The courtyard breeze was quiet after the match. The sky dimmed to a soft evening hue as the arena bustle faded into the distance.
Jimmy sat on a bench beside Luna's water-filled recovery bowl. He silently traced circles on the stone with one finger, eyes distant, unfocused. He hadn't asked anything since the match results had been posted.
Nun Lisa arrived beside him, holding a folded parchment.
"I have your official class placement," she said with a warm tone, but Jimmy didn't look up.
She sat beside him. "Aren't you curious?"
Still, no response.
Lisa smiled gently and unrolled the parchment anyway. "Class: 1st Year – Section B."
Jimmy blinked slowly but remained still. Not even a flicker of emotion.
A moment later, Instructor Lumi approached from the garden path, her boots echoing softly on the cobblestones.
"I heard you read out the results," Lumi said. "Did he ask?"
Lisa shook her head. "Not a word. I asked on his behalf."
Lumi folded her arms and looked at Jimmy with a raised brow. "You're really not curious why you got B-Class?"
Jimmy shrugged slightly.
"Alright," Lumi said, more seriously now. "Let's keep it simple."
She stood beside the bench and spoke clearly.
"There are three types of placements for first-years: Elite, A, and B."
She held up three fingers. "Elite is for the top-ranks . Students with outstanding written scores, perfect command synchronization, first time awakening and self-awakening. Some of them are from well-known Whisp families."
"Then comes A-Class," she continued. "They're students who scored consistently high. Strong control, fast reaction time, awakened by stimulants and solid academic results."
Lumi let her fingers fall, her expression softening slightly.
"B-Class is the standard section. It's not a punishment—just the regular stream. Students in B-Class still attend every lesson, get the same arena access, and can rise through performance. But it means your entry score wasn't among the top. Also you don't have a solid background."
Lisa glanced at Lumi. "So… he passed the test, but wasn't outstanding?"
Lumi nodded. "Not bad. Not great. You had a few unusual moves in the arena, Jimmy, but your theory score was low. Your control is solid, but your awakening was delayed. In this school, we rank based on a mix of results."
Lisa looked toward Jimmy, her voice calm. "It's just the beginning. Placement doesn't decide your future."
Jimmy raised his hand and signed slowly:
"Is B-Class the last?"
Lima nodded. "This year, yes."
There was a brief pause.
Jimmy signed again:
"What about A-Class and Elite students?"
Lima smirked slightly. "Some will look down on you. That's how it always is. But that doesn't mean they'll stay ahead of you forever."
Jimmy made one last sign:
"Can I move up?"
Lima gave a firm nod. "Absolutely. Your section doesn't define your ceiling. Work hard, sharpen your command—and if you rise in ranking battles or written evaluations, you'll get noticed."
Lisa added with a small smile, "And remember, everyone starts somewhere. It's not about where you begin—it's how far you go."
Jimmy didn't smile—but he nodded once. But he knows 'B is for the Best.'
...........................................
Just as he exited the examination hall, Jimmy noticed her.
A woman in flowing black robes stood alone near the ancient Pikel Tree—its bark dark as midnight, twisted with silver veins that pulsed like old memories. The massive roots coiled across the ground like sleeping serpents, older than the academy itself.
Dozens of Whisps drifted and danced nearby—some soared like glimmers through the air, others slithered into the earth or vanished into the tree's hollow trunk at the sight of approaching footsteps.
No one else seemed to see her.
Her eyes, calm and distant, watched him carefully. Not judgmental, not cruel—simply curious.
Jimmy slowed.
She didn't speak. She just raised a gloved hand and pointed at the tree, then gently at his chest.
Jimmy blinked.
And when he looked again—she was gone.
Lisa, smiling faintly, added 'Don't worry. One day, when you've grown stronger... you'll be able to do that too.'