Han Shuo had been worried that the Duke would find out about him, but a few minutes after arriving at the Necromancy Major's, those worries had been thoroughly dispelled.
The reason was that when Han Shuo arrived, he naturally greeted Borg and Carey when he saw them cleaning the stone sculptures along the path. However, the two didn't recognise Han Shuo and didn't know what to do with their deep respect and humility.
When Han Shuo identified himself and Borg and Carey cautiously recognised him, they spoke to him with an even more fearful attitude.
Han Shuo was no longer an errand slave of the Necromancy Major. He'd become a student and his status was naturally higher than those two errand boys. Add to that the fact that the necromancy students had deliberately exaggerated Han Shuo's help when they returned from the Dark Forest, and this made the two former enemies, Carey and Borg, even more afraid that Han Shuo would come looking for them.
However, Han Shuo didn't pay any attention to them, instead he took out a bronze mirror and admired himself in it, full of bliss. He had suddenly discovered that his features had indeed undergone tumultuous changes compared to a few months ago. His originally frail and thin frame had become much stronger and taller. His frail features had become much more determined after a series of life-threatening experiences. His features had become much more pronounced, changing from those of an old child half a year ago to those of a dashing and charming young man.
If even Borg and Carey, two errand boys who were well acquainted with Han Shuo, couldn't easily recognise him, then Han Shuo wouldn't have to worry about Duke and Erick, especially after Candide had promised to take care of the overhanging cloud known as 'Shadow Ghost'. Han Shuo suddenly felt completely relaxed and stopped covering his tracks. He returned to the academy in public.
"Eh, it's Bryan! You haven't been back to the Academy for so long, I thought something had happened to you!" Amy, the Necromancy major, had been on her way to the classroom building when she suddenly exclaimed when she saw Han Shuo.
"Hello Amy." Han Shuo smiled as he greeted her and walked with her towards the Dark Major's classroom building.
When Han Shuo arrived at the necromancy major's classroom, he was lost in thought for a while. Just two short months ago, he could only hold his broom and use the time he had while cleaning to stand outside and listen to Gene's lectures. Who would have thought that in such a short time he'd become a student of Necromancy with the right to enter the classroom and sit down with the other students.
"Don't just stand there, the second lesson is about to start, come in!" Amy suddenly spoke up to rush him in when she walked up to the door and saw Han Shuo standing mutely outside the window.
Han Shuo immediately came to his senses and smiled kindly at Amy, nodding as he walked into the classroom. As soon as Han Shuo walked in, the eyes of several students inside suddenly focused on Han Shuo, especially Lisa in the back row. She had lazily closed her eyes when her eyes suddenly lit up as she stood up and waved at Han Shuo, "Here, over here!"
Bach and Bella's looks at Han Shuo, as well as those of several other majors, were extremely strange as they muttered something low.
"Bryan's back, heh heh. Amy, do you believe the rumours?" Athena suddenly asked Amy in a low voice after greeting her.
"I don't really believe it. It doesn't look like anything is going to happen between Master Fanny and Bryan. Camilla, that old witch, loves to tell tall tales, do you believe anything she says?" Amy sulked and shook her head.
It wasn't just Amy and Athena, as Han Shuo walked towards Lisa he heard all the students talking about him and Fanny. They talked vividly about how Camilla had found Han Shuo on Fanny's bed, as if they'd been there themselves. In their minds, he and Fanny had become a couple caught in the act.
Han Shuo felt quite speechless, he hadn't thought that Camilla would be such a busybody and make sure that all the necromancy students knew about this. This probably meant that the other teachers, including Fanny herself, had heard the news even earlier.
Lisa's originally excited expression changed to one of questioning after Han Shuo sat down with a wry smile. Her gaze first swept over Han Shuo in surprise, as if marvelling at his changes. Then she said coldly, "Huh, those things they're talking about, are they true or not? Is there really something going on between you and Master Fanny?"
"Lisa, how can you not believe me if they don't believe me? If I were someone like that, Master Fanny would never be someone like that! I can't believe that someone would actually believe such ridiculous things, it's too outrageous!" Han Shuo quietly explained to Lisa with a wry look on his face.
Lisa breathed a small sigh of relief after hearing Han Shuo's words and her expression softened as well, but she still asked suspiciously, "Rumours don't come from nowhere, it must be true that you went to Master Fanny's room in the middle of the night, right? Even though that old witch Camilla has a big mouth, she wouldn't accuse you without any evidence?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Han Shuo said, "I just went over to ask Master Fanny a few questions. The old witch has made a mountain out of a molehill and I can't stop her from talking. She can say whatever she wants, it doesn't affect me at all."
