On one side of the reception hall, a staircase spiraled up from light brown stone steps, and several nobles in formal attire were slowly descending, their sashes and hems swaying with their movements.

As they moved, the low, rhythmic footsteps and their conversations echoed down. Although the volume wasn't loud, in the hall's spaciousness, every word seemed to have a special resonance.

In contrast, the sofa area in the center of the hall was exceptionally quiet. The candlelight flickered on the golden candelabra. Apart from the crackling of firewood in the fireplace, the three sat silently on the sofa, waiting quietly, as if separated into two different worlds.

"The Protos Royal Magic Academy... doesn't it not have vicious competition anymore?"

Xia, sitting on the sofa in the lobby, asked Ranch and Sid in confusion.

He had learned from the chatter of the two senior students along the way that the Protos Royal Magic Academy might have undergone significant changes recently, and the atmosphere was completely different.

"This one is a leader of the Protos Royal Magic Academy. Don't be rude!"

Suddenly, Baron Black Bone of Bone City, on the distant steps, seemed to notice something, turned sideways, and scolded the three young people sitting on the sofa in the center of the hall.

"S-Sorry."

Xia trembled in fright, quickly lowered his head, and his eyes darted away.

He didn't expect that the nobleman, Black Bone, would keenly hear the voice, as if he had been paying attention to this side of the lobby.

Behind the two middle-aged barons, Lilith glanced at Xia for a moment longer on the steps. The brief eye contact made Xia even more embarrassed.

"...What do you think?"

Sid remained unmoved, more interested in looking at Ranch.

He didn't expect that someone would actually take advantage of the time difference of information lag and run to Snowfield Province to swindle and deceive.

"...If someone impersonated the Batian (Overlord Heaven) Church, what would you think?"

Ranch also stared into Sid's purple eyes, kneading the cat boss in his hand as usual.

They had gotten used to whispering loudly all the way. Even if they openly mentioned Sigrid of the Batian Church, no one would believe that the two of them had anything to do with the Batian Church.

But then again, ordinary people really couldn't expose the imposters of the Protos Royal Magic Academy. After all, even students wouldn't know much about the internal information of the academy, and lower graders had almost no chance to come into contact with the advanced professors in the academy, unlike Sid, who could explain everything with her fists.

Xia, who was beside them, was in a mess and didn't understand what the two were saying.

The people in the distance were still slowly walking down the stairs while chatting.

"Baron Bone, these two are my son-in-law's friends. They are all students of the Protos Royal Magic Academy and may know something about the school's situation."

Baron Levin Kingston smoothed things over, easing Xia's embarrassment.

"Recently, there are quite a few people impersonating identities and sneaking into Snowfield Province. I suggest letting Professor Meiqi check the identities of these young men and women to avoid bringing wolves into the house!"

Baron Black Bone smiled coldly as he stroked his two small mustaches, looked at the two strangers beside Xia in the distance, and then gave Professor Meiqi a meaningful look.

For those who want to influence the authority of their words, it is better to kill by mistake than to let go.

"No need, our city-state has verified their identities. The magic steel seal of the Protos Royal Magic Academy on the documents cannot be faked."

Baron Levin Kingston raised his hand somewhat firmly to object.

Magic is an information. Everyone's magic is inherently different, and the steel seal of the Protos Royal Magic Academy originates from the magic guide chapter seal left by Emperor Franklin when the school was built hundreds of years ago. Even the great sage Isis of the empire cannot imitate it.

"I think it's necessary to check. It is also my duty to check the students' academic performance and identity information."

However.

Professor Meiqi finally spoke.

His voice was deep, full of the majesty and responsibility of a leader.

"..."

Baron Levin Kingston could only relax his shoulders helplessly and stopped speaking when he heard the words.

Even if he wanted to befriend the two young people and maintain them, it was only limited to checking and balancing Baron Black Bone's attitude, and it was not good to interfere with Professor Meiqi's own intentions.

After all, this was their own internal affair at the Protos Royal Magic Academy.

Meiqi's pace was still unhurried as he walked down the steps and came to the first floor of the hall. There was a trace of sorrow between his brows, like the loneliness that strong people often have, until he came not far from the three of them.

"Take out your student ID."

"Okay."

Sid didn't care and took it out.

She is just an ordinary second-year girl who doesn't know anything about the inside story of the real and fake principals.

Ranch smiled slightly, took the certificate from Sid, and handed over hers and his together.

Meiqi took it indifferently, glanced at the information on it.

"How many credits do you have..."

Sid asked Ranch in a very low voice.

"40, what about you?"

Ranch also replied in a low voice.

His own credits were still given to him by Vice Professor Xiduo every day, for a total of four days from Tuesday to Friday.

"I still have 60 left, much better than you."

Sid is a master at controlling her score.

The conversation between the two made the corners of Xia's eyes twitch, and Professor Meiqi's face quickly turned gloomy.

You must know that freshmen who have just entered the Protos Royal Magic Academy can have hundreds of credits if they work hard.

These two are good, they only have one hundred points together, and they seem to be quite proud, and they don't look like students who have just entered the school.

If Xia hadn't seen Sid's skills, he would probably suspect that the two of them were at the bottom of the entire grade.

"Professor Meiqi, do you remember our names? Especially his."

Sid pointed to Ranch next to her and asked Meiqi.

"I won't remember the names of poor students."

Meiqi snorted coldly, threw their certificates back to them, feeling that these two students were making fun of him and wasting his time.

After saying that, Meiqi turned and left.

Baron Black Bone, who was standing in the distance, just shook his head with a sneer when he heard this.

They are not at the same level of existence, so there is no need to communicate anymore.

In the most severe school in the empire, which is also the most generous in educational resources, the status of poor students is not even as good as that of dogs. Even if their identities are real, they have no threat or value.

Birds of a feather flock together.

Being with an incompetent down-and-out nobleman like Xia must not be an excellent student. Baron Levin Kingston almost treated them like treasures just now.

"Brother Levin, your vision is getting worse and worse. I'm really worried about the son-in-law you're looking for for Lilith... You must know that when Lilith goes to the academy, useless guys will not only not be able to help her, but may stick to her like garbage, unable to shake them off."

Baron Black Bone patted Baron Levin Kingston on the shoulder and sighed.

I don't know if he was satirizing the poor Xia or the two guards he picked up.

"If you really want what's best for Lilith, consider my words more. My son Dean is not bad either. The two promising young people should interact more. She may be able to take this opportunity to gain Professor Meiqi's favor."

Baron Black Bone continued to say to Baron Levin Kingston. At this point, he no longer concealed his purpose.

(End of this chapter)