Auditing Student

Time passed quickly. A morning magic class came to an end, and Melinda closed the textbook on the podium. After dismissing the class, she carried her books outside.

When she left the classroom, she came smilingly to Chen Cheng and said:

"I'm sorry. That was just a little joke. But if you want, I can speak to Baron Kekebor. I believe he'll agree to my request."

Only then did Chen Cheng realize what Melinda had meant. He repeatedly shook his head, indicating that there was no need.

At the same time, he was secretly astonished by Melinda's status. This beautiful and kind teacher was definitely more than just a teacher. Otherwise, she could not possibly claim that she could have Kekebor, a baron, set him free with merely a word.

After spending these past days in Kekebor Town and Baron Kekebor's estate, Chen Cheng had become keenly aware of how formidable class distinctions were in this world.

Those without social status still had to bow when they encountered nobles, no matter how powerful they were.

Even if you relied on your strength to bully minor nobles, the noble system of this world was extraordinarily solid.

As long as you provoked even the smallest among them, once word spread, the entire noble class would regard you as an enemy from then on.

At first, when Chen Cheng heard this, he thought it was merely a rumor passed around in back alleys. Only later did he understand that it was the truth.

The nobles controlled the richest Central Continent in this world not because they were powerful, but because their class was exceptionally united.

Otherwise, the nations ruling this world would not have been systems formed jointly by noble lords, but sects established by superpowered experts relying on their strength.

Then his dream of restoring his kingdom would not have required Samlet to gather a force. He could have simply relied on Samlet's peerless strength to seize a mountain and reestablish their sect.

Chen Cheng only came to understand these principles much later.

Melinda smiled and rubbed his head before saying:

"I saw you listening outside the entire time during my lesson. Are you very interested in magic? If you want to study magic, I can apply to the academy for an auditing seat for you."

This time, Chen Cheng truly could not understand Melinda's intentions. This was only the second time he had met her, and honestly, based on his apparent identity, he and Melinda should have been enemies. Why did she want him to come into contact with magic?

Chen Cheng did not beat around the bush and directly asked Melinda:

"Teacher Melinda, I'm a savage. You civilized people hunt and kill us savages, so we should be enemies, right? High-end knowledge like magic shouldn't be open to me, should it? There should be a technological blockade between us, right?"

Chen Cheng's theory of technological blockade left Melinda momentarily stunned. Then she looked at him with some excitement and said:

"You really are smart. I never expected you to put the prohibition against spreading magic so plainly and understandably. But it doesn't matter for you, and I'll serve as your guarantor. I believe you certainly won't let anything happen to my sister, right?"

As she spoke, Melinda gave Chen Cheng a playful smile, then continued to herself:

"Then it's settled. The next class is Isabel's magic practicum. You can attend as an auditing student alongside your little mistress.

Remember not to be late."

Melinda rubbed Chen Cheng's head, then left with a smile.

Not long after Melinda left, Fini came over to Chen Cheng somewhat sourly. She waved her little hand before his eyes and said with a hint of jealousy:

"Stop staring. Melinda has already gone far away. Besides, Teacher Melinda's eyes have become nearsighted from studying magic for so many years, so she can't see your affectionate gaze anyway."

Chen Cheng came back to his senses amid Fini's jealous words. Only then did he understand why Melinda had needed to get so close when examining the injuries on his face. So she was nearsighted.

Thinking of this, Chen Cheng asked curiously:

"Since Teacher Melinda is a mage, why doesn't she use magic to heal her eyes?"

"I don't know either. I heard that Teacher Melinda's eyes were cursed by the God of Magic, and ordinary healing magic does nothing for them.

Enough about Teacher Melinda. The next class is magic practicum. Where are you going to play later?"

When Fini saw Melinda speaking with Chen Cheng earlier, she had not approached, so she did not know that Melinda had made Chen Cheng an auditing student.

Yet Chen Cheng was currently thinking about Melinda's eyes. Hearing Fini's question, he blurted out without hesitation:

"Sister Melinda said she'll apply to the academy for an auditing seat for me, so I'll attend the next class with you."