"But it does affect Master Fanny's reputation. Everyone will think that Master Fanny's life is a bit sordid, especially since you're her pupil. Maybe the school authorities will keep an eye on her or something." Lisa frowned as she reminded Han Shuo.
Han Shuo was suddenly enlightened by Lisa's words. He suddenly felt that he was being very selfish, thinking only of himself and never considering Fanny's position.
Just as Han Shuo was inwardly scolding himself, Gene entered the classroom with a thick stack of magic books. He glanced around the room as he entered and saw Han Shuo sitting in the back row. His face suddenly turned cold.
The class had just started when Gene suddenly stopped and looked at Han Shuo with an evil smile. "Bryan, you've never attended a class since you became a necromancy major Student. Is the knowledge I'm going to discuss too advanced for you? Do you understand what I'm saying?"
After the trials of the Dark Forest, Han Shuo understood that Gene wasn't a bad person. He just made things a bit difficult for Han Shuo because of Fanny, but Gene was still a refined, cultured person. He didn't make life too obviously difficult for Han Shuo, and so Han Shuo didn't hold a grudge against Gene that was difficult to resolve.
This time, because of those ugly rumours about him and Fanny, Gene must have been eaten alive by the green-eyed monster. So he used this excuse to embarrass him.
"Master Gene, I've learnt the knowledge you're going through by reading books, and I've mostly understood it. Therefore, I think I can understand the lessons in class, please don't worry about me." Han Shuo leaned back and said to Gene with a slight smile.
"Oh, if you could understand magic through self-study of books, then why would our Babylon Academy of Magic and Strength still exist? Heh heh, since that's the case, let me ask you this: how many ways can magic be cast?"
"They can be divided into the four ways... incantations, magical items, hand seals, and magical matrices. Incantations use words to communicate with the magical elements to achieve the goal of releasing magic. Magic items include scrolls..."
Han Shuo maintained his lazy posture and smoothly reeled off a bunch of definitions, including some of his own reflections. Gene was clearly surprised by his words. He started slightly and then nodded. "Very good, it looks like you already know all the basics in the books. Then I'll ask you a few more questions."
Gene frowned and then asked Han Shuo a series of questions. He started with the most basic magical knowledge and then began to ask points that only novice mages would be able to grasp. Han Shuo spoke fluently and explained the answers to all these questions.
Gene and the other students in the classroom all looked at Han Shuo with surprised faces throughout this process. It seemed that they hadn't thought that Han Shuo could grasp so much knowledge so deeply in such a short time. Traces of sweat shone on Gene's forehead as he looked a little flustered. Then he snorted lightly and asked another question.
"I don't know how to answer that!" Han Shuo blinked and answered honestly. This question was beyond the knowledge of a journeyman magician and he really didn't know how to answer it.
Gene finally smiled and was about to say a few words to save his face when Lisa said impatiently, "Master Gene, if he knew the answers to everything, what would be the point of coming to your lectures?"
Lisa's words stopped him in his tracks as he heard them. Obviously feeling a little embarrassed, Gene slapped the table with a dry laugh. "All right, I won't ask any more. Let's get on with the lesson."
"How come you know so much all of a sudden?" Lisa pulled her head back as she asked Han Shuo in a low voice.
"Didn't I tell you earlier? I asked Master Fanny about all this. How else would that old witch Camilla have material to spread rumours with?" Han Shuo replied and began to listen to the lesson seriously. Some of the material that Gene was currently going through included some of the knowledge of the journeyman mage, which was something that Han Shuo still needed to grasp. That was why Han Shuo didn't harbor any ill feelings towards Gene's jealousy.
Lisa seemed to want to chat with Han Shuo after the lesson, but Han Shuo didn't give her the chance as he immediately went to Fanny's lab after the lesson.
"Fitch, I've explained this magic to you many times. I think with your powers of comprehension you should have understood it long ago. Why can you still not cast it successfully?" Han Shuo's sensitive ears allowed him to clearly hear the conversation inside as he stood outside the laboratory doors.
"Master Fanny, I'm sure you're aware of my feelings, but why don't you give me a chance and prefer to be with this lowly errand slave? Why?" Fitch's strong complaints travelled out from inside. Han Shuo pulled the door open slightly and could clearly see Fitch's angry face.
Master Fanny wore black-rimmed glasses and a demure, regulation-style magic robe. A look of resignation appeared on her face as she sighed, "Fitch, I've become more and more disappointed in you. First of all, Bryan is just like you now, one of my students. You shouldn't treat him like a slave any more. I've also noticed that you never concentrate when you come to me with a question. You're always distracted and I have no idea what you're thinking about. Bryan is much better than you when it comes to things like that.
