When I slowly opened my eyes on my couch, the sunlight was shining directly on my face, dazzling my barely open eyes even more.
I yawned, stretched slightly, and my eyes went straight to the clock on the wall.
Seven... the ceremony was supposed to start at ten o'clock. In short, I have three hours.
I went into the bathroom and took a shower. I didn't put on the classic school uniform. I didn't need it anyway since the first year was over. Instead, I put on a white shirt with long sleeves that I rolled up into short ones and a pair of navy blue slacks.
I stood in front of the mirror and looked at how I looked.
My white hair had grown a lot longer after my ti at the Neutral, but I had cut it when I went back to the academy, so it was back to its original length. Compared to last year, I was only slightly taller, with a more well-built body. However, the effect of the elven blood circulating in my veins would probably prevent from having a more built body than I have now.
It was actually impossible for an elf to be even this built. Elves... were not a race that could beco physically too strong. And I, who had half their blood, was greatly influenced by their traits.
I looked into my eyes, my erald green irises, a copy of my father's. Then I let out a deep sigh.
I look fine. Why did I stand in front of the mirror in the first place...?
I took my eyes off my reflection and stepped outside without even having breakfast.
*******
For the three hours I was free, most of what I did was wait. Finally, as the ti approached and the whole academy was gathering in one of the open areas of the huge campus, I was pulled toward the back of the stage that had been set up the previous day by so of the staff.
They were telling what I was going to do. They handed a sample text. Then told to analyze it and deliver my speech in a similar way, but I didn't look at it even once.
Instead, my eyes were focused on the other seven students gathered there, just like , with the voice of the emcee talking in the background.
They were the top students of the academy. The people who had ranked first in power and academic rankings each year were lined up just like . They too were handed a text.
Ignoring the fourth, third, and second-year rankers, I looked at the academic ranker of my peers.
His na badge bore the na Alexander Callidas. He was dressed like , in a shirt and slacks, but the colors were darker. He wore a dark green shirt to match his hair and black pants. He was taller than but rather skinny. He was not a strong person, but his eyes were so sharp and the atmosphere around him so... strange that I couldn't help feeling otherwise.
He resembled my spear instructor with his brown eyes, but the thought that they might be related by blood never once crossed my mind. It was just that... although they resembled each other, they were just as distant from each other.
Alexander Callidas turned in my direction as if he sensed that I was looking at him. There was no change in his indifferent face, and after a short while, he turned back to his front with a slight sigh.
I didn't understand what he was thinking, but I didn't have ti to figure it out. Suddenly, the voice of the emcee, who until now had not been very loud in the background, echoed in my ears, clearer than ever.
"... and now I would like to invite to the stage the eight students who have been ranked first in power and academic performance at our academy for the school years 2043-2044. Adrian Caleo and Alexander Callidas from the first year! Maeve Bistra and Jack Laehera from the second year! Damian White and Cassandra Bealy from the third year! Allison Vincula and Harry Laehera from the fourth year!"
The eight of us put down our texts at the sa ti and slowly made our way to the stage in the order in which we were called. As the first person to step on stage, I was the first to hear the applause loudest and clearest.
I made my way in front of the huge crowd of all the students and staff of the academy, and when I reached the end of the stage, I paused and turned toward the crowd. The other seven people finished lining up next to , and the crowd again erupted in loud applause.
The emcee who had been speaking so far, a woman I didn't recognize who was in charge of the academy, slowly stepped aside. She gave way to lany Quie.
Rector lany approached the crowd with a smile on her face. She began her speech.
"In this academic year... our academy has faced many misfortunes."
The enthusiastic mood of the crowd paused for a mont, rembering what had happened, but lany Quie ignored it and continued.
"The preliminaries we held for this year's tournant, which was planned but eventually canceled, the attack that followed, and all sorts of things... Most recently, as you all know, the case of Aiden Tenebra, a student at this academy."
The crowd shrank even more. Whispers rose slightly among them. It was clear that they had not expected such a speech. They had thought today would be a more cheerful day.
"But I can assure you that we have and will overco all these misfortunes sohow. We have already begun work to revitalize the academy for the new academic year, a year in which we will be rembered for our successes rather than our misfortunes. Next year, the academy will adopt a new educational system. While I cannot reveal it now, I am sure you will all like what we are working on."
lany Quie widened her smile slightly.
"Likewise, as the rector of our academy, I would like to congratulate you all on your graduation and wish you all the best for your sumr vacation. Aside from the new things you will see next year, I thank you all again. Now... let's give the dals and the floor to the top students of our academy, shall we?"
She kept her speech short. She may have lowered the mood at first, but then she excited her listeners with her announcent about the academy's new system.
She ca in front of all of us with a tray held by an employee standing next to her. One by one, she hung a dal around each of our necks. But all I could do was squint my eyes as I looked at the dal around my neck. I didn't feel happy or proud.
There was a huge round of applause and whistles from the crowd. And then... lany Quie gave the floor to us.
