"Alright, that should be enough. Any questions?"
A student raised his hand. His nameplate read Ivar.
"Yes? Student Ivar."
"Sir, um… about our apartments and class name. It's Sector R and A-R, and since it is not alphabetically arranged, can we assume that it means something? If so, can you tell us what it means?"
He sighed
"Did you skip the ceremony?"
"No, sir."
"Then you should know what they mean. Does anyone here want to tell him?"
No hands were raised.
Mr. Victor muttered under his breath, "And that's why I keep telling them not to give the speech to that senile old man. This happens every fucking year."
He sat down, then began.
"So, how much do you know about the academy system? Don't answer. I will start from the very beginning."
"So answer me, how many students come through the special admission program every year?"
"50,000, sir."
"Right. And out of these 50,000, only the top 2,000 enter the Elite Academy, the place where you all currently stand. 1,000 through ranking, and the other 1,000 through instructor evaluation."
"Now, as for the remaining 48,000 who did not enter. They will study in other academies in this realm, with worse conditions than regular academies. But they can't really complain since it's technically free, can they?"
"Back to the remaining 2,000 — you people who passed the instructor evaluation or ranking are sorted into 4 houses based on your gifts, and how you are taught depends on which house you get.
The 4 houses are—
House Incursus
House Custodia
House Omnitas
House Reliquiae"
"House Incursus is for those with offensive gifts.
House Custodia is for those with defensive gifts.
House Omnitas is for those with versatile or production-related gifts.
House Reliquiae, the one you belong to, is a bit special."
Some students showed smug smiles when Victor said the word "special."
"In a way that you are discarded, broken trash who are just here to fill space," Victor continued.
"While for the next 3 years it won't show, you will start to notice the difference from the 4th year. After all, in the first 3 years we focus on your foundation and knowledge, but ultimately it's your gifts that define your position in the real world. Without a proper gift, you are no better than a wretch.
And all of you—"
He looked around, meeting the eyes of every student.
"All of you are here in House Reliquiae because you were judged unfit for the real world. Some of you have powerful gifts but can't use them to their full potential because of innate disabilities. Some of you have gifts which have no real use, and some of you can't even use your gifts."
(A/N ~ Only the Elder Council knows every detail about students' gifts. Everyone else is given a vague outline for security's sake, so there is a difference in perception.)
The students' eyes dimmed a bit as he continued.
"But be proud of the fact that you made us hesitate — hesitate to outright discard you.
Now you need to prove, to us and to yourself, that you belong here and that you can survive in the real world, whether through your skills, tenacity, or sheer fucking will."
He continued,
"And your house remains the same for the next 6 years. The university has a different system, which I am not obliged to explain, nor do you have any need for it now."
He straightened himself and slightly raised his voice, speaking in a serious tone.
"While it is said that all houses receive the same treatment, that is a load of bullshit. No, how you are treated depends largely on your house from 4th year to 6th year.
Your peers will laugh at you. Your seniors will treat you according to which house you belong to, and always doubt kindness from anyone from another house."
"Anyway, that's enough of that. So where were we?"
"Sir, the houses—"
"Right, the houses. Now, each house has 500 members per year, so for the sake of simplicity, we are only focusing on the current year.
These 500 members are then grouped into groups of 20 and graded according to their evaluation and rank, from Grade A to Grade Y. These grades will compete with other houses of the same grade."
[A/N² ~ So, simple math:
Total students — 2,000
4 houses — 500 students each
Each grade — 20 students each (25 grades, as 20 × 25 = 500 students)]
"For example, Grade A of House Reliquiae will compete with Grade A of House Incursus, Custodia, and Omnitas.
For simplicity's sake, we denote the grade and house together.
Like Grade A of House Reliquiae is A-R
You will compete with A-I, A-C, and A-O.
Grade B of House Reliquiae will compete with Grade B of House Incursus, Custodia, and Omnitas, and so on."
"There are class assessments and individual assessments at the end of every year. Do note that if you fail to perform well in the individual assessment, you may change places with a Grade B student from House Reliquiae. The same applies to students of other houses."
"Assesment criteria will be disclosed a month prior to assesment, any other questions?