Chapter 283
Chapter 283
Chapter 283
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 283 – Lan Qi Only Racked Up Hatred Points for Two Days
“Professor Rocky, what you said in class… do you really feel that way?”
Sido smiled faintly, though there was a trace of fatigue in that smile.
Lan Qi nodded, his eyes gazing into the distance.
The two of them walked along the stone corridor path. From the terrace side, a small pond lay at the center of the green courtyard, its surface scattered with floating flower petals and leaves.
“From my personal research,” Lan Qi answered honestly, “I truly don’t think those things in the images resemble the demons I know of.”
He wasn’t certain his view was correct, but based on his own judgment, those creatures were not genuine demons.
“……”
Sido pondered in silence for quite a while.
“I can tell you one thing,” he said softly, still watching the pond.
“Please, go on, Professor Sido.”
Lan Qi felt Sido’s position was rather delicate.
From his previous understanding, Sido Arendale was aligned with the academist faction under the Empire’s Great Sage Isis. This faction had always maintained absolute neutrality toward the Empire’s turmoil.
Though they had never openly discussed political leanings, both Lan Qi and Sido could vaguely sense each other’s stance.
“This time, on the monthly assessment day, someone might attempt something cruel toward Zestira—such as taking her dragon horns, or even her eyes.”
Sido’s hesitant words carried much uncertainty.
“Why?”
Lan Qi paused upon hearing this and asked.
“It’s only speculation,” Sido replied, stopping there.
The two then fell into silence.
Lan Qi generally understood what Sido was implying.
Some things were simply too inconvenient to say outright.
Sido also suspected that some power on the Northern Continent was experimenting with spells to create perfectly disguised demons—spreading fear, and ultimately inciting war.
And such experiments would inevitably require samples.
Most demons in the Protos Empire were low-level hybrids.
Yet Zestira’s latest admission test report revealed that she carried an almost pure-blood demonic ancestry.
Obtaining materials from her would be of significant value.
Sido must know more than he let on to draw such conclusions.
As they approached the History Department building, its outer walls appeared worn from the passage of time, but the texture of its bricks, now freed from winter snow, looked especially rich and solid.
“Thank you for the warning, Professor Sido,” Lan Qi finally said as they stepped through the threshold.
Inside, the dim yellow light of old iron chandeliers cast faint shadows across the walls, illuminating the corridor with a subdued glow.
The monthly assessment would take place the day after tomorrow, on Wednesday.
If he could protect Zestira and confirm the identity of those involved, Sido might reveal more intelligence known to the neutral faction.
“For the next two days, Professor Rocky, I’ll trouble you to help me with classroom discipline.”
Sido smiled sincerely, as though their previous serious conversation had drifted away like smoke.
“Don’t worry—I’ll make sure the students behave,” Lan Qi replied, nodding with responsibility.
The sun set, darkness fell, and then dawn’s first light returned.
So the cycle repeated, and two days slipped away.
On the last day of February, the day of the monthly assessment arrived in Helrom.
A soft pink light pushed away the night’s silence. Within the quiet residential area of the Protos Royal Academy, a detached dormitory slowly came alive.
The exterior walls were covered with creeping ivy, leaving glimpses of beige stone beneath. Behind floor-to-ceiling curtains, Zestira slowly sat up from bed.
Her drowsy, half-awake eyes looked somewhat fierce as she scratched her messy hair.
She had to wake early today—before 7:50 a.m., she needed to reach the examination wards, or it would count as an absence. Missing it meant losing the one monthly chance to earn a huge number of credits, and she’d even face heavy deductions as punishment.
From outside the courtyard, canaries were already singing.
“……”
She figured her teacher was probably up already, feeding the birds in the garden.
Activating her student wristband, she looked down in confusion. Besides showing the time, it now displayed [172 (+10)] credits in dim crimson letters.
“Why did I get so many credits yesterday?” she muttered.
It seemed a new batch of credits had been transferred at midnight, raising her total to 182.
The number in parentheses meant these credits had been obtained through Professor Rocky.
Ten credits might not sound like much, but even though she ranked near the top among preparatory students, it was rare to earn double digits in a single day.
Usually, preparatory and first-year students gained credits mainly during the monthly assessment.
Earning 100 credits from one assessment was already considered excellent.
If both performance and luck were outstanding, they might even reach 300. Once a preparatory student accumulated 1000 credits, they could advance to the first year early.
“I told him he didn’t need to do anything…”
Zestira whispered as she stepped down onto the soft carpet.
Yet she couldn’t help but feel touched.
Earning 10 credits in one day was no easy feat—even for upperclassmen.
She hadn’t seen much of her teacher these past two days.
He left early, came home late, and never appeared in the lower-grade areas. He must’ve been working hard.
The main house was surrounded by lush greenery and flowers. At one corner of the garden stood a tall eucalyptus tree, its canopy like a great umbrella shading the plants and small animals beneath.
Zestira walked outside and soon spotted Lan Qi.
Quietly, she stepped closer along the pebblestone path, lined with flowers glowing softly in the morning light. White butterflies danced among them, their wings glimmering.
She finally stopped before Lan Qi.
“Teacher, what’s this about the 10 credits?”
This time was different. Though a few birds startled and flew away, soon some returned hesitantly—perhaps reassured by Lan Qi’s words that Zestira was a friend, or perhaps realizing this dragon-girl meant no harm.
“A normal work reward. From now on, as long as I come to the academy, you’ll earn 10 credits per day. I was busy yesterday and didn’t get the chance to tell you,” Lan Qi said with a smile, lowering the bag of birdseed in his hands.
He had completed his employment paperwork on Monday, and officially started work on Tuesday—so the credits Zestira received must have been from yesterday.
“Teacher, you haven’t been bullied by upperclassmen these past two days, have you?”
Zestira glanced at her wristband again, worry in her voice.
She still feared Lan Qi might be targeted for spending so much time in the upper-grade areas.
“No, not at all,” Lan Qi replied naturally, tilting his head.
“That’s good.”
Zestira’s main concern was that her teacher might get picked on by seniors.
Later today, during the monthly assessment, there would be a bounty system.
If you made enemies at the academy, there was a chance you’d get a bounty placed on you.
And if you had a lot of enemies, that bounty could multiply quickly.
Though normally, it was hard to offend too many people in this school.
(End of Chapter)