https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-529-Mr-Meow-Thinks-Lanchi-is-Too-Kind-to-Him/12584747/
Chapter 528: Lanchi Dispels All Doubts About Loren
Chapter 528: Lanchi Dispels All Doubts About Loren
The Magic Engineering Institute exuded a sense of clear, streamlined design and geometric aesthetics. The large windows allowed the morning light to freely illuminate the office, and during brief moments of silence, one could sense the movement of the clouds outside without even looking up.
"Professor, could you please tell me how I might be of assistance?" Lanchi asked, looking at Professor Polaau with a confused expression.
His eyes clearly conveyed a hint of worry, but it was evident that this concern stemmed from a sense of responsibility and Lanchi's sincere devotion to the school.
"Our school has indeed fallen short of its name lately. Our ranking among the Southern Continent institutions has been declining over the past two years," Professor Polaau sighed. "Consequently, we've been facing increased pressure, both internally and externally."
The Eckolite College was not only affiliated with the Kingdom of Hutton but also served as an official certification body and the highest-level direct institution under the Southern Continent Shadow World Management Association and the Southern Continent Kingdom Joint Parliament. Along with the myriad privileges it enjoyed, the college also had to meet corresponding metrics and demonstrate the effectiveness of its support for the Association.
However, their current situation was far from ideal.
The newly appointed Dean of the Magic Engineering Institute and Principal, Duke Migaia, had gone missing. The Dean of the Sage Institute was juggling multiple roles, the Dean of the Knight Institute had retired and been rehired, and the Dean of the Alchemy Institute was still in prison.
At the moment, Professor Polaau was the most reliable figure in the school.
"To be honest, I'm not too keen on managing the Magic Engineering Institute at my age. I should have retired long ago, but the Kingdom of Hutton has no one else to take over my work except for Migaia. The kingdom relies on my magic engineering research and technical support, and with the research institutes based in the college, I end up spending most of my time here," Professor Polaau explained the current situation.
"So, our school might fall short of meeting the targets this year?" Lanchi inquired, having grasped the essence of Professor Polaau's concerns.
"Based on the first half of the year, it seems unlikely. We'll have to step up our efforts in the latter half. With some extra effort, we should be able to make up for the shortfall. The Magic Engineering Institute will have to compensate for the deficiencies in the other faculties," Professor Polaau replied.
As a comprehensive institution, Eckolite excelled not only in conquering the Shadow World but also in magic engineering research and various clerical fields. The Magic Engineering Institute had consistently maintained its stability.
Putting aside the current state of the Alchemy Institute, the number of fourth-year students and part-time students in the Knight Institute and the Sage Institute had decreased in the last two years, resulting in fewer records of high-level Shadow World clearances. The situation was becoming a cause for concern.
"Well, what about Lanchi becoming a platinum-level card maker? Can that count towards the targets in some way?" Huberian, sitting beside Lanchi, voiced her question.
"Unfortunately, you two are students of the Sage Institute and do not have a cultivation record in the Magic Engineering Institute. Therefore, you are not considered orthodox magic craftsmen, and Lanchi's achievement of platinum-level status does not contribute to the points evaluated by the Joint Parliament," Professor Polaau, sitting across from them, shook his head. This was the reason he had previously mentioned that Lanchi had almost been of help.
The primary purpose of this rule was to prevent colleges from recruiting ready-made card makers to boost their scores. Hence, without a proper cultivation record, the achievement would not be recognized as a product of the school's teaching.
Producing a platinum-level card maker would earn a significant number of points, and Lanchi had almost brought a windfall of points to the Magic Engineering Institute. However, just like Migaia, who had chosen the Knight Institute back then, Lanchi's decision to enroll in the Sage Institute meant that Professor Polaau could only lament their unique choices.
