"Do you know what Dad's avatar and element are?"
She looked confused by Auric's question, but she still answered it immediately. "Black dragon and the fire element."
Auric was a bit perplexed. Had his father been hiding his element the whole time? But how did he even trick his mother into believing that fire was his element?
"Does Dad's avatar really have the fire element?"
"Yes. I've seen him use his fire element. Why do you ask?" She tilted her head.
"Nothing. I'm just curious." Auric shook his head helplessly. For whatever reason, it looked like he was unable to gain any information from her.
And the fact that Lindwurm couldn't tell him anything might prove that his father had been hiding a big secret the whole time.
"Let's go in, shall we? It's been a while since you last came back. Put your used clothes in the basket. I'm going to prepare your bath."
"Y-Yeah." Auric nodded. He immediately turned to Lindwurm when his mother wasn't looking, but Lindwurm could only look away as if telling Auric that it was impossible to get anything from him.
Auric could only sigh. He could either wait until his father returned or figure it out in another way.
…
Meanwhile, the Grand Magica College became chaotic when a student uploaded a video about the battle, especially among the students.
"What's going on?"
"Oh my God!"
"Two elements? This is the first time I've seen someone with two elements."
The students couldn't stop talking about it. The already popular Element Department would become even more popular with Auric there.
They thought Simon would be the best this year because he was the Lightning Emperor's student. He had received the best resources and guidance, so he was supposed to be the strongest.
It was already surprising enough that Auric could fight Simon to that extent by relying on his element alone, especially since he was known as an evolution master.
But when he showed his second element, the reactions exploded.
Mila Caffee, one of the students with Grade A affinity, glanced at another student with Grade A affinity, Charles. "Have you seen this post?"
Charles fell silent. "It looks like Simon won't be the best student in our year. Either way, I'm getting stronger to fight those monsters. I'll be the one to get the last laugh."
Mila raised one finger. "He doesn't have a big background. Maybe I should recruit him into my group. Let's see… I can promise him a lot of things."
"Do you think you can? Haven't you seen this post?" Charles showed her his phone. There was another post. This time, the image showed two women fighting for Auric.
Stefany was shocking enough, but Ellia?
"What?" Mila snatched his phone to get a better look. "What is going on here? Why would Ellia Stroph Astler even be there?"
"Who knows?" Charles shrugged. "Either way, I don't think it will matter if you offer him something. Do you think your financial backing is bigger than hers?"
Mila clicked her tongue. "Well, you never know. Who knows? Maybe I will be the final winner?"
Charles just rolled his eyes and snatched back his phone before returning to his dorm.
Mila was speechless, but she couldn't say anything else because the girls were screaming behind her.
"If not for the fact that I mainly fight with my weapon, I would have gone to the Element Department."
"Look at the entire fight. This Simon might have powerful abilities, but his other qualities are not as good."
"This is my Auric. I can just be his vanguard, and he will protect me from behind."
Mila was speechless. 'Are they not embarrassed to say all that? Maybe there's a fan club for this guy already…'
The students weren't the only ones going crazy, the teachers had a similar reaction.
"Well, I guess the wave is going to form. I wonder how it will sweep the entire campus this time." Maya smiled, reading the forum. Obviously, she would gain the biggest benefit because she was the one who brought Auric to the Grand Magica College.
After all, Auric wasn't even supposed to attend here because he hadn't awakened any avatar. Although it was a recommendation from Ellia, it didn't change the fact that she was the one who verified his qualification and even enticed Auric by offering all sorts of benefits.
This way, no one would say that the Grand Magica College had been mistreating its students.
Besides, the fact that Auric could defeat Simon, whom the principal thought to be the best this year, meant her eyes were better than his.
She would be able to raise her head proudly in front of other teachers.
"Hehehe." Maya giggled. "I just have to make sure that he is not taken away. Fortunately, the mayor has also helped with his security, and I just have to ensure that no one bullies him on campus. But I doubt anyone can bully him…"
"Vice Dean!" Professor Eren rushed to Maya's office with a stupefied expression. He was accompanied by other professors who were curious about Auric's situation.
"What?" Maya had a smug smile on her face.
"Aren't you supposed to explain to us what's going on with your student? This is too much to be kept secret!" Professor Eren rushed to her table as if he were demanding an explanation. "If we had known more about your student's situation, we would have been able to provide him with much greater care."
"That's important, but there's something more important!" Another professor spoke up. "We shouldn't let anyone snatch him from us. It's already bad enough that he's not going to the Evolution Department immediately. If the Research Department or even the Support Department comes, we have to fight them. We can't let him waste his time with them."
