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  Name: Lucian of Arcadia

  Level: 999999

  Titles: Legendary Hero, Scourge of Demonkind, Humanity’s Champion, …

  Seeing the System with his own eyes, Lucian couldn’t help feeling genuinely impressed. The glowing words floating in the air weren’t anything special on their own. There were a variety of spells even back in his time that could achieve the exact same effect.

  The impressive part was the sheer amount of information the System displayed. And unfortunately, it knew far too much.

  Lucian had far too many titles to count. Some made sense, and some were downright embarrassing. He skimmed faster and faster as the list went on, until one title made him stop. Reluctant Janitor.

  Lucian’s smile stiffened for half a second. He immediately resumed skimming as if nothing had happened, refusing to give that title even a moment of respect. Some memories were best left buried forever.

  Still, the System didn’t stop at titles. It also displayed his level, then moved on to stats like strength, speed, and magic. Except, there was a problem.

  His level was a ridiculously large number, and his stats such as strength, speed, and magic, were exactly the same. Lucian guessed that the System was either malfunctioning on this particular day, or it was somehow struggling to measure his true capability.

  Lucian turned his head toward Elysia. “Are my stats normal?”

  “What do you think?”

  “I’ll take that as a no.”

  “I knew that your stats would be ridiculous, but I didn't expect the System to assign you what appears to be the highest level attainable. And that is before we even begin addressing the frankly excessive number of titles you seem to be carrying.”

  “What can I say? I’ve lived a long life. It adds up.”

  Elysia laughed. “Sometimes I still find it hard to believe you’re older than I am.”

  “Oh, please, we’re talking a century or two at most. That's practically nothing.

  “Yes, by elven standards. But you’re human, Lucian… aren’t you?”

  Lucian rolled his eyes. “I cannot believe you’re still making the ‘are you actually human’ jokes after all these years.”

  “Old habits die hard, but anyway, what do you think of the System so far?”

  Lucian glanced back at the floating messages again. “It’s fascinating, but without a proper frame of reference, I have no idea how to judge any of this compared to everyone else.”

  Elysia opened a drawer and pulled out a thick file, then placed it on the desk with a soft thump. “This is confidential, by the way. Don’t share what you see here with anyone.”

  “Elysia, I’m wounded you even feel the need to say that.”

  “I’m saying it anyway just in case. Now do take a look.”

  Lucian gave a soft chuckle as he opened the file and skimmed through its contents. While he read, Elysia gave a brief explanation about how the System's levels worked.

  Most peasants were level ten or lower, with level one being the absolute minimum. Trained soldiers without magic usually peaked near level one hundred. From what it looked like, the System existed mainly to measure combat ability, which was why mages tended to reach higher levels through their control of magic. Even so, truly exceptional swordsmasters or martial artists could sometimes approach similar heights.

  With that context in mind, Lucian continued reading. Most of the professors hovered around level six hundred, with only a handful breaking into the thousand range.

  Lucian recalled his own level and compared it to the highest numbers in the file. To say the gap was massive would still have been an understatement. He knew that if others found out about his level, things could escalate quickly.

  “Just to be clear, is there any way someone could simply walk up to me and see my Level?”

  “Not without an appraisal stone, and I have never seen anyone view a status without one. As long as you avoid getting appraisals in the future, you will be fine.”

  “And is that actually practical?”

  “Quite, because most appraisals are done for administrative records. With a bit of creative paperwork and the right signatures in the proper places, there will be no need for you to participate in any kind of appraisal for a long time.”

  “Good to know,” Lucian said. He closed the folder halfway and glanced at her, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “Though I must admit, I’m surprised you allow people this weak to serve as professors.”

  Elysia raised an eyebrow, though she didn’t look offended. “Times have changed, Lucian. Besides, the quality of the faculty at the academy could improve quite a bit if you accept the job.”

  Lucian sighed. “I do want to help you, I really do. But I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a professor of all things."

  “I agree. I believe you would be a terrible teacher, Master Lucian.” Belle said.

  Elysia nodded along, looking far too pleased with herself. “Yes. Now that I think about it, inviting Lucian to the academy might have been a mistake after all.”

  Lucian looked between the two of them. Belle’s face stayed perfectly neutral as usual. All the while, Elysia’s expression was polite and innocent, like she hadn’t just joined in with suspicious enthusiasm. They both looked far too nonchalant for people who were clearly enjoying this.

  For many years, Lucian had fought demon lords, undead hordes, and monsters born from literal nightmares. He could recognize an ambush when he saw one. And this was absolutely an ambush.

  Lucian didn’t need proof that they’d planned this together. But the worst part was that it was working.

