Chapter 1519 Methods for Earning Points <TOC> Chapter 1521 Achillea Comprehensive College
Translator: SumTLMan
“It’s puzzling; I wonder if Tujo knows that Coral may appear as a child, but due to some extraordinary circumstances, she’s actually older than Nausica,” pondered Angel.
Midora grumbled for quite a while before letting out a sigh, “Well, it’s probably for the best that Tujo isn’t here. If he were, he’d no doubt start pestering you again about crafting him some clothes. At least now he’s only obsessing over the unattainable Princess Coral.”
Speaking of Tujo, one can’t ignore the subject of his true mentor.
“Any news about Bogula?” Angel inquired. “He entered the Myriad Demon Abyss a long time ago. When I was traveling from Sky Mechanical City to Black Castle, you had warned me that the ripples emanating from that Demon Abyss carried Bogula’s unique fluctuations.”
“If Bogula emerges from the Myriad Demon Abyss, he’ll surely have become a true knowledge level wizard.”
“Bogula also has some grievances against the people from Phantom Island. His entry into the Demon Abyss this time is probably related to Sanders, so it’s likely he might come after us when he gets out.”
Midora shook his head, “No news, but Rosen told me that Bogula should be close to emerging.”
After a brief pause, Midora continued, “You shouldn’t worry too much at the moment. With your current capabilities, even if Bogula wants to retaliate against you after his exit, you’ll… you’ll be able to hold on until your mentor comes to rescue you.”
Angel: “…” He had thought that Midora would say he had nothing to fear from Bogula.
However, Angel was confident that even if Bogula did try to take revenge on him, his current physical resilience would be more than sufficient to hold out for quite some time. And if push came to shove, he could always make his escape through the Gateway of Fantasy.
Midora added, “Furthermore, I’ve heard that Savage Grottoes have sent someone really formidable this time. With him around, you shouldn’t worry about Bogula taking action against you.”
Midora’s statement left Angel momentarily perplexed, “Savage Grottoes sent someone?”
Midora: “By becoming a member of the Research Institute, you essentially forge a link between Savage Grottoes and the Institute. The Savage Grottoes will certainly send representatives.”
It’s not just sending people; the Savage Grottoes will also station higher-ranking individuals at the Sky Mechanical City outpost.
After all, Angel joining the Research Institute will inevitably catalyze the development of alchemy within the Savage Grottoes. In the future, there will be more alchemists from there coming to Sky Mechanical City for advanced studies. Those stationed in Sky Mechanical City also bear the responsibility to protect these alchemists who are here for studies.
Alchemists are invaluable assets to any organization, so the strength of those in charge at the outpost must undoubtedly be elevated.
Angel nodded in realization. He initially wanted to ask who from the Savage Grottoes would be sent, but then decided to hold back.
Regardless of who is sent, he will eventually meet them, given they’re coming for matters related to the Research Institute.
After discussing Tujo and Bogula, Angel then raised questions about teaching.
“So, you’ve finally come around to the idea of teaching?” Midora seemed a bit surprised, as when he had previously brought up the subject, Angel appeared somewhat indifferent.
Feeling slightly embarrassed, Angel divulged that he was short on points.
“I see. Nevertheless, teaching wouldn’t be detrimental to you. During your lessons, some alchemists might not be technically proficient, but their unique perspectives might provide you with significant insights,” Midora said, pausing to sigh before briefing Angel on some customary teaching rules.
These ‘rules’ aren’t necessarily set in stone but are more like unspoken guidelines accepted by everyone.
For instance, Midora mentioned that according to these guidelines, it is advisable to announce one’s intention to teach a few days in advance. This gives prospective students enough time to choose to attend, preventing earnest learners from missing out due to last-minute arrangements.
Of course, this is just a default rule. You can also spontaneously start a lecture without prior notice, allowing attendees to come as they will. However, in the words of Midora, such teaching is “soulless.”
According to Midora’s own understanding, his teaching is not merely about imparting experience. He actually hopes to receive feedback from the audience, perhaps even achieving some enlightenment. Impromptu lectures make it challenging to filter out alchemists who could provide such intellectual stimulation.
By announcing in advance, others who are interested in the topic you’re teaching will naturally show up, while those completely unfamiliar will be filtered out. This increases the likelihood of intellectual sparks flying.
“However, if you’re teaching purely for accumulating points, you can also go ahead with impromptu lectures. This is just my suggestion,” Midora adds.
After pondering for a moment, Angel decided that he would still use Midora’s method when it comes to timing the lectures.
It’s not because Midora said that “spontaneous lectures are soulless.”
Rather, it’s because he will likely stay in Sky Mechanical City during the period of the Novastar Competition. Therefore, he has no need for impromptu lectures, given that he’ll be there for at least half a month.
