First Move, Checkmate: How Will You Respond?

“You think just saying you’ll take in followers is enough?”

“Followers must be sincere for it to be effective.”

As Victor listened to Veega’s explanation, he tapped on the table and watched the morning sunlight falling on the books. Victor, hidden in the study, chuckled softly:

“Isn’t it just sincerity? Don’t worry, I won’t have trouble deceiving them.”

Veega narrowed its eyes and let out a disgruntled sound, expressing its dissatisfaction with Victor.

“Perhaps you are more cunning than the previous Victor.”

“I’m flattered.”

Victor didn’t say anything more, just continued reviewing his speech.

He always felt that since binding with him, this damned bird had gradually forgotten about his cause of reviving the evil god.

Thinking this, Victor glanced at Veega.

At this time, the raven was standing on the desk, nodding its head drowsily.

Veega always ate during the day and slept at night, with barely any exercise.

It was the spitting image of a decoration.

After just a few days, Veega’s figure had already grown fatter, and when it stood on Victor’s shoulder, Victor could feel his shoulder growing heavier.

But since the other party wasn’t anxious, he didn’t need to be too concerned either.

So he just spent a quiet morning in the study looking over the speech and Erica’s homework.

…

At noon, Victor had already finished reviewing Erica’s homework, and thanks to Hennie’s diligent preparation, he quickly memorized the key points of today’s teaching content.

When Victor walked out of the study, he saw Hennie the teaching assistant, who had just woken up, come out.

“Awake? Get ready, it’s time for us to head out.”

Victor reminded Hennie in passing. She was like a startled deer, immediately becoming much more awake, and quickly responded:

“No problem, Professor. I’m ready.”

Victor nodded, then ordered the servants to prepare the carriage to go to the Royal Academy of Magic.

He beckoned Hennie to get on the carriage with him, but Hennie was extremely nervous and could only obediently get on.

As a result, the two sat face to face, with Hennie keeping her head low the whole time, not daring to lift it, and only able to sneak peeks at Victor.

Hennie felt her heart was about to jump out, pounding nonstop.

Her mind was already erupting like a volcano, thinking frantically: ‘I’m actually sitting in a carriage with the genius Professor Victor!’

‘Oh my god!’

Hennie felt hot, then realized she was sweating on her forehead, even sitting unsteadily.

Seeing how constrained she was, Victor wanted to say something.

But speaking rashly would probably make her even more nervous.

Since that was the case, it was better to just let her fantasize by herself.

The more nervous she was, the easier it was for her to fantasize, and then she would soon realize that she had actually slept at the estate of this notorious nobleman that morning.

Seeing her shocked expression, Victor felt somewhat amused.

He just looked at Hennie like this, while Hennie looked down at her shoes. The two maintained this posture.

The whole ride was silent, quietly waiting for the carriage to reach its destination.

…

As the carriage gradually came to a stop, Victor spoke first:

“We’re here.”

Hearing Victor speak, Hennie slowly lifted her head, and her expression instantly relaxed.

“Finally here.”

She heaved a long sigh of relief. She didn’t expect the journey to feel so long.

After getting off the carriage, Hennie walked alongside Victor the whole time.

Seeing him about to go to his office, Hennie mustered her courage to say to Victor: “Professor Victor, the dean said that you should go see him when you arrive at the academy.”

Victor nodded, then headed straight for the dean’s office.

Hennie followed behind Victor like a timid deer.

After the teleportation through the wizard’s tower, Victor knocked on the door of the dean’s office.

“Come in.”

After the dean’s permission, he entered with the teaching assistant.

Standing in front of the dean, Victor got straight to the point:

“Dean, I heard you were looking for me.”

The dean was an aged fat old man, covered in wizard tools. He looked just like a traditional wizard.

At the same time, he was also the strongest person at the academy, a fourth-order wizard.

An existence known to the world as a ‘Holy Wizard’.

Like a legend.

He had already reached this level twenty years ago.

Seeing Victor, he pushed aside his cup, closed his pen cap, gently placed the pen on the book.

It seemed his body had aged to its limit, even the slightest movement made him feel tired.

With a sigh, the dean leaned back in his chair and slowly said, “Professor Victor, I’ve heard about what happened in yesterday’s class.”

Victor frowned. He didn’t expect that Erica’s provocation would reach the dean’s ears.

“You did very well,” the dean smiled at him, then continued, “But…wasn’t it a bit too strict?”

“Over time, the students may become dissatisfied.”

Hearing the dean say he was too strict, Victor shook his head and responded:

“If I don’t do this, they won’t understand respecting teachers.”

Victor’s tone was very plain. He didn’t think there was anything wrong with how he handled it.

What’s more, he was Victor. Victor was the kind of person who never forgot grudges.

Fortunately, the dean soon agreed with his point of view, nodding and saying, “Mm…respecting teachers…well put. As expected of a wizard known as a genius.”

“Oh right, I called you here today because of this.”

The dean took out a parchment from the table and handed it to Victor.

“This is a lecture invitation our academy has sent out. Take a look and see if anything needs to be added.”

Victor gently took it and carefully read the contents.

“I’m sure you understand, Professor Victor.”

The dean revealed a benevolent smile and said with a laugh.

