Chapter 22: Demoted to the Lower-rank Class
The door slid open with a soft mechanical hiss.
Beyond it was a classroom with tiered seating curved in a wide crescent around a raised instructor’s platform. Each seat was fitted with its own holographic display and a small nameplate with rank seals. Gold for S-ranks and silver for A-ranks.
The students inside were engaged in conversation, laughter, and playful banter, picturing a perfect, harmonious, and effortless elegance that came from being one of the elite.
This was also Aisha Novalis’s classroom.
Although she was a D-rank guide, her academic scores were high enough for the Imperial Star Academy to consider her sitting with their elite students. And with her constantly being ranked in the top ten of the school’s academic exams, she certainly deserved it.
Until now, apparently.
Irene’s eyes widened with a tight-lipped, apologetic smile. She said, "Sister, I’m so sorry. I completely forgot to tell you. What was I thinking? I just... I just assumed you’d still be assigned here. How could I be so careless to forget? You will forgive me, right?"
Her voice wasn’t said loudly, but because of their sudden appearance, many of the students who were engaged in conversation couldn’t stop themselves looking over. Especially when they saw it was Irene who had arrived, their attention immediately zeroed in on her.
Whatever Irene wanted by performing like this, it worked exactly as she intended.
The unfriendly gazes of the students quickly landed on Aisha.
"Is that Aisha?"
"What the hell does she think she’s doing here?"
"I heard she got into an accident."
"She must be crazy. And it wasn’t an accident. She did it to herself."
"That’s why I’m always against her being in our class. A D-rank guide like her shouldn’t even qualify to stay in this class."
A boy near the front, wearing a black uniform with silver and gold threads, laughed loudly enough that everyone in the classroom could hear him. The insignia on his chest clearly displayed his rank—A-rank sentinel.
A ripple of discussion was followed by jabs at Aisha and mocking her. Their smirks turned even more sinister as they couldn’t help themselves.
Before Aisha awakened her guide ability, she always looked down on them. Always so cold and distant, never allowing other students to approach her. The only ones who finally got to stay with her were the prince and two other guides, who also awakened with remarkably high ranks and were also top students.
Since then, everyone knew that if you wanted to get close to her, you either had to be a top academic student or a royal family member.
This rumor had spread around, and everyone believed in it. Aisha Novalis never corrected it, allowing others to accept it as a fact.
Now that she was ultimately at the bottom of everyone’s feet, they couldn’t wait to openly insult her.
Despite the words being said to her, Aisha said nothing.
She stood there, taking it all in with a detached expression she might have worn watching weather roll across a window. In her old world, the mockery had been the least of her concerns. Today, it was even less.
However, she didn’t want to bother with them.
Aisha Novalis, the owner of this body, should at least face this criticism for once.
Let them laugh at her now. Mock her. Insult her. This will be the last and only change they’ll get. She’d allow it once.
But after today, if they still think she’d accept it silently like this. That’s where they are all wrong.
A man cleared his throat, silver dusting from the roots of his dark hair. He was this morning’s subject professor. He waited for every student to calm down, and once they no longer uttered a word, he said, "We will start the class now. Irene, you should sit in your chair now."
"Yes, Professor Griffin," Irene said before turning her gaze to Aisha. "Sister, I’ll go to my class now. I actually want to bring you to your class, but the professor..."
"It’s fine. I’m sure I won’t get lost in the academy," Aisha replied calmly.
Irene’s smile paused. To be honest, she really wanted to go with Aisha. It would be wonderful to parade her in front of everyone and witness her bringing Aisha to her new classroom. But she couldn’t go against the professor.
Thinking of something, she turned to the professor and suggested, "Professor, can I go with my sister? She just got discharged from the hospital. I’m worried she might not feel well and not find her classroom."
As though she were truly concerned about her older sister’s well-being, tears even gleam in her eyes.
The professor hesitated.
"You don’t have to trouble the professor, Irene." Aisha glanced at the professor, coincidentally meeting his eyes. "I’m sure the professor doesn’t want to bother one his students to take care of a D-rank guide."
The professor was surprised by her words, but he realized it aligned with what he formerly thought. He nodded approvingly and said, "That’s right. At least you know where you stand in this school. That’s good if you know this at the start. It’s a shame you lost your ambition and went against the rules of the school, but perhaps this will serve as... motivation."
"Thank you for your words, Professor. I’ll make sure to remember it." Aisha smiled amiably at him. Just as she turned, she even thanked Irene, who forgot to blink her tears away. "Study hard, Irene. We wouldn’t want you forgetting Professor Griffin’s lecture."
Walking away from the classroom, Aisha finally removed the polite smile she had worn the entire time.
She wore an even colder and detached look on her face, one she was used to wearing in her original world. If the people from her world were to see this, they’d immediately run off elsewhere and make sure they’d stay away from her line of sight.
Those who have seen the outcome of anyone who crossed her when she was like this have paid the price for it by giving up one of their limbs.
The school was extremely wide, stretching endlessly. It was hard to get used to. Aisha stopped in the middle of a corridor, not wanting to walk aimlessly anymore.
The irritation she felt earlier calmed down.
She tapped her terminal, and a translucent screen the size of a small tablet appeared before her.
The notice from the academy was still at the top of her messages. Usually, a student who was demoted or any other notices the school has to inform them would receive a message.
Scrolling down, she noticed something other than the impending dismissal form.
Class Reassignment Notice:
Effective immediately, Miss Aisha Novalis (Registration No. 0307-D) has been reassigned from Elite Class 1-S to Class 7-D, pending a review of academic standing and disciplinary status.
Class 7-D.
Aisha frowned faintly, tapping the notice to get more information. A small map unfurled above the screen, displaying a glowing map of the school. Thanks to this, she quickly found her classroom.
To think she’d end up in this class...
Following the map, she ended up standing before a small, dome-like building. The roof and walls were all made of glass, reinforced with thick white metal that made it safe for students to take classes in. Unlike the class buildings with polished towers where the higher-ranked guides and sentinels were, it was pretty obvious this looked more like a detached warehouse.
Aisha paused at the door, drew in a breath, and pushed open—
A shadow flew toward her at the speed of light.
It came like a blur, flecks of blue and silver flashing. It was too fast for anyone to possibly dodge it.
Aisha, however, didn’t dodge it.
Her hand snapped up to catch it perfectly in her hand, stopping it from colliding with her face.
She looked at the thing in her hand. It was a strange-looking ball.
In front, a young man with one arm extended forward was staring at her with his mouth in the form of an ’O’.
"WOAH—!"
He finally uttered.