18 Professor Belmont and the Interns III

Professor Belmont was seated at his desk, looking the part of a scholar through and through, dressed in his red and black Healer robes, wearing a pair of black-framed glasses as he flipped through a thick book and murmuring to himself while scribbling notes.

Most would say he looked distinguished, but Yuliang thought he looked pretentious. He wasn't sure what it was about the man, but there was something about Emil Belmont that rubbed Yuliang the wrong way. Yuliang had always been one to trust his instincts and had this been anyone else, Yuliang would have started avoiding them, but he felt torn on this one. Granny had vouched for the man, and Yuliang also needed him as an endorser for him to sit the upcoming Certification exam, so he did his best to push such feelings aside.

"Professor," he said, as politely as he could, trying to get the man's attention.

"Ah yes, Davos, please take a seat."

Yuliang did as he was told and asked, "I didn't get the meeting wrong, did I?"

"Not at all," Belmont was quick to assure him, bookmarking his place with his stack of notes and pushing it off to the side of the table. "It has been three days since we met. So how are you finding it here?"

Yuliang frowned, "It's fine, but I thought we were here to talk about my assignments."

The Professor leveled him with a long look, "Not a fan of casual conversation, Davos?"

Yuliang shrugged, "Just didn't think it was the purpose of the meeting, sir."

"Hm. Well, since you're so eager, here's your schedule."

The Professor slid a sheet of paper towards him.

"You have been assigned to teach the first-year practical class, and for the other assigned times, you will be the Field Healer for the first year Enforcer class.

For your classroom hours, I expect documentation of your lesson plans, your thought process behind them, the student reception, and an analysis of student performance as well.

For your duties as a Field Healer, you should already be in the habit of documenting your patients, so I expect a standard report of your experiences.

Now, do you have any questions?"

Yuliang took a second to scan the sheet to confirm everything Professor Belmont claimed, then shook his head. "None. Will that be all, Professor?"

The older man sighed, pulling the glasses off the bridge of his nose. "So impatient, Davos. Got somewhere to go?"

Yes. To bed.

"No, Professor. I just didn't want to...impose."

Professor Belmont looked at him with glimmering blue eyes, "You're hardly an imposition. Well, either way, here is your uniform," he said, reaching under his desk for a moment before coming up and handing him a robe identical to his wrapped in clear plastic.

Yuliang received it with both hands, "Thank you, sir."

His hands itched with the urge to tear into the packaging and feel the fabric against his skin for the first time, but Yuliang held himself back.

He needed to call Yukio first.

"First time owning one?" the professor asked, eyebrows raised and lips curling up in amusement at whatever he saw on Yuliang's face.

"Yeah. Granny never let me wear one back home."

Belmont let out an incredulous laugh, "Granny? Wait, you call Master Hala granny?"

Yuliang scrunched his nose, "She's my dad's mother. What else would I call her?"

Belmont's eyes widened. "Wait, you're her grandson?"

"Yeah."

"Really? She didn't mention that to me."

Yuliang scoffed. "She is pretty old now. Her memory's probably not as good as it used to be."

To Yuliang's confusion, his comment had the Professor laughing even harder.