Brother, there's no money left in our family.

Victor's commanding presence overwhelmed everyone present. The students held their breath tightly, and not a single soul dared to make a hasty move.

Once the situation had been stabilized, Victor inquired, "Now, tell me what exactly happened."

A commoner student at the front stepped forward and said, "Erica, flaunting her noble status, came here and deliberately humiliated us. One of our classmates was framed and vanished under the influence of her magic!"

The rest of the commoner students chimed in immediately. Erica, in a fluster, hastened to defend herself, and the scene descended into chaos once again.

"Silence!"

The clamorous space fell into a hushed silence once more.

Victor rubbed his temples wearily. Indeed, no matter in which world, quarrels were invariably exasperating.

"Is that so, Erica?" Victor queried her in an impatient tone, his eyes betraying a hint of annoyance.

Erica gradually regained her composure and proceeded to explain, "I wasn't trying to humiliate them. I was practicing magic here, and that unfortunate fellow walked into the teleportation magic right when I made an error, which led to his disappearance."

Naturally, the students around were skeptical of her words. However, with the professor present, they didn't dare voice their doubts, keeping their dissent hidden.

Vega leaned in and whispered softly into Victor's ear, "I've examined it. The teleportation array has sent the person to another dimension."

"Doesn't matter. I'll take care of it."

Vega's single eye glinted mysteriously, and a wisp of inky black air wafted out slowly from beneath his wings.

Victor understood his intent and activated the Mage Hand. Instantaneously, six magnificent magic arrays materialized in the air, their intricate patterns glowing faintly.

"Six - layer casting again?"

At the sight of this remarkable scene, Erica was filled with sheer astonishment. She had never anticipated that Professor Victor could execute the highly challenging multi - casting spell with such consummate ease.

Vega carefully added some ancient - looking runes to his magic array from behind. Six gossamer - thin black runes gracefully merged into the array, enhancing its power.

The entire magic array emitted a resplendent red glow, a sight that was both captivating and awe - inspiring.

Mixed with the warm hues of the setting sun, it bathed the entire Arcane Hall in a glorious radiance, as if it were a scene out of a dream.

Everyone was momentarily blinded by the intense light, shielding their eyes instinctively.

It was not until the light gradually dissipated that a sudden exclamation jolted everyone present back to reality.

"Is this... the Arcane Hall? I'm back?"

The student looked around in utter disbelief, his eyes welling up with tears of joy and relief.

"I'm back! I'm really back!"

The onlookers gradually opened their eyes, and upon seeing the familiar face of their long - lost classmate, the commoner students erupted into exuberant cheers, their voices filled with excitement and joy.

Erica stood there, rooted to the spot in stunned amazement. She had never fathomed that Victor could reverse her malfunctioning magic array so effortlessly.

"So this is... a third - order mage?" Erica murmured under her breath, her voice laced with a mixture of surprise and admiration.

With the matter resolved, Victor turned his gaze towards Erica, his eyes cold and unyielding, and said, "Erica, apologize."

Upon hearing this demand, Erica's expression hardened, and she became immediately defiant.

She was already seething with resentment inside. How could she possibly submit to Victor's order?

Why on earth should she!?

She acknowledged that Victor had rectified her error, but she firmly believed that she hadn't done it on purpose. That unlucky student was simply careless and had strayed into her magic array by accident!

Moreover, her noble birth and upbringing had instilled in her the deeply - rooted belief that "There's no way a noble should ever apologize to a commoner."

Victor noticed her unyielding stance. His brows furrowed into a tight frown, and he couldn't help but sneer disdainfully, "You're unwilling to apologize for your mistake. Your academic skills are clearly lacking, and your character is highly suspect."

"Is this the kind of upbringing the Du Croys family prides itself on?"

These scathing words struck a chord with the commoner - faction students. What they loathed the most was the arrogance of those noble families who used their status to oppress them.

Seeing that this professor was standing up for them, their eyes lit up with newfound hope and respect.

These words ignited a fierce fire of anger within Erica, but she was acutely aware that she shouldn't lose her temper.

Just as Victor had pointed out, she was undeniably in the wrong.

She couldn't afford to bring shame upon her family because of her own blunder.

Erica's chest heaved with suppressed anger. She took a deep, calming breath, regained her composure, and with a sense of dignity, gracefully bowed to the unlucky student.

