Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Chapter 29: Alvenia Central University

Jend succeeded in asking out Ferris.

I thought it would be about a 50/50 chance of her coming all the way to Flowtier, but he convinced her to come as well. I heard that he said something along the lines of, “If Ferris won’t come, then I’ll remain in the Capital!”

…….that idiot. If he did have to stay here, what was he going to do about his family business, and how was he planning on making a living around here? I know he was just spouting our desperate threats, but he needs to be more careful…

Well, regardless…

Ferris will not only come to Flowtier, but she’ll also join our party. Now we have someone who can help us if we suffer a major injury, and the stability of our party just became rock solid. For a party in Flowtier, it’s excessively solid.

So Jend receiving some passionate and excessive “training” from the veterans of the White Dragon Knights, worked out for the best. Now, we can look back and laugh at what happened.

It will take about 3 days for Ferris to prepare her things to leave, but that should not be a problem.

It’s been a little crazy the last few days, and we almost forgot that our main purpose of this trip was for Lana to meet the professor at the university. ….I’m sure that meeting will not end in one day.

Henry: “What time was the meeting?”

We’re at the Black Dragon Knights’ barracks. Looking into a mirror in front of a wash basin, I was making sure that I looked presentable as I asked Lana.

Lana: “He has availability this afternoon at 2PM.”

We received a reply from the university professor last night.

The student running the errand kept looking back and forth between the return address of the letter and the building in front of him. ….yeah, I would be hesitant and bewildered too. I felt bad for him.

Henry: “Should we bring a gift for the meeting?”

Lana: “Oh, we already brought something from Flowtier. Teo has it stored in her bag. Teo?”

Teo: “Here.”

Teo takes out a package of cookies neatly set and wrapped inside a box.

Flowtier cookies are known for having candied flower petals sprinkled over them. It’s a snack that fits the name of the City of Water and Flowers. I ate it at a café, and it was pretty good.

Teo: “Good luck, Lana.”

Lana: “Thank you, Teo.”

Teo encourages Lana, and Lana accepts it with a smile.

Henry: “Oh yeah, Teo, what will you do? I know Jend and Cyril went to help Ferris pack for the trip this afternoon.”

Teo: “I’m joining Sir Grandezeal for another training session. …I’m getting at least one strike in today.”

Teo definitely doesn’t like losing. But an adventurer who can defeat a Black Dragon Knight is at least a Heroic Warrior level , so she shouldn’t be so hard on herself.

And all the young guys are resting today so it’s just the veterans… Her path today is full of perils.

Lana: “Teo, good luck to you too.”

Teo: “Mmhmm. Thanks. I have plenty of charms today so I’ll show them the strength of the Cloudy Plains Style martial arts.”

The magecraft that can be used by throwing it at the enemy. She might have a chance if she makes it rain with those explosive charms.

Well, let’s hear the results when I get back.

Alright. I think we have everything. I made sure to clean up and look nice to help us enter the university. It’s still a little early, but let’s go ahead and head out.

Henry: “You ready to go, Lana?”

Lana: “Yes.”

Then let’s see what this Kingdom’s top educational institution is like.

<<<<>>>>

Lana: “Umm… hello. I have an appointment with Professor Conrad. My name is Lana.”

At the gates of Alvenia Central University, we are being screened and checked. Without a student identification, there is paperwork you have to fill out to enter the premises.

Well, if it was just your normal guards, they have security like this in most places, but the guards before us are not regular soldiers or adventurers taking on a quest. They are a man and a woman from the renown Green Dragon Knights. Just by that, you can tell how important this place is to this country.

“Yes, we have been informed. ….but you are much younger than we expected.”

Lana: “Hehe”

Lana is a little embarrassed and the female knight smiles warmly at her.

And the male knight approaches me to ask me questions.

“And you are?”

Henry: “My name is Henry. I am an Adventurer who has been requested by her parents to protect her. I am not her guardian per se, but my Quest includes sitting in on the discussions and reporting back to her parents.”

“I understand. We do not mind if you step onto the premises, but please leave your spellcall stone and weapons here.”

Oh, yeah. That makes sense.

I take off my spellcall stone necklace and hand over my Nyoiten Spear.

“Thank you. I’ll have to do a quick body check. Please excuse me.”

The male knight checks me and the female knight checks Lana to make sure we’re not hiding any weapons or carrying anything dangerous. They take security very serious here.

They check the contents of our bag, and finally, we get through.

I don’t think they’ll be this thorough for any student of theirs, but they are extra careful with anyone not affiliated with the school.

“Excuse us for being overly cautious. We had someone recently try to steal research data, and we are currently undergoing heavier security.”

As I am signing into their visitor’s log, the male knight explains this to me.

Henry: “I see. Well, we don’t mind at all. Okay, let’s go, Lana.”

Lana: “Yes.”

And I was just about to step in, but…

Henry: “Oh, wait just a sec, Lana. Just wait right there.”

Lana: “What’s wrong, Mr. Henry?”

I return to the reception desk.

“Is something the matter? Did you forget something?”

Henry: “Well, it’s not really something I left behind, but something I forgot to tell you. My spear is a godly equipment.”

“Yes…?”

Yeah, he looks confused. It’s not odd for an adventurer to be carrying around a godly equipment.

Henry: “And… it has the ability to return to me at any time.”

I reach out my hand toward the desk where my Nyoiten Spear was stored, and it appears on my hand.

I also extend it to its full spear length and shorten it back to its knife length.

Henry: “……I thought this might be a problem.”

