Dusk gradually fell, and the Arcane Hall darkened.
This battle that felt like a joke kept going all the way until night.
The number of failures grew larger, and the students inside the Arcane Hall grew fewer and fewer.
Those professors and lecturers had long since left; they still had their own work to deal with.
As for those students?
Uh, none of them wanted to study anymore, so why bother caring about them?
Those genius students who had recognized reality early on, after watching the farce for a while, slowly left just like Erica.
However, those who didn't go up to challenge, made a wave of resentment rise in the hearts of all the failures.
If only these people had also gone up to act…
There would definitely have been hope.
They definitely could have made Professor Viktor move a step.
Their refusal to act made the fantasy of everyone passing turn into nothing but bubbles.
When the last dozen or so students clinging together were knocked off the stage by Viktor's magic, there was no longer a single person qualified to go up and challenge.
Viktor withdrew his magic, and the vines and flowers on the stage gradually withered, turning into swirling green magic that returned to his coat.
A faint green glow lit up, and the magic arena became as silent as usual.
The area below the stage was utterly silent. In the vast Arcane Hall, only the sound of Viktor's footsteps could be heard.
Tap! Tap! Tap.
Viktor walked to the doors of the Arcane Hall, and the defeated students behind him silently watched his back.
His hands did not move, yet the great doors slowly opened.
The evening sun slanted into the hall, shining on Viktor's body, and also shining onto the dim, gloomy faces of the defeated students.
"Looks like your strength doesn't match your confidence."
"Class dismissed."
The crow on his shoulder suddenly turned its head, a single eye staring at them, as if mocking this group of failures.
At the moment Viktor stepped out of the Arcane Hall, countless pitch-black feathers fell from the sky, covering Viktor's body.
As if tens of thousands of crows descended, the crow-like black light shot toward the horizon.
When they came back to their senses, Viktor's figure had long disappeared.
Only a single tail feather remained on the ground, like a magician's trick.
The students remained silent, as if still lost in fantasy and unable to recover.
The shadows of the entire Arcane Hall were engraved into their hearts.
———
"Chief Professor Fights a Thousand Alone, Facing Thousands of Students, He Doesn't Retreat Even Half a Step, "
"He Boasted, As Long As Someone Makes Him Move One Step, Everyone Passes the Final Exam!"
"Shocking, The Royal Academy of Magic, Three Things Chief Professor Viktor Has No Choice but to Say"
The second prince flipped through the newspaper in his hand, while behind him a beautiful maid fed him fresh grapes.
He ate while flipping, and whenever he saw something interesting, he even laughed out loud.
"Amazing, amazing, truly worthy of Councilor Clavenna."
"Really at the height of his fame."
Suddenly, the second prince put down the newspaper and said with a smile to the maid beside him,
"You may go now. Oh, and don't forget to leave the fruit."
The maid bent respectfully, placed the plate of grapes on the table before him, bowed to the second prince, and slowly retreated.
From the second prince's sleeve, a blob of ink crawled out.
The little frog scrambled quickly onto the table, stuck out its long tongue, rolled up the biggest grape, and swallowed it whole.
After eating, it finally spoke, "That partner you talked about, when exactly is he coming?"
The second prince was not in the least bit worried; he replied with a laugh, "What's the rush?"
"My dear elder brother returns tomorrow. This big gift prepared for him naturally shouldn't appear yet."
The frog hiccuped. It looked at the second prince, sensing the man's heavy emotions.
"Tsk."
A demon like it, reduced to eating grapes.
How ironic.
———
"When you go out from now on, remember to take this."
Inside the study, Viktor called Henny to him. With a flip of his hand, a small red crocodile appeared in his palm.
Henny was a little surprised.
"Th-this… isn't this Mr. Crocodile?"
Mr. Crocodile, what an interesting name.
The little crocodile was placed on the desk by Viktor and was dozing off.
As if sensing something, it lifted its head, and the moment it saw Viktor, its crocodile body jolted.
"Big bro!"
The crocodile even tried to stand up and clasp its fists toward Viktor.
Veiga gave Viktor a speechless look.
This was a proper wrath demon, how did you train it into this?
Viktor ignored Veiga's obvious stare and simply tapped the desk lightly with his finger, speaking calmly, "Didn't you say you liked her scent very much?"
"From today on, you will follow her and protect her. Your strength will also be at her disposal."
"But don't forget what I told you, control your anger."
The little crocodile shivered. Hearing this, it quickly nodded, "I get you, bro!"
"From now on, I'll treat her like a lord and serve her!"
