I opened my terminal interface as soon as I reached the dorms and saw my ranking: 20th. Ecstatic didn't even begin to cover it. A neat breakdown of my scores glowed on the screen:
Written Assessment: 100
Physical Assessment: 75
Overall: 87.5
The physical score came with a clear rubric:
Maintain an average speed of ≥ 45 km/h for two hours: +15
Achieve an average speed ≥ 55 km/h: +10
Acquire Mana Circulation: +15
Acquire Mana Control: +10
Gain either a hand-to-hand combat skill or Basic Weapon Mastery: +15
Gain both: +10
Defeat the mana doll in under 5 minutes: +10
Under 3 minutes: +5
Under 2 minutes: +10
Under 1 minute: +15
I'd cleared most, but not all, of those marks.
Moments later, Miles and Douglas burst in, terminals already checked as I could see the smiles on their faces.
Miles' grin was uncontainable. "Physical: 85. Written: 89. Overall: 87. Rank—twenty-first. Right behind you, Will!"
Douglas exhaled through his nose, less flashy but no less proud. "Physical: 80. Written: 80. Overall: 80. Rank thirty-two. Respectable enough."
We slapped high-fives, the tension from the past weeks dissolving in laughter. Passing was victory enough.
The top-ten results scrolled across our terminals next.
Overall: 99.5 down to 94
Written: 100 down to 97
Physical: 100 down to 95
I'd topped the written exam with a perfect score, but without breaking into the physical elite, I didn't even sniff the top ten. That list was dominated by the students who'd completed their assessments in the first two weeks—those with raw talent, early mastery, or family-backed training.
Miles whistled low. "Ninety-nine point five? What do you even have to do to lose half a point?"
"Probably sneeze during meditation," I muttered, earning a laugh.
Douglas leaned back, arms crossed, clearly analyzing. "Still, twentieth, twenty-first, thirty-second. Not a bad spread. We're all climbing."
By midday, notices hit our terminals: pack our belongings and prepare to move into new rooms according to rank. We gathered our things, paused for a quiet moment in the old triple room, and then marched off to the dining hall for what we called our "rank-upgrade lunch."
By 2:45 PM, I split from the others and made my way to the library. The first-floor lobby was quiet, sunlight filtering through tall windows. No Lina in sight. I pulled up my terminal, halfway through drafting a message, when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.
I turned. Lina Marcus stood there, her robes carrying the faintest trace of sandalwood incense. Her expression was shy but steady.
"You came," she said, almost relieved.
"Of course," I replied. "You're the one who offered."
She gave a small nod and led me toward what looked like an ordinary wall. At the return terminal, she swiped a special assistant's card, and with a soft click, a hidden door slid open.
Inside was a snug, bright office crammed with returned books. Stacks rose in neat, color-coded piles. That same sandalwood scent drifted through the air, strangely grounding.
"William," Lina said, her tone shifting into something almost formal. "These are the books that have been returned. As a library assistant, your duties are twofold:
1. Inspect each book's condition and log it in the system.
2. Reshelve returned books.
We also catalog new arrivals, but that only happens every two years."
She pointed to three baskets lined up along a counter:
"Green for first-year books, ground floor.
Blue for second-year, middle floor.
Red for third-year, top floor."
I nodded, taking it all in.
"This card," she continued, pressing a new ID into my hand, "grants you access to this office and the elevator to every floor. I'll need you three times a week—at least one day apart—so there are always new returns to process."
Then she gave the smallest of smiles.
"Today will be counted as your first day. That means only two more visits this week."
I slid the card into my pocket, meeting her eyes. "Thank you. I won't waste this."
"Good," she said softly, then looked away, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
Leaving the library, I felt lighter. Rank twentieth. Bookworm. And now, a library assistant with access beyond the first floor.
Another step forward.