Chapter 730: Last Day Before Election

"Please note down your assignment, and remember to buy the book I recommended. It’s very important, and it will help broaden your knowledge of that Era."

Professor Millicent Kane spoke calmly as she carried her space bag on the podium, then she handed it to her assistant, who stood nearby.

He accepted it politely.

Some students were still writing when she gave the reminder.

A few glanced at their notes, checking whether they had recorded the assignment, while others began packing their belongings.

The morning lesson had ended, but the discussion it had stirred up was far from over.

"Also, before I forget."

Millicent paused on her way towards the classroom exit.

"Kent asked me to tell you all that if you want to understand the concept of Time a little better, you should buy or read the book Calculus of Time."

She looked across the classroom, making sure the students had heard her.

Since there was no further explanation.

She turned around and continued towards the exit without waiting for a response.

She had another class with the Second-Year students, after all.

Her assistant followed with her space bag, and the two soon left the classroom.

"Calculus of Time..."

Nate repeated the title thoughtfully while packing his notes into his space bag.

"That sounds like a lot of calculations will be involved."

He closed his bag and looked at the others.

"Wait, if that’s the kind of book Professor Kent is recommending, does that mean our Exams on the Study of Alchemy will be filled with calculations?"

Nickolas asked.

A hint of panic could be seen in his eyes.

"Not to mention Intermediate Mathematics."

Cyrus replied tiredly.

He leaned back slightly, letting out a quiet breath.

He could already imagine how many formulas he would have to memorize just to prepare for the upcoming exams.

The thought alone made him feel as though his head was beginning to ache.

"I want to say, you’re lucky, Ezra."

He looked enviously towards Ezra, who was still arranging the key notes he had typed into his Zphone Tablet.

Ezra’s attention remained on the screen, moving through the information, checking the order of the points and making a few adjustments before saving his work.

"But you’re taking the course with the widest range of mathematical difficulty."

Cyrus shook his head in awe.

"Yeah. Alchemy Circle Conversion is probably the hardest course in our year, and even in the other years."

Henry Ashenlocke agreed with him.

"Although, someone like Ezra Ashenlocke, who’s already supposed to be at the Intermediate rank in Alchemy Circle Conversion, should have things in the bag."

Bess Ashforge looked towards Ezra.

"I guess so."

Ezra replied plainly.

He gave her a brief glance before returning his eyes to the Zphone Tablet.

His fingers continued moving across the screen.

Bess looked at him for a moment, then turned back to the others.

It wasn’t as though Ezra had given them much of a response to work with.

The group continued talking.

So did the other students in the classroom.

Some were already standing beside their joint desks, putting away their belongings.

Others remained seated, discussing the upcoming examinations or the professor’s book recommendations.

A few had gathered in small groups, their conversations overlapping with those taking place nearby.

However, among all those voices, one subject seemed to come up more often than the others.

The historical topic from that morning’s class.

The lesson about the Second Blood Alchemist had left quite an impression.

The students had learned about Derlis Aethelmont, his struggle for the Royal Heir position, and the civil war that had followed.

More importantly, they had learned that the history was connected to the establishment of the Forbidden Alchemy Paths and the Duke Titles.

It was hardly an ordinary lesson.

"So, does that mean the Derlis are of Royal Blood?"

A First-Year student asked one of her fellow students from House Derlis.

Her voice carried a clear note of excitement.

"How can you even be excited after learning what happened in that history?"

One of her friends shook her head helplessly.

The girl didn’t seem to share her concern.

Instead, she appeared interested in what the discovery meant for the Derlis House.

The fact that the Second Blood Alchemist had belonged to the Royal Family was certainly something worth discussing.

"Shouldn’t this finding affect her reputation?!"

A familiar voice suddenly echoed through the classroom.

Several students turned towards the speaker.

Prince Tristin Aethelmont stood among the students, pointing at Willow Derlis with a stiff expression.

Willow looked back at him.

She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to explain what he meant.

"Think about it. There was a struggle for power, Derlis became a villain, and now we want to hand that position to another Derlis?"

Tristin spoke loudly, making sure the students around him could hear.

His words quickly drew more attention.

Some students stopped packing their belongings, while others turned away from their conversations to listen.

A few exchanged glances.

They understood that Tristin was referring to Willow’s candidacy for General Representative, but they weren’t entirely sure what conclusion he wanted them to draw from the history.

Was he suggesting that Willow couldn’t be trusted simply because of her House history?

"Hey, hey! Are you saying all Derlis are evil? I’m a Derlis too, you idiot."

Desmond pointed at himself with an unserious expression.

