Gwen made her entrance, gracefully gliding across the room, flanked by a retinue of servants. Viktor, ever the gentleman, smoothly extended his hand in a gallant gesture, inviting her into the meeting room.
As they walked side by side, Gwen subtly sized up Viktor, her eyes casually drifting to the pitch - black one - eyed crow perched on his shoulder. There was a certain air of mystery about the creature that piqued her curiosity, though she refrained from commenting.
Once inside the meeting room, Viktor exchanged a brief, meaningful glance with the servants. They understood the unspoken cue and quietly took their leave, closing the door softly behind them. Gwen and Viktor then took their seats, the heavy silence in the room thickening with unspoken tension.
Gwen broke the quietude, her voice cold and business - like. "Did you receive the invitation from the academy?"
Viktor, seemingly unfazed, tapped his fingers rhythmically on the table before responding. "I did."
The instant those words left his mouth, the atmosphere in the room turned frigid, as if a layer of frost had descended. Viktor was acutely aware that he couldn't fathom the true nature of the woman's feelings towards him. Their history was a complex web of a marriage contract and a past that ended in his death at her hands. He had always sensed that Gwen harbored no real affection for him. And yet, paradoxically, she had played a role in his current position as a professor, with the Dering family's support being instrumental in securing the academy's invitation. The more he pondered these contradictions, the more he was mired in confusion.
Determined to improve their relationship, perhaps to avoid a tragic fate, Viktor decided to make a gesture. With a fluid motion, he waved his hand, and five bottles of scarlet - colored health potions materialized on the table, placed deliberately in front of Gwen.
"Please accept these as a token of my gratitude for your help. Leah informed me, and I don't wish to be in your debt," he explained, his jet - black eyes locking onto hers.
Gwen merely cast a cursory glance at the potions, her expression betraying no intention of acceptance. She turned her head away, biting her lip, and after a moment of hesitation, asked, "Yesterday, did you really confess to the duke's daughter?"
Viktor remained mute. The actions of the previous day felt like they belonged to a different person. That was "Viktor" of the past, a far cry from who he was now.
Gwen, misinterpreting his silence, flushed with anger. "Viktor! How could you do such a thing? The duke's daughter is only seventeen! You actually made a move on a minor girl!"
Viktor was left momentarily speechless. It seemed that the news of his supposed flirtation had spread far and wide. He knew that Gwen, with her unwavering sense of justice, would be appalled by such behavior. If this issue wasn't resolved promptly and effectively, it could very well be the spark that ignited a permanent rift between them.
"I hope you can understand that I have no romantic interest in the eldest daughter of the duke's family," Viktor said earnestly, his voice tinged with a hint of pleading.
Gwen glared at him, her eyes ablaze with a mix of anger and disappointment. "This matter has become common knowledge."
Viktor met her gaze, seeing the anger and helplessness within. "I will handle this matter with care. I won't let the public opinion taint our reputations," he promised, fully aware that both his Klevener family and the Dering family, bound to him by the marriage contract, were at stake.
Gwen opened her mouth, but no words came out. She studied Viktor intently, sensing a change in him but unable to put her finger on exactly what it was. Finally, she stood up, collected the medicine bottles, and turned to leave. At the door, she paused and said, "If you ever find yourself in trouble, don't hesitate to come to me. I'll do what I can to help." With that, she pushed the door open and disappeared from sight.
Viktor exhaled a long - held breath, a weight lifted from his shoulders.
Veigar, who had been observing the entire exchange with an air of amusement, croaked in his ear. "Who is this woman?"
"My fiancée," Viktor replied, spreading his hands in a gesture of helplessness.
The one - eyed crow regarded him with a touch of pity. "She's incredibly perceptive. Her eyes seem to pierce right through me. Thankfully, I look like an ordinary crow for now," it muttered, preening its feathers with its beak.
Viktor couldn't help but scoff. "An one - eyed crow is anything but ordinary."
...
In the blink of an eye, the next day arrived, and Viktor, true to his word, arrived at the Royal Magic Academy. The academy, as its name suggested, was a bastion of privilege, reserved for the wealthy and noble young men and women of the realm. However, there was also a select group of students with extraordinary magic talents who were granted the privilege of studying there tuition - free. But this came at a price; they were expected to serve the royal family in the future.
Viktor stood before the magnificent edifice, his mind filled with memories of the game. He recalled the vast library within, a haven for mage players to learn magic of every rank. That was his destination. He was in desperate need of more powerful skills to enhance his already formidable magic abilities. As a player, he knew that the more magic he mastered, the greater his safety and power.
