Weakest Beast Tamer Gets All SSS Dragons novel Chapter 620

Chapter 620: Chapter 620 - Taming the Fifth Year

The fifth year marked the halfway point, and with it came a total, almost extreme change in the kingdom’s educational system.

Having reached this milestone, the midpoint of their education, young people entered a period of intensive preparation for adult life that they would attain at the year’s end.

The shift was as dramatic as moving from childhood to adolescence.

This year’s classes differed dramatically from previous years, focusing much more on practical application and social roles, leaving regular classes almost entirely behind. No more theoretical lectures about beast biology or historical battles. Now it was all about real-world application, about proving you could function in the complex machinery of the kingdom’s social and political structures.

Once they reached sixth year, students would be considered adults with defined roles in society. Not only students anymore, but half-functioning members of the hierarchy.

As Ren had already noticed many times in past years’ tournaments, students from 6th to 8th year were rarely found within the academy’s walls.

They spent most of their time fulfilling collection missions in dangerous territories, guard duties at border posts, and other responsibilities that solidified their place in the kingdom’s hierarchy. They returned only for evaluations and special training sessions.

But before reaching that point, before being able to call themselves "upper grade students" with the respect that title commanded, the fifth year brought with it a series of tests that would determine everything about their futures.

These important tests were administered by the most influential academic organizations of the three largest academies in the kingdom. Each institution brought its own standards, its own expectations and its own biases.

These institutions cooperated as a large collegiate body to finally determine the results of this important transitional year’s tests. The cooperation was supposed to ensure fairness, though everyone knew politics still played a role.

In the end, nobles would earn their official place in the nobility, not just the courtesy titles their families granted them, but real legal standing with all the rights and responsibilities that entailed. And warriors would have a clearly defined hierarchy based on demonstrated merit rather than family connections.

And not only that..

This was considered one of the most important years because the three academies took advantage of this transition to compete with each other.

Rankings were published.

Reputations were made or broken.

The academies maintained a competitive level and a spirit of improvement both among the institutions and among individual students.

An environment where excellence was demanded and mediocrity was visible to everyone. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

♢♢♢♢

"So basically," Larissa summarized after explaining all this to Ren while they traveled in the carriage, her hands gesturing as she organized the complex information, "the fifth year is when all your rewards become official."

Ren nodded, processing the information. The carriage swayed gently as it moved through the city streets, the clip-clop of hooves providing a rhythmic background to their conversation. He had understood this year would be different, but hadn’t fully grasped the magnitude of the transition.

Larissa studied him, her blue eyes sharp and wide open despite the soft afternoon light filtering through the carriage windows. "So, are you ready for the nobility ascription protocol?"

Ren blinked, his brain catching on the unfamiliar term like a foot on a root.

"The what?"

Liora began laughing from her seat, a genuine burst of mirth that made her cover her mouth with her hand. Luna simply covered her mouth to hide a smile, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. The maids and guards exchanged glances, clearly enjoying Ren’s obvious confusion. Even Mako and Shizu, normally stoic, had slight smiles playing at their lips.

"The ascription protocol," Larissa repeated, her expression becoming more serious as she leaned forward slightly.

Her future husband would have to rise in nobility rank to be able to properly "steal" her from the royal family, so this was important. After thinking this she blushed slightly, hoping the others wouldn’t notice she continued...

"Ren, this year won’t be anything like the previous ones."

"I got that," Ren responded, feeling a growing apprehension that settled in his stomach like a stone. The way they were all looking at him suggested he was about to learn something he really didn’t want to know. "But what exactly is this ascription protocol?"

"It’s the formal process by which nobility candidates are evaluated, categorized, and finally integrated into the official noble hierarchy," Larissa explained with the tone of someone reciting from a manual she’d been forced to memorize.

"The nobility lessons for future nobles this year are strict and tedious, so it’s best you’re prepared for what’s coming."

Ren felt his stomach sink further, like dropping into a pit with no visible bottom. "How strict?"

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