Chapter 4

The wall was made of stacked stones with a light hue, forming intricate patterns. The ceiling was high, and the floor was made of thick wooden planks. The only lighting came from old, magically crafted stone lamps, and the furniture was all made of old wood.

Everything in this room was filled with long-held memories, having been used for a long time.

From the window, one could see the entire vast academy, a space that had become as familiar as a second home.

Sitting at an old, large wooden desk and chair, I glared at the documents and groaned.

"...Why do problems keep arising..."

I sighed and hung my head.

If there were no problems, I would want to enjoy a cup of tea and work leisurely in this calming office. However, strangely, problems arise every day.

No, I know the cause, but it's a difficult issue to resolve, so I keep putting it off.

One problem is the overbearing nature of the faculty.

After all, they teach talented apprentice mages. They must be top-notch mages with a track record of researching the mechanisms of magic.

In other words, they are mostly eccentrics and stubborn individuals. Some even take on the role of teachers to enjoy the privileges, treating classes as a mere nuisance.

Another problem is the overbearing nature of the students.

For generations, being talented as a mage has been seen as a guarantee of a bright future.

Therefore, nobles and royalty have desired magical talent for various reasons, such as advancing their status or preventing decline. Over time, most of those who could become high-level mages came from noble families.

It's not an exaggeration to say that almost all those with the potential to become top-tier mages are born into nobility.

Born into nobility, and with the magical talent to enter Fidic Academy, which itself is a status symbol upon graduation, it's no wonder some students get carried away. This is especially true for young students.

When conflicts arise, both faculty and students resort to using magic, despite the strict rules and penalties. They claim it's a matter of noble pride and refuse to back down.

The most reliable solution would be to enforce strict and impartial punishment regardless of status, but the academy is funded by the nobles and royalty of six major countries. If the punishments are too severe, the patrons will get angry.

In other words, the system is designed to create problems.

In such a situation, I was holding my head, looking at a report that seemed to have been written by a grown adult.

The content, which wasted four sheets of expensive white paper, could be summarized in three lines:

One of the faculty members, despite being the third son of a baron, is disrespectful to me, the second son of a duke.

If this continues, it will affect the survival of the academy. What do you intend to do about it?

After finishing the report, I sighed again.

"I don't know."

From the report alone, it seems the second son of the duke has done nothing wrong.

However, considering his previous evaluations and class performance, the content is the opposite.

Indeed, Strass, the faculty member, is grumpy, unfriendly, and has a sharp tongue. However, he is fair and doesn't discriminate, telling both the good and the bad without changing his attitude.

He may not be the type to value relationships, but he is not a bad person.

On the other hand, Barel, the second son of the Carvain Kingdom's duke, has a poor reputation. He often skips classes he deems unnecessary and throws tantrums when reprimanded.

Worse, Barel has a talent for magic and is top of his class in some subjects. Due to his status, more and more faculty members are hesitant to reprimand him or avoid him altogether.

"Should I expel him?"

In the past, I have expelled students, even royalty, if their behavior was too egregious.

However, such actions always lead to trouble. It's clear from experience that it will be even more complicated with royalty and dukes.

"Troublesome."

Leaning back in my chair, I exhaled through my nose. Truly, it's nothing but trouble.

Just then, I sensed a rare magical presence.

"Hmm... Is this unattributed magic? How rare."

Muttering to myself, I looked towards the window and saw a white paper fluttering like a bird outside.

Without moving from my seat, I waved my finger, and the window opened. The white paper floated in and landed on my desk. I realized it wasn't just a letter but an introduction.

Seeing the familiar name of the sender, I couldn't help but exclaim, "Oh!"

"Owen Millers. It's been so long... As usual, the writing is so blunt."

With a wry smile, I read the content of the introduction.

The already short message could be summarized in three lines:

I've taken my first disciple.

He learns quickly, and I have nothing left to teach him.

Consider hiring him as a faculty member.

"Is this boasting about his disciple?"

I muttered, half in exasperation, and pinched my chin, stroking it thoughtfully.

The more I read, the more unbelievable it seemed.

Owen Millers, a fellow magician from my hometown and a friend, is an equal to me in magical prowess. No, being a rare pure-blooded elf, he is likely more powerful and skilled than I, an aging half-elf.

Owen, who is a pure researcher and explorer, never spends time on others. This means the disciple must be exceptionally talented to capture Owen's interest.

"It's been thirty... no, about forty years since we last met. If the disciple has learned Owen's knowledge and experience in just thirty years, that's impressive."

Interesting.

I have run the academy and seen many people of different races, but I have never encountered such a talented individual.

If Owen has already granted him the highest level of mastery, he should indeed have more than enough qualifications to be a faculty member.

If a faculty member with overwhelming power were to teach, it might calm the students.

"Yes, I would like to meet him. Is he already on his way to the academy... No, the letter says 'this person.' Hmm? If he brought the letter, where is the sender?"

Tilting my head, I examined the back of the paper and searched for any hidden magical seals. Just then, I heard a knock on the door.

"Who is it?"

The door opened from the outside, and Speyside, one of the water magic faculty members, appeared.

"Excuse me."

Bowing deeply, Speyside stepped into the room and spoke.

"Earlier, a suspicious woman threw a letter this way, so I came to check..."

"Suspicious woman... Did you see the sender? Where did she go?"

If she was alone, she must be Owen's disciple. I asked, but Speyside shook his head.

"I don't know. She had no identification and just said she wanted to see the headmaster, so I asked her to leave."

Speyside laughed dismissively.

"...What..."

I couldn't help but groan. Speyside's dismissive attitude towards the sender gave me a bad feeling.

Surely, he didn't drive her away...

"Was that inappropriate...?"

Seeing my reaction, Speyside's expression tensed.

Speyside has a somewhat elitist personality and likely didn't treat the unidentified person with respect.

Normally, the gatekeeper would handle visitors, but Speyside must have encountered her outside the academy while on some errand.

What bad timing.

"That person is my friend's disciple and an important visitor. She should still be in the city. Please find her and bring her here."

I said, and Speyside's back straightened. My tone had become slightly more urgent out of concern, and his face turned pale.

"I'll find her immediately!"

He said hurriedly and rushed out of the room. Watching him go, I looked towards the window.

"If she knows flight magic, it's bad. She might leave right away."

Sighing, I prayed that the woman would be found quickly.