NOVPUBLanci and Hyperion sat in the Dean of the Magic Engineering College’s office, having a relaxed chat with Professor Bolao for quite some time.
Upon learning of their purpose for visiting, Professor Bolao quickly authenticated their back-to-school procedures, and both of their Shadow World challenge licenses were unfrozen.
"Loren has been busier than ever before; there are even rumors spreading around the school lately that he’s secretly plotting many things. Ridiculous. Even though to most students the Great Priest Loren is like an elusive dragon, he has always been upright. Students who often see him, like you, should know better than anyone else," Professor Bolao said, shaking his head and sighing.
These students must have read too many novels, always imagining that the gentle and easygoing Loren might one day suddenly transform into the ultimate villain with an overwhelming presence.
"Of course, with him not around, my workload has also increased."
Many tasks that ordinarily required the Dean of the Sage Academy’s authority could only be reviewed by Professor Bolao, the Dean of the Magic Engineering College, when Loren was absent.
"I heard from a fellow student in the Arolan Kingdom’s academic visiting team that Ichrite Academy is the harshest on its own people; I didn’t believe it at the time, but it turns out to be true. However, why isn’t anyone discussing me?"
Lanci asked, curious.
He always felt that his classmates respected him a lot; the typical novel-like scenarios of face-slapping mockery—those were something he hardly ever encountered.
It was Hyperion who encountered them more often.
So, she actually seemed more like the protagonist while he was probably just a supporting character.
"..."
Professor Bolao took his teacup and glanced absently at the early morning light rising outside the window.
His old experimental workshop was right below the student council room, and he often heard about the many good deeds Lanci did when mediating conflicts and disputes.
It could make for a full season of a campus series.
"...Everyone is young; none really wants to end up in prison," Hyperion muttered under her breath.
"But isn’t it right to send someone who tries to offend a Duchess to prison or give them the appropriate punishment?"
Lanci tilted his head.
"Dear."
Hyperion intended to retort Lanci’s comment, but remembering that the Duchess referred to herself, she couldn’t bring herself to speak.
The feeling of having someone else avenge her always secretly pleased her, like it was her Demon Race instinct, but she dared not think too much about it, for it made her seem like a villainess, and it would greatly deduct from her virtue.
"..."
The Dean’s office of the Magic Engineering College was briefly silent, as Professor Bolao sipped his tea without interrupting the exchange between Lanci and Hyperion.
Not until he saw that they didn’t continue their conversation for a long while did he put down his teacup.
"I should get back to work too. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
Professor Bolao asked, glancing at the clock.
Although he wanted to help Hyperion, he did not engage in superfluous actions.
Professor Bolao was well aware of the daily campus life of Lanci and Hyperion; as a Magic Engineer and teacher from Migaya, he had watched Hyperion grow up since she was little.
Perhaps their friendship was still pure at the moment, a treasure cherished by both sides, but it could sour in an instant, needing only a trigger.
Just as naturally as water flows into a channel, or as a ripe melon falls from its stem, no human intervention necessary.
"Professor Bolao, can I study magical engineering with you next semester?"
Lanci pondered for a moment and then asked Professor Bolao.
If there were a magic artisan Lanci had ever considered the most formidable, it had to be Professor Bolao.
Even when he was still in the Nanwantina before he left home, the magical engineering books written by Professor Bolao were what he read, using them as self-study materials.
Unfortunately, over the years, Professor Bolao had never taken on a student individually, the only student he was willing to teach being Duke Migaya.
As the foremost magic engineer of the Hutton Kingdom in hundreds of years, it was somewhat of a waste of time for him to devote his efforts to training someone whose talent was less than his own.
At the beginning of his schooling, Lanci had wanted to study under Professor Bolao, but at that time his rank was too low, and his understanding of magical engineering could not keep up with Professor Bolao; now, after a long period of accumulation, it should be much better.
After completing the general courses for the first year at Ichrite Academy, students can start to determine their major field of study in their second year.
As long as Lanci chooses magical engineering and Professor Bolao is willing to take students, next year Lanci can switch from class-based learning to research-based learning, which is more similar to the study method of fourth-year students.
"A Platinum Level Cardmaker, that’s not bad at all."
Although Professor Bolao said this, the look he gave Lanci did not hold much expectation,
"Your talent for magic engineering is decent, but you are not an exceptionally rare genius. More importantly, you don’t really like magic engineering, nor are you likely to dedicate your life to it. To be honest, I think you are management material, and there’s no need to waste your talent on magic engineering."
Professor Bolao cut to the heart of why he did not choose Lanci.
He had watched Lanci progress through the entire process of becoming a Platinum Level Cardmaker.
It was evident that Lanci’s ability to produce an Epic Card depended not only on his unnaturally high artistic sense and exquisite control over the craft but also heavily on the aid of the summon [Great Love Poet].
Or rather, she was the key reason why Lanci could produce an Epic Card.
"What I mainly want is for you to teach me and the Great Love Poet. She really likes magic engineering, and she should be able to keep up with you. I’ll learn as much as I can."
Lanci’s proposal was akin to a buy one, get one free deal: gain one disciple, receive two assistants.
Although allowing Lan Fu to learn advanced magical engineering was a dangerous affair, she had pretty much reached the pinnacle of what she could learn from books on magic engineering. If she wasn’t given some new coursework to occupy her time, she would become restless again.
"I’ll think about it. The main issue is that I’m very busy at the moment, and I’m not sure if I’ll have the time to take on students next year,"
Professor Bolao mused for a long time before finally responding.
"Is there anything I can help you with?"
Lanci naturally understood what Professor Bolao meant.
They had just arrived here today and had heard Professor Bolao talk about his busy workload.
This just so happened to touch upon an area where Lanci excelled.
Civil disputes, organizational management issues—they were his strong suits.
"Maybe there is, maybe there isn’t. You almost managed to help me a great deal,"
Professor Bolao shook his head and sighed.
In the end, the problem was still related to Loren.
Although he greatly acknowledged the personal business capabilities Lanci had demonstrated in the first semester, one couldn’t expect Lanci to help Loren solve all his problems—that would be asking too much of a student.
