The consciousness space.

As Muen’s spirit recovered, this place also returned to its original state. It no longer had that ruined feeling from being squeezed dry several times before. It even looked wider and more vast.

A pitch-black blazing sun wreathed in a holy corona quietly floated at the very top, coldly overlooking everything. As it turned, it still kept grinding down on Muen’s spirit.

Muen had long since grown used to this kind of spiritual consumption and didn’t care. He lowered his head and continued to carefully stroke the mysterious book in his hands—pure black on the outside, without even a single decorative pattern—and stared at it for a long time.

Whether just now or right now, the Black Book hadn’t changed at all.

It was extremely quiet, as if it hadn’t noticed anything that happened outside.

But you had to know, the first time he faced Teacher Mera, it had reacted.

"Black Book, do you know the Demon God?"

After thinking for a moment, Muen asked.

Flip.

The pages turned, and lines of extremely standard-looking text appeared on the blank page.

【Know.】

"Then what kind of existence is It?"

【Cannot say.】

"Cannot say, or shouldn’t say?"

【Cannot say.】

"How was the Demon God born? It shouldn’t have been the so-called Demon God from the start, right? I think It was also some god that got polluted and fell, yes? Like that sacred tree."

Muen kept asking.

【The Demon God is due to a thousand years ago, &%* for the sake of *&$#&&$#$$ so %$%... &, therefore the Demon God was born.】

Muen frowned, because the text the Black Book displayed after that—no matter how he tried to make it out—was only a mess of garbled characters.

But since it could display text this time, it meant this part could be said. It didn’t belong to some so-called “taboo.” It was only because of some kind of power interfering that he couldn’t know it for now.

Just like the history from a thousand years ago that had been erased out of thin air.

"Forget it."

Muen didn’t keep tangling himself up in it.

Because just like Mera said, right now he... didn’t have the qualification to pursue these things yet.

If he sank too deep into places he shouldn’t pry into, being overly cautious and hesitating back and forth would instead affect his steps forward.

Besides, he also knew his questioning right now was meaningless.

Muen smiled, then closed the Black Book.

"For now, I should put my eyes... on somewhere closer."

...

...

Muen opened his eyes again.

The academy was still quiet. Only the emerald leaves rustled softly.

But what he saw this time wasn’t Mera’s trashy face—it was... an old face full of wrinkles, yet still stern and rigidly severe.

"Pro... Professor Prang?"

Muen was startled by the face so close in front of him and almost reflexively leaned back. Thankfully, this time there was no thigh sensation behind his head or anything like that, or else his heart really would’ve jumped out of his chest.

"Why are you here?"

"Just a routine patrol of the campus."

Professor Prang raised an eyebrow, somewhat puzzled by why Muen’s reaction was so big, but he didn’t pursue it. Propping himself on a silver staff, he sat down beside Muen.

"School is about to start. As a professor, I have to prepare early too."

"Ah."

Muen froze. "It’s already that time?"

With a somewhat complicated expression, Muen scratched his head. He’d been through too much lately—he’d almost forgotten he was still a student at the academy.

"But then again, this spring break is way too long, isn’t it?"

Muen couldn’t help complaining.

He’d forgotten about school before, but now that he thought about it, from when he left the academy and went to the Holy City until now, several months had already passed.

By rights, the academy should’ve started long ago.

"Before, it was because something like that happened in Belrand. For the sake of the students’ safety, school was delayed. As for later..."

Professor Prang shrugged. "You should understand. Many students can’t come back to the academy anymore, so the academy planned to expand enrollment, and that delayed things some more."

"I see..."

Muen immediately understood that the “many students” Professor Prang meant were actually those noble youths with Blood of Glory, and the huge batch of nobles Celicia had recently purged hard.

For an academy that had once been funded and supervised by a board made up of nobles—even though Saint Maria had been vigorously recruiting commoner students these years, that portion still made up a pretty big share. So when those seats became empty, filling the student pipeline afterward was yet another troublesome matter.

Fortunately, with Saint Maria Academy’s reputation, and with help from Celicia—who, in name, still hadn’t stepped down as “Student Council President”—this wasn’t really a big problem at all.

"Sounds like the professors will be very busy."

"Yes. Very busy."

Professor Prang let out a long sigh, then turned his head and stared at Muen with a grave face.

"A lot of old things that are practically one foot into the coffin got dragged out to keep working, and it’s still busy beyond belief. Yet at a time like this, there are still some ungrateful bastards who have to come looking for trouble. It’s truly infuriating. Don’t you agree."

"..."

Muen leaned back again. Professor Prang’s expression right now—so familiar, like he could make you fail at any time—stirred up some bad memories in Muen’s head. It was way too oppressive.

"Don’t you agree." Professor Prang emphasized again.

"..."

Muen quietly scooted half his butt back, thinking this rigid professor really wasn’t good with words, and forced a bitter smile.

"Professor Prang can just say what you want to say directly. I still haven’t had the chance to repay the favor from before. As long as it’s something I can do, I definitely won’t refuse."

"Actually, it’s nothing."

Professor Prang straightened back up and stroked his beard with satisfaction.

"With His Majesty’s help, the academy truly isn’t lacking in anything in any area now. It’s just that... the academy’s face is about to face a rather big challenge."

"Face?"

Muen froze, then reacted, frowning.

"What Professor Prang means... is the delegation from the kingdom?"

"Correct."

"But aren’t they here to ask Celicia for a political marriage?"

"That’s only one of their goals. If it were only for a marriage alliance, why bring so many people? Not to mention, besides that seventeenth prince who appeared out of nowhere, there are also quite a few young students with famous reputations—top-tier within the kingdom."

