Inside August’s office.
Three people sat around an old, round oak table. One of them was August.
Sitting beside him was a young woman with starry eyes, her long, light-purple hair cascading over her shoulders.
Her appearance was breathtakingly beautiful, and she exuded an ethereal aura, looking like an elf hidden in the deep forest, strikingly lovely.
Sitting across from them was a mature man, around forty or fifty years old. The golden Arbiter badge on his shoulder gleamed somewhat blindingly under the sunlight.
August picked up his teacup and spoke first, “Wesley, how much did you say headquarters approved?”
The mature man, addressed as Wesley, cleared his throat. He then picked up his teacup and took a slow, deliberate sip of tea.
“Sixty Arcane gold ingots, plus two sets of standard military-grade mana detectors.”
“Of course, these will be allocated directly to this branch.”
August frowned. He had never seen the other party be so generous before.
“The Titan Prosecution Office of the Golden Branch branch has ranked first in law enforcement efficiency and custody success rate over the past three years. The resources that should be given cannot be spared.”
“However, headquarters also has its expectations.”
Wesley’s tone shifted.
“The branch needs more graduates with practical combat experience. Headquarters hopes the academy can make some adjustments to the curriculum.”
“For example, incorporating the Titan Prosecution Office’s practical combat drills into the third-year compulsory practical course, with senior members from our side leading the training.”
Wesley set down his teacup, the bottom clinking softly against the saucer.
“Of course, the people we train will ultimately serve the academy as well.”
“I wonder what Dean Loretta thinks of this?”
August understood the other man’s motive.
He wanted to screen talents early and then poach them.
“This means the academy would have to yield one-third of its practical course hours to you.”
“Arbiter Wesley, sixty Arcane gold ingots can buy many things, but they cannot buy course hours.”
Loretta sat with her long fingers interlaced over her lap, her sweet voice echoing in the office.
Wesley smiled faintly, clearly prepared for this response.
“Of course. That is why headquarters has approved an additional flexible budget. If the academy is willing to make room for the Titan Prosecution Office in the curriculum, this budget can be used to subsidize any of the academy’s teaching projects.”
“It could be Persephone’s potion research, Hermetica’s laboratory expansion, or even the ancient document restoration magic circle that Professor August has been wanting to apply for.”
“We can discuss the exact numbers further.”
August cleared his throat and muttered to himself, “That magic circle has been delayed for four years already.”
Loretta did not reply. She clearly knew that August was tempted.
“An interesting proposal, but curriculum adjustments require discussion at the academic affairs meeting. Arbiter Wesley, I’m afraid I cannot give you a definitive answer right now.”
“As for the specific ratio of course hour replacement...”
“No rush.”
Wesley leaned back in his chair and interrupted her.
“Before we talk about the ratio, I would like to discuss a personal matter with you, Dean. It’s about my son, Sevis. I wonder if you still remember him.”
“The student who ranked third in the practical combat course the year before last. I remember him. He’s quite good.”
Hearing Loretta’s praise, Wesley felt a surge of joy, though he did not let it show.
“During his year of advanced studies at headquarters, he has already gained the recognition of the Scale of Astral Judgment, and his mana evaluation has reached the mid-tier of Tier 4.”
“The Scale of Astral Judgment? You mean that Tier 6 magic item?!”
August showed a look of surprise, but Loretta’s expression remained calm.
Wesley nodded in great satisfaction and continued, “As you know, that item has been dormant at headquarters for decades. Only a handful of Arbiters in history have been able to resonate with it.”
“Sevis needs more precise guidance for his advancement path after reaching Tier 4. It would be wonderful if you could mentor him.”
“I can increase the resource budget allocated to the academy by another forty percent. As a father, I thank you on Sevis’s behalf. As an Arbiter, I believe this is a mutually beneficial collaboration.”
August could not help but clear his throat a few times.
“It seems the academy is conducting twice as many teaching activities this year compared to before.”
The implication was that the academy’s expenses this year were higher than ever, and they were currently in dire need of funds.
Loretta could not help but glare at August sitting beside her. Just as she was about to reply, the office door was suddenly pushed open.
“Professor!”
Erylin stood at the doorway. Usually so composed, she now appeared exceptionally flustered, with Lillian following behind her.
“Ah, Erylin is here! Come, let me give you a hug~”
“Dean?”
Erylin looked at Loretta in slight bewilderment, apparently not expecting her to be here as well.
“Erylin, we are discussing important matters right now. Whatever you have will have to wait.”
August waved his hand, signaling her to leave for the moment.
“No! Professor! Ain has been taken away by the Titan Prosecution Office! He is being tried right now!”
“What?!”
August looked at Erylin in disbelief.
Ever since he learned from her yesterday that Ain had defeated that magical wolf single-handedly and was even immune to its mana-absorbing trait, he had been secretly investigating Ain.
Ain had no backing or special bloodline; he was just an ordinary student.
Yet, he had actually managed to hide his strength for two years, and was the only second-year student in decades to reach Tier 3 strength.
This talent was even higher than Erylin’s!
August had even greeted the people at the Prosecution Office beforehand to postpone Ain’s punishment for another month.
So why was he arrested now?
Wesley took a sip of tea and spoke up.
“Isn’t it perfectly normal for the Prosecution Office to arrest criminals?”
“That’s not it! Ain was framed!”
“Belinda was the one who attacked first! She tried to use a bottle of mania potion to harm Lillian, to make her...”
Erylin paused. She did not know if she should mention the word “witchification” right now.
“Framed?”
Wesley’s gaze turned cold.
“As an official member of the Titan Prosecution Office, why would Belinda use a prohibited drug on a student for no reason?”
“If she did attack first, then the other party must have posed a threat.”
Wesley deliberately emphasized the word “threat.”
Lillian’s face was filled with anger, and she spoke up in deep dissatisfaction.
“How can you be so unreasonable! We already told you Belinda tried to harm us first! That potion of hers almost turned me into a wi—”
“Ahem!”
Loretta cleared her throat.
“The reputation of the Titan Prosecution Office is not for you to smear at will, especially with random assumptions you’ve just thrown together!”
“If you slander or even defame an executive member just because of friendship, you are also criminals!”
Wesley’s tone grew significantly heavier.
“Calm down, everyone.”
Loretta tapped the table lightly with her right index finger. A ripple of light-blue mana spread silently, instantly calming the agitated emotions in everyone’s hearts.
A light-blue magic circle flashed over her right hand, and a letter abruptly materialized in mid-air.
After scanning it quickly, Loretta’s eyebrows arched slightly.
“Sevis Xavier and Ain Aldric... They are currently on the combat arena and are about to fight.”
“What?!”
Erylin and Lillian cried out almost simultaneously.
Weren’t they supposed to be interrogated in the Interrogation Hall?
What did she mean they were about to fight?
“Professor! You know about yesterday’s exam! You have to stop—”
“Ahem.”
August said solemnly, “The Dean and the Arbiter are currently discussing important official business. Besides, procedures must always run their course.”
“In that case, let’s watch it together.”
Wesley stood up, a smile returning to his face.
“I believe you will be interested in Sevis.”
He suddenly felt somewhat grateful for this unexpected farce.
Although he didn’t know the reason for their duel, letting the Dean personally witness Sevis’s strength was naturally the best possible outcome.
Ain, no matter who he was, was only fit to be a stepping stone for Sevis.
“Since the Arbiter has said so, let’s go take a look.”
Loretta slowly rose, clutching a Corona Gold coin in her hand.
In the blink of an eye, the Corona Gold coin transformed into a Card of Canal.
【17】The Star
Rate on N.U.
