All-around teacher at the magic academy

On the quiet office windowsill, a potted plant stood silently, once vibrant and thriving. Yet, within minutes, it died.

Not long ago, it was proudly stretching its leaves in the sunlight, looking forward to a hopeful future.

But in the blink of an eye, a minute had passed, and the potted plant's leaves began to lose their former luster. Those once lush and green leaves gradually became dull and lifeless, as if the source of life was slowly drying up, and the edges of the leaves began to curl slightly.

A minute later, yellow spots began to appear on the leaves of the potted plant. At first, these spots appeared sporadically on the edges of the leaves, but soon they spread like a virus until the entire leaf was covered in yellow.

At the same time, the roots of the potted plants also began to feel the effects of drought. The dry soil could no longer provide enough nutrients, and the roots' ability to absorb water decreased sharply.

As time passed, five minutes went by, and the leaves of the potted plant began to fall one after another. At first, there were only a few lonely leaves, but soon, leaves scattered like withered leaves in autumn, leaving only bare branches standing.

Seven minutes passed, and the potted plant's branches began to show signs of death. The once vibrant branches became withered and brittle, easily breaking at the slightest touch. The soil condition deteriorated further, becoming hard and cracked, its former moisture and fertility long gone.

By the tenth minute, the roots of the potted plant had completely died. The once white roots had turned dark brown, utterly devoid of life. At this moment, the potted plant was completely dead; the once vibrant green was gone, leaving only withered branches and dry soil.

...

Leon watched the potted plant wither quietly, his eyes calm and unwavering, revealing no ripple of emotion.

Leon enjoyed a relaxed and carefree lifestyle these past few days. Aside from managing his teaching duties, he devoted the rest of his time to studying the magic book he had borrowed from Professor Polan. He had already read the book twice and memorized most of the curses and spells. Because he could understand the meaning of the spells, his learning was progressing quite smoothly.

Just now, he tested the magic he had learned from the book on this potted plant. In just ten minutes, he had driven the once vibrant plant to its death.

Leon showed no regret whatsoever. Compared to his newly acquired knowledge, the disappearance of the plant seemed to tell him that his curse magic had been quite effective, and perhaps he could return the book to his teacher, Polan.

Leon left his office and strolled along the academy's paths. The sunlight warmed him, lifting his spirits. Seeing the students discussing magic in small groups filled him with joy.

Along the way, students nodded to him from time to time, but none of them could call him by name. Leon thought to himself that he should perhaps work harder to leave a deep impression on the students so that he could have opportunities for promotion and a raise in the future.

His gaze caught sight of a familiar figure not far ahead, so he quickened his pace and hurried after it.

"Professor Logan, are you going back to study history books again?" When Leon caught up, he saw that Professor Logan was still holding a book in his hand and walking towards his residence.

Since the last incident, the relationship between Leon and Professor Logan has made significant progress. They always exchange greetings when they happen to meet at the academy.

Through these few days of conversation, Leon discovered that Professor Logan's love for history was genuine. Every day, he could see him engrossed in studying history books, and it was clear that the previous incident had not affected his enthusiasm in the slightest.

“Oh, it’s Professor Leon. Are you going to the library?” Professor Logan noticed that Leon was also holding a book and mistakenly assumed that he was going to the library to return it.

"Oh, no, no, I borrowed it from Mr. Polan. I finally finished reading it today and was just about to return it to him," Leon quickly explained.

"I see," Mr. Logan said, indicating his understanding.

"By the way, has there been any progress in the investigation of the last incident?" Leon asked casually, without holding high hopes.

“No, not a single clue.” Professor Logan shook his head gently, a hint of regret in his voice.

“It’s alright, perhaps that person has already left,” Leon replied casually. He was just asking as a side note, and since even the person involved didn’t seem to care much about the matter, he didn’t press the issue further.

"Then I shall take my leave." Leon prepared to say goodbye, since Professor Polan's residence was not on the same street as Professor Logan's.

“Okay, goodbye,” Mr. Logan replied.

...

Leon stepped into the residence of Professor Polan, where the atmosphere was somewhat deserted. He stood at the door, cleared his throat slightly, and then called out, "Professor Polan, are you inside? I am Leon."

After a brief wait, a response came from inside: "Please come in, Professor Leon, the door is unlocked."

Leon pushed open the door and entered, finding the room dimly lit. Compared to the view outside, the interior felt even colder and more desolate to him.

His gaze fell on a table in the room, on which sat an iron cage containing a mouse. Leon knew that Professor Polan was probably preparing to conduct another experiment.

When studying the effects of curse magic, animals are indeed more suitable than plants, because animals at least show resistance, while plants cannot even show the most basic reaction.

Leon returned the book to Professor Polin and expressed his gratitude. "Professor Polin, thank you so much for lending me this book."

Teacher Bolan took the book and casually asked, "Can you understand the spells in the book?"

Leon shook his head, sighed softly, and said with feigned helplessness, "To be honest, it's too difficult. I have absolutely no idea what these spells mean."

Leon concealed the truth from his teacher, Polan; he had no intention of letting anyone know that he could understand the meaning of these spells—this was his deepest secret.

This doesn't mean Leon lacked respect for Master Polan; quite the opposite, he held Master Polan in deep esteem. Master Polan had been very kind to him, and Leon was grateful for that help. However, his understanding of the spell was another matter, and he felt no remorse for it.

If Professor Polan needs help, Leon will not hesitate to lend a hand. However, if Professor Polan discovers that Leon can decipher these spells, Leon may have to take measures to eliminate this potential threat for his own safety, even though he does not wish to harm Professor Polan.

Leon is not interested in games that test human nature, and he cannot entrust his safety to the kindness of others.

“It’s normal not to understand it,” Professor Bolan explained. “I’ve studied it for decades and I only understand a small part of it.”

Leon smiled and replied, "You're already very accomplished, Professor Polan. I think even if I studied for decades, I would still find it difficult to reach your level."

“You are too modest, Professor Leon,” Professor Polan praised. “Among all the scholars I have ever met, you are one of the few who are most gifted in magic.”

“Thank you for your recognition.”

...