"I'm truly sorry for my negligence."

The students, witnessing the once - haughty noble finally humbling herself, were momentarily at a loss for words. No sarcastic remarks escaped their lips.

To be honest, they were all of a similar age, and in that moment, a sense of empathy prevailed.

The unlucky student, Jack, also recovered from his shock and accepted the apology with a touch of embarrassment.

"I'm also to blame. If I had been more vigilant while walking, this wouldn't have happened."

Victor raised his eyebrows slightly, a hint of satisfaction flickering in his eyes.

A harmonious atmosphere prevailed, exactly the kind of ideal campus environment one would hope for.

Merely an apology, however, was not enough. Since she had made a mistake, she needed to set an example.

He cast a sidelong glance at Erica and coldly remarked, "Follow me to the office."

Erica lowered her head in silence, a look of resignation on her face, but she obediently trailed behind him.

The two of them slowly made their way out, under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Immediately after, the students erupted into a frenzy of excited chatter.

"Damn, this guy is so cool! Do you know who he is?"

"Judging by his appearance, he seems to be a teacher. But he must be new here, right?"

"Hey, that was multi - casting, and it was six - layer! That's the most I've ever seen! How could he possibly be an ordinary teacher?"

"I'm from Class One. That's the new professor, Victor. He taught us this afternoon!"

"He's actually a professor! No wonder he's so powerful, but he's incredibly young, isn't he?"

"I wonder when Professor Victor's lecture will be. I'm definitely signing up for it when the time comes!"

...

The departing Victor, of course, was oblivious to the students' animated discussions. Erica followed closely behind Victor, with Victor's teaching assistant, Hennie, by their side.

The three entered the Mage Tower. After a strict identity verification process, they were teleported to Victor's office.

Victor made a deft motion with his hand, drawing a magic array in the air. In an instant, Erica's hairpin materialized in his palm.

Victor extended his hand, offering the hairpin to her.

Erica froze in surprise. She had never expected that the professor would return her personal item.

"Keep your belongings safe. Don't let such incidents happen again in the future."

Erica pursed her lips, a hint of gratitude in her eyes, and lowered her head to accept the hairpin.

Victor took his seat behind the desk in a natural manner, while Erica, who had seemed so unruly earlier, now stood before him, looking like a scolded child.

Victor's fingers tapped rhythmically on the desk, and then he began to speak in a measured tone, "Listen closely, Erica. Regardless of any past conflicts between us, this is the Royal Magic Academy, not a place for you to act recklessly. I am the teacher, and you are the student. You need to correct your attitude."

"Magic is a dangerous force. If you're not yet proficient in controlling it, refrain from using it casually in public areas. This time, it was just an ordinary teleportation magic. But imagine if you were practicing some extremely powerful area - of - effect magic with high lethality?"

Erica remained silent, but the slight tremors in her body betrayed her inner fear.

If she were truly unable to control her magic, it would undoubtedly lead to a catastrophic disaster.

And now, Victor's lecture continued without pause.

"What you said in class was quite perceptive, Erica. As a teacher, I do have the responsibility to answer students' questions."

"But the prerequisite is that you approach with a sincere desire to learn, not with the intention of causing trouble."

With that, Victor began to demonstrate the principle of the teleportation magic and its more advanced upgraded array right in front of her.

"Watch attentively. I'll only show this once."

Runes and magic arrays danced gracefully between Victor's fingertips, a mesmerizing display of arcane power. Erica snapped to attention, her eyes fixed intently on the scene, determined to absorb every detail.

He demonstrated to Erica how to send an object to another dimension and retrieve it safely.

After the demonstration, he assigned Erica a task: "Master this technique and write a detailed report. Hand it over to my teaching assistant tomorrow morning, and she will forward it to me."

Erica nodded wordlessly, her expression serious, and then quietly left the office.

Hennie, who had witnessed the entire exchange from a corner, commented after Erica had left, "Professor, you're really kind - hearted. You're nothing like the rumors suggest. But this Erica, I just can't stand her."

She was well - aware of what had transpired in class earlier and knew full well that Erica had been deliberately causing trouble.

Fortunately, Victor had handled the situation with composure and even managed to turn the tables on her.

Victor didn't look at her as he said nonchalantly, "If you were a minor and a nearly thirty - year - old man confessed his love and flirted with you, I bet your resentment would be on par with hers."

