The rising sun bathed the stone-brick houses lining the street in a soft amber glow.
From a manor on one side of the street drifted the aroma of a meal, mingling with the chill in the air.
This was the Protos Royal Magic Academy.
Lanqi sat on a garden swing, his lowered eyes still tinged with the drowsy haze of half-sleep. In his hand was a bit of raw grain, which he scattered to feed the little birds that had gathered around him.
Ever since arriving here, quite a few of the campus's small animals had begun seeking him out once more.
Inside the distant manor, Zestira stood quietly before the window, watching the little animals gathering in the courtyard as if they had always longed to draw close to his side.
"Is Teacher really human?"
Zestira murmured in bewilderment.
Not just her; even the animals could sense his pure goodwill.
Starting Sunday night, her teacher, Luoqi McCarthy, had temporarily moved from the inn into the academy.
The residential area was divided into communal dormitories and private quarters—essentially the difference between apartments and compact villas.
Ordinary students lived in the dormitory apartments.
Nobles, on the other hand, almost all had standalone private estates; one's status was readily apparent from their accommodations.
Furthermore, a noble student's estate included its own courtyard, complete with an attached flat—a fully equipped, self-contained auxiliary unit meant for retainers.
Viscount Francis had registered Zestira for a private residence in advance, the cost already prepaid alongside her tuition.
And so it was.
Only after Zestira saw that Lanqi had nearly finished feeding all the grain in his hand did she finally open the door and walk over to him in the garden.
As she approached, the little birds scattered in panic.
It seemed they were terrified by her presence as a magic dragon.
"I'm sorry. I scared them away."
Zestira's voice remained flat and devoid of emotion, just as usual.
"Yet you harbor no ill will toward them. They simply don't know you yet, don't you think?"
Lanqi looked up with a smile and said.
"..."
Zestira hesitated for a moment.
"Perhaps."
Teacher's perspective on things was always different.
Even though nothing would change and life went on as usual—even though she was still surrounded by overt malice every single day—speaking with her teacher always made the heavy burden she bore feel considerably lighter.
Zestira had originally intended to remind Lanqi that even within the campus's safe zones, he needed to watch out for certain upperclassmen nobles.
On second thought, she decided against it. Lanqi was always prudent and steady; he didn't need her reminders.
Preparatory and first-year students were required to participate in the Monthly Evaluation Day.
Second- and third-years could choose whether to participate, and were restricted to classrooms of Difficulty Two or higher.
Yet during every Monthly Evaluation Day, the top-ranked chief students among the second- and third-years could observe from backstage, just like the professors.
They possessed numerous privileges to influence and intervene in the ongoing evaluations from the sidelines, or spend their own points to sponsor lowerclassmen they favored.
These authorized individuals acted much like judges, and naturally, if they backed the overall champion, they would receive handsome dividends in return.
As such, the event was itself a high-stakes backstage game.
Or rather, that web of manipulation and power play was the true elite game of the Monthly Evaluation Day.
The Monthly Evaluation Day took place on Wednesday.
Today was Monday, so things were still relatively leisurely.
"Then I will see you this afternoon, Teacher,"
Zestira looked at Lanqi and said.
She saw that Lanqi had already stood up in the garden and dusted off his hands, seemingly getting ready to head over to the academic buildings.
To pass the time, Lanqi would also audit upper-year classes that caught his interest.
"All right. Associate Professor Sido has a history class this morning, so I thought I'd drop by and listen."
Lanqi smiled and glanced over, shaking off the morning drowsiness.
...
Half an hour later.
The history department building of the Protos Royal Magic Academy was nestled within an expanse of green lawn, resembling an ancient castle set in the woods. Surrounded by layers of stone walls tangled with vines and blossoms, its spires soared into the clouds, bearing the engraved crest of the empire.
A young man whose brown hair fluttered gently in the breeze, dressed in a white shirt, dark-brown vest, and black trousers, stepped into the building.
Passing through the colossal doorway, the interior exuded a solemn, ancient charm. The marble floor reflected the light streaming through the soaring glass windows several meters high, while the walls of the long corridors on both sides were lined with ancient portraits and historical texts.
Lanqi walked along the corridor, and after passing several closed classroom doors, he found the lecture hall for his history class.
Scanning the room, he spotted a seat in the back with just the right lighting. He walked over, set down the ancient tome he had borrowed from the library, and took his seat.
The history class Zestira had chosen was an easy preparatory course, meant purely for coasting by on credits.
The one Lanqi came to audit was an advanced history class taken by second- and third-year students.
However, he hadn't seen Side since arriving at the academy, and had no idea what year she was in or where she might be.
As he pondered, imperial students trickled into the classroom one after another, all unfamiliar faces to him. Lanqi simply leaned back against his chair, quietly reading his book as he waited for the lecture to begin.
When someone took a seat not far beside him, Lanqi did not stir.
Even without looking, he knew it wasn't Side.
Side carried a faint scent of rum, something noticeable whenever enveloped by her presence.
However...
The figure seated nearby seemed to be watching Lanqi, whether intentionally or not.
It finally made Lanqi feel a bit uncomfortable, prompting him to lower his book.
Judging by the color of her uniform, she appeared to be a third-year student, and she exuded a heavy aura of a physical combatant that rivaled Frey's.
In an institution like this, she had to be someone of notable rank.
After all, among the student body, the sixth tier was the absolute ceiling.
"Do we know each other?" Lanqi asked, puzzled.
He was certain he had never met such a formidable, dignified, yet haughty upperclassman, nor had he ever heard the name "Gloria" inscribed on her nameplate.
"Why would Lady Side have chosen you...?"
Gloria muttered under her breath, studying Lanqi with furrowed brows.
Her voice dripped with resentment and confusion.
She admitted she fell short of the former Saintess of Domination and had never expected Lady Sigrid to choose her as the new saintess.
Yet she had never imagined that when the Bishop of Domination chose a disciple once again, it would be a Holy Son—something the bishop had explicitly stated she would never consider!
She had assumed that any Holy Son of Domination chosen by exception would be someone extraordinarily powerful, with cold, penetrating eyes brimming with aggression—a man radiating untamed arrogance and fury, worthy of becoming the Bishop of Domination's successor.
She never expected—
Just how blind had Lady Sigrid been to take a liking to such a weak Holy Son? He didn't fit the Domination branch in the slightest!
Chapter 278