tln : sorry a bit delay. just finished my work entrance test, and yep i failed. sobs.

Chapter 46: Hints, Hints, Hints

“Well, it seems a bit unfortunate. That boy who’s been following you around these past few days doesn’t seem to be here today.”

Faced with this comment, Leah crossed her arms, her expression full of frustration.

“Don’t even bring it up. It’s not my fault his practical exam makeup got scheduled for this morning. Hmph, the administration office just loves scheduling exams at the crack of dawn. Don’t these people ever sleep in?”

“Oh? Worried he might fail?”

Mary chuckled softly, her demeanor like that of a kind grandmother. She slowly walked over and sat down on the other end of the bench.

“Hmph, who would worry about him failing? Don’t let his average talent fool you—Will’s knowledge base is incredibly strong. While practical experience isn’t required at his age, he carries himself like someone who’s read hundreds of thousands of words of combat descriptions.”

“And another thing… he’s surprisingly suited for research. Magic dosages and data calculations are usually weak points for students—advanced magical mathematics is notoriously difficult. But he handles it like he wrote the formulas himself.”

“And as for his opponent in the practical exam? Just another dim-witted rich kid. Not only did Will trick him into being his sparring partner, but I bet the guy thinks Will’s injury gives him an advantage. He’s probably going to get completely outplayed during the exam.”

“And in the lab… ah… did I just say all that?”

Leah had been counting on her fingers, listing Will’s impressive qualities in the lab, but she suddenly stopped.

“It’s fine, keep going. You seem to enjoy talking about him—you’re smiling so much.”

“I-I’m not… fine, whatever. Exceptional students are rare, as you’ve probably noticed. The academy doesn’t see one like him even once in a decade…”

“So? Are you planning to take him on as your student? You’ve never had a graduating student under your wing, and you still have four years left on your contract with the school. Are you really planning to leave without mentoring anyone?”

“Mary, you know I don’t want to. Just like my mother became your teacher.”

Leah looked at Mary’s wrinkled face and sighed.

“For witches… it’s too much of a burden.”

“Ah… Leah, did you know? The last time I saw your mother, I thought she’d be saddened to see how old I’d become after all these years…”

Mary began speaking slowly, as if recounting a story.

Leah knew her mother had once been at Entark First Academy. The book Frozen Ice Array was likely something she had left behind during that time.

“Wasn’t she?”

“Quite the opposite. She smiled brightly. She said that even though I’d grown so old, the way I buried myself in books hadn’t changed—I still leaned so close to the pages that my nose practically touched them. You know, I was so startled that I immediately looked up, afraid she’d grab me by the hair and pull me away from the book like she used to.”

“Haha, that does sound like her. She was pretty rough when correcting you back then.”

“She told me she now understood Witch Yaar. Despite gaining such a long lifespan, Yaar never stopped engaging with the world, connecting with others, and leaving countless legends behind.”

“…I see.”

“She said that when she looked into my eyes, she still saw the same person I used to be. Even though I’d aged so much, when she looked at me, she felt like I hadn’t changed at all.”

Leah nodded thoughtfully.

“She really did change a lot. She never said anything like that when she was with me.”

Leah seemed to hesitate, lowering her gaze to her swinging feet and the worn brown boots she’d been wearing for years.

Her mother had changed. She hadn’t stayed stagnant.

It was as if the book her mother had left behind, Frozen Ice Array, was gleaming before her eyes.

Maybe her mother was hinting at some change Leah herself needed to make?

“You know, mentoring a student for a project comes with a pretty decent stipend.”

“Really? How much?”

Leah immediately perked up.

“Pfft, hahaha…”

“Stop laughing! You’re going to hurt your back!”

“You’ve changed so much these past few days, Leah. It’s like I’m talking to the younger version of you, back when I was just starting as a teacher.”

Mary steadied her cane and adjusted her posture.

“But you’re a bit more honest now. Back then, you’d shut the door and refuse to talk to me, but I’d often find my notebook filled with your annotations.”

“That’s because your notes were… ridiculously wrong.”

Mary chuckled, used to Leah’s attempts to cover up her true feelings.

Then, she ran her fingers along her cane and said:

“Back to the main topic. You know, I mentioned that a promising student has been spending time in your lab. Guess how I know?”

“You’re the vice principal. The other teachers must’ve talked about it… wait?!”

Leah suddenly realized something troubling.

She was so distant from the other teachers. In her campus life, the only staff she interacted with were herself and Mary.

This meant she was far removed from the typical academic life of a teacher at the school. Her daily routine revolved entirely around her lab—waking up, working in the lab, napping in the lab, and going back to work in the lab.

Project results? Student mentorship? None of that mattered to her. She could handle her research alone.

She had completely forgotten that this school was filled with teachers who cared deeply about their research output and the students they mentored.

“Exactly. As you said, a student who can participate in such a significant research competition right after enrolling, and who’s thriving under the guidance of a little witch like you, is bound to stand out.”

Mary’s words were laced with subtle hints, as if she didn’t want to spell things out but couldn’t resist nudging Leah in the right direction.

“In past years, there’ve been quite a few students with a knack for research. As soon as they enrolled, they were snatched up by various teachers. They’d spend three years working diligently under their mentor before continuing their studies.”

Students at Entark First Academy typically had two paths—

Either they completed their basic education and went on to explore dungeons and take up jobs.

Or they found a mentor, became part of the academic world, and pursued research that might have some practical application in dungeon exploration. For those with the talent, the latter path was smooth and highly appealing.

“It’s just that he doesn’t have practical exam scores yet, so he hasn’t been able to choose a mentor. But today… he’s about to earn those scores.”

“……”

“Ah, I’ve said too much. Just a little reminder—do your best in the competition, and take some time to think things over. I have high hopes for you this year.”

Mary left it at that, patting Leah on the shoulder.

“Number 9, Fire Spin Technique, you’re up next!”

The announcer’s voice snapped Leah out of her thoughts.

Right, it was almost her turn.

But…

Mary’s words lingered in her mind.

Most importantly…

Over at the exam site, Will might… possibly… today…

Become someone else’s student?