Hennie was taken aback, her eyes widening in surprise, and asked, "Is that story... true?"

Victor merely smiled faintly, stood up, patted her head affectionately, and left a final instruction: "Bring Erica's notes and lecture script to me tomorrow."

With that, he turned around and teleported out of the office, leaving behind a lingering sense of mystery.

.....

Erica alighted from the carriage, and there, standing at the entrance of the courtyard, was a man.

He shared the same lustrous blond hair and piercing blue eyes as Erica, a testament to their shared bloodline.

That was her proud father, Duke Levi, a man of stature and influence.

Time had been kind to him, leaving only a few faint lines on his otherwise smooth face.

"My dear, why are you so late returning home?"

Duke Levi greeted her with a warm smile, but upon seeing Erica's downcast expression, his smile faded instantly.

"Erica? What's wrong? Did someone bully you at school?"

"Tell Dad, and I'll make sure they pay dearly!"

Erica cut him off, saying, "Stop it, Father. No one bullied me."

"I just encountered Victor. He's become a professor at the academy and started working there today."

Upon hearing this, Levi straightened up abruptly, his expression turning fierce, and exclaimed, "That scoundrel! I'll have the Royal Magic Academy dismiss him tomorrow!"

Although he was likely just trying to console his daughter with empty threats.

Levi was well - aware that Victor was exceptionally talented and a third - order mage to boot.

Especially now that he had joined the Royal Magic Academy as a professor, he had firmly aligned himself with the royal family.

Unless the king himself issued the order, no one would dare to openly challenge him.

But Erica was ignorant of these political intricacies and quickly interjected, "No!"

She recounted the events of the day. After listening, the duke's expression softened somewhat.

Erica continued, "I have to admit, I can't hold a candle to him."

She refrained from telling her father about the conflict with the commoners, only sharing the dispute that had occurred in the lecture hall.

After hearing her account, Levi nodded understandingly and offered words of comfort, "Since that's the case, then study magic diligently under his guidance."

"Victor managed to become a third - order mage at the tender age of twenty. He must possess extraordinary abilities."

"But you're my daughter, and I know your talent inside out. You have a unique gift."

"Learn from his strengths, and one day, defeat him. I have full faith in your ability to do so."

Hearing the duke's words, Erica nodded obediently. Accompanied by the servants, she quietly made her way back to her room.

Watching his daughter leave, the duke heaved a deep sigh.

No matter how much Erica had suffered at Victor's hands, he was powerless to intervene.

After all, he was a duke, and his every action was expected to serve the interests of the country.

In his position of power, he couldn't afford to act impulsively or out of personal sentiment.

The empire's stability and his own status as a duke demanded a higher level of restraint.

"Sorry, Erica," he murmured softly, a hint of regret in his voice.

...

By the time Victor returned home, the night had deepened into a velvety darkness. As he stepped into the garden, stretching his tired body, a servant approached him hastily.

"Lord, your sister requests your presence in the study. She has something urgent to discuss with you."

After delivering the message, the servant scurried away.

Victor furrowed his brows in concern.

It was so late. This couldn't be anything good...

Pushing open the door of the study, he found Lia sitting in a chair, waiting impatiently.

"What's the matter?" Victor asked his sister, his voice tinged with curiosity. In response, he was met with Lia's furious glare.

"Look for yourself!"

Lia slapped a consumption bill down on the table in front of Victor, her handprint visible on the surface.

The table shook violently from the force of her slap, rattling the objects on it.

"Such a temper?" Victor remarked casually, casting a sidelong glance at Lia before picking up the bill.

The bill detailed his recent expenses. A large sum had been spent on purchasing magical materials, and another significant amount had vanished without a clear trace, leaving a mysterious void in the records.

Of course, Victor knew exactly where the money had gone.

The materials were for his magical experiments, and the other expenditure was related to his unique learning experiences, which were only accessible to those with special privileges. Lia, naturally, was in the dark about this.

But was the family really facing financial difficulties?

"The territory's income has been rather meager lately, and yet you're squandering money like there's no tomorrow! Do you intend to drain the territory dry of its last resources?"

Lia stood up, her finger jabbing forcefully at Victor's chest, as she unleashed a torrent of reproaches.

"Explain this to me at once!"