composure.

"Hoo."

After a deep breath, I quietly opened the back door.

Creak...

"So, you're the last one?"

As soon as I stepped into the hall, the man at the podium frowned. The other students in the hall turned to scrutinize me.

I offered a slight bow.

"I apologize."

"I'll let it slide since it's an informal assembly. But from the next class, there will be penalties."

The coordinator's leniency was a stroke of luck for me. He appeared quite young, with strikingly handsome features.

"Yes, thank you."

I hurriedly found a seat. With each step, I could hear murmurs and whispers from my fellow students.

"Why is he here… ugh- what's with his hair- it's so short- Why is he here instead of graduating- has he gone insane this time-"

Amidst the chatter, the coordinator began explaining the college board program.

Desperate to find any available seat, I sat down quickly.

"What the. Kevin, why are you sitting here?"

An annoyed voice came from beside me. It was Lyra Hall, playing with her purple hair.

She belonged to the S tier of Elit, and next to her was Emma Rivers, part of the S+ tier.

"Why are you sitting here?"

Both Lyra and Emma had been involved in unpleasant incidents in the past, making me wary of their presence.

Just as I was about to contemplate their questions, our homeroom teacher flicked his finger.

Whish-!

A piece of paper landed on my desk.

It was a course registration form.

"The college board program is divided into three quarters. From March to May is the first quarter. You must choose two general education classes for the first quarter, which will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays."

I scanned the list of elective courses. Options included "Basic Swordsmanship," "Nobel Language," "Literature," "Advanced Magic," and more.

Without hesitation, I selected two courses.

"Basic Swordsmanship" and "Nobel Language."

Swordsmanship, as a nod to my father's knightly heritage, and Latine, as a strategic choice for approaching Libra.

"Decide on your elective courses by tomorrow and submit them to the academic office."

I folded the completed form.

"Hmmmm…."

Lyra, seated beside me, scrutinized my actions with narrowed eyes.

"On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, you will work on college board assignments. Most assignments will be announced on the day, and if you fail more than three times, you will be disqualified. However, the assignment conducted on the first day of school is a special 'qualification test,' and if you fail, you will be disqualified immediately."

The coordinator paused briefly and produced a card from his pocket.

"Today, I will assign you a shared task. There is no failing in the shared assignment, but there are benefits if you succeed."

With a wave of his hand, he revealed a stack of cards.

"The first shared assignment is 'Secret Friend.'"

Oh, not this again.

I briefly closed my eyes. Although the others pretended to groan in displeasure, there was excitement and anticipation in their voices.

I just felt like shit.

"I assume you know the rules. These Secret Friend cards have the names of all 153 of you. The Secret Friend must perform 'an action that can clearly be defined as helpful' for their target, and in doing so, earn 1.5 points of CP."

"CP. It stands for College Point. This is the standard by which the cut-off line for prestigious universities is determined."

For those in the upper echelons, every single point is hard-earned.

"However, a Secret Friend must never be caught. If discovered, no CP will be received."

He raised his finger.

"On the contrary, if you correctly guess the identity of your Secret Friend, you will also receive 1.5 CP points. You only get one chance to guess your Secret Friend."

There are a lot of rules for such an outdated Secret Friend game.

The coordinator spoke in a stern tone.

"In summary, a Secret Friend must not be caught by their target. If they help their target without being discovered, they earn 1.5 CP. If they're caught? The Secret Friend doesn't get any CP, but the target does."

At first glance, it might seem like a game for fostering camaraderie and breaking the ice, but upon closer inspection, it strongly reeks of the opposite.

"The period is until the end of the midterm exams."