The Author's POV

[Lock, class A-25, Friday 4:45 P.M.]

Sitting in my usual seat, I listened attentively to the class lecture.

Or at least I tried...

Despite the fact that two weeks had passed since the Hollberg incident, the classroom's atmosphere wasn't as lively as it was back before the incident.

Glancing at the classroom, I could see why...

Almost a quarter of the students that used to sit around me were now gone.

Despite not knowing many people, I found out, a couple of days after the incident, that Evan and Cassandra were part of the people that had died during the incident.

...the same two people that were part of my group.

In spite of the fact that I didn't know them that well, the fact that two people I was acquainted with had died went to show how tragic those events were.

Literally, anyone could've died that night...

"Alright, that marks the end of the lecture"

Snapping me out my thought was the engineering professor's charming voice. Just like before, throughout the whole time I had stayed in the lock, she was the only professor that didn't pay special attention to lineage or rank.

Whenever I asked her questions regarding the lecture she would always patiently and calmly explain what I didn't understand.

Therefore, although I didn't necessarily understand what she was teaching, I didn't hate this class.

Right after the lecture ended and the professor left the classroom, everyone remained seated.

That was because we still had to have our end-of-week tutor time. This was a small session we had every Friday and it was where Donna, our tutor, would spend the last remaining fifteen minutes of the day to share any announcements that have been made by the school.

-Clank!

Right on cue, entering the classroom, Donna made her way towards the podium. Walking, as though the wind was blowing, each of her steps caused a thin purple undulation of magic power to spread across the classroom.

Instantly the whole room fell silent. The pressure that emanated from her body caused everyone to stop whatever they were doing.

It was evident that she wasn't in the best of moods, and everyone could feel it.

Arriving in front of the podium, Donna staked a few papers on the table before clicking her tongue and dismissing them.

Sighing, Donna looked at the classroom and spoke.

"Alright, as most of you can probably tell, I'm not in the best of moods"

Raising two fingers she said

"I have two announcements for you guys today..."

"One, there will be a rank readjustment, and that wi'”"

Right after she finished the first half of her sentence before she could continue speaking, disrupting her speech were whispers that resounded throughout the whole classroom.

"...rank readjustments?"

"It isn't even the midterms..."

"What's going on?"

-Smack!

"Quiet!"

through the classroom. As if a strong gust of

action, the hair I spent two minutes

...great

couple of seconds after smacking the podium, Donna

are confused as to why your ranks are being readjusted...the answer is simple. It's because there's now less of

we have to readjust your

both hands on the podium, Donna's eyes swept through the classroom before she

wait for me to finish announcing

-Nod

everyone could only

of

are the new

quickly read through a long

still rank

Hall, still

.

.

.

rank and is now

.

.

.

smith moves up five ranks from 739 to

.

.

.

on Donna's brows. It was so subtle that only by paying close attention would anyone

total of 200 ranks and is now

announced, I felt multiple eyes staring in

keep a stoic face. With what had happened in Hollberg, I had already expected this

the interest of a few important individuals. Though I didn't

rising by 200 ranks may have contributed to adding a couple of extra

...

name, the rank adjustment came to an end. Following that, she cleared her voice and once

unfortunate events, after long and arduous hours of talk, the higher-ups have finally have come to a unanimous decision to send

could celebrate,

too happy yet. After you return, there will be mid-term exams so more than a

throughout the classroom as the

people here I was probably

everything that went down these couple of months, I hadn't had

two exams. The theoretical

I was currently in the top 100. Maybe

that didn't really matter. My goal was to one day reach the top 10.

was most worried about was the theoretical

got any of the concepts they were

I had to learn, I had to go back and relearn things that were taught back when

day, I barely had enough time to study for the

agonized over the problem for a bit longer, I

an experienced procrastinator, I was used to leaving problems till near

the end of the announcements. I hope to see

she had already lost everyone's attention, Donna could only conclude tutor time ahead of schedule and dismiss

up her stuff, she

-Clank!

as Donna left, I too started packing up my stuff. Today was the last day I stayed in the lock for

time

messages from them. Be it for normal stuff or

back in

I