"But since Lanchi wasn't actually cultivated by us, it's reasonable that we don't get those points. We just missed out on this windfall, that's all," Professor Polaau waved it off with a smile, "The one who is actually in the spotlight now is Loren. Knight Institute Dean Sventos is a hot-tempered old bone, a real eccentric, and no one in a position of power dares to provoke him. But Loren is young and has a good temper, which makes him especially vulnerable to dirty schemes, if you catch my drift."
Professor Polaau turned to Lanchi, bringing the conversation back to the main topic.
"Indeed, petty people often target the virtuous. Despite Loren's unparalleled strength, he is often unable to resolve issues with force, nor would he resort to imposing his martial virtue on others," Lanchi nodded in agreement, his chin resting on his hand as he couldn't help but worry about Loren.
Seeing Lanchi's concern for Loren, Huberian also felt a growing worry for the dean.
"Recently, Loren has been facing a lot of skepticism. People acknowledge his exceptional personal abilities but accuse him of dereliction of duty. Not only are there attempts at impeachment from within the kingdom's nobility, but the international community also seems to hold a negative view of him," Professor Polaau continued.
A case in point was when Loren, despite facing pressure, allowed Asina, the vice president of the student council, to decline further advanced studies and pursue her dream of becoming a chef.
Many nobles within the kingdom believed that Loren had squandered a once-in-a-lifetime genius who could have become an eighth-tier powerhouse, and that letting her become a chef was a selfish and absurd decision.
The international community's sentiments were difficult to discern, but there was no shortage of suspicion, hostility, and wariness toward the High Priest Loren. Negative reports often portrayed him as a mediocre educator, driven by personal interests and unable to tolerate those stronger than himself.
Such reports were not uncommon.
Lanchi, who had started to make waves last year, had just slapped those critics in the face, silencing them for a short while. But after disappearing for half a year, he had faded back into obscurity, and the accusations against Loren had resurfaced with renewed vigor.
"I see," Lanchi frowned and nodded.
He hadn't expected that he, too, had a role to play in this matter.
The position of Dean of the Sage Institute carried significant power, and during Lanchi and Huberian's entrance examination, there had been attempts by the nobility to influence the process. It was hard to imagine how much more difficult it would have been for Huberian to gain admission and stay safe within the school if Loren had been replaced by a power-hungry, scheming noble.
"However, the voices of dissent within the Kingdom of Hutton aren't as loud regarding your disappearance. After all, as long as you become a platinum-level card maker for the kingdom, your performance in the Shadow World and your tier become less significant."
Professor Polaau felt that the main issue at hand was that with Asina's upcoming graduation, the noble lords of Hutton would surely seize the opportunity to take away Loren's position as Dean of the Sage Institute.
If the Sage Institute were to install a new dean from the ranks of the power-hungry nobility in the latter half of the year, Professor Polaau would truly have a headache on his hands.
At the very least, Loren wouldn't create more problems. He was diligent and responsible, a trustworthy and upright person, which was far better than those who sought to abuse their power for personal gain.
"Then I must help prove that Dean Loren is an exceptional dean."
Lanchi seemed to have made up his mind as he assured Professor Polaau.
Setting aside the troubles Loren had been facing internationally, just looking at how Loren insisted on helping Senior Asina protect her dream, and how Senior Asina cooked meals to satisfy Tata's appetite, Lanchi felt a sense of responsibility and obligation to help Loren resolve his current predicament.
"How do you plan to do that?"
Professor Polaau looked at Lanchi in surprise, not expecting him to be so enthusiastic. This kid truly cared deeply for Loren.
"Professor Polaau, could you please help me obtain a special approval letter for a Challenger Tier Advancement? When challenging the Shadow World, I want to be treated as a Fifth Tier."
Lanchi made his request to Professor Polaau.
Not only did Professor Polaau have the highest level of authority in the school, but he also had deep connections with the South Continent Card Makers' Association and the South Continent Shadow World Management Association.
"... Are you planning to take on a Seventh Tier Shadow World?"
