Chapter 235

As Len continued to lavish praise on Leo, Assistant Professor Anna let out a deep sigh.

Memories of the grueling struggle over winter break came flooding back.

Anna opened a subspace and pulled out the paper Len had written.

It was Len’s latest, still-unpublished thesis.

To be honest, working under Len as his assistant professor had been extremely demanding.

‘He really works me to the bone.’

And if that were the only issue, it might’ve been bearable.

But when it came to anything related to magic, he would go into uncontrollable overdrive.

More than once, Anna had seriously considered quitting her assistant position.

And yet, the reason she was still working under him was simple.

‘It’s because this man is a genius.’

He was more passionate and more gifted in magic than anyone.

His creativity and application in the field of Magic Theory were enough to leave even veteran scholars speechless.

What made it even more astonishing was that Len’s theories didn’t just stay as theories.

He constantly researched spells that could be implemented in the near future, pushing the boundaries of magical development.

He had already revolutionized the academic world multiple times with his theoretical magic.

His most recent thesis, [An Introduction to Star Magic], written during winter break, was no exception.

This paper didn’t just shift the tides of magical academia—it had the potential to shake history itself.

While helping write the paper, Anna herself had managed to initiate into Star Magic.

Though she was an exceptional mage, her innate constitution wasn’t well-suited for it.

Of course, even after initiating into Star Magic, she still couldn’t wield it at the same level as elves.

Still, being able to use a wide variety of spells just from initiation was a huge leap.

In magic, the number of usable spells was a key indicator of a mage’s capability.

‘This is why I can’t leave him.’

To Anna, Len was a magician who showed her a whole new world.

Exploration was the essence of a mage.

So to Anna, who was a mage to her very bones, Len was someone she couldn’t help but admire.

But…

“Everyone! Please give a round of applause to Leo Plov, the co-author of this groundbreaking paper!”

‘…Every time he acts like this, I seriously consider quitting!’

Anna clutched her pounding head in frustration.

Co-author?

Yes, it was true that this thesis wouldn’t have been possible without Leo’s idea.

Even so, to present Leo and herself as co-authors without so much as a heads-up?

‘He could’ve at least given us a warning!’

Leo, now forcefully dragged to the front of the classroom by Len, looked to Anna for an explanation.

Having spent the last year in Len’s classes, Leo knew full well that Len sometimes went overboard when it came to magic.

By now, whenever Len started to spiral, the students instinctively turned to Anna.

“Professor Len listed Leo as a co-author on his thesis,” Anna explained.

“Why?”

“Because your unique magic, Bible, was instrumental in the development of this theory. In fact, the core framework of the thesis comes from your original spell system.”

Flap-flap-flap—

Anna flipped through the thick stack of papers and turned to the final page listing the authors.

And upon seeing her own name among them, she let out a long sigh.

‘I figured this might… huh? Why is my name here too?’

Anna’s eyes widened when she saw her own name credited as a co-author.

“Wait a second, Professor. Why is my name listed as a co-author?”

“Isn’t it obvious? Assistant Professor Anna. This paper wouldn’t have been completed without you. Your support and brilliant ideas were essential to developing the theory.”

Len beamed with pride.

“Combining Leo’s spell system and your ideas is what made this paper possible. So it’s perfectly fair to call it a joint paper between the three of us.”

Hearing this, Leo looked convinced.

‘So he used the Bible spell structure.’

Leo’s unique magic system, Bible, which allowed him to use every spell in existence.

Of course, just understanding the system didn’t mean others could use it.

Bible required Leo’s mana trait of “Purity” to activate.

But even if one couldn’t cast spells from it, the structure could be used to derive other outcomes.

When Leo registered his magic with the Magic Academy last year, he didn’t patent it.

If he had, he could’ve earned incentives every time derivative research was published using his spell structure—but he had willingly given that up.

He thought it would be nice if his research helped advance magic.

And besides, how many mages would even be able to understand and utilize that system?

Apparently, Len was one of them.

He had turned Leo’s spell framework into an entirely new theory.

‘This guy really is a genius.’

While Leo marveled—

Anna looked genuinely moved.

“To think you’d hold my small contributions in such high regard… I’m humbled.”

“Your help was far from small. I’m proud to have you as my assistant professor.”

Len smiled brightly and gave Anna’s shoulder a pat.

“That’s why, when the paper gets published, you’ll be attending the academic conference on behalf of the co-authors. I’ll be busy with research and teaching, and Leo’s still a student—so you’ll handle the presentation and debate.”

Crack—!

Anna’s face went stiff.

“Wait. Why me? You’re the one who understands the thesis best.”

“Fufu. You’re being modest. You understand it just as well, Assistant Professor Anna.”

“You! Be honest! You just didn’t want to deal with it and stuck me on as co-author to dump all the work on me, didn’t you?!”

“So sad… that’s how you interpret my gratitude…”

“Then remove my name from the author list right now!”

“Denied.”

“You totally just listed me so you wouldn’t have to deal with the conference!”

Finally losing all reason, Anna lunged at Len and grabbed him by the collar, shaking him violently.

