Chapter 27 || First Salary

Chapter 27: 27 || First Salary

A holographic screen materialized beside Code 11, its surface glowing with rows of names and columns of stars.

At the top, a title appeared.

SLAVE RATINGS

"These," Code 11 began, "are the ratings your masters have assigned to you. As Code 12 already explained, your rating determines your salary. Find your names and see where you stand."

The students turned toward the screen, scanning the list.

Sena gasped. "Two stars?! How is that even possible?"

Caden clutched his head in theatrical despair. "I got two stars! After a whole month of torture! I’m literally drinking protein shakes now, and all I get is two stars!"

Ken leaned back in his seat, surveying the screen.

"Looks like everyone’s getting twos this time."

Meira shot to her feet and slapped a hand against her desk.

"That bitch! Can you believe this?"

She pressed a hand to her chest, looking personally betrayed.

"She gave me two stars. Me! I literally did her laundry!"

Juro adjusted his glasses. "Yes, Meira, we can believe it. We all got two stars. You’re not the only one."

Meira turned toward him, narrowing her eyes.

"Maybe you deserved those two stars. Who knows? You might have bored your master to death."

Juro’s expression tightened. "I did no such thing. Besides i’m a five-star candidate."

Meira folded her arms. "In your dreams."

Nearby, Lily turned to Ivy, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I can’t believe we were all given two stars."

Ivy gently placed a hand over hers.

Lily froze.

"Everything’s going to be fine, Lily," Ivy assured her with a small smile.

Lily hesitated before nodding.

"Mm-hmm."

Yua, who had continued scanning the list, suddenly pointed at the screen.

"Not everyone got two stars. Someone received only one."

The classroom fell silent.

Every head turned toward the holographic display.

Ken blinked several times.

"No way... Code got a one-star rating?"

A wave of whispers swept through the room.

Aria turned toward Code, a frown forming on her face.

"How did you end up with one star?"

Code remained seated, his expression unreadable. One hand supported his chin, and his half-lidded eyes rested on the screen.

"From my master."

His gaze lingered on his name for a moment.

’Looks like I’ll be starving this month.’

Meira returned to her seat with a shrug.

"Well, I can’t say I’m surprised. He’s always sleeping, so I suppose he deserves it."

Code 11 raised her voice, cutting through the chatter.

"Code isn’t the only one. Two other students received one-star ratings."

The holographic display shifted, bringing two more names into view.

Ashir.

Huegene.

Huegene’s lips curled into a smirk. "Well, well. One star will still look good in my account."

Ashir scoffed. "Stupid rating system."

Caden burst out laughing.

"Ashir got one star! After all that talk about ascending alone—ha!"

Huegene glanced in Code’s direction, a faint smile lingering on his face.

"Looks like we’ll be surviving on scraps this month, sleepy boy."

Code turned toward him.

Huegene wasn’t even looking at him anymore.

Code faced forward again.

"Yes."

Code 11 raised a hand, silencing the remaining chatter.

"Now... let’s look at our highest-rated slaves."

The students quieted, their attention returning to the screen.

Torin squinted at the list.

"That’s right. Three students are missing from the last group."

The display flickered.

Three names rose to the very top, each accompanied by three glowing golden stars.

Riven Halden — ★★★

Ivy Draelyn — ★★★

Juro Kessai — ★★★

The classroom erupted into murmurs of surprise and admiration.

Torin crossed his arms, a small smile tugging at his lips.

"That’s our class leader for you. Congratulations, Riven."

Riven gave a modest nod.

"Thanks."

Yua leaned forward, smiling at him.

"Congratulations!"

"Thanks a lot," Riven replied warmly.

Meira flicked her hair over her shoulder, wearing a smug little smile.

"Heh. So Four Eyes got a three-star rating too. Good for you."

Juro adjusted his glasses with a weary sigh.

"Thanks... Wait. Did you just call me Four Eyes? I’ve told you—"

"No need to repeat yourself all the time," Meira cut in flatly.

She didn’t even bother looking at him.

Juro stopped mid-sentence, his raised hand slowly falling to his side.

For a moment, he seemed to be searching for a response. Eventually, he settled for silent defeat.

Meanwhile, Aria’s attention remained fixed on the screen.

Her fingers tightened around the book in her hands, the edges of its pages bending slightly beneath her grip.

From beside her, Code’s calm voice slipped through the surrounding noise.

"What’s the point of getting frustrated over a two-star rating?"

He didn’t even glance in her direction.

Aria’s eyes snapped toward him.

"I’m not frustrated," she retorted sharply. "I’m angry. I know I deserve a better rating than this. My master is doing it deliberately, just to get under my skin."

Code’s reply was effortless.

"If you say so."

Aria stared at him for another moment before turning back to the screen.

The silence between them lingered, heavier than either seemed willing to acknowledge.

At the front of the classroom, Code 11 clapped her hands once.

"Congratulations, everyone. Now that your masters have rated you, you each have an official slave rating."

The word slave hung in the air like a curse.

Several students shifted uncomfortably. Others exchanged uncertain glances as the implications began to sink in.

"You now have reputations," Code 11 continued. "From this point onward, you’ll be known throughout the academy by these very ratings."

Shock rippled through the class.

"A... reputation?" Sena asked, her brows drawing together.

