In the Royal Magic Academy, a massive round table stood in the enormous conference hall.

Floating in the air was a crystal emitting a faint blue light. Its uneven shape exuded a powerful magical aura.

Nine chairs were arranged around the round table, with Dean Rachel seated in the position directly facing the main door.

He stroked his long, pale beard and took a deep breath.

Scanning the professors around the table, his gaze finally settled on Viktor.

Noticing the shining councilor badge on Viktor's chest, he chuckled.

"Professors, we'll soon be welcoming the final exams."

In each professor's heart, they understood what the academy's final exams meant.

It was the most fair and powerful way to test all the students in the academy.

Every year, many media outlets would report on the academy's final exams, with the entire nation paying attention to the students' results.

This was an exam that would influence the future of magic students nearing graduation.

Although those noble magic apprentices with better conditions didn't need to worry about whether their final grades were satisfactory,

There were still many commoner students for whom this exam would become a shortcut to achieving their dreams.

The Yade Mage Corps.

It was directly under the royal family, the empire's strongest mage corps.

Those who performed excellently in the Royal Magic Academy's annual final exams had the opportunity to directly enter it.

The Yade Mage Corps had numerous and complex members.

Whether combat-oriented mages or those focused on healing and enhancement, as long as their abilities were sufficient, they could shine here.

"So, professors, are the final exam questions ready for this year?"

The professors looked at each other, their faces somewhat troubled.

They had indeed prepared the final exam questions, but they never anticipated that the academy would experience such a significant event as the demon war.

The professors had set this exam's questions according to the normal teaching schedule.

But because of the last battle, the academy was destroyed, and students were forced to take a long vacation.

During that holiday period, professors couldn't go door-to-door assigning homework.

As a result, students enjoyed a very relaxed time.

Although some students would hire private tutors for extra lessons, many commoner students didn't have this option.

If they continued to use the previously prepared questions, many students might not be able to pass.

"The Diversity of Magic Use," "Fine Control of Elemental Abilities," "Monster Knowledge," "Mage History".....

And many mages had different major subjects.

For example, Professor Gaia, who had 'fought side by side' with Viktor last time, was a third-tier mage majoring in healing magic.

After the demon war, the long holiday meant this professor had only taught two classes.

The questions for this course would undoubtedly be a huge challenge for the students.

Rachel looked at the troubled faces of the professors and sighed, tapping his cane on the floor, and said slowly:

"After Devin Reiser's disappearance, another professor position is vacant, so the pass rate this year might be even lower."

The final exam rules of the Royal Magic Academy differed from other academies' assessment methods.

Every year, students could choose professors to take exams in related subjects, and the dean wouldn't personally invigilate, so students only had eight professors to choose from.

As long as they could gain approval from five out of eight professors' assessments, they would pass.

Before Viktor came, the academy had another professor.

However, she left the academy because she wanted to travel the world.

When she resigned, she left a letter on the dean's desk.

The words on the envelope read:

"The world is so big, I want to go and see it."

Coincidentally, at that time, Viktor came in as a connection, and the vacant position was given to him.

The gazes of several professors gathered on Viktor, and suddenly the conference hall fell silent for a moment.

Nominally, Viktor was still a professor of the academy, but everyone knew in reality.

The gold content of this professor was almost a notch higher than the dean's.

Rachel turned to look at Viktor, chuckled, stroked his white beard, and said slowly:

"Professor Viktor, I hope to give you Devin's assessment quota this year. Students who pass the assessment from you will be equivalent to gaining approval from two professors."

"Of course, if you're already prepared, you can refuse this proposal. I don't want to disrupt your plans."

Viktor nodded expressionlessly.

"I have no objections."

Seeing Viktor agree, Rachel breathed a sigh of relief.

If Viktor hadn't accepted this proposal, he might have had to step in himself and quickly draft a new set of exam questions.

That would have been a difficult task.

"Well then, please prepare more, everyone. The final assessment will be set for Saturday, lasting three days."

......

Viktor walked on the cobblestone path in the campus, preparing to leave the academy.

It was now off-work time, so he naturally didn't need to stay in the boring mage tower.

"Professor!"

From afar, a voice called out to Viktor.

Henie ran along the cobblestone path, reaching Viktor's side, panting.

After a while, she caught her breath and looked at Viktor with expectant yellow eyes.

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She had heard about this assessment, but as an assistant professor, she didn't need to manage these things.

However, this exam would last for three days.

Henie wanted to help Viktor share some of the pressure, so her eyes held a glimmer of light:

"Professor! Is there anything I can help you with?"

If Viktor needed to prepare the final exam questions, Henie, with her strong knowledge base and proficient professional skills, could easily create a set of final exam papers.

Henie asked while following Viktor to the academy's main gate.

Viktor didn't reply immediately, he just stood at the school gate, waiting for the carriage to arrive:

Rumble rumble —

A carriage without horses slowly approached, its wheels making a unique crisp sound as they hit the stone road.

The Kravina insignia on it let Henie know this was the carriage the professor was waiting for.

"During those exam days."

"You just need to stay by my side."

Henie tilted her head, somewhat puzzled.

Just stay by the professor's side?

Viktor glanced at Henie, whose eyes were shining, and said flatly:

"Get in the carriage first."

"Oh, oh."

Henie quickly nodded and happily walked towards the carriage first.

It's so nice to live in the professor's house, being able to commute with the professor every day.

This time every day was when Henie felt the happiest.

......

While students were busy preparing for the exam in the last few days, there were naturally also students who had completely given up.

Soon Saturday arrived, and the assessment day came.

