NOVPUBAlthough Elliot Building was nearly a century old, it had not ceased to advance, having undergone multiple renovations and technological updates in recent years to meet the needs of contemporary imperial education.
The introduction of facilities such as the interactive magical guidance whiteboard and the Empire’s comprehensive system coverage brought new vitality to this ancient building.
As a plaque in the fourth floor atrium of Elliot said—"The path of education lies in enlightening the mind, pursuing truth, and extending brilliance."
Elliot Building witnessed nearly a century of Saint Kray Monastery’s history, with each brick and tile soaked in the academic atmosphere and humanistic spirit of the highest academic institution in the South Continent.
Those gathered here were the most promising young people of the Cerryti Empire.
Before they realized it, the two had walked deep into the wide staircase classroom on the fourth floor.
The sunlight beamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a hazy golden layer over the entire classroom spanning several hundred square meters.
The classroom echoed with the laughter of students, greeting friends they hadn’t seen over the weekend and chatting merrily.
However,
The division among the students was quite clear.
Although studying in the same academy, the status and identities of the students were vastly different.
At a glance, one could see from right to left how the students of Saint Kray Monastery were divided into three areas: the nobility, comprising members of the royal family, major nobles, and important ministers; the middle or neutral class, made up of wealthy merchants, officials, and remote nobility; and the people’s class, consisting of specially recruited students and children of ordinary merchants.
Even though they were all talented students, they too could not escape the constraints of status and unwittingly began to form cliques based on their origin and family standpoints.
The blonde male student and the noble young lady, although qualified to join the nobility, also seemed reluctant to exhibit this label in class, settling instead for seats toward the back in the middle where the view was good.
There was still a while before the official class time.
Sitting in the classroom, one could clearly hear the conversation.
"The new professor is leading a level 4 class right away? Is he that impressive?"
"There’s no helping it, Professor Brunk is old enough to retire. Now, continuing to teach at Saint Kray Monastery is partly due to Headmaster Violet’s persuasion, and partly because he does not want to get involved with the military conscription."
"Maybe they really couldn’t find anyone and had to forcibly recruit a new professor to fill the gap."
"I’ve heard a bit of whispering about the new professor..."
The speaking noble student lowered his voice.
"Any gossip?"
"He’s a poor noble from the remote northwest area, Nixasende. He probably has never been to the capital before."
As soon as these words fell, a wave of disdainful laughter arose among the noble students.
In the eyes of the nobility, those remote and impoverished nobles who disgraced their class had been stripped of their noble status.
As they spoke, some couldn’t help but glance towards the left side of the classroom, where the silhouette of a black-haired female student was.
In their classroom, there was a typical descendant of a declining noble family.
One had to admit she possessed an inherent outstanding talent in Magical Engineering.
But it couldn’t change her destiny, despised by the nobility for classifying herself as a commoner.
"Which side will the new professor favor?"
"It’s said he’s a young genius in Magical Engineering, who obtained his doctoral degree from the Empire at 23, and became a professor at the northwestern university of Nixasende at 25, but he hadn’t officially started teaching before being transferred here."
Another group of students whispered among themselves, some also appearing worried.
The standpoint of the course manager often influenced the course selection preference of students.
In some classes, most were noble students, while in others, most were commoner students.
If it was a professor from the Nobility Faction, commoner students would find it quite difficult to pass and achieve high grades.
The reason many students liked the previous Professor Brunk was precisely because he did not favor either the Nobility Faction or the People’s Faction, nor did he treat students differently based on their background, being kind to all.
Changing professors mid-course was rare, but when it did happen, it often involved an element of luck.
Just as the students were engaged in various discussions, the classroom’s front door was opened, and light also entered the room.
All students’ eyes focused on the black-haired man entering the classroom, and the noise gradually quieted down.
His arrival was like the morning mist rising from the tranquil surface of a lake at dawn, subtly luminous.
Mysterious, hazy, yet clear.
He carried himself with a cultural superiority, a warm gaze focused only on closing his own door, stepping up to the lectern, and setting down his books—unaffected by anyone else.
Only then did he finally glance sideways at the students on the other side of the lectern.
Although they hadn’t yet started to converse,
many students felt, upon first sight, that he would not be a bad person.
For his eyes, blue like the lake, naturally carried pity and thoughtfulness, none of which was for himself.
It was solely for the creatures and suffering he saw.
It was a saintly gaze.
The professor took off his soft cap with a rounded top and a small brim.
This simple hat, along with the loose coat over his gray suit vest, further accentuated the scholarly serenity and restraint.
Gulp.
Many students in the classroom, stunned by his unique aura, swallowed subconsciously.
"I am Landry Washington, the new professor at the Faculty of Magical Engineering at Saint Kray Monastery."
he introduced himself,
"Don’t be too formal, as today might lean more towards a seminar or an outline of the course rather than a formal lecture."
His melodious voice instantly awakened the students from their daze, bringing vitality back into the room.
Many students, relaxed by his appearance, even began discussing quietly.
The black-haired, blue-eyed new professor did not mind the increasing buzz of the classroom but let the students chat freely. He slowly took off his gray trench coat, hung it on the coat rack, and then turned back around.
"Professor, what are your thoughts on the current state of the Empire?"
a student in the front row asked proactively.
After a brief exchange of opinions with those nearby, most students agreed that this professor seemed more of a mild and conservative neutral, likely neither siding with the nobility nor the commoners.
Although the question was sensitive, it was undoubtedly what all other students were most concerned about, trying to gauge the professor’s faction and stance.
...
Landry looked somewhat puzzled at the questioning student, silent.
Until the atmosphere quieted the classroom once again.
"The existence of the Monastery is to provide a safe harbor for independent thinkers, political topics should not be involved here."
he finally began slowly, as if also deeply contemplating the question,
"We all know the world has changed, some people are laughing, some are crying, and most remain silent."
In the same course, students from different years came to study.
Due to the flexibility of course arrangement at Saint Kray Monastery, students could freely schedule their required and elective courses, though many courses had prerequisites, so most students would still complete more basic courses in their lower years, unlocking advanced courses later.
Of course, if a student wished to tackle more challenging courses earlier, they could directly contact the professor of the course to obtain permission and then register at the student services center.
The course Landry was now teaching was level 4 of specialized higher Magical Engineering "Study of Netherworld Magic Engineering", suitable for third-year students who had completed their coursework or were pursuing an honors degree, and for research students who stayed at the school after graduation. Whichever type, these classes gathered the Empire’s youngest Magical Engineering talents.
"So what?"
a student couldn’t help but ask, not quite understanding why the professor barely mentioned internal issues of the Empire, yet seemed more focused on external concerns.
One must admit, the internal and external problems of the Cerryti Empire today are interrelated and causally connected by nature.
But his perspective, what he saw, seemed drastically different from theirs.
"The envoy who stole fire for mankind is an embodiment of light but could also be an embodiment of the Death God."
He opened the "The Codex of Demons, Ancient Volume" by his side, muttering,
"Perhaps the moment for a terrifying balance has truly arrived for the South Continent."
