Reason to be Leader
1785 Words
Once the assembly was over, it was back to class for us students. As we dispersed from the auditorium, many of our upperclassmen sent us of Class F quite the hated looks- no doubt because our class got placed in second right at the start- while our fellow first-years simply refused to look at us in the eye. Those who did only sent us disgusted sneers, now that they knew we were not ones to be messed with.
As soon as we returned to our classroom for the first time in days, Terranium had yet to arrive, so we pretty much spent the time talking. What about? Well...
"Ha ha ha! I still can't get those looks out of my head!" Taurus laughed. "I mean, yeah, we were pretty shocked, too, but those guys?! Speechless! Priceless! A treasured memory, if anything else!"
"I'm surprised you can laugh that off, since we all came close to having to write a death sentence when they accused us of cheating," Azalea reminded.
"True, but you got to admit, it was nice to see those idiots' expressions after learning that we are among the top of our generation," Leroy stated, in which Taurus agreed to, as he wrapped an arm around his neck.
"Right? Right?!"
"Better than pranking those guys, that's for sure. In fact, I bet my pranks in the future will have a way better impact than ever. Especially towards those who most especially mocked me for my magic. Hehehe~ Wonder what sort of tricks I should use on them~" Felix chuckled, his face practically screaming that he was already coming up with some devious ideas.
"I admit, I thought just beating our peers during the exam was satisfying enough, but seeing those shocked, grim expressions on their faces? Those were a whole lot better."
"Even Kyle thinks so... Human or crossbreed, even if half, is that how a noble should be thinking?" Belle questioned.
"That's probably just how men are," Dora could only say.
"I'm willing to believe that," Hailey agreed.
"Hey, how about we have another party after this? This time to celebrate making those nobles regret mocking us," Sheera suggested, as though to prove the part-time librarian wrong.
"Huh?"
"Oh! Good idea!" Bruce concurred.
"I sure don't mind having another feast like the other night," Flora stated.
"Isn't that too soon? We can't use our budget for it, can we?" Shaun asked.
"True, but you forget, some of us here are nobles. With allowances at that. We can pitch in for the feast this time," Dylan pointed out with a light yawn.
"Are you serious?" Lilith questioned. Not that the sleepy nobleman may be one of those young nobles with some money saved up to use for the planned party, but that she and several others were all in for having another feast for something so trivial.
"If we are to have a grand feast, I insist we have one that is more fitting for my Lily's palate," Ethan said. "That being said, I propose booking a restaurant for tonight. Surely there is enough budget to cover for that in addition to remodeling the classroom."
All my female, human classmates looked to each other at the proposal, if one can call it that, before shaking their heads with a sigh. Not that I blame them. Sure, I was just as happy that our class was ranked second in our generation, that we proved more of those arrogant nobles wrong about us, but I wouldn't call for a celebration over it. Besides, our current rank was just that; 'current'. As the headmaster said, our placing may change based on our actions and the actions of our peers. If we want to stay at our current place, we can't afford to be so relaxed, nor should we do as those other nobles did and be arrogant. While I may have only trained them for the mock exam- as I had promised some of my classmates- as their trainer, I may have to be strict with them from this point on in our training. That is... assuming if they want to keep having them with me. Although, now that I think about it...
“Lady Levi, you’ve been quite silent. Is something on your mind?” Mindy asked, snapping me out of my thoughts, and bringing everyone’s attention to me.
“You know, she actually has a point, class rep. After taking all that time to train us, we would’ve thought you would be the most excited with what happened back there,” Tem stated.
“Yeah, why so silent?” Austin asked.
I could only let out a small sigh at the questions, thinking back to the assembly. Particularly one certain event at the time.
“Isn’t it obvious? Although I'm happy we actually got ranked high in our generation… I can’t believe you guys chose me to be the class representative. Wouldn’t it normally be our highest-ranking noble who would represent us?” I questioned.
