How To Survive A Calamity

All that was left is to cross my fingers.

And speaking of members...

I glanced down at my bracelet while the class went on.

Wasn't it about time our groups got assigned already?

According to Wrenna, there was a little over a week until the Exercise. We had until then to do whatever and prep, and more detials concerning the exercise would be given.

Wrenna's announcement the other day was like a small alert informing us ahead of time.

Well, excusing the annoying bits, the exercise was a good opportunity for me. For better or worse, it was worth something to be looking forward to.

"Let's call it a day at this point." The roun instructor at the from of the class said, with a hopping spring in his bloated stomach. Each step he took made it jiggle.

The instructor in charge of the Dungeon and Gates class was an average, to medium height midlle aged man with thinning blonde hair, and an interesting handle bar mustache. He had big round eyes, and plumpe cheeks.

He was high nosed, and reminded me of my middle school Principal from Earth.

"I expect you all to reflecting on what we've talked about today, for you're own good. Dismissed."

Before long, the period came to an end.

But the day wasn't over. As soon as the plump instructor's lecture was over, i made my way back homeroom class and took my seat.

Along the way, i caught sight of Ceres' figure and silently, subtly observed her back from afar.

At the same time, i recalled our last unexpected encounter at the training hall on the night of our duel.

Actually...

Nothing happened.

Ceres had just, as usual, coldly swept her gaze once over me in passing and proceeded to ignore. For the rest of her night, to her, it was like i never existed.

I on the other hand, quite frankly, was a little tensed. At that time, various thoughts raced through my mind. But Ceres had said nothing and went on with her business.

'And that was the second time too.'

That was the second time that i had run into Ceres Walker in the Training Facility.

Wasn't she the top ranker? Wasn't Ceres provided with high level, state of the art, or something, private training room inside her dorm room?n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whatever the case, if this keeps happening, i might need to start thinking of a new training spot.

For some reason, being in the same room, alone, with Cers put some silent pressure on me. Especially since the duel.

However, aside from all that, that was the extent of tge relationship between Cers Walker and I. Our interactions were limited as such.

I no longer got the strange looks and glares from her.

That was good.

Before too long, Wrenna walked into the classroom looking paler than usual. Her sharp violet eyes coldly pierced through the room.

"I'll skip over role call for the meantime because of the limited time. Let's get on to the main business, assigning a new Class Representative."

Ah, yes. It was that time of the year.

Despite the time, Wrenna had called all of us to return back here again for a particular reason; to assign a new class rep for 1-A. That said, she had already made up her mind and the outcome was more than obvious.

Wrenna placed a hand to her forehead and gave an exhausted sigh, and her eyes looked a little hazy.

"I'll apologise, this was something we should have already done ahead of time at the beginning. I believe you all know the importance of a class representative, and if you don't, I'll explain it well."

And so, the class representative election began.

"The class representative is the head of the class and wields second hand authority — the next highest authority next to the class teacher, in this case, me. In other words, my proxy. In my absence, they will don the next mantle of command and leadership, and take control of the class when necessary."

Wrenna's gaze swept through the room, then paused on Ceres at the front as her voice layered.

"It is an undeniable honour to be chosen." Wrenna's gaze paused on Ceres as she said.

'Huh?'

I perked my head up a little and glanced between the two of them. There was a strange tension, like flying sparks between the two.

Did something happen?

"And so, without further delay, you're new Class representative from now on is Cadet number 2, Deandra Lunar de'LaCurt."

"Eh?"

...what?

"What did she just say...?" I blinked my eyes as if they were my ears and darted my gaze at Deandra.

From what i heard from Adrienne, the class representative position was usually assigned to the best and strongest student of a class. In other words, the highest ranked student.

But...

"There seems to have been a mistake, ma'am..." Deandra rose up from her seat and said in a strange voice.

Ceres was the one who was picked

"No, there's no such thing. You have been chosen to be my proxy, and lead the class in my absence. And i hope you carry on to the expection placed on you with this position." Wrenna interjected with finality in her tone

Number 2 Deandra was the one picked instead.

Class president Deandra Lunar de'LaCurt stood over her seat, staring blankly at Wrenna. Or at least, i assumed she was staring blankly , from my direction, i could only see her back and loose shoulders.

Her flaming ref hair fell over them and cascaded down in flowing steams over her back.

I blinked and looked at Ceres who was unmoving and unaffected hy anything at the front.

Well...that was a bit unexpected.

Deandra had been made class rep instead of Ceres; the overall reaction of the class was mixed with suprise and confusion. The position usually automatically went to the strongest student, and there was no one stronger than Ceres in our entire year.

Regardless, Wrenna had already made her decision, and just like that, the class representative election process came to an anticlimactic end.

In the end, whatever the outcome was didn't deeply affect me so i had no opinion on the matter. If Wrenna chose Deandra instead over Ceres, I'm sure she had her reason or whatever.

Wrenna rubbed her glabella, sighed and looked up to say:

"With this, that's all."

She looked at Deandra who was still dazed over her seat. She just stood there, back against me, but subtly, i noticed her shoulders trembling.

"Class rep, right after this, take roll call and submit attendance to me in my office. That's your first assignment . And once again, i wish you meet the expectations placed on you. Dismissed."

Instructor Wren prepared to leave as she headed for the door. In the silence that followed, only the sounds of her footsteps lingered until it stopped.

All of a sudden, Wren paused by the door and snapped back at us.

"Ah, yes, before i forget one more thing. You will be informed about your various group designations earliest by midnight today, and latest by sunset tomorrow. That is all." Wren said her final piece and exited the classroom with those words.

A pensive silence hung in the classroom after that.

And our new class rep, Deandra stoof with trembling shoulders.

Staring at her back from behind, i couldn't help but wonder.

'I wonder what face she's making?' would someone be glad or ecstatic in such a case, to be chosen as Class representative?

... would i be happy?

Doesn't matter, i shook my head, banishing unnecessary thoughts.

The groups for the exercise will finally be announced by the end of the day and the exercise was quickly coming up.

A Dungeon, although one under control of the Academy, can be severely dangerous. I needed to make enough preparations and gather more information.

But i doubt I'd be able to realise much on the latter. There were various dungeons under the academy, and each were tightly supervised and required various layers of clearance.

It's unfortunate, but i might be going in blinded a little. My knowledge about Dungeons had expanded in the last year, and that was why i was actually really pensive about the exercise.

As a student, i currently lacked enough resource and ability for information gathering.

That was another problem i had to fix soon. If i want to survive the incoming calamity, i needed to be well connected and informed about the world's development, and underneath.

In fact, information is what i lacked the most about anything.

I needed to create links.

My own network. Experience tales at empire

Sigh.

For now, I'll just keep doing preliminary preparations and trying to rank up in time, if possible. Although that said, there's not much more for me to do than waste away in the training hall.

Sigh.

After gathering my thoughts, i sat still and waited until roll call before i finally exited the class room.