Chapter Seventy-nine: From Today On, You Are Part of Our Family

Shudor was second only to the headmaster at Rhine Magic Academy. Born with the innate gift of Shadow Magic, he could slip between shadows anywhere, and his talent for cultivation was extraordinary. By forty, he had already ascended to the rank of Grand Magus, and now served as vice principal. Once the headmaster retired, he was naturally the most qualified successor.

Of course, the God of Light is fair—having bestowed him with unparalleled talent, He also cursed Shudor with a flaw: an irrepressible fondness for gambling. As a frequent patron of every underground casino, Shudor eventually found himself saddled with debts amounting to millions. With his creditors about to come to the academy to collect, anxiety gnawed at him. If the headmaster—who cared so dearly for the school’s reputation—ever discovered his predicament, he would be done for.

“I can help you.”

Just as Shudor was about to cut his losses and flee, a demonic whisper drifted to his ear. He wasn’t sure why, but he ended up bringing two men in black into his home.

“What you need to do is simple: arrange for our young master to join the academy as a teacher.”

“Hmph, impossible! Who knows if you’re spies from a rival nation?”

Shudor refused righteously. Though a gambler, he was not of bad character; when threatened, his instinct was flight, not murder. Everyone knew the Rhine Magic Academy was a treasure trove for cultivation, so enemy nations longed either to possess or destroy it. Shudor himself had personally dealt with several filthy spies.

“Name your price.”

The man in black did not argue, but simply presented his family’s credentials. Shudor glanced at them and was a little taken aback. These two were from the Starry Night family—the young master in question was the son of the world’s wealthiest man?

Bard Edel Starry Night, the world’s richest man—Shudor had heard of him, though never met him. His two children were said to be rather unremarkable: the son frittered his days away on idle travels, and the daughter possessed some strange interests. Only a few days prior, that daughter had apparently enrolled at the academy.

“Ten million gold coins. Not a coin less.”

The noble young master inspired little goodwill in Shudor, a vice principal of common birth. He swore he’d only named such a price on a whim, not with the intention of betraying the school. Yet the very next day, he was dumbfounded by the Starry Night family’s actions. When he opened the door to his not-too-large, not-too-small house, he was instantly buried in a flood of gleaming gold coins. Every corner of his home was filled to bursting with gold, gold, gold. As he struggled to clear out the damned currency—growing, for the first time in his life, to hate money—he finally uncovered his beloved dog, nearly suffocated beneath the weight.

Madness! Shudor, clutching his dog, howled at the sky. The Starry Night family had done this on purpose. They could have sent the gold in a spatial item, but instead they had crammed his house full to bursting, a gesture steeped in malice.

“Being buried in gold doesn’t feel too bad, does it?”

That night, the man in black returned, wearing an infuriatingly smug smile.

“Don’t worry. Our young master won’t cause any trouble. He only needs the academy’s reputation to gild his own. Isn’t it impressive to say one has taught at Rhine Magic Academy? If you’re worried, you can keep an eye on him.”

“All right. But if he does anything to endanger the academy, I’ll throw him out myself. What does he look like?”

At last, Shudor relented. After all, that money would see him comfortably through the rest of his life; he’d just have to put in a little extra effort to keep an eye on the young lord.

“Let me see... Hey, where’s my recording crystal?”

“It’s not here? Oh, I remember—the young lady said she needed another one.”

“That young lady...” The man in black could only cover his face in exasperation. The young lady’s habit of taking things at random had not changed. If anyone complained, she’d inevitably protest, “It was for an experiment—how can you call that stealing?”

“So this is what he looks like? Are you sure?”

When Shudor picked up the hasty sketch the man in black had drawn, he almost wanted to send the man straight to the God of Light. Even a demon would have drawn better; aside from the spiky hair, there was nothing remotely human about the figure.

“Ahem, well, he’ll be here soon anyway,” the man in black said, scratching his cheek in embarrassment. He was an expert at murder and arson, but when it came to drawing, this was the best he could do.

Afterward, Shudor made a point to use his authority to separate the boys’ and girls’ admissions days, then concealed himself in the shadows to await the young master’s arrival.

------------------------------------------------------------------

“Your name is Ruby, is that right? Take this to the personnel office to register.”

Once he’d confirmed Ruby’s personal details, Shudor filled out the necessary forms. Though he sensed no magical fluctuation from Ruby, he showed no sign of surprise—who knew what sort of defensive or concealing artifacts the wealthy might carry?

“Ruby Edel Starry Night? Wait, I’m not... I want to attend classes!”

Ruby stared at the name on the form, feeling thoroughly miserable. He had the distinct sense that he’d unwittingly been married off into some family. As he tried to protest and explain himself, Shudor had already pushed him out of the office.

“No more talk. At Rhine Magic Academy, teachers from any department can attend each other’s classes. After all, everyone has their own weaknesses. Just don’t let anyone know about our arrangement. Next time we meet, remember to address me as Vice Principal.”

With a sharp slam, the door closed, sending a chill breeze in Ruby’s face. He opened his mouth to protest, but in the end could only grope his way toward the unfamiliar personnel office.

“You must be the new teacher the vice principal brought in.”

The matronly woman in charge of personnel took the paper from Ruby, glanced at it, then conjured a green flame at her fingertip using magic. With a gentle swipe, the Rhine Magic Academy crest appeared—a pair of pure white wings, with a round orb set between them. Ruby had no idea what it signified.

“Um, ah...” Ruby scratched his head, unsure what to say, and could only mumble a vague response.

“It’s been ages since we’ve had a new teacher. Do your best,” the personnel woman said, giving his shoulder a hearty slap in encouragement. At that moment, a commotion arose outside the window. Looking out, Ruby saw the uproar originated from the testing grounds, where magical aptitude assessments were underway.

Magiuna is causing trouble again! That was the only thought in Ruby’s mind.

------------------------------------------------------------------

PS: Please add to your collection and recommend!
PS: I never said Ruby was going to be a student—that’s just his own assumption (wry smile).
PS: Thanks to Yanxiao233 for the 1000 coin reward, and to Qianshang Wange, Baiyan VS Heiyan, and Admiral of Bamboo Island for the 100 coin rewards.