NOVPUBThe autumn morning in Ichrite, with last night’s storm gradually fading away, the dawn curtain was slowly rising on the horizon.
City buildings were draped with beads of post-rain water, which, under the sun’s reflection, transformed into countless glittering jewels.
The sunlight slanted onto the red brick teaching building of Ichrite Academy, the edge of the light seemed particularly warm.
"It’s still an easy life here at Ichrite Academy."
A young man in a black classic suit, with a slightly tired face, a cup of coffee and a morning newspaper in his hand, walked along the campus boulevard.
He seemed harmless, with no magical fluctuations emanating from his body. Yet the Cross of Holy Radiance on his suit buttons and collar could be an obvious clue to any resident of his high-ranking position within the clergy.
The pathways of Ichrite Academy were covered with damp fallen leaves. Autumn leaves had started to turn red, and the rain made them appear even more vibrant. Every footstep on them produced a soft "crackle", like the melody of fall.
Loren walked towards the main building of Sage Academy, passing by many ancient buildings that had withstood innumerable storms. The red brick walls looked deep and texture-rich after the rain, each brick bore the traces of time and stories.
On the lawn in front of the Sage Academy Tower Library, a few parrots hopped in search of food. Occasionally they would stop to look around, earning each student that passed by a glimpse of their beauty.
"Today is another day full of hope."
Loren thought.
Soon, Loren arrived at the main building of Sage Academy.
As he pushed open the heavy solid wood door, the warm air from inside the teaching building rushed over his face, contrasting sharply with the chilly autumn morning outside. In the corridor, a couple of students were either buried in their books or whispering. Seeing Loren, they immediately looked up and bowed in respect.
"Dean Loren...good morning!"
"Good morning."
Loren nodded slightly in response, then walked towards his upstairs office.
Each step was slightly old but sturdy enough to stand the test of time. Touching the handrail, one could feel the texture of the wood and the warmth it had absorbed over the years. At the corner of the stairs, the cathedral-style stained glass cast dappled light and shadow onto the corridor.
Arriving in front of his office, Loren finally felt like he was back home. The desk was piled with books and documents, along with the fresh scent of incense from the windowsill.
He placed the coffee and newspaper on the table, sank comfortably into the chair and heaved a sigh of relief. The world became silent at this moment.
Despite his dual responsibilities as the head of the church and the academy, he was far from a workaholic. n𝚘𝚟𝚙𝚞𝚋.𝚌o𝚖
But sometimes, when he busied himself with official duties, he could use that as an excuse to avoid troublesome personal affairs.
"Yes, I have to make time for that gold-level card maker girl to observe the [Original Slabstone Tablet-Wind]."
Loren sipped his coffee and thought.
Originally, he was a bit surprised by the gold-level card maker in the second grade.
But because of Lanci, Loren felt like "that’s just about right".
However, when he recalled the gold-level card maker named Carlen from the Royal Arolan Academy, he felt some inexplicable similarities between her and Lanci.
Not their talent, but their disposition or something...
Except for those green eyes, Loren couldn’t pinpoint what else was similar.
Forget it, that girl seemed to have a good temperament, no need to compare her to Lanci.
As Loren was quietly enjoying this rare tranquility, a soft knock on the office door broke the silence.
Loren looked up and with his gentle eyes glanced at the door, "Please come in."
The door opened slowly, and a calm-appearing girl walked in. She had a folder in her hands, looking like an experienced department staff member.
"Good morning, Dean Loren."
Vice President Asina’s voice was as pleasant as a nightingale, with a natural ring to it, akin to the sound of spring water striking a stone, crisp and melodious.
She is not only an outstanding student of Sage Academy but also a great assistant to the faculty, often responsible for helping teachers deal with school and student affairs.
"Good morning, Asina."
Loren nodded with a smile and gestured for her to sit down.
Asina, except for her indifference towards magic, was an exemplar of an outstanding student of Sage Academy in every sense.
Of course, even though Asina only invested a small amount of thought into her Sage Academy coursework, in terms of combat capability, she still led her third-grade classmates.
Many royal ministers and nobles lamented when they saw Asina, thinking Loren ruined her.
But Loren felt this was fine.
If she wanted to be a chef, let her be.
Loren didn’t think that wasting an exceptional talent was a bad thing. If a young person has a choice, happiness counts the most.
As educators, it’s sufficient to guide students to understand the complexities of the world, rather than forcibly deciding their future or fate for them.
Asina politely nodded at Loren and stood across the table from him. She opened the folder, took out the contents, and began to report to Loren in a detail-oriented and organized manner. She was very familiar with the work of the student council and the school.
In the distance, the bell tower struck on time, its chime resounding throughout the campus, reminding every student about the passage of time and the eternity of knowledge and pursuit.
"I see."
As the bell chime faded, Loren had finished listening to the content briefly narrated by Asina, and then nodded in response.
He leaned back in his chair, took a sip of his coffee, and seemed a bit puzzled.
"Asina, I felt that there seems to be a lot of whispering and rumors about me recently around the school."
Loren had a hunch that some students became oddly nervous and stopped talking when they saw him today as if they were discussing him secretly.
So, he enquired from Asina.
"Which version are you referring to?"
Asina asked.
"?"
There are versions?
"Tell me the latest version."
Loren sat upright, sensing something was amiss.
"They say you and Knight Juliana have always had an ambiguous relationship, pretending to have a certain disagreement, to deceive your group of fiancees. In fact, you two would occasionally arrange secret dates under the guise of official duties. Not only do you have special feelings for Knight Juliana, but you also use sweet words to satisfy and charm your dozens of fiancees, making them fall for you. Students now call you [Love Saint], saying that you will certainly conquer her in your next date with Knight Juliana."
Loren almost spilled his coffee after hearing that.
