Chapter 57: If You Lot Keep Wasting My Time, I Swear I'll Gut You All!
Chapter 57: If You Lot Keep Wasting My Time, I Swear I'll Gut You All!
“What’s wrong?”
Lin Wei hadn’t expected such a dramatic reaction just from mentioning Yalis’ name.
He looked at the man in confusion, wondering if Yalis was some kind of forbidden figure at the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy.
Could it be that the adorable Saintess wasn’t as sweet as she appeared? Was she one of those cute-on-the-outside, dark-on-the-inside types?
“Ahem… It’s nothing, really. I’m fine.”
Paxson waved a hand, signaling that he was perfectly all right, then took a gulp of water to steady his nerves.
His estimation of Mr. Lin Wei instantly soared to a whole new level.
This was more than just having deep ties to the Holy Church.
After all… Miss Yalis was a legend at the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy. Just last year, when she’d first enrolled, a few noble heirs from the northern countries had gotten into a heated dispute with her over some trivial matter. The quarrel escalated, and they ended up ganging up on her, injuring her with magic.
The very next day, Yalis’ doting father—Duke Perseus, known as the Pillar of the Empire—paid them a personal visit and broke their legs.
He’d even left a chilling warning: “Anyone with ill intentions toward my daughter should be prepared to lose their legs.”
After that, almost no male student at the Academy dared approach Saintess Yalis lightly.
But now, this man not only had Lady Rennie pulling strings for him—he even had Yalis herself vouching on his behalf?
Just… who in the world is this guy?
What’s his connection to the Holy Church? What’s his relationship with the Duke’s family?
And with alchemical skills this terrifying… Paxson didn’t even dare let his imagination run any further.
This was seriously overkill! Then again, Miss Yalis wasn’t even of age yet—surely the Duke wouldn’t be that eager, would he?
“Well, that wraps up your onboarding.”
A seasoned veteran of the Academy, Paxson quickly suppressed any reckless speculation and acted as though nothing unusual had happened.
He processed the appointment paperwork at lightning speed, then handed Lin Wei everything he’d need, all the while smiling as he explained:
“Next, I’ll take you to the Alchemy Department’s office to meet your new colleagues. After that, the head of Alchemy will be in charge of your daily assignments.”
“Of course, if you run into any trouble, please come find me. I’m also responsible for employee benefits and housing allowances, so we’ll be seeing each other often.”
To be honest, Lin Wei—long accustomed to a leisurely life at home—felt a little out of his depth now that he was suddenly starting work.
With Paxson leading him into this new chapter, Lin Wei found himself at a bit of a loss.
But things had already come this far; there was no turning back now, no matter how overwhelming it felt.
“I’ll be in your care, Mr. Paxson.”
“Alright! This way, please.”
Following Paxson out of the room, Lin Wei found himself in a corridor that seemed to stretch on endlessly, encompassing the vastness of the entire Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy.
From here, he could glimpse students in nearby classrooms, listening intently to their lessons.
Distinct auras of Mana drifted from each room, each with its own unique resonance.
In the distance, he spotted several practice grounds—spaces for magical experiments and training in investigative techniques.
As Lin Wei glanced around, his attention was caught by something at ground level not far ahead: an entrance leading deep underground.
Was that… a dungeon built right beneath the Academy?
“It’s really this massive?”
Lin Wei couldn’t help rubbing his chin in thought. No wonder the Academy had the confidence to recruit students from all over the world—with facilities on this scale, their support systems must be just as impressive.
He imagined the Alchemy Department’s office as a place steeped in scholarly tradition, filled with well-mannered professors and courteous assistants.
Scenes of academic camaraderie played out in his mind: seasoned alchemists gathered together, exchanging ideas and debating potion recipes with friendly enthusiasm.
Picturing such a refined environment, Lin Wei suddenly felt like a nervous recruit thrown into a world far above his station. Would he really be able to live up to the expectations of teaching and nurturing students here?
[Nervous rookie mode: activated.]
“We’re here, Mr. Lin Wei.”
They stepped into the innermost office of a separate building. Lin Wei shot a quick, anxious glance around—only for his expression to freeze the moment he took in the scene before him.
“Are you trying to kill the frontline scouts by adding fresh Ghost Bat blood to the Sensory Enhancement Potion?”
“Kill? Nonsense! This is a brand-new formula I developed myself—it works wonders!”
“Works wonders, my foot! You think I haven’t tested that before? Just stick to the original recipe and cut back on the Dried Withervine, that’ll do the trick!”
The air was thick with the mingled scents of magic and medicinal herbs.
A cacophony of arguments echoed all around, with people squabbling heatedly over potion formulas until their faces turned red.
Alchemists in white lab coats worked overtime, bottling potions with practiced hands. Every so often, someone would toss out a cold, cutting remark into the fray—only to be swept right back into the chaos of bickering.
“Uh… wow.”
The so-called Alchemy Department office was less a stately academic hall and more a raucous, full-blown potion workshop.
Lin Wei stood rooted to the spot, his face a picture of shock. The pristine image he’d built up in his mind shattered in an instant, leaving him completely at a loss.
Did I come to the wrong place? This is supposed to be the Alchemy Department office at the Imperial Capital’s Magic Academy, but why does it look more like some underground potion sweatshop?
These people… don’t tell me they’re the teaching assistants for alchemy?
“Can you lot stop bickering for two seconds? Get your butts over here and take these boiled ingredients off the fire to cool! If the medicinal properties get ruined because you let them overcook, I swear I’ll gut every last one of you idiots myself!”
It was at that moment—
A woman in uniform, her face twisted in exasperation, stormed out from behind a pile of ingredients, barking out furious orders.
Even the unflappable Paxson, who’d seen all manner of chaos here before, looked like he was about to lose his composure.
“We’ve got a new assistant starting today, Nerinette. Come over here for a moment!”
“Huh?”
The woman, caught mid-rant, paused and glanced over.
She looked to be in her early thirties, glasses perched on her nose, exuding a mature big-sister vibe. Her loose uniform barely contained her ample figure, and her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail that trailed down her back.
Her fair, striking features were on full display—though the occasional flash of exhaustion in her expression broke the overall harmony. Combined with her earlier outburst, she gave off the distinct air of a battle-hardened office worker on the brink.
“The new general assistant?”
Her gaze swept over in Lin Wei’s direction, her expression a complicated mix of curiosity and skepticism. Still, at Paxson’s introduction, she managed to restrain her temper.
“That’s right. This is our new general assistant, Mr. Lin Wei. And this,” he added, gesturing, “is Miss Nerinette, head of the Alchemy Department.”
Seeing Nerinette approach, Paxson put on his warmest smile and made the introductions, quietly breathing a sigh of relief inside.
“From now on, Mr. Lin Wei, your work in the Alchemy Department will be arranged entirely by Director Nerinette.”
“And… I already gave you the general rundown yesterday.”
Noting the suspicious look on Nerinette’s face—she seemed like she might explode at any moment—Paxson hesitated, then decided to add an extra reminder.
“This new assistant is personally vouched for by Saintess Yalis. Make sure you take good care of him, and don’t do anything reckless!”