Chapter 10: A Joke!

Chapter 10: A Joke!

The clown recited the magic spells with a straight face and waved his magic wand, like a nerd reciting a text to an ordinary mirror—occasionally he would glance at a small note in his hand.

His appearance was just like the most awkward first-year student taking a routine spell test, forming a stark contrast with the brilliant light shining from the magic wand in his hand and the Calamity Evil Spirit in the mirror that was screaming its heart out.

Amidst the flickering lights, everyone’s eyes widened, staring blankly at the stage, wondering if they were dreaming.

Just like these people, Lufield also grabbed his own hair hard, suspecting that he was in a dream.

“That’s it, I must be under a Nightmare Curse! I must be! Heh heh heh, heh heh heh heh…”

The recitations of the Demon-Banishing Charm grew faster and faster. The white phoenix flickered like a light bulb, almost too quick for anyone to react.

It was when the white phoenix flickered for the seventh time that the examiner finally reacted, grabbing Louis’s wand fiercely: “Mr. Louis, that’s enough! Enough!”

But the chanting of the spell did not stop. It only came to an abrupt halt when it was almost finished—the evil spirit in the mirror had run out of the house in the Mirror World in its panic, and no one knew where it went.

‘It could be done like that? Seems like next time I need to find a way to stop it from escaping. A sealed Calamity Evil Spirit like this is rarer than finding something with a lantern.’

After glancing at ‘Demon-Banishing Charm Lv2’ in the Narration, Louis pulled back his thoughts and straightened his body once again under thousands of dull stares.

Just like when he first stepped onto the stage, he bowed to every direction in the audience, but this time, no one laughed.

A deathly silence fell.

“Everyone,” Louis said in this silence, speaking the ‘joke’ that ‘Louis VI’ often told whenever he was mocked: “Knowledge is a bright lamp. Its strength is far greater than a few magic spells.”

“This is the belief I have always held. I thank my mentor. She did not give up on me, this stubborn student, because of it. Instead, she taught according to my aptitude and gave me different guidance. Together, we created a miracle!”

“I think I am not a Squib. It’s just that the way my former teacher taught me had always been a bit wrong…”

[Although the teacher you mentioned is far away, the local professors’ favorability towards you greatly decreased after hearing such words.]

[However, they developed a great interest in Ocris—they were even amazed!]

[As you wished, you made a remarkable debut in another way and successfully shifted the blame onto your own teacher—your brilliant performance became reasonable.]

[Ocris will take the blame (you might need some explanations later).]

[Although your exam was not passed due to cheating, there will surely be a makeup exam later to silence the doubters. If you pass the makeup exam successfully two months later, you might be able to teach with the title of ‘Instructor’.]

[As for Ocris—her teaching method has been proven on you. Perhaps, after this, her mentor, Principal Oliver, will agree to her previous application for the position of ‘Dean of Teaching Affairs of the Yordle Academy’.]

Lines of Narration appeared before Louis’s eyes. He didn’t have time to read them carefully. He bowed to every direction in the audience and then stepped down from the stage.

Watching Louis slowly walk off the stage, the audience below was flushed and deathly silent!

How many times had ‘Louis VI’ told that ‘joke’ over the past six years?

These words had spread as a joke, just like famous quotes from characters in stories. This made the names of the teacher Ocris and her student widely known through mockery.

But this time, no one could laugh. Everyone present was flushed and felt as if sitting on pins and needles. Louis’s words felt like slaps to their faces, making them wish to leave this embarrassing place immediately.

A series of crisp clapping sounds suddenly rang out, breaking the deathly silence in the hall—it was Ocris.

Clearly, things weren’t over. Ocris added fuel to the fire—the quiet, clear, and loud claps were like slaps, fiercely striking the faces of those who came to watch the spectacle today.

Some nobles had already covered their faces.

The Crystal Ball in a certain minister’s arms shattered directly. The minister was so frightened that he immediately covered his face and left.

Following Ocris’s clapping, several deans who were observing today all stood up and started clapping one after another. Soon, everyone in the hall slowly stood up, erupting in warm applause.

The professors’ and deans’ claps were sincere, but this scene was just too awkward! Hearing the applause, the nobles knew full well it was the professors’ mockery, but they had no choice but to stand up one by one, forcing out extremely awkward smiles, their faces flushed as they joined in the applause.

But nobles were nobles. Before long, some thick-skinned fellows straightened their attitudes, pretended nothing had happened, followed the dean off the stage, and went to flatter Ocris—the nobles who stepped down today were all opportunists. They knew that after today, Ocris would definitely receive strong support from the academic faction.

The attitudes of the dean and professors today were proof—they never laughed from start to finish, and in the end, they even clapped warmly. Clearly, Ocris had given these professors a reason to support her—she was qualified to stay in the academy!

