Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
When the day of the debate arrived, the whole academy had a festive atmosphere. Apprentices who usually stayed in secluded corners to train diligently came out, forming clusters of people chatting in groups of three or five.
Every apprentice in the Arcane Ring had a flair for excitement, so academy competitions always drew big crowds. This time, the paper by Master Nar and Charlie, propelled by the Millennium Magic Times, had become a target for these rebellious apprentices.
"Wow! I never knew there were so many people in the academy! It usually feels so empty. I didn't expect that when everyone came out, it would be this crowded!" Qianxue marveled at the crowd.
"Seeing all these people, you can imagine how miserable our captain is going to be later," David sighed.
"Why will it be miserable?"
"Apprentices of the Arcane Ring are known for their rebelliousness. They love nothing more than challenging authority. This paper by Master Nar has been commented on by so many mentors and covered by the Millennium Magic Times, which stirred up public opinion and raised expectations. This will probably trigger a lot of contrarian reactions, which means there will be many people targeting them. Debating against the whole academy? It's unimaginable!"
"Yes! What should we do? Just thinking about it is scary!" Qianxue was filled with worry. "If they can't answer properly in front of everyone, it will be so embarrassing!"
Qingtong smirked, "When have you ever seen Charlie being reprimanded to the point of being speechless? If that happens, wouldn't it be interesting?"
"Oh right!" Qianxue seemed to imagine the scene.
"What would you do then, Qianxue?"
Qianxue giggled, "I would record it with magic and not miss any detail."
"And then?"
"Play it back for him afterward!"
"Wow! You guys are so bad!"
The group burst out laughing, drawing curious glances from those around them.
Colin urged, "Hurry up! At this rate, we might not get into the hall."
With that, they hurriedly weaved through the crowd.
The perspective shifted to the top of the highest mage tower in the Arcane Ring, inside a spherical hall. Through the finely crafted glass walls, the view of ant-like crowds converging towards the largest multi-functional hall, the Arcane Nexus Hall, could be seen—a clear trend.
A girl dressed in luxurious attire stood by the glass wall, overlooking the entire Arcane Ring. Her amber eyes were reflected in the glass, clear and bright, with a delicate face and flawless skin, stunningly beautiful.
"Teacher, do you think… Master Nar might have made some mistakes?"
"In what way?"
"For example, heavily promoting a student for personal reasons, even though that student might not actually be capable."
The elder, addressed as teacher, smiled slightly. "As far as I know, Nar isn't that kind of person. Aisha, you seem to have a deep bias against Charlie. This is the third time you've questioned him.
From what I see, this apprentice is somewhat unique. He's smart, courageous, and resilient. Most importantly, he has an air of pride—a strong person's pride. People like that usually don't submit easily. Although his talent is average, I have high hopes for his future."
Aisha frowned slightly. Could she mention that just a few months ago, in Haines City, at the Paville family's harbor villa, she had almost been assaulted by this resilient boy in the middle of the night?
Since that night, the image of that fat, lecherous figure had become a recurring nightmare she wanted to avoid. She couldn't believe someone could change so drastically in a matter of months.
Therefore, she attributed Charlie's series of performances in the Arcane Ring to the influence of Grand Duke Thomas. But, from her understanding of the Arcane Ring, an honorary duke didn't have such power.
Thus, Aisha attributed the issue to Master Nar. Was he helping Charlie clear his name because of some past connection with the duke, enabling Charlie's rapid rise from Iron Apprentice to Golden Apprentice? And now, this paper was clear evidence! The level of support was enormous.
Aisha exhaled her frustration and said, "I heard he had a terrible reputation in his hometown—lazy, foolish, greedy, lustful, and arrogant. I've been to Haines City and heard plenty of rumors. My impression of him is extremely poor!"
The elder pointed to his eyes. "Rumors stop at wise people. I only trust what I see."
Alright!
Aisha was at a loss for words. Her teacher wouldn't change his opinion based on a few words; he always believed in seeing things for himself.
The elder smiled, "Since you have such a strong bias, isn't there now an opportunity for mutual understanding? If you're interested, you could act as my representative on the jury. Of course, you must uphold the principles of fairness and impartiality. After all, this is a public debate for the whole academy."
"Alright!" Aisha's lips curled into a cold smile. Even before the debate began, her stance was clear.
It was to reveal the true nature of this lecherous boy in front of everyone and expose the hidden ugliness. Aisha didn't think of herself as petty; she just didn't want to see an unworthy man successfully clean up his reputation and improve his image, as it would be unfair to others.
The Arcane Nexus Hall, the most famous building in the Arcane Ring, was supported by four colossal bands of starlight that held up a giant pearl in an elegant design. At thirty meters high, it appeared unimpressive next to the surrounding mage towers, which reached over a hundred meters.
