The bell signaling the end of classes rang, echoing through the halls. The students of Class 1-D began packing their belongings, preparing to head home or return to their dormitories.
Kazien, Alvin, Allen, Arken, and Erica rose from their seats. Following Professor Dania's earlier instructions, they made their way directly toward the administration block. They walked calmly down the corridors toward the faculty room to answer the summons.
Arriving in front of a dark brown door with a plaque that read 'Faculty Lounge', Kazien opened it with great care.
Creak!
He pushed the wooden door open slowly and stepped inside, followed by his three fiancés and Erica. The atmosphere inside was quite composed. Dean Claus sat at the head of a long meeting table, flanked by several teachers who had been anticipating the group's arrival.
"Good afternoon. We are here as requested." Kazien greeted Dean Claus and the faculty with a polite tone.
Dean Claus nodded slowly. "Have a seat, Kazien." he said, gesturing toward five empty chairs lined up in front of the table, as if they had been specifically prepared for them.
They promptly took their seats. Allen, sitting to Kazien's left, decided to open the conversation.
"Is there a particular reason you summoned us here so suddenly, Dean Claus?" Allen asked, getting straight to the point.
"I wish to ask Kazien something first." Dean Claus replied, his gaze now fully focused on the silver-haired youth.
"What is it you would like to ask me?" Kazien responded.
"I'll cut straight to the chase!" the Dean said, "How exactly did you manage to teach your classmates in less than ten days?"
The question caused Alvin, Allen, Arken, and Erica to exchange brief glances. They finally understood the reason for this meeting. It seemed the academy's instructors were deeply curious about how Class 1-D had managed to sweep the top rankings.
Kazien felt a sudden urge to laugh upon hearing the reason behind the summons. I thought it would be something more significant. Kazien thought to himself, stifling a chuckle. But why are they asking me something like this?
Kazien let out a very soft sigh before answering the Dean's question.
"I simply taught them with care, guiding and supervising their studies directly." Kazien began his explanation in a flat, steady tone. "I placed more emphasis on practice. For instance, regarding magic circles, I explained how each circle is interconnected to form a solid and powerful structure."
"Once they understood the concept," Kazien continued, "I had them work on problems based on my explanation. If anyone struggled, I was happy to guide them and explain it again, letting them practice what I said until they fully grasped it."
A middle-aged female teacher to Claus's right furrowed her brow. "But don't you find it exhausting to explain things that way?"
"Not at all!" Kazien answered without hesitation. "Seeing them smile happily makes me happy as well, knowing I've successfully shared knowledge that will change their future."
"We often do exactly what you've described, yet it is so difficult to get them to understand!" another male teacher interjected, growing even more curious.
"I take an intensive, personal approach with them."
"What do you mean by that?" the teacher asked, puzzled.
"I ensure that they all feel comfortable under my guidance." Kazien replied candidly.
He leaned forward slightly. "If I were to use my authority as a 'teacher' or mentor in an arrogant, harsh, or authoritarian manner, they would feel nothing but fear. They would try to meet my expectations not because they understand the material, but because they are afraid of making mistakes or being punished."
Kazien took a short breath before continuing his argument. "If I acted that way, those who didn't know how to complete a task would become stressed. When they are stressed, they panic. And when they panic, their minds go blank. They become unable to absorb or remember anything I explain. Fear is the greatest obstacle to learning, and the first thing I do is eliminate that fear."
Kazien's explanation was met with nods from Alvin, Allen, Arken, and Erica, as the four of them had witnessed firsthand how Kazien taught the entire class.
The faculty room fell into a total silence. It wasn't a tense silence, but rather a contemplative one as the instructors took his words to heart. The words of this first-year student had struck a chord. For too long, the academy's teachers had been stuck in rigid, distant, and conservative methods, never considering the psychological aspects Kazien had just outlined.
The silence was eventually broken by Dean Claus. The middle-aged man looked at Kazien with a deeper gaze, as if re-evaluating the young man before him.
There was one thing that had long piqued Dean Claus's curiosity regarding the Altavis family, the most powerful and influential noble house in the Kingdom of Garveon, yet one that remained mysterious and tended to withdraw from capital society.
He specifically thought of Kazien's older sister, Selena. She had abruptly left the academy without offering any explanation to the administration.
"Kazien, do you know why the Altavis family seems so reluctant to study at this academy?" Dean Claus asked suddenly, shifting the topic to a more sensitive area. "Especially your sister, Selena? She left the academy so suddenly without a word to me or any of the teachers here."
Kazien chuckled softly at the mention of his sister's name. His expression softened slightly.
"Ah... as for Sister Selena, her reason was simple." Kazien replied casually. "In my sister's eyes, this academy didn't look like a place for education. It looked more like a socialite community with an absolute hierarchy."
"I cannot speak for my other predecessors." Kazien continued. "But my siblings certainly saw this academy as a gathering place for trash rather than a place of learning. Consequently, they decided to study on their own rather than receive an education in a place that lacked quality."
Kazien's blunt words were a sharp blow to Dean Claus and every teacher in the room. Even the man who held the highest authority in the academy could not deny Kazien's words, given the state of the institution before the recent purge.
Dean Claus let out a long sigh, inwardly conceding the argument. He looked at the silver-haired youth with a newfound sense of respect.
"Is it true then, that you came to this academy and hid your status just to obtain a graduation certificate?" Dean Claus asked, seeking direct confirmation.
Kazien nodded. "Correct. Just for my personal collection, a small achievement."
However, the look in his sapphire-blue eyes darkened slightly, radiating a serious aura.
"Furthermore," Kazien added, his voice dropping, "if I had declared from the beginning that I was an Altavis, those 'trash' would surely have flocked to me, trying to curry favor for political gain or protection. And if that had happened, they would have acted differently. The crimes and rot of the kingdom's rats, hiding behind the luxurious uniform of this academy, would never have been exposed if I hadn't hidden my identity."
Dean Claus and the teachers were left speechless. The explanation was perfectly logical.
They finally understood why Kazien had been so insistent on maintaining his anonymity. It wasn't mere humility. It was a tactical move.
The silver-white-haired boy hadn't just come to study. He had come to observe, to judge, and ultimately, much like what had just transpired in the capital, to clear away the filth without anyone realizing it until it was far too late.