Arcane research was sometimes much like doing business: investment and returns mattered.
The path someone else had opened was smooth and led straight to an orchard. Now that you knew plenty of fruit had ripened there, ready for picking, would you go or not?
Opani was troubled because he was leading everyone there, only to find the mountains high, the journey long, and the orchard nowhere in sight.
It lay across disciplines, beyond mountains and rivers, much farther away than he had anticipated.
And just then, another orchard had been discovered behind them.
As luck would have it, this one was right where they had started, in the Elements School's field of lightning magic!
If he let matters develop unchecked, his authority within the school would suffer a severe blow.
Everyone would feel that their old dean's reckless directions had led the school to defeat and cost them dearly.
Turning back now to research the Electromagnetic Cannon would mean fighting the Seris School on two fronts, a decidedly unwise move.
But targeting the "person" might work.
If he could secure that crucial human factor, he could strengthen his own side while weakening the opposition.
That would kill two birds with one stone.
"Who can get in touch with Farn? Contact him directly!"
A sharp gleam flashed in Opani's eyes, and he decisively adopted this excellent suggestion.
"Master Roland, your application has been submitted. The committee will review the matter and respond as soon as possible."
The formulaic reply meant that the enrollment status of the sixteen students was now officially on the agenda.
Plans for all this had already been made during their earlier discussions, and the necessary documents had long since been prepared.
He personally oversaw the entire process, showing how much he valued them.
If everything went