Chapter 1001: The First Chapter
After that encounter with Hiandoca, I was honestly expecting even more crazy stuff to happen but… Nothing much really happened.
I just went to school, had dates with my girls, dove into Dungeons sometimes, went on vacations during school breaks, had outings and dates with my girls, wrote even more of my books which Emilia helped me sell which really boosted her business and… Well… That's it really.
Really nothing much happened after that day and it felt like the days just blurred together and time passed by exceptionally fast.
I suppose the fact that I decided to really keep my head down and just live through the rest of my school years really accelerated things.
And before I knew it, I was looking out at the crowd of students assembled in front of me whom I had seen for the past six years.
I cleared my throat, "It has been my great honour to be given this opportunity to stand before you as the valedictorian of our batch. I think I speak for everyone when I say that all of us have grown and learned in these past few years and we have not only learned from our teachers but also from each other. I remember the first time that I have stood here before all of you to introduce myself and I may or may not have caused that stir with that challenge of mine, acting as a competitor for all of you to obtain the position as a special class student. Yet now, all of you have chosen to let me represent you up here, as we now stand on the edge of the next chapter of our lives."
There was a round of applause from my fellow schoolmates and I paused to let them finish their clapping before I continued.
Speaking of which… There were actually a few changes within my special class.
Jules lost his position since his challenge was to beat him in a debate on why they should obtain his place as a special class student in front of a panel of judges.
I wasn't really sure of the details but another student who had managed to learn two types of magic up to the first tier and another magic to the second tier debated with him and won. His argument was that Jules was planning to take over his family's business while the challenger had the capability of furthering his studies in the main Aerialla Academy as a special class student due to his progress in his magic studies.
But seeing that Jules didn't try to win it back, I think he was fine with the outcome.
Paul also lost his position and honestly… I felt a little bad for him because the person he lost to was Delmare.
His challenge was to perform with a musical instrument in the rain and Delmare kind of circumvented it by using a lyre while singing. Obviously it was her singing that won her the challenge instead of the lyre but it seems like Paul didn't really mind losing to her so there wasn't any problem.
Speaking of Delmare… She has her own fanclub now as well ever since she started 'practicing' in front of audiences.
Of course I was a member of it. In fact, I'm the first member… Because I was the one who set it up in the first place, heh heh~
Odeta obviously kept her position as a special class student since no one could beat her and the others also managed to hold on to their own positions though they did have their fair share of challengers.
I practically had no challengers throughout the rest of my time here as I believe they all knew it was impossible to beat me and just stopped trying.
That means all of us will definitely be going to the main Aerialla Academy after this~
Whoops, they finished clapping and I'm not done with my speech yet. Where was I again?
I cleared my throat, "Our time in this school has been filled with various challenges that we have all overcome to reach this point. No matter what anyone tells you, all of you have reached here with your own power and no one can take that away from you. The skills and magic you now wield is proof of your struggles and hard work. They are the culmination of the things you have experienced and learned in these six years. No one can tell you that you do not deserve what you have obtained for these are all tangible proof of your hard work! Be proud of what you have achieved here! Hold your heads up high and know that you are one of the few who have managed to get to this stage!"
More cheers erupted and I could see that there were even a few of the students who were shedding tears.
It's not even an exaggeration because those who could not keep up were left behind since the school has strict standards they impose on the students. If you really could not keep up, you would be made to drop out of the school, which is why the number of students in front of me right now is fewer than the number back in the first year.
Of course, I was not affected since I was literally excelling and way above the standards they have set so I was never in danger of being left behind or even dropping out.
From what I heard though, there were more graduates this year compared to any other year and it seems like the teachers attributed it to me as the absurdity of my skills drove my peers to work even harder than normal.
Still… I heard that it would be even harsher and strict in the main Aerialla Academy that really demands nothing but excellence in their students so I can't relax either.
And on that topic, I couldn't help but take a look at my own stats.
[Name: Aster Nilm
Title: Young Mistress of Nilm Family, Dragonslayer, Most Adored Young Mistress, Lover of Sweets, Lisa's Soulmate, Delmare's True Love, Siren Lover, Tiara's Big Sister, Emilia's Boss, Hiandoca's Favourite, Succubus Tamer, Mother's Favourite, The Untouchable, The Invincible, Amrap Tamer, Heartbreaker, That Crazily Strong Student, The White Haired Princess, The Siren Manager, The Valedictorian
Race: Meslatar
Gender: Futanari
Stats:
880 Strength
850 Dexterity
960 Endurance
1050 Magic
Skills:
Hunting (Tier 2), Cooking (Tier 2), Sex Technique (Tier 2), Alchemy (Tier 2), Navigation (Tier 1), Sailing (Tier 1), Noble Etiquette (Tier 1), Authority Projection (Tier 1), Leadership (Tier 1), Tactics (Tier 1), Tracking (Tier 1), Dancing (Tier 1), Martial Skill-(Dagger Proficiency (Tier 2), Unarmed Proficiency (Tier 2), Bow Proficiency (Tier 2), Sword Proficiency (Tier 2), Polearm Proficiency (Tier 2), Axe Proficiency (Tier 2))
Magic Skills:
Mana Management (Tier 3), Umbramancy (Tier 2), Electromancy (Tier 2), Lumenmancy (Tier 2), Pyromancy (Tier 2), Iatromancy (Tier 2), Hydromancy (Tier 2), Aeromancy (Tier 2), Geomancy (Tier 2), Astromancy (Tier 2), Eromancy (Tier 2), Somatomancy (Tier 1), Infernalmancy (Tier 1)
Valour Skill:
Sixfold Multi Slash, Trident Fang, Cross Flash
Unique Skills:
Mind Shield
Desensitisation]
One unfortunate thing I learned is that unless I hyperfocus on a particular skill, it's really hard to increase my proficiency in a skill or magic from the second tier to the third tier.
Still, it seems like getting as many skills as I had to tier two during my time in an Aerialla Academy branch was already something that was unheard of so I was already considered an anomaly. And there's also the thing about getting my Mana Management up to tier three which was a pretty big deal as well.
That's one of the plus sides of having so many different magic skills since I have to manipulate my mana more which helped me advance that skill to tier three. With that, the spells I cast are much higher in potency than normal and I could be flinging spells as much as I want with little drain on my mana.
Also, I did manage to get Astromancy and my Eromancy up to tier two, though the latter was all thanks to Lisa.
Anyway, since we all intend on going to the main Aerialla Academy anyway, I wouldn't worry too much about it right now.
I looked out at the crowd before me once they settled down, "Everyone… Even though this may be our last day in this school, our days of learning never cease. No matter where you are going after we walk out through the gates today, no matter what you find yourself doing, remember that all of you have done what most people would never be able to achieve today! You are all now elite mages who have graduated from Aerialla Academy! Hold your heads up high and make your mark upon the World! For my friends that will be furthering their studies in the main Aerialla Academy, I will see you all there as well. To close this off, I would like to thank all of you once again for everything you have done for me. My fellow classmates, my friends, my teachers and of course my friends who have supported me all this while! I will not be standing here or be who I am today if it wasn't for all of you. Let's go out there and make something extraordinary, graduates of Aerialla!"
My schoolmates threw up their hands in the air and let out cheers and that was my cue to step back from the podium to join my cohort in applause, yielding the stage back to the principal who would start instructing us to head towards the field for our graduation dance.
I looked at the crowd, smiling to myself as I thought that this was real. It is finally time for me to leave the nest as they say.
Oh, and did I say it was also my eighteenth birthday today?