Ep. 51 E Class Part 2

The waiting room came into view as we returned, revealing Smith's group exactly where we'd left them. The afternoon sun streaming through the high windows cast long shadows across the stone floor, highlighting the contrast between the four veteran adventurers before us.

Smith was sprawled on a wooden bench, head tilted back in apparent peaceful slumber, his chest rising and falling steadily. His weathered adventurer's coat was wrinkled from his position, and a thin line of drool threatened to escape the corner of his mouth. Beside him, Cecilia sat with one leg crossed over the other, periodically glancing at Smith with barely concealed irritation. Her fingers drummed an impatient rhythm on her knee, and the way she held herself spoke of someone who'd rather be anywhere else.

To her right, Lilia maintained a posture that would have made any etiquette instructor proud. Her back was perfectly straight, hands folded neatly in her lap, and her face bore a welcoming smile that reached her eyes as she noticed our approach. 

Slightly behind them all, Earlston remained apart, as usual. He leaned against the wall with his characteristic cold expression, arms crossed over his chest. His dark clothes seemed to absorb the sunlight, making him appear more like a shadow than a person. Even his eyes, sharp and alert despite his relaxed posture, held that familiar calculating look that made me wonder if he was already assessing our rankings before we spoke.

Cecilia's eyes performed an exaggerated roll at our arrival before she drove her elbow into Smith's gut with enough force to make me wince. He lurched forward with a pained gasp, one hand clutching his stomach as he shot her an accusatory glance that would have been more intimidating if he wasn't still blinking sleep from his eyes.

She merely nodded in our direction, and the annoyance on his face transformed into a welcoming grin as he noticed us approaching. Something about his quick shift in demeanor reminded me of how long he'd been doing this—how many young adventurers he'd guided through their first steps in this world.

"You guys are done, huh?" He stood, stretching until his joints popped. "How did it go? What's everyone's ranking?"

We exchanged uncertain glances, the weight of our new rankings suddenly feeling heavier under their scrutiny. I could feel Rowan shift uncomfortably beside me, and even Maya's usual confidence seemed slightly dimmed. The marks on our wrists felt like brands, defining us in ways we weren't sure we were ready for.

I finally found my voice, pushing the words past the tightness in my throat. "E class," I said, trying to keep my tone neutral, as if the ranking meant nothing to me. As if I hadn't spent countless nights dreaming of proving myself in this world of magic.

The lack of surprise on their faces stung more than I expected. It was as if they'd known all along that this was my ceiling, my limit. Each impassive expression felt like a confirmation of what I'd feared—that I would never truly belong here.

Smith's response only twisted the knife deeper. "Don't sweat it—that's about what I'd expect a kid your age to get," he said casually, then turned to my friends. "What about you two? Did you also get E's?"

I swallowed my frustration, forcing my expression to remain neutral even as something burned in my chest. His words made sense logically—we were young, inexperienced, just starting our journey. But logic did little to soothe the ache of being exactly what everyone expected: ordinary, limited, magicless.

When Rowan announced his D-class placement, their impressed reactions felt like salt in my wounds, though I tried to be happy for my friend. I could see the way Lilia's eyes lit up with genuine appreciation, how even Earlston's stoic expression softened slightly. They saw potential in him, saw a future worth investing in.

But it was Maya's announcement that truly shook the room, shattering the normal progression of things.

"WHAT? C CLASS? AT YOUR AGE AND AS A NEWBIE NO LESS?" Cecilia's outburst carried an edge of anger beneath the surprise, her usual composed demeanor cracking for a moment. Her fingers had stopped their drumming, now gripping her knee tight enough to whiten her knuckles.

Smith's eyes widened, and for once he seemed at a loss for words. "T-that's truly amazing, Maya. You're really a prodigy. No wonder you seem so confident all the time."

As the group took turns praising Maya, something ugly and unfamiliar stirred in my chest. Jealousy—raw and bitter—rose up before I could stop it. For one terrible moment, the questions I'd been fighting bubbled to the surface: Why not me? Why her? Why am I destined to be the same weak, helpless boy across two lives?

I pushed the thoughts down violently, disgusted with myself. Maya deserved every bit of praise she was receiving. If I couldn't be strong enough to protect her, then at least she could protect herself. Still, I made a silent vow in that moment—I wouldn't give up. I wouldn't let this world's rules define me, wouldn't let its rejection break me.

Smith's voice cut through my internal struggle. "So how about we show you guys around the guild and see if we can get you guys a job?"

I forced a smile, burying my darker thoughts beneath it, and nodded. Whatever this world thought of me, whatever limitations it tried to impose, I would claw through. Even if I had to do it without magic, even if I had to fight twice as hard for half the recognition—I would find a way.

After all, I'd already lost one life to weakness. I wouldn't lose another.