Students stepped into the campus with very nervous and excited hearts, even feeling their bodies become heavier.

The exam locations were in each professor's mage tower, with seven different professors waiting in their respective mage towers for students to arrive.

"Hey, have you heard? It seems the difficulty of this exam has been lowered?"

"I heard that. Originally it was eight out of five, now it's seven out of five."

"It seems an extra quota was added at Professor Viktor's."

The meaning of adding an extra quota at Viktor's was that if one could pass at Viktor's, it meant passing two professors' exams.

"And, I heard that students who pass Professor Viktor's assessment with excellent results will receive a letter of recommendation personally written by Chief Professor Viktor."

If they could get this letter of recommendation, any mage corps might open their doors for them.

Some students started to fantasize.

But......

Is the school really lowering the difficulty, not increasing it?

Students stopped talking when they discussed this.

Just thinking about the Chief Professor's test at the Arcane Hall back then made many students tremble.

Some students were already considering whether other professors' subjects might be easier.

This exam would last for three days, and students could participate in any exam project within these three days at will.

But as long as they could pass five exams, it meant passing the final assessment.

Many students gathered in front of Viktor's mage tower, with many wanting to try their luck here.

After all, who wouldn't be tempted by the chance to get two quotas at once, plus a personal recommendation letter from Professor Viktor?

The location for Professor Viktor's assessment was on the 50th floor of the mage tower.

Erica was the first student to enter.

She skillfully used teleportation magic to enter the mage tower.

Around her, a blue light like starry sky slowly swept past her eyes.

The next second, she appeared on a plain full of reeds.

This was a magical dimensional space inside the mage tower.

It was built specifically for the magic academy's exams from the beginning and would only open once a year.

The range was very vast, able to accommodate hundreds of students.

After Erica waited for a while, many students gradually poured in.

Those students were surprised for a long time when they saw Erica sitting in a patch of reeds.

They didn't expect this top student to come so early, they hadn't even seen Erica's figure.

Perhaps, this top student had been ready for a long time.

She came specifically for Professor Viktor's assessment.

In this exam, she was determined to succeed.

......

Students sat idly among the reeds, discussing and guessing what the exam range might be.

Soon, three hours passed, and when the ten o'clock bell in the academy slowly rang, that string in all students' hearts tightened.

The exam was about to begin.

Henie slowly walked to the front of the crowd.

She looked at the hundred students who came for the exam.

The many days of substituting for Viktor gave her a lot of valuable experience.

This made Henie no longer timid when facing too many people.

Moreover, now Henie was already an official first-tier mage.

She suspended her hand in the air, waved it a few times, and an elemental scroll was gradually pulled out from the reed marsh, unfolding in front of the students.

The scroll was colorful, as if various elements were mixed together, and the magical aura on the scroll was also very chaotic and unique.

Only the center of the scroll was left empty.

This magic surprised the students.

Many students could see that although this scroll was only first-tier magic, its complexity and control of element shaping had reached a terrifying level.

Indeed, this rumored assistant professor's magic attainment was not simple.

Even Erica was surprised for a moment.

Henie had actually become a first-tier mage without anyone noticing?

Although she had seen Henie use magic before, at that time, she was releasing it through demonic power.

And this time, Henie was obviously using her own magic power.

Henie slowly opened her mouth, and the magic scroll in the sky also began to deform gradually.

"Hello everyone, I'm Assistant Professor Henie, the invigilator for this exam."

"Next, I will explain the rules of this exam to everyone."

The scroll twisted a bit, the colors at the edges gradually filled the white in the center, and those blurry color blocks also gradually re-converged into a picture.

"To be precise, there are no restrictions on this exam. Students who enter the exam venue can stay in the exam venue and complete the assessment within three days to be considered successful."

Many people felt confused.

What kind of rule was this?

But they continued to listen to Henie's words:

"Those who fail the assessment can immediately retake it, there's no limit on the number of retakes. Of course, if you still haven't passed the exam within three days, then it will be counted as a failure."

Amidst the confusion of the students.

On the scroll, the central image finally appeared.

It seemed to be a scene within a scene drawn in ink.

In the emerald green dense forest, a blurry human figure gradually appeared.

Although the person's face couldn't be seen clearly, Erica widened her eyes at the colors of the clothes on the body.

"Is that... Her Highness the Princess?"

Other knowledgeable students also exclaimed.

Even though they couldn't see the person in the painting clearly, the strong aura and the clothes composed of gorgeous colors still made them recognize her.

That was the princess?

After single-handedly killing the Forest Demon last time, Aurelianne's fame in the capital had increased considerably.

She was no longer the flower vase princess in everyone's eyes.

In the scroll, Aurelianne dodged and maneuvered, constantly using various magics.

Dark purple and bright green, scarlet and earthy yellow mixed together, attacking towards the edges of the scroll.

And around her, some monsters curled up their bodies, turning into blobs of color rushing towards the princess.

At the bottom of the distant scroll, several bat-like creatures flying in the sky were spitting black liquid.

The princess looked very relaxed, those attacks seemed completely unable to touch her.

Then, with a backhand strike, she easily disposed of those small monsters.

The bursting fluid filled the scroll flat.

At this point, the scene ended.

The astonishment in the students' eyes was all captured by Henie.

She smiled and began to explain.

"Above is the entire content of this assessment."

"Now, I will repeat it once more."

Henie smiled, spread her hands, and dozens of teleportation arrays appeared around.

At the end of the arrays, a green light was glowing, seeming to lead to some dangerous place.

"Welcome to — [Viktor's Forest Realm]."