Vol3 Chapter 15 Ranking

The next morning, Arianne Academy was alive with energy. Students in crisp new uniforms filled the wide stone paths, following signs toward the central plaza. Amos strolled along with his hands in his pockets, a stark contrast to the tense atmosphere of the day before. No exams. No battles. No professors scrutinizing every move. Just a sea of successful applicants heading toward the start of their academy journey.

"..."

As he turned the corner, something caught his eye. A huge crowd had formed around a towering marble monument in the middle of the plaza. Nearly all three hundred successful applicants were there. Some looked thrilled, others uneasy, and many murmured to each other while sneaking glances at the still-empty structure. Amos tilted his head in curiosity.

"...What's everyone waiting for?"

He looked around, finding no clear answer, and then casually asked the person closest to him.

"Excuse me."

"What are they waiting for?"

A gentle voice answered almost immediately.

"They're waiting for the admission rankings."

Amos nodded.

"I see."

A few seconds passed.

"..."

"..."

He blinked. Wait.

That voice... Amos slowly turned to his right. Beside him stood a silver-haired girl in pristine white academy robes edged with gold. She offered a polite smile.

"It determines our class placements."

Estelle.

Amos stared.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Estelle tilted her head slightly.

"Is something wrong?"

"Oh."

Amos scratched his cheek.

"I didn't realize I was asking the saint."

Estelle blinked once.

"..."

"You were looking at me."

"I was?"

"You were."

"Huh."

Amos genuinely hadn't noticed.

"I thought I was asking the randos or maybe the air."

Estelle covered her mouth, trying not to laugh.

"I'm afraid the air doesn't usually answer."

"True." Amos nodded seriously. "I should probably stop expecting it to."

Estelle finally continued.

"After the rankings are announced, we'll have the academy's welcoming ceremony."

"The rankings determine which class each student joins."

"I've heard students in the same class attend nearly all of their lessons together during the first year."

Amos looked back toward the enormous monument.

"So..."

"It's not just for shows."

"No."

Estelle shook her head.

"It affects our learning environment as well."

"I see."

That made a lot more sense.

Nearby, several applicants looked noticeably nervous.

"I hope I make the top fifty..."

"My father said I'd better be in the first class..."

"I don't care as long as I'm not last..."

Others seemed far calmer.

Willow stood quietly near the edge of the crowd, simply waiting.

Aurelia calmly read a book despite the surrounding noise.

Chester folded his arms with complete confidence.

"I'm definitely first."

A nearby applicant whispered,

"...He's about to be disappointed."

Not far away, Elodie was chatting cheerfully while Edith stood beside her writing in her notebook.

Meanwhile...

Amos simply looked at the monument.

"I wonder how they calculate it."

"The four examinations?" he asked.

Estelle nodded.

"Most likely."

"The academy has never revealed the exact formula."

"They simply announce the final rankings every year."

"Huh."

He wasn’t too concerned about his ranking. After all, whether he was first or three hundredths, his spot was already guaranteed. Still, a flicker of curiosity remained—mainly because he wanted to see how the academy judged the different exams.

Just then, a loud chime rang out across the plaza, instantly silencing the chatter. At the front, Vice Principal Rusell stepped onto an elevated platform, his calm, familiar voice carrying over the crowd with the help of amplification magic.

"Good morning. Congratulations once again on becoming students of Arianne Academy."

Behind him, the massive marble monument started to glow with elaborate magical patterns, golden light spilling across its surface.

"The admission rankings have now been finalized. These rankings will determine your class assignments for your first academic year."

A ripple of anticipation moved through the crowd. Some students held their breath without realizing it, while others clasped their hands in quiet prayer. Even Chester straightened a bit, and Russell gave a faint smile.

"Let us begin."

Golden letters began to slowly emerge across the towering monument, rising from the base and unveiling the academy’s newest generation, one name after another. The massive black crystal throbbed with golden light, casting a warm glow over the plaza. Silence hung in the air as three hundred successful applicants gazed upward, unblinking. One by one, the names shone into existence in brilliant gold, and the entire crowd held its breath in awe.

ARIANNE ACADEMY ADMISSION RANKINGS

1. Amos E. Kyros

2. Aurelia Maria Edward

3. Estelle Celeste

4. Chester Reinhart

5. Edith Cassia Markult

6. Elodie Cassandra Markult

7. Willow Brew

8. Mira Cedar Dale

9. Frida Frederica

10. Lucra

The second list rolled on.

11...

12...

Dozens.

Then hundreds.

Finally—300.

The last admitted student’s name appeared. Silence hung in the air for several long seconds. Then, the plaza erupted into a roar.

"I'M A HIGH RANKED!"

"I GOT IN CLASS TWO!"

"I'M CLASS THREE!"

"I MADE IT!"

Some students laughed, others cried, and a few quickly searched for friends. Meanwhile, Amos stared at the crystal.

"Oh."

That was it. Estelle smiles her usual way.

"Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"You ranked first."

"I noticed."

"That's all?"

Amos blinked.

"Should I be doing something else?"

Estelle let out a small laugh, unable to hold it back. Meanwhile, not far away, Chester’s eyes were fixed on the rankings.

"...Fourth...."

His gaze drifted upward.

Amos.

Once more.

"Tch."

Not far away, Aurelia quietly adjusted her glasses.

"Second?"

Her violet eyes drifted toward the blond boy.

"Huh."

Elodie whistled.

"My little mute sister beat me."

Beside her, Edith simply wrote in her notebook.

You got distracted most of the first three examination.

"I did."

Willow smiled brightly. "Seventh." Far beyond anything she had imagined.

Frida happily wagged her fluffy tail.

"Ninth!"

Just then, Vice Principal Rusell drifted onto the stage, his amplified voice instantly quieting the entire plaza.

"Congratulations. You are now officially students of Arianne Academy."

Applause broke out, and Russell waited for it to die down before carrying on.

"As many of you have already inferred, the admission rankings determine your initial class placements."

Another crystal appeared beside him.

"The highest-ranked students will join Class One, the next group will move into Class Two, and so on."

His next words immediately drew everyone's attention.

"However, this year, the academy has decided to bring back a tradition that hasn’t been practiced for several decades."

Whispers spread across the crowd.

"A tradition?"

"What tradition?"

Rusell raised one hand.

"The students ranked within the Top Ten will no longer reside in the ordinary first-year dormitories."

Rusell smiled faintly.

"They will be assigned to the Hall of Stars."

The name alone caused several older professors watching nearby to exchange surprised glances.

"The Hall of Stars?"

"They're opening it again?"

"I didn't expect that."

Rusell continued.

"The Hall of Stars is a special residence prepared for the academy's ten highest-ranked first-year students. It provides larger private quarters, dedicated training facilities, personal study rooms, expanded libraries, and priority access to certain academy resources. It has historically housed many of the greatest figures ever to graduate from this academy."

The plaza erupted once more.

"A special residence?!"

"I've never heard of that!"

"So lucky!"

"My dream just got bigger..."

Many eyes naturally drifted toward the ten students. Some held admiration, others envy, and a few, pure determination.

Russell’s expression grew serious.

"Don’t get the wrong idea—this isn’t a reward, it’s an expectation. The academy expects those selected to prove they deserve their rankings. If another student outperforms you in future evaluations, your position could be taken at any time."

The message was simple: nothing lasted forever. The academy celebrated excellence, but only while it endured. Amos gave a quiet nod.

"That makes sense."

If someone stronger showed up, they had it coming. But more importantly.

"A bigger room sure is convenient"

He remembered all the trophies and interesting items he had already accumulated over the years.

That, to Amos, was by far the most exciting part of the announcement.