Chapter 8: Alita's Request and the Veigar Forest

The night passed uneventfully.

The next morning, just as the sun began to rise, Dean Bruce was jolted awake by a series of urgent knocks on his door. Having stayed up late studying the basics of magic theory, he was far from pleased.

He hastily threw on some clothes, and with sleep still clinging to his eyes, he jumped out of bed and stumbled to the door. Before he could even voice his annoyance, a pleasant fragrance hit his nose.

Looking up, he saw Alita Miller standing at his door, smiling warmly. Instantly, all of Dean Bruce's irritation evaporated.

Letting out a small sigh, Dean Bruce asked, "Instructor Alita, what brings you here?"

Alita Miller chuckled. "The new students taking the assessment are already waiting on the field, and here you are, still asleep? And you call yourself an instructor."

Dean Bruce's expression shifted to surprise. "That early? I'll get ready and be down right away!"

"Don't rush," Alita said with a playful smirk, covering her mouth as she laughed softly. "Just remember to put on your pants! I've seen plenty in my time, so it won't shock me, but there are quite a few young girls among the students—you might want to be more careful."

Dean Bruce finally noticed something was amiss. Glancing down, he realized he wasn't wearing any pants!

Alita didn't seem embarrassed, so Dean Bruce certainly wasn't going to be bothered by it. Nodding, he replied, "Instructor Alita, you didn't come all the way here just to wake me up, did you?"

At this, Alita Miller's smile faded, and her eyes narrowed slightly. In a soft voice, she said, "You're right. I need to ask you for a favor."

Dean Bruce's pupils contracted in surprise, and he couldn't believe his ears.

Alita Miller was one of the academy's seasoned instructors, and she was asking him for help?

Thinking quickly, Dean Bruce immediately declined. "I'm not very powerful, Instructor Alita. I doubt I'd be of much help to you."

Whatever task could compel someone like Alita Miller to seek assistance was bound to be complex. Dean Bruce knew his own limitations and had no intention of getting involved.

Alita blinked a few times, then suddenly bit her lip lightly, gazing at Dean Bruce with a hopeful expression. Her already beautiful face took on a pleading look, one that would melt most hearts.

Unfortunately for her, Dean Bruce was no stranger to the ways of the world. In his previous life, he had encountered more than his fair share of temptations from streamers and hostesses, leaving his heart as tough as iron. He wasn't about to be swayed so easily.

Seeing that Dean Bruce remained unfazed, Alita Miller realized her attempts at seduction were futile. Pouting, she remarked, "Are you even a man if you won't help with something like this?"

Dean Bruce wasn't one to play along. With a straightforward look that made it clear he wasn't amused, he replied, "You're questioning whether I'm a man? You're welcome to find out for yourself! But I'm not about to risk my life for someone else. Instructor Alita, you should leave—I'm not going to help you."

Hearing such a firm rejection, Alita Miller knew there was little chance of changing Dean Bruce's mind. She shot him a sharp glare before turning on her heel and storming off with an indignant huff.

After Alita left, Dean Bruce didn't dwell on the encounter. He quickly packed the belongings he had prepared the night before into his storage ring, dressed himself properly, and grabbed his staff, which was adorned with a crystal the size of a fist. Then, he headed for the academy's entrance.

"Oh my goodness, that magic crystal is huge!"

"Wow, that must be top-tier magical equipment!"

"I think that's Instructor Dean. I heard from the upperclassmen that he rarely teaches and mostly has students study on their own. His reputation isn't great—people say he doesn't have much skill. But looking at him now, it seems like Instructor Dean has been hiding his true strength all along!"

Unlike treasures, magical equipment has its own quality rankings, and top-tier gear is quite rare in a small town like this. The sight of Dean Bruce's equipment instantly drew gasps of admiration from the students and quickly changed their opinion of him.

Maintaining a calm demeanor, Dean Bruce continued on his way to the academy's entrance, where over a hundred students had gathered. They were intently listening to instructions for the upcoming assessment.