Never mind whether it was living under someone else's roof, Leighton felt relieved ahead of time.
Not having to follow Viktor anymore was definitely liberation for it.
It had never imagined that it, an ancient demon, would one day be afraid of a human.
Henny still hadn't reacted, a bit confused. Looking down, she saw the crocodile staring up at her pitifully.
But she didn't pay attention to the pitiful crocodile; instead, she was thinking about Viktor's words.
'The professor is letting it protect me…'
'Is he worried about me?'
As Henny was still thinking, she heard Viktor speak, "Mm. You may go."
"Y-yes… yes, Professor."
Henny carefully held the crocodile in her hands and turned to leave.
After Henny left, Veiga fluttered its wings and spoke in its torn, rasping voice, "Viktor, I truly didn't expect that a thing so filthy and impure, you could actually tolerate raising it!"
Its tone was filled with disgust.
After all, it had said before that even as a noble god, even as a dark god, it found such disgusting things repulsive.
Viktor only replied calmly, "You also once signed a contract with a disgusting frog, and even tricked it."
"Let's call it even."
Saying that, Viktor tapped the desk, and a book appeared in his hand on its own.
In the quiet study, only the occasional sound of turning pages remained.
———
The sun, welcomed by the morning glow, revealed its rosy red face.
The streets of the capital were bustling with excitement.
People gathered along the streets, looking down the road, curiously watching the returning cavalry.
The army marched in neat formation toward the capital.
The metal armor on their bodies clinked rhythmically, and the horses under them stepped in unison on the street.
At the very front of the formation was a man in golden armor. From his golden helmet trailed a tuft of silver horsehair. He walked down the street with a bright smile, occasionally nodding and greeting the citizens around him.
Even the dogs by the roadside quieted down at the sight, tongues out, tails wagging, welcoming the triumphant soldiers.
Behind him, a massive open carriage moved down the road.
Lying inside it was the gigantic head of a magic dragon, like something imprisoned in an iron cage.
Aubeny Thor.
Today was the triumph of the crown prince, and the severed dragon head would be paraded through the streets for a whole day.
People stared at the enormous dragon head and began chattering, "That's the magic dragon's head? The crown prince is really incredible!"
"I heard the emperor also slew a magic dragon back in the day."
"Bless His Majesty, bless the crown prince, for keeping us commoners safe."
With the flags waving and cheers filling the streets, the residents smiled as they gave blessings and praise to the returning army.
After all, this was the head of a magic dragon.
The dragon race was a mighty race that lived within myth.
Not only did they have thousands of years of lifespan, but they also had extremely powerful control over the elements.
Legend said dragons were nature's guardians.
They were beings capable of destroying an entire city.
People able to slay a magic dragon were extremely rare, such achievements reached heights common folk could hardly imagine.
But the festive mood did not spread throughout the entire capital.
In Clavenna's estate, Liya twisted her waist as she found Viktor in the training yard.
At that moment, Viktor was instructing Aurelian.
"Mm. That posture."
"Hold that position."
Aurelian held a knight's longsword in her hands, both arms lifted, holding the sword before her.
The longsword was very heavy, and Aurelian's face flushed red.
Sweat began gathering on her forehead, sliding down her cheeks.
The guard Cecilia, watching from the side, felt heartache. Thinking of her own harsh training in the past, she felt even more unwilling to watch the princess suffer.
But this was the princess's teacher's instruction. She had no right to interfere. She could only question Viktor,
"Viktor, what do you mean by this?"
"Her Highness is a mage, do you even understand that?"
"You're actually making Her Highness practice swordsmanship? Are you trying to tell me a mage needs to learn close combat? Or are you saying you yourself know how to use sword techniques?"
Liya frowned as she approached slowly. Seeing this scene, she even forgot what she originally wanted to say. Standing beside Cecilia, she said calmly, "He does. So you don't need to worry about that."
"Uh…"
'A mage who can use swordsmanship?'
Cecilia was completely bewildered.
Aurelian barely endured a while longer before she had no choice but to put the sword down, leaning it on the ground as she gasped heavily.
Her stamina really wasn't very good.
But after resting for a moment, Aurelian continued, "Teacher, I can keep going."
Viktor took the sword from her hands and said lightly, "I know you can, but for now, practice can stop."
"This morning, I already sensed the noise outside. Tell me, what's happening out there?"
Liya spread her hands helplessly.
"I thought our mage lord at home would've known already."
She adjusted her posture and spoke with some seriousness, "Get ready. The crown prince is back."
"When the prince returns with spoils of war, all the nobles have to welcome and congratulate him."
"You're no exception, my dear Count."