The contract appointing him as a senior professor had been delivered the previous day. On his first visit, he took the initiative to meet the dean. After a brief and cordial greeting, the dean challenged him to teach in the academy's most elite class to prove his mettle.
Leaving the dean's office, Viktor made his way to the Mage Tower, guided by his memories. Also known as the Trial Tower, it was a place where players could undergo a daily trial. Success in the trial would yield a substantial amount of experience points.
The tower was an imposing structure, soaring towards the heavens. Its walls were adorned with intricate spell arrays, and as Viktor looked up, a hazy, mysterious glow seemed to veil its upper reaches, hinting at hidden secrets.
He approached the magic tower and placed his hand on the barrier. The magic within him resonated, causing a slight tremor.
[Identity verification successful. Professor Viktor, welcome back to the Mage Tower.]
A slowly - forming black fog swirled before him, and when it cleared, he found himself inside.
"So, this is the teleportation array," he murmured, his eyes wide with wonder.
Ascending the stairs, he was greeted by a sight of various magic - imbued ores scattered throughout the tower. The books were neatly arranged, a stark contrast to the exterior. The spotless floors indicated that the place had been recently cleaned.
Suddenly, a startled cry from behind made him turn. A woman with shoulder - length short hair stood there, her fluorescent - yellow eyes fixed on him. Blushing profusely under his gaze, she stammered, "Are you Mr. Viktor?"
Viktor nodded in affirmation.
The girl, clearly nervous, continued, "I... I'm Herne, your teaching assistant." She handed him a speech draft. "You just need to memorize this before the afternoon class and then teach according to the content."
Viktor took the draft, gave it a quick glance, and nodded his thanks. "Thank you."
Herne, seemingly flustered, fled the office in a hurry.
Viktor mused to himself, "The academy has indeed thought of everything." Despite being a powerful third - rank mage, no one in the school truly knew the extent of his knowledge. His position as a professor was, in large part, due to his magic talent. If he were a mediocrity, the nominations from the two families wouldn't have secured him this position.
Now, his task was to deliver a speech based on the school - provided manuscript. If he could execute it flawlessly, he would silence any doubters. The professors of the Royal Academy were expected to be paragons of knowledge, not amateurs.
He picked up the speech draft once more, studying it intently. After all, with a ready - made resource at his disposal, it made sense to use it.
Noon passed in a flash, and the afternoon sun shone even brighter. People from all walks of life were eagerly awaiting the young professor's debut speech. There was a palpable sense of curiosity about whether this long - awaited talent was a genuine academic or merely an academy - fabricated myth.
Viktor entered the classroom, the speech content firmly engraved in his mind. He thought that simply presenting a portion of it would be enough to pass this initial test.
That was until his eyes scanned the room and landed on a blonde beauty sitting in the first row.
At just 17 years old, Erica du Chloe was the most talented student in the Royal Magic Academy in recent memory. Her family background was nothing short of illustrious; second only to the royal family, she was the duke's daughter.
Viktor was taken aback. He never expected that the person he had previously provoked would now be his student.
Erica, too, noticed him. Her beautiful eyes sparkled with an inscrutable light, making it impossible to discern her thoughts.
'This is the beauty on the front - page of the newspaper yesterday. She's quite stunning. Let me see... Tsk tsk, she's so young, yet already a second - rank mage. She's truly remarkable,' Veigar whispered in his ear.
The reason Veigar could accompany Viktor into the classroom was that the Royal Magic Academy had a liberal policy on pet - keeping, with no restrictions on the types of pets. The dean himself was known to keep a rather unusual pet - a watermelon with eyes. In comparison, an one - eyed crow seemed almost ordinary.
Viktor cleared his throat and addressed the students. "I'm Viktor Klevener, a professor at the Royal Magic Academy, and from now on, I'll be your teacher."
"The content of the course I'll be teaching today is: 'The Influence of Array Composition on the High - Order Magic System'."
...
As he began to teach, Viktor gradually found his rhythm, losing himself in the subject matter. Time flew by unnoticed.
About forty minutes later, he checked his clock. It was already four o'clock in the afternoon, and he signaled the end of the class. "Class is over."
Relief washed over him. The class had gone smoothly, with no hitches or questions. He thought he was in the clear.
Just as he was about to leave, Erica, sitting in the first row, suddenly raised her hand, a smile playing on her lips. "Teacher, I have a question. Can you answer it for me?"
Viktor's expression darkened slightly. As he had feared, trouble had arrived.