Or rather, Ocris, who had proven her competence today, could now rightfully stay in the academy. No one would gossip anymore, and the academy wouldn’t have to bear public pressure—after all, the princess marrying into the Dragon Clan was politically correct!

The Saint Oak Wizard was the most famous White Wizard in the world. Even the Witch Queen had to lower her head and respectfully call Principal Oliver ‘teacher’ when she met him.

Now everything was legitimate. With the Holy Oak Academy protecting Ocris, the princess was like holding a get-out-of-jail-free card.

As the most important heir of Solerndor, once Ocris could safely stay within the kingdom, everyone understood what that meant for the future.

The throne would be hers sooner or later, so the nobles’ attitudes changed immediately.

Ocris had overcome her crisis today. When looking at Ocris and Louis, the deans’ eyes were full of amazement.

Regarding today’s events, the professors were greatly surprised. Louis’s handling of that Calamity Evil Spirit was amazing!

Many professors saw the trick—he deceived that evil spirit, lured it into planting a Nightmare seed in his heart, then sealed himself off and continuously cast the Demon-Banishing Charm on that seed. This made the ‘impenetrable’ Mirror Demon full of holes!

Mr. Stuart was indeed very powerful, but in the eyes of real Wizards, when sealed, it was like a neutered little kitten!

But what he faced today wasn’t just a Calamity Evil Spirit; it also included interference from those who came to watch from the Witch Queen’s faction. Yet he remained calm under pressure. In contrast, Lufield and Tyrus, whom the professors had high hopes for, failed under this pressure.

Without a doubt! What everyone present witnessed today was a true, composed, and calm Wizard!

And a true Wizard, even if he only knows one Magic, his strength is limitless—because he has the strength of knowledge!

This is a true Wizard!

For how many years, how many of the generations of Wizards could still settle down and bury themselves in diligent study?

Young people nowadays are too impetuous!

Daring to go on stage without even being able to distinguish a Calamity Evil Spirit?! Daring to use ‘Marionette’ and ‘Infatuation’ without even understanding the basic theory?!

The so-called nerd, Louis VI, now in the professors’ eyes, had accumulated strength over time and blossomed—his knowledge level was already sufficient to earn the title of Sacred Oak Bachelor.

Bachelor… that is the true Wizard. Those who only know Magic Spells but not knowledge are just tricksters!

Indeed, that Magic Spell wasn’t Louis’s; it was written by Ocris, but based on his performance today, it was enough to attract the professors’ attention.

Of course, if he could write such a Magic Spell, they would probably have to question him carefully… but it didn’t seem like his body was occupied by some foreign soul.

The professors felt a bit regretful. Sometimes foreign souls would occupy dead bodies; those were excellent research materials!

Of course, what was most amazing today was still Ocris—that Demon-Banishing Charm was absolutely exquisite! It had reached a master’s level!

So shocking!

As for the idea that this Magic Spell was created by Louis… no one believed it. That white phoenix was Ocris’s symbol!

What level of Wizard could write a Magic Spell that represents someone else’s symbol?

Probably only Principal Oliver, right?

This was beyond everyone’s understanding. Clearly, it should have been written by Ocris.

It seemed Ocris was really planning to focus on studying Magic—just this Magic Spell alone was enough for her to leave a mark in spell history.

Ocris was also utterly shocked.

That Magic Spell was superb, and the writer’s skill had reached an extremely high level! The only person she could imagine who could do it was probably Principal Oliver!

Who gave this Magic Spell to Louis? Or did he write it himself?

Regarding these questions, Ocris could only keep them to herself for now. She took the blame Louis threw her way and didn’t forget to flatter her teacher, Principal Oliver, along the way—even though that little Yordle hadn’t come over yet.

But he would hear it.

“Knowledge, everyone, knowledge,” Ocris said with a smile to the professors around her. “Nowadays, among many of the new generation, few are like the older generation who buried themselves in knowledge. I have always remembered Teacher Oliver’s teachings, carrying his philosophy throughout. Louis VI… ahem, I mean, Louis, over these six years, has built a very solid foundation. The effect of accumulated strength finally showing today is evident.”

Like the professors, Ocris did not spare praise for her student Louis, as if over all these years, she hadn’t been neglecting him but had actually been guiding him.

Hah, what a hypocritical woman.

Regardless, Louis’s little help did not fail the wish Ocris made to the male god in her heart—to help her stay in the academy.

After today, with the recognition and support of the academic faction, Ocris would begin to take deep root in the Holy Oak Academy and develop her sturdy branches.

The same was true for Louis.

He found that his Presence had broken through 60! This seemed to indicate he was starting to take root in the academy.

Just as he was about to flip through the Storybook to check his rewards, a voice interrupted his thoughts.