Chapter 379 - 331: What to Reward Him With? (Part 2)

Chapter 379: Chapter 331: What to Reward Him With? (Part 2)

"You can laugh if you want, but this kid... he makes even me feel a little scared. I have a feeling that before long, all of Mizkatoke won’t be big enough to hold him... Of course, I’m referring to his excellence, that is."

As soon as he finished speaking, the professor from the history department—an old man so withered it was hard to tell if he was a person or a piece of rotting wood—added:

"Allow me to point out an oversight and error on your part, Lawrence. The admission rating you gave this wonder kid was far too high...

"It’s put me in a very awkward position. I can’t think of what I could possibly offer to reward him. He saved our archaeology team, saved my star pupil, even saved the entire academy, yet I have no idea how to thank him."

"Yes, I’m in the same boat."

The Iron Man professor and the Bald Professor chimed in together.

Professor Lawrence found this somewhat amusing, but he understood what they were getting at. It wasn’t that they truly didn’t know how to reward Lloyd. Besides worthless things like academic credits and ratings, the three departments had plenty of treasures that would make even him green with envy. They were just saying this to solicit his opinion.

So, the old professor didn’t rush to speak, instead waiting patiently for the others to make their opening offers.

"He’s from the Veto System, isn’t he? And only just Third Tier? In that case, I’m willing to provide all the materials for his fourth Transcendence, and all of the highest quality."

The Iron Man professor was the first to speak up with a proposal.

Professor Lawrence heard this and was about to curse him out, but before he could even open his mouth, another professor beat him to it:

"Bah! You cheapskate Iron Can! How can you offer something so pathetic? You might as well offer nothing at all! The Biology System will cover the materials for his fourth Transcendence. If it weren’t for him, our department’s entire domain would’ve likely been wiped out."

This professor appeared to be a normal human male, dressed in a simple white lab coat.

But no one knew what kind of body he concealed beneath that lab coat. Sometimes it was a mass of disgusting, viscous tentacles; other times, a clump of plant roots tangled into a human shape; and on occasion, it might even be some sort of indescribable coagulation of flesh and blood.

So, the moment he spoke, all the other professors present looked as though they were holding their breath, as if they were afraid he might spread some kind of Spiritual Contamination.

The professor from the Engineering System, having been so thoroughly rebuked, felt he had lost face and quickly tried to recover:

"I just hadn’t finished speaking! Of course, I have other gifts prepared for him as well..."

Despite his words, he hesitated, not specifying what those gifts were. The Bald Professor beside him grew impatient and cut in:

"Alright, take your time thinking about it with that tin head of yours. In any case, the Mage System won’t be so stingy. After all, the kid saved three of our own, so I’m willing to lend him that certain book worth reading."

His offer might have sounded unremarkable, but Professor Lawrence’s eyes shot wide open in astonishment at the Mage System’s generosity.

If there was anything in the Mage System’s possession that could make even him green with envy, the book the professor had just mentioned was undoubtedly at the top of the list.

Even if it was only a loan and not an outright gift, it was still an unexpectedly magnanimous gesture.

Because of the book’s peculiar nature, ’loaning’ it was, on some level, equivalent to ’gifting’ it.

Professor Lawrence wasn’t the only one moved by this; even Dean Hazled spoke up in astonishment:

"You’re actually willing to part with the Book of Illusion?"

The Bald Professor just smiled nonchalantly and replied:

"Heh, what’s the big deal? Aren’t books meant to be read? The reason I don’t usually let people near it isn’t because I’m stingy, but because they haven’t earned the right to read it. Lloyd is different. I have very high hopes for his future."

"But it’s a precious item that’s diminished each time it’s used..."

the withered, wood-like history professor added.

But the Bald Professor retorted with conviction:

"So what? Are collectibles like that what humanity needs right now? If Astra’s prophecy comes true, do you plan on taking it to your grave?"

"No, it’s not that I’m reluctant to see it used—it’s your property, after all. I’m just troubled because you’ve already offered the Book of Illusion. The history department is nowhere near as wealthy as yours. What could we possibly offer in comparison?"

the wood-like professor hastily explained.

Seeing this, Professor Lawrence was about to speak up and suggest the history department’s collection of Ancient Relics for Lloyd, but the Dean cut in first:

"That’s simple. With Lloyd’s current talent, he’ll complete his fourth Transcendence and be at the threshold of Tier Five soon enough. When that time comes, you will personally preside over the ritual for his fifth Transcendence."

The moment he said this, the professors, who had been whispering amongst themselves about what to offer, fell instantly silent. Then, all at once, they turned their gazes toward the Dean’s empty seat.

Even the potted sunflower beside them did the same.

An emotional expression appeared on the history professor’s face, which resembled a rotten wood carving, and he asked, enunciating each word carefully: