"'Excellent' is the Association's assessment of your outstanding performance in the first half of the year. This badge is your reward."
Serophi handed Sylutia a specially made badge. Its base was crafted from metal with a faint blue sheen, engraved with a pure white crescent moon and surrounded by Bellflowers accented in alternating shades of white and blue.
"The badge contains a small amount of Mithril, so it's quite valuable. With it, you can claim double supplies until you reach the Fourth Order," Serophi told Sylutia.
"You'll also receive a custom-made Third Order weapon or piece of equipment, as well as free lessons worth up to 1,000 gold coins."
As he spoke, Sophitina, standing behind him, looked a little envious too. Her assessment for the first half of the year had been "Excellent," but compared to "Outstanding," the difference was enormous.
At each intake, around eight to ten percent of the students received an "Excellent" assessment, but fewer than 0.1 percent received "Outstanding." It was exceptionally rare.
Those who made it to the Woodland had already been selected from among the very best ordinary people. Then, from that group, the very best were chosen once more. Anyone who received this assessment was a genius among geniuses.
After explaining the reward, Serophi discussed Sylutia's future plans with her.
"Normally, Second Order students can freely choose where to be stationed and live and grow there. But the Association has higher expectations for you."
"You've only just entered the Second Order, so you still need to consolidate your foundations and learn a lot. In about half a year, the Association will likely assign you to a border outpost to take part in field training. I hope you'll be prepared."
"Will I have to fight there?" Sylutia asked curiously.
"You'll certainly need to learn