’This professor is stern,’ is what Leo and pretty much everyone else in the class thought, as automatically they straightened their spines and maintained absolute decorum.
Nobody wanted to be the target of the professor’s ire, and hence everyone tried their best to not spook him.
Professor David seemed to appreciate this atmosphere, as with a curt nod, he began his class.
"Good Afternoon all, I am David Meninges, and I am your Professor for the magic theory class, as well as the head supervisor for all first year students.
I expect 100% attendance in all my classes, and I expect you to arrive five minutes before the class begins–" He said in a deep, peculiar voice, as he gestured towards the door.
"As you can see, I do not have a tolerance for late comers, so if you’re here after me, it’s best to keep walking and not try to enter my class.
That being said, enough time is wasted already, let’s begin with today’s education" David said, as he turned his body from facing the door to facing the blackboard.
"Magic Theory is the fundamental behind how everything functions in the universe.
How spells are made, How meditation manuals are made, How complex mana machineries are made, Alchemy, Blacksmithing, you name it, and I can show you the application of magic theory in it.
It’s one of the absolute fundamentals of the modern world, and hence its education is of paramount importance," David explained, as Leo immediately found himself engrossed in his teachings.
Having lost his memory, Leo found his curiosity for learning enhanced these days, as he felt like an empty sponge that wanted to soak everything that was available around him.
"That being said, the basis of magic theory is mana. Which is why we begin with the question on the board…. What is mana?" David said, as he turned back towards the class, scanning the crowd until his eyes landed on Leo sitting peacefully in the third row.
"Skyshard, get up, tell me what mana is?" David commanded, as for a moment Leo felt confused on how the professor knew his name and face already?
Standing up, Leo looked at him in confusion, as without his memories he had no proper context to construct a proper response, which was why he could only apologise in shame.
"I’m sorry, Professor, I’m not very knowledgeable in this subject. I cannot explain what mana is–" Leo replied, his cheeks flushing slightly red, as he candidly admitted his shortcomings.
The reaction from the crowd was muted, some giggled, others looked at him with indifference, however, none seemed to think it was a particularly big deal.
However, all this changed once the professor began humiliating Leo.
"You don’t know what mana is? You’re a warrior that managed to survive the brutal Assassin Entrance Exam to enroll into this academy, but you don’t know what mana is?
You must be quite lucky to make it this far with such a dumb brain—" David insulted, as now the class burst into soft giggles.
There was no need for such personal attacks, however, it was clear by the crazed look in David’s eyes that he had a vendetta against Leo that he was unwilling to let go of, from the very first day.
"Guess intelligence doesn’t get passed down in genes. You have to actually study for it.
Must be the reason behind why the most brilliant scientists of our times are never from the six great clans" David said, as he rolled his eyes around to check out every student that belonged to the great clans, as he defiantly stared them down.
"Well, this is an advanced class, Mr.Skyshard, we don’t pamper kids here. If you don’t know what mana is, I suggest you head to the library and expand your knowledge base before attending my classes.
Till then…. Get out—" David said coldly, as Leo simply stared at him in confusion?
He had not expected such hostility from the professor today, nor did he understand the reason behind it?
This was supposed to be a place of learning, and he had been nothing but respectful.
There was no reason to kick him out of class, however, the professor seemed to be hell bent on doing it regardless.
"Are you deaf Skyshard? Or just incredibly dumb that you can’t register simple instructions at once?
I said…. Get out," David re-iterated while pointing towards the door, as this time Leo began to move, his anger boiling under his breath, as he controlled his emotions.
He did not give the professor an angry look before heading out.
No.
He did not give him the satisfaction of showing that he managed to agitate him, and instead, he walked out with his head down, as some of his classmates laughed at his retreating figure.
Once outside, Leo gnashed his teeth and kicked his leg against the hallway wall, as he tried to figure out where he went wrong?
However, upon self reflection, he realized that there was nothing that he could have done otherwise.
It was clearly the professor who was biased against him, however, Leo did not even remember having done anything that would have remotely pissed him off.
*********
After kicking Leo out of the class, David immediately turned his attention to Su Yang, as he passed on the same question to him.
Getting up lazily from his slouched position on the last bench, Su Yang looked down on David with indifferent eyes, as he cooked up a half-assed reply.
"Mana is the force that powers magic. It flows freely through the rainbow stream in the universe, which can be visualised as a wave of energy that covers countless planets and galaxies.
Beings born within this rainbow stream have learnt how to harness mana and use it to perform magic.
Which is the fundamental to becoming a warrior" He said, as while it was not an incorrect answer, it wasn’t a perfect one either.
However, as if not impressed by his answer at all, David began shaking his head in disappointment, as he grasped the opportunity to berate Su Yang.
"Wow, we have another mentally retarded student in class here, seems like we are going 2 for 2 this year" David said, as he purposefully began humiliating Su Yang.
"I could have asked this question to a four year old and probably gotten the same reply…. Mr.Yang.
It makes me wonder if your brain has stopped evolving since you were four?
Perhaps you were dropped on your head as a child?" David said, as the whole class began laughing at his joke.
However, while Leo took the insults with his head down, Su Yang was not the type to do the same.
He smiled, as he stared defiantly in the professor’s eyes, which only irked the professor even more.
"I’m glad you find this funny, I would laugh on myself too if I were you," David said, his tone slightly irritated now, as the smile on Su Yang’s face widened even more.
"Oh but you wish you were me professor, you wish you were.
But you’re not.
You’re an inferior born, and you’ll never become a transcendent level warrior, much less a Monarch.
And neither will your kids. Because they share your filthy blood.
You can school me all you want today, but remember to keep your insults measured.
I’m not as tolerating as Skyshard.
And I may just come back 10 years in the future to end you and your bloodline for a silly joke that you made today.
So I would smile even broadly than how you are today, if I were you, since my time in this universe might be more limited than I imagined" Su Yang threatened, as David’s gaze darkened at this blatant disrespect.
Su Yang struck a nerve with his insult today, a nerve that hit David right where it hurt the most, and the anger was visible on his face.
"OUT! GET OUT!" He screamed, his face turning a bright shade of red, as Su Yang defiantly walked out from in front of him.
At that moment, it took all the will-power that David had in his body to not lift his hand on a student.
Because, if this was not the academy grounds they were in right now, he would have unquestionably killed Su Yang today, right where he stood.