All-around teacher at the magic academy

"Hansen, you're not being fair!" William ran up to Hansen, panting, and accused him with a look of dissatisfaction.

"Huh?" Hansen looked at William, who had suddenly appeared, with a blank expression, not understanding why he was so angry.

"When did you learn lightning magic? You didn't even tell me," William said, pursing his lips with a hint of jealousy.

"Well... actually, I only learned it recently. I just haven't had a chance to tell you yet." Hansen scratched his head a little embarrassedly. He was very excited and even wanted to run to Teacher Leon immediately to express his gratitude.

"Tell me, how did you learn that?" William stared wide-eyed at Hansen, eager to know the answer.

"It was Teacher Leon who taught me," Hansen answered truthfully, a proud smile spreading across his face.

"Ah! Why is Teacher Leon so good to you? Why doesn't he teach me?" William complained somewhat resentfully, his tone tinged with envy.

"Actually, I specifically asked the teacher for help," Hansen explained, hoping William would understand.

“Okay.” William shrugged helplessly, indicating his understanding.

“Let’s go, let’s go celebrate!” William excitedly patted Hansen on the shoulder and suggested.

"There's another match tomorrow?" Hansen hesitated, worried that the celebration might affect his performance on the second day of the game.

"What are you worried about? The list of opponents for tomorrow has already been released. He's not as good as Renault." William waved his hand dismissively, looking completely confident.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious. I’m just treating you to a nice meal so you can relax,” William added, noticing Hansen’s concerns and trying to allay his doubts.

"Alright then." Hansen finally couldn't resist William's enthusiastic invitation, and he smiled and nodded, agreeing.

...

The next day, under bright sunshine, Hansen performed exceptionally well on the field, winning the competition and advancing to become one of the 10 students representing the college in the national competition.

His heart was filled with joy, and he couldn't wait to bring the good news back to his father so that he could share in the glory.

He ran home excitedly, his steps light and his heart pounding. When he saw his father's familiar figure, he quickly took a deep breath, composed himself, and tried not to appear too flustered.

“Father.” Hansen tried to make his voice sound calm, but his cautious gaze betrayed his inner excitement.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Duke Adams asked without looking up, continuing to focus on his official duties. His tone was indifferent, as if he was not surprised by Hansen's return.

"I'm representing the academy in the competition." Hansen tried to keep his voice from trembling too much, but his excitement was still palpable.

Duke Adams glanced up at him, then went back to his work: "Understood."

Hearing his father's reply, Hansen felt both relieved and disappointed. He had expected his father to be more emotional, or at least offer some words of encouragement, but it all seemed so natural.

"Then I'll go back." Hansen's voice carried a hint of expectation. He hoped to receive a word of praise from his father, even if it was just a simple one.

Duke Adams did not look up or respond; his attention seemed to be completely absorbed by the official business at hand.

Hansen deliberately slowed his pace at the doorway, still clinging to a sliver of hope that his father would notice his hesitation and offer some warm encouragement or at least a look of concern. However, the only sound in the room was the rustling of pages turning.

He felt a little disappointed, but quickly comforted himself, saying that his father had always been like this. Hansen took a deep breath, tried his best to suppress his disappointment, and turned to leave.

“Congratulations, Hansen.” Just then, Eric’s voice came from outside the door. He was holding a stack of documents and had a smile on his face.

Hansen nodded but didn't say anything more. He noticed the documents in Eric's hand and guessed that he might have come to report to his father.

Looking at Eric, Hansen couldn't help but reflect on himself. He began to wonder why he was so happy just to represent the academy in the competition. Was he really that easily satisfied? A sense of unease replaced his joy.

With that thought in mind, Hansen composed himself and decided to stop dwelling on it. He turned and walked towards the academy.

Eric watched Hansen's departing figure and sighed softly.

...

"What brings you here?" Max looked up and saw Leon standing at the door of the law enforcement office. He gave a tired smile and teased him.

"I wanted to see you. You must be very busy lately," Leon said as he entered the room, his gaze falling on Max's slightly haggard face.

He really didn't have anything to do these past two days, so he could come and visit the law enforcement officers and also check on Philip, telling him about recent events and Ilya's situation.

"Don't even mention it. I've been incredibly busy lately, constantly dealing with the competition and maintaining order in various areas," Max sighed, complaining. His brow was furrowed, clearly indicating he was under a lot of pressure.

Leon understands this situation. Every time there is a large event, a large number of people will gather, which will bring various disputes and conflicts, requiring law enforcement officers like them to constantly mediate and handle them.

"What? Didn't you send more people?" Leon asked with concern as he sat down opposite him.

“The pay has increased, but it’s still not enough. Everyone is working overtime and hasn’t had a break for several days in a row.” Max shook his head and continued, “Fortunately, the pay isn’t low, otherwise everyone would definitely have a lot of complaints.”

"Don't worry, he'll definitely be busy for a long time." Leon's smile carried a hint of mischief; he was clearly somewhat gloating over Max's hectic schedule.

"It's easy for you to say that when you're not in my shoes. You don't even think about helping out." Max shook his head, complaining half-jokingly, his tone revealing his dependence on his friend.

"I'm a contestant, you know," Leon said, spreading his hands with an innocent expression and explaining helplessly.

"Aren't you going to check on your opponents? Get some information? The qualifiers have already started," Max reminded him, somewhat puzzled by Leon's relaxed attitude.

"No rush, we can study it properly later." Leon seemed quite composed, confident in his abilities.

Max, seeing how relaxed he seemed, didn't ask any more questions. He knew Leon had his own plans and preparations.

“Help me with some work,” Max said, pointing to the mountain of documents.

"Is there a salary?" Leon raised an eyebrow and asked jokingly.

"I'll treat you to a meal."

"Then I want to have a good meal."

"Choose whichever you like."