The response from the thirty-nine students was rather lukewarm.
The commoners greeted back, albeit not in sync, while the few aristocrats in the class, including Lohran, remained silent, merely observing the instructor.
Instructor Isaac, however, seemed accustomed to such first-day receptions.
Without dwelling on the lackluster response, he nodded with a smile and promptly proceeded, opening the journal in his hands to take attendance.
"Please raise your hand if you're here. Amelia Gailles?..."
The called students raised their hands one by one, and since the young lady named Amelia had started the trend by saying "present" as well, it quickly became the norm.
Still, the aristocrats made a point of distinguishing themselves from the rest.
They merely raised their hands, as instructed, without the unnecessary verbal confirmation.
Lohran did the same.
However, unlike the other bratty aristocrats, he had no intention of flaunting his status.
He simply didn't think much about it and raised his hand casually, even yawning as he did so.
This was, after all, his first time actually attending school in two lifetimes, so he wasn't too familiar with such unspoken customs.
It was then that a rather weighty and unexpected name was called.
"Iris Vi Byakuren?"
The entire class was stunned.
An aristocrat from the Great Aristocratic House of Byakuren was in their class? That was a surprise in itself.
But even more surprising—no one raised their hand or responded.
Lohran glanced around.
He had almost bumped into that freckled, nerdy, and clumsy young lady yesterday.
He remembered exactly what she looked like, and judging by the one empty seat, he was certain it belonged to her.
'She was also saying something about being late yesterday… I guess she's just not punctual, huh?' he mused.
"Uhh… Last call, Miss Iris Vi Byakuren?"
This time, just as surprising as hearing her name, someone responded—as the door suddenly slid open with a bang.
"H-Here! I… I'm… haaah… haaah… here! Present!!"
Once again—just barely—Iris had made it on time.
"W-Welcome to GKC-02, Iris. Try to come a little earlier tomorrow, alright?" Isaac said gently, though his smile looked a bit strained.
"Uuu… Yes, Instructor Vance… I apologize…" she responded humbly, her head slightly downcast.
"Err… I'm Isaac."
The nerdy young lady from the Great House of Byakuren paled as she realized her mistake, her face quickly flushing bright red with embarrassment.
"Y-Y-Yes, I-Instructor Isaac! I apologize! Y-You see, Instructor Vance is my Course Instructor, so I kinda mixed things up…"
"T-That's fine. We all make mistakes," he replied, trying to sound reassuring.
It was a rather hilarious mistake on Iris's part, but no one dared to laugh at her—not even the other lesser aristocrats in the class.
Still, all of them inwardly sneered and called her names, silently mocking how incompetent she seemed despite being born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
Except for Lohran.
He was, at most, surprised that she didn't lash out at the instructor in embarrassment, which reinforced the stereotype that Southern Aristocrats were indeed morally upright, judging by the likable attitudes of the youngsters they raised.
Isaac soon finished taking everyone's attendance, glad that everyone was here on time, albeit barely.
"Now then, everyone, I shall begin the orientation and do my best to keep it short and concise.
Let's start with your classes.
As you all know by now, every student will belong to two classes: a general knowledge class from the eighth to the eleventh hour and a course-specific class from the thirteenth to the seventeenth hour.
Both of these will be your permanent classes until you graduate—though be aware that it's unlikely both classes will remain complete by the end of your journey," the instructor began, his expression turning grim as he continued.
"I will not mince words.
Some of you might die during the preparation process of becoming an official Dawnchaser of the High Republic.
It is rare for an entire class to graduate together. I'm not saying it's impossible for GKC-02 to defy the odds, but I advise you to be prepared."
The students had varying reactions to the unnerving warning from their seemingly gentle instructor, not expecting him to immediately tell them to steel their hearts for possible death right from the start.
The more uncertain ones—like Tibberdy—paled at the grim prospect, while those who had been prepared since childhood, such as Lohran and the other aristocrats, remained mostly unfazed.
