The first lesson of the new curriculum introduced for the first year high school students of Central Magic Academy, was going to start tomorrow, according to the notification I got.
There were many rules, which I read thoroughly before understanding something very important.
If the whole curriculum is like this, then something very unexpected would change within social hierarchy inside this school.
Talks are going on that all the other grades of high school, and university students would also go through this kind of a renewed curriculum.
While, it seemed interesting, there was an opportunity I saw in this lesson.
As I was thinking about the rules of the lesson, a sturdy screw driver fell on my shoulder.
"Fuck!"
As I writhed in pain and looked back, from where I was, the old man was standing behind me.
"Move your hands kid! The owner of that android ordered it to be delivered by today itself!"
"Yeah yeah, got it.", I replied without paying much attention to his grumbling and continued repairing the broken android.
Androids are essentially machines designed for specified functions.
Like Kimmy is meant for household works.
And the one I am repairing right now would be used as a sex toy for men.
I continued tightening the last few screws on the android, my mind still half-focused on the rules of the upcoming lesson at the academy.
The old man, my boss at the repair shop, always found ways to toss work my way when I least expected it.
He grumbled as usual, but I knew he didn't mean anything by it—just his way of pushing me to finish the job.
His name is Dekins, a man in his fifties.
No family, no relatives, just this little old repairing shop near the slums.
Moreover, I am the only other worker beside him, in this shop of his.
I have been working here since middle school, with a payment of 5,000 dirts per month.
"Hey Dekins,..... I am in dire need of money right now. Can you help me somehow, please?"
Then, I explained the whole situation with my scholarship, and that bond agreement to him.
He listened intently, while continuing his own repairing.
"Oh, that so? How much is your fees anyway?"
He asked me with a serious tone.
"20,000 per month if I want to continue studying. And if I drop out, then, 100 million as penalty."
"Holy shit! You are fucked then, ain't you?"
"That's why I need to pay for this month first. Can you please arrange it? I promise I would pay you back, anyhow."
"Listen here kid. Things don't work that way with money....Well, if you are willing to compromise somehow, then it might work out."
He phrased it vaguely, so I couldn't understand what he was trying to mean by 'compromise'.
"What do you mean exactly?", I asked to clear my confusion.
"What I mean is, if you are willing to sell one of your kidneys or something like that, then I can introduce you to some trustable agencies for you. Here, if you fell into the hands of a shady agency, then no one can save you from hellish pain and torture. You getting what I am trying to tell, kid?"
"...."
"Hey, don't give me that look. You know that money doesn't grow on trees, don't you?"
"No,.....it's just that...."
"Well, if you don't want to, then that's that. Forget about that money, and focus on that android."
"It's not that. I have already sold them."
"Huh?"
"There was this advertisement from a rich family that they needed a pair of kidneys from a single living person, and they were willing to replace them with a mechanical one. And at that time, I needed a lot of money for Medusa's treatment. So, I signed up for it, and sold both of my kidneys for a mechanical one, and I got lots of money from it."
It hurts sometimes, a little due to the unintegrated metal parts maybe, but that's manageable.
At that time, I couldn't find any other way to gain that amount of money.
Moreover, the banks won't give me a single dirt, without any collateral, so I had no choice.
Well, looking at the astonished face of Dekins, I realized it was indeed a crazy thing to do.
"Keeping that matter aside, how about you just increase my payment.", I suggested to him.
"...Your sister alright now?", he asked.
By the way, Dekins is the only one who knows about her.
I trust him as a person so it's fine.
"Yeah. She was happy 'cuz I joined high school. I gave her that apple too. Hope she liked it."
Whenever I try to earn money in illegal ways, her face resurfaces in front of my eyes.
That's why I am trying to complete my formal education, then find a normal job.
Yet, this predicament I am in is quite difficult for me too.
"That's good. You focus on repairing for now kid.... I..... will look out for the money for this month's fees."
"....Feeling sympathetic now? How about just increasing my salary, you old geezer?"
"Shut up and get back to work!"
He left while grumbling about the same things again.
Honestly, I didn't expect he would agree that soon.
It was maybe because of Medusa.
I have told him everything about our family situation after all, and he has seen my sister once too.
That's the reason I trust him.
Well, now that I have acquired the cooperation of Dekins for arranging my fees, the point of focus would be tomorrow's lesson.
There is a lot I can accomplish there, and the wordings they used in that message, indicates that this first lesson would be very important, in terms with the upcoming lessons.
However, the most important hurdle for me is that I don't fit in that group.
I have never talked with either Arlan or Elric.
And, Aria is a new student, who has seen my failure at the entrance ceremony. So her opinion of me, must be very low.
Moreover, that Selena bitch is also in that group.
"Ha....I can never work with that group."
