As Alita Miller vanished into the night, Dean Bruce let out a long breath of relief.
He never could have imagined that within the small, unassuming Notting City's Junior Magic Academy, there would be hidden assassins and mysterious powerful figures.
From the magical display Alita had shown just before leaving, it was clear she had reached the level of a Grand Magus and had likely mastered high-level magic!
[I have to find out why I was targeted. I need to know who my enemies are! If the information is accurate, working with Alita Miller might not be a bad idea. And if things get too dangerous, I can just play it safe and stay on the sidelines,] Dean Bruce resolved in his mind.
With his decision made, Dean Bruce calmed himself and resumed studying the basic theories of magic.
With Joan Michelle around, the Veigar Forest posed no real threat. Even if the students encountered second-tier beasts, Joan Michelle could handle them with ease, leaving Dean Bruce with no need to intervene.
Three days passed. Aside from the one time Dean Bruce had to use magic during Xerath's assassination attempt, he spent almost the entire time reading.
Despite this, in the eyes of the students, Joan Michelle still couldn't compare to Dean Bruce!
Dean Bruce had set his "mystique" bar too high, completely captivating the young minds of the students.
On the way back to the academy, the students clung to Dean Bruce, practically worshiping him.
Being constantly surrounded and idolized was suffocating, so as soon as he returned to the academy, Dean Bruce dashed to the principal's office, leaving Joan Michelle to deal with the students.
"What?"
Inside the office, André Maxwell's eyes widened in shock as he heard the report. He slapped the table and stood up, his gaze full of disbelief as he looked at Dean Bruce.
His mustache twitched several times before André Maxwell asked in a grave tone, "Are you sure you're not lying to me? Xerath... Xerath tried to kill you? How did you survive?"
André Maxwell knew Dean Bruce didn't know any magic and found it hard to believe that he had somehow managed to kill Xerath.
Xerath was not only skilled in both magic and martial arts, but his proficiency in both was considered exceptional even in all of Notting City. To think that someone who didn't even know magic could kill him was simply unbelievable!
To Dean Bruce, André Maxwell was a friend of his parents and thus a respected elder. Other than revealing the existence of his system, there was no need to hide anything else. So, he answered truthfully, "I used a magic scroll to block the attack and then restrained him. After that, I used the basic magic I've recently learned to kill him."
André Maxwell's eyelids twitched furiously, only calming down after a while. With a sigh, he remarked, "No matter how skilled in both magic and martial arts, a mage's body is still fragile. If he was restrained, being killed isn't that surprising."
"You, of all people, actually managed to learn basic magic?! If Gunar were still around, imagine how proud he would be."
As André Maxwell spoke, his eyes reddened, and tears began to form.
Gunar was the name of Dean Bruce's father in this world.
Even though Dean Bruce was a transmigrator, he had lived in this world long enough to develop genuine feelings for his parents. The mention of Gunar brought a wave of emotions that couldn't be ignored.
With the conversation turning to Gunar, it was clear the discussion had reached its end.
André Maxwell didn't press further, instead suggesting that Dean Bruce return to his dormitory to rest. He also promised to help investigate Xerath Kad's identity.
Dean Bruce gratefully accepted the offer of assistance. Having another person to aid in the investigation was certainly beneficial. Smiling, he bid farewell and made his way back to the dormitory.
Three days of constant travel had taken a toll on his body and mind. Even though there hadn't been many battles, fatigue had set in.
Just as he approached the dormitory building, before he could even enter, a figure suddenly rushed in front of him.
Before Dean Bruce could say a word, the figure dropped to their knees with a thud and pleaded, "Dean, could you please teach me as well?"
Dean Bruce felt a wave of helplessness. It wasn't that he wanted to refuse, but he was annoyed at being asked for tutelage before he'd even had a chance to rest.
He hesitated, thinking about how to respond.
Taking on disciples was definitely something he wanted to do. With the system in place, the more students he had, and the more magic they learned under his guidance, the stronger he would become.