This was not based on personal opinion; during the rest of the assembly, when the rest of the first-year classes were called up, I noticed each one chose the highest-ranking individual amongst them as their representative. Even Class C- who got ranked in the sixth and last place- chose their representative in that matter.
“While you’re not wrong about that, you seem to have overlooked several things,” Lilith spoke then. “To start, although Kyle’s father is a viscount, this half-crossbreed classmate of ours is very loyal to you, in case if you haven’t noticed it.”
“She’s not wrong,” the heir to the Icewink family confirmed. “After what you did for me, commoner or not, I as a crossbreed owe you my life. Even if you tell me to strip myself of my name and rights, I would gladly do that for you.”
“Okay, I’m stopping you right there,” I hastily said. “For one thing, I only did what any sane person would do in that situation-“
“Yeah, no you didn’t,” Lilith interrupted.
“You most certainly did not,” Ethan followed.
“I may not be there at the time, but even I know you must not have done what any sane person would,” Mindy followed after, surprising me with these agreements.
Then again… if I were to think back on it, I suppose even in a world of fantasy, no person would go as far as I had to help someone.
“Even if that is true, it does not change that you were the one who saw me as a person. Not by my race nor by my blood, but me, myself, and I,” Kyle said then. He then took a knee before me, increasing my surprise. “This may be my crossbreed half talking, but I owe you my life that day you reached out to me. As such, I swear on my name, I, Kyle Icewink, will be your loyal follower, and gladly aide you in anything and everything you wish for."
Silence filled the room, as my eyes widened at his words, words that I slowly processed in my head. And my response to it all?
"... HUH?! W-Wait a second, you swear on your name?! Loyal follower?! I don't need any of that!" I exclaimed in a panic. "For one thing, regardless of everything else, I'm just a Water Mage commoner, and you're a viscount's son! It won't be more than just strange for you to be my follower, what if people talk about it and word reaches your family?"
"Screw those shitheads," he instantly replied, to my great shock, especially as this was a noble saying those words.
"So blunt!"
"Those people are not my family to begin with. My only family was my kind mother, who died from the greed of my bastard father's crude wife. Any bond I once had with the servants of that place was lost the moment I was forced to be heir of that family. As such, should any problem arise from that household, I assure you, Lady Levi, I will do my utmost to stop them myself. Even if they demand me to return and attempt to lock me up, I promise you, I will not submit to whatever pain they will have in store for me then."
I was just speechless at the promise. In my previous life, I had heard how deep an animal's loyalty can be towards people, but to see that in display here, even if it was from an animal who was also part human... More so, I am just as aware how deep a follower's loyalty can get from books and shows I have seen, but to have one myself? That was an entirely different matter; how the heck should I handle this?!
"Well, there you have it," Dora said then. "Of course, that is just one reason. Remind me who it was that brought all of us together?"
"And who was it who helped us learn how our magic works?" Philia followed, gesturing to herself and Bruce.
"Not to mention gave us ideas about using our own magic," Leroy added on.
"To sum up, this class reached our second ranked spot because of you. If you ask me, denying you of the reward you earned would make us just as bad as those other nobles," Lilith bluntly stated.
"As much as I rather it be Lily who leads us, it is as she say. You have already done so much for us the past few days, and even more during the exam. If you are not to be made leader after all that, then who will?" Ethan questioned.
"Besides, even if you didn't achieve much of anything at all, last I heard, Class F always choose a commoner to represent them. Might as well go along with the tradition," Dylan abruptly added on.
"Even more so, when it is because of this commoner that we got our current rank," Taurus added to that.
"In short, there is no one more fitting to lead this class than Lady Levi!" Mindy exclaimed, with the commoners all nodding in agreement.
I didn't know how to take in any of this. It was one thing to see myself as their optional trainer during the remainder of our time here, but being their representative was an entirely different matter. Still... Thinking about it now, this could also be another good way to prove to that... 'that household' that I am not as weak as they believe me to be.
"Well, don't you kids know how to get along."
- Writer
