Chapter 391: Assistant Professor’s Qualifications (2)

“Therefore, improving one’s understanding of systems and attributes during the process of converting pure elemental mana…”

An ice-cold impression, as if a single prick wouldn’t draw a drop of blood.

A cold expression and a resolute tone. An appearance perfectly suited for sternly guiding students as an educator.

Lennok leaned against the back of the lecture hall with Cassia, looking down at Bailla teaching the students.

“How is it?”

Cassia turned her head slightly and asked.

Lennok countered, “How is what?”

“I’m just curious how our director’s lecture compares to Professor Aris’s.”

She couldn’t stand the boredom, and that’s what she asked? Lennok understood her feelings to some extent, so he chuckled.

Cassia was a 5-level wizard who had not yet reached the Commander Wizard rank, but her knowledge and research level were second only to Bailla’s.

Considering Bailla’s seemingly fastidious nature, Cassia must also be an excellent talent with considerable skill and knowledge.

It was natural that a lecture tailored to the eyes of undergraduates wouldn’t fully capture her attention.

“I’ve been looking around here and there, and I found that Professor Aris is not only highly skilled and talented, but also has an excellent reputation among students for her lectures.”

Cassia’s face was full of curiosity.

“I’m not close with her, so it’s almost suspicious how such a perfect person can exist.”

It was not unreasonable for Cassia to think that way.

Though Cassia and Aris were not so far apart in age, their Hierarchy was separated by more than two ranks.

It wasn’t that Cassia was not outstanding; it was just that Aris’s progress was abnormally fast for her age.

Considering that most supers in this city who reached level 6 had lived well over 40 years, it was, in a way, natural.

However, Lennok hadn’t often thought of Aris as such a perfect person.

“Hmm, perfect…”

Aris’s talent and disposition were truly exceptional, but in Lennok’s opinion, her benevolent nature was rather far from perfect.

Completing oneself meant delving deeply into one’s own inner self.

From that perspective, Aris, who was interested in nurturing successors and blossoming the talents of others, was clearly a rare type among the wizards Lennok knew.

Of course, he knew that she had attained the rank of Archmage because she hadn’t lost sight of her essence even while doing so, but

Wasn’t her sloppiness, often forgetting important experimental tools each time they conducted research together, far from perfect?

However, instead of continuing that thought, Lennok subtly changed the subject based on Cassia’s words.

“It’s much better than I expected.”

“Pardon?”

“I’m talking about Director Bailla’s lecturing skills. Or rather, her attitude, to be precise?”

Lennok looked down at Bailla tapping the blackboard and murmured.

“It wouldn’t be strange for a wizard who has reached that position to have a somewhat opinionated nature, but what the director is currently lecturing on doesn’t deviate much from the existing curriculum.”

“…”

“No, it seems she’s trying to base her lecture more on our professor’s thesis than on herself. The overall lecture content is thoroughly focused on the transformation and understanding of elemental mana.”

Lennok finished speaking and looked back at Cassia, who had her mouth slightly agape.

“Is there anything wrong with what I said?”

“…No. Rather, I’m surprised by how accurate it is.”

Cassia, who had shaken her head slightly to collect herself, said.

“What you just said was almost identical to what the director told me right before she took over the lecture.”

“It’s not difficult. Anyone who knows both of you would think so. I just didn’t expect the director to respect Professor Richellen’s curriculum so much.”

Even Lennok, who didn’t think highly of Bailla, had to admit that she was meticulously following and adapting to the curriculum Aris had been running.

Since it was a semester-long lecture, it was impossible to know what Aris had actually intended to teach this semester.

But at least she was trying to teach principles and knowledge based on the achievements Aris had made through her thesis, and even delve into applications.

That would have been impossible unless Bailla acknowledged and respected Aris to that extent.

‘Were her wary words to me back then purely out of concern for Aris…? It means she’s not that selfish.’

If Aris, of all people, entrusted her professorship to Bailla and left, it must have been because she was a trustworthy person.

If Lennok intended to continue visiting this university while Bailla served as interim professor, he needed to drop his prejudice against her a little.

