https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-255-Lanchi-Pursues-His-Dreams-in-the-Imperial-Capital/12584321/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-257-Lanchi-s-Doubt-and-Understanding-Becomes-Tata/12584323/
Chapter 256: Lanchi Has Been Pitiful Since He Was Young
Chapter 256: Lanchi Has Been Pitiful Since He Was Young
"Lord Francis, Miss Zestila."
Lanchi bowed to the two before sitting next to Viscount Francis, as was their custom.
"Mr. Rocky, I heard you visit the town every afternoon. What do you think of this place?"
Viscount Francis inquired with a smile.
"It's an excellent city for tourism and settlement, with great potential for development. If we focus on promoting tourism, it will surely prosper."
Lanchi replied earnestly.
Then he realized that Viscount Francis's question might not have been what he intended.
The viscount fell silent for a moment after hearing this.
He had simply wanted to ask Lanchi how he felt about living in this town.
But Lanchi's response sounded more like an assessment from a provincial leader sent to investigate the area.
However, considering Lanchi's profession as a scholar, it didn't seem too out of place.
"I called you here today mainly to ask for your opinions."
Clearing his throat, Viscount Francis instructed the butler to inform the kitchen that their dinner could now be served, now that Lanchi had arrived.
"Zestila, I wish to hire Mr. Rocky to continue as your tutor and accompany you back to the Protoss Royal Magic Academy as your attendant. Would you accept this arrangement?"
In truth, Viscount Francis was quite anxious.
He sometimes worried that his words might upset or hurt Zestila, so he was always cautious in his interactions with her.
If Zestila agreed, he would take the risk of using his authority to arrange Lanchi's identity in Lilo City, facilitating his journey to the imperial capital.
Seated beside Viscount Francis, Lanchi noticed the hesitant expression on Zestila's face across the table.
She was pondering his proposal, but she didn't immediately reject it.
Although she never actively sought Lanchi's guidance on magic genealogy and magic engineering, she diligently studied the notes he left in the books. Every day, she would finish the assigned portion of the magic genealogy textbook and exchange it for the magic engineering book. Once Lanchi had finished annotating the magic genealogy book, she would swap it back.
She preferred this self-studying approach.
The teachers at the Protoss Royal Magic Academy wouldn't have the same patience as Lanchi, and few in the Northern Continent could match his unique understanding of magic engineering.
The dining table fell silent after Viscount Francis's proposal, and even the servants delivering the meal sensed the tense atmosphere, quickly retreating after setting down the dishes.
Lanchi had also learned about the school in recent days and could guess what Zestila was concerned about.
The Protoss Royal Magic Academy's style fell somewhere between that of the Ichthys Academy and the Purgatory Corridor Academy, but its most distinctive feature set it apart from both institutions.
Firstly, family background and status were of utmost importance. Students were divided into upper and lower houses upon enrollment, receiving vastly different treatment in terms of faculty and resources. Noble-born students enjoyed numerous privileges from the start.
Secondly, cliques and factions among the students were rampant, and genuine amicability was rare.
Lanchi had inadvertently overheard related discussions during his conversations with the Silver Armor Priest. Rumor had it that when students of the Protoss Royal Magic Academy clashed, they didn't just aim to defeat their opponents; they often sought to humiliate, torture, and blackmail them, exerting control and making them their pawns. It was a place filled with darkness beneath a veneer of rules, but it was also a place where one could rapidly grow stronger.
The Bishop of Extinction had once sent the Son of Extinction to the Protoss Royal Magic Academy in disguise. He had graduated with a bloody record and outstanding grades, much to the satisfaction of the Bishop.
And even the Saintess of Dominance eventually met her end at the hands of the Son of Annihilation.
Due to the school's harsh elimination system, noble students who stood out in the assessments would correspondingly be granted more privileges and preferential treatment, sometimes far surpassing that of regular teachers.
Not only could they use credits to skip grades, but they also had many optional powers, even being able to share them with their attendants, granting them more convenience within the school and thus, better serving themselves.
Many people from the Empire jokingly referred to this noble student attendant privilege as "Follower Summoning," a competition to see whose family background was more formidable.
Bringing along a useful or powerful attendant could make a noble's school life much easier.
Of course, the restriction on attendants was that they couldn't be above the sixth tier, which was the limit for third-year students.
Many students and professors in high positions within the school even found great pleasure in evaluating the attendants of new noble students, sometimes even treating them as summoned beasts, judging their value based on rank and grade.
Zestila had originally refused the attendant that Viscount Francis had arranged for her, and the Viscount could only helplessly respect her decision, after all, that was her personality.
But now, Viscount Francis had unexpectedly drawn a magic engineer scholar of unknown grade from the Southern Continent.
The most crucial point was that Zestila was willing to get along with him, so perhaps he could persuade Zestila to take him on as an academic attendant. With her extreme specialization, she desperately needed a tutor whom she could listen to.
"..."
Zestila remained silent for a long time.
She didn't really want an attendant, as being alone would make her feel more at ease.
Most importantly, going to that cage where power and status were everything, if she couldn't stand firm, having a demi-orc attendant like her would not be a pleasant task, and she might even be implicated, suffering from many prejudices, discrimination, flying calamities, and unfair treatment.
"Zestila..."
Just as Viscount Francis was about to ask about Zestila's grasp of magic genealogy and magic engineering, intending to persuade her.
"Never mind, Viscount."
Lanchi spoke gently to Viscount Francis, seemingly not wanting to embarrass Zestila,
"I've been plagued by bad luck since I was young, and my family's business has also been implicated, nearly going bankrupt... If I follow Miss to the Imperial Capital, I'm afraid I won't be of much help... I'll only cause trouble."
As he spoke, Lanchi seemed to recall something sad.
The dining table fell silent.
Such a heavy topic didn't seem like a lie.
The well-mannered and gentle young man didn't seem like the type to curse his family's business to bankruptcy.
Finally.
"I don't mind the trouble, I'm good at taking care of people."
Zestila raised her head and looked at Lanchi, saying,
"Is this...?"
Lanchi hesitated.
"Come with me to the Imperial Capital and continue teaching me magic genealogy and magic engineering. I don't want to listen to the lessons of those teachers at the school."
After Zestila finished speaking, she focused on continuing her meal.
"Thank you, Miss Zestila."
With the end of the exchange between the two, the peaceful atmosphere returned to the dining table, with only the occasional sound of spoons and porcelain plates clinking together, echoing throughout the dining hall.
Viscount Francis: "???"
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
