Amidst the curious gazes of the students, Daniel walked unhurriedly through the crowd and stopped before Lioran.
Lioran also looked away from his students and stared at the young man who had just arrived.
For a few seconds, neither of them spoke, just assessing each other.
The students also stared in silence, curious about who this handsome young man was who had appeared out of nowhere.
They had never seen him before and wondered if he was a new student.
"I’m a rookie mage too. Can I sit here?" Then Daniel said in a completely normal tone.
Several students immediately exchanged surprised glances.
A rookie? So their guess was right. But then why couldn’t they sense any mana from him?
Of course, if they knew this boy was the same person who had achieved 100% comprehension of the tablet, they wouldn’t be so calm.
Though the news had spread everywhere, his face hadn’t been fully recognized yet.
"Of course."
Daniel sat down on the empty seat without ceremony, like an ordinary student ready to learn.
While in reality, perhaps the most dangerous political confrontation in the tower in recent decades was beginning.
The class continued.
One of the students raised their hand.
"Professor, when combining the law of wind and the law of lightning, how can mana instability be prevented?"
Lioran explained patiently. Not just the answer to the question, but the reasoning behind it as well. He even gave several practical examples.
Several other students also asked questions, and each time, he responded with the same patience and precision.
Daniel watched in silence. Every movement, every sentence, every reaction. He had come to know his opponent.
And so far, what he was seeing did not at all resemble the image of an ambitious politician.
Lioran was truly masterful in the fundamentals of magic, and as someone equal to a Divine Mage, he was considered among the best in his rank.
In fact, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that at his level, he probably had no rival. Even Serys currently had no chance of defeating Lioran.
After a while, Daniel himself entered the discussion for the first time.
"I have a question."
Lioran looked at him.
"Go ahead."
"If the majority agrees with something, does that mean it’s right?" Daniel leaned back slightly.
Several students laughed.
"That’s not a magical question." One of them said.
"Did this idiot mistake this for a philosophy class?"
"Haha, no doubt. It happens sometimes that rookie mages ask such questions."
But Lioran didn’t laugh. On the contrary, his gaze deepened slightly, because he immediately understood that this question wasn’t about magic, but was probably targeting him.
He thought for a few seconds.
"No. But the probability of it being right is higher." He then answered.
"So what if the majority is wrong?" Daniel nodded quietly.
"Then someone must prove their mistake." Lioran answered without hesitation.
"Even if everyone is against that person?"
For the first time, several people noticed that the atmosphere of the discussion had changed.
No one was asking questions anymore; everyone was just listening. Some even felt that these questions sounded familiar.
"If truth is with that person, then yes... truth doesn’t change with the number of people." Lioran didn’t take his gaze off Daniel.
"An interesting answer." Daniel smiled faintly.
Serys, listening from the corner, smiled, and warmth appeared in her eyes. She understood that these questions were practically showing his perspective.
"What kind of class is this?" One of the students who hadn’t understood the direction of the discussion laughed.
But no one answered him, because even the other professors present in the hall had fallen silent.
They felt something was happening, but still didn’t know exactly what.
"What makes a good leader?" Daniel asked again.
"Someone who can guide their people toward a better future." Lioran said.
"Even if their people don’t know if that future is truly better?"
"A leader has the duty to show the way."
"And if they make a mistake?"
"Then they must be held accountable."
"To whom?"
"To truth and justice."
"And who determines truth and justice?" This time, Daniel’s smile deepened slightly, and he chuckled.
This was foolish. Leaders were accountable to no one... That’s right, logically, if they made a mistake, they really should be accountable.
Accountable to the people? But what would the people do? Riots and protests? They would be suppressed by force. So what would they do?
Who would a leader really be accountable to?
Several students frowned. The questions had become more complex.
"No one. Truth exists, whether we accept it or not, and nothing can deny it." Lioran added quietly.
Daniel was silent for a few seconds.
"What about a leader’s popularity? Does it matter?" He then said.
"It does."
"Why?"
"Because a leader without the people’s trust cannot change anything."
"And what about a popular leader who makes a mistake?" Daniel asked immediately.
This time, a brief silence followed.
"Then their mistake must be proven." Lioran answered. He was now completely sure where this discussion was heading.
"And if no one can prove it?"
"Then there is no mistake. Truth will never remain hidden. And if someone cannot prove the truth, then that is not the truth."
Daniel looked at him for a few moments. At that moment, he understood something. Lioran truly believed in his own words.
He wasn’t acting, wasn’t lying, at least not in this regard. That made things harder.
Much harder.
If Lioran were just a corrupt politician, destroying him would have been simple. But now Daniel was facing a man who was both intelligent, popular, and capable.
And worst of all... he seemed to believe he was the best choice for the tower. He also understood Lioran’s process and mindset.
More minutes passed.
The discussion continued.
But now no one pretended this was an ordinary conversation. Two powerful minds were testing each other.
Without magic, without mana, without power. They were assessing each other with just words.
Then Daniel suddenly asked another question.
A question that made even Serys hold her breath from a distance.
"Suppose there is a person whom everyone supports, but then it turns out that the most important thing they believed about them was wrong."
"What happens to that person?"
Lioran paused. Only a few seconds, very brief, but Daniel saw it. And that was enough.
"Then they lose their support... no, they lose everything."
"I have the same thought." Daniel smiled very faintly.
Something changed in the gazes of the two men, because both understood that this question was not accidental, and both knew what its real meaning was.
The class ended shortly after. The students dispersed one by one.
The professors also left.
Finally, the hall was almost empty. Only Daniel and Lioran remained. A few seconds of silence passed between them.
Then Lioran was the first to speak.
"I don’t think you’re really a rookie mage."
"You’re right." Daniel answered calmly.
"But are you just a simple teacher too?" Then he looked directly into his eyes.
For the first time, both smiled. Not a friendly smile, not a hostile smile, but the smile of two chess players, two people who had just moved their first piece.
A few moments later, Daniel turned and left the hall. Lioran also stood there, watching him leave.
His gaze was calm, but his mind was analyzing information at a dizzying speed.
On the other side, Serys almost immediately caught up with Daniel.
"Well?"
Daniel took a few more steps, then glanced back at the hall one last time, at where Lioran was still standing.
At the man the entire tower was behind, at the man who was to be declared heir in two weeks.
"Now I’m sure." Then he said quietly.
Serys frowned.
"Of what?"
"Now I know where to start." A very faint smile appeared on his lips.