Chapter 16

Chapter Sixteen: The Limiting Score (Part Two)

"Let's not talk about that anymore." Sophina sat back in her seat and said, "How should we decide on the score for Bimoye's martial arts test?"

"Ah, right." The other teachers also returned to their seats, "We said we would decide after reviewing his test paper, and now we've finished. Hmph, based on his score, the 600 points are a given. Although theory and practice are two different things, in his case, they are the same."

"Da芬ke, you're still as stupid as before." Habu took out a cigarette, sniffed it, and put it back in the box, "Since it's such a headache, why do we have to think about it? We should leave it to the Dean and Vice-Deans to handle."

"Hei, why didn't I think of such a smart idea?" The thin teacher, who was scolded, scratched his messy curly hair and waved his hand, summoning a magical flame bird that flew toward Habu. Although the bird didn't look big, it would cause the entire office to suffer if it touched anything.

Just as the flame bird was about to reach Habu, a translucent hand appeared in the air and extinguished it. Sophina, who usually looked gentle, frowned and closed her eyes, her hand trembling, "Please don't challenge my limits."

"Ah, ah." Da芬ke shook his neck, "If the captain speaks, how can I not listen?"

The middle-aged teacher, Daen, said, "You've been teaching here for so long, yet you still act like you're on the front lines. As teachers, you should set an example for the students."

"Hmm, the old man talks too much." Habu continued with his work.

Daen seemed to be trying hard to endure something, and after a while, he gritted his teeth, "I'm only 48 years old."

Habu looked up as if he hadn't heard clearly, "Hmm? Oh, half-old man."

Even Sophina couldn't help but laugh, "Hey, Habu, stop teasing Daen. Daen, don't be angry, he just has a cheap mouth."

"Hmph, I'm not angry, I'm not angry at all. If he says I'm old, then I'm old, but I'm still very young." Daen clearly looked furious.

"Hey, right." Habu suddenly said, "Have any of you seen a test paper from Celeste Bingzhe?"

"No, I didn't notice." Everyone expressed the same.

Da芬ke laughed, "I haven't heard of him. Who is he? You didn't take money from someone and help him, did you?"

Habu, somewhat unhappy, said, "Why add the word 'again'? I said last time there were special circumstances. That student was a prince from another country, with a high sense of self-respect, insisting on taking the exam. You know, it was a matter of political diplomacy, and the royal family had specially requested it. The Dean agreed to let him enter the school with a decent score. And the score he got wasn't excessive; it was almost at the level for admission."

"Hmph, it might be at the level for admission, but for Kulandtin, he wouldn't even be able to touch the door."

Habu said, "Hey, is there such a person? Everyone, look for him."

The teachers, not knowing why he was looking for this person, still helped, except for Daen, who was angry.

"Celeste Bingzhe?" Sophina recalled, "This name sounds familiar, like I've heard it somewhere."

The tanned teacher said while searching, "Is it the Celeste family from the Royal Guard? I remember there was a Celeste in the Royal Guard."

"I don't know." Habu shook his head.

Da芬ke searched through all the papers under his control but found none, "Fatso, there's none. Maybe he was eliminated in the preliminary selection."

Others also expressed that they hadn't found him.

Sophina asked, "Why are you looking for his paper?"

"Nothing, just want to see it." Habu said, "He and Christine submitted their papers almost simultaneously."

"Oh! So it's him. We should look more carefully." The teachers searched again but still found nothing.

A teacher said, "Maybe his paper hasn't been delivered yet, or he might have been eliminated early."

"Possible." Other teachers also thought so.

"Ah, maybe." Habu was somewhat disappointed and leaned over the table to tally his scores.

Daen finished grading the stack of papers he hadn't finished earlier, handed them to the tallying teacher, and when he took the new stack, he saw the name 'Celeste Bingzhe' on the first envelope. "Hey." Daen threw the envelope over.

"What? Ah, Celeste Bingzhe! Indeed, here it is. Thanks, half-old man." Habu handed the envelope to Sophina, "You grade this paper."

"Okay." Sophina finished grading the paper under her control, pushed up her glasses, and said, "I'll see how capable this Bingzhe is." She opened the envelope and saw the martial arts test score sheet first.

Habu kept watching Sophina, suddenly noticing her expression was off, "What's wrong?"

"...... Uh...... Suggested score...... 600 points!!"

Everyone's nerves tightened, "Another 600 points!"

Even Daen, who was angry, was stunned, "Impossible, how can it be another 600 points? This is impossible, I absolutely don't believe it."

