The evaluation arena slowly began to calm down.
Students were still whispering about the matches they had just witnessed.
Some talked about Catherine's overwhelming victory.
Others were discussing the unexpected result of Ethan's match.
But most of them quickly lost interest.
After all, Ethan's fight had not looked spectacular.
Just clean.
Efficient.
And slightly strange.
Lucas leaned against the wooden railing of the spectator stand, staring at Ethan.
"…You want to explain that?"
Ethan glanced at him.
"Explain what?"
Lucas pointed toward the arena.
"That."
"You just disarmed a second-year."
Ethan shrugged lightly.
"He made a mistake."
Lucas stared at him for a long moment.
"…You say that like you didn't cause the mistake."
Ethan didn't answer.
Instead, he looked back toward the training rings.
More matches were still happening.
The instructors were finishing the last few evaluations.
Lucas sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"You know what? I'm not even going to question it."
"That's probably wise," Ethan replied calmly.
Lucas narrowed his eyes.
"You're suspiciously calm for someone who just beat a second-year."
Ethan simply rested his arms on the railing and continued observing the arena.
Because the match itself didn't matter.
What mattered were the reactions.
Students.
Instructors.
Future rivals.
Every small shift in behavior could eventually change something bigger.
His gaze moved across the arena.
Then it stopped.
Catherine Ravenscroft was standing near the edge of the training grounds.
She wasn't speaking with anyone.
Instead, she appeared to be watching the arena quietly.
More specifically—
She was watching him.
Only for a moment.
Then she turned and walked away.
Lucas followed Ethan's gaze.
"Oh."
"The prodigy noticed you."
Ethan didn't respond.
Lucas grinned slightly.
"That's either very good or very bad."
"It's neither," Ethan said.
Lucas chuckled.
"You're really committed to the mysterious act, huh?"
Ethan ignored the comment again.
Instead, he looked toward the instructors.
They were discussing the evaluation results among themselves.
Instructor Gareth stood with a clipboard in his hands, occasionally glancing toward different students.
Including Ethan.
That was slightly inconvenient.
Attention from instructors was not something Ethan wanted too early.
But it was manageable.
The instructor eventually stepped forward again.
"Students."
The remaining conversations slowly quieted.
"The initial evaluation matches are complete."
Several students visibly relaxed.
Others looked more nervous.
"The results will determine your training groups for the first semester," Gareth continued.
"These groups will train together, spar together, and participate in future academy exercises."
Lucas whispered beside Ethan.
"That means we might get stuck with the same people for months."
"That's the idea," Ethan said.
Gareth looked down at his clipboard.
"The academy divides first-year combat students into three primary tiers."
A few students leaned forward.
"Beginner."
"Intermediate."
"And Advanced."
A quiet wave of tension spread across the arena.
Lucas swallowed.
"…Please not beginner."
Ethan said nothing.
Because he already remembered how this worked in the previous timeline.
Most students started in Beginner.
Only a few were placed in Intermediate.
And almost nobody entered Advanced during the first evaluation.
Gareth continued reading.
Names were announced one group at a time.
Students slowly began gathering with their assigned instructors.
Lucas watched nervously as the list continued.
"Clara Whitmore — Intermediate."
Lucas groaned.
"Of course."
Clara waved casually from across the field.
"Lucas Hartley — Beginner."
Lucas sighed dramatically.
"My dignity is gone."
Ethan finally spoke.
"You lasted four seconds."
"That's not helping."
More names were called.
Then—
"Catherine Ravenscroft — Advanced."
A ripple of whispers moved through the crowd again.
But no one looked surprised.
Lucas shook his head.
"Yeah, that tracks."
Catherine stepped forward calmly toward the instructor assigned to the Advanced group.
Then Gareth continued.
"Ethan Voss — Intermediate."
Lucas turned immediately.
"…Wait."
"What?"
"You're Intermediate?"
Ethan nodded once.
Lucas stared at him in disbelief.
"You beat a second-year and they still didn't put you in Advanced?"
"That seems reasonable," Ethan said.
Lucas crossed his arms.
"I'm starting to think you're hiding something."
Ethan allowed a faint smile.
"Maybe."
Lucas groaned again.
"Great."
Students slowly began moving toward their assigned training groups.
Ethan walked toward the instructor overseeing the Intermediate group.
Around fifteen students had been placed there.
Some looked confident.
Others looked surprised.
Ethan recognized several faces.
Some had become respectable knights in the future.
Some had failed and left the academy entirely.
But most of them were simply part of the world's background.
Just like Ethan had once been.
The instructor assigned to the group was a tall woman with dark hair tied into a tight braid.
Her sharp eyes scanned the students carefully.
"My name is Instructor Selene Varis."
Her voice was calm but firm.
"For the next several months, I will oversee your training."
She paused briefly.
"The Intermediate group receives harsher training than beginners."
Lucas raised his hand from the Beginner group nearby.
"Can I switch?"
Selene ignored him completely.
Several students chuckled.
Selene continued.
"If you perform well, you may advance."
"If you perform poorly, you will be reassigned."
Her eyes moved across the group.
Then they stopped briefly on Ethan.
Just for a moment.
Ethan noticed.
Of course he did.
Instructor Selene finally spoke again.
"Training begins tomorrow morning."
"Do not be late."
The students began dispersing.
Lucas ran over immediately.
"You're Intermediate."
"You realize that means more training?"
"Yes."
Lucas sighed.
"Meanwhile I'm stuck learning basic footwork."
Ethan glanced toward the distant training field where the Advanced group was gathering.
Catherine stood among them.
Even among talented students—
She stood out.
In the previous timeline, Catherine would quickly become one of the academy's most feared duelists.
Ethan watched for a moment.
Then he looked away.
Because the academy year had finally begun.
And from this point onward—
Small choices would slowly begin shaping a different future.
One decision at a time.