The morning after his arrival, Alaric found himself standing once more outside the faculty hall. Yesterday's formal greeting had been a blur—little more than handshakes and polite introductions, names and faces that faded as soon as he left the room. Today felt different. The term's first full staff orientation would set the tone for everything to come.
Inside, the hall was busy. Professors clustered in groups, sharing coffee, news, and private jokes. The hum of conversation died down as Professor Helena Valen called the meeting to order.
"Let's begin. I trust everyone is ready for another year." She glanced around the room, her gaze settling on Alaric. "For those who haven't met him, this is Alaric Telwyn, our provisional instructor. He joined us yesterday and will be taking on Basic Magic Theory and an elective in Magical Logic."
This time, the welcome was shorter and less forgiving. Several faculty members nodded, but others exchanged looks or whispered. Alaric felt every glance.
Helena handed him a folder. "Your class list, schedule, and curriculum. If you have questions, speak to your department lead or myself."
He nodded, taking the papers with careful hands. The words and course titles looked as foreign as ever.
After the main announcements, smaller discussions broke out. Alaric was drawn into a group with Mistress Ilena and Professor Margrave, both of whom seemed eager to test his knowledge. Their questions were polite on the surface, but underneath he sensed a challenge.
"What inspired your approach to Magical Logic, Master Telwyn?" Margrave asked, eyebrow raised.
Alaric hesitated, caught off guard. "I suppose I've always believed that the structure of magic—like any good system—should be logical, not just intuitive."
Mistress Ilena nodded, though her smile was thin. "We'll see how the students respond. Our first-years can be… unpredictable."
He did his best to answer, feeling the strain of every exchange. As the meeting ended, he overheard a conversation near the window.
"…Telwyn's only here because of his family. If anyone can expose a weak instructor, it's Seraphina Ravenshield."
"She sets the standard. He won't last if he can't keep up."
A familiar chill ran down his spine at the mention of her name.
As Alaric made his way back to his quarters, the Arcane Compiler's interface blinked into focus. This time, the text scrolled in a purposeful line:
[Quest: Prepare your first lesson plan.]
Objective: Draft an introductory lecture for Basic Magic Theory. Optional: Use a logical, step-by-step method.
A progress bar flickered below the message, marking zero percent.
He stared at the quest prompt, realizing he couldn't delay any longer.