First Move, Checkmate: How Will You Respond?

“Professor Victor, I…I can’t do it.”

Hennie quickly shook her head, keeping her head low, not even daring to look Victor in the eye.

“Listen to me, Hennie.”

“I’ve had you sit in on my lectures these past few days precisely so you could learn how to properly teach a class.”

Victor’s hand rested on Hennie’s shoulder, and he clearly felt her petite body tremble lightly.

Hennie lifted her head, with unspeakable worry in her eyes.

“Professor, I’m afraid I won’t do well…it will affect your reputation.”

“Reputation?”

Did he even have a reputation?

While this was somewhat self-deprecating, he truly did not care much about his reputation.

Victor gently patted Hennie’s back, causing her trembling body to calm down slightly.

The comforting worked. He then said:

“Go on.”

He knew that no matter how much he said to the innately timid little lamb Hennie, she still wouldn’t agree.

So Victor chose to use a commanding tone, rather than a negotiating one.

Hennie knew she could not refuse the professor.

The professor, he would be unhappy…

Hennie took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and pushed open the classroom door.

The originally noisy classroom quickly quieted down, but the students were still puzzled when they saw Hennie walk up to the lectern.

Where was the professor?

Why was his teaching assistant standing at the lectern?

Feeling the students’ gazes wandering over her, Hennie was under immense pressure.

“Um…”

“The professor had something to do today, so…I’m taking over his class…”

Her voice grew smaller and smaller, until the last two words were like a mosquito’s buzz, so soft that even she could barely hear herself.

Her words were like a bomb tossed into calm waters.

Accompanied by the underwater explosion, the fish noisily protested.

“No way…”

“She’s just a TA, how can she teach instead of the professor?”

“Forget whether the professor allowed it, does she even have the professor’s abilities?”

“We want Professor Victor’s lecture! If our grades drop because of you, can you take responsibility?”

Hennie was berated by the many students to the point she could barely hold her head up. She lowered her head like a punching bag.

Her panicked gaze darted around, wishing she could find a crack in the floor to dive into.

Wuuu…Professor Victor, I can’t do it, I really can’t…

Professor, please come back quickly…

“I’m s-s-sorry…”

“Quiet!”

The sudden shout startled Hennie, and she stealthily raised her head.

Unnoticed by her, Erica in the front row had stood up.

Magic ripples surrounded her, with a complex, exquisite magic circle hovering before her.

Hennie had seen that spell circle before.

It was a silence spell.

Other than the caster, all creatures in the affected area would be unable to make any sounds with their mouths.

“Miss Hennie, please continue.”

Wuuu, thank you Erica!

She was immensely grateful to Erica for the help, and also felt a tinge of guilt.

On the professor’s first day, she had trash talked Erica.

She didn’t expect to be bailed out by her this time.

I’ll definitely tell you the exam scope early next time!

Hennie had already thought about how to repay Erica.

“Not bad.”

Victor had been leaning by the door the whole time, fully aware of everything happening in the classroom.

Erica’s assistance was unexpected yet very satisfying to Victor, while Hennie’s fear was only natural.

He had originally wanted to use the students’ pressure to force Hennie to grow quickly, but it seemed now that would have the opposite effect.

But having Hennie teach was a last resort.

He was leaving the city with Gwen starting tomorrow, for up to half a month, or as little as one week.

No matter what, he wanted to keep his professorship, so he couldn’t abandon this batch of students.

And so Victor thought of Hennie.

His lectures were originally written by Hennie anyway, so ability-wise there was definitely no problem.

The only thing to worry about was her timidity.

He needed Hennie to personally overcome this, to let her know she was capable of teaching these students well.

With Erica’s help, the classroom quieted down.

Hennie took a deep breath to calm herself, and finally summoned the courage to start teaching.

She lectured from a prepared script that she had long memorized.

Soon, Hennie got into her own rhythm, growing increasingly adept as she taught.

Victor, peeking the whole time, nodded in approval. Hennie undoubtedly had talent for lecturing.

The students also went from initial skepticism, to confusion, and finally to pleasant surprise.

