At Cyno's command, Afshin and Sahar were immediately dismissed from their posts and handed over to the matra for legal interrogation, due to their plagiarism and appropriation of others' academic achievements.
When Sahar was apprehended and led away by the Guards, his gaze towards Setaria held no regret; instead, he stared at her with a look of intense hatred, while his gaze towards Afshin was largely filled with the sentiment of 'hating iron for not becoming steel' (disappointment in someone's failure).
Sahar's dream of becoming a sage was shattered. At this moment, he could not even think of retiring as a Kōbanḍa; he would likely only be able to spend his retirement in the matra's prison. Even if he were released, he would only be an ordinary commoner, no longer a respected scholar.
However, the matter did not end there. Cyno also publicly declared to Lesser Lord Kusanali that he would conduct a systematic screening of the Akademiya's thesis database to see if similar incidents still existed. He also welcomed any academics or scholars who had experienced similar situations to report them to the matra, and he would handle each case personally.
Cyno's request was approved by Lesser Lord Kusanali and Alhaitham. The fact that both the God and the Acting Grand Sage nodded together meant that it would definitely proceed.
Cyno's first act upon taking office was to target academic plagiarism, which made some scholars present immediately uneasy. However, this matter was rooted in righteousness, and they could find no reason to refute it.
On the contrary, arguing at this point would give Cyno the impression that they had something to hide. If they were to be targeted by the unfeeling Cyno because of this, they would certainly face dire consequences in the future.
It seems I must find an opportunity to properly compensate those victimized students, perhaps even provide them with more academic resources, to make them quietly shut their mouths. That way, it's good for both of us.
At this moment, Nahida looked at Setaria and said, "Setaria, you have suffered these past years. Sahar and Afshin will certainly receive the punishment they deserve."
Listening to Lesser Lord Kusanali's gentle yet powerful comfort, Setaria's heart ached. The years of enduring humiliation were released in an instant, and her eyes were already brimming with tears.
Setaria: "Thank you, Lesser Lord Kusanali."
Nahida: "Since Mr. Alhaitham said you were the primary contributor in the operation to save the God, how would you like to serve as a sage of the Minglun Faction?"
Nahida's words immediately caused a huge stir, especially among the remaining Kōbanḍa scholars of the Minglun Faction, who strongly objected.
They argued that although Setaria had made a great contribution in this matter, she had not published a single academic paper during her many years as Azar's secretary. Neither her research achievements nor her qualifications were convincing, and they asked Lesser Lord Kusanali to withdraw her decision.
Setaria looked at the indignant expressions of everyone present, as if she had committed some outrageous act. Coupled with the previous ostracization by the Akademiya members, she already felt that the current Akademiya had changed for the worse and she no longer wanted to be complicit with them.
Moreover, she had no recollection of her previous actions and dared not claim this credit. So, she respectfully replied, "Thank you for your kindness, Lesser Lord Kusanali, but I feel that my talent and knowledge are shallow, and compared to the other scholars, I am indeed not qualified for this position. I ask Lesser Lord Kusanali to withdraw her decision."
Miyashiro, who was nearby, chuckled, "This is truly a rare occurrence. When Lesser Lord Kusanali nominated Alhaitham to be the Acting Grand Sage, he strongly opposed it. Now, when she nominates Setaria to be a sage of the Minglun Faction, she also refuses."
Nahida: "Setaria, I heard from Mr. Cyno that you once applied to be transferred out of the Akademiya, wanting to go to the Desert region to support education. Is that right?"
Setaria nodded and said, "Yes, I come from Aaru Village and am one of the very few scholars in the Akademiya who originated from the Desert region. I deeply understand that besides suffering from the hardships of sandstorms and displacement, the most painful suffering of the Desertfolk is the suffering of ignorance.
The Desertfolk are not unintelligent; they simply lack opportunities for education. In the Desert villages, even the most basic textbook is cherished as a treasure. But books alone are far from enough; they also lack the most crucial element: teachers.
I am one of the very few fortunate ones who had the chance to enter the Akademiya. I have been lucky enough, but I cannot be the only lucky one. Now, I want to return to the Desert to allow more Desert children to be favored by wisdom."
Setaria's heartfelt words resonated deeply with everyone present, especially in stark contrast to the previous scholars. Nahida at this moment felt that their explanations were as noisy as Electro-charged Butterflies.
Nahida said with emotion, "I am proud to have a citizen like you, and I am fortunate for the Desertfolk, because they have an official like you who cares for them.
Since you have such a grand vision, merely letting you be a support teacher would be too small-minded. After all, the Desert's territory is so vast; how many students can you educate with your strength alone?"
Hearing Lesser Lord Kusanali's words, Setaria's heart trembled, sensing that something of immense benefit to the Desert residents was about to happen.
Nahida: "The Scarlet King passed away thousands of years ago, yet even now, the vast majority of Desertfolk still worship the Scarlet King, not Lesser Lord Kusanali. Why is this happening? It is because the Scarlet King's people, and indeed all residents of the Desert region, have suffered unfair treatment for a long time in the past.
The Scarlet King and I were both the most steadfast allies and the best of friends. When he unfortunately perished, he entrusted me on his deathbed to take care of his people. But as the current situation shows, I have broken my promise. Although this was not my intention, the suffering endured by the Desertfolk is very real.
Now, I will emphasize once again: whether it is the rainforest or the Desert, both are the territory of Sumeru. Whether they are the people of the rainforest or the Desertfolk, they are all my, Lesser Lord Kusanali's, people!
As the God of Wisdom, I must ensure that the light of wisdom shines into every corner of Sumeru. Therefore, I will not allow the Desertfolk to continue suffering from ignorance!
Therefore, I have decided that a portion of the Akademiya's annual budget will be allocated for the economic, cultural, and social development of the Desert region. In the annual enrollment lists of Sumeru's six academies, there must be a certain percentage of Desertfolk.
Additionally, among the Akademiya's officials, those who have participated in poverty alleviation and support education in the Desert region may be considered for priority promotion!
This policy shall be called the [Western Support Plan], and as for the person in charge of the [Western Support Plan], Setaria, I entrust it to you."
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