With the previous card classes having already showcased their combat abilities, the combat hall buzzed with anticipation for the Heart Class's turn.
Expecting a display of skill or at least an attempt to fight, the students from the other classes turned their attention to them.
But instead—
No one stepped forward as a leader.
There was no clear battle formation, no class representative issuing commands.
Instead of preparing to engage in battle, the Heart Class students scattered across the hall, approaching the combat puppet in a seemingly disorganized manner.
At first, it looked like they were simply unprepared or hesitant.
But as time passed, it became clear—
They had no intention of fighting the puppet seriously.
Rather than launching full-force attacks, the students took turns testing the puppet in various ways.
Some mages cast low-level spells, observing how the puppet reacted.
A few warriors struck with deliberately weak attacks, pulling back quickly as if to see what kind of counter the puppet would make.
Meanwhile, a group of intelligence-focused students stood at the back, jotting down notes, analyzing the puppet's movements, strengths, and weaknesses.
The combat students fed their findings to the intelligence group.
"It blocks long-range attacks before melee strikes."
"Its dodging pattern is more erratic when attacked from multiple angles."
"It prioritizes attacking magic users first."
Rather than fighting to win, they were gathering intel, studying the puppet as if it were a research project.
The Spade Class homeroom teacher, with her icy-cold expression, observed this for a while before finally speaking up. Dressed in a crisp military-style uniform, she exuded an authoritative aura, her sharp gaze cutting across the hall like a blade.
Her voice rang out, cold and commanding.
"What do you think you're doing?"
The Heart Class paused, turning their heads toward her quizzically.
Her sharp eyes narrowed.
"This is a combat session, not an academic study. Do you expect an enemy to stand still while you analyze their movements?"
She crossed her arms, her tone unwavering.
"In real battle, there is no time to take notes. If you cannot adapt on the spot, you will die. Are you saying you intend to hesitate and observe when your life is on the line?"
The other students nodded in agreement, especially those from the Spade and Diamond Classes.
The Heart Class, however—
They didn't seem fazed at all. Is it because Yuna like to scold and complain about them so much so that they grew immune to such things?
One student, looking up and scratching his head replied.
"Yeah, but this isn't a real battle, is it?"
Another leaned against their weapon, adding—
"No one said we had to win. We just have to participate."
A third, an intelligence group member, adjusted their glasses and spoke with a matter-of-fact tone.
"Besides, we already know we can't win against a high-tier puppet. So rather than waste energy, we might as well make the most of this and study it properly."
Their logic was… frustratingly sound.
They weren't disrespectful, but they also weren't obedient either.
They simply didn't think the same way as the other card classes.
The Spade Homeroom Teacher's eyes grew colder, but before she could reprimand them further—
A small, harmless spell suddenly shot toward the puppet's foot.
The puppet reacted immediately, shifting its stance to evade.
The student who cast the spell grinned, jotting something down.
"Nice. That confirms it reacts to even low-level attacks."
And just like that—
They went right back to their "experiment," completely unaffected by the teacher's disapproval.
As this continued, the other card classes watched with varying degrees of confusion and exasperation.
Some Spade students looked irritated.
Some Diamond students frowned in disapproval.
But the Club Class Rep… simply smiled.
With an amused glint in his eyes, he stepped forward toward the Heart Class intelligence group.
"You've gathered a lot of useful information," he said lightly. "Mind sharing some of it?"
His tone was friendly, but his intention was clear—
He wanted to borrow or purchase their gathered data.
Perhaps this was his way of establishing rapport, trying to build a connection with the elusive Heart Class.
But—
He was immediately rejected.
One student smirked, shaking their head.
"You can collect your own data, can't you?"
Another chuckled, adding playfully—
"Or are you just looking for an easy shortcut, Club Rep?"
Their words weren't hostile, but they made it clear—They weren't interested in sharing.
The Club Class Rep merely chuckled, raising his hands in surrender.
"Fair enough. Worth a try."
And with that, he stepped back, his attempt at forming a connection failing once again.
As the session drew closer to its conclusion, the Heart Class's focus shifted from testing to mischief.
Since they had already analyzed most of the puppet's combat patterns, they began… playing pranks.
One student tossed a pebble at the puppet, watching as it dodged like it was avoiding a serious attack.
Another cast a harmless illusion, making it appear as if there were two puppets instead of one, confusing it for a brief moment before the illusion faded.
A third used a tiny gust of wind to subtly throw off the puppet's movements whenever it tried to attack.
At some point, the Heart Class was just… having fun.
The high-tier combat puppet, designed for serious battle, was being toyed with like an experimental subject.
The Spade Class students scowled in irritation.
The Diamond Class students shook their heads, muttering about wasted potential.
And the Club Class students… laughed.
By the time the session finally ended, it was clear to everyone—The Heart Class had never intended to fight in the first place. They didn't even try to defeat the puppet.
Instead, they had gathered intel, tested theories, and entertained themselves.
They had completely ignored the competitive spirit that had ignited among the other classes.
As the combat session wrapped up, the students were already murmuring among themselves—some excitedly discussing their performances, others grumbling about their shortcomings.
Just as the card classes were preparing to leave, the Club Class homeroom teacher lazily stretched his arms and clapped his hands together, drawing everyone's attention.
He was a relaxed-looking man, often seen with a casual smile, but there was a weight to his words that made students instinctively listen.
