Awakened 12 stars? Is higher the better? Lupin has 7 stars whilst Alfris has 8 stars, hmm…
{I believe that 12 stars is the highest. They will either place you in first or second place once you are confirmed.}
Wait… so the change notification is like the same thing with the dummy set back at the training grounds?
{Yes. If you want to change, you can lower your awakened grade but in actual fact you will still be an awakened 12 stars.}
I see but how did I get 12 stars anyways? I initially thought I would be as 1 star or even a SSS grade with my talent.
{My champion, please don't break my heart with such words. My mastermind system is unrivalled. Your awakened grade would at be at least 6 stars or even 7 stars!}
Sorry…
{And besides, the calculations of the stars are based on abilities and total power combined.}
Wait you don't mean…
{Yes. All your companies members strength, contribute to the star rating. If the maximum stars you could get is 12 stars and then let's say you could gain more stars, then Uncle Lucifer alone, could give you so many stars that the whole grading system would become obsolete.}
I see. I think it's for the best if I decided to not become such a stand out. If the system allows me an opportunity to change then it's best that I should.
Yes. I would like to change.
[Your request has been accepted. What grade would you like it to change to?]
SSS.
[Accepted. You grade has now been changed from Awakened 12 stars Grade to SSS Grade.]
[Congratulations! You are now SSS Grade.]
The old man's eyebrows furrowed as his eyes shifted up from the crystal to my own.
"Speciality role, Support. Grade, SSS. Congratulations."
"SSS? No way! I thought he would definitely be the thirty sixth awakeneder… shoot, that's a disappointment."
Marlos shrugged his shoulders. He looked calm and quite amused with Allison's disappointment. He then turned his head to me and gave me a smile.
I wondered if he had predicted this outcome.
Allison calmed herself as she turned her to the curator.
"Mr Damo. You sure the outcome is correct?"
Mr. Damo eyes never moved. His eyes were fixed onto me. I believed he had heard her question because he's eyes sharpened a bit.
"I only project the outcome of what the God's Seer shows. Nothing is ever certain. This is only a validation test."
"Mr. Ryan, please don't take my reaction to heart. SSS Grade would actually place you in the top ten of our normal list. Congratulations."
Allison held out her hand. I, feeling no different from the outcome, accepted her handshake.
"Congratulations, Ryan." Marlos said with a hint of an amusement in his tone. "Director. Curator. Thank you for conducting the validation test. This means a lot."
"Oh no hons, it's ours and the Guild's Core's, pleasure."
"I think we should get going now." Marlos said as he got up from his seat.
"Please follow our receptionist back to the reception desk, she will give you, your ID card. Goodbye for now!"
Marlos nodded and headed for the door. I bowed my head before following after him. The receptionist led us back to the main area.
"SSS Grade huh?"
"You don't seem surprised by it."
"That's because I know that's not your real grade."
"And how do you know that?"
"I may be a prince but my mind is more sophisticated than you think. With the amount of power I saw Lucifer unleashed back at the arena and you told me it was only 5%, then he himself, if graded would've been an awakened 12 stars and that wouldn't even be correct. Also that's only one individual contributing to your grade. You have the rest of Shadow Legion, Baihu and us, the Knight's Order to calculate into the factor as well. I know for a fact that no one from the Knight's Order or Baihu could be graded because we're in the military so the adventurers system doesn't apply to us but Tavish, if graded is at least a S Grade."
"So you're aware that I'm hiding my actual grade?"
"Not just aware, I understand. Anyone who becomes an awakeneder is a really big deal, especially if you're one of the top awakeneders. Just to be a SSS grade will relieve a lot of that unnecessary trouble. Your priority is your students which was the main reason why you didn't even choose to be an awakened 1 star but instead chose to be a SSS grade."
The receptionist though looked composed kept looking over her shoulder. The atmosphere felt awkward and as we walked in silence, through the hallway back to the main area, the silence must've felt deafening to her. Marlos and I were talking though communication network so in the moment we didn't feel the awkwardness but with her constant head turning, the feeling is starting to seep in.
"Do we have to wait for the ID card to be developed?" Marlos suddenly spoke out loud. I turned my head to him and so did the receptionist with a surprised shutter.