Bailla glanced at Lennok, then put down the pen she was holding and said, “Let’s take a short break. Assistant Professor Evan. Come to me.”

“…”

The quiet lecture hall instantly became bustling, but Bailla didn’t reprimand them for it.

Judging by her slight frown, it seemed to annoy her, but was she forcibly suppressing her reaction?

Lennok, who had been staring at her intently, asked, “It seems your chronic illness has gotten much better.”

“What?”

“The phenomenon of mana disruption within your body. Your condition seems much better than before.”

“…”

Bailla remained silent instead of answering his words.

She, too, remembered that Lennok had noticed her long-standing chronic illness and offered advice sometime before.

“A disruption phenomenon where blood vessels become obstructed and worsen over time wouldn’t coincidentally improve, so it seems you received treatment at the right time.”

Lennok smiled, looking at Cassia, who was standing next to Bailla.

“It seems another researcher who respects you, Director, has achieved something great.”

“Ahaha…”

Cassia laughed with a troubled expression.

Considering that Cassia’s very purpose in heading to the autonomous region, hidden from others’ eyes, was to treat Bailla’s chronic illness, wouldn’t it be correct to interpret that she had found effective herbs there?

Of course, Cassia wouldn’t know that Lennok was the very person she had encountered in the autonomous region at that time, but it wasn’t difficult to piece together the facts from the unfolding circumstances.

“…Hmph, your discerning eye is still unnecessarily good. It seems you’re still helping Aris with those trifling skills even here.”

Bailla snorted, then whipped her head around and asked, “So, have you thought of a plausible excuse for not showing up at the lab while I was lecturing?”

“I received a confirmation document for a research project conducted in cooperation with an external organization.”

“…”

Bailla’s expression changed slightly as she examined the document Lennok handed her.

The seal stamped at the very bottom. She recognized it as the symbol externally used by the City Government’s direct elite special agency.

An alibi created with Evelyn’s help.

The agency’s name, Agents, wasn’t revealed, but in this city, it was sufficient evidence to be treated as a more legitimate reason than anything else.

“…Good. Your unauthorized absences from work will be overlooked with this. But you’ll have to be careful from now on.”

“…”

“Seeing that you’re still clinging to the assistant professor position, Aris must care for you quite a bit… But I have no intention of keeping a wizard who doesn’t contribute to my lectures as an assistant professor.”

Bailla jutted her chin towards Cassia, who was standing behind Lennok.

“That’s why I brought Rubenyl Lead Researcher as well.”

“I see.”

“If you can’t perform properly, you’ll have to relinquish a significant portion of your assistant professor’s authority.”

“…”

“I don’t want to infringe on Aris’s personnel authority, so I’ll keep your position intact, but I am a demanding person.”

Bailla’s eyes glinted sharply as she looked at Lennok.

“If you can’t prove abilities commensurate with your position, I’ll have no choice but to handle things my way while Aris is on sabbatical.”

“Hmm…”

Her way of speaking was a bit prickly, but it wasn’t entirely wrong.

If he didn’t properly do his duties as an assistant professor, she would take away his authority and hand it over to Cassia, wouldn’t she?

To be honest, Lennok wasn’t interested in any authority other than access to the university’s central library and database, but.

He was very interested in the Carlyle Research Institute, where Bailla was the director.

“Then how about this?”

“What?”

Perhaps she hadn’t expected Lennok to make a counter-proposal.

“If you believe I don’t possess the capabilities befitting an assistant professor, I will cede all authority to Researcher Cassia here and now.”

“…Huh?”

Lennok ignored Cassia, who was pointing at herself with a slightly bewildered expression, and said, “But if I prove that I have those capabilities, you just have to grant me one request.”

“…A request.”

A cold smile formed on Bailla’s lips as she looked at Lennok.

“That would be a request not to the interim professor of Rebatenon, but to me, the director of the Carlyle Research Institute, wouldn’t it?”

“…”

A sharp observation. Instead of answering, Lennok smiled sweetly.

Perhaps his confident attitude pleased her, as Bailla, after a moment of thoughtful expression, readily nodded.

“Are you saying you’ll even leave the method to me? Is it arrogance or confidence? If you meant to make me want to test you, that’s quite a way with words. Cassia!”

