Chapter 77: 14. Ken
Fisher slept until close to noon. When he woke up again, his bed was empty, just as Renee had said. She left as soon as she woke up, leaving behind a lingering fragrance.
Fisher blinked, realizing that the Hart Bird in his hand had flown away at some point.
Renee was gone.
He rubbed his slightly sore shoulders from sleeping too long, then pushed open the window. After freshening up in the washroom, he also shaved off the stubble that had appeared.
Ken, the principal of Saint Nali University, hoped to meet Fisher to discuss the possibility of hiring him once he returned. Today, Fisher intended to go there and take a look first.
The issue of publishing a paper was not so simple. Though reluctant to admit it, academic theories weren’t just an academic concern, especially since this kind of groundbreaking theory couldn’t be published casually. Otherwise, he would be overwhelmed by all sorts of people. This situation necessitated finding a reliable backer, for example, his former employer, the Royal Academy.
Thus, the publication of the paper was rather troublesome. He would later discuss this matter with Damien, the principal of the Royal Academy.
“Fisher, Renee left early this morning. Did she say anything to you?”
In response to Martha’s inquiry, Fisher nodded while buttoning his shirt.
“She told me last night that she wouldn’t be coming back for a while.”
“Oh my, how can you bear to let such a beautiful lady leave alone for such a long time? You should consider marriage; a 28-year-old gentleman in Saint Nali should have at least three children by now!”
Eating the breakfast Martha prepared, Fisher silently smiled. He couldn’t bear to think of what Renee’s child would be like; it would be a disaster if the child inherited her personality.
The elderly woman rambled on for a while, and after Fisher acknowledged that he understood, he took his staff and gentleman’s hat to bid farewell and prepare to go out and see the thriving Saint Nali University.
Saint Nali University was located on the outskirts of Saint Nali. Transferring through several tram lines would be too time-consuming, so Fisher unusually opted for a paid carriage to Saint Nali University.
It took almost half an hour to travel from Fisher’s rental near Saint Nali University. Only when the lively sounds outside gradually diminished did Fisher see the university ahead, nestled at the foot of a mountain like a gigantic courtyard.
The entire academy covered a vast area. As the school was a boarding institution, there were several student dormitories behind the teaching buildings in addition to the main building, which was, at most, four to five stories tall. Yet, the architectural style was elegant and permeated with Nali characteristics, leaving a deep first impression on Fisher.
The main gate was adorned with three concentric rings made of arch-patterned designs, and the entire seal was golden, shining brilliantly in the sunlight. That was the “Godlin Golden Seal,” a symbol of the Nali royal family. Its presence here indicated that Saint Nali University was a top institution recognized by the king, and its degrees were at the same level as those from the Royal Academy.
“Sir, the school is currently closed and not open for visits.”
“I was invited by Mr. Ken to discuss matters. This is Mr. Ken’s handwritten letter.”
Just as he got off the carriage, the security personnel at the entrance approached Fisher to inform him that the school was currently closed before the carriage had even left. Fisher took out Ken’s letter from his pocket, explaining that the principal had asked him to come and discuss matters. After carefully reviewing it, they nodded and led Fisher through the golden-sealed gate and onto the campus.
It was early July, still during the summer break at the Nali schools. Students wouldn’t return until after the “Victory Day” in early August. For now, only staff were present to weed and trim the gardens. In front of the largest teaching building, Fisher saw a massive black slab of stone about two stories high, flashing with circles of magical light. At the top was a proverb handwritten by the king:
“Broaden your horizons, research diligently.”
Fisher silently withdrew his gaze and followed the footsteps of the security personnel into the main teaching building. The principal’s office seemed to be located above. As he ascended the stairs, he encountered a young girl with black hair and a book in her arms. She had fair skin and a beautiful face, wearing a white dress. The books she held were recognizable to Fisher as the first edition of “Magic Theory” from Nali.
But what caught the most attention was her exceptionally developed figure for her age, made all the more apparent as she held the books, highlighting her appeal even to the security personnel, who couldn’t help but glance over.
She was a beautiful girl but seemed to lack confidence. Feeling the gazes of others, her face turned red, and she instinctively tried to shy away. For some reason, she suddenly apologized quietly to the security and Fisher before passing them, disappearing down the staircase.
Fisher watched as the girl’s figure vanished at the stairway. She was likely a student at this school; he just wondered why she stayed here during the break.
Aside from the brief episode, the entire teaching building was incredibly quiet. The principal’s office was on the top floor, and when Fisher arrived, the door was already open, revealing a spacious interior.
The first thing that caught his eye was an elegant old gentleman standing by the window, sporting a long white beard and a monocle over his left eye. Behind him, on the office desk, hung a massive oil painting of an elderly man holding a golden staff—the founding ancestor of Nali, Godlin the First. The current king was Godlin the Ninth, and from his physical state, it seemed that there would soon be a tenth.
