Graduation Ceremony
In the following two days, Elyon took his sisters to visit several night schools, comparing them to the advertisements in the newspapers.
He settled on a nearby, seemingly reputable institution for Nyara and Seraphina, and they took the time to familiarize themselves with the area.
The 25th arrived quickly, and on the morning of the big day, Elyon gave his sisters two shillings for lunch and dinner. He donned his finery, grabbed the whisky intended for his mentor, and hopped on the public carriage to attend the graduation ceremony.
Returning to the familiar campus, Elyon made his way to Professor Russell's office.
"Good afternoon, Professor. Thanks to your recommendation, I now have a respectable job. This is a small token of gratitude from my father; I hope you'll accept it."
Elyon produced the cherished whisky from his father and handed it to Professor Russell.
"Securing a future for my students is part of a mentor's duty, especially for one as diligent as you. I'm now short a reliable assistant, and my department lacks a suitable successor."
Professor Russell accepted the whisky with a touch of sentiment, placing it on the top shelf. It seemed the professor truly valued Elyon.
The professor advocated for procedural justice, adhering strictly to legal procedures, creating a dichotomy between his views and those of another faculty member who championed virtue and moral education.
"Someone as slow as I am would hardly be suitable for guiding younger students. I'm sure you'll find a suitable successor, Professor."
"Perhaps. Today, come with me to the graduation ceremony. And be direct with me—you should move on from that girl. You two are not from the same world," Professor Russell advised earnestly.
Elyon was baffled; his residual memories held no trace of any girl. What kind of melodramatic love story was this? A hopeless crush on some highborn lady?
"Um, okay. It wouldn't be right to force a relationship."
Professor Russell looked at Elyon with disbelief, as if wanting to say more but holding back.
The atmosphere of graduation pervaded the campus, with students walking in pairs and groups. Elyon helped carry the professor's briefcase as they headed to the auditorium.
This world lacked the concept of classes. An associate professor would directly oversee several students, guiding their studies and dissertations, while specialized lecturers would teach the professional courses to all students of the same year.
A department had only one professor, acting as the head or dean.
Inside the auditorium, arranged in a fan shape, students from different departments were seated in designated areas, with faculty and staff occupying chairs on a raised platform behind the podium.
After passing the professor's briefcase back to him, Elyon, along with the Faculty of Legal Studies, was situated in the lower-left corner of the hall. He chose a discreet seat along the aisle, hoping to remain unobtrusive as more students entered.
"Yo, long time no see. Isn't this our beloved goody-two-shoes? Hard to believe you'd do something so crazy for a woman—brother, she's not worth it," a cheeky voice came from the man seated in front of him.
This was Riven, a fellow student under Professor Russell's tutelage, known for his carefree attitude and laid-back nature—a source of frustration for their mentor.
"Good morning, Riven. I've become a new man. Whatever I did in the past, I've cut ties with it," Elyon replied, his statement not entirely false since he couldn't recall much of his previous life.
"That's good to hear. But she's just a woman, after all. Brother, make room for me; I want to sit by the aisle. Who knows how long those old geezers will talk. An hour is the most courtesy I can give Professor Russell. If they're not done by then, I'm out."
Elyon scooted over, freeing up the aisle seat for Riven.
As the ceremony drew near, the hall filled with people. Elyon leaned back, closing his eyes to rest, but was jolted awake by Riven tugging at his sleeve.
"What is it, Riven? It hasn't been an hour yet, has it?"
Opening his eyes, Elyon looked at Riven, who was stealthily pointing toward the front right side of the hall.
There stood a beautiful young woman with golden hair and blue eyes, fair skin, and a bag in hand.
"Can I help you with something?" Elyon did not recall this attractive woman among the students mentored by his professor.
Besides himself and Riven, there were three other men and three women under Professor Russell's guidance—none more than casual acquaintances. His most meaningful connections in Aegsburg were Thane and the others.
"You're pretending to have amnesia now because of your pitiful pride? Or are you ashamed of your past actions?" The woman spoke with a fury that bordered on yelling.
"Miss, I had an incident last month, and I genuinely don't remember much about the past. If there's been any offense, please accept my apologies."
Elyon wasn't lying; he was now Lucan from Earth, not the original Elyon born in Bruge.
The woman didn't reply but instead reached into her bag and threw a fistful of envelopes at Elyon's face.
"It's hard to imagine the same person who wrote these sappy love letters is now pretending not to know me. Among my many suitors, there aren't any lacking letter-writers, but to protect your frail ego, you pretend not to recognize me." With that, she turned and strode away.
Elyon didn't say a word. He picked up the letters from the floor and dumped them all into a trash bin in the hall. Riven looked stunned, as if he didn't recognize Elyon at all.
"Did you really lose your memory?"
"I did, truly. So, who was that?" Elyon shrugged.
"Kaelith, one of the most beautiful women in our year, reportedly a nobleman's daughter. You wrote her love letters for three years, and now you've forgotten? You even promised to duel her fiancé. If Professor Russell hadn't intervened, you might not be here."
"I don't have any recollection. Though she's beautiful, she's not worth risking my life for."
"You seem to have gained some self-awareness. Kaelith isn't easy to pursue; many men at school have tried and failed. No amount of lavish gifts has won her over."
The point is she already has a fiancé, right? In another time, they'd call her a seasoned heartbreaker.
The graduation ceremony began with the principal's speech, followed by remarks from professors and representatives of the outstanding students.
Next to him, Riven was already snoring. Elyon found the speeches almost hypnotic.
After two long hours of talks, it was time to hand out diplomas. When it was Elyon's turn, the hall had nearly emptied.
Later in the afternoon, after taking a group photo with Professor Russell and the other seven graduating students, Elyon worked hard to keep a straight face. He had always been camera-shy, a trait that hadn't changed in this world.