Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained

Torren and Erai left the class and made their way home, with Torren nudging his companion towards the Southern Residency for an opportunity to let loose.

Seeing this idea as being the only thing to bring Erai from out of his constant thought since they left the campus, Torren hurried him along before giving him a moment to refuse. The pair spent most of the afternoon by the Recreational Area before heading home as night began to descend.

The following morning...

The students of Class 1F made their way through the corridor and towards their classroom, Torren and Erai weren't far behind, as they were welcomed by Tersia and Vaceris greetings from the doorway.

The group exchanged pleasantries, seeing that they were all well, they made their way inside. With each one finding their seat...

"Ping-Ping. Ping-Ping." A chorus of the collective chimes erupted from each student.

Startled, they each searched themselves to find the source of the tone. Stopping short by their holsters, each of their Notebooks chimed in a high tone.

"Everyone, relax. It's just your class schedule." A raised hand bearing the opened Notebook, announces from the front of the class.

"Just look inside, you should see all your classes. It's as Professor Reiss had said." The class captain reassures them all as he motioned to the marked page of the book.

With Ketsuiko's instruction, each of them opened their Notebooks, passing page after page until arriving at the marked page. One after the other, the perplexed expressions of the students were quickly fading as their curiosity was satiated.

"Good morning, my dear students. How are we all doing this fine day—" The professor walked into the classroom, expecting to find his students waiting, but instead being greeted by the sight of them all staring down at the books.

Erai quickly unbuckled his Notebook, paging through it with just as much vigor as the rest had before, failing to even take note of his professor:

'Ping-Ping.'

'Schedule Update: Trinity Cross Academy First Year: Class 1F. Shynerai Astrapordt'

Standard First-Year Itinerary: Confirmed

Mathematics; Natural Sciences; Thaumaturgy and Miracles; Social Studies; Physical Training; Language Arts; Additional Language Studies.

Guardian Itinerary: Confirmed. Chosen path: Hero

Conventional and Integrated Combat Trainings; Spellcraft Studies and Investigation; Alchemy Studies and Experimentation.

"Hero! I'm finally here! I made it!"

"Mr. Astrapordt, would you mind calming yourself and getting back into your seat. This is a classroom after all." Reiss ordered the overzealous young man before ordering the rest of the class to put their Notebooks away as class was about to begin.

Shynerai slumped back into his seat, but couldn't hold back the quickened beat of his heart as the words continued to echo within him,

'A Hero.'

"Right. Now we may begin with the class as scheduled."

"Based on your reaction, you have no doubt received your new class schedules. Moving forward, your classes will follow the regular time slot, with standard subjects spread across six and half hours." 

"After which you will have a thirty minute recess followed by the rest of the classes for the specific path that you have chosen."

"This is how things will be for the remainder of the academic year. Please ensure that you remain updated to date with all your work. Now, let us begin with your first class."

Having finally managed to grasp his students' attention, Reiss began his instruction as his visage bathed in the light of the early morning rays that peered through.

The regular school day progressed, with recess following soon after.

"Everyone, let me remind you that once class ends, you'll be in recess. From there, you'll move to your Guardian classes. Now then—" Reiss's announcement was cut short as the door to the classroom slid open with a student entering.

"Sorry to bother you, Professor Reiss, the Questing department needs to make sure all the students receive our new pamphlets."

"Ah Luciana my dear, I'm well aware of your department. Though I was under the impression that no one was interested in taking up–"

"Oh sir, you're still as funny as always." She jumped in before Reiss could finish, stepping past the stunned elf.

Moving to take the center stage, Luciana left her distressed companion by the doorway while she stood in front of the perplexed class,

"How are you, Class 1F? Tell me, who here wants to make some sweet sweet uld." She spoke enticingly...before her speech was cut short by a berating from her companion.

After managing to tame the rowdy Luciana, he begrudgingly took to relaying the appropriate announcement:

"I'm sorry about that, the Vice President has...a bit of a willful nature. My name is Mithras Lotarim and alongside my companion, Ms. Luciana Lumiere are both members of the Questing Committee of our Academy."

"To simplify the nature of our committee, we allow the students of Trinity Cross Academy the opportunity to gain first-hand experience in Guardian activities and in the process make a decent wage."

"Excuse me, Mr. Lotarim, could you explain what exactly you mean by that?" Stephen sat back into his chair with now folded arms as Torren asked with some hesitation.

The rest of the class' expressions quickly shifted from perplexed to a burning curiosity, with Shynerai taking a look up from his new schedule that seemed almost glued to his fingers.

"It's quite simple really. If you're interested, you'll accept Quests on behalf of the school, all related to duties that a Guardian might find themselves completing in the real world. Once this is done, you get paid according to your performance on said task."

"That makes sense, allowing the students the chance to glance at their future duties in a safe and controlled manner. Under the school's supervision no doubt?" Ketsuiko added.

