Chapter 228. Meeting the President and Vice President

Aiden stepped out of Wembley’s house and shut the door behind him.

The air outside was cool. It carried the faint smell of wet grass and pine leaves.

Nicole, the woman in the dark suit, was waiting near the stone walkway with her hands crossed in front of her. When she saw him coming, she straightened her back and bowed her head.

"Professor Vhorn," she said politely. "President Xander and Vice President Xandera are waiting for you at their house."

Nicole was careful with her tone and manner. She knew who Aiden was—not just a young man who had pulled off incredible feats recently, but also the personal disciple of Armstrong Lee, a legendary Rank 4 warrior, the third strongest person on the planet.

"Lead the way, please," Aiden said.

Nicole nodded and led him to a black car parked by the curb.

The professorship district was huge.

Even though Wembley and the President lived in the same neighborhood, the houses were set far apart, separated by long roads, pavements, and thick trees. Walking from one place to the other would take too long.

Nicole attempted to open the back door for him.

"That won’t be necessary." Aiden opened it himself.

A glint of acknowledgement and respect flashed through Nicole’s eyes. It was rare to see a young man who didn’t have a big ego.

Aiden got in, and she stepped into the driver’s seat and started the engine. The car pulled onto the road.

A small digital screen mounted on the back of the front seat turned on automatically. The sound was low, but clear enough to hear over the engine of the car. It was one of the local news channels.

The news anchor, a middle-aged man in a dark blue coat, spoke directly to the camera:

"In today’s top story, many warriors at the Frontlines of the empire have died due to reports of irregular beast movements near the mountain range surrounding Base X78 of sector 10. Meanwhile, in Sauna City University, discussions continue among the senior faculties regarding the recent restructuring of the professorship rankings..."

The anchor paused. He shifted the papers on his desk. After that, he continued with a more serious tone:

"Several high-ranking difficulty student missions, previously unattempted by fourth-year students, are being accepted by the fourth year students. This shift comes right after the remarkable performance of Professor Aiden Vhorn during his first lecture. While some faculty members support this change, others are simply watching to see how the methods of Professor Vhorn of the combat department influence the combat prowess of the students."

Aiden watched the screen for a moment before looking out the window at the passing greenery.

As she drove, Nicole looked at him through the rearview mirror.

"President Xander has been watching your progress, Professor Vhorn," she said, breaking the quiet inside the car. "It’s rare for anyone to get this much attention from the leadership so fast."

"I’m simply doing my job, ma’am," Aiden replied politely.

Nicole smiled slightly in the mirror. "You’re modest, Professor. But reaching this position—with your strength and your status as Excellency Armstrong Lee’s disciple—naturally gets people talking."

Aiden simply nodded politely and returned to enjoying the passing scenery.

Nicole took the hint and kept her eyes on the road, leaving the car quiet for the rest of the trip.

The news program in the background shifted to a report about an upcoming alchemy conference in the Serma Empire, but Aiden stopped paying attention to it. With one lap crossed over the other, his gaze shifted from enjoying the quiet scenery to reading a novel.

A few minutes later, the car turned down a private driveway and stopped in front of a simple two-story house.

Nicole got out. Aiden got out too. Nicole led him up the pavement towards the entrance of the house. She knocked once on the heavy front door, turned the handle, and stepped aside to let him through.

"They are inside, Professor Vhorn."

"Thank you," Aiden said, stepping into the house.

"Pleasure is mine, sir," Nicole said.

The living room was plain and clean, with wooden floors, wide windows, and tall bookshelves along the walls. Sitting together on the main couch were two people who looked almost identical.

It was President Xander and Vice President Xandera.

They looked to be in their early twenties at most. They had the same sharp features, pale skin, and clear silver-gray eyes. The only real difference between them was their gender—Xander had shorter hair and a slightly broader jaw, while Xandera wore her long dark hair tied back in a braid.

Despite how young they looked, both had a steady, heavy presence—the kind that came from commanding troops in the Iron Empire before coming to the university. And both of them knew exactly who Aiden was: The Crimson Reaper, The Lodgekeeper, a madman who had committed large-scale massacres in the southern continent, singlehandedly closed a special Rank 2 gate, when he was a rank 2 warrior, completed hell-difficulty missions deemed impossible for those above his rank in the Eldorath Empire’s military, and shook the southern continent. He was also Excellency Armstrong Lee’s youngest disciple.

"Professor Vhorn," President Xander said, standing up slightly. "Welcome. Have a seat."

"President Xander. Vice President Xandera," Aiden said, nodding as he sat down in the armchair across from them.

Vice President Xandera looked him over with a steady gaze.

"You move fast," she said plainly. "Ever since you arrived on campus, you’ve caused an uproar, even without intending to."

"I’m just doing what I need to do, ma’am," Aiden replied politely. "Whatever the campus does is their business."

President Xander smiled. Aiden Vhorn was really an interesting young man.

"I like that you don’t waste words," Xander said. "Let’s get right to it. Do you know why I had Nicole bring you here?"

Aiden looked at the twins, his expression completely calm.

"You want to give me institutional backing," Aiden said simply. "Because of my standing and the eyes on me, you probably want to give me a group of people to protect me from the shadows. You want to invest in me because of my potential and backing."

The room went quiet for a second.

Xander and Xandera looked at each other in surprise before Xander let out a short laugh.

"You’re sharp, Aiden," Xander said with a smile. "Very sharp."