"Before you all run off, let me say something important," he called out.
The hall fell silent.
"Your summoned beings. You've barely used them."
His words rang through the hall, causing several students to stiffen.
"They're an extension of yourselves," he continued. "A summoned being is not just a tool—it's a part of you. And yet, I saw barely any of you utilizing them to their full potential. That's disappointing."
His gaze swept across the classes, sharp despite his usual easygoing demeanor.
"From now on, you are expected to develop a deeper connection with your summoned beings. Strengthen them. Train them. Use them properly in battle. An exam on summoned beings is going to be conducted soon, it's part of your course"
Several students muttered among themselves, some nodding in agreement, others frowning at the added responsibility.
Yuna, however—
She froze.
A sinking feeling welled up inside her.
And then, her worst fear came true.
"Oh, and one more thing," the Club Class teacher added with a smirk. "Class representatives are responsible for ensuring their classmates' growth in this area."
Silence.
Yuna's mind went blank for a moment before—
"…Huh?"
A second later, a deep, sinking dread settled in her stomach.
"What the hell?!"
Her face twitched, her fingers curling as if she wanted to grab something and shake it violently.
'Why?! Why me?!'
She wasn't cut out for this! She didn't want to train anyone! She didn't even want to train herself!
Yet now, she was suddenly responsible for the entire class's progress?! She knew it! She knew it! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
'I didn't sign up for this!!' she internally screamed.
She wanted to cry.
She really, really did. But no one paid attention to her silent outcry.
The Club Class homeroom teacher surveyed the students before him, talking more about the card class rep respobsibility, his posture still relaxed, but his gaze sharp.
"Alright, now that you've all had your turn, let's talk about your performance. I'll be blunt, so brace yourselves."
The air grew tense.
Some students stood straighter, preparing for the inevitable critique. Others clenched their fists, determined to defend their pride.
The teacher started.
His eyes landed first on the Spade Class.
"You're strong, no doubt about that. But strength alone isn't enough. Your biggest problem? A lack of unity."
He folded his arms across his chest.
"Enyo, you command a good portion of your class well, but not all of them. Some of your classmates follow your lead. Others? Not so much."
Several Spade students stiffened, their gazes flickering toward their red-haired class rep.
Enyo, who had been listening silently, narrowed her eyes but didn't refute him.
"In a real fight, if half your team listens and half does whatever they want, you'll lose. No matter how strong you are individually, disorganization will be your downfall."
The teacher's gaze flicked toward Austin, who had been standing next to Yuna the entire time.
"And some of you didn't even bother participating."
Austin didn't react.
It was as if the words went in one ear and out the other.
The teacher sighed.
"Not much to say if you don't care, I suppose."
Then, he turned his gaze back to Enyo.
"You're a powerful fighter, but leadership is more than just being strong. If you want to make the most of your class's combat potential, you'll need to find a way to get everyone on the same page."
Enyo's expression remained unreadable.
She simply nodded once.
Next, the teacher's gaze landed on the Diamond Class.
"Your class has some of the strongest mages in the academy, and it shows."
A few Diamond students straightened their backs, pride flashing in their eyes.
But then—
"That's exactly the problem."
Their expressions shifted.
"Your entire strategy revolves around your strongest members carrying the fight. Alaric gave good orders, but too much emphasis was placed on the stronger students, leaving the weaker ones struggling to keep up."
A few students visibly stiffened.
The teacher's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Tell me, what happens when your strongest members are taken out first?"
Silence.
He smirked.
"Exactly. Your entire formation would collapse."
The Crown Prince remained calm letting people wonder whether he truly listens.
"Power is important, but balance is even more important. You need to start training your weaker members properly. Otherwise, they'll become dead weight in real battles."
Some Diamond students looked ashamed. Others were clearly dissatisfied.
But no one refuted his words.
The teacher's gaze moved toward his own students.
"Club Class performed the longest. Good coordination. Unexpectedly well-organized."
Some of his students looked smug.
"That being said, you guys are soft."
The smug expressions disappeared.
"You lasted long, but you also took the most hits. If that puppet attacked even stronger, you wouldn't have survived."
His voice turned serious.
"You need to work on durability and endurance. A long fight means nothing if you run out of stamina halfway through. Some of you should also consider defensive tactics. Right now, your class is too focused on attack and support."
The students nodded, absorbing the criticism.
And then—
The teacher's eyes finally landed on the Heart Class.
A moment of silence followed.
His expression turned subtle.
"...What am I even supposed to say?"
All eyes turned toward the Heart Class, who remained mostly relaxed and indifferent.
The other students, who had been expecting a harsh critique, suddenly looked confused.
The teacher exhaled.
"You guys didn't even fight seriously."
A few Heart students smiled, unbothered.
One of them shrugged. "Why would we? We weren't going to win anyway."
The Spade homeroom teacher scowled at the blatant disregard for combat discipline. "Your enemy won't give you time to study them in real battle."
Another Heart student tilted their head. "Well… we weren't in a real battle, were we?"
The teacher's eye twitched.
The Spade Class students shot them strange looks, while the Club Class rep let out a quiet chuckle.
The teacher rubbed his temple.
"I don't even know how to critique you people."
A pause.
Then, with a resigned sigh—
"Figure out whatever it is you're doing."
And with that the evaluation ended.