*****
"The First Rank of the First Year is—
Lyrium Blackwood."
The words hung in the air for a moment, sinking into the minds of everyone present.
And then—the reactions began.
Some students looked shocked, their eyes widening slightly.
Others exchanged quick glances, their faces betraying a mix of jealousy and frustration.
Whispers spread across the classroom like a wildfire.
"Lyrium? Seriously?"
"I heard he fought against Professor Eugene and survived… No wonder."
"Tsk. Another noble at the top, just great."
But amidst all the murmuring, one reaction stood out.
Near the window, a single girl sat completely still—yet, the air around her seemed to sharpen.
Her delicate fingers clenched into a tight fist, her nails digging into her palm.
A faint but distinct sound of her tongue clicking echoed softly in the silent classroom.
Margaret Windsor.
Her gray eyes locked onto Lyrium with an intense glare, sharp and unforgiving.
Unlike the others, who merely whispered or grumbled under their breath, her anger was clear.
She wasn’t just displeased.
She was furious.
Lyrium, however, barely reacted.
He could feel her gaze burning into the side of his head, but instead of acknowledging it, he simply exhaled through his nose, unimpressed.
’Ah… Of course. The Cold Empress doesn’t like this, huh?’
He didn’t need to ask why she was mad. It was obvious.
For someone like Margaret Windsor, who carried her noble pride like an unshakable shield, being second place—being beneath someone—was unacceptable.
And the fact that he was the one above her?
That must have infuriated her even more.
Still, Lyrium didn’t spare her a glance.
Instead, he simply leaned back in his chair, resting his elbow on the desk.
Margaret could glare all she wanted.
The rankings had already been set.
As the murmurs in the classroom settled, Evelyn tapped her fingers lightly on the podium, signaling for silence.
Then, in her calm yet commanding voice, she continued—
"The Second Rank—Margaret Windsor."
There was no surprise in the room.
Everyone expected Margaret Windsor, the Cold Empress, to be near the top.
But the moment her name was called, Lyrium could practically feel the temperature drop from across the room.
His eyes shifted slightly to his side, where Margaret sat near the window, her icy blue gaze piercing through him like a frozen dagger.
Her fists were clenched tightly, and her nails dug into her palm.
It wasn’t the kind of reaction one would expect from someone ranked second out of an entire first-year class.
No, it wasn’t disappointment.
It was pure, seething anger.
Lyrium didn’t need to guess why.
Margaret Windsor wasn’t just any noble.
She was a prideful perfectionist, a woman who detested the idea of being beneath anyone.
The fact that she had been placed below him—someone she likely considered unworthy—was beyond humiliating.
Still, despite the visible fury in her posture, she did not utter a single word.
She simply stared at Lyrium, unblinking, unyielding.
’She’s going to be a problem later, isn’t she?’
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Lyrium exhaled through his nose, choosing to ignore her piercing glare.
But before he could dwell on it any further—
"The Third Rank—Silas."
This time, there was a noticeable shift in the room.
Unlike with Lyrium, everyone expected Silas to be this high in the rankings.
Some students visibly frowned. A few even whispered—
"I kind of expected him from the Obelisk trial even though that Silas guy didn’t talk much"
"I thought he wasn’t taking this seriously…"
But Silas himself?
He didn’t even react.
His red hair slightly covered his face as he remained seated, arms crossed, gaze distant.
There was no pride, no surprise, no annoyance—just indifference.
But Lyrium, who was seated nearby, caught something small.
A flicker.
A subtle glint in Silas’ emerald eyes, there for only a moment before disappearing.
’Ah. So he’s not as indifferent as he looks.’
He wasn’t jealous. He wasn’t angry.
He was… watching.
Calculating.
Waiting.
Silas had his own plans, Lyrium realized.
But before he could analyze it further—
"The Fourth Rank—Ren Sullivan."
The moment Ren’s name was called, the entire mood shifted.
"Huh?! Fourth?! Me?!"
Ren jerked up from his seat, pointing at himself in disbelief.
His long red ponytail swung wildly from the sudden movement.
There was a brief silence—
And then—
"HAHAHAHA! No way! I actually made it?! This is sick!"
His booming laughter filled the entire room, shattering the tense atmosphere in an instant.
Some students chuckled, others rolled their eyes, and Lyrium?
He just sighed.
’This guy is completely unserious.’
Ren was a strong fighter, no doubt.
But unlike Margaret or Silas, he didn’t seem to have any grand ambitions.
