'Zack?' Zaroth was surprised—not only because a noble had gone out of his way to talk to him, but also because he had introduced himself as 'Zack.'
'Considering he's a noble, I would think his name would be something longer, like Zackariah Maximilian Theodore Augustus Montgomery Cunningham Worthington IV The Great. No… considering the expensive watch on his hand, his name should be even longer!'
With a confused look on his face, Zaroth returned the handshake.
"Oh, are you surprised about my name? I do have a long name, but unlike the other nobles, I don't enjoy wasting everyone's time by saying it every single time I want to introduce myself."
Zack smile before adding, "So, I just go by Zack."
"I see... my name is Zaroth."
"That's a nice name. I just wanted us to get familiar with each other. Oh, and also, thank you for putting that noble in his place earlier, he really got on my nerves," Zack said as he released his hand.
"No need to thank me. I just defended my honor, that's all there was to it." Despite his words, Zaroth's thoughts were completely different: 'Honor? Who gives a crap about that! It just felt good humiliating the rich!'
"If you don't have plans, what do you say we walk to the room where our next lecture will take place together?" Zack asked.
Zaroth felt weird talking to a noble as if they were equals, but he didn't really have any plans. Besides, if he followed Zack, he'd find the room faster.
"Sure, lead the way," Zaroth said, trying to keep a friendly tone. It was at that moment he realized he lacked experience talking to people his age.
Zaroth, with his white hair and green, cat-like eyes, and Zack, with his raven-black hair and white eyes, made quite the unexpected pair as they walked through the academy corridors.
Zaroth wasn't sure, but he felt he was being stared at more than usual. Most of these stares weren't from men but from women. 'Are they staring at me or at him?' he wondered. 'Or maybe we just make for a weird pair.'
"I'm really glad, you know," Zack spoke, breaking Zaroth out of his thoughts.
"Glad about what?" Zaroth asked.
"Before I came here, I thought no one would have a high-tier blessing like me. Or if they did, they'd just be some arrogant rich kid… Looking at you, I'm happy my assumptions were wrong."
Zaroth couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, "A… high-tier blessing?"
Zack's eyes narrowed slightly before answering. "Oh, yeah. Considering you aren't a noble, you wouldn't know. This information isn't shared with the public. You see, unlike what the masses have been told, there exist different tiers of blessings."
Zaroth, hungry for information, didn't interrupt Zack and tried to absorb as much as he could.
"There are low-, mid-, and high-tier blessings. It depends on the god you are associated with. The higher the tier of the blessing, the more powerful your class becomes," Zack explained.
"But… why would you think I have a high-tier blessing?" Zaroth asked curiously.
"Because my class and god's blessing allow me to see it," Zack said, stopping and pointing at one of his white eyes.
Strangely, now that Zaroth was able to take a closer look, Zack's gaze was almost unsettling, as if he could peer into Zaroth's very soul without issue.
"Apart from me and Elysia, the chairwoman, I thought no one else was gifted with such strength until…" He shifted his gaze to Zaroth with a smile. "I met you. Now I see how a commoner could enter the academy as an A-class student, no less!"
Zaroth had learned valuable information. Now he knew not only that he had a high-tier blessing but also that Elysia and Zack possessed one as well.
But the ability to obtain that kind of information just by looking at someone? Zaroth couldn't hold back his curiosity.
"To be able to see so much... What is your class and god's blessing?" Zaroth asked.
Zack's eyes narrowed slightly, and his smile disappeared. "I can't blame you for asking, since you're not a noble, but asking someone to disclose that information is very disrespectful. Knowing it would allow you to guess their weaknesses."
This was news to Zaroth. 'So I guess I have to conceal that I'm a beast tamer, huh?'
"Oh, I guess we've arrived," Zack said, stopping in front of a door.
'What? How did we get here so fast?' Zaroth wondered. Activating his bracelet, which also included a time-telling function, he saw the time was 9:44—one minute before the lecture was set to start.
'Did time speed up or something?' he wondered.
"Hey, what do you say we grab lunch later?" Zack asked, entering the room.
"Sure, why not," Zaroth responded.
"Sweet," Zack said as he went to the front to take a seat, while Zaroth found a spot near the back.
'Zaroth… I can't believe it!' Luna's voice resonated in his mind as he sat down, startling him for a moment.
'What? Is something the matter?'
'Yes! You, of all people, managed to make a friend!'
*****
The class passed without much trouble. The main topic of discussion was the 'system' that they sometimes heard in their heads. The class was taught by an old woman in her 60s.
In short, the system responded only when a person gained their blessing, used it in a unique way, or when the gods decided to communicate directly with an individual.
The stronger a person was, the more often they could theoretically interact with the system.
The woman also tried to explain how to use mana to cast spells, but it seemed Zaroth didn't have much luck in that regard.
When the next lesson began—the Physical Body Training class—Zaroth found himself outside the academy on the training field. The A-class students had formed four lines, and somehow, Zaroth ended up at the front, with Zack on his right.
In front of them stood a man with a large build who appeared to be in his mid-40s. He had a large scar over his left eye. Today, there weren't any clouds in the sky, so the bald man's head shone, reflecting the rays of the sun and illuminating the surrounding area.
"Maggots!" the man shouted, pacing back and forth. "Even if you are A-class, here you are nothing! Today, you will witness what truly hard training is!"
He extended his arm and pointed to the running field. "This running field has a 500-meter circumference. I want you to quickly warm up before we start our main training regime!"
A menacing smile appeared on his face. "Let's see… since it's your first day, I suppose I should go easy on you. Make fifty laps around the running field!"