bookbashuk Chapter 104: Nerinette, Don’t You Think You Owe Our Royal Noble Magic Academy a Bow?
Chapter 104: Nerinette, Don’t You Think You Owe Our Royal Noble Magic Academy a Bow?
Chapter 104: Nerinette, Don’t You Think You Owe Our Royal Noble Magic Academy a Bow?
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The bustling streets of the imperial capital had, almost imperceptibly, returned to their usual clamor.
Two full days had passed since the incident—the Cult of the Evil God’s incursion into the noble district—and any sense of danger had long since dissipated.
Now, the affair existed only as drunken gossip, rumors spiraling wilder with each retelling.
Gradually, it faded from daily life, becoming as distant as the nobles secluded in their grand estates.
“So, the fighting in the noble district didn’t affect Yalis, did it?”
Following his usual route to the Department of Alchemy, Lin Wei glanced at the students crossing the central courtyard in their crisp academy uniforms. His thoughts drifted to Yalis, the girl he’d sent home that night.
If he remembered correctly, her family’s estate was less than a kilometer from the scene.
The destruction wrought by transcendents battling at their limits was never minor.Even as the duke’s daughter, with all the protection her manor could offer, it was hard not to worry—at least a little.
After all… Miss Yalis was the type who, on a sudden impulse, would sneak out to slay evil.
As long as her opponent was truly wicked, she’d don her cloak and pursue justice—regardless of whether she could actually win.
What a troublesome, hot-blooded little sister type—always charging headlong into danger while her dependable “older brother” fretted in the background. Maybe, just maybe, he’d trick her into calling him “Big Brother” one day.
“When all this is over, I’ll bring her a gift and check in on her.”
Nodding to himself, Lin Wei quietly made up his mind.
Lost in these thoughts, he soon found himself standing outside the Department of Alchemy’s office without even realizing it.
But before he could step inside, a heated argument erupted ahead, drawing his attention.
“You must be joking! That commission belongs to the Imperial Magic Academy—why should we hand it over?”
“Vice Dean, have you lost your mind? Did the nobles knock your head loose? Tell them to get lost, the farther the better!”
“Hm?”
Director Nerinette’s voice was unmistakable—sharp, instantly recognizable.
Hearing that almost feral tone, Lin Wei stepped into the office, confusion flickering across his face.
As always, Nerinette’s temper was like a powder keg, and now she looked every bit the raging lioness, standing alone at her desk and facing down a crowd.
Her bloodshot eyes were so weary it was almost frightening—she looked as if she might collapse at any moment.
Opposite her stood a group Lin Wei had never seen before, each one wearing a smug expression.
Their uniforms were exquisitely tailored, hugging each figure with elegant precision, as if custom-made.
Fine white fabric was embroidered with intricate golden patterns; even the collar pins and buttons gleamed with gold plating.
One glance was enough to tell—these people were wealthy.
Oh… Looks like they’re from another magic academy.
“Good morning, Director Nerinette!”
With outsiders coming to stir up trouble, Lin Wei wasn’t about to stand by and watch.
He didn’t bother figuring out who they were. Instead, he strode straight through the crowd to stand beside Nerinette, sharing the brunt of the confrontation.
“Hey! Lin Wei, you’re here!”
His sudden appearance drew every eye in the room.
Seeing Lin Wei plant himself squarely between her and the opposition, Nerinette—who’d been seething with rage just moments before—froze, her expression shifting in an instant. A spark of hope lit her exhausted eyes.
It was only one person stepping forward, but somehow it felt as if she’d gained a whole squad of loyal supporters. With Lin Wei here, she felt more secure than if she had ten ordinary colleagues at her side.
“Yeah, well… I am here for work, after all.”
Now that things had settled a bit, Lin Wei finally took a good look at the opposing group.
There were men and women, ranging in age from their thirties to their fifties. Judging by the faint fluctuations in their auras, most were around Level 60—no small feat.
But what truly caught Lin Wei’s attention was something else: a familiar scent clung to all of them. It wasn’t the sinister stench of the Evil God cultists, but the earthy, herbal aroma of medicinal ingredients—a scent perfectly at home in these halls. Clearly, these people were alchemists through and through.
“So, Director Nerinette, what’s the story with this lot? They’re all alchemists, right?”
“And that one standing with them… isn’t he the Vice Dean of our own Imperial Magic Academy?”
“Ah, well…”
The middle-aged man in the Imperial Magic Academy uniform—his face a portrait of bureaucratic anxiety—visibly flinched when Lin Wei addressed him. His already thinning hair seemed to tremble along with him.
Faced with Lin Wei’s direct gaze, the Vice Dean forced a strained smile, sweat beading on his brow.
Lin Wei remembered this Vice Dean well. The last time Duke Ous had visited, the man had spent the entire day caught between the duke’s authority and the demands of the Saintess’s friend—a truly awkward position.
And now, with trouble brewing in the Department of Alchemy, it was the same Vice Dean handling the mess… and from the look of things, he was siding with the opposition?
“They’re the ones trying to steal our Imperial Magic Academy’s supply order!”
Nerinette, oblivious to Lin Wei’s shifting expression, answered at once—she didn’t even need to think.
“These people are from the Royal Noble Magic Academy. They heard we’re short-staffed after the Evil God cultists’ attack, so now they want to snatch up all our alchemy orders for themselves!”
“Especially that urgent batch we’re supposed to deliver to the Holy See… That damned Vice Dean isn’t just refusing to help his own people, he’s actually telling me to hand the orders over! Like hell I will.”
Everyone knew: if an order like this changed hands, it would spell disaster for all future commissions.
The Imperial Magic Academy might be one of the empire’s top schools, but—at least in alchemy—it didn’t have a monopoly.
Forget the rest of the country; even here in the capital, there were plenty of rivals. Chief among them was the Royal Noble Magic Academy, officially sanctioned by the royal family.
The Imperial Magic Academy’s steady stream of orders wasn’t just about reputation or the skill of its alchemists.
A huge part of it was the work of generations of Department Heads, building connections and trust—earning commissions through a balance of strength, reliability, and personal relationships.
On the surface, this looked like simply passing on an order. In reality, it was a direct attack on the Department of Alchemy’s reputation.
After all, every organization wanted a partner they could rely on.
Both schools were based in the capital, both had alchemy departments, and their potion-making skills were almost evenly matched.
If the Imperial Magic Academy started to look unreliable…
Why wouldn’t the next client choose the more “stable” Royal Noble Magic Academy instead?
Especially since the organizations placing these orders weren’t a united front.
Some preferred the globally-minded Imperial Magic Academy, while others favored the royal-backed Royal Noble Magic Academy.
If they gave up this order, it would be like handing their rivals a golden opportunity. No matter how you looked at it, they couldn’t afford to lose their hard-won reputation over this!
“Hahaha—now, now, Nerinette, isn’t that a bit harsh?”
At that moment, one of the alchemists from the Royal Noble Magic Academy finally stepped forward, letting out a self-satisfied laugh.
She spared only a brief glance for Lin Wei—who, aside from his good looks, didn’t seem especially noteworthy—then quickly refocused on Nerinette.
“How can you call this stealing? We’re doing you a favor, really—helping your Imperial Magic Academy, all thanks to the Vice Dean’s request!”
“We’re not even asking for a transfer fee. The least you could do is show some proper gratitude… don’t you think, Junior Nerinette?”