All-around teacher at the magic academy

In a secluded corner of St. Peter's College, Reno's figure appeared exceptionally resolute in the afterglow of the setting sun.

A faint magical light flickered in his hands. Despite failing in the previous selection and not being able to represent the academy in that grand competition, his fighting spirit had not been lost.

Renault knew that one failure did not mean the end of his life; he had countless possibilities waiting to be explored and countless things waiting to be accomplished. He was not someone who would be discouraged by a single setback; his inner strength was stronger than anyone could imagine.

He had just recovered from his hospitalization and couldn't wait to return to the academy to immerse himself in magical practice. His fierce duel with Hansen made him acutely aware of the limits of his abilities and realize that he still had many shortcomings that needed to be addressed.

“Renault, take a rest. You’re not fully recovered yet, and the doctor said you need to rest more,” Hall said, standing beside him with concern. Looking at the beads of sweat on Renault’s forehead, he couldn’t help but worry about him.

"It's alright, I know my own body best." Renault replied without turning his head, his gaze fixed on the magic circle in his hand, unwilling to waste any time that could be used to improve himself.

Hall sighed. He knew Reno's stubbornness and understood his determination. Since he couldn't persuade him, Hall could only silently stay by his side.

"By the way, I think Hansen has a game today, want to go watch it?" Hall looked up at Renault and suggested.

Renault paused, stopping his magic practice. He chuckled self-deprecatingly, a hint of bitterness in his voice: "I'm not going. I'd rather use this time to practice magic properly." He shook his head, seemingly trying to dispel distracting thoughts, before resuming his focus on the magic circle in his hands.

Hall watched Renault's retreating figure and sighed helplessly. He knew Renault's inner struggle, understood that he hadn't fully emerged from the shadow of defeat, and hadn't truly accepted his failure.

“I heard that Hansen studied magic with a new academy teacher for a while,” Hall said, trying to change the subject and pique Reno’s interest.

"Isn't this normal? We all learn from our teachers." Renault didn't turn his head; his voice was calm, but the magical light in his hands shone even brighter.

“That teacher is named Leon Gurn, and he’s a first-year teacher,” Hall continued, trying to get Reno’s attention. “Hansen didn’t know ice or lightning magic before. He learned them all from this new teacher, and I also heard that he won the opening match brilliantly. Aren’t you curious about what new magic Hansen has learned?”

Reno wasn't very aware of these things; he was focused on his magical practice and didn't pay much attention to the new teachers and their teaching methods at the academy.

But now, hearing Hall's words, his curiosity was ignited. He was curious about what special methods this teacher named Leon Gurn possessed to enable Hansen's magical abilities to improve so rapidly in such a short time. He was also curious whether Hansen had truly learned some new and powerful magic.

Hall, seeing Reno's expression, knew he had persuaded him. He smiled, stood up, and extended his hand: "Let's go, let's go take a look. It's not too late; Hansen's match hasn't started yet."

“Alright.” Renault finally nodded.

Hall smiled, patted Renault on the shoulder, and the two walked quickly toward the match venue together.

...

Deep within the Duke of Adams’s mansion, the Duke himself sat in his study, intently reviewing a mountain of documents.

On the study desk lay a newly delivered letter, a report from Max. The letter mainly reported on routine work; everything seemed to be proceeding smoothly, and so far, there had been no unexpected incidents.

Duke Adams glanced at the clock on the wall, realizing that Hansen's match should be about to begin. His gaze involuntarily drifted towards the playing field, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

He knew in his heart that he might have been too harsh on Hansen. After all, Hansen had an outstanding older brother who was ahead of him, which undoubtedly put enormous pressure on him.

Duke Adams was fully aware of all this, and the reason he was so harsh on Hansen was simply to help him grow quickly and not become complacent in his comfortable environment.

The Duke stood up, stepped out of the study, walked through the long corridor, and came to the courtyard of the mansion.

His gaze fell on the tall sycamore tree, which he and his wife planted together when they got married, and now it was lush and verdant.

Time flies, and many years have passed in the blink of an eye. His wife has left him, leaving only this tree as a testament to their love.

Duke Adams stood under the tree for a long time, recalling the past, a faint sadness welling up in his heart.

He slowly walked forward, extending his hand—the hand that had signed countless documents—and gently stroked the trunk of the sycamore tree. The bark was rough, yet it carried the warmth of time. His fingers lingered on those marks of time, as if touching his own past.

“The children have all grown up.” His voice was low and tinged with emotion. These words were like opening a floodgate, letting his thoughts flow like a tide.

At that moment, Duke Adams seemed to have aged considerably. He had dedicated his life to the glory of his family and to the country, but the only person he had failed was his own family.

He realized that he couldn't remember the last time he had sat down with his two sons and peacefully enjoyed a family dinner.

Perhaps it was time for a change. He thought that once Eric and Hansen returned from the competition, he should set aside his status and responsibilities as a duke and simply spend time with them as a father.

He imagined three men sitting around the dining table at home, sharing the day's events, talking about their dreams and the future—what a heartwarming scene that would be.

The Duke of Adams smiled and decided that from this day forward, he would cherish the time he spent with his family even more.

He withdrew his hand, turned around, and walked slowly back to his study. He sat back down at his desk and looked at the remaining documents. Duke Adams no longer felt overwhelmed. He would work hard during this time and finish up the work at hand.