The train sped through the gradually dimming sky, and across an oak table, Fingel and Professor Guderian sat opposite each other.
Lu Mingfei had just gotten on the train and received his Kassel College uniform; he was now changing in the compartment.
The way he looked after coming out made Professor Guderian's eyes light up: a white shirt, a dark green suit with silver piping, a deep rose-red ascot, and the Kassel College World Tree emblem embroidered on the chest pocket.
Lu Mingfei looked at himself in the mirror, feeling a bit dazed; he, who had been unlucky throughout his entire middle school life, seemed to have truly transformed into the young master of some prominent family.
The suit Chen Motong bought was more business-oriented, so it made him look more mature and a bit older when he wore it.
But after putting on the Kassel College uniform, the youthful aura that had been suppressed by the suit immediately overflowed.
The school's tailor had never measured Lu Mingfei's body, yet the clothes fit perfectly; Lu Mingfei turned up his cuff, and his name was embroidered inside.
"It fits very well, Mingfei," Professor Guderian said warmly. "Would you like something to drink, coffee or hot chocolate?"
He leaned against the wall, his back completely covered by a canvas, making it impossible to see what was hidden inside.
"Hot chocolate," Fingel raised his hand, offering his opinion impishly.
"I wasn't asking you. I'm Mingfei's temporary mentor, assigned by the school. This is new student orientation time," Professor Guderian looked at Lu Mingfei.
"If you need alcohol, that's also an option."
"Uh, coffee, then," Lu Mingfei realized that Kassel College was still a strange school, and he shouldn't forget that because of his special circumstances.
Being able to drink on the first day of meeting his mentor was a bit too bizarre.
"Two coffees, one hot chocolate," Professor Guderian glanced at Fingel.
"Alright!" As soon as he heard he had a share, Fingel immediately scurried off to get the drinks.
"Is Senior Brother Fingel really an eighth-year student?" Lu Mingfei couldn't help but ask once Fingel had walked away.
Professor Guderian's expression stiffened. "Yes, he is also my student. Our school generally doesn't expel students, and I'm usually not strict enough with my students, so I just let him stay until now."
"My direct senior brother?" Lu Mingfei began to worry about his future.
"Yes," Guderian said, "Currently, I only have you and Fingel as students. Leaving Fingel aside for now, Mingfei, in my eyes, you are a student with great Inspiration."
"Me? Inspiration?" Lu Mingfei pointed to himself. It was the first time he had heard a teacher use this word to describe a student he valued.
"Specific situations require specific explanations, but before explaining, I hope Mingfei, you can sign a non-disclosure agreement," Professor Guderian handed over a document.
Lu Mingfei couldn't quite understand what was written on it and instinctively took out his phone, intending to translate it.
He had been doing this all the way to the Chicago train station.
"Abraham Contract?" Lu Mingfei read aloud, following Google Translate.
"Yes, any student admitted to Kassel College will sign this non-disclosure agreement," Professor Guderian explained.
Facing this document written in a mix of Latin and English, Lu Mingfei swallowed, thinking that since he was already here, he might as well sign his name.
This was the path his parents had pointed out to him, so its safety was definitely guaranteed.
Professor Guderian carefully put away the document. "I guarantee, Mingfei, you won't have any problems with the 3E Exam, no accidental expulsions. You are a student recognized by the Headmaster."
"Didn't you say students wouldn't be expelled?" Lu Mingfei was shocked.
"Mingfei, you haven't officially enrolled yet, so strictly speaking, you're only a preparatory student."
Professor Guderian nervously scratched his nose, avoiding Lu Mingfei's surprised gaze.
"What does the 3E Exam test? Do I still have time to review? What's a passing score?" Lu Mingfei's questions fired out like cannonballs.
Guderian quickly explained, "There won't be any problems, absolutely no problems. As long as you've seen the painting behind me, there definitely won't be any problems afterward."
Lu Mingfei's gaze slowly shifted to the huge canvas.
Professor Guderian stood up, grabbed a corner of the giant oil painting behind him, and sharply unfurled it.
Lu Mingfei instantly saw what was behind the huge canvas; a grotesque scene was exposed under the light, and he felt as if he was about to be pushed away by a tremendous force.
That was the oppressive power of the painting.
In the painting, the sky was an iron-blue mixed with the color of flames, and a single colossal tree stood, its dead branches extending in all directions, forming a dense net that supported the cracked sky.
The wasteland was covered with bones, and a black behemoth was rising from the depths of the bone pile, its wings adorned with skulls. After spreading its enormous membranous wings, it looked up at the sky and spewed black flames.
Nidhogg
Lu Mingfei's mind was enlightened, and he instantly understood what was before him.
A piercing roar echoed in his head; he seemed to hear the roar of the giant beast in the painting.
"The Dragon King Nidhogg, in Norse mythology, it is said to have bitten off the roots of the World Tree, destroying the world," Professor Guderian casually rested a finger on a hardcover ancient book on the bookshelf.
"If you know Latin, you'll understand the names of these books. This is our accumulation over thousands of years, countless generations searching for dragons, studying dragons. Kassel College is the culmination of this."
"At Kassel College, you can choose different disciplines such as Alchemical Engineering, Arcane Mechanical Design, Dragon Kinship Theory, etc. The ultimate goal of all courses is," he looked directly into Lu Mingfei's eyes,
"Dragon Slaying!"
"Dragon Slaying?" For a moment, Lu Mingfei didn't know if he was hallucinating or if the professor had gone mad.
He quietly revised his definition of Kassel College in his mind; it was no longer a gathering place for chuunibyo sufferers, but a gathering place for mental patients.
"Our purpose in studying dragons for thousands of years is not merely to prove that they existed; on the contrary, precisely because of people like us, their existence is utterly certain."
"Our mission is to slay dragons, to bury the efforts of the Dragon race's revival."
"To this end, we established the school. In this current era, except for the East Asian region, most dragon-slaying families have died out. We can no longer rely on family inheritance; we must introduce modern educational mechanisms."
Guderian extended his hand to Lu Mingfei, "Welcome to Kassel College, Lu Mingfei!"
Lu Mingfei's face twitched, but out of politeness, he still took the hand. "Thanks for the welcome?"
"Tsk~"
It sounded like someone couldn't hold back a laugh, and a cheerful sound suddenly came from the air.
All the lights also extinguished one by one with this laughter, and darkness descended.
Someone whispered in the darkness.
"Lu Mingfei, what he said, it's all true."