The majority of the new students who enrolled this year took their monthly allowance right away, treating it as an endless supply of free money. They indulged in excess, disregarding any idea of budgeting or self-control, and splurged on whatever struck their eye without hesitation. As they spent their money like confetti, purchasing snacks, stylish clothing, and soon-to-be outdated technology, the hallways were filled with laughter and conversation every day. Classrooms turned into disorderly gathering places of sluggishness and revelry where pupils were more interested in mingling than learning because the teachers were providing neither structure nor control. Some students chose to skip lessons entirely in order to spend their days enjoying the joys of this new world rather than going to a school that felt more like a playground than an educational institution because of the absence of supervision, which promoted even more despotic behaviour.
Everything the students knew altered when October 1st actually arrived. One girl in class started speaking to another girl while looking at her phone. “Huh, what’s going on? I only received 320 XP points. What did you get?”
“I only got 300 XP points,” the other girl replied.
Then the boys who had skipped school altogether started moaning. “I still haven’t gotten any points yet, have you?” He asked, looking at his friend, who responded with a shrug, “No.”
The whole class erupted in confusion and frustration, voicing their complaints about why they either hadn’t received any XP points at all or barely got any. Dan glanced at his phone and noticed he had a sufficient amount of XP points.
The atmosphere in the classroom shifted as murmurs of confusion and frustration rippled through the students. The door swung open, and Mrs. Kaira strolled in, her usual relaxed demeanour replaced by a sudden seriousness. “Settle down, everyone!” she called, her playful tone giving way to a commanding presence as she adjusted her glasses, preparing to address the class.
“Before we dive into today’s lesson,” she began, her voice firm, “I’ve noticed a lot of you seem... confused.” A student in the back raised a hand, agitation evident in their voice. “Miss Kaira, why is it that some of us received a lot of XP points while others barely got any—or didn’t get any at all?”
The room fell silent, tension hanging in the air. Mrs. Kaira's expression darkened, a serious glint in her eyes. “Let me be clear. This class is incredibly inadequate. I have never seen a group of students so eager to squander their resources. No wonder this house is in 4th place with 0 house points awarded.” She paused, allowing her words to sink in. “Ninety-five percent of you spent most of your XP points in the first month alone. You’ve treated this allowance like candy, thinking it’s a gift rather than an opportunity.”
The students shifted uncomfortably in their seats, the reality of her words settling over them like a heavy fog. “And the figures speak for themselves,” she continued, her voice rising slightly with intensity. “In just one month, we have recorded 54 absences, 43 tardies, 362 documented cases of cell phone use, and an astonishing 245 cases of students talking during class. Impressive numbers for the first month alone!”
Her gaze swept across the classroom, challenging each student to reflect on their choices. Mrs. Kaira continued, her tone a mix of frustration and disappointment. “This isn’t just about money; it’s about responsibility and maturity. You cannot expect to thrive in this environment if you are too busy indulging in your own debauchery and lethargy to take your education seriously. This is your future we’re talking about!”
With that, she turned to the board and began her lecture, but the atmosphere had shifted, and the reality of their situation lingered in the minds of the students. The playful banter that usually filled the air was replaced with an awkward silence as they absorbed the weight of her words.
Mrs. Kaira paced in front of the class, her eyes narrowing as she declared, “At this school, your grades and performance evaluations aren’t handed out; they’re reflected in how many XP points you earn. Your choices—how you engage and adapt to this environment—are what matter most.”
She paused, letting her words sink in. “The monthly allowance isn’t a gift; it’s a measure of your growth. Spend it recklessly, and you’re failing yourselves. Each XP point is an opportunity to learn and improve, and if you don’t take this seriously, you’ll be left behind. Sorry, I mean you will be expelled.”
Her gaze sharpened as she pointed at a few students. “This is a competitive environment. Don’t waste your potential on fleeting pleasures. Start thinking about the long-term consequences of your actions!”
With that, she returned to her spot, the weight of her words lingering in the air, prompting the students to reconsider their approach in this world.
(Lucks POV)
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Ahh, during free time in sword class, people had naturally broken up into groups, which made sense, I guess. It’s official; I have utterly failed at making any new friends. I sighed, feeling slightly disappointed in myself. To be all alone for every life, aren't I?
Miria, out of nowhere, started speaking to me. “What are you brooding about over here? You make this place even more depressing.”