"First of all, I would like to address the fourth-year top rankers who are graduating this year."
When she finished handing out the dals, she stepped aside, making way for us. That's how Harry Laehera and Allison Vincula stepped forward.
Allison Vincula was a girl with shoulder-length black hair and red eyes reminiscent of Lucia's. She was tall and had a slim figure. But the most important thing... was definitely the feeling she gave off.
She was the strongest of all the students, ranking first in the power rankings among the fourth year students. Although she was only twenty-two years old, she had already reached B- grade. Not only had she broken through the D- grade wall, the first great wall that humans faced, but she had even overco a much more formidable obstacle, the B- grade, before she even graduated from the academy.
And all this from the family of a Count, rather than a Duke or a Marquis. It was clear that her future was bright.
Allison Vincula gave her speech with a smile and, like lany Quie, kept it short. She explained what she had done and how she had done it, congratulated all the students who had graduated like her, and wished the first three years, who were still students, well.
Harry Laehera gave a formal speech, belonging to one of the five Duke families in the kingdom. With his short blond hair and blue eyes, he was a sight for sore eyes.
The third and second-year first rankers followed Allison Vincula and Harry Laehera. Finally, it was the turn of Alexander Callidas and .
We both took a short step forward. The first to speak was , first in the power rankings.
I took a deep breath, even though I hadn't even glanced at the sample text I had been given. I squinted my eyes and looked at the crowd in front of .
"Most of you... know that I am not a noble."
The eyebrows of the crowd raised in curiosity, but I continued.
"But what most of you probably don't know... is that technically I'm not even a commoner."
I narrowed my eyes even more, knowing that most of the things that had been said about would probably get worse after this speech. It didn't really make sense to talk about my past. Maybe there would even be people who would try to get kicked out of the academy by arguing that my entry into this academy was by patronage, but... I wanted to continue.
"Unlike most of you, I didn't go to elentary school, middle school, or high school. I grew up in filthy streets, slept in sewers, and begged for a living."
I saw disgust in the eyes of so, confusion in others, pity in so more. There were those who thought I was lying, those who didn't understand what I was trying to talk about and tried to figure it out.
I saw an employee at the back of the crowd crossing his arms at , trying to explain to that it would not be good for to make such a speech, but... I didn't care.
"Do you know what pushed , a beggar, a rotten street kid, to get stronger? I had a purpose, a purpose I wanted to fulfill, a purpose I was committed to, and for that purpose I spent maybe all day training, using sticks I found on the street as spears. With that fla burning inside , I did everything I could to improve. So of you may think that I am so strong because of talent, so of you may think that I was lucky, so of you may think that I found a very talented master and trained with him... None of you are wrong."
I saw lany Quie looking at , giving silent signals to stop. The other first years in the sa row as were looking at aninglessly.
But why should I stop when I had co so far?
"Many things have made it possible for to stand here today and give this speech. I'm a strong person, perhaps one of the strongest people of my age according to many around . I deserve to be standing here in the end according to most people. To be able to rise to this point with my background is not sothing that most people can achieve."
I paused, my eyes clearly sweeping over the entire crowd, making eye contact with so, but not dwelling on anyone too much.
"But despite all this effort, I don't think I am 'first' among my peers as a student at this academy."
lany Quie sighed deeply as she realized where this conversation was going. Most of the people listening to were eager to hear what I had to say next.
"You have all seen on the news the person who really deserves to stand here. You have heard his na on every corner for the last week. Many of you have even watched the short docuntary about his achievents and his life."
I took off the dal hanging around my neck, gripped it tightly, and put it on the floor.
"I an no disrespect to the Academy, and I understand their decision, but I do not want to accept this dal."
I stood up again and walked toward the crowd. When I reached the edge of the stage, I let out a deep sigh.
"Among the first-years, I would like to leave the first place, even in representation, to Aiden Tenebra, my best friend, whose achievents are much more important than mine... who directly ended a war that had been going on for years with his own hands."
I jumped down from the stage, and as I made my way through the crowd, I saw everyone moving away from , making way for . I finally stopped moving and faced the stage calmly.
"I think most of you will respect and approve of my decision."
I didn't say anything else. I didn't move my lips or a single hair, I just waited where I was.
An intense silence filled the whole space at first. Nothing could be heard except the chirping of birds, and the rustling of tree leaves gently caressed by the wind. Then... amidst all this silence, a single clap echoed.
Imdiately it was joined by another, and then another. The entire crowd attending this end-of-year ceremony began to applaud, even with herd psychology. There was no whistling, no screaming. The only reaction to my speech was the applause, which continued for almost half a minute.
After my speech, the ceremony continued in a strange way, with a very different atmosphere than before. Alexander Callidas kept his speech the shortest. He just said that he thought I was right, wished all the years luck, and went back to his spot.
Not much was said about this matter, but lany Quie also said that she would respect my decision and agreed with .
The Academy's 2043-2044 academic year officially ended about ten minutes after I gave my speech.
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