**Episode 35**
Meanwhile, Evie had finished arranging her books, carefully placing her notebooks neatly into her bag. Then she turned to him, asking a question:
“Teacher, is there no homework today?”
Her eyes did not reflect worry, but rather glowed with a light of expectation and enthusiasm.
“Of course there is a duty! How could it not be?”
So replied Mallis, who had just opened his book, but paused hesitating for a moment. He could not disappoint those sparkling hopes.
Deep down, he wished he could give her huge duties like he did before. But he hesitated, thinking:
“If you stress her too much, she might collapse.”
Her face bore traces of exhaustion, perhaps from her tireless attempts to accomplish the impossible duties he had assigned her.
What if he burdens her with other duties and she gets bored? What if she decided that Professor Mallis's classes weren't for her, and moved to another professor?
“No, that won't happen!”
With this decision, Malice hurriedly turned over the first pages of the book, pointing out a question that seemed to him suitably difficult.
“Here it is, just this matter, solve it and bring it.”
“Only this one?”
“Yes, there is no need to go overboard from the beginning. One must proceed at a methodical and gradual pace.”
This was not an appropriate statement for someone who had assigned her an almost impossible duty on the first day, but he feigned indifference as he confidently handed her the book.
“Can I take the book today too?”
“Of course! Didn’t I tell you that the academy does not provide books before the lessons officially begin? How will you solve the matter without referring to the book?”
“I saved it! It's just one matter.”
Evie looked at him with a confident look, as if to say that this was a no-brainer.
Feelings of emotion overflowed in Mallis' heart. Not only was she quick to understand, but her memory was also amazing.
“Was I wrong about the academy?”
This was the first year of recruiting students after the war, and he had heard that many people, seeking to curry favor with the Emperor, had pushed their children and relatives into the academy.
Mallis thought this would make it a normal place, but he was surprised to find a student like Evie, truly befitting the name “Gifted Academy.”
“No, take the book with you. If you have time, look at other things.”
“But what about you, teacher?”
“Do you think I have no books? Don’t worry, take it.”
Malice spoke in a voice filled with the gentleness of a kind grandfather. Then Evie carefully picked up the book, bowed in greeting, and said:
“Thank you. Next lesson, I will bring more beautiful flowers.”
"Flowers? What do you mean?"
Malice's eyes widened in surprise.
“Are you saying that the flowers that were here were your choice?”
Evie nodded as if it was obvious. In one corner of the academy, there was a huge garden and a greenhouse.
In the morning, workers there cut flowers to decorate the academy. Among them, there are flowers that are slightly damaged.
Evie knew she could take these flowers freely, so she visited the garden the morning before class, and chose the least damaged ones.
“The room seemed very empty.”
In addition, she noticed that the cleaning was not enough, so today she decided to arrive early, so she opened the windows for ventilation, looked for cleaning tools, and cleaned the room carefully.
The flowers were placed on the professor's desk, which contained only a few books. She did not have a specific goal, she just wanted the place where she would learn to be more beautiful and clean.
“So, is the cleaning here too…?”
“Yes, I did it.”
At these words, Mallis lost the power to speak.
“Who asked you to clean?”
"No one. I just wanted to do it. Before entering the academy, I used to work as a high school cleaner. I'm very good at cleaning."
Evie clenched her fist confidently, making Malice go silent again. He had noticed the dryness of her appearance that the school uniform could not hide, and her exaggeratedly calm and polite demeanor.
He thought she was not a child of nobles, but he did not expect this.
Suddenly, a short bell rang announcing the end of the fifteen-minute break.
"I'll go now! I have another lesson. Thanks for the book, I'll work hard on the assignment!"
Evie bowed again and left the room.
Mallis stared at the closed door for a long time, then approached the window.
He saw Evie coming out of the building, running briskly, but suddenly she tripped and fell to the ground.
"Oh, my God!"
As Mallis was about to run towards her, Evie quickly got up, dusted off her clothes, fixed her bag, and continued running toward the building. Its movement was like that of a small squirrel moving actively.
“What a girl…”
At her age, it was normal for her to cry and look for her mother after falling, but instead she got up strong and continued on her way.
Mallis felt admiration and pity at the same time. The idea of overworking the students into abandoning his lessons had completely faded from his mind.
“How could a human being think of doing something like this?”
Mallis easily forgot that this had been his intention at first, as he shook his tongue in disapproval. Isn't it the teacher's duty to take care of every student and teach him to the end?
“I have to call her parents immediately.”
With such talent, Effie could leave a great mark on the world of mathematics.
“You will definitely excel in other subjects as well.”
He was not willing to let other masters steal this talent. Mallis gathered his things and quickly headed to the academy's main building.
“Isn't this Professor Mallis?”
Some professors recognized him and greeted him respectfully. Mallis was known for his isolation from others, but that was by choice.
The other professors were eager to get close to him, and despite his strange nature and introversion, he was an influential figure in the imperial world of mathematics.
He has not accepted new students for decades, but his former students have become distinguished scholars in the fields of architecture and accounting.
But the deteriorating atmosphere of academia gradually alienated him from it.
One time, someone approached him who wanted to learn from him. He was not particularly talented, but Malles accepted him as a pupil in appreciation of his passion.
But he later discovered that this disciple had used his name to solicit illicit favors from other Malice disciples, and even colluded with others to take advantage of Malice's fame.
Disgusted by this behaviour, Mallis declared that he would no longer accept new disciples, and severed all contact with the others.
As the years passed, the name Mallis gradually began to fade away. Therefore, some, who do not know his history, began to underestimate him.
As evidence of this, he heard that a lesson taught by Mallis had only one female student enrolled.
This was not surprising to the students, as it is normal for them to prefer young professors who are active in academia over a professor who is no longer accepting new students and will retire next year.
“If he changed his mind and accepted new disciples… couldn’t he control Imperial Academia if he wanted?”
As the professors thought like this and approached him, their eyes widened in astonishment. Mallis, who was accustomed to seeing him frowning or scowling, was smiling brightly today.
As they stared at him in amazement, Mallis said:
“Evie Alden will be my student, no other math professor would dare consider her. Now, bye.”
Mallis left them behind and rushed towards the dean's office.
“What did he say?”
"I don't know!"
The stunned professors kept staring at Malice's back, confused.
—
"Seraphina! Serafina Redum!"
Seraphina frowned the moment she heard the voice coming from outside. She was younger than most of the professors, but she was the dean of the academy.
In a place where position determined primacy, there was only one person who would dare call her name so boldly: Professor Malice.
Seraphina sighed deeply and replied:
“Come in, Professor Malice.”
No sooner had she spoken than Mallis opened the door forcefully, as if kicking it.
“Professor Mallis? What student calls his teacher like that?”
“What are you saying? Didn’t you tell me that I am not your student as long as I don’t focus only on mathematics, and ordered me to leave?”
“What kind of old woman is this? You are such a slut! I never considered you my student!”
“But moments ago you said I was your student!”
The professor and his old student exchanged sharp glances, as if they were replaying an old debate.
Almost
Seraphina had to add something, but she saw the pile of papers piled up in front of her, so she sighed and said:
"I have no time to argue with you, Professor. What brings you personally?"
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