Chapter 356 - 320: Popping Champagne (3)

Chapter 356: Chapter 320: Popping Champagne (3)

Instructor Randy said, patting Lloyd on the shoulder. The gesture brought them a little closer.

Instructor Lille smiled and brought the topic back to the instructor from the Engineering System:

"Speaking of which, now that Toledo is heading back to be promoted to professor, will he be Mizkatoke’s youngest professor? Is that a new record?"

"I think so? I can’t recall anyone younger becoming a professor."

"Strictly speaking, not really..."

The Teaching Assistant suddenly interjected, adding,

"The youngest person on record to be promoted to professor would be Lady Hildina. But she left Mizkatoke less than three years after becoming a professor."

"Huh? Oh, the Veto Saint. That makes sense, then. It’s just that I wasn’t even born when she became a Saint, so I don’t really remember any of that."

"Haha, and you’re from the history department? You can’t even remember your own academy’s history?"

"Who pays attention to that stuff? You’d have to ask one of those old fossils."

Lloyd didn’t participate much in the discussion. He just listened quietly as his mind raced with wild thoughts.

’So my Childhood Sweetheart is that amazing, huh?’

’Right. She’s always been amazing...’

’But this age gap...’

Seeing the three of them gossiping about interesting tidbits from the academy, Lloyd thought for a moment and decided to probe for information:

"By the way, do you know a... Professor Hazled?"

He was quite curious about his "immediate superior," especially since the professor was so mysterious and didn’t even seem to have a physical body. This was all the more reason to be concerned.

But when Lloyd tried searching for "Hazled" in the student handbook, he surprisingly found no results.

’Is he so mysterious that no one even knows him?’

So he decided to take advantage of the pleasant atmosphere to ask about this Mentor of his, his Childhood Sweetheart, and the Advisor.

’I guess I should figure out the "lineage" of my own branch...’

But to his surprise, all three of them froze for a moment. Then, Instructor Randy asked in return:

"Lloyd, why are you asking about the Dean?"

"Huh???"

Lloyd was stunned.

’The Dean?’

’The Dean with the absolutely terrible aesthetic taste, who set up those absurd school rules, and who’s thick as thieves with Professor Lawrence?’

’Have I somehow become the Dean’s "personal disciple"? And the only one?’

Lloyd had to take a couple of minutes to process this sudden flood of information. He found it difficult to connect the image of a Dean who should be swamped with work with Professor Hazled, the sole person still holding down the fort for the Twisted System.

He finally understood why the Twisted System hadn’t been canceled despite having no one left in it...

But then again, a major System personally run by the Dean had not a single student besides himself?

’Hmm... The two images are finally starting to overlap, in some strange ways...’

Then, another thought occurred to Lloyd. Being the Dean’s only student had to be a good thing, in many respects, right?

’Although he’s only taught me once, which is even more hands-off than Professor Lawrence...’

’But he is the Dean, after all. Buried in work. It makes sense that he doesn’t have much time to teach personally.’

As Lloyd’s mind was racing with these thoughts, he heard Instructor Lille speak up:

"The Dean is the core of our academy and the greatest hero who saved it back in the day. Without it, Mizkatoke would certainly no longer exist."

"That’s right. I have immense respect for the Dean, although its aesthetic sense is just... Anyway, one of these days, I’m going to tear down that grotesque statue in Knowledge Square!"

Instructor Randy added.

Lloyd, however, noticed from their words that the pronoun they used for the Dean was actually ’it’.

’Why is that?’

He was about to ask for more details when he heard the Bounty Hunter Teaching Assistant warn in a low voice:

"The Dean belongs to a rather special system, so it’s best not to discuss it behind its back. There was once an art student who complained that the statue it designed was too ugly, and it found an excuse to deduct their credits and lower their rating."

Instructor Lille nodded vigorously and said:

"Yes, and do you remember that scholar from our department? The one who questioned the Dean’s academic prowess behind its back? It found an excuse to start an academic dispute with him. That scholar got beaten so badly he spent a whole month in the care of those maniacs from the Medical System..."

"I remember, I remember. It’s scary just thinking about it. Good thing we’re in a danger zone. It’s the only reason I dare to badmouth it a little."

"Then let’s not say too much. What if it finds out? You all know the Dean has always been petty..."

Seeing how wary the three of them were of the Dean, Lloyd didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

’From what I’ve seen, the Dean, or rather, Professor Hazled, seems pretty easygoing with me?’

’Although that aesthetic sense really is beyond absurd...’

Since the others were unwilling to talk about the Dean behind its back, Lloyd didn’t press the matter. He went back to observing the Spatial Compass, focusing on his own duties.

But when he looked, he couldn’t help but freeze.

"Huh? Why is there an unusual spatial fluctuation?"

Lloyd said, alerting the other three as he watched the Spatial Compass, which was showing a slight change.

The next second, the cube-like Compass twitched violently and broke apart into tiny cubes, looking like it had its hackles raised.

Although they immediately reassembled into their original form, indicating that the space was still calm.

But Lloyd’s expression was grim. He said urgently,

"Contact the professors, now!"