  He knew he was playing right into their hand, but he didn’t even mind. If Elysia needed his help, and this was her way of dragging him into it, then it was fine with him. He could respect a creative strategy.

  Lucian looked at Elysia again. “You got me, I’ll take the job.”

  Elysia’s face lit up instantly. “Great!”

  She opened the drawer beneath her desk and drew out several neatly organized documents, placing them in a stack before him. “Before anything else,” she said, tapping the top page with a finger, “we need to settle on a cover name for you. Something convincing enough that it doesn’t invite unnecessary questions.”

  “Can’t I just use my real name? I fail to see why it should be an issue.”

  “You may keep your first name, certainly, but announcing yourself as Lucian of Arcadia would be… unwise. Nations have gone to war over far less, and they would absolutely do so to claim you as one of their own."

  Lucian gave a faint, knowing smile. “For the record, several nations have already tried to recruit me over the years. I made my position quite clear.”

  “I’m aware, but I'd prefer that no kingdoms implode in this era on your account. So please choose a suitable surname. After that, we’ll proceed to the training hall for your practical evaluation, I’ll handle the remaining paperwork myself.”

  ***

  Grant had been enjoying a perfectly peaceful break when a curious message arrived. It came straight from Headmistress Elysia Iridell herself, informing him that he was to report to the training hall immediately and evaluate an incoming professor.

  He read the message a few times just to make sure it was real. Recruitment for new professors had closed months ago. Not only that, the faculty roster for the current academic year should’ve been finalized, and he hadn’t even heard the faintest rumor that there was any chance a new professor would be joining.

  And yet, here he was, walking to a training hall about to evaluate this mysterious newcomer. Grant might’ve been annoyed, but he wasn’t about to disobey an order from the Headmistress.

  A loud sigh came from beside him. Grant glanced to his right and chuckled when he realized another instructor was heading for the training hall as well.

  “I can’t believe we have to do this,” she muttered. “I was supposed to have private tutoring right now.”

  “Don’t take it too hard, Tasha. I’m sure you’ll survive.”

  “I was supposed to get paid right now. Now I have to cancel because of this sudden request.”

  “Come on. Missing out on a few silver coins can’t be that bad.”

  Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

  Tasha shot him a sharp look. “A few silver? I raised my rates last week. That tutoring session was worth three gold coins.”

  Grant froze for a moment. “Three gold? I’m honestly surprised you can still find students with rates like that.”

  “I know what I’m worth, and I charge as much as people are willing to pay.”

  “Then maybe I should raise my rates too.”

  “You should. It’s easy to get money out of the parents here. They’ll pay anything if it means their little ‘angels’ get a leg up.”

  Grant chuckled at the word angels, and Tasha laughed along as well. The two of them had enough experience with these "angels" to know better.

  Soon enough, the two of them arrived in front of the training hall. Tall pillars lined the entrance, while wide steps led up to a set of heavy double doors reinforced with metal bands.

  Tasha slowed slightly as they reached the door. “One last thing, do you think this new professor is going to be someone special?”

  “They have to be, right? This is the first time I’ve ever been asked to do an evaluation outside the recruitment period. And I'm sure Headmistress Elysia won't waste extra time on an ordinary hire." Grant explained.

  “Want to bet it’s just some noble’s relative? They probably made a ‘small donation’ of a few hundred gold, and now we’re here pretending this is a real exam.” Tasha said.

  Grant shrugged. "I mean, that's not unlikely. But why are you so confident?"

  “Think about it, if this were someone truly noteworthy, we would have heard something by now. A rumor, a report, something about their arrival. I find it hard to believe we would be left completely in the dark otherwise.”

  “Well, it could be a sudden appointment. Those things do happen.”

  Tasha reached into her pocket and took out a small coin pouch, letting it swing lazily from her fingers. “If you’re that confident I’m mistaken, then I’ll wager every coin I have on me right now on being right.”

  Grant glanced at the pouch. “And how much is that supposed to be?”

  “About a dozen gold coins, maybe a little more.”

  “Are you seriously going to make this bet?"

  “Of course I’m serious. So what about you? Are you up for it or not?”

  Grant considered it. At first, he wanted to take the bet just to shut her up, and maybe even collect a nice payday for himself. But the longer he thought, the less confident he felt.

  As much as he respected Headmistress Elysia, it wasn’t like she never hired someone for reasons other than pure merit. And honestly, he couldn’t blame her for it.

