“I won! Finally, I win this time! First win of the year!”
Professor Griffin slapped his thigh and shot up, as excited as a shopkeeper making his first sale of the day.
“Kaelan, you know what, those first two matches I thought for sure he’d lose, but who would’ve guessed he actually beat both of those opponents. For the third round, I figured I’d bet on him, and then the kid goes and loses for me!”
He let out another heavy breath.
“Honestly, thank goodness I bet right on the last one.”
“The last round was a foregone conclusion. If you couldn’t even get that one right, I’d start to question your judgment… actually, no, your judgment has never been accurate anyway.”
Kaelan teased.
“Nonsense! My judgment is spot on, those were all flukes! You have to understand, plans can’t keep up with changes, and my judgment can’t keep up with flukes either!”
Griffin argued back, his gaze drifting back to Xi Ya, who had been kicked off the field.
“Speaking of which, this kid has given me quite a few surprises. Forget the first three matches, that explosion in the last one really shook me. Remember that Flour Workshop Fire Incident a while back? A mage in there accidentally ignited something and blew up the entire workshop. I never thought this kid could actually apply that in a battle. He’s a genius! Such a shame he won’t be my teaching assistant.”
Kaelan was also watching Xi Ya.
Throughout all four matches, he had been observing Xi Ya’s footwork and sword swings.
It’s similar, way too similar.
Aside from the stiff movements and much slower speed, his swordsmanship was far too close to the teacher’s.
In Griffin’s words, it was practically ninety-nine percent identical.
This made him wonder if the teacher had taken on another disciple besides him in the past.
“No, I need to report this to the academy. This kid shouldn’t stay in the Elite Class. I don’t think he’ll pass the later assessments anyway. Rather than have him drop out like that, why not let me take him into the Magic College as my teaching assistant? Even if he could graduate from the Elite Class, I don’t want to see this kid die on the battlefield.”
Griffin knew the academy hadn’t wanted Xi Ya in the Elite Class from the start, and he held considerable sway at the academy.
Transferring Xi Ya to the Magic College would be no trouble at all.
It was that simple.
Griffin made up his mind.
“I’ll do it tomorrow, no, tonight! I’ll go find those old geezers! I have to pull Xi Ya out of the Elite Class.”
“Griffin.”
Kaelan spoke up.
“Kaelan, what is it? You lost this bet, don’t try to weasel out of it. Hand over the silver coins!”
Griffin extended his hand, and Kaelan let out a chuckle before pulling silver coins from his pocket and handing them over.
“Heh, I’m not like you… it’s just, what you said just now, I’m afraid I can’t let you have your way.”
Kaelan rested his chin on his interlaced hands, staring at Xi Ya down on the field with a mysterious expression.
“What do you mean by that?”
Hearing this, Griffin turned to stare at Kaelan.
“Are you going to keep him in the Elite Class? Why? This kid isn’t suited for the Elite Class. Staying there will ruin his future…”
“I plan to take him as my disciple.”
“What?!”
Griffin’s eyes went wide.
“What did you just say?”
“I’m taking him.”
Kaelan repeated.
“You’re taking him? Wait, no, this kid clearly isn’t good with a sword. What do you want him for?”
“Griffin, do you really think he can’t use a sword?”
Kaelan shot the question back at Griffin.
Griffin was puzzled and retorted:
“Where does he know how to use one? Look, he hasn’t even used a single Sword Technique. He just…”
Griffin stroked his beard twice and lowered his head in thought for a few seconds.
“I get what you’re thinking now. You see this kid doesn’t know any Sword Techniques or any other school’s swordsmanship, so he’s highly moldable and easy to teach. That’s why you want him?”
Kaelan just smiled and shook his head.
“No? Then what do you mean? Besides, didn’t you always say you only wanted to take female students? Why the sudden interest in this kid?”
Griffin questioned.
“I’ve changed my mind. I’m very interested in this kid now.”
“Huh? You’re interested in him? Look at his opponent this round, that girl Count Granville adopted. She’s clearly good material, isn’t she hundreds of times better than this kid?”
Griffin stared at Kaelan’s face with a bewildered look.
Seeing that Kaelan still smiled without saying a word, he pressed on:
“And what about the Westwood Duke’s Daughter? You’re not taking her? Their family’s swordsmanship is formidable, and she’s also received guidance from your teacher.”
“A student as excellent as the Gong Nu, of course I’ll take her. I’ll take both!”
Kaelan laughed.
“Ha, teaching two at once, don’t come complaining later that you can’t handle it.”
Griffin folded his arms and looked at Xi Ya, who was being yanked around by Feili while still shouting and yelling.
Something felt off to him.
He pondered for a long while before it finally clicked, and he shouted angrily at Kaelan:
“Wait! Kaelan, you’re trying to steal the student I’ve got my eye on?!”
“Hahaha, Griffin, you only just realized? I advise you to give up. Elite Class students can’t enter your college, but he can enter my Sword Arts Academy. I’ve set my mind on this student!”
Kaelan let go of his hands and laughed loudly at Griffin.
“Kaelan, you bastard!!! No, I have to have this kid as my assistant. Wait right there, I’m going to talk to him now!”
Griffin was flustered.
He smoothed out the wrinkled mage robes, hurriedly descended from the Spectator Seats, and Kaelan also rose from his seat and followed behind Griffin.
Down below, Xi Ya had just caught his breath when he noticed the two men walking toward him.
Aren’t those the two instructors who like betting on matches off to the side?
Why are they coming at him?
What the hell, what do they want?
“You’re Xi Ya, right? I’m Grand Archmage Griffin Sharp of the Magic College.”
Griffin quickly introduced himself.
He glanced at Kaelan behind him, then brought his gaze back to Xi Ya and put on a warm, friendly smile.
“No need to introduce this one behind me, he’s not important. Student Xi Ya, I’m very interested in you right now, and I have great faith in your talent. Would you be willing to be my teaching assistant?”
Xi Ya was completely stunned.
Huh?
What the heck?
Why did Professor Griffin suddenly come over to take him as an assistant?
“Professor Griffin, I…”
“Oh, don’t worry about that. Whatever magic you want to learn, I’ll teach you. Any book you want to read, our college library is open to you, whatever you want, it’s all in there! And all kinds of magic scrolls, items, and such, I can give you as many as you want!”
Griffin spoke in a rush, not giving Xi Ya a chance to ask questions.
You could tell just from listening that he was eager, very eager.
Xi Ya was quite surprised.
A Grand Archmage was voluntarily offering to take him as an assistant and willing to provide so many resources.
He was starting to feel a bit tempted.
“Don’t worry, as long as you’re my assistant, I’ll…”
Griffin hastily added another line, afraid Xi Ya might hesitate.
But Kaelan behind him stepped forward and cut him off.
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