Chen Cheng had no idea just how shocking his casual words were. The students playing and roughhousing in the corridor all stopped in their tracks and looked at Chen Cheng, followed by waves of hushed whispers.

"I never expected Teacher Melinda to still be like this. No wonder her eyes have never been cured."

"Stop talking. Be careful, or the count will make things difficult for your father."

Only then did Chen Cheng realize that he had said something wrong again. But since he was going to attend class anyway and these people would find out sooner or later, he did not bother with them.

Fini beside him was first stunned, then puffed out her cheeks and glared at Chen Cheng indignantly.

"Squat down."

Seeing Fini's puffed-up expression, Chen Cheng knew that the little girl was angry, though he had no idea why she was angry.

Still, he did not care in the slightest about his status as a fallen prince and directly squatted down before Fini.

Fini immediately jumped onto Chen Cheng's back and had him carry her. Then she pointed out the location of the magic practicum classroom.

Not long after the two left, Coles, who had been watching Chen Cheng all along, sneered and headed toward the academy headmaster's office with his hulking companion.

"A lowly slave wants to study in class with us? Once I report this to the headmaster, let's see how you, you despicable thing, can remain at the academy. As long as you leave the academy, this young master will skin you alive and pull out your tendons."

Inside the Huidun Academy headmaster's office, Melinda was submitting an application. Across from her, the elderly headmaster with a full head of white hair accepted the application with a smile and began reading it.

"Melinda, how have your eyes been lately? Do you need your teacher to prepare some more magic medicine to help regulate them?"

"Your teacher recently looked through some magic tomes and found a new medicinal treatment for the eyes. It might be of some help to you."

Headmaster Adolf said this while casually flipping through the application Melinda had handed him.

Melinda shook her head as though resigned to her fate.

"Teacher Adolf, forget the magic medicine. It won't have much effect on my eyes, and it would consume a great deal of your savings. Those are meant to support you and your wife in the future.

Besides, I'm only somewhat nearsighted. It has not greatly affected my research into magic. I can still read magic books and teach those little ones."

Adolf sighed. After reading the entire application, he looked solemnly at Melinda and said:

"Do you know who you are applying for? This will greatly damage your reputation in the kingdom and the magic world in the future."

Melinda merely gave a bitter smile.

"It doesn't matter. These eyes of mine, cursed by the God of Magic, have already spread my reputation throughout the entire kingdom and the magic world.

Even without this matter, that identity of mine would have long since left me utterly disgraced.

Besides, I believe the God of Magic is willing to spread his knowledge to every person living in the magical world."

Adolf sighed and nodded. In the end, he still stamped the application with his headmaster's seal. Melinda thanked him, delighted for Chen Cheng, and left the headmaster's office.

When she left the office, she saw Coles, who had come to lodge a complaint. The moment Coles saw Melinda, he knew she was serious. His plan had failed before it had even begun.

Having just fulfilled her promise to someone, Melinda was in high spirits. When she saw Coles approach, she asked after him with a teacher's concern. When Coles gave a false smile and said it was nothing, she hummed a little tune and headed for her office.

Coles let out a long sigh and was about to leave, but then something occurred to him. His dejected face brightened again, and he departed with his hulking companion.

Huidun Academy covered an enormous area. Though it could not compare with the institutions of higher learning in the royal capital, it was no worse than the provincial academies. Its teaching equipment and facilities were all complete.

Chen Cheng carried Fini to the magic practicum classroom. Before long, Fini and the others' magic practicum teacher arrived.

She was a valiant-looking teacher with short hair, regular features, and a close-fitting combat uniform.

Amid the nobles' whispered conversations, Chen Cheng learned that this magic practicum teacher, Isabel, had once been a warrior in the Royal Guards.

Though she looked valiant and dashing, her entire right lower leg had actually been amputated. She now wore only a magical prosthetic limb, and it was precisely for this reason that she had retired from the Royal Guards at such a young age.