"Precisely," Code 11 replied.

She gestured toward the holographic screen.

"Take Ivy, for example. Her master awarded her three stars, which makes her a three-star slave by evaluation. However, your slave rating is separate from your academic rating. The former is calculated differently."

She paused to let the distinction register.

"In Ivy’s case, her official slave rating is six stars. The same applies to Juro and Riven. All three of them are now six-star slaves."

The classroom grew louder.

Ivy’s smile vanished.

"What...?"

Beside her, Juro’s expression remained composed, but a faint gleam appeared behind his lenses. He seemed to be turning the information over in his mind, already considering its implications.

Code 11 continued before anyone could ask another question.

"Those who received two stars have been classified as four-star slaves. And those who received only one..."

Her gaze briefly passed over Code, Ashir, and Huegene.

"...are now two-star slaves."

Ashir lazily raised a hand.

"So what does this whole reputation system have to do with our ratings, anyway?"

"You’ll understand the significance of your reputation when the time comes," Code 11 answered. "For now, there’s no need to worry about it. Celebrate your results."

She allowed the class a moment to absorb the announcement before adding, "Ivy, Juro and Riven, having attained six-star slave rating have elevated their standings among the rest of you."

The murmuring resumed almost immediately.

Some students looked at Ivy with newfound respect. Others appeared to be reconsidering their positions in the class, while a few simply stared at the screen, still struggling to understand what the ratings meant for their futures.

Code watched them all without comment.

’A six-star slave...’

His gaze drifted across the classroom.

’I guess even slaves have their own status in society.’

At the front, Code 11 folded her hands.

"Now that that’s settled, let’s begin class."

.....

The moment the male teacher left the classroom, the room erupted into noise.

Code quietly slid his books into his bag, zipped it shut, and headed toward the back door.

"Hey, Code! Let’s walk together!" Caden called, already slinging his bag over one shoulder.

Torin and Ken joined him, both grinning.

Code paused and looked at them one after another.

"Actually, I’m going to my room."

Ken’s grin widened.

"That’s fine."

Code regarded their smiling faces for another moment, then released a faint sigh.

"Alright, then."

The four left the classroom together, making their way down the corridor as golden evening light streamed through the windows.

Caden nudged Code with his elbow.

"So, Code... what are you going to do now? You’re a one-star—no, a two-star slave. Your salary is going to be pretty low."

Torin chuckled.

"Yeah. Looks like you’ll be fasting for the rest of the month."

He raised a finger, as though presenting a perfectly reasonable counterargument.

"But let’s not be too negative. He might still get a decent salary."

Ken nodded.

"True."

Code offered no response.

Caden scratched his head.

"To think I actually envied your luck with your master. Who knew she’d rate you that low?"

"Yes. I’m surprised myself," Code replied flatly.

Torin shook his head. "Cute girls are cruel!"

Ken glanced at Code, his expression turning a little more serious.

"Don’t worry, Code. If you need anything, just count on us."

Caden and Torin nodded enthusiastically in agreement.

"I’ll keep that in mind," Code said.

They reached the elevator, and Torin pressed the button.

A moment later, the doors slid open, and the four stepped inside.

The doors closed with a soft ding.

For a while, nobody spoke.

Torin and Ken exchanged a glance. Ken drew a deep breath before turning toward Code.

"Code..."

Code looked at him.

Ken hesitated, rubbing the back of his head.

"I know I don’t really need to bring this up anymore. It’s been a month, after all, but... I just wanted to say I’m sorry."

"For what?"

Ken ruffled his hair, searching for the right words.

"Well... during that argument between me and Torin, I put you in an awkward position. You ended up leaving without saying anything, and looking back, I think we were being pretty inconsiderate."

Torin nodded, picking up where Ken left off.

"We didn’t know how you felt about the whole thing. Whether you were angry or upset, or... I don’t know. We were confused ourselves, and we expected you to say something afterward."

He paused, looking at Code.

"But you didn’t."

Caden, who had been listening quietly, joined the conversation.

"It’s hard to know what’s going through your head, Code. You barely say anything, so we thought you might’ve been angry with us. We decided to give you some space and leave the matter alone for a while."

Ken nodded.

"Yeah. We figured we’d just put it behind us and let the past stay in the past."

Torin let out a breath.

"All we really want to know is whether everything’s cool between us now."

Code stared at the elevator doors.

’It wasn’t nearly as big a deal as you’re making it out to be. The argument had nothing to do with me in the first place.’

The elevator chimed.

The doors slid open.

Code stepped out first.

"Yes. We’re cool."

Caden immediately threw both hands into the air, grinning.

"Alright!"

The others followed him into the corridor.

Ken gave Code a light pat on the shoulder.

"Thanks, bro."

Torin, however, continued studying Code’s face.

"Are you sure you’re alright, though? I expected you to smile or something. You said it with the same straight face as always—"

Ken clamped a hand over Torin’s mouth.

"Can you please just stop talking?"

Beep!

Code’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

He slipped a hand inside and checked the screen.

[Meet me at the cafeteria] — Aria

He read the message once, then slid his phone away.

"You guys go ahead. Something came up."

Caden’s smile faltered.

"But we had plans..."

Code was already walking away.

The three watched his retreating figure, their expressions caught somewhere between disappointment and resignation.