Scarlet

Almost immediately, the room is filled with noise from the many students talking about the tournament. But when I look up at the screen, I don’t find the tournament rankings currently there. In fact, I don’t find anyone on the stage at all.

Then the vice-headmaster suddenly appears on the stage in a puff of mist, making almost everyone go silent in an instant. And as soon as he does, he slowly begins clapping, which spreads to all of the professors who also appear in every corner of the room except for the stage.

After a few seconds of this, the vice-headmaster begins speaking, his voice echoing across the auditorium, “Congratulations to every single one of you! You have made it through the ranking tournament! And now that you have, you’ve all seen the strength of your fellow students, and all of the professors have come to a better understanding of each and every one of you!” He pauses for a second as whispers begin to spread through the room, only to stomp them out by saying, “Now we will see how you all ranked, starting from rank one thousand!”

I raise a brow at that.

Is he planning on unveiling the results slowly?

That’s certainly one way to build suspense.

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A massive list appears on the screen, starting from rank one thousand and slowly going down the ranks, making me realize that they just straight up skipped ranks three thousand to one thousand and one. Probably so as to not embarrass them or make them feel down for not doing as good, I guess.

Interesting way of doing things I guess.

While the screen is slowly scrolling through the rankings, the vice-headmaster continues speaking, “Now, everyone will be able to find their ranking through their account on the school’s website. It will not be public, and no one will be able to see your ranking unless you are in the top one thousand. So if you didn’t manage to make it to the top one thousand rankings, no one will know your exact ranking on account of your privacy.”

Yep. That’s a pretty cool way of doing things.

I know bullying and discrimination between rankings is forbidden in the university, but I also know some people just can’t help it. So hiding the Regular students’ exact rankings is a good way to take away what might be used to discriminate while still following the government’s regulations on separating the students into classes for benefits.

Anyways, the rankings continue to scroll along, but I don’t see anyone I recognize anywhere on it. Well, until rank two hundred and nine, where I find Sylver – who I didn’t even remember was gonna be here.

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Kind of surprised I never saw him while going through the forest though. But then again, he’s Class II, so I guess it’s not all that surprising that I’d never find him.

And I never found the others due to probably bad luck and the fact that I went to the inner ring.

Eventually the list stops at rank 101 before vanishing, my name still not having been listed yet, leaving the students confused until the vice-headmaster says, “Anyone who had their name listed so far is an Advanced student until the next ranking tournament where this will be decided again! The next tournament will be at the start of the next semester, so make sure you come prepared if you want to reach Top class! And that goes double for anyone in the Regular class that wants to advance!” He then steps back and swings out his arms to the side while saying, “Now then! On to what many of you have been waiting for!”

I suddenly notice Belle getting way too close to me before she whispers into my wolf ear, “Don’t worry about getting stuck in Regular class with us. I’m sure we’ll be able to move up.” Which sends a shiver down my spine when I feel her breath on my ear, making me jerk away from her, almost hitting my head on Michael in the process since he was sitting next to me.

Belle giggles quietly as she turns her attention to the screen, only to suddenly go into shock with her mouth gaping open the second she does so.

I turn my own head to look, and immediately upon doing so, I find my name, year, Class, and magic all listed under rank seventy-nine.

And the moment the other students notice it as well, everything turns silent for a few seconds. Then everyone bursts out into conversation, not even talking about the other people who are at that top rankings, most of which were generally expected due to being third or fourth years, or graduate students.

I even notice several glances straight towards me from those in my dome that recognize me. Glances that are rather shocked.

Guess that’s to be expected since Class I students never get into the top one hundred rankings, much less first years.

Although I have no idea where that annoying guy with Tar’s sister as his fae is.

“He’s on the other side of the auditorium from you,” Tar suddenly says, surprising me with this knowledge. “Now that I know he’s contracted to my sister, it’s not hard to find him through her.”

Oh. Wait, does that mean she can find me through you? And how far does that ability work for?

“Yes, she can find you. But we can only sense each other if we know we’re nearby, and only for half a kilometer’s distance,” Tar answers my question, making me sigh in relief.

That’s not bad then.

I focus on the screen again, ignoring the looks sent my way as I do so. And unlike the last nine hundred shown before the top one hundred, this one is moving much slower, as it’s now showing the ranks in the forties or so. But I don’t recognize most of these names, making me wish a tiny bit that I had bothered researching more of the Guardians going to this school.

Then again, that’s three thousand people I’d have to look into. And that’s not really worth the trouble.

Maybe the top one hundred then.

The rankings continue scrolling up and up until it finally reaches the top ten, then focuses solely on the top five ranks.

And I can’t help but raise an eyebrow when I see the top ranked student.

Carolyne Winters. A graduate student with the same last name as the siblings next to me.

Then I think about the last words the girl in the second round said to me about taking care of her siblings.

Coincidence?

I think not.

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