Thesis

The doors of the Discipline Office were wide open, and with a furious roar from Mr. Victor, the students were blasted back by the wave of heat that surged toward them. Mr. Victor was usually easygoing—no one had ever seen him this angry.

By now, other professors had arrived, drawn by the commotion. The Discipline Office was close to the faculty area, and Mr. Victor's roar must have carried all the way there.

Victor didn't say anything more. He walked over to Donald, untied the ropes binding him, and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine. No injuries."

Victor nodded, supporting Donald as they stepped out of the Discipline Office. Behind them, Edgar still hadn't recovered from his shock.

"I gave Donald that book. He's my assistant, not a thief."

Mr. Victor no longer seemed enraged, though his tone remained icy. The students began to disperse at his words.

"I'm not finished yet. Who was it that struck him?"

Mr. Victor's demeanor today was truly frightening.

"Professor Victor, I don't think you need to make such a fuss over this. For a commoner like him?" said a female professor.

"Professor Judy, I think you misheard me. Donald is my assistant."

"Hah, this commoner? Your assistant? Haha, Victor, you must be joking. I heard from my nephew that this little commoner is quite skilled at flattery and stirring up trouble... It seems even you've been fooled by him."

A few scattered murmurs of agreement rose from the students.

Judy's nephew was Carl. Carl was still "recovering"—his injuries had long since healed, but he refused to show his face until his beautiful blond hair grew back.

"Judy, what are you saying? Donald is my natural history assistant. I gave him the book. Isn't that enough? Do you beat someone half to death just because of suspicion?"

"Natural history assistant? Hah, that explains it. Victor, you've been used by him too. Everyone knows your passion for natural history, and this opportunistic young man has exploited it... This sly little commoner has twisted you and Wesley around his finger with nothing but his silver tongue."

"It must be that coward Carl who came crying to you, right, Professor Judy? I think you're the one being used by that brat Carl."

No one expected Wesley to speak up at a time like this. Professor Judy's smile froze as she stared coldly at Wesley, then slowly thawed into a forced grin. "Wesley, you're too young to see through people's hearts. I don't blame you. Carl punished that boy for your own good—you need to know right from wrong."

"Professor Judy, Carl lost to me in a fair duel and went crying to you, didn't he? Do you know what Donald said to me when your nephew ganged up on him and humiliated him?"

Victor was hearing this for the first time. He wondered why Donald had never mentioned it.

Like everyone else, Lucia was curious about what Donald had said to Wesley back then.

"He said nothing! As if nothing had happened... A few days later, I found out from someone else. When I asked him, he said it was just a small matter and it was over."

Lucia stared at the injured Donald in shock—he hadn't said a word.

Wesley looked around, glanced at Donald, and continued, "Carl and his gang couldn't find me, so they took it out on Donald. They kicked him into the grass by the roadside, saying they'd teach him a lesson. And Donald endured that humiliation for my sake without uttering a single word!"

The students exchanged glances. This was the complete opposite of what they had assumed.

"So the one who's really good at flattery and stirring up trouble is your nephew Carl!" Wesley shouted at Professor Judy.

"I'll be telling your father about this. What do you know, you're just a child," Professor Judy replied through gritted teeth, her voice cold. "Then, Professor Victor, how do you explain this? How does a country commoner suddenly become your so-called assistant? That doesn't make sense, does it? This boy seems to have gotten quite a few perks from you. And after hiring this assistant, your research must have made great progress, right? Haha."

Everyone knew Victor's natural history research was a joke. Professor Judy finished her question and waited to see Victor make a fool of himself.

The crowd didn't disperse; instead, more people gathered, drawn by the noise, including several professors.

Mr. Victor hadn't realized that this young man had been enduring such humiliation all along. He said nothing, slowly walked up to Professor Judy, pulled out a letter, and handed it to her, his gaze icy.

Judy immediately felt the violent fluctuations of fire elements radiating from Victor. She struggled to maintain her mocking expression as she took the letter and scanned it. Under everyone's watchful eyes, Professor Judy's face grew uglier and more embarrassed by the second. After a long moment, she let out a heavy snort, threw the letter down, and turned to leave.

Wesley lunged forward and snatched up the letter Judy had discarded. Everyone was dying to know what was written on it that had made Professor Judy so furious.

Wesley skimmed it quickly, then looked at Victor. After receiving a silent nod of permission, he began reading aloud.

"'A New Material Science—Alloy Technology'... The experiments are exquisite, the data detailed, and the reasoning rigorous. This paper presents us with a brand-new, highly valuable field of research... Following the methods described in your paper, we have produced several of the metals you mentioned, and tests confirm they exhibit extraordinary properties... In recognition of your outstanding contributions, this association hereby awards both authors the title of Honorary Director."

This was Mr. Victor's new paper? A brand-new, highly valuable field of research? Mr. Victor had written such an important paper? Gaining the title of Honorary Director from a single paper—that was unheard of!

Some sharp-eyed listeners noticed that the paper had two authors. Who was the other one?

Wesley paused mid-reading, looked up at the crowd, and continued, "First author, writer, and experiment executor: Professor Victor Bryan, Tris Magic Academy, Tris Province, Feymont Empire."

At this point, everyone was guessing which professor at the academy would share this honor with Professor Victor.

"Second author, theory proposer, and experiment designer: Donald Wien, son of a blacksmith, Lant Island, Tris Province, Feymont Empire!"

When Wesley read "son of a blacksmith," the crowd fell dead silent.

"So his surname is Wien." This was the first time Lucia had heard Donald's last name. She had no idea that this ordinary surname would one day shine brilliantly because of the young man before her.