I am Just an Average Tamer

Then Professor Lysenna straightened her back, cracking her knuckles before resting her hands on the podium.

"Well, there are a few things you should know," she said, voice sharp.

"Listen carefully. I'm not repeating myself. If something slips past your ears, go read the damn books. Don't come crying to me."

Some students shuffled uncomfortably in their seats.

She continued without mercy.

"You 50 are the students of Class 1A. Just like you, the top 200 students are divided by rank. 1B gets the next 50, from rank 51 to 100, and so on. I'm sure you can run your brains and figure out the rest. If not, may the abyss take you early."

A few chuckles and nervous gulps followed.

"Oh, and one more thing, your class can and will change based on your rank. Every semester, your positions will be re-evaluated. Only the ones at the top will get special treatment. Those who slack off?" Her eyes narrowed. "They'll just eat dirt."

The air in the room thickened a little, a silent pressure creeping into everyone's chest.

Then she grew a little more serious. Her smirk faded just slightly.

"I'm sure you already know that the Academy uses its own currency system, Credits. From the canteen, to training halls, to custom weapons, to library access, even potion ingredients. All of it costs Credits."

She let that sink in, then her smirk returned.

"But I'm also sure some of you spent the whole week slacking off, and still have no clue how to earn those Credits."

Several students flinched, lips twitching as they looked away guiltily.

At the back, Kai sighed deeply, resting his cheek on his palm.

'I wanna sleep…'

His gaze drifted toward the window, distant and blank.

[<Show some respect to your mentor. Where are your manners? Don't make this grandpa ashamed.>]

'Shut the fuck up, will ya?' he snapped back inwardly.

Before he could fully doze off, Lysenna's voice snapped him back to the present.

"Here's the deal," she said flatly, eyes sweeping the room.

"Your monthly allowance depends on your rank. Top 10 get 3000 Cr. Top 20 get 2000 Cr. Top 50 get 1500 Cr. Top 100 get 1000 Cr. Top 200 get 700 Cr. Top 500 get 500 Cr. And those below that? 300 Cr."

Gasps echoed throughout the classroom.

Kai blinked.

'Damn… Only 300? That's rough.'

He quickly did the math in his head.

'Cheapest meal in the canteen is 4 Cr. Multiply that by 3 meals a day, that's 12 Cr a day… which makes it about 360 Cr a month…'

He groaned.

'You literally can't even afford to eat three times a day with the lowest allowance.'

Lysenna didn't give them time to process before she continued.

"Also, your Ace will receive an additional monthly compensation of 2000 Cr at minimum. That's just the base amount. They can earn more based on their performance, achievements, and overall recognition."

A wave of shock rolled through the class. Murmurs broke out again.

"Now that's what being at the top gets you," she said, grinning. "It's not just a title. It's power, privilege, and freedom."

Lysenna leaned forward again, voice dropping slightly in tone.

"And don't whine about not being in the top, you can still earn Credits by doing academy missions, helping staff with tasks, or doing chores for other students. Whatever gets you paid."

She gave a low, wicked chuckle.

"There's no charity here. Welcome to the real world, kiddies."

A few students exchanged nervous glances, murmuring under their breath.

Then, one girl hesitantly raised her hand, fingers trembling.

Lysenna turned to her with a slow, smiling stare that could freeze fire.

The girl flinched and quickly lowered her hand, shrinking into her seat like she regretted being born.

Lysenna cleared her throat and continued.

"Well, that's enough for the basics. I hope you all got the point."

As if on cue, the bell rang, marking the end of the lecture.

She looked around one last time, her voice turning deceptively gentle.

"Oh, and make sure to pass this on to those who bunked today."

She smiled sweetly, but her eyes weren't smiling at all.

"Since it's your first day and I'm in a good mood, I'll let it slide. But if they—or you—do it again…"

A pause.

"You can always try again in next year's entrance trials."

With that, she turned and walked toward the exit.

But right before stepping out the door, she glanced back and gave Kai a soft smile.

His eyes twitched.

'The hell was that about?'

She left.

And the entire classroom collectively exhaled, like someone had lifted a mountain off their lungs.

"Damn, man… she's scary," one student muttered, loosening his collar.

