"Wow, as expected of Professor Pulan, how strict he is," praised Professor Gelan. Then, as if suddenly noticing something, he let out a soft exclamation of surprise.

"Hmm? Look over there, isn't that the girl who caused quite a stir last year in the first grade—oh no, correction, now it should be second grade? They say she's the illegitimate child of some notable family, right?"

"Our academy doesn't judge students by their backgrounds. Besides, hasn't she attended your lectures? You mean to tell me you don't even remember her name?" Professor Pulan said sternly.

"Heh heh, with so many students, who's got the capacity to keep track of every name?" Gelan scratched his head, feigning ignorance.

"Her name is Ariel. She's indeed an outstanding student."

It wasn't lost on Professor Pulan either, as he caught sight of Ariel stepping down from the carriage. His gaze instinctively swept over her face. Somehow, that alone soothed his mood quite a bit. Unable to resist, he smiled faintly.

"Not bad. Looks like she's had a fulfilling vacation."

"You sure have high hopes for her," remarked Gelan.

"Naturally. She could elevate her magical prowess to the second-tier gold level within a single year—such talent is exceedingly rare in my decades-long teaching career. Calling her a genius wouldn’t be an exaggeration," Professor Pulan said, his voice tinged with pride and comfort.

Had it not been for the traces of influence from other exceptional educators evident in Ariel's magical techniques, he might already have been unable to resist taking her on as a personal disciple.

"Impressive," Gelan acknowledged, then promptly lost interest. After all, he'd encountered so many prodigies over the years, most of whom failed to sustain his attention.

"Speaking of which, isn’t there another student in the second grade who's been quite the hot topic? What's his name again... oh right, isn't he the duke's son or something?" He asked impulsively.

"Professor Pulan, do you know—eh?"

"Moen! Campbell!" Professor Pulan spat the name through gritted teeth, his voice brimming with simmering rage like a volcano on the verge of eruption.

Of course, he knew the name. It was practically engraved in his bones, etched into his soul with excruciating clarity. It's not because of his status as the duke's son nor the ridiculous things he’d done.

But, it was because of disgrace!

That’s right, Moen Campbell represented one of the most significant humiliations of Professor Pulan's fifty-year teaching career.

One year.

A whole year.

Three hundred and sixty-five days.

Eight thousand seven hundred and sixty hours.

While Ariel had already advanced to gold-tier magic, capable of holding her own in the field… Even the more average students had managed to grasp the basics and could confidently perform a few attack spells.

But Moen Campbell? That guy had spent an entire year learning… just one Lighting Spell.

A Lighting Spell!

Even his household cat could master the Lighting Spell in three days! But Moen Campbell? He spent an entire year learning just this one thing!

Because of this, during his usual summer attendance at the renowned educators' conference, the moment he entered the hall, someone pointed at him and laughed:

"Hey, Professor Pulan, heard you've just taught out a real gem this year—a student who learned a single spell in a whole year."

And as the celebrated titan of magic education, Professor Pulan could only stand there with a crimson face, trembling as he stammered:

"N-nonsense! A Lighting Spell isn't merely a spell… A Lighting Spell! It's practical! It's efficient! Surely it should be counted as… one and a half spells at least!"

The room erupted into amused laughter.

Amused laughter? Are you kidding me? He felt like digging a hole to crawl into right then and there.

In previous years, his conference appearances were occasions to bask in the respectful admiration of his peers, to flaunt his prestige, and to mentor promising young educators.

But ever since Moen Campbell's distinct "achievement" had come to light, it felt like every step Professor Pulan took was met with whispers behind his back, people pointing fingers at him.

For someone who prided himself on being a paragon of educational excellence, this was intolerable.

And yet, he was utterly helpless when it came to Moen Campbell.

Poor performance notwithstanding, the boy hadn’t broken any school rules. Furthermore, the Campbell family happened to be one of the academy's largest stakeholders, so there was no way he could intentionally make trouble for Moen.

"It seems you really don't like that Moen Campbell, huh," Gelan muttered, shrinking into his shoulders. He rarely witnessed Professor Pulan so angry. Just sharing his proximity filled him with a sense of impending doom, as if he might be devoured at any moment.

Quickly, he sought to change the subject. "Hey, check this out—your star pupil seems to have been stopped by someone at the school gate."

Gelan gestured towards the entrance.

"Oh? That looks like Emon from the fourth grade. I vaguely recall him—he’s quite talented," Professor Pulan noted. His attention had successfully been diverted, and some of his fury had subsided.

"So, what are they up to? A brawl?"

"Looks more like… a challenge?"

Professor Pulan squinted. Though far away, he could make out Emon tossing a glove to Ariel's feet. In noble circles, this was a customary gesture signifying a formal challenge.

"Wow, imagine that—a fourth grader publicly challenging a second grader. Rarely do you see such a brazen spectacle," Gelan whistled, clearly amused at the unfolding drama.

"But why would Emon challenge Ariel? Have they had any prior disputes?" Pondering this, Professor Pulan's brows furrowed in confusion.

Then, it came to him. The conflict between Moen Campbell and Ariel was common knowledge among the second years.

And Emon… seemed to have a close relationship with Moen Campbell.

Moen Campbell, it’s you again!

As if ruining my reputation wasn’t enough, now you’re picking on my top student?

"Looks like they aren’t fighting, after all," Gelan observed. Then his voice suddenly rose in surprise. "Hey, wait a moment—isn't that Moen Campbell over there?"

"Moen! Campbell!" Professor Pulan's glare zeroed in on the familiar figure amidst the crowd. His eyes practically bulged as he let out a low growl:

"And he dares to show up on campus!"

Professor Pulan clutched his staff tightly, his knuckles blanching as his grip tightened. For a brief moment, he seriously contemplated storming down and smacking Moen Campbell over the head with it.

"Relax, relax, he’s just a student," Gelan offered in an attempt to diffuse the tension. "Why let him get under your skin? Students' academic performances are bound to vary—it’s only natural."

"Natural?" Professor Pulan spat, shooting Gelan a cold look. "Tell me this—if one of your Potion students, after a whole year of study, still couldn’t tell the difference between a love potion and a sleeping potion—worse yet, ended up falling victim to one or the other—how would you feel?"

"…"

The sheer vividness of the scenario struck Gelan hard. His blood pressure spiked immediately.

"Ahem, save it. Let’s just see what’s happening over there," he said hurriedly. "Huh, it seems Moen Campbell is saying something. Judging by everyone else's expressions, it must be something intriguing."

Gelan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then added with a grin, "Fortunately, I know a bit of lip-reading."

"Let’s see now… I… have… turned over… a new leaf. Hmm? I have turned over a new leaf?"

When Gelan finished interpreting, he froze momentarily before turning to Professor Pulan.

"That Moen Campbell said he’s turned over a new leaf."

"Turned over a new leaf?" Professor Pulan sneered as soon as he heard the words.

"That kind of toad-claiming-to-become-a-swan nonsense—and you actually believe it? If Moen Campbell really manages to reform himself, study diligently, and turn his academic performance around, then I’ll… well…"

Professor Pulan's eyes darted around, searching for an appropriate vow. Suddenly, his gaze landed on his desk.

Slamming his palm down on its surface, he declared in a thunderous voice:

"I’ll swallow this desk!"