Midora continued, “No matter when you choose to give your lecture, it’s best to avoid overlapping with other members of the Research Institute. First, it allows attendees to choose whose lecture to attend without any dilemma; second, it minimizes the risk of offending other members.”
Though overlapping lectures isn’t a major issue, not everyone is magnanimous. Ignoring such a small detail might hold you in grudge by other members.
Even if the relationships between members of the Research Institute are already fraught, Midora still advocates avoiding conflict whenever possible.
This caution struck a chord with Angel, as he remembered Fingernail Granny mentioning that Water Ripple Witch will be giving lectures soon, and it would be best to avoid scheduling his lecture at the same time as hers.
Midora paused and said, “Of course, if Director Muse and Regina are giving lectures, you don’t have to worry about conflicting schedules with them.”
Angel was puzzled for a moment. Muse was the Director of the Research Institute, and Regina seemed to also be a member of the Research Institute. Why shouldn’t he worry about them?
Midora elaborated, “This comes down to the content of the lectures.”
The content of the lectures is not fixed. Ideally, the subject matter should be announced in advance to give the attendees time to prepare. Additionally, this can help them avoid attending lectures they find uninteresting.
“The so-called boring lectures are mostly given by Director Muse,” sighed Midora. “Director Muse rarely focuses on alchemical knowledge in his classes; he usually structures them in three parts.”
“The first part involves sharing stories of his own woeful past to elicit sympathy from the audience. The second part, building on the foundation of his tragic backstory, discusses how he became successful, aiming to stir enthusiasm among the listeners. Finally, the third part is a brief summary.”
Angel, befuddled, asked, “That’s it?”
Midora nodded, “Yes, that’s it. Furthermore, the life stories that Director Muse shares in the first two parts are never consistent. Sometimes he talks about being an orphan, wandering from place to place; other times he claims he was the son of a gardener bullied by nobles. He even once told a Cinderella-like tale of enduring abuse from a wicked stepmother…”
Cinderella? The Director?
“Is Director Muse deceiving people?”
Midora shook his head, “He’s not deceiving anyone. He just chooses a motivational story from a book titled —Inspirational Figures— each time he lectures. I asked him why he personalizes these stories, and he said it’s to elicit empathy from the students.”
Midora concluded, “So you don’t need to fret about having conflicting classes with him; he doesn’t mind. Plus, Director Muse rarely teaches — perhaps one class every two or three years. Each time, people attend full of expectation, but often leave disappointed.”
Angel felt somewhat bewildered as he listened. He knew that Director Muse had a habit of “splitting focus,” but he hadn’t expected that the Director would go to such lengths as to experience “empathy” to cultivate this skill.
“As for Regina… don’t worry about schedule conflicts with her classes,” Midora said, his expression slightly peculiar when mentioning Regina.
“Does she teach the same material as Director Muse?” Angel inquired.
Midora shook his head: “Not the same, but it probably won’t be useful for you anyway.”
“You may have heard Regina’s nickname, the ‘Mushroom Witch.’ She is an exceptionally accomplished master in the alchemy of potion-making. Especially when it comes to botanically-based potions, I’m nowhere near her level,” Midora provided a brief background on Regina before continuing, “Regina’s true expertise lies in cultivating mushrooms and creating various potions from them.”
“The subject of her classes also revolves around mushrooms. But primarily, her curriculum involves how to… handle mushrooms.”
“Handle mushrooms?” Angel was a bit puzzled. Did ‘handle’ mean what he thought it meant?
With a mysterious look, Midora pointed to the thick soup in everyone’s bowls: “This is how Professor Regina handles it.”
Angel smelled the rich aroma of mushrooms filling the air: “…”
So by ‘handling,’ it means cooking? Then why isn’t it a gourmet wizard teaching the class?
“Every time Regina gives a lecture, Adelia always attends,” Midora explained further, muttering under his breath, “I’ve also accompanied her to a few lectures; they’re actually not bad. Occasionally, she does touch upon some key points regarding potion-making using mushrooms.”
“Since Regina’s teaching content isn’t strongly tied to alchemy, she’s made it very clear that her classes only teach how to handle mushrooms. So, there’s no issue if you end up taking her class concurrently with others,” Midora concluded.
Angel nodded, feeling somewhat enlightened by the classes offered by Director Muse and Regina. However, these experiences deepened his understanding of the academic freedom available.
Nevertheless, as a sanctuary for alchemy, the primary focus of teaching here naturally leans towards alchemy. If the classes were as informal as Regina and Director Muse suggest, then the points accrued would nearly amount to zero.
Midora went on to explain various issues related to course registration and content selection, which Angel diligently——noted down.
All things considered, the preparatory matters for teaching could actually be delegated to Antonio. What Angel needs to do is choose the course content.
As for the final point calculations, they are based on the effective duration of the class, a detail Angel need not worry about.
Chapter 1519 Methods for Earning Points <TOC> Chapter 1521 Achillea Comprehensive College