Chapter 41: Graduating Early

Yesterday, William watched the football game with his mother Lena until 10 PM. After that, they chatted for a while about the coffee shop she had opened, which she had named Devonshire Café. "That's quite convenient," William thought to himself.

Foreigners often like to name their businesses and estates after their surnames. William realized that the company he founded was also named Devonshire Industries, influenced by Stark Industries. Well, it's a case of the pot calling the kettle black.

They talked until almost midnight before Lena let William go to bed.

The next day, William slept in until after 10 AM. With not much to do, he thought about applying for graduation from school. He no longer felt the desire to stay in school. In the past, he had no money and had the patience to stay in school. Now that he had money, his mind was elsewhere.

Deciding to act on his thought, William picked up the phone and called his professor, Royce Stephens.

The phone rang a few times before Professor Royce answered. "Hello, good morning, Professor Royce. This is William Devonshire."

"Hello, good morning to you too, William. What can I do for you?" Professor Royce asked.

"Professor, I'd like to apply for graduation. Can the school arrange a graduation defense for me? If that's not possible, I'd like to take a leave of absence. You know, Professor, I don't have much time to spend at school anymore, and I believe the knowledge I've acquired is sufficient for a bachelor's degree. So, I'd like to apply for graduation," William explained.

Professor Royce thought for a moment before replying, "Alright, William. Your situation is somewhat unique, and your performance over the past few months has convinced me of your proficiency. I can submit your application to the school. If we're quick, you could know the result by this afternoon. Wait for my notification."

William thanked him profusely. "Thank you, Professor. I appreciate it. I'll wait for your call."

"Okay, I'll notify you once I have news. Goodbye, William."

"Goodbye, Professor."

After hanging up, William got up, freshened up, and sat on the sofa eating the breakfast Lena had left for him, while thinking about what to say for his graduation defense.

He delved into the knowledge stored in his system, aligning it with the current state of computer science. William decided to talk about cloud storage. Cloud storage had existed for quite some time, originally known as web storage. It wasn't yet known by the more appealing and understandable name of "cloud storage."

This concept, which would become widespread in a few years, was still emerging and was an easy pitch for venture capitalists. Once he decided on this, he started working on his presentation.

Except for a lunch break, William spent the rest of his time on his computer, carefully considering what to write. He didn't want to reveal anything too advanced that could jeopardize his future earnings. He wanted to avoid ending up like Tesla, who, despite being brilliant, faced jealousy and resentment. Being ahead by just a step was sufficient. Given that this was only for a bachelor's degree, it was a simple task for William with his system's assistance, unlike the grueling experience he remembered from his previous life.

At 2 PM, Professor Royce called William, asking him to be at the computer science department by 3 PM for his graduation defense. They had arranged for three professors to attend.

William dressed up, drove his Porsche 911 to the school, and arrived just before 2:30 PM, driving at the speed limit all the way.

Many at the school had heard that William was coming for his graduation defense, and the school had arranged for the defense to take place in a large multimedia classroom.

At 3 PM, the professors arrived punctually. Once everyone was seated, William, who had been waiting on the side, stepped onto the stage to greet the three professors. The back of the classroom was packed with students, and William even noticed a dozen reporters with cameras.

"How did these reporters get in here?" William whispered to the class monitor.

The class monitor explained, "This is a bit unconventional, having your graduation defense at this time. The school allowed reporters in to avoid any trouble. Some of these reporters are from scientific journals. If you pass your defense, their presence will prevent a lot of issues."

William understood. The school didn't want their star student to drop out due to lack of time. A public defense would allow William to graduate smoothly, giving the school another wealthy alumnus and silencing societal criticisms.

Once Professor Royce and William were ready, Professor Royce announced, "Alright, let's begin, William."

The defense took William over three hours. First, the three professors asked questions, and then the scientific journal editors started asking questions as well. Thankfully, with the system's help, William could recall and understand everything he had learned. This was, after all, the life of someone with an advantage.

The lengthy duration was not due to William struggling with answers but because he had to be cautious about what he said. He didn't want to inadvertently reveal future technology.

Foreseeing the future was one thing, but disclosing specific technological details would make him look like a freak rather than a genius.

Once the professors and editors had no more questions, William breathed a sigh of relief.

Professor Royce, after discussing with the other two professors and the journal editors, sat in the main seat and announced, "William Devonshire, after deliberation, we unanimously agree to approve your graduation application. Congratulations, William."

Applause erupted as everyone was impressed by William's performance. Even many doctoral students felt that William's knowledge surpassed theirs.

William thanked everyone profusely. "Thank you, thank you, Professors and Editors. Thank you all."

One of the professors next to Professor Royce said, "No, William, I think you don't need to thank us. Given your performance today, I believe you could apply for a Ph.D. You should consider staying in school to pursue a doctorate. With your current level, you could apply for a Ph.D. defense in a year."

The room buzzed with surprise. William Devonshire, who was struggling with undergraduate studies, could now graduate with a Ph.D.? Was there really such a gap between geniuses and ordinary people? And this was the University of London, where all the students were top scholars.

One of the scientific journal editors stood up and said, "I agree with the professor. William, the knowledge you have now isn't something ordinary doctoral students possess. I even think you could apply for a position as an assistant professor at the University of London. The answers you provided were pioneering. I now acknowledge you as a genius. Congratulations, William."

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