Alchemy Academy (3)

"Ahem, ahem. All right, class is officially starting. Ask any questions you have," the class instructor said after clearing his throat a few times.

The academies on this continent had a different style of teaching. Perhaps influenced by the teaching of magic and martial arts, after imparting some basic knowledge, they generally let the students study and explore on their own. If they had questions, they could raise them in class.

Martial arts and magic were both things where a master led one through the door, but cultivation depended on the individual. Beyond teaching some foundational knowledge, there was little else teachers could teach. They could only let the students cultivate on their own while offering guidance along the way.

Some might wonder why they should not simply find a renowned master and cultivate alone. Of course, that was possible—but were there really that many renowned masters in the world? Even if there were, at most one or two masters could guide you.

At an academy, it was different. Not only did so many renowned masters provide guidance, there were also fellow students to help verify one's martial arts and magic.

While guiding one student, a teacher would often help the others as well. In other words, the questions raised in class benefited the entire class. Just because you did not ask a question that day did not mean the lesson was meaningless to you.

Of course, sometimes they would also share some of their own experiences.

Thus, the moment the class instructor said they could ask questions, someone immediately raised a hand.

"I, I..." A student immediately raised his hand, wanting to ask a question.

However, upon seeing that student, the class instructor frowned and said somewhat evasively, "Um, Student Ye Lang, save your question for us to discuss privately after class. For now, listen to everyone else's questions."

After several lessons written in blood and tears, not a single teacher dared answer Student Ye Lang's questions during class. Moreover, his questions were of no help whatsoever to anyone else, so they generally chose to discuss them slowly after class. As for whether they could actually discuss them, that was another matter entirely.

"Oh..." Student Ye Lang seemed accustomed to it. He lowered his hand and listened to his classmates' questions and the class instructor's answers while reading his thick alchemy book.

Before long, the entire morning passed like that. Other than the breaks in between, it was all questions and answers. As dismissal approached, it signaled the end of that day's theoretical lessons. After lunch came self-study or practical classes.

That was how the academy arranged things. The mornings were for theory, while the afternoons were free time. Those who liked continuing their theoretical research could do so, while those who liked putting theory into practice could go engage in actual combat.

After class, Student Ye Lang saw the class instructor leave without another word, slipping away as though fleeing for his life. He temporarily gave up on seeking out the instructor to discuss his questions and headed to the cafeteria with the bleary-eyed Tiger Girl to have lunch with his sister.

Tiger Girl had little interest in alchemy. When accompanying her young master to alchemy classes, she was either sleeping or reading martial arts books borrowed from the library.

Ye Lang had once suggested that Tiger Girl attend the Martial Arts Academy instead. The Alchemy Academy was very safe, and he could take care of himself, so Tiger Girl did not need to accompany him. But without even thinking, Tiger Girl refused. She had come to accompany him in the first place. If she went to the Martial Arts Academy, then there would be no point in her coming to the academy at all.

Taking ten thousand steps back, even if there were a point, she would not leave her young master's side for a single step.

As she looked at the enormous, magnificent campus dining hall, Tiger Girl began to grow alert. This was the time when an attack was most likely, and the only opportunity for people to get close to Thirteenth Young Master.

She was not worrying about the sky falling. Such things happened every day. Most were blocked by her and Ye Lanyu, though occasionally an attack would land by sheer bad luck. Fortunately, they were all harmless pranks or attacks meant to humiliate him.

Well, to Thirteenth Young Master, such humiliation was not worth mentioning at all. But it was different for Ye Lanyu. She would fly into a rage and make those people die very ugly deaths.

Carefully leading Thirteenth Young Master into the dining hall, Tiger Girl found a table and sat down. Every table in the hall was the same, with no special tables for distinguished guests. This was meant to convey the academy's idea: in this Royal Academy, everyone had only one identity—that of a student. No matter how noble one's status on this continent might be, everyone was treated equally.

Of course, perhaps this was also because the academy did not want to see these young masters and young ladies start unnecessary conflicts over differences in treatment.

"Tiger Girl, I'm hungry. Go get something to eat," Thirteenth Young Master called after quite some time had passed.

"Wait a little longer, until Miss Lan Yu gets here. Why hasn't she come yet? She should have been here long ago," Tiger Girl said doubtfully as she looked toward the entrance.

Before Ye Lanyu arrived, Tiger Girl would not go get food. That would leave Thirteenth Young Master alone, and who knew what might happen? Nor did she dare take him along to get food, since they would have to pass through far too many crowds.

So she waited for Ye Lanyu. With Ye Lanyu there, she could rest easy. The problem was that something seemed to have happened to Ye Lanyu today, and she had yet to arrive.

A little more time passed before Ye Lanyu finally arrived, her face full of displeasure. Clearly, she had encountered something unpleasant. Not far behind her was a beautiful girl about the same age as Thirteenth Young Master. Unlike Ye Lanyu, this girl's face was brimming with smiles, as though something had happened to make her happy.

Seeing this, it was easy to wonder whether the thing that had happened to those two was the same thing.

Yes, Tiger Girl could be certain—it was absolutely the same thing. This girl was none other than her nominal young mistress, the Empire's Seventh Princess.

Ever since that birthday incident, the two had been locked in a rivalry. They often quarreled and competed in Battle Qi. If one was happy, the other would certainly be upset, and vice versa.

At that moment, Tiger Girl understood. So they had run into each other. No wonder they had come so late.

"Stop following me. Don't pester my brother. Brother, don't talk to her, or I won't pay attention to you anymore." Ye Lanyu sat down, shouted at the girl behind her, then warned Thirteenth Young Master.

"Who needs you to pay attention to him? I can do that, right, Ye Lang?" The Seventh Princess sat down with a grin and said the same to Ye Lang.

The smell of gunpowder between the two women was thick enough to choke on. If Thirteenth Young Master said even one wrong sentence, it would spark a war—a small-scale one, at least.

However, Thirteenth Young Master completely ignored both women and said directly to Tiger Girl, "Tiger Girl, hurry and get food. I'm starving to death."

"..."

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