Ch 60: Bianca Espinoza
Bianca found herself unable to match Lucien's gaze. His eyes were intense, his pupils a striking silver that gleamed like polished metal, and the combination was deeply unsettling, yet she tightened her jaw and held his stare anyway. With a long, steadying breath, she spoke, "Yes, I have thought it through. I would like to be your assistant."
And she truly had. She had turned the idea over in her mind countless times, and more than anything, she had been waiting for Lucien to open submissions for his assistant role.
Every other professor had already done so on the very first day the academy had resumed, but Lucien had been absent that day and the next day, which was yesterday, when he had finally appeared, he had said nothing about needing a teaching assistant at all, only looked pissed and unapproachable, so she had wisely chosen not to bring it up.
But today, Lucien had himself announced that he would be taking on an assistant, and that applications were open to all second-year S-class students. She had moved quickly. She could have handed her submission to Lucien's attendant, Connor, but she had deliberately chosen to approach Lucien herself, hoping that doing so would improve her chances of being selected over the others, because she knew without a doubt that many students would apply for this position.
Despite Lucien’s strict temperament and his less than good reputation compared to the other professors, he was undeniably one of the strongest faculty members the academy had, and he had achieved everything at the remarkably young age of nineteen.
Bianca herself was nineteen, having joined the academy at eighteen, and yet Lucien, who by all accounts should have enrolled as a student alongside her, had arrived instead as a professor.
It had shocked her deeply at first, but she had come to admit that he was exceptional in his teaching, equally ruthless in his expectations, and above all else, he had the power to back every ounce of his ego without fearing any backlash, because he possessed strength, intellect, and ability in equal measure.
So, it was actually a simple decision to apply as his assistant. The role would serve her well in her final year as a student, and even after graduation, she could at least hold onto the hope that he might help her find a reputable guild, because she wanted to become an adventurer, to earn her way to the top rank, and perhaps, if fortune allowed it, restore her fallen house to some measure of nobility, even if only to the rank of baron.
"Very well. From today onwards, you will be my assistant," Lucien stated, as though the matter had already been settled long before she had walked through the door.
"What!" The word tore out of her mouth before she could stop it. Bianca shot up from her chair with a sharp gasp, her hands pressing flat against the desk as she stared at him wide-eyed and open-mouthed.
The moment the sound left her, realization crashed down on her like cold water. She lifted her hands from the desk immediately, straightened herself, and sat back down with as much composure as she could manage. "I am sorry," she apologized quietly, her voice now carefully controlled. "I was simply caught off guard by how quickly you decided."
She could only hope that Lucien would not take her outburst as insolence. The silence that followed was unbearable, his expression as unreadable and impassive as ever, and she felt herself flinch internally at her own lack of composure.
"Professor, there is still time," Bianca ventured, keeping her voice low and measured, knowing how much he despised noise and disorder. "Should you not wait for the other students to submit their applications first?"
Lucien shook his head. Then, without a word, he began tapping his fingers against the desk floor in a slow, rhythmic motion, and Bianca felt her nerves getting tense. She found herself cataloguing every worst possible outcome in rapid succession, wondering whether he was about to have her expelled, or stripped of her position as vice president. She pushed the thoughts aside quickly, because her earlier loud voice was not something to warrant either, yet the silence stretched on long enough to make her doubt herself anyway.
Bianca pressed her fists against her thighs and focused on her breathing, drawing in slow, steady pulls of air.
Lucien stopped tapping. His gaze shifted back to her and her breath nearly caught entirely. "I believe you are well suited for the role," he said, and though she could not point to anything visible, she had the distinct impression that the corner of his mouth had curved ever so slightly when he added, "So, are you willing to take the position, or shall I give it to someone else?"
"I will take it," Bianca replied at once, keeping her voice quiet and even this time, unwilling to give him any reason to reconsider and equally unwilling to let this opportunity slip through her fingers when it was practically being served to her on a silver platter.
"Then it is settled," Lucien concluded. He picked up the application paper she had slid across his desk, tucked it into the desk drawer, and turned his gaze back to her. "From today onwards, you are my assistant."
Bianca listened without a word. Inside, however, something bright and warm bloomed through her chest, and every last trace of the tension that had wound itself so tightly around her dissolved completely.
"I teach two classes," Lucien continued. "The first is to class 1-S, and the second is to class 2-S. The 1-S class falls during the very first period of the day. Is your schedule free at that time, or do you have your own class?"
"I will manage it," Bianca assured him. "The material being covered in my first period class is something I have already studied thoroughly, so it should not be difficult for me to obtain a leave of absence from my own professor, particularly given my standing as vice president."
"Very well. You will accompany me for the first class. Your primary responsibility will be taking attendance, along with any other duties I assign as we go," Lucien said and glanced toward the clock hanging on the wall beside him. "The break period is nearly over. You should return to your classes."
Bianca nodded as she glanced at the clock. She rose from her chair and, before stepping out of the office, she turned and bowed her head respectfully toward him. "Thank you, Professor, for choosing me. I will do my very best."
"I believe you will," Lucien replied.
Bianca lifted her gaze to his face, searching briefly for any trace of deception in his words, though she doubted she would find any. Lucien had never struck her as someone who said things he did not mean. Finding no change in his expression nor any sign of changing his decision, she allowed herself a small, genuine smile and quietly stepped out of the room.
***
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