Erica's deliberate provocation fell precisely within Victor's expectations. Instantly, he realized that he couldn't afford to remain passive.
Just at that moment, the bell rang out suddenly. Victor flashed a smile at her, exuding an air of calmness. "If you have any questions, we can have a detailed discussion during the next class." He was well - aware that he had concluded this class with remarkable success. His performance was truly praise - worthy; at least, no one could find the slightest flaw. There was no reason to stir up additional trouble at this moment.
However, Erica had no intention of yielding to Victor's wishes. With a determined look in her eyes, she persisted, "As far as I know, when a student poses a question, a professor is duty - bound to provide an answer." Pausing briefly, she added with a sneer, "Of course, if your professorship is merely a façade and you're here just to play pretend, then feel free to ignore my question."
Surprisingly, her aggressiveness didn't evoke any dissatisfaction among those around. Instead, it piqued their curiosity even more, making them all the more eager to witness how Victor would respond.
"Truly disrespectful," Victor muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead wearily and sighing. In this place filled with "insiders," the feud between him and Erica was already common knowledge. Everyone had heard about his so - called flirting with a minor girl, and naturally, they were all too eager to witness the conflict between the two unfold. Perhaps, some were already envisioning seizing this opportunity to get the first - hand scoop, thinking that it could well become the topic for tomorrow's news headlines.
Victor was resolute not to let these people have their way. Otherwise, he would surely become the new laughingstock of the academy and perhaps even of society at large. Of course, he was confident that such a thing would never come to pass.
But he also couldn't bear the thought of losing face in front of Erica, especially under the watchful eyes of so many onlookers. He decided that he had to teach her a little lesson.
Facing Erica's challenging question, Victor showed no sign of weakness. His expression turned stern in an instant, and he tapped the table in front of him rhythmically, enunciating each word clearly, "This is my classroom. I make the rules here, and I'm in complete control." Then, with a cold glint in his eyes, he continued, "Moreover, if you're attempting to morally blackmail me with the title of professor, I strongly advise you to abandon that thought as soon as possible." Raising his head, his frigid eyes betrayed a hint of contempt. "I refuse to answer your question."
The moment he finished speaking, he made a move to leave the classroom. But as soon as he lifted his foot, the surrounding scenery began to distort and blur, and streaks of blue light, as swift as lightning, flashed before his eyes. When he finally regained his senses, he found himself back on the podium once again.
Victor focused his gaze and beheld a magic circle flickering with a faint blue radiance. "Teleportation magic circle... I never expected her to set up such a thing right at the door."
Erica stood there, staring at Victor with an air of arrogance and disdain. It was as if she was relishing the thought of making Victor show even a hint of panic or timidity for her amusement. Then, she declared to Victor, "This is the question I want to pose. If Professor Victor can't answer it, you won't be able to leave this room."
The onlookers were left dumbfounded when they witnessed this scene. "Holy crap? Is this... teleportation magic!?" "The talented student of the Royal Magic Academy managed to set up a teleportation magic circle without anyone being aware!?" "Is this the true strength of the top students in the Royal Magic Academy?
Can a second - rank mage be this powerful?" "How can teleportation magic be set up so covertly and rapidly? This level of magic attainment is simply terrifying!"
Victor refrained from answering on the spot because although he had inherited "Victor's" level and magic capabilities, he lacked the in - depth knowledge. He knew how to wield magic, but he didn't understand the underlying principles, much like how people know they can use a lighter to start a fire but don't know the science behind it. Unexpectedly, Erica had stumbled upon his knowledge gap by chance.
Just then, Veigar's voice echoed in his mind, "Do as I tell you." Upon hearing Veigar's words, Victor felt a surge of confidence welling up within him, and the corners of his mouth twitched into a faint smile.
"Then, I'll give an impromptu supplementary class," he announced with newfound assurance. Pointing to the decomposition pattern of the teleportation magic, he addressed Erica, who was standing below the podium, "All you need to do is disrupt the tenuous connections between multiple patterns. It's quite straightforward."
With that, he extended his fingers and deftly arranged a series of runes. The runes shot into the core of the magic circle in an instant, and the flowing light spread out to the various patterns.
The magic circle immediately started to tremble and became unstable, its light dimming steadily. Witnessing her carefully - crafted teleportation pattern being so easily dismantled by Victor, Erica's face turned solemn, and beads of sweat trickled down her forehead. She could distinctly feel the connection between herself and the magic circle weakening. No matter how much magic power she poured into it, she was powerless to slow down the circle's dissipation. Eventually, she could no longer maintain the connection, and it was completely severed.
