Clover Academy.
A week after the Magi had returned from the secret plane, the academic year had begun once again. The less than a dozen students who had survived the gruesome ordeal had currently gathered at the auditorium.
Professor Godfrey along with a few other faculty members were standing on the stage and were looking at the students present with approval, seemingly acknowledging their skills for having survived inside the secret plane for a year and a half.
Adam, who was standing with the students, saw the faculty members' expression and inwardly sneered. Heh, forty kids died inside. Yet, I don't see a tinge of regret in their eyes. I should have known… These bastards only care about benefits.
Before entering the secret plane, he thought that the Academy was very magnanimous in securing spots for the students to enter. At the time, he couldn't help but come to admire them deeply.
However, now that feeling of respect and admiration had gone down the ditch.
Only a few minutes earlier, he had learned from one of the professors from the administration building that surviving students had to hand in all the magical knowledge they had acquired inside the secret plane.
The academy would copy these texts and then hand the original back to them.
Adam realized that this was one of the ways that the Savant Tower—the academy's library—expanded its knowledge archives.
In the world of Magi, knowledge was equivalent to strength.
The youth couldn't help but smile bitterly. I was so naive to believe that the academy granted us entry to the secret plane for free. How can anything be free in this world?
Suddenly, he had a moment of realization.
Free things cost the most!
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64ce79d606107d003c23ea27", id: "pf-5140-1"})While he was lost in thought, Professor Godfrey approached the podium and started speaking to the students gathered.
"Spending over a year in a foreign place where there's danger at every turn must have been tough on you all," she began with a faint smile. "But you overcame all those obstacles and have come out stronger than before."
Listening to the Headmistress, the students felt their hearts beat with a fiery passion. All of them, including Adam, couldn't help but get emotional.
After all, they had indeed gone through a lot inside the secret plane, and now that they were out, they felt a great sense of accomplishment.
Professor Godfrey continued, "Although it is a great pity that so many of you have perished inside…"
Yeah right! Adam resisted the intense urge to roll his eyes.
"…I am glad that you all have safely come out of the secret plane. That being said, I have gathered you all here to reward you for your actions."
The Headmistress could see the excitement in the students' eyes. Seeing this, she was gratified. "Apart from the direct promotion that I had already promised you all, I will be exempting your tuition fees for the current academic year."
"Really?! That's great!"
"Hurray for our Headmistress!"
"Hurray for Clover Academy!"
At once, most of the students burst into excitement. To these kids, having to not pay 10 platinum coins was quite a big deal. So they couldn't help but be elated at this reward.
"Hehe, you know what that means, right?" Edward elbowed Adam as he spoke in a hushed tone.
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "64cc9e79c7059f003e4ad4b0", id: "pf-5109-1"})Adam smiled brightly. "We're 5th year students now!"
Only after the students had calmed down a little did the Headmistress continue, "Everyone, please head to the administration building where you can collect your respective curriculums for the academic year."
"Yes, Professor!" All the students placed their right hands on their chests and respectfully bowed. After that, they civilly left the auditorium.
"Student Adam," Professor Godfrey called out. "I would like to have a word with you."
Adam, who was leaving with Edward and Lisa, suddenly paused and turned around to look at the Headmistress. He pointed at himself and asked in puzzlement, "Me?"
Professor Godfrey smiled amicably. "I believe there is only one Adam in this room currently."
"Uh, yes." Adam's lips twithed. He glanced at his friends and nodded. "I'll see you guys later."
After all the faculty members and the students had left the auditorium, leaving behind only Professor Godfrey and Adam, the atmosphere quickly became awkward between the two.
The Headmistress continued to stare at the youth with a smile, while the latter avoided eye contact completely and was slowly beginning to feel nervous for some reason.
The silence was deafening.
Just when Adam couldn't bear it anymore and was about to speak, Professor Godfrey spoke first.
"Student Kevin Gracie has withdrawn from the Clover Academy."
"What?" Adam's eyes narrowed. "He dropped out?"
window.pubfuturetag = window.pubfuturetag || [];window.pubfuturetag.push({unit: "663633fa8ebf7442f0652b33", id: "pf-8817-1"})Since he had entered the academy's campus today, he hadn't seen Kevin at all. He had been wondering where the bastard went, but it turned out that he had already left the academy.
"Yes, he did." Professor Godfrey nodded. "I received a letter from the Gracie Family a few days back saying that he no longer wishes to continue studying at the academy."
"Why not?" Adam blurted out. He had planned all sorts of things to make Kevin's life miserable in school, just like how the latter had done to him before.
But now that he found out that Kevin had dropped out, he was livid.
Professor Godfrey's lips curled up into a smirk. "How do you expect a Magus to complete the physical component of a spell with just one hand?"
Adam was speechless. That's right! I didn't even think about that. What good is a student in a magic academy if he can't even cast spells?
"You've already done enough. Have you not?" The Headmistress suddenly asked with a knowing smile.
"What do you mean?" Adam was shocked. However, on the surface, he still pretended to be confused.
Professor Godfrey didn't entertain the youth anymore. After the stunt that the latter had pulled at Glassford City when he came out of the secret plane, she would be a fool to not know what had transpired.
She walked away, her parting words serving as a reminder to Adam.
"The Gracie Family may be willing to forgive you now because of your status. But if you overdo it, who knows what they might do? Tread carefully. Those people have a history of engaging in despicable acts."
Adam gazed at the Headmistress' departing back, mulling over her words. He could tell that the old woman was advising him out of good intentions. After all, she and Beger were old friends.
For a brief moment, the youth hesitated.
But the next moment...
His eyes turned resolute and gleamed with a cold glint.
