"Oh, you remember me?" she came up to him and measured herself up to him, "Man, it's hardly been a year and you've already grown this tall."
"Ahaha…" he noticed the ribbon around her blazer, "So, my partner for the committee is Miss Maylim…"
"That's right!" she beamed a smile and pumped her fists, "We'll work together to ensure there is discipline in this academy!"
"Aren't you supposed to be in the seventh year, Miss Maylim? Seventh years don't typically keep their committee or council roles with how difficult their final year is."
Only the hardcore maniacs would juggle a difficult job like the student council while studying for exams that only the elite can pass.
Celeste is naturally one of these kinds of people.
Maylim scratched her cheek while averting her eyes, "The thing is, I failed to pass my sixth-year. Raymon and Eclese beat me to it." The smile faded from her face, "Joining the committee will restore my academic reputation if I ever decide to get a job in a knight order."
Arnold didn't know much about the Ashtung family but he knows that they're a wealthy Earl House with a lot of prestige. Maybe she was forced by her parents to accept this role since it impacts their reputation? Even if she didn't apply for it, she can still become a knight upon graduation without it. Becoming a knight doesn't really require you to have impressive grades, only enough skill and the discipline of a trained soldier, which every knight class student learns.
"Anyway! Let's go get signed up together!" she pulled him towards the door with the same gleeful smile from before.
**
"—With this, you are officially my underling, Arnold. Fufufu." Morwenne looked at him with a smirk. He was now wearing a blazer with the committee's ribbon on his upper arm.
"Don't say it like that…"
"I'm glad you styled your hair. That spiky style from yesterday won't be tolerated."
His hair was neatly combed down and there was some gel applied to make it stay like that for the rest of the day.
"Speaking of your hair, why did you dye in the first place?"
"Must be going through a second rebellious phase," joked Maylim who was sitting on the couch.
"…No, I just thought I would go for something new when I was disowned but that got old fast so I changed back to my old look." He explained. What kind of person goes through a second rebellious phase and dyes their hair to find their identity? Maybe Maylim was speaking from experience because Arnold could see green highlights sticking in her hair. They weren't there when the two first met.
"Regardless, keep it up. Lots of eyes are on you this year, especially the first and second years who will now look up to you."
"Huh? Why is that?"
He was under the impression that people would fear him, not look up to him.
"Well, why not?" Morwenne remarked, "You aren't exactly acting like a maniac drunk with power so the fact that you can maintain control of that much power is enough for them to admire you."
Control is a form of strength to them, huh. He recalled his Guild Master saying this same thing many times in the past. Maybe that's why he isn't running around abusing this power.
"I see…"
"Can I trust you to leave your childish past behind you?" when he averted his eyes while rubbing his head, Morwenne held his cheek and made him face her, "With the factions causing division in the academy and the gangs extending their influence among students, it needs an anchor now more than ever. That anchor should be aware how its behavior is seen by others."
"I know what you're trying to say." Arnold grabbed her cheeks as well but squished her face, making her lips pout against her will, "So don't touch people's faces out of nowhere."
"Hwump." She harrumphed while her face was still squished. Arnold let go of her, his cheeks red from her pinching.
"You're lucky the board members didn't expel you for what you did yesterday. You did technically defend yourself against an attacker, which is allowed. But one slip up will give them a reason to ban you from this academy, which will just make every other academy blacklist you."
He knows very well how insufferable he was back in the day. But he wants to leave that in the past since he doesn't want to feel like an obnoxious idiot who thinks life in a joyride. He can't treat life like that when there are entities on or above Guinevere's level out there.
"…Can you arrange a meeting for me so that I can apologize for everything that happened here?"
"I don't think there's a need for that. Just do a good job maintaining order in the academy. They've asked me to monitor you." Morwenne smirked, "So remember to report back to me every day."
"Uggghh."
He groaned—she was serious about that?
"What, I need to know what happens around the academy and I can't just keep track of everything when I have work too, you know?"
"What about Maylim then? I also have places to be after school."
"Sorry newbie. You'll have to deal with being the newest member. I went through the same thing." The person in question shook her head in a "no can do" fashion.
