Chapter Seventy-Three: Steward Speak

Andy and Catherine followed the road indicated by the middle-aged woman, and gradually the architecture around them began to change. The mysterious and historical aura of the wizard towers faded, replaced by buildings that reflected the spirit of the current era. Styles that had only recently become popular in the kingdom appeared one after another.

Suddenly, a huge red banner caught Andy's eye: "Welcome to Greym Pre-Academy!" Nearby, other banners proclaimed things like, "Where is the best source of wizardry knowledge? Greym Outer Academy's reputation shines!" These promotional slogans lined the street. Flowers and colored lights decorated both sides of the road, giving Andy the impression of a festive merchant sale during the Spring Festival.

Although this area was far more lively than the quiet white cottage where Andy and Catherine had just made inquiries, Andy couldn't shake a sense of foreboding, given the attitude of the middle-aged woman earlier and the content of the banners.

When Steward Spitt received Andy and explained the difference between Greym's Inner and Outer Academies, Andy's premonition was finally confirmed.

Steward Spitt was a refined middle-aged man, warmly welcoming Andy inside a tower. After confirming Andy's recommender was Captain Barton and reading his letter of introduction, Spitt immediately offered to issue his admission notice.

Andy then asked about the "Greym Pre-Academy" he’d seen along the way, since Barton had told him he was introducing Andy to Greym Academy in the capital.

After Spitt explained, Andy realized he'd been duped by Barton. It dawned on him why Barton had so casually handed out three recommendation letters, as if distributing them wholesale.

Spitt, seeing Andy's expression, immediately understood—he’d encountered situations like this many times. Without rushing to issue the admission notice, he began to explain the situation of Greym Outer Academy in detail, embellishing and beautifying it, of course.

He mentioned that while the education quality at Greym’s Outer Academy was somewhat inferior to the Inner Academy, this was mainly due to the lower caliber of students. The Inner Academy primarily recruited prodigies in wizardry, usually requiring at least a second-level mental aptitude. Even those with second-level aptitude had to pass rigorous assessments to be admitted.

The Outer Academy’s admission requirements were much more relaxed; anyone with wizard talent would generally be accepted. Moreover, outstanding students in the Outer Academy could be noticed by Inner Academy mentors and specially recruited. Even if not specially recruited, those who achieved the standard of a Bronze Wizard through meditation would be promoted to the Inner Academy.

Spitt went on to say that, at regular intervals, the Outer Academy would invite distinguished Inner Academy mentors to give lectures, allowing the Outer Academy to share some of the Inner Academy's teaching resources. Not only faculty, but some teaching facilities were shared as well—such as the so-called "Mixed Academy," officially known as Greym Specialized Academy, where both Outer and Inner Academy students could learn professional skills.

Furthermore, the largest library on the Dolan Continent, "Victoria’s Dream Library," was open to students from both the Inner and Outer Academies.

Spitt’s enthusiastic introduction convinced Andy less than halfway. Having seen many such sales pitches in his previous life, Andy was resistant to being swayed. But one thing was clear: with his third-level mental aptitude, he couldn’t enter Greym Inner Academy. He had already confirmed this with the middle-aged woman earlier; when he mentioned enrollment, she immediately asked for his mental aptitude certificate.

With Stein deceased, Andy had no one to recommend him to the Inner Academy. Therefore, he started considering whether to first enter the Outer Academy to learn more about Greym and later find another way into the Inner Academy.

Seeing Andy still hesitant, Steward Spitt grew excited and stood up. "Young man, someone once said of Greym Outer Academy: ‘If you enter, you'll regret it for three years; but if you don't, you'll regret it for a lifetime.’"

"Look, this is where Outer Academy students live and study!" He strode over to the floor-to-ceiling window, abruptly pulling open the curtains...

Instantly, a panoramic view of Greym Outer Academy unfolded before Andy and Catherine.

Spitt had specifically applied to the Academy for this tower, which occupied a prime viewing position. From here, the entire Outer Academy was visible at a glance.

Bathed in the evening glow, the Outer Academy had a unique charm. Scattered buildings were cloaked in an orange-red aura of mystery. The small lake directly opposite the tower was the highlight of the campus.

Students wandered the grounds in groups, some playing and laughing, some passionately embracing, others lost in thought, heads bowed, and some clutching unknown books, hurrying along.

The familiar scene stirred Andy; he recalled his unfinished university days back on Earth. Catherine, too, was captivated by the beauty, unable to take her eyes off it.

After Andy left, holding the admission notice issued by Spitt, Spitt felt a secret satisfaction. He knew that revealing the campus panorama with the curtain trick solved eighty percent of his visitors. This was precisely why the Academy’s leadership invested annually in the campus environment—regardless of teaching quality, appearance had to be grand and impressive to persuade new students to pay ten times the Inner Academy’s tuition to study in the Outer Academy.

After his lengthy speech, Spitt took a sip of water to moisten his throat. He had barely swallowed when a blond, twin-tailed girl burst in with a bang, startling Spitt so much he inhaled water into his windpipe, choking and rolling his eyes.

The girl was Catherine in her transformed state.

After Andy and Catherine left, Andy realized he had used only one of the three recommendation letters from Barton; the other two were unused. As Andy was about to casually discard them, Catherine suddenly transformed into her girl form, snatched one of the letters, said, "Wait for me!" and dashed back to Spitt’s office.

Before Spitt had recovered, Catherine declared, "Here’s my recommendation letter! My name is Catherine—issue my admission notice quickly!"

Spitt wanted to complain, but hearing she was enrolling, he forced himself to smile professionally: "Hello..."

He was about to introduce the Outer Academy’s advantages when Catherine cut him off: "No need, I know! I know! Just give me the admission notice!"

Pressured by Catherine’s urgency, Spitt promptly issued the admission notice. In all his years of recruitment, he had never met someone so eager.

Catherine took the notice and ran straight out. The moment she saw Andy, her transformation time expired. She reverted to her cat form, burrowed into Andy’s arms, and complained via mimicry that her transformation time was far too short.

Andy wholeheartedly agreed.

Watching the girl named Catherine rush out without even closing the door, Spitt was thoroughly annoyed. Already discomforted from choking, his anger made it worse. He clutched his chest and took a while to recover.

Still angry, Spitt couldn’t help cursing toward the door, "What’s the rush? Are you reincarnating or something?"

At that moment, Cain entered with a constipated expression. Worried that office hours were ending, he hurried in, only to be yelled at the moment he stepped through the door!

Hearing the familiar tone and words, Cain couldn’t help but think of the middle-aged woman at the Inner Academy registration. Her name was now quietly recorded in Cain’s little notebook, marked in yellow!