“Student Lynn.”
The voice coming from behind made Lynn's movements pause slightly.
He slowly turned his head. Siss stood there holding his coffee, looking at him with a fake smile.
“Don't be nervous. I have no intention of blaming you.”
“Using leverage within reasonable bounds to achieve one's goal is also the move of a wise person.”
“You misunderstand, Professor,” Lynn said with a frank expression. “I simply firmly believe that with your love for education, you would never reject any child who thirsts for knowledge.”
“...Heh, I will take it as such then.”
Siss adjusted the gold-rimmed glasses on his hooked nose, his gloomy eyes giving him a deep look.
“Catch.” He casually tossed over a badge. “This is my faculty credential.”
Only after confirming that the youth before him had tucked it away did he speak unhurriedly. “As long as you do not overstep the academy's rules, it can save you a lot of unnecessary explanations.”
“As for when to take it out and how to use it—”
He drew out his words meaningfully.
“I believe a truly clever student does not need an instructor to instruct them on every little thing.”
“The academy has never been stingy about granting a little convenience to outstanding students.”
“...Provided that they remain worthy of this convenience.”
Lynn placed the academy badge into his breast pocket, his tone turning a bit more serious than usual.
“I still have one thing I do not understand, and I would like to ask the professor to clarify.”
“Speak.”
“Does the academy... always condone this kind of thing?”
Siss's hand holding the coffee paused for a brief moment.
“What kind of thing?”
“You should know what I mean, Professor.”
Lynn gave a light chuckle, his attitude remaining polite.
“A newly enrolled freshman is pushed into everyone's spotlight for no reason at all. Someone is lighting a fire in the shadows, and others are taking the opportunity to fan the flames.”
“The instructors in the academy couldn't possibly have noticed nothing, right?”
He paused.
“After all, this is a place of education. Letting things develop like this seems... rather inappropriate.”
After a brief silence, Siss took a slow sip of his coffee.
“You are right.”
“The academy teaches students magic and knowledge, and it will step in to stop them when they truly cross the line.”
“But other than that—”
He raised his gloomy eyes and looked in the direction of the white-haired dumpling who had already scurried off.
“There are some things that mentors cannot shield students from.”
“When a person stands high enough, flattery, jealousy, doubt, and malice will naturally follow one after another.”
Lynn narrowed his eyes slightly.
“So, you believe this is also a part of education, Professor?”
“At least it is more practical than what is in the textbooks,” Siss replied calmly.
“If one cannot even distinguish a few fake compliments, or bear the gazes of others, then no matter how outstanding their talent is, it will be difficult for them to go far.”
“Of course, if things truly cross the line, the academy will not sit idly by.”
With that, he turned around.
“Thank you for clarifying my doubts, Professor.”
Lynn nodded thoughtfully.
Siss did not respond further. Holding his long-cooled cup of coffee, he slowly walked out of the cafeteria.
The gaze behind his lenses quietly swept over the spot where Lynn had tucked away the academy badge.
‘This kid... is actually even sharper than I expected.’
The academy indeed would not allow extreme harm or humiliation to occur.
But for those children on the list, winds and waves of this level were a screening process that the mentors silently condoned.
“It really is... the new wave pushing the old wave...”
In the competition for that 'qualification', there would actually come a day when two freshmen were involved, though they themselves seemed completely unaware of it...
Irene Durandal.
Lynn von Reinhardt.
And those upperclassmen, the monsters known as the 'Golden Generation'...
What kind of ultimate survivor would be bred from that brutal, winner-takes-all trial that gathered countless talented individuals?
As for that instructor's badge... Siss had not lied; it indeed was a privilege for 'excellent students.' But it was also more than just that.
Every ten years, the mentors of the Sacred Capital Academy would hold an unwritten but universally understood wager centered around the students who had the potential to make it to the very end.
Some remained on the sidelines, while others placed their bets early.
And some would only be willing to place their chips on the table once the situation became clear.
And Siss had always hated following the crowd.
“I have bet everything on you, so do not disappoint me...”
“...little lion of the Reinhardt family.”
Rate on N.U.
