Guaranteed Admission to an Institution of Higher Learning

Professor Bryce looked very different today from the way he had that day.

He had put on a coat and tidied his hair, and he looked much more energetic.

Matthew was quick to respond when it came to social matters. As soon as he saw the professor, he stood and said, "Good morning, Professor!"

The other students in the classroom got to their feet as well. "Good morning, Professor!"

Professor Bryce nodded and smiled. "Good morning, everyone; good morning, Li Mo."

The fact that he had singled Li Mo out made Matthew's eyelid twitch. He had a bad feeling about this.

After Li Mo returned the greeting, Professor Bryce walked to the front of the classroom and said:

"Everyone, I came here today mainly to talk about the assistant. As you know, I've had a heavy workload lately, and the data requires a great deal of calculation, so I do need an assistant to help me."

The students reacted instinctively.

Some sat up straight, while others adjusted their collars.

Many of them had taken the professor's test.

When the professor had still been teaching classes, some of them had also gotten along quite well with him.

So... what if? What if the professor wanted to choose them as his assistant?

Professor Bryce paused, looked at someone, and said:

"Wayne, would you like to be my assistant?"

A moment earlier, Wayne had been smiling at Matthew, ready to enjoy Matthew's wonderful reaction to being slapped in the face when he learned Li Mo had been chosen.

When he heard that, he froze.

After several seconds of stunned silence, he said stiffly, "Huh? Who?... Me? You mean me?"

Professor Bryce smiled and nodded. "That's right. Although your talent in mathematics is quite ordinary, you took care of me in the office that day. While I was lying on the floor, you placed a stack of larger manuscripts over my stomach to keep me from catching a chill. Your attentiveness and patience are exactly the qualities an assistant needs most."

Wayne finally came to his senses.

A small gesture that day had yielded such a great result.

Of course he was more than willing to become Professor Bryce's assistant.

It was a position every student in the academy dreamed of.

But he turned and looked at Li Mo beside him...

This wouldn't do.

How could he let his brother lose out?

Wayne felt he had to ask. "Then... Professor, what about Li Mo?"

Professor Bryce shook his head. "Li Mo isn't suited to be my assistant."

Those words drew all sorts of reactions from the classroom.

Matthew's expression was complicated. He found it hard to accept that Wayne had been chosen as assistant, but at least Li Mo hadn't been chosen either. That was a blessing in disguise.

Helen quietly raised her head and glanced at Li Mo, then hurriedly lowered it again.

The students who had prepared two sets of remarks decided to start using the first set...

Just then.

Professor Bryce looked at Li Mo and continued, "With Li Mo's talent, perhaps I should be calling him my teacher. Being an assistant would be a terrible waste of his abilities. Li Mo, would you be willing to be my partner?"

Everyone in the classroom: "?"

Li Mo nodded. "Thank you, Professor. Of course I'm willing."

Professor Bryce said, "There's a great deal of data from the observatory, and we have a lot of work ahead of us. Do you need to find an assistant in this class?"

Li Mo asked, "May I?"

"Of course," Professor Bryce replied.

When Li Mo turned around, he found Matthew staring blankly at him.

A damnable thought surfaced in Matthew's mind: What if I apologize now and get Li Mo to take me on?

This really was important to him.

Before his father had left that morning, he had given him strict orders to do everything he could to establish a connection with Professor Bryce.

If he could become Li Mo's assistant, wouldn't that mean he had indirectly completed his father's task?

But before he could prepare himself to speak, Li Mo said without hesitation, "I choose Anna as my assistant."

Matthew cursed inwardly. Fuck! Who Li Mo would choose was really so hard to guess! What the hell was I dreaming about?

"All right, we'll do as you say."

Professor Bryce said:

"Oh, and as for classes for the three of you, I'll personally explain the situation to the supervising teacher. From now on, you won't have to spend your time on the basic courses. And don't worry about the entrance exams, either. I'll write each of you a letter of recommendation."

The students could no longer contain themselves.

Li Mo and Anna were one thing. After all, one had once been a genius, and the other had always gotten good grades.

But for something this good to fall into Wayne's lap! Who could stand that?

Exemption from basic courses, plus a recommendation letter written by Professor Bryce himself.

It was practically the same as securing guaranteed admission to an institution of higher learning!

Damn Wayne!

At times like this, Wayne was all the more gentlemanly. He looked perfectly composed, though he was actually beside himself with excitement.

Although the professor couldn't possibly get him straight into the Royal Academy of Sciences or anything like that, he would be more than satisfied if he could get him into Mondel Advanced Academy, the best academy in town.

