In the wide garden beneath the old Liberal Arts Building of the Institute of Magic Engineering, plants bathed in morning mist and sunlight, exuding a fresh fragrance, accompanied by the singing of canaries, the buzzing of bees, and the gurgling of a stream.
On this open lawn full of flowers, two figures stood here conversing.
“Why do you suspect you’ve been scammed?”
The young reporter Lu Weixier asked.
“Actually, it’s because I received a fine. The amount was so large, and so outrageous, that I had to come verify it personally.”
Noe sighed.
The more Noe thought about it, the more he felt it must have been Lan Qi, that good-for-nothing kid, trying to act clever and making a blunder by writing the issuing party of the fine incorrectly.
But then again, if Lan Qi really did have such counterfeiting skills, then he wouldn’t have to worry about food and clothing for life.
Either he’d be extremely rich, or the kingdom’s prison would take good care of him.
Noe also remembered the last time he saw Lan Qi, Lan Qi had been absorbed in studying law.It was very likely that from then on, the kid had strayed onto the wrong path.
The urgent task now was to verify this fine at the Institute of Magic Engineering before its deadline.
If the fine was fake, Noe swore this time he would punish Lan Qi severely and drag him back onto the right track.
If by chance it was real, Noe’s feelings would be rather complicated.
Because that would mean—this brat really had successfully entered the Sage’s Institute.
“Could you let me take a look at the fine? Maybe I can help you tell if it’s genuine.”
Lu Weixier said with a smile.
Although she wasn’t a student of commerce, as a student of intelligence studies, she was much more skilled in discerning the authenticity of official documents.
“Sorry to trouble you.”
Noe gladly handed over the fine.
Lu Weixier took it and examined it carefully.
Soon, she smiled again:
“Let me tell you, fines like this, issued under the private name of a teacher at Ikerite Academy, are mostly fake. It’s a common scam. A legitimate fine should be issued institution-to-institution, not private-to-corporate. How could a renowned magic engineer like Professor Bolao stoop to extorting a wealthy merchant…”
But before she finished speaking—
She saw the recipient’s name: Noe Wilfort.
“!”
Immediately, the young reporter Lu Weixier’s expression turned surprised. She straightened her posture, chest out, face serious, and gave Noe a respectful salute.
“Student… what’s gotten into you?”
Noe had already been preparing to arrest Lan Qi after hearing her earlier words, but he couldn’t figure out why her attitude suddenly reversed 180 degrees.
“There’s one thing I can guarantee you.”
Lu Weixier’s tone even changed, taking on the air of a broadcaster.
“What is it?”
Noe swallowed nervously, asking.
Could it be that this fine involved an even greater crime?
“This fine is definitely real.”
Lu Weixier returned the fine to Noe with both hands.
“You mean that brat is really in this school?!”
Noe’s eyes widened. Lan Qi couldn’t even use magic—how did he get into the Sage’s Institute!
And why was it that no matter how he tried to investigate, he could find no information on the entrance exam?
The more he investigated, the more fake the admission letter seemed.
But in the end—it turned out to be real.
He was starting to doubt reality itself.
“Of course! This school couldn’t run without him! Every report about his deeds gets rave reviews!”
Lu Weixier said excitedly.
“Every report?”
“Yes!”
She nodded repeatedly.
“…Could you describe what you know of this Lan Qi Wilfort?”
Noe worried he and this reporter might be talking about different people entirely.
“He has black hair and green eyes, very handsome, looks harmless and gentlemanly. But sometimes his behavior is so deranged it makes people question his mental state.”
Lu Weixier vividly described.
“Hiss…”
Noe scratched his head in doubt upon hearing it.
That indeed matched his idiot son.
Other than being good-looking, he was useless, and his brain was still the same scatterbrained mess, always making a drunken scene after drinking.
Although the reporter’s sharp critique stung, it was the truth.
“Did Lan Qi cause any trouble at school?”
Noe quickly asked the question he cared about most.
“Um… no.”
Lu Weixier thought, then answered.
In fact, Lan Qi had only done good things in school!
She often heard President Monast praise Lan Qi for being diligent and upright.
As for outside school—yesterday he had indeed just pulled off something big—killing the Resurrection Church’s Saintess of Destruction. Most likely by now, Lan Qi was at the very top of the Resurrection Church’s wanted list.
Lu Weixier couldn’t even guess what number was written on the bounty poster.
“Then, student, do you know how to find Lan Qi?”
Hearing this, Noe finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled in relief.
He hadn’t expected the brat to be a little surprising after all.
As long as he hadn’t caused any major disaster inside the school, then everything was fine!
Lan Qi, in the end, was just as he thought—unable to stir up any great storms in the capital. He was just the paper-tiger type of foolish playboy, not some uncontrollable demon king who evolved the moment he found the right environment.
Now, Noe felt as if a heavy stone pressing on his heart had vanished into smoke, leaving him very cheerful.
He actually didn’t mind the 8,000-pound fine. He’d just take it as celebrating Lan Qi’s successful admission to Ikerite Academy.
“Uh, for now you probably can’t find him. He’s streaming right now.”
Lu Weixier glanced at the clock hands on the distant bell tower.
Yesterday morning Lan Qi had just entered the Shadow World, and this Shadow World still had four full days left before it ended. Before that, Lan Qi definitely couldn’t be found on campus.
“Right about now, the stream should be starting. It’s said today he’ll bring everyone a special art, culture, and science performance program. I was planning to head to Jera Memorial Square anyway to collect some report material. Would you like to watch first before going to the Institute of Magic Engineering?”
Lu Weixier looked at Noe and asked.
Lan Qi and his group had slept late, ending the stream around 2 a.m. last night. Before logging off, he had announced that today’s stream would begin after 9 a.m.
So the time was just right.
Since Lan Qi’s father could live with him day and night, surely he could endure watching Lan Qi in the Shadow World without his heart fluttering too wildly.
“Heh, I want to see what nonsense this brat is pulling.”
Noe chuckled.
Since the fine was real, he wasn’t in a hurry to check with the Institute anymore.
What talent could that brat possibly have that was worth performing for all the students of the Academy and the residents of the capital?
Ridiculous.
He was already eager to watch.