After hearing Viktor's request, Gwen didn't show any extra expression.
After all, just as he addressed her, because she was a knight, she would serve Viktor.
She walked in front, and Viktor followed behind her.
The two of them, one in front and one behind, walked together toward the lecture hall's main hall.
And this scene was witnessed by countless people, who all showed expressions of astonishment.
"That is… Knight Commander Gwen?"
"Knight Commander Gwen is actually walking together with Viktor. Their relationship is really that good?"
"Nonsense, they're engaged!"
The reporters from the newspapers all revealed envious looks, and the rising wave of exclamations made Gwen feel extremely uncomfortable.
Even her earlobes turned red because of it.
"These reporters are really annoying."
That was the only thought in Gwen's mind.
However, the reporters didn't care what Gwen thought. Seeing such a highly-talked-about moment, they kept using magic stones to record the scene before them.
Viktor walking together with Gwen could naturally become another point of discussion.
After all, Viktor was now both a Tier-Four mage and a councilor of the Mage Council.
And wearing that gentleman's formal attire, he radiated a calm and mature masculine charm.
"Knight Commander Gwen and Professor Viktor are such a perfect match."
"Yeah, yeah."
Amid the constant discussion, Gwen could only pretend to be indifferent as she hurriedly escorted Viktor toward the lecture hall.
Finally, the two of them entered the lecture hall together.
The originally noisy hall instantly quieted down the moment Viktor appeared.
Viktor nodded toward Gwen behind him, indicating she didn't need to escort him any further, and then he walked toward the podium.
The lights inside the hall suddenly went out, and several warm yellow beams focused on Viktor.
Wearing a black tailcoat, he appeared noble and elegant.
He adjusted his tie and faced the audience below.
The entire lecture hall was filled to capacity.
Gwen stood in a dim corner. She didn't leave immediately and instead quietly watched Viktor standing under the spotlight.
Watching him become the focus of thousands of eyes, she couldn't help staring in a daze.
The Viktor in her memory had never been like he was now.
Confident, proud, and powerful.
He had changed.
Changed into someone no longer so annoying, someone no longer so sinister and ugly.
Finally, Gwen reluctantly looked at Viktor one last time, then turned around and walked toward the dim exit.
The entire lecture hall was utterly silent, as if every guest present could only hear the breathing nearby.
The crow on Viktor's shoulder lifted its head and swept its gaze across the people.
Aurelian, Liya, Erica…
A lot of familiar faces.
The princess smiled as she stared at Viktor, looking extremely gentle and refined.
Liya's eyes were full of excitement. Veiga could tell she was cheering Viktor on.
As for Erica…
Her eyes were filled with admiration, along with a faint trace of melancholy.
It even saw the two princes seated among the crowd, surrounded by many nobles.
Behind the podium, Henny was secretly peeking at the audience, fully prepared for anything.
'Professor, if anything happens, please call me anytime!'
Viktor waved his hand slightly toward her and then looked forward again.
Rachelle sat in the front row of the podium, leaning on his cane, stroking his long beard, his face full of kind smiles.
"Professor Viktor."
"You may begin."
Viktor tugged at his lapel and lifted his head. His gaze revealed complete confidence, appearing exceptionally bright under the light.
"I'm very glad to see you all."
"I am the chief professor of the Royal Magic Academy, concurrently a current councilor of the Mage Council's Twelve Councilors, a Tier-Four mage mastering all-system magic proficiency, Viktor Clavenna."
Starting with self-introduction was a requirement written in the speech draft.
But hearing this long list of titles at the start felt like directly slapping the entire audience into unconsciousness.
What kind of thing was this?
These were achievements someone of his age could have?
Countless people were dumbfounded, but Viktor ignored their shock.
Even facing thousands of people, he remained calm as always, his indifferent voice continuing, "Today's topic is, 'The Feasibility of Using Magical Environments to Construct Practical Combat Training Fields.'"
Just the opening topic was enough to leave every listener present utterly amazed.
'Using magic to construct real combat terrain? Training?'
This kind of new concept, they had never even heard of it.
Only a small number of students and professors who knew the inside story of that exam revealed understanding smiles.
"As everyone knows, I am a combat-type mage."
Viktor's voice rang out, and the quiet audience nodded in strong agreement.
Mages were divided into different branches.
For example, mages specializing in healing, or craftsman mages focusing on construction…
But a mage's strength inevitably depended on their field of specialty.
Combat mages were the most common type because they focused more on destructive power.
Like Duke Levi, he was a long-established combat mage.
Every noble present knew this well.
Back then, Duke Levi single-handedly eradicated three hundred thousand cultists at the border.