"So they want to use this chance to suppress or humiliate the empire’s younger generation? They’re coming to the academy?"

Muen suddenly understood.

He looked around. Even though school hadn’t started yet, the academy already carried a bit of bleakness. This turmoil in the empire didn’t only affect that seat and Belrand’s political situation. Since many noble youths who were actually quite capable had also gone west, there really was a sizable gap on that front.

After all, even if those nobles were rotten, with enough resources you could still stack up quite a few strong young people.

And cultivating talent wasn’t something you could do overnight. Even if Celicia took it extremely seriously and immediately arranged for Belrand’s major academies to recruit talented students among commoners, that still took time—so it couldn’t meet this challenge right now.

"It’ll probably be under the name of exchange. Up top, it’s likely not something they can refuse."

"They really picked a good time."

"A young person’s backbone is also an important standard for measuring a country’s strength. This time they couldn’t fish any real benefits out of the empire’s crisis. If they hit another wall with His Majesty, then they can only play these kinds of tricks."

Professor Prang mocked without hiding it at all.

"Under normal comparison, when have those trash academies in the kingdom—those dirt-chicken, tile-dog levels—ever beaten us? That Hertz leading their group, at several international education exchange conferences, the ‘educational results’ he displayed weren’t even worthy of carrying my shoes."

"So that’s why Professor Prang came to find me?"

Muen blinked. "Why?"

"Even though the academy took some losses, aren’t the students we’re most proud of still here?"

The wrinkles on Professor Prang’s face relaxed, and he showed a rare smile.

"Not just you. I’ll personally go communicate with the other outstanding students too. This time, we’ll definitely let those limp-footed cowards from the kingdom who think we’re easy to bully see our academy’s might again!"

"Of course. As a student of the academy, I’ll naturally do my part too, but... proud..."

"What is it?"

"Nothing, just..."

Muen clasped his hands behind his head. Remembering some scenes, he couldn’t help saying with a complicated expression, "I didn’t think I’d ever hear something like that coming out of Professor Prang’s mouth. It makes me feel a little... unbelievable."

After all, in the eyes of the Muen Campbell from back then, the greatest enemy wasn’t an Evil God destroying the world, and it wasn’t some heaven-chosen phoenix-proud heroine. It was only... this strict old man in front of him, who couldn’t tolerate a speck of sand in his eyes.

"What are you talking about."

Professor Prang also sighed with a hint of emotion, then patted Muen’s shoulder.

"In a professor’s eyes, you’ve always been the most outstanding."

"Professor Prang..."

Muen looked over, moved—

"Even if you still can only use a single Light spell right now, I won’t look down on you anymore."

Professor Prang hesitated, then said, "After all, my cat still can’t use as many tricks as you do."

"..."

...

...

After leaving a few words about going to visit and encourage the other students, Professor Prang left.

Even though he really was rigid and strict, as long as you were a Saint Maria Academy student, you had to admit he truly was the most responsible professor.

At least, only he would make time at a moment like this to come say some “encouraging” words.

It was just that those “encouraging” words were rather hurtful instead.

"Still... performance, huh?"

Muen raised a hand and used his palm to block the gradually dimming sunset.

"Come to think of it, I really haven’t properly fought with young people of the same era."

In the past, what he fought were always freakish things like heretics and Evil God projections. Even in the Holy City trial, he basically didn’t get to seriously fight a single match. The only one he taught a lesson was Brag, and in the end he was also a heretic.

It was like he came with an Evil God magnet—anyone who fought him was either a heretic, or a heretic in disguise. It was truly damned.

"Putting it that way, I’m actually kind of looking forward to it."

Muen gave a rather self-mocking smile.

Only...

"Speaking of sparring exchanges..."

Muen rubbed his chin and murmured, "Did I forget something that’s very long ago but very important?"

...

...

"Exchanging and sparring with people from the kingdom?"

In the academy cafeteria, Ariel, who was chewing on black bread with all her might, widened her eyes at Professor Prang.

"Is there prize money?"

"..."

Professor Prang fell into silence. After being stunned for a moment, he truly couldn’t stand seeing his academy student still in this miserable state, so he personally called over the cafeteria cook and had a few dishes made for Ariel that were at least passable to look at. He even added a few chicken legs she liked.

"The prizes will naturally be generous. His Majesty and some important figures may also come in person to watch. They won’t be stingy on that front."

"Celicia!"

Ariel, stuffing chicken legs into her mouth like «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» crazy, instantly puffed out her chest.

"She’ll come too? That’s great. This is exactly my chance to show off!"

"Of course. If we’re talking about a chance to show off, what’s simpler and more direct than on the arena stage?"

Compared to Muen, Ariel had been a student Professor Prang favored from the very start, but he still couldn’t help giving a few reminders.

"Don’t underestimate them. That seventeenth prince will definitely enter personally too. Right now our intelligence on him is nearly zero, so you have to be very careful."

"Don’t worry. When have I ever underestimated anyone?"

Ariel waved it off, not caring, about to focus on eating—but she suddenly seemed to remember something and looked up with a solemn face.

"Right, Professor Prang. For this exchange sparring, will it be conducted between internal members of the academy too?"

"If the rules allow it, of course it can."

Professor Prang asked in confusion, "Why are you asking that?"

"Nothing. I just suddenly remembered something."

Ariel held the chicken leg, her eyes blazing with sharp light.

"Arena stage, spectators, Celicia, and a certain hateful guy! This really is a heaven-sent opportunity!"