"Yeah, seriously. I didn't know someone that beautiful could be so… terrifying."

"I thought mentors were supposed to guide us, not traumatize us," another said, half-joking, half-scared.

"She blinked at me once and I thought I was about to be expelled," someone else whispered.

Meanwhile, Liliana stretched her arms over her head, letting out a soft sigh.

"I think she's got a kink for scaring poor souls," she said dryly.

Kai gave a slow nod, but his focus was somewhere else.

'Why did she smile at me?'

He narrowed his eyes, confused. No matter how much he turned it over in his head, it just didn't make sense.

She hadn't smiled at anyone else.

'Then why me?'

He wasn't a noble or genius born in once in millennia.

Beside him, Liliana stood up and dusted off her skirt.

"Hey," she said casually. "Wanna eat together?"

Kai blinked out of his thoughts, then shrugged.

"Sure."

They walked side by side, slipping out of the classroom with the rest of the students dispersing behind them.

There weren't many more classes scheduled for the day, just one in the afternoon. Until then, they were free.

As they walked down the hallway, heading toward the academy's canteen, two familiar faces joined them.

Aria walked with her usual composed grace, while Riven strode up casually, throwing an arm around Kai's shoulder like he'd done it a hundred times before.

"Yo, my favorite brother," Riven grinned. "Already got yourself a harem, huh?"

Aria and Liliana gave him a side-eye glare.

Kai glared at him but didn't shrug off.

"Don't push it."

The girls struck up a light conversation, mostly about the lecture and how terrifying Lysenna had been.

Soon, the four of them found a table tucked into the corner of the large dining hall. It was quieter here, away from the bulk of noisy first-years trying to get a feel for the academy's canteen system.

"I'm just getting the basic meal," Kai said. "Not gonna burn through my Cr. on day one."

"Same," Aria nodded. "No point splurging when we don't know the full system yet."

Everyone agreed and settled for the standard meal set, rice, some nutrient-packed vegetables, and a small cup of fruit juice.

While they waited for the food to arrive, Aria turned to Liliana with a curious look.

"Hey… mind if I ask how much allowance you're getting?"

Liliana tilted her head, then smiled.

"Ah, that. Students who entered through recommendation—like me—are treated the same as the top ten… at least until the first semester ends."

Kai's brow lifted slightly.

"Seriously?"

She nodded. "Yup. 3000 Cr. monthly."

"Damn," Riven muttered, leaning back. "So they're giving VIP treatment to you guys straight up."

"It's temporary," Liliana said with a shrug. "If we don't perform, they'll kick us down to the bottom tiers just like anyone else."

Aria gave a soft hum of understanding.

Just then, their food arrived.

Everyone dug in.

The taste wasn't that bad.

Kai silently ate, his eyes flicking to each of them in turn.

Aria ate calmly, chewing with elegance.

Liliana talked between bites, animated and carefree.

Riven, meanwhile, devoured his food like he'd been starving for days.

Despite the casual air, Kai's thoughts still lingered on Lysenna's odd behavior. That smile. The way her gaze had locked onto him just a second too long.

'I'll figure it out later,' he thought, stuffing a bite of meat into his mouth.

After finishing their meals, the group left the canteen and stepped out into the soft warmth of the academy courtyard.

The sky was a clear blue canvas.

They walked together for a while, chatting lightly until Aria suddenly turned to Riven.

"Come. I want to show you something."

Riven blinked. "Huh? What is it?"

"You'll see."

Without waiting for his answer, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him away, her steps brisk and unyielding.

Riven shot a confused glance at Kai, but didn't resist.

Kai just shrugged.

That left him and Liliana.

"Well," Liliana said with a light stretch, "I'm gonna head back and maybe take a short nap. Want to come?"

"Yeah. I'll head that way," Kai replied, and the two of them walked off toward the dorms.

As they neared the boys' quarters, Liliana waved.

"Alright then. See ya later."

"Mm."

She turned and disappeared around the curve of the path, while Kai slowed his steps.

'Should I check out the missions? …Nah, later. For now… let's see what this is about.'

He stepped up to the metal sliding door.

His personal training room.

One provided for top ranked students.

He placed his ID card on the bulged artifact, that was at the side.

Then.

A soft chime rang out, and the door clicked open.