  Celgrad Royal Academy was funded heavily by the royal family, sure, but donations mattered too. A lot of those donations came from nobles and wealthy families, and refusing to do them favors from time to time would’ve been foolish. It could potentially cost the academy support from its wealthiest donors, and if the academy lost support, then people like Grant would feel that loss in the form of a reduced paycheck, or worse.

  “No bet, I think you’re probably right.” Grant said.

  Tasha snorted. “Then let’s get this farce over with.”

  They pushed the doors open and stepped inside. The training hall had a high, arched ceiling and a wide dirt floor.

  At the center of the room stood Headmistress Elysia Iridell, and two people stood near her. Curiously, one of them was a maid.

  Grant frowned slightly. He knew most of the academy staff by sight, even the quieter ones, yet he was certain he had never seen this maid before. What made it stranger was how strikingly stunning she was. He was sure he would have remembered someone like her if she had ever crossed his path.

  Unluckily for him, his eyes lingered a moment too long. The maid’s eyes flicked toward him, and what he saw there made Grant promptly decide it was wiser to look elsewhere.

  The other person was a tall man dressed in a black suit. And his face looked like it was more fit for a lead actor than some professor. Grant assumed he was nobility, or at the very least rich enough to act like it, maybe a wealthy merchant?

  Tasha stepped forward first, her posture straightening the moment she came within speaking distance of the Headmistress. “Headmistress Elysia, we are here for the evaluation."

  Grant followed a step behind her and gave Elysia a polite bow as well. "Thank you for choosing us."

  The Headmistress smiled warmly. “And thank you both for coming on such short notice, I appreciate it.”

  Tasha gave a small nod, then turned toward the man standing beside Elysia. “My lord.”

  The man laughed, not looking offended at all. “Relax, I’m not a noble. Name’s Lucian Ashford, but you can just call me Lucian.”

  Grant caught the tiny pause in Tasha’s expression, probably surprised that the man wasn't a noble. Grant was surprised as well, to be fair, even if he didn’t show it on his face.

  If Lucian wasn’t nobility, then he was probably a wealthy merchant. The kind of man who could buy his way into any place he wanted, as long as his coin pouch was heavy enough.

  Even so, Grant stepped forward. “Understood. I’m Grant, and I am one of the instructors assigned to evaluate your practical exam.”

  Tasha stepped up beside him. “I’m Tasha. Academy policy requires two instructors for an evaluation to be valid, so I’ll be grading you as well.”

  “I’ll be observing from the sidelines. Please proceed with the exam as usual.” Headmistress Elysia said.

  Tasha gave a short nod. Grant followed immediately as he said, “Understood, Headmistress.”

  The Headmistress stepped away from the center of the hall and moved toward the edge of the training floor. The maid followed close behind her.

  Once the Headmistress was out of the way, Grant turned his focus back to Lucian. “For this exam, you can choose to spar against either me or Instructor Tasha. I specialize in water magic, while she specializes in fire magic."

  Grant lifted a hand again, pointing toward the empty space of the ring. “Alternatively, if you focus more on support spells, you can cast them on me. I’ll spar against Tasha in your place, although I won’t use any magic of my own in that case.”

  “Actually, I’d prefer to duel both of you at the same time,” Lucian said casually.

  Grant blinked, certain he’d misheard. Before he could respond, Tasha spoke first. “That’s a highly unusual request. Are you sure?”

  And he could tell that what Tasha really wanted to say was something along the lines of "are you out of your mind?" But Tasha fortunately had enough self-control to keep that to herself.

  “I’m sure.” Lucian said.

  Grant cleared his throat and stepped in. “Forgive me if this sounds condescending, but to be blunt, Tasha and I are certified A-rank mages. And we are both capable of casting spells up to the sixth tier. Are you really confident you can handle both of us at once?”

  Lucian nodded. “I am.”

  “Alright… if that's the case, I strongly recommend you wear extra protection amulets.”

  “That won’t be necessary. I’ll be fine as I am."

  Grant stared at him, genuinely dumbfounded now. “Sir, magic sparring is no joke. Even lower tiered spells can be lethal if something goes wrong.”

  "Thank you for the warning, but I assure you that I'll be fine."

  “Wait, you signed the waiver already, right?” Tasha asked, smiling.

  “I did.”

  “So if something happens, there will be no legal liability on our side?"

  “That’s correct."

  Tasha turned toward Grant. “You heard the man. Let’s get this started.”

  Grant frowned. “You really plan on going through with this?”

  “Of course, I plan on doing my job, and so should you."

  Grant’s gaze shifted toward Headmistress Elysia. “Headmistress, are you sure this is allowed?”

  “I’m sure everything will be fine. Please, proceed with the evaluation. But I suggest you and Tasha wear protection amulets, just in case."

