Heaven's Greatest Professor

"Imbuing burns a very little amount of energy," Warden continued. "Tam and Dirk could last twice as long if they fixed their imbuing skill. Especially you, Tam, your control is abysmal. The sheer amount of energy you wasted is twice as much as you used."

The boy was dumbfounded and somewhat sceptical. Nobody would like to hear they were bad at something.

"The basic idea of imbuing is to cycle the energy throughout your body at an even rate," Warden said. "Yes, it becomes harder to do it under stress, or whilst doing anything else, but that is exactly what you're here to learn. Those cursed creatures wouldn't give up--"

"Instructor Warden," Elder Vess called before he could finish. "Perhaps you'd leave the rest of the lecture in your next class."

Warden turned to find the elder, June standing behind him, accompanied by a very awkward Gene.

"The class is dismissed," Warden announced as many of the students' shoulders slumped in exhaustion and resignation.

"So how did your first class go, Instructor?" Elder Vess asked.

"Just like I hoped," Warden answered impassively. "I didn't know students would be this lax in their behaviour. I guess, they are freshmen, so it makes sense."

"That's good to hear," Elder Vess smiled. "Wouldn't you say you went a little hard on them, on your very first day?"

"Perhaps," Warden said, turning towards the resting students on the ground. "But we'll be sending them to fight cursed creatures, not to a dance show. Being hard on them is a mercy for what they'll have to face."

"A fair assessment," Elder Vess nodded. "Though it might make some students reluctant to come to your classes." She gestured towards the few of the students whom Warden asked to run around the ground. "How'll you deal with that?"

Warden thought for a second to answer, "First of all, I don't know how far I can go with the students, or how the academy works. Can I give them merit, or fail them on their performance?"

"You can give them merit in the form of Academic credits, which would be allocated to you," Elder Vess explained. "However, as only a combat instructor, you don't qualify to pass or fail someone."

A scowl appeared on Warden's face.

"But you can punish them for their shortcomings," she added. "Other than the compulsory classes, the students were mostly left to self-study and practise. Combat instructors were only given charge of the classes because they need to be familiarised with the students they'll be helping in the dungeon."

"So if you're telling me all this because I got the job?" Warden asked.

"The classes can be called a formality," Elder Vess said, nodding. "Though it helps us judge the instructor's grip on the students."

Warden nodded, feeling a slight weight off his shoulders.

"Um, Elder," Gene called at that time, mustering all his courage.

"Yes, young Gene?" Elder Vess turned towards the young man, the charming smile lingering on her lips.

"Um, what about me?" he asked timidly and hopefully. "Did I pass?"

"What do you think?"

"No?" he asked, his expression twisting into a sorrowful look.

"Although your spells are admirable, you're still lacking to be responsible for others," Elder Vess broke the news.

Gene's shoulders slumped in resignation.

"Perhaps you'll get a better result next year," Elder Vess said, smiling. "Yes, I'll make sure of that."

"Um, Elder?"

"You came from a long way, didn't you, Gene?" Elder Vess said. "Although that warp gate makes the journey easy, it isn't easy to come straight from the Republic to the empire's land. Especially when you ran from home. Isn't that right, Gene?"

A shudder went through Gene's spine as he visibly looked around for help. Unfortunately, no help came from any one of them.

"H-how did you know?" he asked, stuttering.

"Well, your mother informed me," she said, bringing out a letter from her spatial device. "She asked me to take good care of her baby boy."

Gene tried to take the letter, but Elder Vess snatched it back.

"She asked me to send you back as soon as possible," Elder Vess continued. "You wouldn't be happy with that arrangement, would you, Young Gene?"

Gene gritted his teeth and shook his head slowly. "I don't want to go back."

"Good." Elder Vess smiled brightly, touching the young boy's shoulder, making him blush furiously. "I told your mother, she had to come here personally if she wanted to take you back. Unfortunately, as you know, the councillor-woman has a lot of things on her hands to come personally to retrieve her son. Not only that, being a political figure in the Republic, she couldn't just walk into the empire.

She'll need a safe permit, which will take months to arrange.

"So let's say for about half a year, you're free to do anything you'd like. Of course, you have to stay under my guidance. I promised your mother of your safety, after all."

"But I didn't get the job," Gene said.

"Bah! You'll get it next year," Elder Vess said, slapping him on his shoulder. "I'll make sure of that. Now go call those lost sheep back here."

Gene dashed immediately to those students Warden sent for punishment.

"The boy is in his rebelling phase, much like the rest of the students," Elder Vess explained to June. "He wouldn't listen to me if I directly asked him to learn from me, considering how he was under his mother's tutelage for his whole life. Force doesn't work nearly as well as diplomacy does once you know how."

Even though she said it to June, her words were directed at him as well. She was asking him to consider diplomacy more than just punishment. Warden decided he would think about it, though his way would probably be different.

Diplomacy didn't work always, especially for rankers who had all the power they needed in their grasp.

"Um, Instructor," A student came in after the rest of the group departed.

"What is it, Dirk?" Warden lifted an eyebrow.

"About the sword art," Dirk asked, hesitantly. "How did you... learn it?"