“W-What should we do?”

“What do you mean ‘what should we do’? Stop her!”

Chloe shouted and rushed to the front of the lecture hall.

“Assistant Professor Anna! Please stop!”

“Calm down, Professor!”

Chelsea followed and helped Chloe pull Anna off of Len.

“Let me go! I’m settling this today! I’m quitting this assistant position for good!”

“Hahaha. Even if you resign, you’ll still need to attend the conference. You’re a co-author.”

“Kyaaaagh!”

Anna, eyes blazing, began to thrash wildly.

She even started chanting a spell, prompting the girls to panic and cover her mouth before dragging her out of the classroom.

“…Is attending an academic conference really something to get that mad over? Isn’t it a huge honor?”

Carr muttered in a dazed tone, and Abad gave a bitter smile.

“The issue isn’t the conference. It’s the thesis.”

“What?”

“Academic conferences are prestigious. But this thesis makes it possible for non-elves to learn Star Magic. It’s revolutionary.”

“Wouldn’t that make the recognition even greater? It’s a historic breakthrough!”

“Sure… but do you think conservative elven mages will just sit back and accept it?”

“Ah…”

Carr finally understood.

Academic conferences were attended by renowned mages from every race, who came to debate and discuss magic.

Elven mages, in particular, were known for being proud and conservative.

To most elves, the Founder’s magic was a birthright—a symbol of their superiority.

They called themselves the “race of magic” precisely because Star Magic was optimized for them.

Len’s theory was a direct challenge to that pride.

No matter how great the theory was, establishing it in the academic world would face severe resistance.

And Len had dumped the burden of presenting it entirely onto Anna under the title of co-author.

If she showed up at the conference, she’d undoubtedly be torn apart by furious elder elven scholars.

“No wonder Assistant Professor Anna snapped.”

Carr clicked his tongue.

Meanwhile, Leo picked up the paper Anna had dropped.

He flipped through it.

‘This is incredible.’

Len’s theory and spellwork were impressive enough to earn Leo’s admiration.

‘So this is how he adapted my spell.’

Just as he was marveling—

Step. Step.

“What do you think, Leo?”

“It’s amazing. But did I really need to be listed as a co-author?”

“Fufu. This paper came from your idea. The framework was yours. That alone qualifies you as a co-author.”

‘And once this achievement is recognized, history will remember Leo Plov as a great mage!’

Len had no intention of denying Leo’s prowess as a knight or summoner.

But still, Len wanted Leo to be known as a mighty mage who wielded both Aura and Summoning Arts.

‘Fufufu. My foolish senior colleagues… From now on, no one will be able to label Leo Plov as just a knight or a summoner, with nonsense like bloodlines or Phoenix contracts!’

Thinking of Ain and Yura, Len grinned darkly.

‘And I’ll make sure those pointy-eared fools trying to transfer him to Seiren understand too! Leo Plov is a student of Lumene’s Magic Department!’

BANG—!

“LEN HORSSSSS!”

“Hey! Stop Assistant Professor Anna!”

Anna, who had been dragged out of the lecture hall by the girls, kicked the door open and stormed back in.

The students turned pale and tried to block her.

‘Looks like today’s lecture is done for.’

Leo sighed softly.

‘What a disaster of a first class.’

—

“Argh! Finally over.”

“But seriously, it was amazing! Professor Len might be eccentric, but you can’t deny his magical prowess. How does someone even think like that?”

“I just hope Assistant Professor Anna’s okay… She looked totally out of it.”

“…Just imagining being mobbed by top elven mages at an academic conference makes me want to throw up.”

After class ended, the Magic Department students left the hall.

Excited about the new theory they’d learned, they broke into heated discussion.

“You’re seriously incredible.”

Carr shook his head in disbelief at Chloe.

“How do you manage to pick up Star Magic on the very first day?”

“I’ve been researching it for a while. Professor Len’s theory gave me the clarity I needed.”

Chloe had successfully initiated into Star Magic during the very first lecture.

Len had heaped praise on her.

Now, alongside Leo, Chloe became the second student in the second year capable of using Star Magic.

“Abad and Chelsea didn’t seem to get it though.”

“Those two are still heavily influenced by bloodline magic. But they’ll catch on soon enough.”

“So… what should we do for lunch?”

“Wanna eat with me?”

As Carr and Chloe debated lunch—

Suddenly, a voice called out from behind, startling them both.

Leo, walking nearby, also stopped at the unexpected presence.

It was a beautiful woman with silver hair and an eyepatch, wearing a warm smile.

“You’re Professor Mel, the first-year Magic Theory instructor, right?”

Always quick with school news, Carr recognized her and bowed.

“Yes. Nice to meet you, Carr.”

“Oh! You know me?”

“Yes, you’re quite the little troublemaker, aren’t you?”

“Troublemaker… haha.”

Carr gave a sheepish smile.

“Leo, Chloe, Carr.”

Mel smiled gently.

“I’d like to invite the three of you to lunch.”

Carr and Chloe exchanged glances.

“Alright.”

Leo accepted the invitation.

Seeing that, Chloe and Carr also nodded.