"Bimoye couldn't be scored because he defeated the examiner in one hit. Could this guy have done the same?"

"Yes, the same." Sophina said, "He also defeated the examiner in one hit, so...... he couldn't be scored. Jiljil suggested giving 100 points, the full score!"

"Jiljil, again Jiljil!" Daen snatched the paper.

Sophina said, "Don't tear the score sheet."

Daen looked at the content of the score sheet in shock, which was indeed similar to Bimoye's, making him break out in a cold sweat. This wasn't because he wasn't steady, but because it was the first time in Kulandtin's history. "Ah! His test session was right after Bimoye's."

Habu was also surprised, "Oh, this is quite a coincidence. I wonder if Christine's grandson saw his test. Sophina, quickly look at his paper. I can't wait to know how his test went."

"Ah, yes." The other teachers also looked at her eagerly.

Sophina slowly unfolded the paper, "Okay, okay, since you all want to know so much, I'll take a look."

Everyone stopped their work and waited quietly for Sophina's grading.

The better the paper, the easier it was to grade. Sophina quickly finished, and the others knew it must be good, but they wanted to know how it compared to Bimoye's.

Sophina glanced at the inquiring expressions of the others and handed the paper to Habu, "For the first question, you taught the students 15 answers, right?"

"Um, yes." Habu took the paper, "Did he write another 15 answers? No way."

Sophina said, "Yes, he not only wrote another 15 answers but look at the third one."

Habu picked up the paper and read, "Mixing the luster sand with the sap of the red tong tree and the blood of the limb-tailed beast, when refined with fire elements, first heat it at 73-75°C for 4 hours to allow the three substances to blend, then heat it at 350°C, 700°C, and 1050°C for one minute each. The luster sand will melt in these three heatings and blend completely with the mixed liquid without causing an explosion. After it cools naturally, a fire-element-infused cryptocrystalline stone can be obtained, which conducts fire elements better than ordinary red flame stones. I call this stone 'cute red chocolate beans.'"

Habu finished reading and looked up at everyone, who looked at each other, not having heard of this method.

Da芬ke asked, "Is this really possible? I don't remember reading about this method in any books."

"I haven't heard of it either."

"Me neither."

Sophina put down her iced coffee, "He wrote, 'I call this stone cute red chocolate beans.' This suggests that this might not be a method from a book but a result of his own experiments."

"His own experiments? A teenager?" Daen shook his head firmly, "Impossible, how could a teenager experiment with methods we don't know? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"

Sophina shook her head and sighed, "Daen, it is possible."

"You're too rigid and inflexible, Daen." Da芬ke said, "In your mind, you always fix children into a certain pattern, thinking they must learn, must become high-level mages, ultimate mages, or magicians before they can break free from their teachers and become independent. But they are playful and adorable spirits, and they might have new ideas and try them out. This is innovation, exploration, and the thirst for knowledge, which is the nature of children."

"Hmph, you don't need to teach me." Daen was clearly angry again, "If a child can discover new methods, what's the point of having us teachers in the academy? We might as well let those teenagers teach us!"

The tanned teacher said, "Daen, I also think your views are too outdated and narrow. Didn't Sophina's grandfather create new magic when he was a child? Talent, ability, and nature don't have to wait until they are famous to be recognized."

Daen had no response to this but still looked unconvinced.

"Daen, you still don't understand the purpose of teaching." Suddenly, an old man with white hair and a white beard, wearing a bright blue magic robe with white patterns, entered.

"Dean Edith." "Dean."

"Sit, sit, sit, no need to stand, continue your work." This person was the current Dean of Kulandtin Academy, the wind mage Edith Kiram. He said to Daen, "Daen, they are right. Although you are one of the best teachers in the academy, you still haven't grasped the true meaning of teaching."

Abigail Daen stood respectfully, partly out of respect for the Dean and partly because the Dean was his mentor from his early days as a student to becoming a teacher.

Dean Edith said, "Daen, the true purpose of teaching in an academy is not to teach students how many spells, not to teach them to learn this or that, but to expand their thinking, point them in a direction, and let them learn and explore on their own. Otherwise, no matter how well you teach them, they will only be puppets."

"Yes, Dean, I understand." Daen obediently agreed.

Habu clapped and laughed, "The Dean really knows how to speak."

The Dean looked at him, "Habu, you've gained weight again."

Habu's smile froze.

Everyone in the office burst into laughter.

Da芬ke said, "Your mouth is sharp, but now that the Dean has said something, can you still talk back?"

Habu glared at him and said nothing.

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