“I was just embroiled in painful internal turmoil,” I said, keeping a straight face while bringing my sword closer to me and gesturing for her to take a seat.
Without responding to my words, Miria simply sat down next to me, put her blade on the opposite side, and continued. “How do these fools even enjoy themselves? You’d think they’d be more depleted from yesterday's antics.”
“Maybe that’s how these people cope; they just want to have some fun... while they still can,” I replied, watching the chaos unfold around us.
“Fun?” she scoffed. “They’re wasting their potential. With all this XP nonsense, they treat it like a joke. I’ve been training and revising since I got here, but it feels like I’m the only one taking it seriously.”
I nodded. “A lot of these students probably trained back home, but here? It’s like they’ve forgotten everything. They seem more interested in socialising than honing their skills. I get that we’re in a new environment, but shouldn’t we be preparing for what’s next?”
Miria’s expression turned serious. “Exactly. A lot of these people must have had some experience with magic or sword training before coming here. But this whole class is inadequate.”
I replied slightly confused, “Was that just a Mrs. Kiara reference?”
“Huh? No Why?.” She then turned and looked at Luck.
“Sounded like her, a little, I mean a lot."
"Ok, now your just talking nosense." She then stuttered and stopped her sentence to questioned him, “I was wondering, do you train?”
I hesitated for a moment, then replied, “Train? Not really. Sword practice never appealed to me. I’ve focused on other things.” I gestured vaguely, avoiding the specifics.
“Seriously? With the way your body is built, I figured you’d have some experience,” she said, crossing her arms with her knees tucked underneath it.
“Built? That’s just genetics,” I deflected. “I mean, sure, I’ve done my share of training in other areas, but swordplay? I barely touched a blade before this school.”
Miria raised an eyebrow. “And yet you look like you could hold your own in a fight. That’s impressive.”
“It's more about being adaptable than anything else,” I replied, shifting the focus. “I guess I just didn’t find the motivation to stick with sword practice. It seemed… tedious.”
“So, you’re saying you never bothered with it, even though it’s an essential skill here?” she pressed.
“Pretty much,” I admitted. “But I’ve always focused on developing my physical condition in other ways. I might not have trained with a sword, but I can hold my own if necessary.”
“Fair enough,” she conceded, glancing at the chaotic groups of students around us. “Maybe that’s the difference between us. You seem more inclined to assess your surroundings while I’m ready to dive right in. But in this school, both approaches could be useful.”
“True,” I agreed, considering the different paths ahead. “Regardless, I’ll need to figure out what I can contribute to this school, even if sword training isn’t my forte. Maybe there are other skills we can leverage.”
Dev stood in the middle of the courtyard, his dark brown hair with light tips catching the afternoon sun, giving him the look of someone who follows the path of righteousness. I sat with arms crossed, curious to see what he had to say.
“Hey everyone, can I have your attention for a moment?” He began, his voice steady and clear. “I know a lot of us were left in the dark yesterday when it came to XP points. It’s frustrating, right? I really think we need to address this before it becomes a recurring issue. We can’t just sit back and let it slide. Graduating without earning the points we deserve isn’t something I want to think about. So let’s figure this out together. We owe it to ourselves.”
His words hung in the air, and I couldn’t help but feel a bit of respect for his straightforwardness.
From the other side of the court, a girl chimed in, her enthusiasm filling the space. “You’re right! We won’t let this happen again; next month we’ll get more XP points and House points than any other class. We’ll go from third place straight to first, okay?”
Just then, a maroon-haired boy piped up the same one that initially destroyed Dev’s introduction speeches the other day, cutting through the hopeful vibe. “I don't know why you keep saying ‘we’ like that. I heard you were the one awarded the most XP points out of all of us, weren't you? Seriously, you can leave me out of it.”
He shoved Dev aside, causing him to stumble back slightly, and a surprised silence fell over the class. I raised an eyebrow, intrigued by how quickly things had escalated. It seemed like even the most earnest attempts at camaraderie could easily be derailed by a single comment.
Out of the corner, from the top of the building, the Student Council President watches at what just occurred and turns around from the window and then looks towards those sat in front of him.
“Both of you are from House Lee, correct? And currently holding first place? Naomi, Noah, congratulations are indeed warranted. Your class has amassed a remarkable total of 854 house points this month. It’s impressive to see such a high figure at this early stage, and I trust you both take pride in this achievement. Now, to the matter at hand—how familiar are you with the XP system?”