They realized Hennie’s pacing was perfect, giving them a feeling that

it was as if Professor Victor was teaching them himself.

By the end, they were fully immersed in Hennie’s class.

The only sounds left in the classroom were Hennie’s lecturing, and the scratching of pens on paper.

As Hennie lectured, she suddenly paused.

Because this segment required an instructor’s magic demonstration.

2nd Order magic: [Shatterstar]

Since Professor Victor was a powerful 3rd-tier mage, when preparing the lectures she had written them from Victor’s perspective.

She didn’t expect this to trip herself up.

She herself was only a magic apprentice.

Even though she knew the theory behind this spell, she didn’t have the mana to cast it.

Although flustered, she quickly calmed herself.

“Erica, could you demonstrate this spell for everyone?”

She was gambling, gambling on whether Erica would help her once more.

Fortunately, she gambled right.

Erica calmly walked up to the lectern, taking the magic book from Hennie which had Shatterstar’s theory clearly written down.

The details were so thorough she didn’t even need to think much, just conceptualize the spell circle path, and she could easily cast it.

She raised a hand, trying out this spell for the first time.

“Shatterstar!”

A profound ripple stirred up the air.

One by one, bright morning stars appeared in the air.

Like a painting, they formed the lines of a spell circle.

And right before taking shape, they abruptly vanished into thin air.

Just as many students were puzzled.

Thunk thunk thunk!

Appearing suddenly, from an unknown direction.

Countless fine spikes were as if instantly generated, all nailing the practice mannequin in the classroom full of holes.

Seeing the mannequin riddled with holes by the shattered stars, the students’ hearts collectively skipped a beat.

What a sinister attack spell!

But with Erica’s demonstration, their learning was much faster.

“So that’s how it works!”

They began lively discussion, not even aware Erica’s silence spell had long ended.

Hennie also relaxed, exchanging smiles with Erica.

The class ended quickly in a focused yet relaxed atmosphere. As the bell rang, none of the students showed any dissatisfaction.

This lecture still benefited them greatly.

At the same time, they now held much more respect for Hennie.

As expected of Professor Victor’s TA, not just any lecturer could do as well as her!

“Professor Victor’s TA is unexpectedly so outstanding too!”

“Yeah, yeah!”

Hennie walked up to Erica, wanting to properly thank the girl who willingly helped out in class.

“Thank you, Erica.”

“Without you, I would have embarrassed myself badly this class.”

Erica chuckled with her privately, waving her hand and continuing:

“Just a small thing.”

Hennie softly whispered in Erica’s ear: “I really don’t know why the professor insisted I teach when it’s his job.”

Hearing this, Erica was also quite puzzled.

But puzzlement alone wouldn’t solve anything.

Erica had intended to go to Victor’s office to ask about today anyway, so the two decided to go together and get to the bottom of this.

At the same time, Victor sat at his office desk, leisurely drinking coffee and flipping through magic books.

After seeing Hennie adapt, he had sneaked back here to slack off.

The tranquil dusk, mixed with the sounds of pages turning.

Very nice.

But tranquil times are always fleeting.

At the mage tower’s notification, he approved Hennie and Erica’s teleportation request.

The residual light of the teleportation spell gradually faded away.

The next second, these two young beautiful girls appeared before him.

“Professor…”

Hennie’s voice was still so timid, as if he would eat her up inadvertently at any moment.

The sounds of pages turning did not stop as Victor, without looking up, casually brought up as if just chitchatting:

“Today’s class, you did well.”

“How did it feel?”

Hennie stroked her chest, quickly breathing out in relief a few times.

“Thanks to Erica, it went very smoothly.”

“If there’s a next time, I definitely won’t be so scared.”

Erica, who was feeding Veega, turned back and returned Hennie’s gaze.

Only then did Hennie remember her purpose. She didn’t come here fishing for Victor’s praise.

“Professor, why did you want me to substitute for you in class?”

Thump.

Victor closed the book. The exquisite bound tome was placed on the desk as he looked at Hennie, responding nonchalantly as usual:

“I’m going out for a bit and need some time before coming back.”