“Y-yes. It is. Since you were upfront about it, in any other time, we could have let you pass, but right now, our security measures will prohibit you from entering until the restrictions are lifted…”

Crap. I didn’t think about this scenario.

….worst case, I’m sure the inside of the University is safe for Lana to go alone, and I don’t have to stand guard next to her the entire time.

But on the other hand, I can’t just abandon my responsibilities of this quest…

Henry: “Hmm?”

Owen: “Oh.”

I suddenly come upon a familiar face….and he has a woman with him.

Owen: “Ohh… that’s right. You were here to take Lana to the university. Have fun~~…”

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Henry: “Hey, hold up, Owen!”

I feel bad to interrupt his date, but I need to borrow his name and status real quick.

<<<<>>>>

That went smoothly getting a current Black Dragon Knight member to vouch for me and have him sign off on my identity and character. We are now in the university premise without anything to worry about.

But now that I think about it, I guess I can be adept at assassinations. Unlike demonic creatures, I could join a human party unarmed, and then call out my Nyoiten Spear and take out my target…

Of course, I’m just playing with my imagination here. I really have no intention of going into that kind of business.

“Hello, Miss Lana. I am Conrad. It is a pleasure making your acquaintance.”

Lana: “The pleasure is mine, Professor Conrad. My name is Lana. Thanking for making the time to meet with me. Oh, these are famous sweets from my hometown.”

Conrad: “Oh, how considerate. I will enjoy it with the other students when we get a chance.”

A very kind looking old man greeted Lana. He had a relaxed atmosphere unlike what I would have expected from a university professor. Since he is a professor at Alvenia’s Central University, he is one of the top minds of this country.

Henry: “Hello, Professor Conrad. I am Henry, an adventurer requested to stay by her side on this trip. It is a pleasure making your acquaintance.”

Conrad: “Ah, you must be the man with the relation to the Black Dragon Knights. I was notified by the guards at the gate about you.”

…..yeah, I guess they’ll talk about me.

Henry: “Haha… Right now, I’m based in Flowtier, but I was in Ligaleo prior to that. There were a number opportunities toI cooperate with Sir Grandezeal during that time.”

Conrad: “The students were rumoring that you must have been extremely good friends with them to be invited to stay at their barracks. The student who delivered the letter was rather excited and spoke all about it. Sir Grandezeal is a Hero of Legend after all.”

Ah, that makes sense. It wasn’t just the fact that he was at a Knights’ barracks, but it was the fact that it was Sir Ezeal’s barracks specifically.

But speaking so formally is getting tiresome. I’m not used to speaking to people so high up. Part of being an adventure is to experience a world where social classes almost do not matter.

Conrad: “Now then…”

Professor Conrad pulled open his desk drawer and pulled at a few dozen sheets of paper.

Lana: “Oh, my dissertation…”

Conrad: “Yes, it is indeed. If you could please, Miss Lana, I would love to hear your explanations on certain aspects if you don’t mind. For instance, I was extremely curious about this equation you have on this page.”

Lana: “Oh, yes. Please wait a moment.”

Lana pulled out a well-worn and used ink pen, and asked Professor Conrad, “Where is it again?”

Conrad: “Yes, right here. You’ll see that part of the equation was abbreviated here.”

Lana: “Ohhhhh yes. In this case…”

Lana writes down more information next to where Professor Conrad pointed.

He nods appreciatively and follows her explanation.

I sneak a peek at what’s being discussed, but I can’t even decipher the letters they’re using….

Lana: “Ohhhh, yes, now I see. Writing it like this really makes it much easier to understand.” Conrad: “Well, you’ve been studying on your own up until now. I’m sure you haven’t had a chance to learn how to format dissertations for other colleagues. Oh, yes, and this explanation right here…Could you…”

And a storm of more complicated lingo flailed about speaking about calculation methods, proofs and dissertation methods…

Yup. I’m completely lost and left behind~~~.

But I can’t just leave Lana here and go roam around the campus.

I hold back the yawns and wait patiently for them to finish.

Around an hour later, they take a break from their discussion.

Lana: “Thank you so much for all your advice and insight.”

Conrad: “Oh my. I should be thanking you. I’ll make the edits to the dissertation and present it at the next conference with your name published.”

Lana: “Oh, but really, you don’t have to…”

Conrad: “This is a very valuable dissertation worth publishing and presenting. Cludge Noin’s Theorem does not have many practical uses as of now, but we have much to learn from it’s theoretical analysis you are providing here.”

This man is praising Lana like crazy.

Lana: “Umm….well…in that case, thank you for doing all this for me.”

Conrad: “Of course. When I first heard from Ms. Shelley that this dissertation was written by a 14 year old girl, I had my doubts, but now that I got to discourse with you, all those doubts have vanished.”

Lana: “Oh, okay. Um… thank you very much.”

Lana’s having a hard time taking this all in. I don’t blame her. I mean, she said studying was her hobby. Being praised this much by a professor of a university must be bewildering to her. To her, it all came too naturally to understand how difficult the problems she solved was.

Conrad: “So how about it? You do not need to take the entrance exam. Just with that one hour, you have shown me that you have amazing knowledge and skills. Will you not come to my research lab and help us?”

Professor Conrad makes the offer.

In the letter, he strongly insisted that she take the entrance exam and enroll, so this invitation was expected.

On the way here, Lana kept thinking about her decision. I don’t know if she ever came to a conclusion.

The day my party was training with the Black Dragon Knights, apparently, she was in her room thinking. …..that day, we thought it would be best to give her some space and privacy to consider her future, so that is partly why we accepted doing that training in the first place.

Lana: “I……..”

I wonder what she’ll decide