Oh, This Familiar Routine?

Oh~ this familiar routine?

The next day, outside Fiss Royal Magic Academy

Li Si slowly stepped down from the carriage. After all, he had not returned to the academy for some time, so he had dressed a little more formally.

He wore a formal black mage robe and held the Emerald Staff in his right hand, with the Emerald Amulet and Concentration Ring neatly equipped.

Welf wore silver-white warrior's armor. His powerful build and the golden profession badge on his chest made it clear to everyone that he was a formidable Gold Warrior.

Today, Welf had volunteered to accompany Li Si to the academy. In his words, Young Master Li Si had not been back to school in a long time, so he needed to come along and help bolster his presence.

Li Si did not think it was necessary. He was not particularly flamboyant, but seeing how enthusiastic Welf was, he did not refuse.

Li Si had studied at this academy for seven or eight years, so he was naturally familiar with every corner of it. He led Welf toward the Fifth Magic Workshop.

Looking at the academy's antique bronze gates and mottled dark-green brick walls, so out of place beside the surrounding buildings, he could almost feel the weight of time in the air.

It was said that the history of Fiss Royal Magic Academy could be traced back to before the founding of the Fies Kingdom. It had merely been renamed by the new royal family.

Anyone who came here had to get out and enter the academy on foot, even the king.

Such a rule existed because the dean of the Magic Academy had decreed it.

That Legendary Mage who stood at the pinnacle of the entire continent—the Flame of Judgement, Fran Stephens.

However, that legendary figure spent all year wandering the astral realms and studying the mysteries of magic. In all the years Li Si had attended the academy, he had never even heard news of the man appearing.

In fact, no student of the Magic Academy had claimed to see him in the past twenty years.

In his previous life, Li Si had naturally witnessed Legendary experts in action. Every Legendary powerhouse was a walking natural disaster. Legendary Warriors could shake mountains, let alone those Legendary Mages who wielded super-tier spells and forbidden arts.

But because of that, Legendary powerhouses had an unspoken understanding: they would not participate in wars between nations, nor could they slaughter living beings on a massive scale.

The Legendary Realm was still far too distant for him!

Still, with the All-Rounder talent in this life, Li Si was confident he could climb to that legendary realm.

Just as Li Si was deep in thought, an ill-timed voice suddenly rang out and interrupted him.

"Isn't this our esteemed stay-at-home Viscount, Lord Li Si Kane? What made you willing to leave the house today?"

The slightly grating voice made Li Si curiously look toward its source.

What the hell? That punchable line and tone... am I about to enter one of those face-slapping show-off plots?

Five or six people in academy mage robes stood off to the side. They were about his age and seemed to be merely passing by.

Li Si did not answer. Instead, he carefully examined them. They looked somewhat familiar, their faces carrying faintly arrogant expressions, though their mage robes were wrinkled and faded.

Seeing the confusion on Li Si's face, the freckled youth who had spoken sarcastically could no longer hold back. He said bitterly, "As expected of a viscount. Important people really do forget things easily. You can't even remember your classmates?"

The people around him seemed to share the sentiment, all looking at Li Si with hostility.

Li Si scrutinized them again, rummaging through memories he had long tossed into the trash heap.

"Oh~ aren't you the ones from the Mutual Aid Society? What is it, did you need something from me?" Li Si narrowed his eyes and smiled as he looked them over like clowns.

He remembered now. They had enrolled in the same year as him. Though they were commoners, their magical talent had been decent enough for them to pass the entrance test.

After entering the academy, these people had started banding together for support, claiming that nobles were coming to the Magic Academy to steal their resources. They had been especially hostile toward him and Mora.

The original Li Si had been absorbed in studying spells and magical research and had never paid them any attention. Although they had been hostile toward him before, they had never provoked him so openly.

They had not met for a while. Had they changed their tune?

"Oh, I remember now. Is there something you need?"

Li Si looked at them with a smile, completely unbothered. Why get angry with a bunch of brats?

"Uh..." The freckled youth in the lead was named Yoni. He had intended to provoke Li Si and make him angry before proposing a wager to achieve his goal. After learning that Li Si would come to the academy today, they had waited on this unavoidable path for quite a while. Yet he had not expected Li Si to refuse to take the bait.

"If you have nothing else to say, I'll be going. I still need to visit the Fifth Magic Workshop."

Seeing them frozen in place, Li Si found it interesting. It seemed they had come specifically for him, so he made as if to leave.

The moment they saw Li Si about to go, they grew anxious. If they simply let him head to the Magic Workshop, would not all their efforts over the past few days have been wasted?

Yoni stepped directly in front of Li Si, abandoning any other approach as he said, "You can't leave. Today, you must give up your assistant position at the Magic Workshop. That was supposed to belong to Big Brother Camus."

The assistant position? Was that why they had written to tell him to come to the Fifth Magic Workshop?

Li Si pondered this inwardly, but his expression did not change as he said, "Oh? Why should I give it up? Go on, tell me."

"That was supposed to be Big Brother Camus's! Big Brother Camus is so outstanding. He applied so many times and was rejected every time, so why were you chosen?"

"Besides, that position is useless in your hands. You've spent so many resources and are still a mediocre student making no progress," Yoni hurriedly added.

"Even if it is wasted, that is my business. Why should I hand it over to your Big Brother Camus?"

"I don't want to waste words with you. Do you dare have a mage duel? The wager will be the assistant position."

Li Si looked at the person glaring at him and found it rather amusing. As expected of little mages who had spent their lives in an ivory tower. Why were they so childish?

"I'm curious. Why do you think I would duel you?"

"Y-you don't have even a shred of noble honor?"

Yoni felt that something was wrong. Li Si seemed different from before. Although he had once been a dull, quiet person, he had never refused whenever mage duels were mentioned. He had always been passionate about anything related to magic.

But the Li Si before him seemed like a completely different person. That look, as though he were watching monkeys perform, made Yoni especially uncomfortable.

Li Si yawned. "A duel is fine, but what price can you pay?"

Yoni thought for a moment. "If you win, all of us will stay out of your way from now on."

Are you kidding me?

Li Si laughed and turned to leave by another route. Who had time to waste on this nonsense with them?

Seeing this, Yoni hurriedly blocked Li Si again. It seemed he could only bring that out.

As long as Li Si agreed to a mage duel, it would be enough. He did not believe he could not defeat Li Si, who had consumed enormous resources yet remained a mid-rank Bronze Mage.

Gritting his teeth, Yoni pulled something out from his mage robe.