"Right…"
"You're excused. Oh, and one last thing. During breaks you are allowed twenty minutes to mingle and have your lunch but I want to see you patrolling the academy for the rest of the break, understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!"
"Yeah…"
◊◊
The moment the two left the committee office, the bell rung, signalling the start of classes.
The two of them hurried to class and split up at a hall with Arnold going left and Maylim right, up the stairs.
Students were already heading to class while the delinquents just casually walked around the building. But upon seeing Arnold, they bolted. It seems that his face is so well-known that a simple hairstyle won't keep his secret.
Thinking that, he made a mental note to change his facial structure a bit for Nova using magic.
As he was about to arrive at his classroom, he caught sight of Rachel walking inside with one of their male classmates. He caught them just as their backs faced him. As he neared the door, he caught a pungent odor in the air. The guy next to her took out a small bottle and sprayed it on him and her before he went to his desk at the very top.
Rachel looked to the hologram board in the front of the class, showing the seating arrangements. Arnold noticed that the two of them are meant to sit next to each other.
As if she sensed him standing outside the door, she looked towards him before blushing and rushing to her seat at the very front.
The moment he entered, the rowdy classroom quieted down almost immediately as if they noticed the grim reaper. He took a quick glance up where the delinquent kids were sitting. He could guess by how they were coincidentally sitting near each other that they didn't respect the seating arrangements that their teacher prepared.
Everyone's silent eyes followed him as he approached the boys at the very top. Noticing him, they stiffened.
They gulped in unison.
He spoke in a low voice, "Do all of you belong in these seats?"
They looked at each other. He then turned to the rest of the class.
"If you are in a seat you don't belong in, raise your hand."
One girl timidly raised her hand while trying to hide herself from the delinquents' gazes.
"Come here."
"Y-Yes!" she quickly fixed her glasses and approached him, almost tumbling. Trembling, she looked up at him.
'What the hell—I'm not going to hurt you.'
"Who took your seat?"
"H-Him…"
Everyone turned. The fat kid slouched at the desk with his legs up, clearly pretending not to notice. His arms were folded behind his head as he gazed out the window.
Arnold's eyes narrowed.
He walked to the fat kid. A few of the delinquents glanced at each other, unsure of what to do.
The fat kid didn't move. He closed his eyes like this wasn't happening.
Arnold stopped at the desk. His tone was calm, flat. Almost polite.
"You heard the girl. Move."
The fat kid cracked one eye open.
"Tch… mind your business. This seat's comfy. She can sit somewhere else." There was a noticeable shake in his voice which made Arnold almost laugh at the idiot's attempt to look tough.
Arnold said nothing.
Instead, he bent forward and gripped the edge of the desk with one hand. His other hand grabbed the back of the delinquent's uniform.
In one smooth motion, he lifted the entire desk and the fat kid along with it, the metal legs screeching against the floor before dangling like dead weight.
Gasps burst through the room.
"W-What the hell—!?" the boy flailed, eyes wide, feet kicking at air.
He dropped the desk back down with a loud thud that rattled nearby chairs, then effortlessly yanked the kid up by the collar until their faces were level.
"Respect the rules. If I see you disturbing the class again, I am allowed to use force."
He let the guy drop. The kid stumbled and fell on his rear, scrambling to get up and scurry to a different chair—his assigned seat.
Arnold turned to the girl who had pointed him out earlier.
"Go ahead. Sit where you belong."
She bowed her head repeatedly and hurried back to her seat, gripping her bag like a lifeline.
Arnold glanced at the rest of the class.
"If you don't belong on the chair you are currently sitting on, get up and move. Otherwise, I will help you out if you're glued to the chair."
Chairs began to move around and about half the class went back to their assigned seats. Even the delinquents broke up their little gathering and went back to their seats.
Everyone then sat up straighter.
After straightening his clothes, he returned to the front of the classroom and calmly took his own seat in the front row, beside Rachel.
A moment later, Professor Lisiar came inside, "Everyone to your seats—?"
She noticed that everyone was seated and there was no chatter that drowns out her own voice.
"Huh."
