What's going on? I can't help but ask myself that question. I know how important Susan is. I truly understand her influence across the whole world, not just in this city. The problem is the ring — I never thought it would be one of her direct contacts. I assumed this ring was something like a guest token or a sign of trust from the city — something a bit more normal.

I was completely wrong! This ring connects directly to Susan, and apparently, it's not a common one. It's one that shows my importance to her, and I must be treated with full respect. The guard and his companion knelt to greet me, and the coachman froze, waiting for some kind of response.

"Please, dear guest, we must contact Director Susan's office directly. This may take a few minutes, so I'd appreciate it if you could come inside and wait on the side until we receive a response." The guard guided the coachman to park the carriage beside the checkpoint, and we moved immediately to avoid blocking the traffic of vehicles going in and out.

"Young man, forgive me if I was disrespectful in any way earlier." The coachman kept his eyes on the ground, looking a bit scared because of how casually he'd spoken to me before.

"There's no need to apologize. I like your friendly attitude." With a wave of my hand, I swept away his worries, and he let out a long-held sigh. He looked visibly more relaxed, though still careful with his words and movements. Now, I just had to wait for a response from whoever was in charge so I could enter.

A few minutes later, a presence appeared beside our carriage. Before anyone else could react, I did. My great progress with the Space Affinity allowed me to sense it right at the moment she disrupted my ability — obviously because she wanted me to feel her arrival. If she wanted to hide from me, she easily could.

I would recognize that Imra signature anywhere, especially when she lets it float in the air so noticeably. How could I not recognize the one to whom I belong as a protégé? The coachman looked surprised when I disappeared from the carriage, and the guards tensed up as they sensed my mana in action. I just couldn't let the opportunity pass — in a single leap, I headed straight for the person.

Before I could hug her, something stopped me mid-air. It wasn't just her Wind Affinity that restrained me — I could feel her Imra, Laws, and Standard combining into a single prison. The construction was incredibly fluid; it felt as natural as breathing. Comparing her construct to mine was like comparing a Formula 1 car to a wooden carriage.

Ignoring the fact that I was injured, I tried to break her prison. I gathered as much Gravity Mana as I could, my new Imra, all my possible Laws, and my Standard supporting my construct just like hers did. I felt it give a little, and she smiled before reinforcing it again. She completely trapped me — now I couldn't move or use any abilities.

It all happened in less than two seconds, and she only needed one more to release me. She pulled me closer with the wind and gave me a tight hug.

"You've grown stronger in such a short time, though... you hurt yourself in the process." She looked at me, slightly judging. "It seems you've got it under control." She smiled widely, and a faint scent of wine reached my nose.

"Getting hurt is part of growing stronger." I shrugged slightly. "How have you been, Grandma? I missed you." Her embrace tightened before releasing me again. Both of us quickly realized the situation — everyone had gone silent, no carriages were moving, and all the guards were kneeling.

"I missed you too, Maki." She looked at me while placing her hand on my shoulder. "I told you, you can call me Grandma or Susan... in this situation, I'm not sure which is better." Her last words were a whisper only for me. Then both of us finally looked around, taking in the chaos her sudden appearance had caused.

"This is Maki Vichag. He's my protégé and someone I consider family. Please remember his face and name." She introduced me to the guards, and they all nodded vigorously. "I apologize for interrupting your duties; I'll take care of him from here."

Susan, dressed in a white gown with a luxurious blue coat, gave them a final glance before pushing me forward. I bowed to everyone in thanks before following her lead. Everyone remained frozen and speechless. Once we had walked several meters away, I finally saw them start moving again through my Own World. I mentally apologized to each of them — I never thought Susan herself would come in person to receive me.

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"You're very lucky to have the privilege of being welcomed by the director of the best academy on the continent." She started teasing me as we walked.

"I feel truly privileged." I bowed slightly. "I didn't know it was acceptable to drink alcohol during work hours in this city."

My joke was met with a gust of wind that completely messed up my hair.