Hearing this, Hennie didn’t feel anything in particular.

But Erica, in the middle of feeding Veega, twitched her hand and spilled bird feed on the desk.

‘Hey girl, feed me properly if you’re gonna feed me!’

Veega protested indignantly, but of course Erica couldn’t hear her.

She ignored Veega’s chirping and pricked up her ears to listen carefully.

“So I wanted to test whether you’re capable of being the teacher for our class.”

Hennie froze in place.

“Professor, you…were testing me?”

Victor gave an “mm-hmm,” returning her a faint smile.

Even though the upward curve of his lips was barely discernible.

“You did well. I believe you can definitely become an excellent lecturer.”

“Professor, wuuu…wuuuuu!”

Seemingly receiving unexpected affirmation, Hennie finally couldn’t hold back her emotions and cried out.

But Erica was still dumbfounded.

Huh? What? Victor is leaving? For how long before coming back?

She didn’t know why, but hearing Victor would be traveling far away, Erica felt a little let down.

After class in the evenings, she could learn a lot from Victor here.

But if Victor left…

She seemed to have no reason to come here anymore.

Although Victor wasn’t really leaving, just going away for a few days, she still felt somewhat dejected.

But another voice sounded in her mind.

‘Great, this unromantic jerk is leaving!’

“It’s good he’s going. Out of sight, out of mind!”

She quickly adjusted her mood, shrugging.

Even without Victor’s tutelage, she was still a genius mage.

“Right.”

Victor turned his head and glanced at Erica.

“What questions have you brought today?”

“Speak up quickly, once I’ve taught you I can get off work.”

“…”

He even still remembered she would come to ask questions.

It was as if her psychological defenses, built up with great difficulty, now had a crack in them from this.

She lowered her head, taking out the questions she had long prepared and walked over to Victor.

But for some reason,

she suddenly felt absent-minded.

…

That night, Lia walked into Victor’s study.

“The storefront is decorated.”

These days, Lia had been in the capital handling the store.

So she hadn’t returned to the territory recently, instead living here directly.

After all, she already had a room here.

Victor closed his book, wanting to discuss pricing with Lia.

Lia told him: “One thousand ducats.”

For a consumable sold in the capital, this price was not cheap, yet very reasonable.

This potion was absolutely worth this price.

If they could sell fifty vials a day, they could directly earn fifty thousand ducats.

The costs were just a tree fruit, though rare, at most ten ducats.

This was highly profitable.

Victor nodded. This price was also within his expectations.

Any more would not match its miraculous effects, any less would be undeserved.

“Also, remember to limit it to two vials per person per day.”

“Why?”

Lia was somewhat puzzled. The potion itself was already expensive. Whether anyone would buy it was an issue itself, yet there was also a purchase limit?

Wasn’t he afraid of having stock left unsold from low sales?

Victor explained:

“I’d rather earn less at first, to spread awareness of this potion’s effects.”

“Later on, the more people know about it, the more we’ll earn.”

Hearing his explanation, Lia’s eyes lit up as she clicked her tongue in wonder.

“Now I feel you’re more of a businessman than me.”

She was as if seeing Victor for the first time in over a decade.

She yawned, seemingly recalling something, and casually asked:

“Oh right, you’re really going with Gwen to that…what, volcano?”

“Mm-hmm.” Victor nodded.

“Alright.”

Lia muttered, waving her hand dismissively.

“Don’t die out there. I don’t want to spend money collecting your corpse.”

“I’m going to sleep.”

With that said, she patted her cheeks and left Victor’s study.

Seeing Lia leave, Veega lifted her head, the human-like radiance in her eyes restored.

“Isn’t your sister showing concern for you?”

“I thought you two didn’t get along well.”

“We didn’t, but it’s improved some these days.” Victor tapped the desk, a vial of blue potion appearing in his palm as he fiddled with it.

“How did you do it?” Veega asked, puzzled.

Victor placed the blue potion on the desk, explaining simply:

“Because I make money.”