“…Director?”

Bailla looked at her, who walked out with a slightly sullen expression, and said.

“Our assistant professor feels like working for the first time in a while, so you’ll have to help him out.”

Bailla glanced at Lennok, then showed a meaningful smile.

“I’ll confirm how well you’ve assisted Aris as an assistant professor. It’s Aris’s published thesis, so you naturally understand its content, right?”

Above the lecture hall’s podium when the break ended.

Lennok and Cassia stood side by side in front of the undergraduates who had returned to their seats.

“Attention, everyone.”

Bailla lightly tapped the podium to gain attention, then began.

“Before resuming the lecture, there will be a demonstration by the two assistant professors regarding the transformation and application of elemental mana that we have discussed so far.”

She slowly walked in front of Lennok and Bailla, explaining.

“The biggest issue in the Department of Elemental Studies recently is the organic transformation between mana and electricity. It’s about reducing the cost incurred during that process to the extreme, effectively treating the two power sources at the same rank. You all know this well, right?”

Bailla swept her expressionless gaze across the undergraduates.

“Professor Aris Richellen’s recently published thesis, which shook the academic world, deals with this very theme.”

“…”

The undergraduates swallowed hard, their expressions slightly tense.

“Since the thesis became a hot topic, it has undergone an enormous amount of empirical verification and is now a subject solidifying into a theory. It will officially be incorporated into the curriculum you’ll learn in due course. Consider this demonstration a preview for that.”

‘She’s good at making things sound plausible.’

Lennok listened to Bailla’s words with a bored expression, then looked down at the massive machine in front of him.

The size of a large dog. The machine, with its complex intertwining pipes and intake tubes, writhed and exhaled like a living creature even at this moment.

And an identical machine was placed in front of Cassia.

“This equipment, procured with the cooperation of the Carlyle Research Institute, is a Hybrid Magitech Fusion Engine designed to boost efficiency through the combined use of mana and electricity.”

Bailla pointed to the two machines on the podium and said.

“Its performance is excellent, but it’s a finicky piece of equipment that won’t operate properly unless a high-level wizard directly starts it.”

Only then did Lennok realize what she intended to make him do, and he tilted his head slightly.

Cassia looked back at Lennok with a somewhat apologetic expression.

“From now on, these two assistant professors will demonstrate breathing life into this finicky fellow. I’ve installed internal observation cameras, so everyone can observe clearly.”

At those words, a projector switched on above the white wall of the blackboard, revealing the internal structures of the two engines.

They were merely repeating minimal maintenance operations, with no inherent power existing within them.

Lennok stared up at the scene and was a little impressed.

‘It’s much more plausible than I thought.’

Bailla’s chosen method to test Lennok was far more rational and student-oriented than Lennok had anticipated.

This method could not only clearly demonstrate the process and efficacy of mana-electricity conversion, which Aris had presented, to the undergraduates,

But it could also prove that capital could indeed move and practical aspects of magitech engineering development were possible through such methods.

Regardless of her dislike for Lennok, did it mean she was diligent in her duties?

And yet, she cleanly secured her victory by pitting him against Cassia, who had surely handled this engine multiple times.

Considering how smoothly this entire sequence of events unfolded, Lennok couldn’t help but smile.

While Bailla’s attitude of disliking Lennok wasn’t entirely pleasing, her competence in distinguishing between public and private matters while not forgetting her position was satisfying.

A person with such skill and passion would undoubtedly do their best to guide the undergraduates, even if their position was only temporarily replacing Aris.

Aris must have also been aware of this to some extent, which was why she entrusted the professorship to Bailla, of all people, and left.

“Assistant Professor Evan, are you ready?”

On Bailla’s face, as she looked at him, was a subtle smile of assured victory.

But Lennok nodded, smiling without hesitation.

“Of course.”

However, if there was one fact Bailla, who had thoroughly considered all possibilities for this contest, had not thought of, it was this:

The person who had taken charge of writing this thesis from beginning to end was none other than Lennok himself.

“Then let’s begin.”

As long as she brought up this theme, it was impossible for Lennok to lose this wager.