Rank 3.
Honestly, I had expected this already, but it still came as a shock when we received our rankings a month ago. Caelum was at first place despite his sloppy abilities. Something that I never expected to see in my life.
He was severely outmatched by nearly the entire 60,000 examinees, and yet he was ranked first. All 60,000 of us had some form of training one way or another.
But Caelum... He was a beginner through and through.
And yet he was the first.
Rumours had been going around that he cheated, and everyone was trying to figure out how. No one directly accused him of cheating, however, as they were all afraid of Deuzetai and his reputation as a High Professor.
If High Professor Deuzetai deemed his achievements legitimate, then who were they to question it? Thus, they kept their grievances secret, resorting only to gossiping behind Caelum's back.
I found such behaviour disgusting, even if it was directed at a sadist who took pleasure in torture.
"Haah," I sighed as I listened to Professor Quafia Ul's class on Specialisations.
It was mostly an orientation as she spoke about the general topic scheme she had constructed for us. Just so that she could optimise our learning.
Thus, I was getting lost in thought.
Caelum, who I kept mentioning was seated behind me. Although not directly.
I had mixed feelings about his existence. Was he a friend? A foe? Someone I must avoid at all costs? Or a possible ally?
He seemed like a relaxed and laid-back person despite the way he kept his face under his hood all the time. He got along well with my dear friend, Sylfie, and did not seem to harbour any foul motives at all. His temperament was good.
Yet, I had caught a glimpse of his rotten parts. It was during the battle we fought just outside the Mana-Made Forest. Sadism... The worst people I know were all absolute sadists.
Having more around me will drive me insane.
I also got the vibe that he had no respect for the gods. After all, one could not simply forget that one was in front of a god's altar.
There was that ever-present aura of holiness that emanated from their symbols, serving as a reminder to all mortals: A reminder that they were in the presence of a god's blessed altar.
Disrespecting the gods would mean a life of wretchedness and curses. And I had no desire to become collateral damage if Caelum does offend a god.
I thus ended up making a furtive glance behind me.
The familiar hooded figure seemed to be listening intently to the lecture. The key word here was 'seemed.'
He was motionless— So motionless that it felt like he was asleep, or that he was a statue. It felt like he was either so focused on what the professor was saying, or he was lost in his own world.
I could not tell which. But then I took notice of all the gazes that were directed at him... And perhaps me as well.
These gazes were all different. There was disdain, hostility, and hate. Yet there were also gazes of admiration and curiosity. It all depended on who was looking.
"Now, who here has a specialisation already?" Professor Quafia Ul posed a question that grabbed my attention.
"Remember, a specialisation is something that is unique to you. It is something born from your years of practice and training— a skill that you honed beyond imagination that only you can execute it." The professor added as she looked around.
"None?" She asked, "Well, that only makes sense. You are all still young, after all—"
Suddenly, someone raised their hand.
I already knew who it would be.
I looked over to where Professor Quafia Ul was looking and saw Lily Ilventire emotionlessly keeping her hand in the air.
"I have a specialisation," She spoke, "It is called Mana Swordsmanship,"
Professor Quafia Ul smiled upon seeing her.
"The heir of the Ilventire! Of course, of course. You are perhaps an outlier among your peers." She then spoke with a glimmer of admiration in her eyes, "Mana Swordsmanship is an art that the Ilventire family is famously in possession of. Something so simple yet so formidable, that many cannot fathom the power it can supply."
The professor licked her lips, like a tigress eyeing her prey.
"Would it be alright if you could demonstrate it to the class?"
A craving for research could be seen in Professor Quafia Ul's eyes. It was a greedy and deep desire for information. A trait that was most often seen in wizards.
Lily nodded without a word and stood up from her seat. She then walked down the steps of the classroom, leaving behind the soft scent of perfume in the air.
With a fluid set of movements, her sword was unsheathed as she stood on the stage where the teacher taught. A subtle light blue hue could be seen wrapping around her blade.
After a second of silence where everyone had waited with bated breath, she then began her exhibition.
Fwhoosh—!
Her sword created arcs in the air. I could feel the mana around me respond to her movements. Lily's entire performance was akin to a rain dance.
With every motion here and every action there, the mana of the world responded.
It was just as mesmerising as the time I watched her battle. In fact, seeing her dance with her blade was literally pulling me in.
Mana was converging at the tip of her sword, and I could feel the mana within my own body respond as well. Each movement supplied her with more mana to conduct by siphoning it from her surroundings.
I watched as Professor Quafia Ul activated a spell that seemed to augment her eyes. I didn't know what it was, but it probably helped her analyse Lily's movements. A ballpoint pen was busily writing down notes on a piece of paper beside her.
I inwardly chuckled.
It seemed like the professor herself was learning more than her own students. She had become somewhat of a student herself, while Lily took the role of teacher.
All that was lacking was for the professor to sit with her students behind a desk.
...Which she actually ended up doing as Lily had reached the highest point of her blade dance.
Whoosh—!