An older gentleman opened the old wooden door to the classroom. He had graying black hair in a shorter hairstyle that was swept into a side part, his beard has the same speckled gray his hair had. He wore a gray suit and tie that matched his hair perfectly.
"Ah this must be the new transfer I was informed about earlier," he said with interest. "Please come on in."
Aria walked into the classroom and waited at the front of the room while Clara excused herself. Professor Hodgens walked beside Aria and proceeded to introduce her.
"Everyone, this is Aria Knight. She will be joining us from today onward." Professor Hodgens then pointed Aria to her new chair and desk by the window at the front of the classroom.
Aria glanced accross the room at her new classmates before sitting down at her new desk. She felt her cheeks were flushed as she was feeling a bit shy. Before she sat down, there was a student that caught her eye at the back of the classroom. Someone with shorter black hair had their head down on the desk, and appeared to be sleeping? Aria thought this person was quite odd.
All throughout the classroom, whispers could be heard from various students.
"I wonder what rank she is?", "We should ask her what her mythological bloodline is, I'm curious.", a few girls were chatting together about the new transfer. "She is kinda pretty, maybe I should make a move?" Another student spoke to his friend in the desk beside him.
Aria could hear bits and pieces of whispers around the room, which only made her blush even more. I hope I make a few friends, she silently thought.
After classes finished and it was time for lunch, a bunch of students came over to Aria's desk with interest in the new student.
A girl with long curly orange hair spoke up first, "Excuse me, mind if I ask what mythological bloodline you have?"
Aria was surprised at how fast they approached her, and didn't know how to respond.
"Well I, I have a Celestial bloodline."
Another boy with longer green hair chipped in, "so like angels and all that?"
"Yes." Aria responded feeling uncomfortable with all this attention directed at her.
"Oh cool, I haven't really met anyone with that type of bloodline before, what is your rank?" A different girl with short blue hair asked this time.
Aria didn't feel good about lying and told them the truth, "I'm an F-rank."
Some people in the huddle gasped, while others had looks of disappointment or annoyance. Suddenly the mood shifted and multiple people started leaving the classroom. A few stayed behind to ask more questions.
"Wow an F-rank, how much money did you spend to get here?" a girl from the few that were left sneered.
Another boy from the group spoke up, "I bet she used her pretty face to bribe someone to let her in."
Aria was dumbfounded by the sudden change in everyone's attitude. She knew F-ranks were looked down upon, but this was on another level. She felt tears well up behind her eyes, as she got up pushing her way past the rude students crowding her desk. She ran to the nearest washroom she could find and hid in one of the stalls.
A few minutes later, a girl walked into the washroom and started speaking to Aria.
"I'm sorry you experienced that, I just wanted you to know not everyone hates low ranks here." Aria looked through the small gap of the stall, and saw the girl leaving the washroom. All she saw was the medium length light green hair as the girl left.
Aria dabbed her eyes dry and gathered her strength. She was different now, thanks to this system and she was going to make them all regret looking down on her one day. For now she would hide, be unassuming, all while building her strength. She exited the stall and walked back out with a different air, as she headed for lunch.
As she walked to the mess hall, Aria thought back to the girl in the washroom. I want to thank her the next time I see her.