But, my solitary grumbling wouldn't reach anyone's hears, nor would it impact anyone, even if it reached.
That's why I have to bear with this situation for now, and see how things play out.
***
It was the second day of my high school at CMA.
As usual I was the last one to reach the central area for the first lesson, as instructed, but this time I was on time.
It was just that everyone other than me, reached here a bit early.
Maybe due to the excitement of an outdoor activity, right off the bat, or maybe they are relieving their nervousness by arriving early.
Whatever it was, I didn't really care.
After I reached at the central area, I saw students lined up according to their groups, so I searched for my groupmates, and found them right away at the extreme left side.
They didn't notice me when I joined them, because Dr. Berlint came with a tablet at the same time, and stood in front of us.
"I am sure you have received a message from the management yesterday about the first lesson. Now, open your status window."
As I did as instructed, some different panel with options appeared in front of me.
{
> Personal Information
> Attributes
> Equipment
> Status Effects
> Skills
> Notifications
> Lessons
}
Before, when I opened the status window, every info popped up at the same time, but they added this option feature as an upgrade.
What's more, there is a 'lessons' section, added to it.
"Open the option named 'lessons'. The rules were already mentioned in the first message, but this is the complete rule set. You have exactly 30 minutes to go through it. Then, we would start the exam at 8:30. Discuss with your group about your strategy and act accordingly. There would be spectators at the venue, so behave befitting that of a CMA student. That's all."
Spectators, huh?
After Berlint was gone, everyone started chatting with their groups.
"Quite early, aren't you, Mr. useless?"
As I was taking a breather, a snide remark broke my line of thoughts.
Selena, along with the other members of our group, were facing me.
"What do you want now?", I asked.
"What do I want? According to the rules mentioned, if someone doesn't have a skill, they can't detect a mana stone at all. Moreover, I don't trust you enough to have you carry the stones that 'we' have collected. Aren't you completely useless then? I can't even say, 'don't hold us back'. Because you are nothing but a burden to us now."
It was mentioned in the tips section of that message, that you have to use a skill of the same attribute to detect a mana stone.
As I don't have a skill, I can't detect any mana stone, which is true.
Moreover, it was never written in the rule set, but, there is a possibility, students might fight over mana stones.
So, if I were made to carry the mana stones around, then I might betray my own group, and give all of it to another group.
Hence, what Selena is saying is true, and I had realized it already.
"That so? Well that's fine. I will be on my way then."
After saying that, I left my group, and found a secluded place, devoid of any student in the vicinity, but I could see the other students.
Then I opened the 'lessons' section, to read through the rules again.
{
Lesson 1:
Objective:
- Collect Mana stones scattered across the designated training ground.
- The designated time is 5 hours.
- All the students of all the groups must be present at the central area of the academy after exactly five hours of the lesson, for evaluation. If someone is absent, then their group would be disqualified, meaning 0 points.
Rules:
- Students in a group may or may not work together to find Mana stones at the venue.
- Each Mana stone would be guarded by a simulated magic construct monster. If you can defeat the monster too, then you would be given additional mana stones.
- The points earned by a group can be transferred among each other, because, in the end, the total points of the group would be considered.
- The points earned can be spent to buy hidden information from the status window. That option would be available during the exam only.
- The number of Mana stones is limited.
Scoring:
- Each Mana stone is worth 1 point.
- If the magic monster guarding the Mana stone is defeated as well, then 3 bonus mana stones for the group.
- Each group must have at least 5 points at the end of the exam.
- The number of Mana stones available would not be disclosed at any point of the exam.
Tips :
- Mana stones have different colors according to the attribute it possess, e.g. fire means red. And if a skill with the fire attribute is used within a certain distance near it, then it would glow .
- Hidden information can be extremely useful or totally useless, depending upon it's usage.
End Goal :
- Groups would be ranked according to the points, they got.
- If a group fails to meet the 5 points quota, then an additional 10 points penalty would be applied on the said group.
- These points would be used in the upcoming lessons too, and those would determine the group rankings.
Rewards :
- 1st Rank : Each group member will be allowed to increase each of their attribute by 0.3.
- 2nd Rank : Each group member will be allowed to increase each of their attribute by 0.2.
- 3rd Rank : Each group member will be allowed to increase each of their attribute by 0.1.
Note : If group no.5 got 1st rank and 'A' is a member of that group, then he would be awarded a total of 18 stat points, 3 per each attribute. However, he/she can add those stat points into any attribute, as pleased.
}
There is not much change in the rules.
Only a reward section is added.
After a few minutes, exactly at 8:30, a teleportation portal was opened in front of each group, meaning a total of 22 portals.
That means our starting point would be different from each other.
After all 4 members of my group went inside, I hoped into that, following them.
Well then, let's get onto it.
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Author's Notes :
Please comment down if you have any thoughts about the story so far.
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