Heaven's Greatest Professor

"What do you think of your recommendations, June?" Elder Vess asked her as they surveyed the field littered with students. Only a few of the potential combat instructors managed to keep the students from running wild as they pleased.

"Aurel is still young," June said, turning towards the young woman who seemed to be having the worst day of her life. "She's easy to anger and doesn't know how to channel the anger. The potential is there, of course. I wholeheartedly believe she could become a professor someday."

"That's high praise," Elder Vess said, not as appreciative, "considering how badly she did in today's class. I'd even say she's not much of a teacher material."

June didn't say anything, only watching Aurel argue with her students loudly. She couldn't help but shake her head.

"Thankfully, the combat instructor's main task is in the dungeon, not in the classroom," Elder Vess said. "Young and inexperienced, but she's a good fighter. I only found four more with better potential than hers."

"You're selecting her, then?" June asked for confirmation. She wasn't really surprised. A combat instructor's job was heavily specific that it eliminated most people before they even applied. In most years, they specifically took half of their recently graduated students for the job. Of course, the students were promising, and had no huge backing anywhere.

"She'll do good for a couple of years," Elder Vess confirmed.

It was a highly stressful job, many ended up with career-ending injuries or death, and two years were about average for most combat instructors.

"What about your other recommendation?" Vess asked.

June turned towards her left, where Warden was instructing his batch of students. He had dealt with a heavy hand, giving the students no chance of rebelling. June knew a few professors had similar styles in teaching, those tended to be loved and hated by the students.

Moreover, Warden seemed extremely serious throughout the whole hour, making her believe she was looking at a different person. No, not different. It was the same intensity. He was just showing a different side of him.

"June?" Elder Vess called out again.

"He did well, better than I hoped," she said truthfully.

"Which makes me curious," Elder Vess said. "Where did you find him?"

"It was my mentee who told me about him first, that someone saved her life on her mission," June said. "She didn't mention he'd be... like that... Nor had I hoped."

"Like that?" Elder Vess picked her eyebrows. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, for one thing, he seems to view everyone the same," June said. "And very tyrannical in his belief, even if he doesn't recognize that himself. I heard from the villagers, he batted no eye when killing ten bandits in a matter of seconds."

"That sounds rather rash," Elder Vess said.

"He's not--" June stopped herself, recognizing she was defending him for no reason. And June didn't know why.

Elder Vess smiled like an old fox. "You're very protective of him," she said, not a question, a statement. "Even yesterday."

"I'm protective of all promising rankers who are good-hearted," June said, cursing Elder Vess inwardly for playing her like that.

"That is true," Vess agreed. "Just make sure that you don't protect him so hard that you're the only one who's hurting him."

"What do you mean?" June raised her eyebrows.

"When a woman acts differently towards a specific someone, it bears a special kind of expectation in the man's heart," Elder Vess explained, smiling. "I don't know about elves, but it's common in us humans. We don't live as long as elves. Perhaps that's why even some small gestures can create a huge expectation in our hearts.

Of course, it was especially true when it comes from a beautiful maiden like yourself."

"That's not true." June held herself back from getting flustered.

"Tell me, how many people have you invited to your quarters since you joined the academy?" Elder Vess was still smiling.

June didn't open her lips, but the answer was pretty clear. She had only brought her mentee Kiara into her quarters. Even more than that, she had never let anyone ride Sylvie. Of course, back then, she was running out of time with too many tasks. June was sure she didn't mean anything else through those gestures, except for a friendly vibe, maybe.

Could they be why he came at me like that? She wondered. June couldn't imagine herself giving mixed signals to someone. I have to clear things up later.

"The hour is over," Elder Vess said. "It's time for the selection. Let's go give them the good news."

First, they went to Karz Walt, who had finished his class pretty early with his straightforward approach to the combat class. He simply fought against a couple of dozens of students, knocking them out one after another.

They didn't know if he managed to teach anyone anything, but he sure did draw a line between themselves.

"Elder," Karz Walt greeted, bowing at Elder Vess. His eyes found June and lingered on her slightly longer as he nodded to her and returned to the elder again.

"Congratulations, Young Walt," Elder Vess said. "You have been selected. We expect great things from you. Hope you make your house proud."

Karz nodded as if it was only natural. He bowed as they departed to the next candidate.

"What do you think of him?" Elder Vess asked again.

"Young, confident, and prideful," June said precisely.

"I guess that describes him well," Vess said, "and so many other rankers."

The next candidate was a tall woman with a huge shield, who did pretty well in all her tests. She spoke less, but her abilities spoke for themselves.

"Jez'arin," Elder Vess called. "Congratulations! You make your tribe proud. You have been selected. May you shine brighter and the whole mainland recognize your fame."

Various emotions welled up on the tall woman's face from surprise and confusion to joy and tears. She bowed deeply, thanking them wholeheartedly.

Finally, they went to a candidate whose class was nothing less than a clusterfuck.

"Gene De Rossi," Elder Vess said. "What do you think of him?"

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