A young woman woke up to the sound of the alarm in the morning, announcing her first day at the academy.
She sighed as she sat up on the bed.
"Ah… it really is morning."
She washed her face and began getting ready. Before leaving her apartment, she stopped in front of a small desk.
On it was a photograph of a man who looked very much like her, and beside it, a necklace placed carefully.
She looked at the picture with a faint smile.
"See you later, Dad… I'm going."
She left her apartment to find an old woman standing by the door, holding a simple plate.
"Here you go, your breakfast, Rafi."
"Thank you."
---
Elsewhere, a boy was sitting at a modest breakfast table, beside a blond-haired man.
They seemed to be enjoying their meal.
"Eat your breakfast well, Rain."
"I don't need you to tell me. That's what I'm doing already."
Harry chuckled lightly, then a serious expression appeared on his face.
"Rain."
He hesitated slightly.
"W-what?"
"You know today is your first day at the academy, right?"
"Yes."
"It might be difficult for you… you'll meet unpleasant people, some of them from wealthy families."
"I know."
"That's why you need to be careful with how you react. One single mistake could ruin your life. Understood?"
Rain was silent for a moment.
"What should I do if they bother me?"
"Ignore them. Let them say whatever they want. Eventually, they'll get bored and leave."
From the beginning, Rain had expected trouble, and his hesitation was obvious…
And as he thought, he wasn't wrong.
"Alright, thank you, Harry. I have to go to the opening ceremony."
"Be careful, Rain."
He left the old student housing, heading toward the academy, his excitement mixed with anxiety.
He passed many shops and saw various things, and noticed groups of students walking with their friends.
He felt something strange… maybe envy?
"It's fine. I'll be okay without friends."
Suddenly, his mind wandered, and he tripped and fell to the ground.
Two young men who looked like members of the upper class turned toward him; one tall with dark blue hair, the other with green hair.
They burst out laughing.
Anger flared in Rain's chest, but he remembered Harry's words.
He gathered his belongings and walked away without saying anything.
He felt relieved once he had moved away…
But he soon stopped.
He saw a girl fallen on the ground, her papers scattered, with two other young men standing in front of her, mocking her.
He came a little closer and noticed one of them holding a necklace in his hand.
"Please… give it back to me."
"What? I didn't hear you."
Rain kept walking.
"It doesn't matter… I don't know her."
But was that really the right thing to do?
Before he could walk away, he heard his own voice come out unconsciously:
"Hey! Why are you bothering her? Leave her alone!"
They turned toward him mockingly.
"Looks like insects have started talking."
"Go away. This has nothing to do with you."
Rain's anger intensified, and he was on the verge of losing control…
But a sharp voice cut through the situation.
"How curious… what do we have here? Two noble gentlemen harassing a helpless girl?"
It was a tall woman with white hair and purple eyes, filled with anger.
"N-Nadiko-sensei!"
"What are you doing to this girl?"
One of them stammered, then said:
"We're… saving her from this boy who's stealing her belongings!"
He pointed at Rain with an insolent smile.
"You! To my office, now!"
Rain froze.
"But—"
"No buts."
He felt that his academic life had ended before it even began…
Until a weak voice was heard.
"They're lying."
Then a loud cry:
"They're lying!"
They threw the necklace onto the ground and ran away.
Rain picked it up; it looked valuable.
"Here you go."
The girl took it and hugged it with clear happiness.
When Rain lifted his head and saw her face… he felt something familiar.
She raised her head and looked at him in surprise.
"You!"
Her face reddened with embarrassment.
"Ah… you're the one who was jogging that day!"
"And you're the one who was sitting alone like an idiot."
A short silence fell between them, weighed down by the gazes of the surrounding students.
Rain lowered his eyes slightly, as if regretting his words.
"I didn't mean—"
She interrupted him with a shy smile.
"It's okay… I'm used to it."
She stood up quickly, gathering her papers, then suddenly stopped.
"My name is Rafi."
"Rain."
She hesitated for a moment before lifting her gaze toward him again.
"Thank you… if you hadn't stepped in, I don't know what would've happened."
He wanted to say that he almost ran away, that his courage wasn't real—but the words failed him.
So he simply nodded.
From afar, Nadiko-sensei was watching them with a long gaze, as if reading something deeper than the situation itself.
She approached with calm steps.
"You're late for the opening ceremony."
Then she looked directly at Rain.
"Especially you."
He froze for a moment.
"Yes… Sensei."
She turned and walked away without waiting, forcing the two of them to follow.
The path to the academy plaza was wide, filled with noise, flags, and new students.
Rafi walked in silence, gripping her necklace tightly, as if afraid it might disappear.
Rain noticed.
"It seems important to you."
She paused briefly, then said:
"It belonged to my father."
The word echoed in his mind… father.
He remembered the photo of her father placed carefully on her desk.
Before he could ask, a deep voice echoed across the plaza.
"Welcome to the academy."
The headmaster stood on the platform and began speaking about honor, strength, and the future—until he reached the important part.
The headmaster raised his hand again, and the applause stopped immediately.
"There is something else you must know from the beginning."
The students exchanged glances.
"In this academy… we are not equal."
A tense silence spread.
"You will be classified based on your performance, your decisions, and your ability to survive." Then he continued clearly, "Three levels."
A massive board appeared behind him, divided into three colors.
"The Golden Students." The golden color shone under the sunlight.
"The elite of the academy. Those who prove excellence in strength, discipline, and leadership." He paused briefly.
"Special privileges, direct training, and priority in unlocking seals."
Sharp whispers spread through the crowd.
"The Silver Students."
"The majority. They have talent, but haven't yet reached their full potential."
"Here… your fates are decided."
Then his voice lowered slightly.
"And the Bronze Students." The bronze color darkened on the board.
"Those who failed to prove themselves." He hesitated before continuing.
"Fewer resources… fewer opportunities… and their mistakes are unforgivable."
Rain felt his chest tighten. Bronze…
The name alone was enough.
"This ranking is not fixed," the headmaster said, looking directly at the back rows.
"You can rise… or fall."
Then he added coldly:
"And in some cases… expulsion."
Rafi trembled slightly, tightening her grip on the necklace unconsciously.
"Starting today, every step, every confrontation, every decision…"
The headmaster smiled a faint, harsh smile.
"Will be counted."
The speech ended, but the weight of his words remained hanging in the air.
Rain lowered his head. Gold… Silver… Bronze…
And me?
Among the crowd, many eyes had already begun choosing their targets.
As for Nadiko-sensei, she looked at Rain once more and thought to herself:
"He won't stay at the bottom for long… or he'll be crushed."