Mrs. Doris then moves on from Yuji to look at the class again.

  “You will each be sent the details about your test scores together with your development plan in your emails at the end of the month. Make sure not to miss that! There will be instructions you will need to follow.” She said to us and then took a breath.

  “I will now explain what happens after this.” Mrs. Doris took her attention as everyone silently listened. Eager to know more details.

  “To simply put. This test was designed to check each of your individual overall ability but this was only part of it. The second test will follow up this week. Where we will measure everyone's physical ability. I know you have mandatory lessons in sports and are not focused on the grade but this will change from now on. Everyone will need to pass certain points to make it forward!” Mrs Doris informed us all.

  I could see others in the class eying each other. The atmosphere is growing serious. Some people looked excited. Others seemed to slump. The ones who were bad at moving around were particularly distressed.

  “What does that mean?” A question was posed from one of the students in front.

  “University is introducing a new individual merit system.” Mrs. Doris announced to us. “A similar hierarchy system was introduced in this city last year and from now on it will be part of this university. This means that the university has adapted to Akasia’s demand for exceptional individuals.” Mrs. Doris gave us the announcement straight.

  The screen behind her slightly changed with a PowerPoint presentation. I could see other students eying each other. Then looking back right on the screen where was detailed information of the new individual merit system. It read that basically they are putting us under new labels depending on our accomplishments. A very fair based system that judges individuals by how good they perform in their academics.

  High class. Middle class. Lower class.

  A clear merit system based on individuals accomplishments.

  “This also will be listed in your current student app when it goes live.” Mrs. Doris mentioned our app where we can see our schedules and news and other things like accomplishments as well outside class activity board. I have the app as well. Mostly, I just use it to check my classes and anything that may be related to my class.

  Mrs. Doris moved the screen to a next page that showed something interesting. A mock email that reads an individual plan for a student as well a white card that I’ve seen before.

  “This type of email you all will receive at the end of every month.” Mrs. Doris explained. Her words and what was presented erupted a lot of confusion. Including myself but instead of asking questions I decided to stay silent and listen.

  “White card system? Are we getting paid for our studies?” Someone else was intrigued.

  “Wait! Seriously?” Voices of discussions and questions were heard all over the class. No one could help it. Eruption of emotions of excitement to get paid for student hard work.

  Mrs. Doris seemed to already have expected this reaction because normally she would have interjected by now. She let the students talk for a minute. When people noticed that she wasn't saying anything. Everyone became silent again.

  “Please everyone be mindful. This decision to implement this in the school will only start to be active from the beginning of 1st December. We firstly need to gather information from all years. You are the first ones introduced to it because the third years are having an important time where we physically can’t change their schedules with their project's presentation week.” Mrs. Doris explained to us. And continued. “This week the first years are getting their test and next week the third years. The order we are doing it is simply coincidental but by the end of this month we will have all the necessary data to implement this.” Mrs. Doris included important details that I wondered about.

  “Have you read about the white card system? You should've already known this to some extent.” Mrs Doris asked the students.

  “Are the ones you get when you get a job? My parents have them.”

  “Mine as well!”

  “Will we be able to use it like money?”

  By the sounds of this it looks like everyone is aware to some extent. Apparently when a person gets a job in this city because it has its own currency that is only available through these white cards everyone gets one. It pays in money like in a bank using it as a way to pay for their bills, groceries and any living expense inside Akasia. Till now students had their own card issued at the start of their enrollment which is also their room card but it only worked as a discount card. It has discount points but people still need to use regular money with them. The white card is only given out when someone gets a job in this city which means they are connected to here and constantly contributing to this place. Is the type of system maintaining that the city has always had its resources by circulating money this way.

  When I first heard about it. Honestly, I was impressed because in this way they ensure that people will spend that money here. Meaning it would never go outside the city.

  This is also part of the reason people really like living here. Everyone is always on the next level. The streets are so clean and the standard here is top tier. The more accomplished a person the more perks they are provided with. Nobody seems to even have a thought about ever leaving. The city is built in a way to compete with another. Which would make one think about excelling and proving themselves.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  “Yes. Starting from next month this white card will mean you will be able to use currency here the same as your parents do.” Mrs. Doris confirmed.

  Everyone now seemed to be really intrigued.

  “I understand your excitement over this but remember from now on you will look out for yourself. The grades you get. The level you get. The overall score you get will determine your results in this university.” Mrs. Doris said this as a warning. Then she continued. “Lessons also will be scheduled for each individual. Not as a class. So for the excelling students. You may sit in the same class as third year. Or first year…if you're falling behind..” Mrs. Doris paused for a brief moment and continued.

  “If you have the right skills. You can even graduate early. Which would mean to go through the whole grades and pass all the tests to get there. It won’t be easy. Your main focus will still be with the course you have chosen but there will be implemented tests for the subjects your course doesn’t usually take. The overall ability test will be held every three months. And will be the key to get the most benefits out of your white cards.” Mrs. Doris silenced everyone with her deepened explanation.