"Bryan again, in what way is that damned errand boy better than me? Why are you willing to be with him but not willing to give me a chance? Is the witch Camilla really telling the truth and have you really slept with him without shame?" The anger on Fitch's face grew as he suppressed his voice, almost roaring as he spoke.
Pa.
Fanny slapped Fitch, she was really angry, an unusual occurrence. She looked at Fitch with cold eyes and said, "I think I have nothing more to say to you. I've already told you that we can't talk about matters of the heart until you've reached the level of Adept Magician to encourage you, but now I see that all is not well with you. I can tell you clearly that there is no possibility of anything developing between us. I hope you can let go of any illusions. If you have any questions about magic in the future, please come and see me on the training grounds or in the classroom. You are no longer welcome in my laboratory. Please leave immediately!"
"So you've been lying to me all along. Haha. Good. Very good. You wanted me to reach the level of Adept Mage before discussing matters of the heart, but that errand boy Bryan has already become an exception for you. Hypocritical, shameless woman, I'll never believe you again. Fitch held his face as he laughed horribly and walked out of the lab.
Han Shuo backed up a few steps and hid in the corner until Fitch was gone. He looked coldly at Fitch's passing figure, paused for a moment, and then walked into Fanny's laboratory with a natural expression on his face.
Han Shuo saw that Fanny was a little lost in thought as he walked towards her. She was listlessly propping herself up on the round table with both hands, sighing slightly with her head bowed. She muttered to herself in an extremely weak voice. "Perhaps Fitch is right, I really am a hypocritical, shameless woman. I really seem to have violated some principles..."
Han Shuo clearly heard all of Fanny's soft murmurs, but he didn't understand the meaning behind her words and didn't know to whom her words were addressed. After thinking for a while, Han Shuo raised his finger and tapped on the surface of the round table.
"Get out of here!" Fanny suddenly raised her hand and glared at Han Shuo. When she saw that the person in front of her had turned into Han Shuo, her expression became very strange. First she was blank, and then she started to wince in shock, her eyes seeming to want to hide something. Eventually, her expression returned to normal and she rolled her eyes at Han Shuo, obviously in a bad mood. "What are you doing here?"
"Nothing much, I just want to ask you a few questions." Han Shuo looked at Fanny strangely and replied.
"What did you hear? Did you see everything just now?" Fanny's charming features changed as she suddenly glared at Han Shuo. "Your ears are so perverted that you must have heard everything! Don't you know that eavesdropping is very rude?"
"Uh... I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but they all ended up in my ears. I didn't have a choice either?" Han Shuo spread his hands out like a rascal, indicating that he really didn't mean to. His expression then turned serious as he turned to Fanny and said seriously, "This Camilla really is very evil. I don't mind her, but she has slandered you and damaged your reputation. Are you going to let her off the hook like that?"
"Forget it, the old witch is like that. There's nothing between us anyway, what other people say has nothing to do with us. The more we explain, the more they'll think we have a guilty conscience. Let's just ignore them, because people of moral integrity are not afraid of slanderous attacks. Fanny sighed softly as she too seemed a little concerned, but spoke words of peace.
"But I have a guilty conscience!" Han Shuo said with a twisted expression.
"Damn it, what are you feeling guilty about?" Fanny's charming face suddenly blushed hotly, but her expression was angry as she lowered her head and cursed Han Shuo lowly.
"It's because of my mistake that other people have misunderstood you so much. I feel that I have wronged you, so of course I feel guilty." Han Shuo explained with a poker face.
Fanny started slightly and then reacted and said angrily, "So this is what you meant by guilty conscience. I thought you meant something else!"
"What other meaning is there?" Han Shuo asked.
"No, nothing." Fanny answered hastily as if to cover something up, then immediately changed the subject and asked Han Shuo. "What questions do you have for me this time?"
Han Shuo was about to open his mouth to answer when he suddenly felt someone approaching. He didn't answer and instead looked towards the door. After a while, Han Shuo saw the Wind Archmage Duke enter Fanny's room with a benevolent smile.
"Master Fanny, are you free today? I would like to ask you a few more questions?" The Duke smiled and greeted Fanny as he entered the room.
His brow then furrowed as he turned to look at Han Shuo. Han Shuo was startled, but kept a very normal expression on his face, looking at Duke with an expression of surprise and confusion, as if he'd seen Duke for the first time and wanted to know about his origins and background.