Striding through the hallways that lessened with the mass of students quickly entering their classes, Reiss took in the sights of youth and the supple breeze streaming through the glowing windows of the building.
Glistening under the light of the morning sun and casting a glow of a new day on the bustling masses, and enjoying the view of bright-eyed women happily on their way, alongside their companions until the sight of his own trouble makers led him into his classroom after a heavy sigh.
"Alright, settle down. Good morning class, I hope your weekend was well spent?"
"Good morning, Professor Reiss." Half-hearted responses droned their way to him, dissatisfying the exuberant elf who requested more passion, but still the same worn response was bellowed. Only after casting his crimson sight on the group of fledglings, was their sorry state revealed.
Apart from Vaceris, Tersia and Stephen that seemed as though they had no answer for the question they knew to be swirling in their teacher's head, everyone else was worse for wear.
"What is wrong with you? This is no way to start our first day of class. Class Captain, do you have an explanation for your class' sorry state?" Slamming his hands on the table with a look that was unusual for him.
"Oh, I didn't think sir would be worried about us. The truth is we've been working all weekend long. I don't know what the Captain was up to but I can tell you that playing bodyguard to a bunch of rich snot-nosed brats was not worth the uld." Stephen interrupted Ketsu, though both Sergei and Erai nodded as he recounted the experience.
Their shared dark circles and unkempt appearance had been bothering Vaceris and Tersia all morning, who tried prying the truth from them.
"What! Why would you be going on Quests so close to the Carnival? How do you expect to win when you're too exhausted to train, and how do you expect me to rub it in the other lecturer's faces if you don't win... they thought I'd take being placed in this class lying down." He bellowed as he waved off Torren's suggestion.
"Apologies sir, they were tasked by me to handle a Quest so we could get the points needed to enter the Carnival." Ketsu did his best to express remorse for their current condition.
"Oh, points? Oh yes, so that's what they were acting so smug about. Damn you, Ulrich!"
"Sir?" The group shared in their collective confusion as they waited for an answer from him…
"I see, so the point system only applies to the bottom three classes, everyone else has automatic entry. Did I not mention it?" He tried to playfully ignore their sudden frustrations.
"..."
"Sir! How is that fair for the rest of us? We've just tortured ourselves for an entire weekend, everyone else ended up in the Medical Ward fighting Class C." Torren raised his voice in confusion.
Ketsu's thoughts drifted off to his battle with the Snallygaster, his crash landing into Whitewater Port and dealing with the Red Queen for those two days. As Torren continued to voice their frustrations, the Captain almost shed a tear from being left out.
"That's quite enough Mr. Sujing." The professor drew flaming sigils with the flair of his hand, that floated towards the unruly student and bound his mouth shut.
"Now then. I don't know why any of you are surprised. I know you aren't dense enough to miss the clear discrimination that comes from being in your class? You are the bottom of the barrel, or to put it mildly, you are ordinary students that this nation has invested into both time and resources with the hopes of being useful in the war against the Destruction of Mortalkind."
"But why does that mean we need to be treated any differently?" Tersia raised her hand, questioning their teacher's words.
"Because the rich and powerful need a reason to share what's theirs, while the common folk need less motivation to fight for Mortalkind so long as there's enough uld."
"So the powerful and wealthy are only willing to send their children to join the fight if it means they get special treatment? That explains why Class A is so venerated–But Vaceris is a noble...and I think I heard something about Stephen being one too." Shynerai asked.
"Nope, not me. But Tersia is." Stephen waved off Erai's comment.
"That is correct, both Ms. Lamiastell and Ms. Ieollavard are noblewomen, with the latter young lady being actual royalty. However, the reason they are both here is simply down to their choice. Honestly, my dear students are a strange bunch." Reiss let out a sigh as he spoke.
Erai turned to both of them, noticing their avoidant gaze, he wondered why they would make the change.
"Well, I'll take care of this. After all, you are all my problem. Just make sure to pay the good doctor a visit and Captain, your application for visiting the Warsmith has been approved."
"Sir... I thought it would be a lot longer, especially for us First-years?"
"I'll take care of it, just make sure you mention my name to the old man and it'll be fine. Now, you lot have no excuse but to make sure you win in the Carnival. I won't accept any excuses."
A bright smile grew across Ketsu's tired face and lit his crimson eyes with a brand new flame. Motioning the rest of his class to join him as they thanked their teacher who was more than happy to receive their praise.
"Alright settle down. We still have class."
The rest of the class continued with half of them battling to keep awake until the sound of the bell reached the exhausted trio.
"Come on, we have to get you something to eat or you won't stop falling asleep." Vaceris woke the drowsy Erai only for Torren's ears to prick up at the sound of lunchtime. Now with a suddenly energized Torren on his back, he couldn't refuse the offer.
"I wonder what I did to deserve this?" He asked himself as they walked to the cafeteria.
"Don't get the wrong idea about this. I'm just making you don't bother me for notes later because you're sleeping through class."
"I still don't understand how you can have the energy to fight monsters but you're left drained after simply babysitting?" She asked, hiding the blush of cheeks by turning away from his gaze.
"It's...so much work. I would fight ten more Bronze Aggressors before I do another bodyguard Quest, not even for Ketsuiko." He murmured with a pouty expression.
"Poor Bell, he probably got the worst of it. The little guy was like the kids' stuffed toy. He deserves to sleep as long as he wants after all of that." added Torren while resting on his friend's shoulder.
"You guys look a lot worse than we did, and two of us were actually blown up in our battles." The group heard Tersia chime in as she joined them in the line. "Hey there." Greeting them with a jovial air about her.
Joining them and getting their much-needed meal, the group sat together for the first time in a fair while. As Erai and Torren tore through each serving that they ordered, Tersia reminded them that they would have to stay for a bit after class.
"Ketsu seemed pretty excited to tell us something."
"Really?"