NOVPUBOctober had already arrived.
As I passed through the Moon Goddess Garden, a gentle breeze blew by, carrying with it a flurry of ginkgo leaves that carpeted the path in a light yellow tapestry of fallen foliage.
Today was also the first Monday of October.
As the eight o’clock bell of Saint Kray Temple resonated through the crisp morning air, and before the morning classes had even started, students dressed in the Saint Kray Temple academy uniforms had already gathered in groups across the campus, chatting leisurely about their studies and practical training.
Elliot Square.
"Hey, have you heard?"
A vibrant, youthful noble girl ran from the open space behind, patting the back of a blonde male student in front of her.
"What?"
The blonde student beneath the building turned around slowly; he wasn’t startled by the silver-haired noble miss.
"Starting today, we’ll have a new professor for this course."
The noble girl leaned in closer, whispering.
Their conversation quickly drew the fleeting attention of other students passing by.
They stood not far from the main building under the plaza, positioned in the heart of the Saint Kray Temple campus, adjacent to the iconic Vennard Library and the auditorium.
This five-story main building was made of red brick and gray stone, decorated with holy white trim lines along the facade, and the triangular pediment was adorned with the simple and austere emblem of the Saint Kray Temple.
Below the pediment were three arched doorways, with the words "Saint Kray Elliot Building" inscribed above the central main entrance.
Although the majority of the students wouldn’t share the same courses, it was quite rare for the Great Monastery to recruit new professors at this time of year.
Ordinary professors wouldn’t be recruited by this Empire’s highest academic institution without reason—they would inevitably be replacing complex high-level courses, and those positions were significant.
"Old Mr. Brunk was teaching pretty well, wasn’t he?"
The blonde student questioned, appearing puzzled by the administration’s decision.
"Professor Brunk is getting older, and although he can teach many courses, it’s not reasonable to have him responsible for two 400-level courses and one 500-level course. The scheduling was already a struggle at the start of the semester, and Headmaster Violet promised Professor Brunk that once a new teacher was found, he wouldn’t have to carry the burden of this 400-level course anymore." 𝚗ov𝚙𝚞𝚋.c𝚘m
The noble girl shrugged.
After all, the role of a course leader is not the same as that of a standard tutor; they need to manage the course syllabus, supervise teaching quality, plan unit development, finalize assessment methods, manage teaching staff and assistants, handle external communications, and more. One has to possess administrative skills, leadership, and academic prowess simultaneously to be up to the task.
It must be someone with profound expertise in their field who could assume such responsibilities with ease.
"Nowadays in the Empire, aside from those professors called away by the Imperial Army, are there even any left who can handle such subjects?"
The blonde student voiced his skepticism.
Saint Kray Temple had courses of five different levels, distinguished by the number at the start of their codes.
Generally speaking, the first three levels correspond to the regular students’ three years.
Upon completing eight level-1 courses, eight level-2 courses, and eight level-3 courses over three years, students could apply for graduation.
As for levels 4 and 5 – the special advanced courses, with higher credit value and challenge, only third-year students or graduates continuing their studies would select them.
"With the talent shortages now cropping up in the Cerryti Empire, capable individuals will naturally rise to the forefront."
The noble girl spoke with confidence, seemingly eager to see what the new professor would be like.
"Anyways, let’s head to the classroom first."
She stepped forward cheerfully.
The blonde student nodded and accompanied her into the main building of Saint Kray Temple.
Within the Elliot Building, the entrance hall laid with black-and-white marble tiles boasted a ceiling from which copper chandeliers hung. The building contained one hundred and twenty-one classrooms and seminar rooms, primarily for undergraduate students’ theoretical magic research and Magic Engineering courses.
Classrooms varied in size, accommodating anywhere from twenty to two hundred people.
Apart from the regular classrooms, there were advanced case practical teaching rooms and an Imperial Department of Magic-guided Engineering Laboratory to meet the needs of different courses.
The middle floor of the Elliot Building also housed a faculty lounge, offering not just a resting and socializing space for professors, but an ideal place for discussing academic matters with students. In addition to comfy sofas, complete coffee tables, and a wall of books, there were also printers and coffee machines for teachers’ exclusive use.
Another notable feature was its bell tower.
The towering bell tower, adorned with four large clocks, would chime every hour, resonating throughout the central area of Saint Kray Temple. The terrace below the bell tower was also a beloved spot for students to gather and relax during their leisure time.
The two crossed the terrace, passing by a figure with black hair leaning against the stone railing, gazing at the campus.
"The truth is, after studying here for several years, I still find it quite easy to get lost in this building."
The noble girl sighed as they re-entered the indoor corridors.
"I hope the new professor doesn’t arrive late."
The blonde student, too, when he first came here, spent half a day unable to find his classroom.
This building was definitely a nightmare for those who were directionally challenged, which is likely why it housed the more advanced courses.
Whether or not the first class began on time would be an indirect indication of the new professor’s reliability.
A top-tier university like Saint Kray Temple should never feature professors who are unprepared and panicky.
It’s worth noting that the Elliot Building, this principal structure, was also in charge of managing several of Saint Kray Temple’s primary student organizations, such as the Saint Kray Temple Student Union and the Saint Kray Temple Debate Religious Research Society. The offices of these organizations were housed within the Elliot Building, making it quite easy to mistakenly walk into a classroom.
