Chapter 152: Coming Clean

Words : 1052 Updated : Sep 23rd, 2025

Chapter 152: Coming Clean"Thank you, Deputy Headmaster. However, if it’s possible, I would also like Headmistress Isolde to hear them..." Korvus’s brows raised at the request. The headmistress was an extremely busy person, but then he remembered that the current Hal Fennec at least deserved to be granted such requests. After all, he had won the Arcana Primis Cup for the Grand Magic Academy, giving its reputation a massive boost. The old deputy was sure that Isolde wouldn’t mind. "All right, I shall take you to her." This time, it was Hal who raised his brows momentarily, a strange feeling of his ego being gently stroked welling up in his chest. The Deputy Headmaster granted his requests with a sigh in the past due to his relationship with Ennya. Now, the old man couldn’t reject him due to the mind-blowing potential he had shown in the recent rookie tournament. ’Heh, take that, geezer!’ he thought to himself as the scenery around him changed. Soon, Hal found himself in an ancient chamber made of runestones. There was nothing else except for a shelf full of ancient journals, a huge, locked wooden chest, an old yet clean banner of the Grand Magic Academy hung on the walls, an ironwood desk, and a plush chair where a middle-aged woman with long purple hair sat, scribbling away on documents. "Deputy Headmaster, Hal Fennec, welcome to my office," Isolde said with a smile as she put her pen down and turned her full attention to the two. She was clearly in a better mood now and much gentler than the frustrated version of herself back at Gaora Hall. "Headmistress," Hal responded with a deep bow. "So, what brings you two here?" "Reporting to the Headmistress," Korvus interjected. "I was about to hear out Hal Fennec’s requests as per our agreement, but he asked if you could hear them too, so I brought him here." Isolde nodded in appreciation. "Go and speak your mind then, Hal, I’m all ears," smiled the older woman as she turned to Hal. Hal instinctively bowed once more before suddenly dropping a bomb that the two academy leaders initially failed to comprehend: "So...uhh, how do I say this...I’m also the young arcanist with the alias ’Joker’, if you two have heard of the winner of the Manaforge Initiate Competition..." Isolde and Korvus naturally froze at what they heard. Being among the most passionate patriots of the Arcanum Imperium, the two were delighted by the news of a new, unknown young arcanist emerging from the commoners, especially since advancing in the craft typically required substantial resources and costly tutelage. That is, if one hoped to go toe to toe with the foremost geniuses of their generation. This was why it was rare to hear about dark horses in the said field. To suddenly have one emerge out of nowhere and defeat even the disciples of renowned masters was a massive blessing for the empire. There were rumors that Joker might’ve been from the Grand Magic Academy, as someone claimed to have seen the guy wearing the academy’s uniform, but there was no proof to support this aside from people "seeing it with their own eyes." Korvus and Isolde also hadn’t heard of anyone by that name among their arcanist students, so they even helped debunk the rumors. It was naturally difficult to believe what they had just heard. "Y-You’re a what? You’re a Joker, you say?" Korvus asked, his hands trembling. "H-He said he’s the young arcanist Joker, I believe..." Isolde stammered. "D-Did I hear that correctly?" Hal appeared calm on the surface. However, inwardly, he was pleased to the high heavens, finding their reactions sweet. "Yes, you’ve heard it right, Deputy Headmaster, Headmistress," he confirmed, proceeding to explain the next moment. "I’m the young arcanist, Joker. You probably haven’t heard of him for quite some time, right? As though he had disappeared after winning the arcanist tournament, and that’s because those darned aristocrats chased me and forced me to flee to the Ancient Great Forest of Eordyrr, where I chanced upon Liora as she was trying to enter the Luminous Runeforest region." Isolde didn’t know how to react to the explanation, having been absent for the past few months, so she turned to her deputy. Korvus, meanwhile, trembled even more at what he heard. Everything made so much sense that he was inclined to believe the young man’s words at face value. Indeed! The timelines did add up, as Joker had emerged after Hal Fennec had gone missing for a month. Then, after the celebrated young arcanist’s glorious victory, Joker just vanished into thin air, and his promise of selling his crafts at Wanzin’s Arcane Emporium branches was also left unfulfilled. No one knew what the hell happened to the young arcanist until now. It was only after hearing Hal’s explanation that the disappearance made sense to Korvus. At the very least, it was a plausible one. After all, how could the young arcanist craft artifacts when he’s fighting for his life inside a dangerous runeforest? Korvus turned to Isolde. "H-Headmistress, Hal’s explanation does make sense, as it aligns with what’s happened over the past few months. However, we still have to see him craft an artifact, just to be sure." The old man paused for a moment, seemingly struggling to get the next few sentences out, but he continued. "But even if he is, should we allow him to continue? He’s this talented in combat, yet he’s dabbling in Arcanist matters. He’s already not specialized in a single element. If we let him waste time in other fields as well, he might end up a ’jack of all trades, master of none’!" The headmistress frowned at Korvus’ words. What her deputy said did make sense. After all, a human’s time was limited, and one could only truly master one thing—perhaps two, if exceptionally talented. Trying to master all elements while also crafting artifacts might indeed backfire and limit the young man’s potential instead. Isolde turned to Hal, locking eyes with him. It was then that a realization struck her. The Headmistress then sighed. "Is this why you wanted me to hear this too? You’re asking for my help to stop Korvus from telling you what to do?"

Chapter 152: Coming Clean

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