The arrival of the Spirit Boat at the Academy brought joy to some, anger to others, and panic to the rest.
"An unidentified Spirit Boat approaches! Assume defensive formations!"
A roar rose from the side where the Martial Division stood; they clearly saw the ship carrying the ten youths as a threat.
Cantankerous Hanry, who had waited in silence until that second, rushed forward; his target was the defensive lines the martial cultivators were ready to trigger.
"Hold your ground! Those arriving are disciples of the Botanical Division!"
The warriors who had moved on the first command froze at the second voice. Though the order did not come from their own division, Master Hanry's voice was known to everyone.
"Hanry, why are these youths not by your side?"
The middle-aged woman, whose order had been overridden, planted herself right in front of Cantankerous Hanry. While the heavy tension between the two drew all eyes, they were already fighting a silent duel.
"This is none of your damn business! The rule only says new disciples must arrive at the academy before the welcoming ceremony!"
Cantankerous Hanry did not step back; naturally, this was expected. If a man carried the name 'Cantankerous', his actions had to match it.
Though the two clashed with words a few more times, there was no winner. The important thing was that, during this argument, the ship carrying the youths from the common ranks arrived and dropped anchor at the port.
"You damn whelp, where the hell have you been?"
The second Mel stepped onto the dirt, Cantankerous Hanry turned his back to the woman he was fighting and marched toward him; naturally, his mouth could not stay shut.
"Where did you get this ship?"
Stepping out of nowhere, Young Master Louise appeared at Mel's side; his question gave voice to the suspicion festering in the nobles' minds.
"I had to go somewhere after the final trial. I apologize for my delay!"
Mel bowed from his waist, showing his respect to Cantankerous Hanry. He paid no attention at all to the man standing next to him.
"You foolish brat! As the only one to get perfect scores across all three trials in centuries, you should have stood at the front of the Botanical Division's ship!"
Though Cantankerous Hanry seemed to be scolding Mel, the words coming from his mouth were timed perfectly to make sure every academy official heard them clearly.
"So it wasn't a lie, then!"
"The one they call Mel... is it this robust boy?"
Hanry hit his mark; the academy officials lingering at the port started whispering.
"I guess the record the Glooves bragged about so much has been broken!"
"Don't even mention it; look at Louise's face. Doesn't he look like he swallowed dirt?"
As the whispers turned into hidden laughs, the Young Master asked the exact same question again.
"Where did you get this ship?"
Not happy with just asking, he grabbed Mel by the shoulder and spun him around. The two men stood face-to-face.
"Why has this Spirit Boat caught the Master's attention so much, I wonder?"
Mel was born with a weak body and a fragile mind; but, thanks to the legacy his grandfather left him, he was closing the gap fast over the past three years. Standing tall enough to look down on the Young Master, and holding the resolve to face his questions with ease, was proof enough.
"To lease a Spirit Boat, you need at least a thousand gold coins; we all know that is impossible for a peasant of unknown origins like yourself. My fear is that you used the honorable name of the Green Shadow Academy to get this ship, staining our prestige."
Finishing his words, Louise turned his head to look around; he saw he had successfully drawn the attention of the whispering crowd onto a single point.
"What the hell are you talking about, Louise?"
Cantankerous Hanry erupted; in contrast, the Young Master stayed calm.
"Senior Master Hanry, we all know that kids from noble families lease Spirit Boats with the backing of their patriarchs. But we still don't know how these eleven peasants managed to lease the ship that brought them here. Doesn't this bother you too?"
Master Hanry's face flushed red, then turned pale. His anger broke its limits, turning his wrath into a heavy aura. Taking a deep breath, he prepared to roar, but a hand calmly touched his arm and stepped to the front.
"I completely understand the reason for your discomfort, Master Louise. I will answer your question just as you wish!"
The one speaking was none other than Mel; with a massive smile, the robust boy took the lead.
"First of all, as this year's champion and the one who tied the difficult record that belonged to your family for centuries, I see how deeply it worried you that I might not arrive at the academy on time!"
While Mel spoke, a dark emerald energy from the deep ancient forests began to wrap around his body. Though most people didn't notice, the sharp-eyed seniors were slowly drawn toward him.
"Stop your babbling and answer my question!"
After that comeback, Master Louise's calm face cracked. Thin veins began to show on his forehead, which had looked like smooth white stone just a moment ago.
"As for how I leased the Spirit Boat, I want to offer my endless thanks to Master Hanry for that. Thanks to the token he gave me, the shopkeeper accepted my request without a second thought. Let's just say the name of Senior Master Hanry of the Green Shadow Academy's Botanical Division was enough!"
Pretending to pull it from his clothes, Mel held up the token Cantankerous Hanry had given him; the wooden badge was the proof of his status as a personal disciple.
Louise looked at Hanry first, then at the badge; his mind raced back and forth. He opened his mouth to talk back, but shut it just as fast.
There were no holes in Mel's story; Senior Master Hanry's personal disciple token was enough to lease not one, but a dozen Spirit Boats. With no card left to play, Louise took a step back, but he bumped into another man's chest.
When he turned around in panic, he saw the Head of the Botanical Division standing there. He tried to bow and show his respect, but the old man's eyes were not on him.