chapter 21

They had records of many things in their family history. Over the years, they had also been involved in numerous missions and dealt with various issues within the X-Men. Their understanding of Earth, however, was not as deep as they'd hoped. Kamar-Taj, a mysterious and powerful magic force, could hide from others, but not from her.

But it was precisely this that shocked Ororo. Kamar-Taj's magic had never been taught to outsiders. How had Robert learned it?

Ororo took a deep breath and calmed herself. "How did you learn it?" she asked. "Do you know how serious this is?"

Her tone was serious, and Robert couldn't help but shake his head. Kamar-Taj was too mysterious, even Storm herself didn't know much about it. He felt the Mutants didn't seem to understand much about anything either. They were preoccupied with dealing with the discrimination of ordinary people, and thus, their reactions were understandable.

"Don't worry, Ororo. It's fine," Robert said, trying to reassure her. "You can think of it as a family inheritance."

Robert was confident Kamar-Taj wouldn't mind. After all, the things done by Kamar-Taj apostates were far more outrageous than what he had done. Later, when Wong became the Sorcerer Supreme, he even hired She-Hulk to be his lawyer to sue a Kamar-Taj apostate for misusing magic. It was a truly ridiculous case.

But Robert was only learning on his own. Kamar-Taj didn't care. Ororo, however, was just nervous.

To comfort her, Robert spun a small lie. "You can rest easy," he continued, "our family used to be very powerful in ancient times. Many magical spells were passed down through generations. This spell was something my late grandfather gave me."

Ororo was skeptical, but Robert spoke with such conviction that she almost believed him. She nodded.

"That's good," Ororo said. "But you'd better not use this magic in front of others. It could cause problems for you. Also, come with me to see Professor X. We need his opinion."

Robert sighed, realizing that he had no choice but to go with Storm and explain himself to Professor X. This would help prevent any surprises in the future, especially when he started drawing on other powers.

With a flick of his hand, Robert opened another portal. "After you," he said, gesturing gallantly.

Ororo shot him a glare but walked into the portal. Robert followed behind her. The two arrived at the X-Men Academy and quickly found Professor X, who had just finished teaching a class.

Ororo wasted no time and explained everything to Professor X about Robert's mastery of magic.

Professor X, surprised, studied Robert for a moment before speaking slowly. "I did sense a strange power," he said. "I thought it was just some mischievous little one using their abilities. I didn't expect you to be using magic. This is quite unexpected."

Although he was taken aback, Professor X didn't seem overly surprised. His voice remained calm. "What do you think about this?" Ororo asked, her face still showing concern.

She understood the dangers of magic and how powerful Kamar-Taj could be. She feared Robert might cause trouble.

"Ororo, everyone has their secrets," Professor X said gently. "We don't need to investigate the truth behind them. As long as they don't have malice toward us, the X-Men Academy will offer them shelter."

He turned his gaze to Robert with a small smile. "Right?"

Robert nodded in admiration. As expected of the leader of the Mutant Academy, Professor X was not only wise but also very understanding.

When it came to other people, they often focused on their own personal matters, but Professor X always kept a broader perspective. He valued privacy and never sought to pry into people's minds, something Robert greatly respected.

"What Professor X said is right," Robert agreed. "Don't worry, I won't cause any trouble here. If the day ever comes when I do, I'll leave of my own accord."

"That's not what I meant," Ororo replied quickly, shaking her head. "I'm worried about causing you trouble."

Robert smiled and said nothing. He understood why she was concerned. He had made that promise just to put her at ease. Otherwise, he would have been more than happy to stay.

Professor X, after hearing everything, remained calm and kind, just like the elder he was. He reassured Robert with his words.

"Alanna," Professor X said after a moment, "I think you should relax. As long as Robert doesn't pose any threat, there's no need to worry. He will be given all the freedom he requires."

The professor then turned to Robert and addressed him directly. "As for you, Robert, I trust you. I don't see any reason to restrict your actions. However, just keep in mind that the other members of the academy may not be as understanding as I am."

Robert nodded with a smile. "Understood, Professor."

With that, the conversation seemed to be over. Professor X gave Robert the freedom to skip classes, much to his surprise. "You're already quite advanced in your abilities. Attending class would be redundant at this point," he explained.

This left Robert in a curious position. Skipping class used to be exciting when he had lessons to attend, but now, with nothing to learn, he felt a little lost.

Fortunately, Robert was not the type to get overly dramatic about things. He wasn't the kind of person who pretended to be something he wasn't.

The following day, Robert found himself once again at the pond behind the academy, rod in hand. "The weather's perfect today. I should catch a big one," he mused, observing the clear skies and considering the Feng Shui. He stroked his chin thoughtfully, eager to see what the day would bring.