Currently, Lanchi was at the Fourth Tier, while Huberian was at the Fifth Tier. If Lanchi wanted to be treated as a Fifth Tier, there was only one possibility—he intended to find a Seventh Tier teammate and bring them into a higher-difficulty Shadow World.
After all, according to the rules of the South Continent Shadow World Management Association, when a team challenged a Shadow World, the tier difference between teammates could only be two tiers at most.
Sometimes, there were exceptionally talented individuals who wanted to join a higher-tier team, and with the backing of influential figures, they could obtain a special approval letter to be treated as one tier higher.
"Yes, I want to bring a cat along."
Lanchi confirmed his intentions.
That way, he and Huberian could team up with the Seventh Tier 'Cat Boss' and there would be a chance for them to encounter a Seventh Tier Shadow World in their next challenge.
"..."
Professor Polaau fell silent.
He believed that Lanchi, being an intelligent young man, had carefully considered the risks involved.
There was a qualitative change between Seventh Tier and Sixth Tier Shadow Worlds, just as there was a significant gap between the Seventh and Sixth Tiers themselves.
Normally, the highest-tier enemy that could appear in a Shadow World was two tiers higher than the world's tier. In rare cases, a Ninth Tier enemy could appear.
For example, in the Fifth Tier Shadow World 'The Wicked Feast of the Holy Church' that Lanchi and Huberian had challenged, they would normally face a Sixth Tier enemy after completing the mechanisms. However, if they failed the mechanisms, the Shadow World would enter a rampaging state, and they might encounter a Seventh Tier enemy at the highest.
Therefore, the biggest problem with Seventh Tier and higher Shadow Worlds was the theoretical possibility of encountering a Ninth Tier being.
The Ninth Tier was the realm of the divine, and in any era, such beings would be the rulers of fate.
They could be allies, but there was an even greater possibility that they would be enemies, and it would be difficult to discern their stance in relation to the objectives of the Shadow World mission.
The successful completion of any Seventh Tier or higher Shadow World would provide extremely important historical data, regardless of whether it was the history of this world or that of other worlds. It would hold immense value for study and research.
As for Ninth Tier Shadow Worlds, they were already at the level of world annihilation. The era that they projected might be the few years leading up to the arrival of an extinction event that even Ninth Tier powerhouses would struggle to survive.
Such a Shadow World would usually only appear once every century or two.
The Ninth Tier Shadow World of this century was already underway.
The cost was that, over the course of several years, all Ninth Tier powerhouses of the current era would be forcibly gathered together.
Thus, in the Northern and Southern Continents, the Eighth Tier bishops were the strongest existences.
"I can help you obtain it, but you must think this through. If you fail, I'm not afraid of any repercussions, but Dean Loren will surely face irreparable damage to his reputation."
Professor Polaau tapped his fingers on the table, his expression turning solemn as he fixed his gaze on Lanchi.
The successful completion of a Seventh Tier Shadow World would be an extremely high indicator of performance for the school, helping Professor Polaau resolve many problems.
However, if Loren were to find out that Lanchi, a student who was about to advance to the second year, had ventured into a Seventh Tier Shadow World, he might have a heart attack.
Should anything go wrong, Loren would be held responsible, and during the Shadow World challenge, as the person in charge, he might face immense pressure from the entire kingdom's association.
Of course...
If Lanchi succeeded...
Everything would turn around.
It would become a process of questioning Loren, understanding him, and then rallying behind him.
Many people would warm up to him, feeling that Loren was cultivating a secret weapon and not giving any face to his detractors, forcefully slapping them in the face. Loren's popularity would soar.
"I must help dispel this doubt about Dean Loren."
Lanchi assured Professor Polaau with renewed vigor.
"... "
Huberian glanced at Lanchi with a mix of worry and fear.
Aside from her apprehension about the potential Seventh Tier Shadow World, she was also concerned that Dean Loren might have to endure the cold during the upcoming winter at the end of the year.
(End of Chapter)
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