He then turned towards the lady sitting beside him.

"He said I’m evil."

He spoke in a fake whining tone before pulling her into a hug.

The Noble Lady immediately hugged him back, her cheeks turning red.

"Prince Tristin, what are you talking about?"

She looked towards the Prince angrily while keeping her arms around Desmond.

The exchange drew a few looks from the nearby students.

Desmond, however, seemed completely unconcerned with the attention.

He remained close to the lady beside him, as though Tristin’s words had personally wounded him.

Tristin didn’t find the joke amusing.

These idiots.

I’m trying to reduce Willow’s popularity.

After that stupid stunt that bitch Vera pulled, it’s obvious Willow is going to win.

I don’t have time, and this is my only card.

His eyes moved across the students.

Today was the last chance for the candidates to campaign before the election.

He couldn’t afford to waste it.

Vera’s support for Willow had thrown the balance of the competition completely off, and the usual methods of gaining support were no longer enough.

He needed to give the students another reason to question her candidacy.

"I’m only saying that giving power to a Derlis could lead to something bad. I mean, even though the Derlis are a Duke House, they’re still under the guidance of the Royal Family."

Prince Tristin spoke calmly.

His tone had changed.

Instead of simply throwing accusations at Willow, he was presenting his words as a concern about the family’s history and its position within the Kingdom.

He wanted the students to consider his argument.

Not everyone would accept it, but if he could make even a portion of them hesitate before voting for Willow, it would still be useful.

"But Derlis was an Aethelmont."

Prince Charles Aethelmont countered.

He stood up and looked at his brother, his expression showing his displeasure with the method Tristin was using to sway the crowd.

The distinction was simple.

Derlis Aethelmont had been a member of the Royal Family, and his actions belonged to the history of the Aethelmonts, not to the present-day Derlis alone.

Charles had no intention of letting Tristin turn history into a convenient weapon against Willow.

Especially now, when today was the last chance any candidate had to campaign.

The students’ attention shifted between the two Princes.

Tristin had raised the issue, and Charles had challenged the foundation of his argument.

Neither had backed down, and the discussion was beginning to attract more attention than the earlier conversations about the lesson.

Stacy Brittan, who was sitting close to Princess Stella Aethelmont as one of her close friends, also noticed the opportunity in what Tristin was trying to achieve.

She understood the effect Vera’s support for Willow had on the competition.

It had truly shifted the balance of the entire battle, making Willow a much stronger candidate than before.

Stacy had also recognized that Tristin’s argument could be used to raise another concern.

She stood up.

"Your Highness, Prince Charles."

Stacy looked at Charles calmly.

"I think what Prince Tristin is trying to say isn’t about the bloodline. We’re all from the Royal Line. Even I, your cousin, share a bit of the blood of the man who caused one of the greatest sins in this Kingdom."

She placed a hand against her chest.

Then she turned towards the students, many of whom were already looking at her.

Her approach was different from Tristin’s.

Rather than directly questioning Willow because of her family’s connection to Derlis Aethelmont, she shifted the discussion towards something different that could be used to still question the Present-Day Derlis.

"The issue is that the Alchemy Path followed by the Derlis is still a Forbidden Alchemy Path. I’ve read a little about Blood Alchemy myself, so I know that it can affect the emotions of those who practice it."

She spoke softly, her tone carrying a hint of concern.

Her honey-coloured eyes settled on Willow.

The words were carefully presented.

Stacy wasn’t openly accusing Willow of being unable to control herself, nor was she claiming that Willow had committed anything wrong.

Instead, she was bringing the nature of Blood Alchemy into the discussion and leaving the students to consider what that might mean.

"My fellow students, I’m not trying to defame Willow. She’s an amazing Flower of this Kingdom. However, choosing a General Representative should require us to place our utmost trust in that person."

She moved her right hand forward as she continued.

"And I fear that the Derlis will forever remain under the shadow of their past, a shadow that makes the Royal Family question their loyalty and trustworthiness towards the Kingdom."

Her words settled over the gathering.

Some students looked towards Willow, while others continued watching Stacy.

The discussion had moved beyond whether the Derlis shared royal blood.

It was now about the Forbidden Alchemy Path they followed and whether the history attached to it should affect how students viewed a present-day candidate.

Stacy had made her position clear.

She wasn’t asking the students to reject Willow because of her bloodline.

She was asking them to consider whether they could place their trust in someone from a family that still practiced a Forbidden Alchemy Path.

"I don’t like the way both of you are trying to act so righteous, especially you, Prince Tristin."

Fatima Drakes pointed at the Prince.

Tristin frowned at her gesture.