However, stepping inside the hall, one would immediately be awed by the vast space. It could hold more than 50,000 people at full capacity without feeling crowded. This was the final work of Grand Archmage Lawrence, a master of space magic, whose use of space magic in the hall was exquisite and astonishing.
At 7 p.m., after walking through a long, dimly lit tunnel and climbing a series of stairs, Nar led Charlie to the center of the hall. A beam of light from the dome immediately focused on them, making them the center of attention.
Through the light, people saw that ten distinguished mentors, each an expert in their field, were already seated across from them, forming the opposing side in this debate. Two against ten seemed unfair in terms of numbers.
To the side of the debaters, a higher platform with five spacious and comfortable chairs was set up.
With the sound of a deep bell, a crystalline snowflake appeared, condensing into a transparent six-sided figure. As the cold wind howled, several hazy figures emerged within the swirling icy wind.
The judging panel, led by Frost Archmage Lady Angelina, had arrived. Seated to her left was a graceful and elegant young woman who exuded an icy demeanor and shone brilliantly under the dim lights, capturing the attention of the entire audience.
A faint hum came from the distant stands.
"Who is she?"
"You don't know? She's Princess Aisha, apprentice to Grandmaster Alfred, the President of the Magician's Association, the Archmage, and the founder of the association."
Someone patted their chest and sighed, "Hearing you list all those titles scared me half to death. So, she's the Archmage's apprentice."
"Oh! It's Her Highness the Princess. No wonder she has such an extraordinary presence! She's so beautiful!"
"I think I've fallen in love with her already!" someone said with a dazed expression.
Sometimes, beauty, like ability, can emit an invisible aura that exerts palpable pressure. This feeling is especially intense when that person holds an exalted position, standing alongside an Archmage, amplifying the weight of that presence.
Many apprentices, seeing this girl with bright, keen eyes, felt as if she was surrounded by a holy light, inducing a sense of self-abasement. Some imagined that if they were standing on that stage, they wouldn't be able to utter a single word.
Charlie felt as if a sharp blade had descended upon him, sweeping over his body, its owner seeming indifferent to his feelings.
What a small world! He never imagined reuniting with her in this setting.
The girl who once dragged him into the depths of despair had appeared before him again. Charlie quietly drew in a breath. From her current demeanor, it was clear that the punishment he had suffered had not brought her any satisfaction. Today might prove to be another unpleasant encounter.
"Nervous?" Nar noticed Charlie's unusual expression and asked softly, "That's rare! I thought you were afraid of nothing!"
Charlie chuckled awkwardly. "I thought so too."
Nar smiled, "Can you hold on? If the pressure gets too much, it might be embarrassing up there. Almost every teacher and student in the academy is here today. Just a few days ago, you were advising me to let go of ambition and approach this with a calm mind. Now that you're here, why are you hesitating?"
Charlie shook his head and smiled. "Don't worry, teacher. I won't embarrass you."
Nar's wise eyes settled on Charlie. "If you truly have no problem, you should not fear anyone's gaze."
Charlie nodded silently, a hint of self-mockery on his face. Then he raised his head, and a sharp light flared in his deep eyes.
After more than three months, in a different place and on a different stage, their eyes met in the air, sparking intense energy.
Princess Aisha was caught off guard, nearly faltering. Instinctively, she wanted to look away. However, her strong will and unyielding heart came into play, and she withstood this sudden assault.
Fate is indeed wondrous.
A princess remains a princess, still lofty and cold as frost. If there was any difference, this time, Aisha's eyes were devoid of the shame and anger from before, replaced by traces of doubt and surprise, and a hint of fluster from being unexpectedly challenged.
On the other side, Aisha almost didn't recognize Charlie. Regardless of her feelings, his appearance had changed drastically: the once plump and stout figure was now leaner and more muscular, his skin tanned. The arrogance and brashness of a spoiled scion were gone, replaced by an air of refined focus.
What was even more surprising was the confidence radiating from him—a confidence that seemed to stem from his very bones, unlike the superficial arrogance decorated with money and status.
Could it be an illusion? Aisha was slightly stunned.
But when she remembered Charlie's disgraceful behavior that night when he had cried out in desperation, Aisha coldly smirked. Her gaze grew frosty, and when she looked at Charlie again, that odd feeling had vanished.
It must be an act!
The Pavel family had a talent and lineage for disguise. The reason it had never reached the core ranks of the Millennium Empire was due to an incident decades ago that shattered the royal family's trust in the family. Grand Duke Thomas had spent decades meticulously rebuilding their reputation, but even now, that breach had not been fully mended.
Merchants, by nature, are seen as faithless, driven solely by profit. And the son of a merchant, she thought, must be the same.