Heaven's Greatest Professor

Chapter 51  Instructor Recruitement

Warden was in the Sivian Empire now, specifically in Navin City. Although it was within the empire's jurisdiction, the city served as a neutral zone allocated to the Arcane Society. June had left him here at noon, mentioning that she needed to complete some other tasks. The previous night, an unspoken understanding had developed between them after Warden's display of Runeforging. The matter might be more important than Warden initially thought, as the girl had offered to sponsor him in his endeavors if he chose to experiment with artificing and more.

Obviously, Warden hadn't agreed to anything without a complete idea of his talents and knowledge. Currently, he was on his way to buy some comfortable clothes. Legendary equipment was good and all, but it wasn't always comfortable to wear.

Warden had some gold and silver coins from the bandits, so he wasn't worried about the price. After all, he was looking for normal clothes.

There were plenty of people on both sides of the road in the evening, but there weren't many vendors, as unauthorized business was probably restricted in the great city. It didn't take him more than a quarter of an hour to find a clothing shop, but the problem was the shop was filled with people in groups or pairs, shopping for the best goods the city could offer.

Warden stared at them in contemplation for a while before deciding to enter. He wasn't going to waste any more time buying just a few simple clothes.

As he entered, a young assistant shopkeeper immediately greeted him. "Good evening, sir," he said with a cheerful smile that didn't reach his eyes. "How can I help you?"

"I need some clothes," Warden said. "Normal ones. Tunic, coat, robes, innerwear, and underwear."

"Of course, come this way," the youth said, leading him into the shop. He asked about color, type, and the kind of silk or cotton, as Warden answered them all. Finally, he showed a collection of fine tunics in a monotone style—which was exactly what Warden preferred.

Warden's entire wealth was about twelve gold coins and ninety-seven silver, along with some iron and copper coins, so he inquired about the prices.

"Each of them is priced at 12 iron chips," the keeper said, with a smile that suggested he wasn't trying to rip him off. Warden didn't fully believe it, but he didn't bother to negotiate. "Pack me half a dozen of them," he said.

The keeper was delighted to work with someone who didn't haggle too much. He proceeded to show everything Warden wanted. The coats were the most expensive items he bought—the priciest one costing him 3 silver and 15 iron chips—but considering they were for outdoor use, he didn't mind spending his wealth.

Well, it wasn't really his wealth, but he didn't hear the bandits complaining.

On the way to check out, Warden overheard an interesting conversation that caught his attention. A woman was arguing with the shopkeeper, complaining about why her tailored suit hadn't been delivered yet.

"I can't believe this," she said. "I specifically mentioned that I needed the suit by today for my interview at the academy. I even paid in advance. Why isn't it made yet?"

"Like I said, ma'am," the keeper said slowly, knowing it was their fault. "There has been a mix-up, and your order was delayed by a week."

The woman with dark hair literally fumed in her spot. "Will the academic administrators be jumping in delight if I say that to them?" she yelled, making a scene that was already catching many eyes. "Why do I have to pay for your screw-up?"

"Haha, Aurel," a guy came in, laughing. "This is probably a sign from Kandrashi that you won't get the job at the academy."

The woman's expression changed into an ugly scowl. "What do you want, Jason?" "I don't want you to waste your time with the academy," Jason said. "The pay is lousy, on top of always babysitting pompous kids into the dungeon. If any of the noble kids get even a scratch, it is on your head. Why do you want to take such a position?"

"Instead, I should join your guild?" Aurel asked.

"Precisely," Jason said. "You know I'm fair, and we've known each other for years. I won't rip you off for what we make."

"I'm not joining your stupid guild," Aurel retorted before Jason could pitch further. "Even if you change the dumb name."

"It's not dumb," Jason gritted his teeth.

"Ask anyone in the crowd; they'd say it's dumb."

Infuriated, Jason looked around and seemed to find Warden staring at the exchange with an amused look. "My good sir," Jason called him. "What do you think of the name Silent Watcher? Doesn't it evoke a mysterious guardian type of vibe? I'm sure this will give great relief to all the people who'd hire us."

Like Aurel, Jason was young, in his early twenties, and seemed to be completely certain of what he decided. "It's dumb, right?" Aurel argued, glaring up at Warden as if wanting him to say nothing more, nothing less than what she thought of the name.

"It's not dumb per se," Warden said without much thought. The guy was just about to burst with joy, but Warden broke his heart with his next words. "It sounds more creepy to me. It gives the vibe of a creepy stalker, not a silent guardian."

Jason was thunderstruck, while Aurel burst into laughter, momentarily forgetting about her suit. "Anyway, what is this interview you guys are talking about?" Warden asked, interested.

"You don't know?" Aurel answered. "The new academic year is starting, and that means the Arcane Academy will be refilling the posts of instructors. Mostly combat instructors, as those tend to have the highest mortality rate. Some leave the jobs as well, unable to bear it."

"That's why I'm asking her not to join," Jason cut in. "The pay is lousy and--" n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you already," Aurel cut him off. "The combat instructor job is quite tedious, considering they really have to babysit teenagers. But it isn't because of the pay I wanted to join, but the perks that come with it."