Heaven's Greatest Professor

Chapter 53  Academic Criteria

Even though Jason had the enthusiasm of a teenager when he talked about his guild, he hadn't actually made one yet. Apparently, you need at least four members of the iron rank to form a guild. There is also the matter of a three-star Arcane Society badge, but that didn't seem to be the problem. The guy didn't even have a single member guaranteed to join his guild yet, but he looked as confident as ever. Well, Jason Forger seemed to be a confident fellow, looking exactly like what he was—young, boastful, and equally talkative.

Warden listened to him as he ate the food, which was better than anything he had eaten before. More importantly, he didn't buy this food; it was all on Jason's pocket. "So, what do you say, Warden?" Jason asked. "Will you join my guild?" "Doesn't seem too bad," he replied, chewing on the meat. "If my other things don't work out, then sure." "That's great!" Jason was stunned. He definitely wasn't expecting such a reply. "Where are you residing? How can I contact you?" "Velvet Kiss," Warden said, naming the place where he was residing at the time, "although I'm not sure for how long I'd be there." "There you are," a feminine voice said from behind him, as Warden turned to find June standing there. "Oh, hi, June," he greeted. "I have bought some clothes." "I can see." "Wait, how did you find me?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "I left a mark on you," she said, as if it didn't mean anything. "Other than the mark you left in my heart?" he threw her a beaming smile. She displayed an expression as if she was cringing. "Hey, that was good," Warden said. "Too cheesy," June replied. "I like cheese," Warden said, and introduced Jason. "Meet Jason." "Professor," Jason said, standing up in greeting. Apparently, those two knew each other from before. "I didn't know you knew Warden." "No need for formalities," June said. She glanced at the food they were having. "Are you done eating?" "I'm just getting started," Warden laughed. "Come on, sit. How did your job go?" "Mostly taken care of," she said, taking an empty seat at their table. "So, how are you two doing together? Oh right, good seeing you, Jason. What are you up to these days?" "Good seeing you too, Professor," Jason said. His tone was prim and proper now. "I had some good experiences in the last two days and decided a guild would be the best outcome for me."

"A guild, huh?" June raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on her lips. "Who would have guessed that? So, which one are you planning on joining?"

"Silent Stalker," Warden answered for him. "Or was it Silent Watcher? Well, makes no difference to me."

Jason looked down in shame. "I planned to create one myself."

"Without your father's help?" June asked, curious.

"That's the plan," Jason said. "Though I'm having a hard time getting people to join. Oh right, I met Warden just some time ago and was discussing my guild with him."

"Which you apparently don't have," Warden laughed, "yet."

"Well, that might not be a bad idea," June said, narrowing her eyes. "But I fear your guild won't last long if you two troublemakers work together."

"So, how are you doing, Jason?" Warden asked. "From the academy, I presume?"

"Yes, Jason was one of the few who stood up," June said. "He graduated two years ago, which was also the year I joined."

"I seem to have some interest in the academy," Warden said. "What are the odds, do you think, that I can get in as a professor?"

June looked at him suspiciously. "A professor needs to have mastery over at least one art," she said slowly. "What are you a master of?"

"What about that Walt fellow?" Warden asked. "He was terrible when he challenged me." n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Professor Torin Walt is a master swordsman," June said with an even tone.

"Like hell he is," Warden snorted. "I defeated him in a sword fight, and I'm far from being a master of the sword."

June narrowed her eyes at him, unsure how to reply.

"It's common knowledge Torin Walt got the job through his family," Jason added, shrugging his shoulders. "Though there have been rumors that he was a true Swordmaster."

"Didn't feel like one," Warden said. "Anyway, I'm better with a spear. Might even be a master in it."

Both of them gave him weird gazes, as if they couldn't believe him.

"Don't look at me like that; it's your student who said that," Warden said.

"Kiara?" June asked.

"Liam," Warden corrected. "Good lad. Have they reached the academy yet?"

"Probably," June said, unsure. "Regardless of whether you're a spear master or not, what are you going to teach the students with your condition being... you know?"

She didn't mention his amnesia in front of Jason, as Warden had requested earlier.

"You're also an early Iron rank," June said. "You need at least the strength of a Silver ranker, with three attributes awakened, one of them being Spirit."

"What about the Walt fellow?"

"Walt had backing," June said. "But you don't."

"Okay," Warden said. "What about the recruitment that has been going on currently?"

"You mean the yearly recruitment for combat instructors and healers?" June raised an eyebrow. "Well, I can see you more as a Combat Instructor than as a professor, to be honest. Why are you interested?"

"I heard great things about these academies from Jason's friend," Warden said. "Of course, I wanted to see it for myself."

"The job of a combat instructor is quite demanding, though," June said. "Not just your strength, you need to have command over the students, which is quite difficult as half of them come from noble houses."

"I can always beat them up if they misbehave," Warden said, as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Receiving the same look from them again, he asked, "What, aren't they adults? I mean, your two students were."

June shook her head in disapproval.