After making the arrangements, Professor Bryce led the three of them out of the classroom.

On the academy's top floor.

Professor Bryce opened a drawer and took out two gifts he had prepared.

First, he handed Wayne a small square wooden box.

"This is for you, Wayne."

"Thank you, Professor." Wayne glanced at the gift. It was a pocket watch.

He scratched his head, figuring the professor probably didn't know what his family did for a living. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have given him this...

Next, Professor Bryce took out the other gift.

"Li Mo, this is yours."

Li Mo took it and opened it.

Inside the box was a finely crafted dip pen.

The gift itself wasn't particularly expensive, but it represented the professor's thoughtfulness.

"Professor, thank you for your gift. Oh, Professor, when I came here last time, I actually took a liking to something... If you're willing, I wonder if you could give it to me?"

Professor Bryce was somewhat surprised. "Oh? What caught your eye?"

Li Mo pointed to a corner of the office.

Professor Bryce squinted at it for quite a while. For a moment, he couldn't remember where it had come from.

After thinking carefully, he said in realization, "I think a friend gave me that as a gift in the capital a few years ago. I wasn't interested in it, so I just left it there. It's not important. If you want it, take it."

"All right."

Li Mo walked briskly over and picked up the miniature globe.

In his previous state of Focus, he had clearly seen the threads inside the sphere.

It was unquestionably a Mystical Artifact.

In this world, any creation touched by the power of mysticism could never be cheap.

Even the most basic fire-starting stone cost as much as an ordinary family's expenses for a month or two.

A Mystical Artifact with such a complex structure would certainly fetch an astronomical price at an auction house.

He had really fleeced the old man this time.

Li Mo turned to the professor. "Professor, I'd like to stay here today, and tonight I'd also like to borrow the astronomical telescope to observe the stars."

Professor Bryce nodded. "Use the observatory's equipment as you please."

He immediately unhooked a brass key and tossed it to Li Mo.

"This is the office key. Keep it. Whenever you want to come in the future, you can just come up on your own."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Then carry on. I have something else to do, so I'll be off."

Professor Bryce picked up a document and left the office, probably to attend an academic affairs meeting at the academy.

Once the professor was gone, Wayne let his true nature loose.

Imitating the professor, he too began rolling around on the floor, letting the manuscripts flutter around him.

"Ah... is this what it feels like to roam the ocean of mathematics?"

Wayne spoke with a silly grin, looking rather unintelligent.

Anna said, "Wayne, I suggest you take this opportunity to clean the entire office."

Wayne started. "Good idea!"

After all, he had become the assistant in the capacity of a manservant.

He couldn't help much with mathematics, so shouldn't he hurry up and take good care of the professor?

Wayne sprang to his feet and got straight to cleaning!

Anna asked Li Mo, "Li, is there anything you need me to do?"

Li Mo glanced out the window.

It was still early, and it wasn't dark yet.

So he said, "Not for now. Why don't you help Wayne clean? It'll be more efficient with two people."

Anna agreed.

This was right in her comfort zone.

Li Mo, meanwhile, went over to an empty desk and sat down.

The professor had put some thought into it.

Clearly, this empty desk had been set aside especially for him. The initials "Li" had even been engraved in its upper right corner.

Li Mo smiled and gently set down the miniature globe.

He could put the Mystical Artifact aside for now and study it before bed. Once he grew tired from studying it, he could go straight to sleep.

Since he had time now, he should first put his paper together.

This would be his first paper in this world after awakening his memories.

Speaking of the paper.

This brought out the second benefit of working with Professor Bryce.

Li Mo was just a nobody right now.

Publishing a groundbreaking paper on the self-excited DC generator on his own would inevitably entail risks.

He needed someone influential to vouch for him, and Professor Bryce was obviously the best choice.

Moreover, when it came to patent rights and copyright, this world was far more advanced than Earth.

The Royal Academy of Sciences had long since established extremely strict patent protection laws.

There were even rumors that they could use special Mystical Artifacts to trace the origins of research results...

Once plagiarism was discovered, the Royal Court would confiscate all of the plagiarist's property and exile them to a forced labor camp on the front lines.

With the dual protection of the laws of mysticism and severe laws and punishments.

The scholars of this world were... generally quite honest.

As long as Li Mo signed his name to the paper and mailed it to the capital with Professor Bryce as a witness, the profits and honors from the paper would forever belong to him alone.

Li Mo took out the dip pen the professor had given him.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale.

Inhale, exhale...

He closed his eyes and said silently, Quiet.

When he opened his eyes again.

The world fell quiet.

Li Mo picked up his pen.

He began writing his paper in earnest.