After settling the matter of evening self-study, Xu Mu realized there was another major reason the freshmen lacked motivation.
The rewards weren't enticing enough!
What had students received for placing in the Freshman Competition before? A few resources, and perhaps a smoother path up the Student Union ranks later on.
But compared with the doubled training load after the reforms, that no longer felt like a fair deal to the freshmen.
"Um, I think we should increase the rewards for the academies that place in the Freshman Competition."
That evening, Xu Mu went to Li Lun's office, sat down, and made his suggestion with a grin.
Li Lun looked at Xu Mu sitting across from him, grinning cheekily with his legs crossed.
With a little Ralts perched on Xu Mu's shoulder, Li Lun felt sweat bead on his forehead.
This kid was a menace!
"We can do that."
Despite his irritation, Li Lun could still sit down and discuss serious business with Xu Mu.
"Great. So what rewards can you offer?"
Xu Mu knew Magic City Academy's financial situation.
It wasn't exactly bad.
As one of the top academies in the Eastern Lands, Magic City Academy received generous funding every year.
But between the upheaval Xu Mu had caused lately and the academy's increased spending on resources and benefits for every student, money was tighter than usual.
As a result, the academy didn't seem to have much spare cash to put toward prizes for the Freshman Competition right now.
That couldn't be helped.
They could cobble together some token prizes, but that would look terrible.
This was an official academy event, after all. Offering too little would make them look stingy.
Xu Mu folded his arms and watched Li Lun wrestle with the problem, ready to enjoy the show.
Coming