Victor snapped his fingers, and miraculously, a hairpin from Erica's head flew right into his hand. "Mind if I borrow this?"
Erica was left stunned, watching helplessly as her hairpin was taken away. She realized that her teleportation magic had been skillfully exploited by Victor.
The others in the room were still craning their necks, completely engrossed in the spectacle. The once - dimmed teleportation magic circle lit up again, but this time, it was clearly under Victor's control. He began to demonstrate his mastery, teleporting the flower pot in front of the window to the podium one moment and then moving the clock on the wall to the ceiling the next. It seemed as if in this room, he held the power to teleport anything at his will.
Finally, he decided to have a bit more fun and teleported Erica from the front - most seat to the very last one in the classroom. But Victor knew exactly when to stop. He traced a rune in the air and, after a series of precise operations, managed to restore the teleportation magic circle to its original state.
Gently placing the hairpin back on the podium, he said to Erica, who was now seated at the back, "Alright, give it another try."
Erica glared at him resentfully and attempted to activate the magic circle once more. But the hairpin on the podium vanished again, neither returning to her hand nor appearing in Victor's. With a poker - faced expression, Victor said nonchalantly, "Congratulations. Your hairpin has been teleported to another dimension."
Erica was left speechless. No matter how she tried to manipulate the magic circle, the lost hairpin never reappeared.
Not content to stop there, Victor continued, "There's another way to deal with this magic circle." He snapped his right - hand fingers, and the Mage's Hand on his right hand emitted six dazzling rays of light. Simultaneously, six magic patterns materialized in the air.
The onlookers erupted in exclamations. "Multiple spell - casting!? Six - fold? How is this even possible?" "There's nothing impossible. Victor is a third - rank mage, after all!"
"The showdown between the talented professor and the talented student of the Royal Magic Academy. This is truly a once - in - a - lifetime event!"
Victor waved his hand dismissively, paying no heed to their praises. "Just suppress it directly," he said calmly. Then, with a gentle squeeze of the Mage's Hand in the air, the six magic circles blazed with light simultaneously.
BOOM! Under the overwhelming magic pressure, a massive crack appeared in the teleportation magic circle. And in an instant, it disappeared completely.
Erica's hairpin was gone for good. She hung her head, her body trembling slightly. It was impossible to discern the expression on her face.
Victor offered a faint smile and prepared to take his leave. "Student Erica, remember this. This is the answer your teacher has given you, along with a valuable lesson." He added, "Your teacher is quite busy and prefers to end the class on time." Without a backward glance, he walked straight out of the classroom, indifferent to the commotion that ensued behind him.
...
Victor returned to his office and spent the time idly. When the bell rang, signaling the end of the last class in the school, he thought of the library and decided to head there to see if he could discover anything of value.
He teleported directly from the Mage Tower to the library. The library that came into view was exactly as he remembered it from the game. He casually picked up a book and started flipping through its pages. Suddenly, a dialog box popped up in front of him:
[Do you want to learn the first - rank magic: Rolling Fireball?]
[Required materials: Flame Flower, Harpy Feather]
This was precisely why Victor had purchased so many materials earlier. They could be used not only for crafting items but also for learning magic in the library. Learning magic did cost some money, but as a lord, Victor was wealthy and didn't give it a second thought.
It was also a way of taking advantage of the game's mechanics. These materials could typically only be obtained by slaying neutral wild monsters outside, but Victor could simply rely on his financial resources to buy them in bulk from the store.
Seeing that it was still early, Victor delved into an intense study session in the library. He managed to learn a great deal of the basic magic available on the first floor. He continued until he had exhausted all the materials in his possession and most of his funds.
By then, he had essentially learned everything that was accessible to him.
By this time, dusk had fallen. The golden rays of the setting sun streamed into the library, casting a warm, yellowish glow over the floor. As the sky gradually darkened, a solitary light suddenly illuminated the depths of the library. It seemed that he wasn't the only one engrossed in "study" here.
Curiosity piqued, Victor decided to find out who it was. He followed the light, and when he saw the person, he was taken aback.
"Herne?" he exclaimed softly. It was his teaching assistant. At that moment, Herne was seated at the desk, pen in hand, scribbling away furiously. He could even overhear Herne mumbling, "Let Professor Victor teach with this topic tomorrow..."