Instead of seeing rank as a status symbol, he treated it like a fun achievement.
Still, despite how carefree he was acting, Lyrium knew something.
Ren wasn’t a fool.
He could be loud, reckless, and chaotic, but at the end of the day—he was still strong.
He wouldn’t have made it to fourth place otherwise.
"And—"
Evelyn’s voice cut through Ren’s laughter.
"The Fifth Rank—Lily Broom."
At this, Lily, who had been sitting beside Silas, didn’t react much.
No wide eyes, no shock, no complaint.
She simply nodded.
But Lyrium was watching her closely—and he saw it.
The way her fingers slightly curled, the way her eyes narrowed just a fraction.
She wasn’t satisfied.
For someone like Lily, being Fifth Rank wasn’t enough.
She didn’t voice it, didn’t complain, but he could tell.
She was already thinking.
Already planning.
Already figuring out how to climb even higher.
With that, the top five rankings had finally been revealed.
But the air in the room remained heavy.
Jealousy.
Frustration.
Tension.
And most importantly—
Rivalry.
"And finnaly—"
"Melissa Constatain."
The moment Evelyn called out that name, Lyrium’s eyes widened slightly.
That name—
That name wasn’t just any ordinary name.
Melissa Constatain.
One of the key characters from Path of the Elemental Sage.
A character he had admired, a character who had fascinated him, a character who—
"Oi, Lyrium, you good?"
Ren’s whispered voice snapped him out of his daze.
Lyrium blinked, realizing he had been staring a little too long.
He quickly shifted his gaze toward the girl who had just been called.
And there she was—
Melissa Constatain, sitting calmly a few rows ahead, her expression calm and composed, as if the ranking announcement didn’t concern her at all.
She had the same features he remembered from the novel.
Soft white hair cascading in delicate waves down her back.
Eyes, sharp yet holding a certain distant warmth.
Her elegant posture, completely unfazed by the murmurs around her.
She was the definition of grace under pressure.
But there was one thing Lyrium wasn’t expecting.
She was ranked Sixth.
Not first.
Not second.
Sixth.
That… wasn’t right.
In Path of the Elemental Sage, Melissa Constatain was supposed to be one of the strongest prodigies of the first year.
So why was she only Sixth?
Did something change?
"Oh right I steal the 1st rank.."
Lyrium’s fingers slightly tightened around the edge of his desk.
Even though the way she was acting was slightly different.
This was different.
This was new.
This personality was not part of the original story.
But instead of feeling worried, instead of feeling confused—
A smirk played at the edge of his lips.
’Interesting.’
.
.
.
.
"Rank 20."
Evelyn’s voice rang through the classroom, marking the final name on the ranking list.
A brief silence followed, as if every student needed a moment to process the weight of their placement.
Some students let out sighs of relief, their nerves settling now that the announcement was over.
Others gritted their teeth, clearly unsatisfied with their rank.
Some sat stone-faced, either uncaring or already strategizing their next move.
Among them, one particular girl near the window clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms as she clicked her tongue in irritation.
Margaret Windsor.
Her gray eyes were locked onto one person.
Lyrium Blackwood.
Her glare carried the intensity of a raging storm, but the boy in question?
He didn’t even spare her a glance.
Instead—
He was focused on something else entirely.
Evelyn, still standing at the front of the class, let the silence linger before speaking again.
"Now then—"
She began, her voice sharp, clear.
"As the ranks have been revealed, a new event is about to begin."
At those words, the classroom erupted into whispers.
"An event?"
"Already?"
"Wait, what does she mean?"
Even Silas, who had been leaning lazily against his desk, finally sat up straight, his brows furrowed.
But amidst the confusion, one person was smiling.
Lyrium.
His fingers tapped against his desk rhythmically, his red eyes shining with anticipation.
’This is it.’
The moment he had been waiting for.
The turning point.
Then—
Evelyn’s next words sent a shockwave through the class.
"All of you, follow me to the Full-Dive Virtual Reality Room."
The room fell into a stunned silence.
Then—
Chaos.
"Wait, did she just say Full-Dive VR?"
"Are we doing practical combat already?"
"This soon after the rankings?"
"Damn, we just got here! At least let us prepare!"
The entire class burst into murmurs, eyes wide with confusion, excitement, or apprehension.
But Lyrium?
His smirk only grew wider.
Because he knew exactly what this meant.
The Second Arc of Path of the Elemental Sage was beginning.
And unlike the others—
He was ready for it.
*****