She revealed just the right trace of difficulty and apology on her face:
“This… I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you. As my daughter mentioned, she saw that book years ago while visiting a declining Noble Family, by chance in their collection room.”
“At the time, she only skimmed through a few pages, didn’t even remember the full title, and now that family has long since moved away. Their whereabouts are unknown.”
Her words left no loopholes, both explaining the source of the Magic and cutting off all possible avenues of further investigation.
A flash of disappointment appeared in Claudia Winston’s eyes, but she did not press further.
She could tell that although this lady appeared gentle, she was tight-lipped on crucial matters, clearly unwilling to reveal more of her secrets.
“I see, what a pity,” Claudia sighed, then shifted the topic, “However, this only further proves your daughter’s astonishing gift for memorization! Madam, a genius like her must not be buried among the commoners!”
She rose to her feet and gave Tulia a formal, respectful bow once again.
“In the name of a Teacher of the Royal Academy of Magic, I formally invite your daughter Lisbeth to enter the Royal Academy of Magic as a Special Admission student, exempted from the Admission Test!”
Upon hearing this, Tulia’s heart skipped a beat, and she recalled that “female ruffian’s” earlier claims. She decided to use this opportunity to confirm the truth.
She hurriedly stood up, lowering herself even more, speaking in an extremely respectful tone, “Ah, Teacher, please, sit down! You honor me too much.”
In her previous life, she’d been just an ordinary office worker, naturally reverent toward Teachers and Professors—those “cultured people.”
This ingrained attitude hadn’t changed at all, no matter the world or the identity she’d been given.
“I heard the Academy’s Special Admission requires the submission of a hundred Magic Beast Wolf Fangs as Magic materials, is that right?”
She asked carefully, in a manner seeking guidance, “My daughter and I are new here, and this has been troubling us.”
“A hundred Magic Beast Wolf Fangs?”
Claudia, hearing this, revealed a look of confusion matching Tulia’s. She furrowed her brows in thought for a moment, then shook her head in sudden realization.
“Oh, you must mean the Alchemy Department’s elective Admission Test, right? That’s an old rule from decades ago, back when they needed Wolf Fangs as experimental Wand Core materials for new students. That’s all changed now; the Academy provides all the materials directly.”
She looked at Tulia a bit strangely, “Madam, where did you hear such outdated information?”
—Well, looks like that cool big sister from before wasn’t just acting, she wasn’t even a good actor. Even her intel was outdated.
Tulia understood instantly, but showed a bashful expression of sudden realization: “So that’s how it is! Oh dear, I just picked up some rumors here and there, I must have made you laugh.”
Without a doubt, the elegant and learned woman before her was the real Academy Teacher. Tulia’s respect for her deepened even further.
Watching Tulia’s evident reverence for intellectuals, Claudia became even more convinced that this was a mother who had raised her daughter alone and deeply understood the value of education.
Thus, she offered her olive branch once more: “Please rest assured, Madam! In the name of a Teacher of the Royal Academy of Magic, I formally invite Lisbeth to enter without the Admission Test! She will receive the highest-level Scholarship. All of the Academy’s Libraries and Laboratories will be open to her, and I will personally serve as her Teacher, imparting all I have learned in my life!”
Such terms were enough to make any Noble Family in the Empire go mad with envy.
However, Tulia merely asked calmly,
“Then… do we still have to pay tuition?”
“Ahem.” Claudia cleared her throat, a little embarrassed. “Madam, please don’t worry. Lisbeth will receive the highest-level Scholarship. This means all her expenses at the Academy will be fully covered by the Academy. You… don’t need to pay a single copper coin.”
“Oh, all-inclusive, huh.”
Hearing this, Tulia’s face broke into a heartfelt, dazzling smile filled with the pure joy of “saving money.” “That’s wonderful! Teacher Winston, you really are a good person! We’ll go! When does the term start?”
And so, things were happily decided in a most unexpected manner.
Fearing that delays might bring unforeseen changes, Claudia promptly arranged to personally pick up Lisbeth early the next morning.
After leaving her contact information and a Badge representing her Academy identity, she finally departed, satisfied, with the still-excited Mia.
After seeing the Teacher and student off, Tulia closed the shop door, spun around, and gave Lisbeth a huge bear hug.
“My precious daughter! You really are Mama’s lucky star! A hundred gold coins in tuition a year—just like that, it’s all saved! Come on! Mama’s in a great mood today, I’ll make your favorite fruit tart for dinner tonight!”
On the way back, Mia was still basking in happiness, while Claudia was replaying her brief interaction with Tulia over and over in her mind.
That Madam Tulia… was far too strange.
“Teacher, what are you thinking about?” Mia finally noticed her mentor’s silence.
“I’m thinking…” Claudia said slowly, her eyes glinting with wisdom, “that perhaps… we’ve caught a fish much bigger than we’d imagined.”
“No matter what,” she looked toward the Royal Academy of Magic’s spire, glowing with Magic in the night, and murmured to herself, “first, get them into the Academy. As long as they’re on my turf, I refuse to believe I can’t dig out your secrets.”