“Pardon me, Mr. Ken.”
The door closed behind him, leaving only the two gentlemen in the office.
“Not at all; it’s my pleasure to have Mr. Fisher here. How did you find our school after looking around?”
“If I haven’t seen any students, it’s too early to comment on this school.”
Ken smiled and gestured for Fisher to take a seat, then lifted a teapot from the table, pouring Fisher a cup of tea that resembled amber.
“This is royal-supplied black tea; we didn’t have such privileges before the ‘New Economic Act.’ I’ve heard of Mr. Fisher’s accomplishments and believe you are aware of our school’s current situation. Therefore, I can guarantee you first that this school’s mission is to provide pure education, which is why the king appointed me as principal.”
The ‘New Economic Act’ was the most representative economic act of the New Party, which could be summarized with the term “free market.” The New Party believed that lowering regulations and controls would greatly stimulate production and sales; thus, they significantly reduced market entry standards, bringing many products previously inaccessible to commoners onto the shelves, including so-called royal supplies.
“I was nominated by the king to build a pure education haven, but grounded in a cage by our own people. The education cancer, the Griffin Party, still dreams of monopolizing education. The king has long been dissatisfied with their practices.”
Ken, being a scholar, didn’t get caught up in other people’s intricacies and quickly delved into the topic of hiring Fisher after just a few pleasantries.
“This time is no different. The Griffin Party has locked us out of hiring professors in traditional fields. Education has always been their territory, and the situation at the magic academy is the most severe. Currently, we only have three teachers available to teach—three!”
As Ken spoke of the Griffin Party undermining them, his elegant beard nearly bristled with frustration. “Every member of the Magic Association has declined our invites; the Griffin Party tipped off the Magic Association beforehand. You are the last high-ranking member of the Magic Association I can invite. This is the king-mandated highest institution. How can we proceed without a good magic professor?”
The two parties in Parliament were indeed troublesome. Having already experienced their antics, Fisher was not surprised by what they might do. The New Party refrained from intervening because their investment in education had already met its goals, dealing a blow to the Griffin Party; otherwise, their actions would be ten times more disgusting than the traditional Griffin Party.
As Fisher sipped his tea, he pondered the details, but Ken clearly could not wait any longer.
“The fall semester is about to begin. If the magic academy cannot commence classes, many students will surely write to the Parliament. By then, the Griffin Party will have achieved their goal of initiating a motion of no confidence to replace the principal of this school, perhaps the likes of Arkado from the Griffin Party, turning this school into a second Royal Academy.”
Wizards have always held prestigious positions among career choices. A wizard with a certified certificate from the Magic Association can legally sell the magical items he creates, which are always pricey and effective. Thus, wizard salaries have consistently been high.
Many students entering this school do so to obtain a magic academy degree, and earning a degree equivalent to that of the Royal Academy means they can exempt from taking levels 1 to 4 wizard certification exams, making them more trustworthy than wizards of the same level without degrees.
“Mr. Fisher, the king has high hopes for this school, even willing to send the princess here. I cannot betray his trust; I must ensure this school is well constructed. Therefore, I, in my personal capacity, would like to respectfully request that you stay here to teach our students magic courses?”
His aged face revealed a hint of earnestness. Fisher contemplated for a moment; helping Saint Nali University to counter the Griffin Party to some extent was significant. Many members of the Magic Association likely declined Ken out of fear regarding this matter, but Fisher had no need to worry about it.
He was labeled “the rebel of the Royal Academy,” which was the Griffin Party’s stronghold. The fact that Fisher had safely remained there for so many years indicated they had no means to deal with him. Furthermore, he was set to deliver them a significant gift soon, which they certainly wouldn’t refuse.
In the future, he could allow the Griffin Party to perform an on-the-spot memory-loss spell. Fisher was quite looking forward to witnessing their foolishness as they attempted to punish him only to promptly show smiles, clouded by greed.
Taking a deep breath, Fisher nodded, making a decision.
“I understand. I am willing to stay and teach. Additionally, I have been researching the subhuman race recently. If possible, could we offer a course on subhuman knowledge?”
“Subhuman race?”
Ken blinked for a second, then said with an odd expression, “That can be arranged. Our school implements a credit evaluation system; students can choose courses freely. If there are fifteen students willing to choose this course during the pre-selection phase, we can establish it. How about categorizing this course under the College of Economics?”
“If possible, I would prefer if it fell under the Institute of Truth instead.”
Seeing that matters were settling, Ken cracked a joke, then extended his hand to Fisher.
“I’m pleased to work with you in the days to come, Mr. Fisher Benavides. I will subsequently give you the staff remuneration table, which should include details about our school’s teaching system—it should differ significantly from the Royal Academy.”
“It is my honor.”
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(End of Chapter)