**
Lisiar gave a rundown of who their subject teachers will be. Naturally, since she does magic theory, those who take that subject will always come to their homeroom class or the lab while the rest go to Roderick and other professors.
"I hope all of you are willing to work hard and improve your studies. Remember that even if you graduate and look for a job, the class you graduated from will play a big role if you get skipped for someone a letter above your class."
Basically, if you're a D graduate, they will pick a "C" graduate over you. And with all the competition out there, getting employed will be very difficult. There are some exceptions but this is generally the norm. in order to have the absolute best future as a city lord, Arnold needs to get back to the A-class.
"As always, scouts will be coming to the academy every month. Since they don't want to mess with the curriculum, you may be approached by them during homeroom. Even the teachers don't know when they might come. But since homeroom isn't a period, your studies won't be impacted so we can only let it happen."
Arnold recalled how Luke was scouted by the Inquisition when he was a third-year student. This was after the events of the School Arc. It was during this time that he awakened his power. But since he hadn't yet met Flora at this time, he didn't have her sword, so his power was quite chaotic when he used it to save lives.
If the player accepts this invitation, the inquisition uses this to reel him in—promising that they'll help him control his power. Unlike Arnold who had to control the Golden Aura with force, Angelica was able to help Luke use his power gradually through her divine power alone. But of course, when at full power it was still chaotic without the sword and even with her help.
Luke decided from that day onward to become an adventurer since one can only unleash your full power on monsters without the need to worry about human lives.
"I'll take admittance now." Lisiar got into her chair and pulled out a piece of paper, "If I call your name, say 'here'."
She began to call out the names.
Arnold glanced to the side, only now noticing that Rachel didn't have a bag. Her books and stationery were just sitting on the table. Strange, he recalls seeing her bag yesterday when she came to fetch the lunch that Morwenne made.
She might've been too busy to notice this so he should probably tell her about it later. Otherwise, he'll be nagged again.
The bell soon rung a few minutes after Lisiar finished roll-call.
Arnold's first period was Swordsmanship. About 16 of his 40 classmates did the subject while the rest had other subjects. It's always the knight classes that have the most students. Probably because it's so easy to pick up a sword and learn footwork. Of course, you need the necessary physical strength and endurance, among other qualities, to be able to make it this far.
He remembers how smooth his knight classes were in his first few years at this academy. Luke should have a similar experience since he's now stronger than the average seventh-year at this school thanks to his rapid growth.
Even while walking to the back of the school with the rest, he was actively monitoring Wistorina's signature. It was fluctuating a bit but that can't be helped since it's her first day and she's nervous. Well, the fact that someone at school might be connected to Serz—which is highly likely—also played a factor in her nervousness.
After a few minutes of walking, Arnold and the others arrived at the armory. While it's called the armory, the students aren't exactly allowed to take the weapons out unless in the event of an emergency. What qualifies as an emergency is if the academy is under attack.
Professor Roderick was there waiting for the students.
"—A lot of familiar faces, I see." He finished wiping his glasses then put them on.
"Why is the armory closed? I thought we'll work on our weapon arts in the first semester." One of the boys said.
As he said, the armory was still locked. And the first term is also when instructors test the students' techniques and so on. But it seems their professor had other plans.
"I've convinced the academy to make us focus solely on Aether two times a week while the rest of the week is dedicated to normal classes." As if he was satisfied with himself, he smirked.
The students looked on in confusion.
Arnold peeked at Roderick's status.
Huh, his level went up by 4. Arnold knows from the game that Roderick should only have been level 68 all throughout the School Arc but he's now at level 72. His stats were fit for an imperial knight level swordsman. Even if it doesn't seem like much of a boost, in the world of ordinary humans this is considered a massive increase in strength.
This doesn't happen in the game since Roderick dies at the end of the School Arc's events. Being the noble person he is, he died fighting for the students.
Well, his death was also partly his fault since his ambition to use Aether led to him overstepping his limits just for a burst of power that made him combust in the end.
He's a fool. But an ambitious one with a good heart.
If Arnold had to guess how he became that strong, he might've fought the monsters in the monster wave during Nuaria's attack.
"Everyone, follow me to the back!" Roderick yelled energetically as he marched through the door that led outside.