Reborn As A Warlock, Misunderstood As Strongest-Chapter 48: Aria Valentine [1]

The students around them started whispering.

"Have you heard of the S Class?"

"S Class? No, this is my first time hearing it. Was there a class like that at our school?"

"It looks like it was newly established this time. Charlotte and Frey were placed in that class!"

"What? Those two? Both of them are competing for the top spot among freshmen. Is it true that the S Class is higher than the A Class?"

"No. I thought that was the case at first too, but the top student in this entrance exam is Lord Sadin of the Rundel family. Lord Sadin is, of course, in A Class, and according to rumors, the S Class..."

"What? A failing student? Those two almost failed this test?"

"Hey! Shh! Be quiet. What if other people hear it? It’s not confirmed—it’s just a rumor, a rumor! I only overheard what other kids were saying."

"No matter what, it’s shocking. Suddenly a new class... I thought something was strange."

I was equally shocked. I looked at the list several times to see if there was something wrong with my eyes.

Still, nothing changed.

Clearly, there was no such thing as an S Class in the Salomon Academy in the setting I created.

That meant it was hastily created after the entrance exam was over.

’Why?’

I didn’t understand it at all.

I was well aware that Ashtar, the chairman of Salomon Academy, was an unpredictable person, but this was a system that had never been changed since the academy was founded.

Why on earth would they revamp this system now?

’Is it because of the last exam...?’

Grumble!

A pillar of fire rose up around Charlotte. She must have predicted that this idiot would explode, and the students around her had already backed away.

"This is unacceptable! I absolutely cannot tolerate this! How dare they! I am Charlotte Mage! How can they assign me to a class I’ve never heard of—and not even an A Class! I’ll kill them! I’ll destroy everything!"

"Charlotte... calm down..."

"Aaahhh!!! Why do I have to go through this?! Why me!!"

"I have to prove that the family sword is not wrong... I don’t have the honor to see my father... sorry... father..."

Although it was a bit much, Charlotte and Frey’s reactions were completely understandable.

In the first place, the meaning of A Class at Salomon Academy is different from that of classes at other academies.

It was natural to divide students into classes in order of grades, and in particular, A Class could be seen as a kind of gateway.

Among the officials who form the backbone of the current empire, more than half were from Salomon Academy—especially A Class—which gives a rough idea of its influence.

In other words, if we were to describe A Class metaphorically, it would be a place where Imoogi gather and prepare for ascension just before becoming dragons.

Entering A Class itself is the minimum qualification that proves how much potential one has.

Some may ask why people are so obsessed with just one class, but anyone who has attended Salomon Academy will agree.

The symbolism of A Class is something that cannot be easily obtained, even if you pay hundreds of millions of dollars.

Of course, there are exceptions. Even in Class B or C, there are promising talents who will stand out after graduation.

But that’s just an exception.

Even a three-year-old child knows that it’s far more advantageous to prepare for ascension in a place where Imoogi gather than to be a dragon flying from a stream.

’As your class goes up, the support from the school changes.’

Strict meritocracy.

It was truly a place where the saying "a little fat diet" fit perfectly.

’I think that guy would know something...’

I also checked his name on the list. However, no matter how much I looked around, I couldn’t find Eden.

’You sneaky bastard. Are you hiding somewhere, doing something else?’

Even thinking about it made my head hurt. I didn’t think anything good would happen if I stayed here any longer.

First, let’s go back to the accommodation.

I need to organize my future plans and thoughts, and more than anything, I need to take the Mandrake that I earned through my hard work in this exam.

I risked my life to get it, so shouldn’t I absorb it in the best condition?

To put it simply, as soon as I opened my eyes, I checked the Mandrake in my arms.

Just like licking the lid of Yoplait, I’ll consume the roots, leaving nothing behind.

’If I absorb it properly, I’ll avoid premature exhaustion and finally be happy.’

This Mandrake is over a hundred years old. There’s no longer any need to pant after using a few strengthening spells.

When I thought that I could use various types of enhancement magic that Abel would never have thought of in the past, I felt a little better after seeing the class placement list.

I passed through the rows of street vendors and entered the alley.

It was a narrow road with few people, but it was the fastest route to the accommodation where I was staying, so it was a road I occasionally used.

The downside was that there was about a fifty percent chance of encountering bullies.

Normally, unless there was a direct confrontation, I mostly ignored them and passed by, but when the entire passageway was blocked like now, I had no choice but to confront them.

That’s right—there were three huge bullies surrounding a woman, blocking a passageway that two adult men could barely pass through.

Squeezing through them and saying, ’I’ll just pass by for a moment. Have a good time,’ wasn’t an option.

"Miss, isn’t it okay for us? Why can’t you be honest? I like you too, so why are you so upset?"

"Please, please don’t do this..."

"Oh my, is it so easy to make someone an idiot? Did I ask for something difficult? Why are you making such a fuss when we just want to have a drink and talk?"

"Sis, you have to play hard to get once or twice to be attractive. It’s no fun if you play too hard to get. Let’s go while we’re still on good terms, okay?"

I made eye contact with one of the bullies. He was a very impressive man with shiny hair.

The sunlight reflecting off his head stung my eyes.