"It would only take a moment, we already have the basics printed, only the details needed to be added. I will be the one personally handling it, so be reassured that the process will be smooth." The receptionist spoke with professionalism and without a hint of fault in her tone.
I wished I had that amount of professionalism but sadly I've never learnt that amount of control even though I have almost two years of teaching experience under my belt. I still get this knot inside my chest whenever one of my students asked me something that I don't quite know how to answer or if I do answer it, the fear of what I said might come out wrong.
The receptionist opened the door that led to the main area and when we returned back into the main area, everyone's head turned to us.
My head instantly looked up to the display and there on the normal list for the top one hundred, my name had taken first place…
First place? Is this a joke?
I felt a shiver throughout my body as I pushed myself to walk forward. All eyes were on me as the receptionist led us back to her desk. She started to create my card as soon as we arrived and told us that it would only take about ten minutes.
"Don't worry to much, you're under the kingdom's protection so the guilds have to think twice before they even try to make a move on you." Marlos whispered as he watched my uneasiness.
"That's reassuring…" I looked around me and there were a lot of chatter, most of the eyes were trained of me as they spoke.
"Hey there! Why don't you join the Red Cross?" Alfris walked towards me with his priestly looking entourage. "Join our guild, we are backed by the church of Mayfield and sponsored by our great Mayfield kingdom."
"Oh that sounds enticing…" Marlos rolled his eyes.
"Prince, our princess would like to have word with you, the next time both of you meet. You better take our kingdoms coming together seriously, unless you want a war."
"That's fine, I'll give her my answer directly. If the king of Mayfield wants to start a war because I object to being his son-in-law, then so be it."
"You!" Alfris seethed with annoyance.
"Marlos, please don't provoke them too much." I whispered, I really don't want to witness the start of the creation of a war, right in front of me… especially if the Red Cross is backed by a church…
If I've learnt anything about my world's history with churches is that a lot of wars are started by them.
Churches once ruled most of the world at one point and they are easily ticked off, even by the smallest thing. One wrong word or action could lead to death and that's the merciful way out.
"Alfris, remember you're not in Mayfield kingdom but the kingdom of Allure. Please watch your tongue."
Alfris eyes burned with rage.
Oh… Kay what going on? I felt my throat dry up at the tensed atmosphere.
"Mr Holsman, the director would like to see you now." The receptionist spoke calmly as she continued to create my card and attend to Alfris at the same time. "Marna, please escort the Red Cross to see the director."
A skittish timid girl rushed out from the reception desk and asked the Red Cross to follow her. Alfris attitude turned a full 180 as his demeanour softened when he agreed and smiled to the frightened girl.
Alfris gave Marlos a death glare before he and his guild members followed the receptionist to the door that we had exited from not long ago.
"Here you are!" The receptionist presented me with a card that had my details printed on it. Mostly my name and grade. "This ID card will record all your endeavours as an adventurer. This will also give you an added protection provided by the Guild's Core should you find yourself in any trouble in your adventuring. Guild's Core wishes you luck and we hope to see you again soon."
"Thank you."
Marlos used his authority as a prince to create a path for us to exit the building. I am so grateful for having him with me today or this would've turned ugly. I could see a lot of the guilds recruiters eyeing me as we exited the building.
"Let's head back to the palace and have a nice relaxing afternoon since tomorrow, you'll be having an eventful day with Lupin and his High Flyers guild."
"Wait… don't I need to prepare myself for tomorrow?"
"Don't worry too much about it. I will help you prepare and besides, the shadow legion will be your biggest asset during the raid. They're your trump card if anything goes wrong."
"Okay I get it. Mmm, shall we get something to eat before we head back? I'm starving and we already missed lunch."
"Sure, there's a wonderful sandwich place not far from here. Come on let's go!"
Marlos took me to a family owned sandwich shop for lunch before we headed back to the palace. I wondered what my first experience will be like in a real raid tomorrow and to be on an experience team from a high profiled guild like the High Flyers. Whether or not Lupin has other motives for me joining in on the raid is still to be questioned but if I play my cards right, I would gain so much from this.