"You reminded me — I left a wonderful bottle of wine to come meet you." She looked straight into my eyes. "You'll have to make it up to me. I expect some good wine or liquor from you in the near future." I just shook my head helplessly and accepted that I'd owe her the best liquor I could find someday. She looked very happy hearing my response.

"You've arrived at a complicated time. There's a lot to organize, and I'm in charge of staff recruitment. It's easy when it's just contract renewals, but it's a pain when some resign or fail to meet expectations. I have to find replacements who can match the standard." She sighed, clearly complaining a bit, and I truly felt sorry for her.

"Where are you planning to stay? The academy provides shared or single apartments depending on performance. The maximum is three people per unit — they share a small living room, but each has their own bedroom and bathroom." Not a bad option. I'd like to meet new people, and I'm sure Susan would find me good roommates.

"The best ones are the single apartments. They have all possible comforts, including a well-equipped kitchen." I was surprised to hear that the shared apartments didn't have kitchens. She must have noticed my puzzled look because she laughed before continuing. "We have two huge dining halls in the academy, one on each side of the residential buildings. We provide four meals a day — there's no need for a kitchen." Her logic made perfect sense.

"Which one do you recommend? I don't know if I qualify for a single apartment." She rolled her eyes. "You're my protégé. At the very least, you deserve one of the best apartments. And about qualifications — you've already proven your growth a moment ago." So the decision was mine... I'd like to share an apartment, but the chance to live alone was tempting.

"A simple single apartment would be perfect. I don't want to cause you any trouble." It's not just that — if a new student gets the best place right away, others might resent him. I didn't want to make enemies on my first day. If I ever have problems, I'll solve them myself; I don't want to bother Susan with issues involving spoiled students.

"Alright then, let me coordinate everything so it's ready within a few hours." She took out a circular device with a crystal in the center, pressed it several times, then brought it to her ear. A moment later, I saw her lips moving, but heard no sound. It was as if some kind of magic had blocked the audio from reaching anyone else.

Fascinating! I focused on the device and saw runes glowing, with a thin layer of mana enveloping Susan's head. That mana must be what prevented me from hearing the conversation. While I admired the technology, I noticed her frowning — she seemed irritated, complaining about something.

The conversation went on for several minutes. After a sigh, she pressed the crystal again and put the device back into her pocket.

"It's settled. They'll bring the key to your room to my office later." That was fast — it's easy when you're the director.

"Thank you, Grandma." I bowed slightly. "I couldn't help but notice you were frowning during the call. Did something happen?" Maybe I could help somehow — it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"One of the teachers for a first-year extracurricular course had to leave due to a family matter. He's requested a six-month break." She looked up at the sky, then down again. "It's hard to find someone talented and available just to cover that period. One more task added to the list." She sighed, though her smile remained while talking to me.

"A first-year course? Which one does he teach?" He could have been my instructor. It's a shame he's having personal issues.

"Don't even think about taking a first-year course. Those are for Emerald ranks, and second-year courses would be useless to you." What? Does that mean I can only take third-year classes and above?

She continued, "It's a shame to miss two years of the academy, I know. But I don't want you wasting that time on things you already master to the point of being able to teach them." Something changed in her eyes as she spoke.

"Maki, you fight with twin swords, right?" I nodded slightly. "Do you know how to fight with twin sabers or twin daggers?" I'd practiced both in this life and my previous one. I don't master them like swords, but I'm still better than average. I nodded again.

Her eyes lit up, and her smile widened even more. That can't be good. I felt a chill run down my spine, the hairs on my arms standing up — it only happens when something unexpected is about to occur.

"Well, here's the thing. The professor who requested leave was in charge of the course 'Dual Weapon Training I.' I was thinking of asking my daughter — I'm sure she'd accept if I did — but she's far too busy with final-year duties and her role as student president. It's better to find a replacement." I could already see where this was going.

"Would you like to be the assistant instructor for that first-year course? It's a great opportunity for you." Her question left me frozen, my mind spinning for an answer. My brain couldn't make a decision.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.