  Students in the class now listened as this was core information for their futures.

  “What really does it mean…high class, mid class and lower class? Can you please explain that?” A random student asked. Pointing out the presentation on the screen.

  Mrs. Doris looked behind her at the presentation. Her eyes did not change but she did purse her lips ever so slightly. She turned back to the class.

  “Those are the names University has decided to call your achievements status.” She answered the question. Then tapped something on her pad that was placed on the podium. The screen changed again. It was the list of the names of our test results but they were divided in three colours.

  The first one was green. Everyone between the points of two hundred and one hundred eighty is high class achievement.

  Then the next one is in yellow. From one hundred seventy nine points to one hundred twenty nine is middle class achievement.

  And points from one hundred twenty nine below are all marked in orange. There was also a red colour but no names were under it.

  “For example. If you happen to pass all of your grade tests and we determine that you can move to the next level you will be awarded accordingly. How much money will be sent in your white cards will amount from four core factors." Mrs. Doris said and tapped on her pad once more.

  Another screen flashed with a picture of the white card and information.

  “The first condition is from your points counted from your tests in every subject. Then the second condition is to pass all marks in attendance of your schedule. If one cannot attend to sudden illness or any other reason as usual you’d report that to your class professor. In your case that would be me. Regardless of the reason, they will reduce the amount depending on how many hours you have missed.” Mrs. Doris explained.

  The class listened to seemingly breaths held for this important information.

  “The third condition is your behaviour and standing as an individual. The university feels it is important for a student to act properly towards their fellow students, professors and other university staff. Even reaching outside the walls of the University you all are representing its status. Any reported incidents will be counted in your received payment.” Mrs. Doris explained the third condition.

  The last one was a bit odd.

  “The fourth condition is adaptability...” Mrs. Doris named the last one.

  Some students read it in silence. We looked around each other but did not speak yet.

  “Adaptability to change. Anyone questioning authority. Even if one challenges us professors and it gets reported, your amount can change drastically.”

  One student raised a hand. Not wanting to disrupt. Mrs. Doris nodded for them to speak. It was a guy sitting at the back.

  “Isn’t adaptability the same as behaviour?" The student failed to get the difference between the last two. Some students eyed him. Then turned back their heads towards our professor.

  “Yes and no.” Mrs. Doris answered, understanding where the student came from.

  “This one is specifically aimed at behind the scenes plotting. I am not saying that anyone here is doing this but we have had incidents in the past where cohesion towards resistance to authority had taken place but at the times these incidents have been brushed under the rug and never brought upon.” Our professor explained and continued. “The Academic Community feels like this should be implemented as an open rule. Anyone caught doing this will be openly suspected and inspected and if confirmed they have conspired in anything like this will have two routes. Re-studying their whole study term and retaking all of the tests. If not complying to this then expulsion. Of course, it would be investigated on a case to case basis.” Mrs. Doris explained this fourth. A very controversial rule.

  The class seemed to quiet down even more. Everyone was processing everything that was just explained. Mrs. Doris tapped her pad a couple times. Scrolling back to the first thing she showed us. Our mid term results. Without the merit system colours.

  “Don’t get too caught up on that fourth rule. I am sure no one here is doing this but just keep it in the back of your mind.” She gave us a reassuring smile.

  “Looking at the perks. The higher status the University will award you with more points. Sometimes in exceptional cases if someone happens to have the skill to graduate early they are guaranteed a high end job of their choice. This system is implemented to find these outstanding individuals to help perhaps one day to even work with the Lawyet’s, Winter’s even Ichigo’s to lead this city. If you have the skill. Of course.” Mrs. Doris explained the reason for this system and how it worked.

  All of it sounds pretty amazing. Students around did look very pleased and impressed by it.

  “In simpler terms. The university wants the best for their students and wants to properly award the outstanding ones. We all are looking forward to your good results! You all are capable of it!” Mrs. Doris kept assuring us. “Keep this in mind. Always move forward and improve your skills! When you get your overall result sent to you from this test. Go through that. It will tell you step by step what you need to do to achieve the next level.” Mrs. Doris explained everything she wanted to explain and then moved to the next topic which was the next test for determining each of our physical strength.

  I eyed my score again that Mrs. Doris put back on for us to see. I got a total of one hundred seventy nine points. Which placed me in tenth place on the leaderboard but falling one point short towards the high class achievement.

  The second highest score was one hundred ninety nine points by a name I didn’t recognise. Yuji was the only one with a perfect score and only one on a two hundred point scale. Rest was right under the two hundred mark only one or two points apart from each other. There were others with not great scores but I was only looking at the ones in the top ten.

  Did I make the right choice? What do I do with the physical ability test? Do I want the benefit of this white card system? How do I move forward from this? I didn’t know yet. The rest of the class went discussing more details about the new system. Everyone kept asking question after question. At some point I simply zoned out mid entering the state of thinking. I spent the time just sitting back and absorbing the new information. Till the very end of the lecture.