Chapter 53: Gloomy
After venturing into Mt. Coronet, Terrance and Mr. Issac walked for some time, crossing through ravines before a massive stone stele appeared in front of them, with the words "Crown Academy" inscribed upon it.
"Here we are," Mr. Issac said, leading Terrance forward.
Before long, several boys and girls approached them with gloomy expressions on their bitter faces.
These individuals wore athletic attire and had Poké Balls fastened to their waists. They appeared to be Trainers. Upon seeing Mr. Issac approaching, they glanced at him before greeting, "Teacher Issac... you've returned."
The despondent tone of these people made Terrance look at them oddly. Since they referred to him as "Teacher Issac," they must be students of Crown Academy.
Their lackluster demeanor….. made Terrance wonder if he had come to the wrong place. He felt a twinge of regret.
Aren't Trainers supposed to be a group of vibrant and passionate individuals?
Noticing Terrance's peculiar expression, Mr. Issac cleared his throat forcefully. He had just boasted about Crown Academy to Terrance, however, the group of students approaching them appeared groggy, walking with Chansey-like steps, which was quite embarrassing!
"Teacher Issac... during your holiday, something significant happened within the academy. Please refrain from getting too worked up when you go back. We have missions to attend to, so we'll leave first..." The gloomy-faced youths paid no attention to Terrance, sighing as they walked away.
"Something significant..." Terrance felt a headache coming on. It seemed this place wasn't as peaceful as he had thought.
Taking a deep breath, Mr. Issac furrowed his brow and said, "Let's go."
"Terrance, remember, once you become a student of Crown Academy, you must have your own pride and determination. You cannot let setbacks bring you down like those people earlier."
"Many outstanding Trainers have emerged from Crown Academy, and their success is directly linked to their hard work..."
...
...
Crown Academy was built within a massive enclosure surrounded by mountains. Due to its location on the outskirts of Mt. Coronet, there were no fixed roads on any side, making it challenging for travelers to find the academy without guidance. If not for someone leading the way, locating the academy within the vast expanse of Mt. Coronet would be extremely difficult.
Within the academy, there was a class for the newly enrolled students, known as the Beginner Class.
There were also the Intermediate Class and Advanced Class, which required passing tests in order to progress, as well as the Graduation Class where the most exceptional students were placed.
The students in the Graduation Class had an average age of fourteen or fifteen, and they dedicate themselves to rigorous training in preparation for the final "graduation exam." In Crown Academy, the graduation rate was remarkably low, with the majority of students simply completing their studies without graduating. Moreover, the current student population in Crown Academy only numbered around a hundred.
This year, five new students were admitted, which was considered a decent number.
As Mr. Issac entered the academy, the environment inside the walls contrasted sharply with Mt. Coronet. There were lush trees and flowing streams, but the traces of human intervention were evident throughout. The credit for this transformation belonged mostly to Pokémon and technology.
Terrance took a deep breath. He could accept this environment. It was much more comfortable than Snowpoint City.
"Since you have a recommender, I will directly arrange your class for you." Before arranging Terrance's transfer to a class, his eligibility for enrollment needed to be verified. Although it was highly unlikely for anyone to falsify such matters, the basic procedures still had to be followed. After all, Mr. Issac doesn't have the qualification to grant Terrance direct admission.
The path Terrance was currently walking on was paved with bluestones, giving it a somewhat quaint feel.
However, what slightly concerned Terrance was that, apart from the group of students who had just left, he had hardly seen anyone else along the way.
The walls of Crown Academy were enormous, encompassing a larger area than Fallarbor Town. Terrance's mouth twitched. Could it be that such a vast place only housed around a hundred students and teachers?
It's rather tragic to be on the verge of decline.
Over a month had passed since the start of the school year, and now Terrance had to deal with not only the enrollment procedures but also the complicated process of joining a class in the middle of the course.
Wide-eyed, he looked at the stout and chubby middle-aged man in front of him, who nodded kindly.
"You must be Terrance."
This chubby man was the administrator in charge of enrollment. After Mr. Issac brought Terrance here, the man didn't show much surprise.
"I have already been informed about your situation by the dean. Leave the transfer to me."
Mr. Issac, who was standing on the side, was speechless as he looked at Terrance. Connections with the dean? Which corporation's scion was this young man…
Terrance received two specially tailored free sportswear sets, a student ID, and a dorm room's key. These were the basic items for a new student.
"Terrance, there are a total of four Beginner Classes. Each class has around four to five students and a teacher. Here is the detailed information about the four classes. Take a look and see if there's one suitable for you."
The chubby man handed Terrance a booklet containing some basic information about the four classes.
Among these four classes, two were aimed at raising battle-oriented Trainers, one focused on training Coordinators for Pokémon Contests, and the last one... was a special class. Pointing his finger at it, Terrance' lips twitched as he asked, "... What's the deal with this class that only has two people?"
After receiving an explanation from the chubby man, Terrance fell silent...
It seemed that the concept of having an "elite class" existed everywhere, which is a rather discriminatory practice.
"Are you interested in this class...? If you want to join this class, it might be troublesome," the chubby man's brows furrowed. "The teacher of this class is extremely picky... If you don't meet his standards... there's basically no hope."
Moreover, due to the previous incident, the teacher even had a quarrel with the dean. He probably wouldn't even give the dean face... The chubby man didn't say this out loud.
"Besides..." the chubby man's face drooped. When he received the news from the principal about admitting a transfer student, he had initially intended to assign Terrance to the best teacher. However, after notifying that strange teacher, he was berated and sent back.
Trainers like Terrance, who relied on connections and lacked "strength," were not well-liked by that particular teacher.
"It's alright..." Terrance smiled. It was just Beginner Class, and his interests didn't lie here.
"I remember... we have a class in our academy dedicated to teaching Breeder knowledge, right?"
"Breeders!" The chubby man was taken aback, not expecting Terrance to be interested in Breeders.
"Indeed, there is such a class, and it has a relatively larger number of students, about eight. However, our academy only has this one place for raising Breeders, and this class isn't divided into ranks..."
"To graduate, you must obtain the Junior Breeder's certification!"
Breeder knowledge includes theory and practical aspects. Few children are willing to study it. Compared to battling and training with Pokémon, burying one's head in books and memorization can be quite dull. Therefore, there is only one class for Breeders in the entire academy.
"I see. That's great, then." Terrance smiled. He had already known about this class at Crown Academy. Although the graduation requirements might not be easier compared to the Trainer classes, for him...
As long as he was willing, he could apply for graduation at any time!
The average age of the students in the Graduation Class was fourteen, and the average age of the Joy family members who passed the Junior Breeder examination was also around fourteen. The two numbers coincided, but Terrance was a "freak."
"You should think carefully. It can be quite troublesome to transfer classes later," the chubby man said earnestly. In the past, some people had chosen the Breeder Class, thinking there were no promotion exams, only to be overwhelmed by the heavy workload.
"I think I'll be fine," Terrance replied with a warm smile.
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