There were also many commoners who clenched their fists in defiance of their fate.
They had come to the academy determined to rise above their circumstances and bring their families to the safety of the cities.
Life in the towns—and worse, in the villages—was extremely perilous.
Although a few Dawnchaser squadrons were tasked with defending these areas, it was inevitable that losses would occur when a horde of Zorphlings numbering more than twenty launched an attack.
Such events didn't happen too often, but when they did, streams of commoner blood would inevitably flow.
Isaac was naturally pleased to see that his stern warning had the intended effect.
He hadn't said it to scare them needlessly—he simply wanted to drive home the importance of working extremely hard and staying cautious.
After all, most deaths occurred due to two fatal factors: overconfidence and complacency.
Satisfied, Isaac moved on to the next phase.
"Worry not. We, your instructors, will guide you well, and as long as you follow our guidance, your safety is more or less guaranteed.
Now, let's move on to your Academy Credit Cards.
You may claim them at the Registrar's Office anytime over the next three days. I suggest doing it later today so you can order your daily portions of Zorphling meat from the canteen.
The default amount of Academy Credits given to everyone will be one hundred and ten points.
Use them wisely—once they run out, you'll need to earn more through academy missions or by hunting for Zorphling cores in the Academy's Hunting Grounds.
The grace credit amount should last most of you for an entire semester to prepare yourselves for actual combat in the next one, though this may vary depending on your daily consumption.
The registrar's office will provide a pamphlet listing what you can spend your Academy Credits on when you collect your cards. Please raise your hand if you have any questions."
Isaac had explained the matter rather thoroughly, and so, he expected no further questions.
But Lohran had one.
Seeing the red-haired young aristocrat raise his hand, the instructor smiled in appreciation, nodding for him to go ahead.
"Since this means we can use our points sparingly, wouldn't this just encourage cowards and incompetent freeloaders to stay longer at the academy, taking advantage of the free lodging and basic food for as long as possible? Do we have a limit on how long we can stay or something?"
The reason Lohran asked was that he suspected this might be Tibberdy's plan—to avoid real danger and cower out.
He wanted to ruthlessly shut down that mindset, not just for the plump young man but for any others who might be leaning toward indecision.
Lohran was certain that such a way of thinking would lead to their demise far more than it would protect them.
"Ahh, great question, Lohran. You are correct," Isaac said with a nod.
"One can only stay at the academy for a maximum of three years for aristocrats and four for commoners. If someone hasn't reached the required Overall Combat Power—or OCP, as we abbreviate it—by then, they will be expelled and indefinitely banned from reapplying.
The High Republic has finite resources, after all, and it's better to allocate them toward those who are truly determined."
Isaac's voice was patient but carried a hint of sternness, clearly using the opportunity to warn anyone thinking they could freeload.
"Also," he added, "there's an OCP requirement per semester for both aristocrats and commoners, so those who aren't pulling their weight will be weeded out quickly. If you're serious about becoming a Dawnchaser, then do make sure to stay diligent, everyone. Any other questions?"
This time, there were no further questions, so Isaac moved on to explain the grading criteria, deliverables, and other requirements they would need to complete over the semester.
As the instructor went over the details, Lohran groaned and grimaced in dissatisfaction.
There were written assignments!
'Bullsh*t…' he muttered inwardly, already dreading them.
A few minutes later, the orientation finally concluded, and it was time for the actual lessons to begin.
"Since everyone is more or less clear on what to expect from the general knowledge class," Isaac said, closing his journal with a light thud, "let's dive straight into the first lesson. Our topic for today is Zoraphs and Zorphlings—the horrors plaguing not only the lands of the Yuragarde Continent but the entire world of Edelmundr."
Upon hearing the topic, Lohran immediately straightened up in his seat, a grin of enthusiasm spreading across his face.
He wasn't particularly fond of studying in general, but when it came to studying his opponents, that was a different story.
After all, it was a necessary step for anyone who sought to emerge victorious and utterly best their foes.