Indeed, there’s no question about it, this is Farlim.
The strength of the faculty here is truly remarkable.
However, ever since my professional level broke through to Level 7, ensuring I possess the combat power comparable to the weakest of the extraordinary, Gauss has become somewhat more relaxed.
He is not lacking either.
The three walked along the road, attracting quite a few glances.
Perhaps it was Victor’s demeanor or perhaps it was the natural aura Gauss emitted, both made the passing students couldn’t help but take a few extra looks.
"This person is so young..."
"Is he some big shot?"
"That is Mr. Victor from external relations; he must be welcoming some powerful mage visiting the academy?"
"I think I’ve seen that face somewhere before..."
The students were abuzz with discussion.
If Victor had been greeting a middle-aged or elderly venerable figure, they might not have been so speculative.
But the man beside Victor looked even younger than many of them, at least a peer if nothing else.
Yet, if he were a new peer entering the academy, the welcoming teacher should not be the head of external relations but a teacher from the new student office.
How strange, how strange indeed.
Gauss soon met the vice principal of this academy, an old mage with white hair and beard.
He perfectly matched Gauss’s stereotype of a powerful mage.
Or rather, the reason stereotypes become classics is precisely because they most commonly appear.
Also welcoming him were several teachers and directors.
Besides Ivan, who had accompanied him, everyone present was essentially a master level caster.
Seeing this lineup, Gauss raised an eyebrow, somewhat curious.
He hadn’t expected the Calcasa Magic Academy to regard him with such importance.
Ivan evidently didn’t expect it either.
The staff present were all advanced teachers, director-level instructors.
Probably, except for those about to start classes, most casters in the academy had gathered in the reception hall.
And they hadn’t been notified in advance of their arrival.
The academy likely only learned of their arrival once they reached the front gate.
Looking at these once highly reputable "mentors" from his study days crowding around, Ivan appeared somewhat uneasy. Fortunately, most attention was on the group leader, allowing him to barely maintain composure.
"Apologies, Lord Gauss, for the spectacle," Vice Principal Kieran Xavier stepped forward and said.
"The teachers were all eager for your arrival."
"Upon hearing you had arrived at the academy, they couldn’t sit still."
"It’s my honor."
Gauss responded humbly.
Since the academy showed enough respect, combined with his nature that was by no means overbearing, he naturally wouldn’t put on airs.
After sitting down and exchanging a few words with the staff, Gauss finally understood the reason why they were so eager to "spectate" him.
It turned out that recently, in Farlim’s weekly journal for advanced mages, news of him breaking through to Level 7 had been featured, and coupled with the information hinting at him being just over twenty, it undoubtedly caused quite a stir within the city’s high-level mage circles.
In the eyes of many teachers, the most outstanding students of this age are only at Level 2 or 3, and even among those who are now grand mages and extraordinary casters, very few reached Level 4 at this age.
But Gauss? Compared to those contemporaries of those significant figures, he surpassed them by not just 1 or 2 levels, but a full 3 or 4 levels.
This gap is truly staggering; it cannot merely be described as a simple difference in levels. Even calling it the difference between cloud and mud would not be an exaggeration.
What they didn’t know was that unlike most students in the academy who formally encountered magic at the age of 14 or 15, or even earlier, Gauss started his professional path only at 18.
If they knew this information, the shock in their hearts would probably multiply several times over.