Maya waved her hand. "That's not going to happen. He doesn't really need any help researching his power. He also knows that the Support Department doesn't suit him. Just because he is an evolution master doesn't mean he's not going to fight."
"Even so, we can't let our guard down. We need to come up with all kinds of arguments to stop them from getting him! That's why we need more information about him."
Maya sighed. "All right, all right. Let me handle this case, so you guys can go back. You won't get any answer from me."
"We're going to make a complaint to the dean. We need full disclosure!"
"Get out."
…
Principal Office.
The principal was watching the battle video after his secretary brought a report for the day.
He was definitely not aware of this matter. "Two elements? So, he's not just an evolution master? No, it's more accurate to say it's already surprising enough to be an evolution master so quickly, but two elements?"
The principal shook his head helplessly. "The mayor would probably laugh if he saw this video. What about the Evolution Association? If they had been aware of this, they would have made him a two-element evolution master."
He contemplated the situation. There were definitely a lot of things he needed to do. Unlike the teachers, his concern was about other universities trying to recruit him.
Still, there was another matter that forced him to take action.
"The Combat Department can be ignored for now, but the Evolution Department, the Research Department, and the Support Department…"
The principal was scratching the top of his head, wondering what he should do with this. "I feel like there is a big war coming. I probably have to step in and stop them. What a hassle."
…
As everyone expected, the news had reached the ears of the teachers from the Evolution Department.
"Dean. We need to go to the Element Department right away! We can't let them waste his time fighting like this. What if he's injured? If he ends up leaving the Element Department and sticking with us, we will make sure that no one challenges him or causes any harm."
"Of course. All of you follow me!" The old dean stood up.
The dean of the Evolution Department led a group of teachers to storm the Element Department.
"What do you think you're doing here, Dean Sean?" Maya crossed her arms. Behind her stood several professors from the Element Department as backup.
"You know exactly why I came here." Dean Sean slammed his hand on the table. "Just look at this. Don't you know how precious he is? In just one week, he's already forced to fight someone. This Simon or whoever he is. Has he grown so bold because of the Lightning Emperor? Has the Lightning Emperor grown big enough to challenge evolution masters?"
Maya chuckled. "What are you talking about? My student wants to learn how to fight. There is nothing wrong with that."
"I'm saying that if he's the one injured and has to spend so many days, weeks, or even months in the hospital, are you going to be responsible for that waste of time? He can spend all that time gaining more experience as an evolution master. He has two elements!"
"It's normal to have a fight. He wants it as well. As his teacher, I'm helping him in every way I can. I don't plan on putting my student in a cage just to protect him. He is someone who will soar freely in the sky. Don't underestimate my student!" Maya glared at him.
Dean Sean ground his teeth. "I will make sure that he leaves the Element Department. This department is too dangerous for him!"
"Try it. You don't know what I know. And I'll just tell you based on what I know. It's impossible for you to take him from me. His priority will never change. It will be the Element Department."
"You…" Dean Sean definitely didn't know much about Auric. All that information could help him convince Auric.
From that statement alone, it was clear that there was something he should be cautious about. If he made the wrong move and made Auric dislike them, it would be a huge loss for their department.
"I'm just telling you that starting next Monday, he will go to your department. I ask you to persuade him, really." Maya smirked. Even the professors from the Element Department were stunned. They didn't expect Maya to actually provoke him.
However, Dean Sean felt the subtle hint from this challenge. It was as if she were telling him that if he tried to do what he intended, it would trigger Auric to leave the Evolution Department entirely.
If this truly happened, the Evolution Department would be the biggest laughingstock.
Dean Sean couldn't say anything. He didn't know what was going on. However, as Auric's teacher, Maya definitely knew something.
But there was a chance that Maya was bluffing. Unfortunately, there was no way he could know the truth.
The only way was to approach Auric in a much more subtle way. It looked like he had to change his strategy.
"It looks like our Element Department is quite popular today." Maya turned her head to the side, seeing two more groups entering the room.
They were none other than the teachers from the Research Department and the Support Department.
"Are you trying to limit your students because of your selfishness, Vice Dean?"
"We know you are his teacher, but are you going to waste his talent?"
Maya actually smiled as if she had planned this all along. "Sorry, but I had discussed it with my student beforehand. He said he would join at most two departments to have more time to manage his own store. And because I'm his teacher, he would stick to the Element Department, also for his own reasons.
"And he has agreed to go to the Evolution Department next week. So, if you want him, you need to discuss it not with me, but with…" Maya glanced to the side.
Dean Sean was speechless. He realized what Maya had been doing the whole time. She was wasting their time so that he would become a scapegoat for her.
In other words, the two departments would be fighting his department, not hers.