The person addressing them wasn't Headmaster André but a middle-aged man dressed in a form-fitting outfit. He held a staff in one hand and had a slender sword strapped to his waist, the scabbard gleaming in the sunlight—clearly a high-quality weapon.

Dean Bruce paused for a moment, quickly deducing the man's identity. This had to be Xerath, the dual-wielding magic swordsman Headmaster André had mentioned.

His full name was Xerath Cade, one of the academy's veteran instructors.

As Dean Bruce scanned the crowd, his brow suddenly furrowed.

Standing next to Xerath Cade was none other than Joan Michelle! She, too, was dressed in a formal mage's robe and held a staff in her hand, though her attire and equipment didn't appear as luxurious or refined as Dean Bruce's.

Joan Michelle noticed Dean Bruce and couldn't help but smile with delight.

Since Xerath Cade was still passionately delivering his speech, Dean Bruce didn't interrupt. Instead, he quietly approached Joan Michelle and asked in a low voice, "You're a logistics instructor—what are you doing here?"

As Dean Bruce got closer, he noticed that Joan Michelle's face was pale, her eyes bright but lacking any real focus. He quickly realized that she must have overexerted herself trying to practice magic, draining her energy.

In that instant, Dean Bruce made a decision, thinking to himself, [If she asks why she hasn't succeeded in her training, I'll just tell her she hasn't fully grasped the depth of the spell. After all, the incantation I gave her is definitely not wrong!]

To his surprise, Joan Michelle didn't criticize him. Instead, she lowered her head in shame and whispered, "The opportunity to become a full-fledged instructor that I asked the headmaster for—he said I can only get it if this assessment concludes safely."

Hearing this, Dean Bruce finally understood why Joan Michelle was so desperate.

The chance to become a full-fledged instructor only came around once every five years. If she failed, she would lose precious time and waste years of her life.

After a moment of hesitation, Dean Bruce decided not to offer any comforting words. He simply nodded and said, "Then make sure to keep the students safe."

"Yes, I will do my best," Joan Michelle replied, clenching her fists tightly with determination.

Seeing Dean Bruce seemed to have reignited her motivation. She even began pondering the incantation again.

But with others around, she didn't dare ask Dean Bruce any questions and instead quietly focused on her thoughts.

A few moments later, Xerath Cade finally finished his rousing speech. Turning around, he noticed Dean Bruce's presence for the first time and exclaimed, "Dean? When did you get here?"

Before Dean Bruce could respond, Xerath Cade continued, "Perfect timing. It's getting late, so let's head out! You two will stay on the sides and remember this: once we enter Veigar Forest, unless a second-tier or higher beast appears, or a student is in mortal danger, you must not intervene!"

Seeing Dean Bruce and Joan Michelle both nod in agreement, Xerath Cade said no more. With a wave of his hand, he led the group of over a hundred students away from Notting Primary Magic Academy and toward Veigar Forest.

On the way, many students were captivated by Dean Bruce's mage's robe and staff, their eyes repeatedly glancing in his direction as they whispered among themselves, "Who is that instructor? He looks so powerful—he must be a really strong mage!"

"I wonder if he'll be teaching us once we officially start school?"

As the saying goes, clothes make the man, and with his impressive attire, Dean Bruce earned himself a number of young admirers.

Once they entered the area of Veigar Forest, Dean Bruce, Joan Michelle, and Xerath Cade disappeared from the students' view.

Since this was an assessment, the students were expected to navigate Veigar Forest on their own. Accompanying them the entire way would defeat the purpose of the test.

Dean Bruce trailed behind the students at a distance, strolling through the woods and enjoying the beautiful scenery.

With two advanced-level magic scrolls as backup and Xerath Cade overseeing the operation, he really had nothing to worry about.

Typically, these assessments were uneventful.

The academy's leadership wasn't foolish enough to send a group of new students into a truly dangerous area.

Veigar Forest was known for its relative safety—first-tier beasts were rare, and most of the creatures there didn't even have a rank!

Dean Bruce's earlier complaints to Headmaster André, along with his purchases of magic scrolls and talismans, were just precautions and a way to secure a few extra benefits.