Time passed, and it had been about ten days since the new Dean took office.
Ivan had initially dealt with the trivial matters under his authority, mainly adjusting the duties of the two departments. In order to further control the Patrol Team, he had specifically transferred his mentor Randall over to serve as steward.
Randall had never been keen on Enchantment and had no objections to becoming the steward of the Patrol Team.
In the Enchantment Group, there was no Level 2 Sorcerer in the Lidia family. Realizing the reality, Teresa voluntarily stepped down from the position of Vice Dean, and Madeline and the others also declared their allegiance to him.
He did not sever all ties, still allowing Madeline to hold the position of steward.
However, he promoted Gina to be the Steward of the Enchantment Group, displaying clear favoritism—but it was his call to make.
Ivan also entrusted the Lidia family with a task, using their intelligence to shadow someone for him; he had never forgotten the previous matter of being the target of a bounty on the black market.
The Lidia family took this task as a test from the new Dean and dared not slack off.
Besides that, Ivan made no other changes. In fact, as long as he, a Level 2 Sorcerer, was present, neither the Enchantment Group nor the Patrol Team could cause any major disturbances.
“How is your mother faring?”
In the silkworm house, Ivan came to visit the Silkworm Queen. Since receiving the remaining Power of Rebirth, the Silkworm Queen, who was already at the peak of Level 2 creatures, had unsurprisingly entered a new phase of transformation.
Now, the Silkworm Queen had turned into a light cocoon about the size of a head, floating in a corner of the silkworm house.
“Very well.”
“There has been no particular activity.”
The Wind Moth and the Scented Butterfly had been constantly guarding the silkworm house, paying attention to any changes in their mother, the Silkworm Queen. So far, the transformation of the Silkworm Queen had been very peaceful, like she was hibernating.
“No activity is a good thing,” Ivan checked and found nothing amiss.
“Sorcerer Ivan,” as he turned to leave, the Wind Moth hesitantly called upon him, “Um, when do you think I and Scented Butterfly might also undergo a transformation? We are still just Level 1 creatures.”
“Wind Moth, do not speak recklessly.” Scented Butterfly was startled by its words. Their mother had strictly forbidden them from secretly asking Sorcerer Ivan for anything.
Clearly, the words of Wind Moth were somewhat presumptuous—why couldn’t it remember?
Indeed, Wind Moth was aware, but as the gap in strength grew wider and it became less useful, anxiety was festering within it.
“It’s good to have ambition,” Ivan was not particularly bothered by the matter and casually asked, “How is your research on the Insect Breathing Method coming along?”
“Uh—,” Wind Moth stuttered, turning to look at Scented Butterfly.
“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” Scented Butterfly said with slight embarrassment.
Compared to Wind Moth, Scented Butterfly had better learning abilities and could study some basic spells, but when it came to more difficult problems, it was out of its depth.
The Silkworm Queen was more or less in the same situation.
Ivan shook his head slightly. It seemed that asking insects to conduct research was indeed a challenging task for them; he would have to take the matter into his own hands.
Fortunately, after advancing his “Black Beard Chapter” practice to the third layer, he gained higher affinity with insect creatures, significantly improving his control over them, which would also greatly facilitate his research on the “Insect Breathing Method.”
After consoling the two insects, Ivan headed to the second-floor enchantment workshop.
Before he could start working, he suddenly sensed some disturbances elsewhere.
With a thought, a Crystal Ball slowly floated in two or three seconds later. After activation, a charming figure flickered inside the Crystal Ball.
“Ivan, you actually didn’t tell me that you became a Level 2 Sorcerer. If I hadn’t heard the news, with the name and academy being an exact match, I would have thought it was someone else. Congratulations, my dear Dean Marichadon!”
Pearney, as always, was like a fairy princess stepping out of a painting, but the princess’s tone of voice clearly mixed with a bit of dissatisfaction.
“I planned to tell you in person after I got through with this busy period, in Bellou Town,” Ivan said with a smile.
“All right,” Pearney, with her beautiful eyes fixed on him, the love in them nearly spilling out, said: “My dear Ivan, you might not know, when I heard that you became a Level 2 Sorcerer, I simply couldn’t believe my ears. You really know how to surprise people.”
“I just happened to find a suitable opportunity, so I secretly completed the promotion while others had not yet reacted.”
“So that’s how it was. You’re really amazing.”
“——“
Ivan and Pearney chatted off and on. To tell the truth, Ivan was a little uncomfortable with Pearney’s increasingly clingy behavior.
Last time, in Bellou Town, after helping Pearney become an official sorcerer, she began to show signs of clinginess. Today, it was even more apparent.
“Hey, where did this apprentice come from? Don’t you know it’s very impolite to eavesdrop on sorcerers’ conversations?” Pearney spotted someone coming in and her tone immediately changed.
From sweet to sarcastic.
“Humph! I am Mrs. Marichadon, and I won’t stoop to arguing with an outsider’s mistress,” Justine, knowing she was outmatched in strength and that more words could weaken her stance, retorted and turned to leave.
“Ivan, look at her, her—-.” The word ‘mistress’ infuriated Pearney; she was an official sorcerer, after all.
“Enough, you were the one who provoked Justine first. Now you’re even with one comment each,” Ivan waved his hand dismissively; as a Level 2 Sorcerer, he wasn’t going to bother pampering anyone.
“She’s just taking advantage of living with you, otherwise, I’d let her know what a sorcerer’s might is,” Pearney muttered softly, but didn’t continue to make a fuss.
In this world, even among the nobility, it was common for there to be many women, let alone for higher status sorcerers. Pearney and Justine, both from noble families, were long accustomed to this.
Once Pearney’s voice faded from the Secret Method Crystal Ball, Justine returned to the enchantment workshop, looking hesitant as if she had something to say, which was inevitably pitiable.
“Relax, you will soon become an official sorcerer,” Ivan knew exactly what she wanted to say.
“Really?” Justine’s eyes brightened.
“When have my words ever been false?”
“Mm-hmm, I knew it. Whatever you promise, you make it happen,” Justine nodded her head vigorously, her body trembling slightly, “Ivan, let me tell you, lately a lot of people have been trying to ingratiate themselves with me—I can tell. And, there’s that Mellie from the Patrol Team…”
“That’s normal, you are the legitimate Mrs. Marichadon,” Ivan replied.
Mentioning the Patrol Team made Ivan think of an apprentice—Cody, who had previously approached him to buy a Black Magic Wind Bundle Array array dais. It was Cody’s second attempt at sorcerer promotion, but unfortunately, he failed again.
Ivan happened to have an idea; he needed an apprentice who had failed their promotion to verify the feasibility of a scheme, ideally someone with minimal potential for promotion. Cody was a more suitable choice than Mieyan, who had just failed in her recent promotion.
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When Ivan himself was promoting to an official sorcerer, he had designed a basic promotion safety scheme based on the Black Magic Wind Bundle Array, using the mental energy converted from the array as spiritual power to construct Solidification Magic.
His promotion went smoothly, and the safety scheme was left unused.
He had promised Justine the promotion to an official sorcerer, which, in fact, meant using this safety scheme.
For the sake of Justine’s safety, Ivan needed someone to test it first to ensure it was foolproof.
For Cody, this was an opportunity as well—a great chance to become an official sorcerer.