“At our institution, lecturers who hold professor positions must give lecture classes once a month.”

“We plan to publicize your lecture course to the outside in a month, inviting various wizards and industry figures to attend, and disseminate your lecture via each stone.”

Hearing this, Victor already understood his meaning.

“So I hope that in this month you can improve the lecture content. At that time, the academy will provide you with a hall that can accommodate thousands.”

“Professor Victor, do you have any suggestions?”

Listening to the dean’s words, Victor understood that the time for the academy to recruit new students was approaching.

The academy wanted to attract students with excellent aptitude, and students would also consider the academy’s faculty strength.

If a youngest third-order wizard professor suddenly appeared at this time, it would undoubtedly be a very powerful way to attract new students.

Although Victor had a bad reputation, he had ability and strength, so no one would care about his reputation.

And if he really made this lecture spectacular, then the scandal would naturally dissipate on its own.

Victor thought of the newspaper contents from a few days ago, and the promise he made to Gwen.

No one would care about a powerful professor’s love life, even if he really flirted with the daughter of a duke.

At the same time, if this was really done, then his professor position would be directly tied to the Royal Academy.

With this relationship, he would clearly be able to do more in the coming years before his predicted death arrived.

So Victor nodded and agreed.

“I have no problem, do as the academy wishes.”

Seeing Victor agree, the dean smiled and looked at Hennie beside him.

“How about this teaching assistant? Are you satisfied with her work?”

Victor glanced at Hennie beside him, then replied, “Having such a competent teaching assistant is my honor.”

Having said that, Victor turned to leave with Hennie.

Hennie followed behind Victor, extremely flustered in her heart.

The more she thought about the professor’s evaluation of her in front of the dean, the more she felt her efforts had not been in vain.

She couldn’t help but walk more cheerfully.

In the afternoon class, Victor taught a very ordinary lesson.

This time there were no more ‘industry insiders’. After yesterday’s events, no one would think they could enjoy Victor’s misfortune.

Victor continued teaching the knowledge points as usual, and the students diligently took notes and recorded key points.

Erica didn’t continue to make trouble this time, seriously taking notes and writing a lot.

The bell rang to end class. Victor tidied up his teaching materials.

“Class dismissed.”

“Erica, come to my office.”

…

Victor returned Erica’s reviewed notes and pointed out some mistakes.

“For you now, it’s still too early to easily use teleportation magic, but your direction isn’t wrong.”

Victor taught and Erica listened. The two looked harmonious, as if they had forgotten Victor’s harassment of her at her birthday banquet.

He didn’t bring up the matter, and Erica naturally also kept it in her stomach without mentioning it.

After imparting knowledge to Erica, Victor nodded and said,

“That’s enough for today.”

Just as he finished speaking, Victor felt a stir in his mind.

The Wizard’s Hand had been activated.

As the source of magic, Victor could feel it when Lia used the Wizard’s Hand spell.

It was just given to Lia yesterday, and used today already?

What a coincidence?

Victor wasn’t too worried about Lia, but the source of magic wasn’t far from the capital, so he decided to go take a look.

Then he stood up and said to Erica,

“I have some things to take care of. Remember to close the door on your way out.”

Then he drew a teleportation array on the spot and left.

Erica: “…”

Everyone at the academy knew that the wizard’s tower had no doors. Entry and exit relied solely on the teleportation magic within the wizard’s tower.

…

Outskirts.

Lia looked at the group of people in front of her burnt to charcoal, her expression slightly frozen.

A few wizards trembled beside her.

They had all seen it, the powerful second-order magic unleashed from this woman’s hand.

Second-order magic was not something small fries like them could deal with at all.

She had such powerful magic, so why did she still need to find other wizards to help?

We’re just first-order trash compared to her.

Lia scratched her head, looking at the carriage behind her.

She had hung Clayvin’s crest, but why were they still attacked?

Oh well.

She had already notified Miss Gwen. It wouldn’t be long before she arrived.

The group just waited there for the knights to come.

Ten minutes later, a group of knights riding white horses and wearing frost iron armor arrived.

The leader was naturally Gwen. She immediately found Lia.

“Lia! Lia!”

Seeing Lia sitting alone in a daze on a rock, Gwen dismounted and ran over.

Lia gave her a smile.

“Lia, are you okay?”

Gwen grabbed Lia’s hand, looking somewhat worried.

“Me? Of course I’m fine.”

“But the bandits who attacked our convoy aren’t doing so well.”

She spread her hands, motioning for Gwen to look to the other side.

Gwen blinked. Coming first thing, she had only worried about Lia’s safety, and naturally hadn’t seen the pile of charred corpses over there.

Seeing it now, she frowned.

As a Grand Knight, she had seen countless corpses, but even so, such a miserable way of dying still made her scalp tingle.

But…was this done by the few wizards Lia brought?

Thinking about it, she didn’t really believe that herself.

The feeble magic power those wizards possessed was far from enough to burn a large group of people.

Then who else could it be?

An absurd thought flashed through her mind. She jokingly asked Lia:

“Were these bandits killed by you? Don’t mind me, Lia. I’m just kidding.”

Lia: “What if I say yes, would you believe it?”

Gwen: “?”