"Fail."
"...What?"
"Just one glance at you, I know you will fail the evaluation."
"...But I haven't even taken the supplementary classes yet. And you haven't looked at my credentials yet."
"And what credentials, pray tell, would a one-armed Lowborn like you have? Serve another 6 months washing soldiers' clothes or whatever it is you did. And why are you even wearing your uniform here?"
Just a day back on the Surface, and Rhys was already being reminded of what sort of treatment he had to live through his entire life. He had at least thought that the local Explorer Academy would at least be able to tolerate him since the people in it have already seen all sorts of people, but no.
He was being privately interviewed by someone who seemed to be a member of the school's faculty — and Rhys thought that the fact he was being interviewed at all was already a sign they were accepting of people like him, but no.
The interviewer did not even glance at his file, just texting on his phone as he gestured Rhys to leave after waiting an entire hour, and then another half an hour inside the interview room where the interviewer just fiddled with his laptop until the last minute.
But of course, he was already warned by Lina that this was going to happen, and she taught her a technique that would surely work.
"W... what are you doing?" The interviewer could not help but stand up as Rhys also suddenly stood up and immediately started walking around the table toward him. And then, without even any warning...
...Rhys handed him 10 crisp $100 bills.
"..." The interviewer squinted his eyes for a few seconds, before very discreetly pulling the bills from Rhys's hand and nodding his head,
"...On second thought, I think you at least have the will and resolve to take the supplementary classes."
And just like that, the tone of the interviewer changed as he started typing something on his laptop.
The old female professor did not even let Rhys introduce himself as she entered the room, gesturing to Riley to follow her inside. And as soon as he entered the room, he heard several curious hums and oohs.
The class hall was filled with at least 30 people staring at him, but Rhys did not really mind as he immediately tried to find an empty seat. But before he could even take a single step up, however, he was once again tapped by the professor.
"Where are you going? Stand in front of the blackboard."
"...Ma'am?" Rhys turned to look at the large blackboards that were in front of the entire class.
"Go."
"..." Rhys looked at the professor for a few seconds as she started waving her hand. But after a few breaths, Rhys just let out a small and deep sigh as he walked to the front of the hall. He then stood up straight as he scanned the people in front of him,
"My name is—"
"This is a Lowborn."
And before Rhys could introduce himself, the professor suddenly pointed at him with her stick. Rhys thought the professor was asking him to introduce himself to the class...
...was there really any need to degrade him like this?
"As we have tackled in the last lecture, you will meet all sorts of creatures once you venture down the Underworld — Lowborns are one of them. They are not usually this tall, but the Academy wants you to familiarize yourself with what they look like...
...so we hired an actor you could interact with."
"Ma'am...
...I think there's been a misunderstanding."