After Xerath Kad's assassination attempt, Dean Bruce's desire and urgency to grow stronger had only intensified.
In a world governed by the law of the jungle, where might makes right.
Gaining power was the only way to survive.
As Dean Bruce contemplated what to say, the young man misinterpreted his silence as reluctance to accept him. Panicking, the youth blurted out, "Dean, my father is the Lord of Notting City! If you agree to teach me, I'm sure my father will reward you handsomely!"
Raising an eyebrow, Dean Bruce looked at the young man with a curious expression.
After Joan Michelle, a wealthy disciple, now comes the son of the city lord?
[Wait a minute!] Just as Dean Bruce was about to agree, he realized something was off. [The son of the city lord should have the best teachers. Why is he coming to me? Something's not right!]
Dean Bruce's eyes flickered with suspicion, but he didn't outright refuse, nor did he accept immediately. With a flick of his sleeve, he moved the young man aside, his voice stern. "What do you take me for? As a mentor of this academy, all of you are my students. Do I need any gifts to teach you?"
"As long as you attend my classes, I won't withhold anything."
Hearing this, the young man's face flushed with shame. He lowered his head and murmured, "I... I didn't mean to offend you, Dean. I genuinely want you to teach me."
Clenching his fist against his chest, the youth declared earnestly, "I, Nicholas William, swear by the name of the gods that I sincerely want Dean to be my teacher!"
"Oh?" Dean Bruce crossed his arms behind his back, adopting a casual stance. "Since you're the son of the city lord, you could study under any mage in Notting City. Why come to me?"
Nicholas William sighed, "In all of Notting City, only you, Dean, have the ability to guide others in mastering advanced magic!"
There was no denying it—when Joan Michelle had performed that advanced spell and then respectfully bowed to Dean Bruce, it had left a profound impact on the students who witnessed it.
At that moment, they had all viewed Joan Michelle as their savior, but who would have guessed that their savior had learned such high-level magic from a mentor who was so low-key that hardly anyone in the academy even knew him?
In that instant, Dean Bruce's image in their minds had grown grand and imposing, etched deep in their hearts, impossible to forget.
Dean Bruce shook his head and said, "Advanced magic isn't something you can learn just because you want to. Remember this, young man: Only by keeping your feet on the ground can you truly reach for the stars."
After thoroughly studying the fundamentals of magic, Dean Bruce had come to understand the significance of advanced magic. He wasn't about to casually offer it to anyone anymore.
If he was going to teach it, the other party would first have to prove their sincerity—and pay a hefty price!
Pretending to test their honor.
This way, if they failed, he still gained something, and if they succeeded, he'd benefit both from the rewards and the system bonuses. It was a win-win situation.
Well, actually, it was him winning twice.
"Keep your feet on the ground to reach for the stars?"
Nicholas William, hearing this phrase for the first time, was momentarily stunned.
Noticing Nicholas William's reaction, Dean Bruce couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. [As expected, famous sayings from different worlds or even quotes from the Bible are like a cheat code here. As long as I don't mess up, I can definitely fool them!]
After a long pause, Nicholas William finally snapped out of it and hurriedly said, "Dean, it's not that I just want to learn advanced magic; it's that if I don't want to be dumped, I need to master it within six months!"
[Dumped?] Dean Bruce was taken aback for a moment, his heart suddenly racing. [ A young noble getting dumped? This sounds exactly like the backstory of those protagonists in the novels from my previous life! Wait, could this guy be the main character of Meze, the native world here? If so, his talent must be off the charts. I could just drop a few hints, and he'd probably pick up magic in no time!]
[That means I could be raking in rewards non-stop!]
With this realization, Dean Bruce's gaze toward Nicholas William heated up, as if he were looking at a priceless treasure.
Take him in! I absolutely have to take this disciple!
Whether he's a good student or not doesn't matter—the important thing is that as a teacher, it's my duty to educate, to be tireless in my teaching!