"Who is this brat who got appointed through sheer nepotism?!" An elderly man bellowed, his voice thick with indignation.
Seated across from him, in the headmaster's chair, was an older man with a white beard, streaks of black still running through his hair.
A single monocle rested over his right eye, glinting under the soft light of the office.
Headmaster Amon did not react to the elder's outburst, rely adjusting his monocle with practiced ease.
"Calm yourself, Elder Pot," Amon spoke evenly.
"This appointnt was made under the authority of the royal family."
"Exactly!" Pot Black scoffed, slamming his cane against the floor.
"Why must we bend to them? The academy should stand on its own, free of political ddling!"
Amon let the elder vent, watching with quiet patience. He had long since learned that Pot Black would exhaust himself eventually.
The old scholar leaned forward, his tone lowering into sothing more conspiratorial.
"Since they insist on forcing this appointnt upon us… let's test him. We'll have him compete against our finest alchemy professor, miss Lotus. Let her humiliate him, prove his incompetence, and we'll expel him on the grounds of being unqualified."
Amon exhaled, shaking his head lightly. "Very well," he conceded. "We'll handle it your way."
Pot Black grinned triumphantly, bowing slightly. "Thank you, Headmaster."
It was only at tis like these that the old man rembered who was actually in charge.
A month had passed since the letter of appointnt arrived.
The morning air was crisp as students and professors gathered near the academy gates, anticipation buzzing in hushed whispers.
"Headmaster Amon," several professors greeted respectfully.
"Good morning, Headmaster," the students echoed.
Amon nodded, adjusting his monocle as his gaze fixed on the carriage now arriving at the academy's entrance.
The mont had finally co.
The carriage door opened, and out stepped a young man—no older than twenty by appearance.
But Amon did not judge by looks alone. In a world of cultivation, appearances could be deceiving, and he had encountered more than a few n who retained their youth despite their years.
Behind the young man followed a boy, wide-eyed and awkward, as if seeing the world for the first ti. Then ca a woman dressed in a maid's uniform, a veil hiding her features.
Amon's instincts told him she was beautiful, but he paid little attention, until the next figure erged.
A woman, draped in striking red, stepped into view. A collar encircled her slender neck, a pet collar, designed to enforce absolute obedience.
These were used on slaves… or those within the 'entertainnt business'.
But it wasn't just the collar that caught everyone's attention.
Her single, gleaming horn and cascading blood-red hair made her presence impossible to ignore.
Even Amon, who prided himself on his composure, found himself montarily distracted.
He coughed lightly, snapping himself and the rest of the staring professors out of their trance.
Embarrassnt evident across their faces as they struggled to regain their composure.
Steeling himself, Amon stepped forward. Regardless of personal feelings, formalities had to be observed.
"Professor Ace," he greeted, extending a hand.
Ace t his gaze without flinching. Not a single muscle in his face shifted as he shook Amon's hand with asured ease.
Ace smirked. "It's an honor to be welcod by the esteed Headmaster himself."
He then turned to the boy beside him. "This here is my adopted son, Shan Yifeng. I also have an adopted daughter. Hopefully, the academy doesn't have a problem with my children attending."
Amon frowned slightly.
Before he could respond, Ace chuckled, waving a dismissive hand. "Oh, don't worry. I'll have them take the entrance exam and enter legally."
His smirk widened, laced with unmistakable arrogance.
Amon felt a strange discomfort settle in his gut. There was sothing about that smirk…
Just then, the red-haired woman leaned in and whispered sothing into Ace's ear.
Ace's expression shifted ever so slightly. "Oh?" He tilted his head, feigning surprise. "Is that so?" His smirk widened even further.
Then, as if recalling sothing, he turned back to Amon. "You don't have any qualms about a professor having an assistant, do you?"
Amon's brow twitched.
This was neither the ti nor place for such discussions, yet Ace seed entirely unconcerned with proper decorum.
The young man was clearly testing him, probing to see how much ground he could claim before anyone pushed back.
Swallowing his irritation, Amon forced a polite smile. "No, no, professors are allowed to have assistants. So even have ten."
Ace clapped his hands together.
"Perfect! That settles that."
Amon sighed inwardly. This young man was going to be trouble.
"Now then," Ace continued, stretching lazily. "Don't you think this is an inappropriate place for further discussion? Let's go sowhere more formal to finalize the details, shall we?"
Amon remained silent for a mont before nodding.
This one is going to be a headache, he thought to himself.
Just as the discussion was about to move forward, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the courtyard.
A young woman, breathless and flushed, ca sprinting toward them.
Her robes, though pristine, were slightly disheveled from her rush.
The mont she reached, she barely took a second to catch her breath before pointing directly at Ace.
"I don't believe you're qualified to teach at this academy!" she declared, her voice ringing out with conviction.
The gathered professors and students murmured among themselves, so surprised, others amused.
Pot Black clasped his hands behind his back, rocking slightly on his heels as his plan unfolded perfectly.
His smug grin stretched ear to ear as he watched Lotus take the center stage.
Lotus stood her ground, her eyes fixed on Ace, waiting for his response.
Ace, on the other hand, was utterly unfazed. He tilted his head slightly, arching a brow as if watching an overeager child trying to pick a fight. A smirk crept onto his lips.
"And what exactly do you want to prove?" he asked, his voice light, almost teasing. "Or rather, how exactly do you propose we test my competence?"
His tone, his expression, everything about him scread amusent, as if he had just stumbled upon the world's most ridiculous challenge.
Lotus clenched her fists. She inhaled sharply, steadying herself. "I…" Her grip tightened. "I challenge you to a test of refinent!"
Ace blinked, then, he laughed.
Not just a chuckle, but a full, hearty laugh that startled those around him.
Amon raised a brow in curiosity, while Pot Black's smirk faltered ever so slightly, confused by Ace's reaction.
Ace finally cald himself, wiping an imaginary tear from the corner of his eye.
"You're challenging … in alchemy?" He shook his head in sheer disbelief.
How perfect.
If they wanted to see what he was capable of, then he would show them. After all, what better way to flex his newly attained Level 5 Alchemy than in front of an entire academy?
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