"Um...yes. Exactly that." Lotarim responded, shocked by the student's competency.

"Ah yeah, you said something about a reward." Torren asked with an intensity that threw Lotarim off for a moment.

"...Eh hem, yes. Based on your performance, you'll receive compensation for your efforts. In fact–"

"If doing really well on a job, or better yet, you managed to finish a ridiculously tough job then they might even let you choose your own reward." Luciana jumped in once again with an expression of glee to match Torren's.

"Hold on!" A voice boomed from the back of the class with the resounding echoes of a book that was quickly slammed shut.

"If we could choose our own reward. What if... could you ask for a pardon, would that be possible?"

The class was drawn to the words of such a strange request, but Lotarim seems willing to answer,

"I don't think I've heard of anyone seeking a pardon, but it's not the most outrageous request I've heard being met." Lotarim assures the excitable young man.

'Then...just maybe, I could–' Shynerai's heart gained a rising vigor as he slowly engrossed himself in a singular thought.

For the first time since he got to the Academy, he felt himself taking not a mere step, but a leap towards his real goal, the truest desire that put him on this journey. He stood up and asked Lotarim what one required to undertake a quest.

Reiss opted to explain, as he told him to calm himself. Shynerai would first have to check his rank by the Student Council's office...though he expressed his feelings against the act, deeming the young Daumier as being far too young.

Unfortunately for Reiss, his advice fell on deaf ears with the eager Shynerai already packing his things and before making his way to the Student Council's office. 

Vaceris found herself overcome with worry as the gaze beneath her furrowed brow followed Shynerai who left the class just as the bell's toll echoed throughout the halls.

After following the directions authored by his Notebook, the Daumier finally made it to the Student Council office.

Instead of a simple classroom, the Council room was a designated office within the Administrative Building of the Academy. These facilities were connected to the Head Offices and the Educational Buildings and mostly housed the various Student Committees managed by the Student Generals. 

Entering the main room that was dedicated to the Student Council was a lounge area dotted with individuals whom Shynerai could only surmise were SGs, a thought that was confirmed as he noticed both Malleus and his companion amongst the group.

Towards the end of the lounge was yet another smaller room only this one took on the exterior appeal of an office with a receptionist guarding the front, Henrietta Vermilion.

Assuming that she would be the one to provide the ranking test, he approached her desk and after a stern greeting, he promptly requested that Henrietta perform the ranking test on him.

Henrietta, having been well versed in her work could instantly determine that he was far too young for any second or third year but to confirm her suspicions about him she asked for his name and class. Shynerai instantly responded,

"My name is Shynerai Astrapordt of Class 1F and I'm a Hero prospect." His eyes were met with the sight of a rather shocked Henrietta .

With surprising eloquence she answered,

"Although it's not unheard of that a First-year would want to go on Quests, it is not every day that a First-year who has only been attending for only two weeks and…happens to be in the weakest class would be so eager to do so."

"I'm sorry but based on odds alone, you are simply too weak for me to allow you to disturb Mr. Drucariium." From Henrietta 's lecture, Shynerai realized that she was not the one who performs the test, it was done by Mr. Drucariium whom he could only assume was behind the second door.

Realizing this, Shynerai cut his conversation with Henrietta short and headed straight for the door but...as he was approaching the door Henrietta approached Shynerai within a flash.

By the time he glanced behind himself, she was already in front of him readying a powerful knee to his chest—but before her attack made contact Shynerai with even greater speed stepped away, only to appear behind her.

With her strike now having missed its target, Shynerai moved in before she could respond...striking her, just enough for her to fall unconscious.

Though this was not done with brute force, simply the skilful application of Physical Energy and a decent knowledge of pressure points.

Shynerai caught her before she fell to the ground, returning her to her chair before opening the doors that laid before him whilst proclaiming that the man who bore the name of Drucariium allowed him to take the ranking test.

Some time passed, with the air of the lounge having returned with its calm feel which had been disrupted with Shynerai's arrival, though the SGs present still couldn't be bothered.

Some moments would pass before Henrietta would come to. When a young man stepped out of the office, and the sounds of a heated argument quickly followed,

"You have to check it again, it needs to be higher, it has to…" Shynerai raged against the man in the office.

With the rising tension Arno, Creivolt and Jaret took notice of the escalation, leading to Arno interjection.

But Shynerai didn't acknowledge the other SGs, instead continuing to push his need for a higher rank as a point that was far more important than what they may think.

"I need the highest rank I can get, rank C...I can't do what I need to with it. It has to be much higher." His hard-headedness surprises Jaret, who was suddenly reminded of another one just as stubborn whose words he had almost forgotten, a memory that held no real joy...

Arno, who quickly caught onto his friend's shifting mood, fell silent at the sound of Shynerai's words.