The door was pushed open, cutting through the chatter that had filled the classroom.
Lavia walked in with a cold expression.
Every eye in the room instantly turned toward the entrance.
The middle-aged teacher sitting by the podium lifted his head as well.
He was a male mage with short light-gray hair, dressed in the dark blue mentor’s robe standard to the academy, with three silver stripes embroidered on his cuffs.
His face was lined with wrinkles and heavy with a sense of fatigue.
Just moments ago, he had been slowly organizing the handouts at his desk.
The moment he caught sight of the newcomer, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes.
Even for an academy mentor accustomed to noble children, he had to admit—this Duke’s Daughter was truly exceptional.
It was not merely her appearance.
The proud, aristocratic aura she carried was enough to command every gaze in the room.
The mentor quickly tempered the shock in his eyes and gave her a slight nod.
“Miss Lavia, you have arrived.”
He spoke with a gentle tone, lacking the typical imposing air of a teacher.
Lavia gave a soft nod in return.
“Mentor Cedric, I apologize for being late.”
Cedric shook his head with a smile. “Not at all, there is still a short while before class begins.”
He gestured with his hands as he spoke.
He appeared to be a mild-mannered man.
Cedric intended to signal for her to take her seat, but as his gaze shifted, he finally noticed the person standing beside her.
In Ruen, it was rare to see someone with black hair and brown eyes.
What was even more intriguing was his attire.
While not shabby, it could hardly be called luxurious.
This was the Ruen Royal Magic Academy.
Those who sat in this classroom were either noble children of exceptional birth or young mages recognized for their talent and lineage.
Regardless of which category they fell into, they should not be standing silently by Lavia’s side in such a posture, almost like a “servant.”
More importantly—
He had entered the room right alongside Lavia.
It wasn’t just him; the students sitting below were finally losing their ability to remain composed.
Some curled their lips to whisper to their companions, while others who wanted to watch the spectacle hesitated, wary of Lavia’s status and afraid to be too obvious.
Everyone was waiting for an explanation.
Cedric was clearly aware of this as well.
He maintained his polite, gentle demeanor, but his eyes were filled with scrutiny.
“Miss Lavia, who is this?”
Everyone was eager for the answer.
Lavia had anticipated this question; her expression did not change in the slightest.
She did not even look at Harvey, directing her gaze straight at the mentor on the podium.
“He is my assistant,” she said in a flat tone.
“Assistant?”
Cedric’s expression froze, and then he could not help but chuckle.
He had not expected such an answer.
It was not unprecedented for noble students at the Ruen Magic Academy to bring staff with them, but that was usually a valet or a guard.
“Assistant” was a term he had heard for the first time.
Seeing the looks of the crowd, Lavia said with indifference, “Some of my recent thoughts on magic structures and the connections of spell formulas came from his organization and supplements.”
The moment those words were uttered, a slight commotion rippled through the classroom.
Even the look Cedric gave Harvey became noticeably more serious.
Lavia was the heir to the Astarea family, possessing immense magic talent, and had gained the favor of Mentor Meli within three months of enrollment.
Under the tutelage of this middle-tier mage specializing in water and wind, Lavia quickly earned the title of Junior Mage.
Such a rate of promotion was considered outstanding even within an academy full of geniuses.
Yet here she was, before the class had even begun, praising someone else in front of so many people.
She claimed her achievements were partly due to someone else.
In the magic academy, accomplishments in magic practice were respected far more than a prestigious status.
Which meant, this black-haired boy…
At the very least, as far as she was concerned, he had truly provided help of significant value.
Harvey struggled to maintain a calm facade.
As for what Lavia said—
Honestly, he hadn’t heard a word of it.
Everything before him had once existed only in his imagination and books, yet now he could experience it firsthand.
He was far too excited to focus on anything else.
However, the more he felt that way, the more complicated the gazes directed at him became.
A noble youth sitting in the middle-back row could not help but strike his desk as he suddenly stood up.
His voice was not loud, but it was just enough for the entire classroom to hear.
Cedric looked over, frowning. “What are you doing, Cassius?”
“Respected mentor, I wish to voice my objection.”
Even in the face of the mentor’s displeased glare, the male student kept his head held high and refused to sit.
He turned toward Lavia, and even though she didn’t bother to look at him, he remained visibly agitated.
“Lady Lavia, are you serious when you say that your magical achievements come from this person?”
He said this while casting a glance at Harvey.
The look was as if he were examining a piece of cheap furniture that had stumbled into a noble hall—contemptuous to the point of being mean-spirited.
“Please forgive my bluntness, but I truly cannot understand.”
Cassius lifted his chin slightly, his tone sharp with a sense of self-righteous restraint. “This is the Ruen Royal Magic Academy. Those who sit here should at least possess a background commensurate with their status, or talent sufficient to command respect.”
“But this—”
“This man, no matter how one looks at it, does not appear to be someone capable of participating in your magical research.”
The classroom fell much quieter.
No one responded, but no one moved to interrupt.
Clearly, many were thinking exactly what he was.
Seeing no one contradict him, Cassius straightened his posture, his voice growing louder.
“I am not offending you, Lady Lavia.”
“On the contrary, I merely believe that someone such as yourself should not be latched onto by someone of unknown origin seeking to climb the social ladder.”
His words sounded noble, but his tone was clearly laced with hostility.
Lavia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
When she opened them again, she looked coldly in the direction of the students, looking at everyone.
“He has unique insights into magic, and I have benefited greatly from them; to support my studies, my family specifically invited him to the academy to look after me.”
After finishing, she glanced coldly at the student named Cassius.
“Do you have an issue with that?”
Just as she finished, a fierce aura of ice element silently swept across the entire room.
The male student felt as if he had been plunged into an ice cellar; he trembled uncontrollably, unable to utter a single word.
The rest of the class dared not even breathe.
“Impressive.”
Aside from Harvey behind Lavia, Cedric was the only one unaffected by the ice element.
As a lower-tier mage of the wind element, he easily cast a Wind Barrier, shielding himself from Lavia’s ice.
He had no intention of stopping her, however, and instead clapped his hands in clear admiration.
“Miss Lavia, it seems your control over the ice element has reached a new level.”
Lavia looked over, revealing a faint, distant smile in the face of her gentle mentor.
“It is the guidance of my teachers that has benefited me.”
Cedric shook his head, teasing with a smile, “I cannot take that credit; if Mentor Meli heard that, she would think I had done something dishonorable.”
Only the two of them exchanged pleasantries in the room.
Not a single person dared to truly relax.
Especially the male student who had spoken so boldly just moments ago.
The bone-chilling cold still lingered in his body, causing him to slump back into his seat in disgrace.
The slight scraping sound of the chair was deafening.
Lavia couldn’t be bothered to look at him again.
Having achieved her goal of establishing Harvey’s authority, she lifted her hand and dispelled the ice element she had released.
Cedric watched this scene, the admiration in his eyes deepening.
It wasn’t just because of the Duke’s Daughter’s astonishing control over ice, but because of the perfect restraint she had shown.
It was enough to be stifling, yet she hadn’t let it spiral out of control and actually cause harm.
For a student of her young age, such mature and elegant control was even rarer than the raw power of her magic.
With a gentle smile toward the two of them, Cedric looked away.
He tapped the podium.
“It seems everyone is clear on the situation now.”
His gentle voice drew everyone’s attention back once more.
“The gentleman Miss Lavia has brought is not a random person who has wandered into the classroom without permission.”
He turned his gaze to Harvey.
“By the way, may I know your name?”
Cedric smiled and raised the roll book in his hand.
“After all, you will be a member of my class as well?”