The tournant concluded with an air of finality as Professor Lancaster took the stage once more. His erald robes swayed gently as he cleared his throat, the magical amplification carrying his voice to every corner of the vast arena.
"After careful deliberation, I am pleased to announce our tournant rankings," he declared, his silver-streaked beard catching the afternoon light. "In first place, Team Rothschild led by Ambrose Rothschild. In second place, Team Steelheart led by Leon Steelheart. And securing third place, Team Blackvale led by Lysander Blackvale."
The announcent, though expected, still sent ripples of excitent through the crowd. Lancaster gestured toward the platform with a dramatic sweep of his arm. "Would the team leaders please approach the stage to receive their dals?"
As the three leaders advanced toward the platform, the crowd’s murmurs intensified when Principal Cassandra Blackvale herself erged from the shadows. Her presence commanded imdiate attention—this was her first appearance at the tournant, or any other freshman ranking tournant for that matter. Her fla-red hair cascaded past her shoulders as she approached with regal bearing, a wooden box containing the dals held carefully in her hands.
With ceremonial precision, she placed the golden dallion around Ambrose’s neck. The young heir imdiately removed it, slipping it into his spatial storage ring with smooth efficiency. The principal’s mouth twitched almost imperceptibly at this breach of protocol, but Ambrose paid it no mind. The heavy gold dallion would have strained his fragile constitution if kept for too long.
Leon accepted his silver dal with quiet dignity, his weathered hands turning it over with careful examination. His eyes reflected not disappointnt at second place, but determination—each achievent bringing him one step closer to his goal.
Lysander’s reception of the bronze dal was markedly different. His fingers closed around it with surprising force, his knuckles whitening as he clutched the symbol of his perceived failure. His gaze darted between his fellow recipients—first to Ambrose, acknowledging the impossibility of victory against Hualing’s overwhelming power, then to Leon, bitter confusion evident as he questioned how a noble heir with Legendary talent could fall to a talentless commoner. The dal in his hand seed to mock his family na as he imagined his father’s disappointnt.
Lancaster stepped forward once more, his voice cutting through the contemplative silence. "And now, the mont you’ve all been waiting for—the appointnt of the Head of the Freshman Class, a position of considerable influence that will likely extend throughout your academic journey."
So students rolled their eyes, what was with all the hype, didn’t everyone already know whom it was going to be?
"After careful consideration," Lancaster announced with dramatic pause, "the position of Head of the Freshman Class goes to... Leon Steelheart!"
Gasps erupted throughout the arena. Even Leon himself appeared montarily stunned, his normally composed features displaying uncharacteristic surprise. Ambrose just observed the reactions, having anticipated this exact outco, after all, the most performing student was definitely Hualing. But when Hualing was told earlier that she was going to be the head of the freshman year group, she had instantly declined the position; if she beca the head, that would an that she would have more responsibilities and thus less ti to protect her master. Ambrose could only ask the instructor to find another candidate as Hualing refused to budge.
As murmurs of confusion and protest began to swell, Lancaster raised his hands for silence. "I understand your surprise," he acknowledged. "To address the questions I see forming, I should clarify that Sun Hualing was our first choice for this position."
This revelation sent another wave of whispers cascading through the audience.
"However," Lancaster continued, "she declined the honor, citing her responsibilities to the Rothschild heir as taking precedence. Therefore, the position was offered to our next most qualified candidate."
The explanation seed to placate most of the audience. Logic gradually reasserted itself in their evaluation—Leon had indeed demonstrated exceptional leadership, technical mastery, and unimpeachable character throughout the tournant. With Hualing’s withdrawal, his appointnt followed natural order.
Still, pockets of dissatisfaction remained visible among certain noble students, their disapproving expressions betraying entrenched biases. Yet even they recognized the finality of the decision—the academy’s ruling stood regardless of personal sentint.
Throughout the stands, students began dissecting Hualing’s unexpected refusal. "Can you believe she turned down the year head position?" one student whispered. "That’s almost equivalent to the student council presidency in terms of influence."
"Makes sense though," another replied. "As the Rothschild heir’s personal guardian, what could the position possibly offer her? The resources probably pale in comparison to what she already has access to."
Lancaster’s voice rose once more above the discussions. "This concludes our tournant. You are all dismissed—" He paused suddenly, a look of realization crossing his features. "Ah! I nearly forgot. Would the leader of the winning team please remain behind to receive your special reward?"
…
Ambrose strolled leisurely back to his estate, the weight of the Archmage’s dallion substantial in his palm as he examined it. The afternoon light caught its polished surface, sending golden reflections dancing across his face. His conversation with Professor Lancaster lingered in his mind.
Lancaster was technically his first cousin once removed, though "uncle" seed the more practical term. Their conversation had been brief but unexpectedly warm, with Lancaster offering insights about the academy’s inner workings that Ambrose had not yet uncovered through his own investigations.
"Watch out for Professor Jonathan," Lancaster had warned. "He holds grudges against those who embarrass him publicly. Though I doubt he has the courage to act against you, its always better to be prepared" Other nuggets of wisdom followed—which staff mbers could be trusted, which corridors were best avoided after curfew, and subtle political alignnts among the faculty that might impact a student’s academic journey.
A gentle smile curved Ambrose’s lips as he contemplated this newfound connection. "They say having an elder in a house is like a treasure, or how did it go?"
His attention returned to the dallion in his hand. Despite its grand na, the Archmage’s dallion wasn’t so powerful magical artifact—rely an access token for the academy’s restricted archives, areas typically reserved for third-year students and above. Yet to Ambrose, this simple permission slip held greater value than any enchanted treasure might have.
As an intelligence-focused individual, his advancent depended primarily on his mind’s developnt rather than physical training or magical aptitude. The restricted section would contain advanced theoretical works, experintal research journals, and possibly even forbidden knowledge that could accelerate his understanding exponentially.
Though his system allowed for direct intelligence stat increases through point allocation, he currently possessed none to spend. The last increase had co when he unlocked the new title "One who gazes," and such occurrences seed rare rather than reliable. He understood that leveling up would likely award stat points, but the exact chanism remained frustratingly elusive.
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"The chicken experint was rather disappointing," he thought with wry amusent, recalling how he had instructed Hualing to hold dostic fowl while he dispatched them, hoping to gain experience points. The birds had died, but his experience bar remained stubbornly empty. "Perhaps I need to personally hunt wild creatures? Or maybe combat experience specifically is required?"
But with his condition, how could he hunt monsters by himself?
"So books remain my most viable option," he concluded pragmatically. Through careful study and research, he might stimulate his intelligence growth naturally, following the traditional advancent path of other intelligence and support types in this world.
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