  Grant felt a chill crawl down his spine. The Headmistress wasn’t warning Lucian, instead, she was warning them.

  He glanced at Tasha, expecting her to roll her eyes like she always did. Instead, she reached into her waistcoat, pulled out a small protective amulet, and slipped it around her neck.

  Grant copied her a second later as a bad feeling settled in his gut. He’d assumed Lucian Ashford was just another rich man with too much confidence and not enough skill. But the Headmistress hadn’t looked worried for Lucian. She was more concerned about the safety of both him and Tasha, which wasn't exactly an encouraging sign.

  He couldn’t help but wonder who Lucian was for the Headmistress to hold him in such high regard. At the very least, Grant assumed he had to be an A-rank mage, or perhaps even S-rank. But if that were the case, how had he never heard of him? S-rank mages were so rare that those who existed were practically celebrities, living legends whose names were known across kingdoms.

  The three of them moved into position on the training floor as Grant kept his voice steady. “You may begin whenever you’re ready."

  Lucian gave an easy nod. “All right.”

  Immediately, the ground beneath Lucian rippled, and a thick stone pillar surged upward. It lifted him into the air, raising him several feet above the ground.

  It wasn’t a high-tier spell. Grant knew that much, but what made him concerned was the way Lucian cast it. There was no chant, no gestures, not even a magic circle. The spell had just… appeared.

  A spell without a magic circle or even a gesture? Is that even possible? Grant thought to himself.

  Tasha looked tense, but she still snapped into action as she began her incantation. “I call upon flame and fury…”

  While she chanted, a wide red magic circle formed above her. When she finished the last words, fireballs burst from the circle and rushed straight toward Lucian.

  Grant braced himself, ready to follow up, but Lucian just stood there and let every fireball hit him head-on. The flames exploded across his chest and shoulders, blooming into bursts of orange and red.

  The flames faded almost immediately, far too fast, as if the heat had been pulled straight out of the air. Within seconds, the fire was gone, leaving Lucian standing completely untouched.

  Then the ground opened beneath Tasha’s legs, swallowing her and trapping her in a narrow pit. She stumbled, but the walls closed in too tightly for her to climb or even turn around. As a final measure, two stone hands rose from the earth and clamped over her mouth. Trapped like that without even the ability to chant, a mage was effectively helpless.

  Lucian turned his attention toward Grant next, as if Tasha had been nothing more than a warm-up. “Do you have anything you’d like to show me?”

  Grant’s heartbeat thudded hard in his chest, but he refused to just go down without at least trying something. He clenched his hands together and started chanting. “Water of judgment, sharpen and strike my foe…”

  A blue magic circle flared on the ground in front of him. Spears of water formed above it, their tips sharp enough to pierce steel. They launched towards Lucian in a straight line. Part of Grant wondered if this was too much. Divine Water Spears was a sixth-tier spell, after all.

  But when the spells struck Lucian’s body, the spears did no damage at all. The moment they made contact, they lost their shape and collapsed into harmless splashes of water.

  Lucian didn’t even flinch. He flew down to the ground and began walking forward while Grant fired spell after spell at him in growing panic. No matter what Grant tried, Lucian closed the distance steadily, until the aspiring professor was standing right in front of him.

  A rushing sound filled Grant’s ears as his feet lifted off the ground, and sudden terror seized his chest. Wind wrapped around him in a tight, spinning sphere, a whirling prison that locked his arms and legs in place.

  It felt like being trapped inside a storm. Grant's body wouldn’t respond, and he couldn’t hear anything clearly beyond the roar of wind battering his ears. Just like that, he too, was out of the fight.

  Through the air prison, he saw Lucian turn his head toward Headmistress Elysia, as if checking something. Then Lucian looked back at Grant again. A moment later, the wind weakened.

  Grant sank slowly back to the ground as Lucian dismissed the spell. The moment his boots touched dirt again, Grant stumbled forward and coughed hard, dragging in air like he’d been underwater.

  When he looked up, he saw Tasha standing nearby as well, already freed from the spell that trapped her. Fortunately, she looked more or less fine, if he ignored just how utterly distraught she looked.

  Grant also couldn't help but stare at Lucian after the fact, wondering just who was this man exactly? He had cast spells without chanting, without gestures, even without magic circles. And he had shut down two A-rank instructors in seconds.

  Honestly, Grant wondered how in the world Headmistress Elysia even managed to bring in someone like Lucian to the academy in the first place. If word of his power ever spread, it wouldn’t just draw the academy’s attention. It would draw eyes from all over the kingdom.