"And what about you?"
"I am graduating, you know."
Achephys stared at the restless surface of his coffee, his lips twitching.
"I am looking for a job."
Collins didn't quite understand what Achephys's job had to do with himself.
"With the reputation of our school and my abilities, not to mention the recommendation from my advisor for the outstanding graduate title, I can have a lot of choices. But someone like me, starting from a small place, still cannot accept it."
Indeed, if someone like Achephys, a senior student, were to climb up slowly like an average graduate or magician, he wouldn't be the person Collins had in mind.
Collins admired Achephys's ambition and expressed his own views.
"Do you know about Hawks Academy?"
Collins opened his mouth, then realized that it wasn't surprising for someone with Achephys's talents to have such a goal.
Hawks Academy is a magic middle and high school. However, due to its status as a private school rather than a public one, the tuition fees and various study expenses are exorbitant, to say the least. In other words, this school is truly a prestigious one, attended by rich and wealthy students.
To educate such students, the teachers must meet high standards, as it's not just about the infrastructure to convince the parents to spend money.
"Senior, who introduced you to this position?"
"My teacher. He introduced me to the principal of Hawks Academy. The principal actually wanted to give me a position as a trainee teacher, but I don't have a compelling reason to accept it. I don't have the qualifications to enter from the backdoor."
Achephys didn't have a strong foundation. All he had was his passion and exceptional talent.
Unfortunately, the world is full of people like that.
"How can I help you?"
"Just support me. Junior, your affinity for elements and perception of magic are stronger than mine. If you can give me some guidance at the right time, I would be grateful."
"I will definitely help."
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Several documents were laid out on Sok's desk. The young and beautiful assistant skillfully sorted through various materials, placing the photos of each young person in front of her superior, based on various intelligence.
"Tell me about the specific situation of the teacher recruitment this time."
The assistant adjusted her glasses and information flowed through her mind. After categorizing and sorting, it seemed as if a computer-like voice resonated through the air, perceived by Sok.
"There are 221 applicants for this teacher recruitment. We aim to recruit about 30 intern teachers and after all the assessments, we'll keep around 20 contract teachers, out of which 5 have already been pre-selected."
The assistant placed five files aside. These pre-selected individuals either had a strong backing that allowed them to skip the scrutiny or their abilities were so strong that they didn't require an exam.
"The remaining two hundred plus individuals with abilities are on your left, while those without abilities but with strong connections need to be reviewed on your right. The rest are those without abilities nor connections."
Sok began to browse through the files of those with abilities. The first file happened to be Achephys's, and Sok knew about this person. After all, he was recommended by a high-level mage personally, and Sok couldn't possibly forget.
If everything went according to plan, this child with no background but exceptional abilities should be able to get a decent job.
"Broadcast the interview of this child live."
The assistant waved her hand and a screen-like curtain appeared in front of her. The screen showed Achephys in the midst of the exam.
She was analyzing the nodes of a third-order magic circuit. However, the main examiner did not ask Achephys to build a dramatic alchemical magic circuit from scratch; instead, the circuit was deliberately disrupted, causing the entire third-order node to fail. Achephys's task was to correct all these circuits.
It wasn't difficult. Before Collins entered the school, Achephys was already the chief of the magic array department. Third-order magic circuits were just for entertainment, and Achephys didn't even need Collins's help for something so simple.
=======
"This child looks familiar."Sok didn't go to see Ekfis, who had completed 80% of the third-level magic array. He believed that it wasn't a difficult task for Ekfis. However, Collins behind Ekfis caught Sok's interest.
In the mind of this high-level wizard, Collins seemed to have left a deep impression. But later, Sok's mind was overwhelmed by complex memories, making it difficult for him to recall what Collins had done to leave such a lasting impression on him.