His strength was famous like thunder. But compared to Viktor…
He still seemed somewhat lacking.
The crater Viktor blasted in the academy was still preserved inside the school as a scenic landmark.
"As you all know, to become a combat mage, real combat experience is essential."
"But after my two tests, I discovered that most students have never experienced real combat, and some can only use simple formulaic magic."
Many people agreed with this. Even those who weren't mages understood the importance of real combat experience.
But the Royal Magic Academy couldn't do such a thing.
Because they couldn't take that risk.
Inside the academy, although there were quite a few civilian students who might have had some basic understanding of magical beasts…
Most were still noble students.
With the frail bodies of mages, most couldn't withstand even a single attack from magical beasts outside the capital.
This was why the news of Aurelian killing a Forest Savage spread throughout the capital, leaving all mages silent and shocked.
Although lecturers in the academy could supervise and protect students if real combat classes were held…
Such careful protection would instead reduce the effectiveness of real combat training.
But if things were too relaxed, the students' lives would be in danger.
The academy was a place of education; they could not gamble with students' lives.
To protect the students, they could only focus more on theoretical classes.
Only occasional practical classes allowed students to test spells on wooden dummies.
Students who had been enrolled longer might have some skills, but the new students behaved no differently than ordinary people.
Many couldn't help recalling what Viktor did that day, challenging a whole group of students by himself, standing unmoving on the stage.
So Viktor had done that to test this?
"Therefore, I implemented a preliminary test of today's topic in the final exam."
As Viktor's words fell, the audience perked up their ears in anticipation.
Yes, what many people were waiting for was the content of the final exam that had never been revealed.
And the answer seemed about to appear in Viktor's lecture.
Backstage, Henny had already prepared everything. Soon, the projected magic stone image was displayed from the podium.
A beam of light flashed, and a shadow-like screen gradually appeared, suspended in the air.
On the screen were many students fighting in that lush reed field, flames, ice, flowing water, rocks…
Students were unleashing the magic they had learned, battling against the small magical beasts assigned in the exam.
Some failed and were discouraged but quickly gathered their courage and tried again.
Some succeeded, their faces filled with pride and accomplishment.
Among them, Duke Levi even saw Erica appear briefly in the projection, watching his daughter navigate the final wave of ten beasts without danger.
He felt indescribable comfort and joy.
"The above footage was taken from the students' perspective during this exam."
The screen dispersed like mist, and Viktor spoke lightly.
Finally, someone raised a question.
It was an elderly noble mage, the wrinkles on his face and his seasoned expression showing his experience and thoughtful maturity.
He raised his hand, stood up slowly, and asked, "Professor Viktor, I have a question."
"According to what you said, how do you handle student safety?"
Viktor lowered his head slightly to glance at him, expressionless as he explained, "As you saw, when students receive a fatal attack, they are automatically teleported to a safe location."
The old mage nodded and sat down again.
But questions continued to appear like bamboo shoots after the rain, "Professor Viktor, how did these magical beasts appear? Do they not lose their rationality?"
"Professor Viktor, how was this separate space created?"
"Professor Viktor, does this really provide effective training for students?"
"Professor Viktor…"
Viktor raised his hand and pressed downward, lowering their voices.
"Too many questions. I won't answer them one by one."
"I think 'seeing is believing.' Solving everything at once is my favorite method."
The moment he said that, the entire lecture hall turned silent.
Everyone was puzzled, staring at Viktor, wanting to know how he planned to answer.
Viktor spread his hands.
"Prepare yourselves."
"Don't blink."
No one noticed that Veiga's single eye slowly lit up with a faint blue glow.
In an instant, the raging vegetation began appearing inside the lecture hall. Large chunks of dense forest pieced together like a puzzle, gathering from the ground and from the air around the guests.
In an instant, a flourishing forest formed.
Even though it was nighttime, the sun was now hanging high in the sky, shining warmly on everyone's faces.
People could still feel that they were sitting on the lecture hall chairs, but the breeze and sunlight on their skin clearly told them, this was already another place.
Viktor stood under the sunlight like a messenger descending from the sky.
Soon, the surrounding seeds sprouted, flowers bloomed visibly, insects poked their heads out from the grass.
Not far away, a massive flower bud suddenly burst open, and countless magical beasts with petals on their heads and vines wrapped around their bodies leapt out.
In an instant, Viktor was surrounded by tens of thousands of magical beasts, as if commanding an entire army of monsters.
He stood on a treetop like a sky-reaching general and gave the audience a faint smile, "This is the main part of today's lecture."
"I call it, a dungeon."