Graduation

"Dear graduates, you are the pride of Olifendo.

Today, the astrolabe shines exceptionally bright, and the white owls are even more spirited. They are all witnessing this moment—you have finally traversed the misty forest of knowledge and completed your forging at Olifendo. Seeing the light of wisdom and courage sparkling in your eyes moves me more than any dazzling spell.

Countless times, you have wrestled with obscure runes before dawn, precisely concocted delicate potions under the full moon, and tamed torrents of magic into streams at your fingertips in the proving grounds. The rekindled fire after every failure, the radiant glow of every epiphany—these have all carved indelible marks deep within your souls. You are no longer ignorant apprentices, but true mages, explorers of mysteries, and helmsmen of power..."

Principal Wolund was delivering his boilerplate speech from above. He was quite familiar with the routine; after all, he gave the exact same speech to every graduating class.

But it had to be said, when his eyes fell upon the young faces below, Wolund's voice, as the principal, would involuntarily warm up with genuine emotion.

The students below were quite moved... It wasn't the principal's first time saying it, but it was their first time hearing it.

Liyana wiped away the sparkling tears from the corners of her eyes, seemingly infected by Wolund's speech... Even though she hadn't attended classes at Olifendo for more than a few days, she had developed a deep affection for every blade of grass and tree here, not to mention the youthful and beautiful female students...

"Liyana... what are you crying for?" asked Mo Lini from the side.

"Just thinking about graduating so soon... it's just too moving." Liyana sniffled, her voice thick and nasal.

"Liyana, we're just here to accompany Xia Lun and Aina... You can't graduate," Mo Lini sighed, shaking her head.

To graduate from Olifendo, one first had to accumulate enough credits, and then pass the intermediate mage test.

Before returning from the Truth Academy of Magic, Aina had already secured an intermediate mage identity for Xia Lun.

There was no need for a test at all. Xia Lun's display of profound knowledge at the meeting was enough to leave those old scholars in absolute awe. Aina had just casually mentioned it, and her subordinates immediately went to arrange it.

Everyone assumed that since Aina usually took Xia Lun along for research, they simply had no time to deal with such trivial matters... No one could have imagined that, in reality, Xia Lun didn't even know how to use intermediate magic.

As for Aina... one of the founders of the Truth Academy of Magic, graduating from Olifendo was quite an amusing affair.

"Ah, really? Never mind then." Liyana instantly felt less moved, her emotions popping like a bubble. "Mo Lini, don't just talk about me, you can't graduate either."

Mo Lini looked at Liyana as if looking at a fool. "I am a teacher."

"Oh right, I almost forgot." Liyana slapped her own forehead.

"In the future, your paths will scatter in all directions like the stars. Some will delve into ultimate mysteries in high towers, some will guard the peace of the countryside, and some will turn the tide in the stormy waves of history... No matter where you are, please believe in the power hidden within yourselves, and believe that the academy will always be your home...

I declare you officially graduated! May the experiences and lessons of these years at Olifendo forever bless your journeys!"

Wolund let out a long sigh of relief from above, and thunderous applause erupted below.

There weren't many who could successfully graduate. Including Xia Lun and the others, there were only about a hundred.

Compared to Olifendo's massive population base, this was undoubtedly quite a small number.

These students hadn't enrolled at the same time as Xia Lun either; they were seniors from the previous and earlier classes.

Even Mian, who had recently risen to great fame within the academy, had not yet met the graduation requirements.

Wolund began issuing graduation certificates to the graduates... but when it came time to hand them to Xia Lun and Aina, the principal's facial expression management clearly faced a severe challenge. He couldn't quite hold it together, and the corners of his mouth kept twitching.

Fortunately, no one noticed this.

Handing out graduation certificates to figures on the level of his own ancestors was an experience that was absolutely unprecedented and never to be repeated.

Kalinda stood beside the principal, looking at everyone with a beaming smile.

Although according to Wolund's explanation, Aina and Xia Lun were highly respected elders in his family... in Kalinda's eyes, the two standing before her were still young people whose ages seemed no different from ordinary graduates, juniors she could care for.

Aina's gaze toward Kalinda, however, carried a hint of scrutiny.

She and Xia Lun had been away from the academy for so long... yet it seemed this girl still hadn't made any progress with Wolund.

But Xia Lun had told her not to interfere in other people's relationship issues, so she decided to let them develop naturally. An outsider's interference might actually backfire.

"Xia Lun! Congratulations on graduating!" Liyana pounced over excitedly, then very tactfully just patted Xia Lun's shoulder, without any more intimate gestures.

"Thank you." Xia Lun didn't care much. After all, he only got the graduation certificate through Aina's connections. To him... it really didn't feel real.

"Then we have to go celebrate properly next!"

"I think you just want to eat and drink to your heart's content," Mo Lini shook her head from the side.

"Hey, don't tell me you don't want to eat?" Liyana's gaze shifted to Mo Lini's little belly.

"I do..." Mo Lini subconsciously swallowed. She really had no way to refuse her own instincts.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go, time for a feast!" Liyana waved her hand grandly, as if she were the one treating.

Of course, Aina was paying.

Almost all the expenses in the group were covered by Aina.

Liyana used to live paycheck to paycheck. Whenever she earned a commission, she would spend it all within a few days. Even though she had lived for over a thousand years, she hadn't accumulated any assets whatsoever.

Mo Lini hadn't worked at Olifendo for very long either. Although the salary and benefits at Olifendo were quite generous, her short time working meant she had no savings.

As for Xia Lun... during his lifetime, he did have a manor and territory. The king had bestowed upon him the highest noble title to honor his achievements... But according to Aina, because Xia Lun and she had left no children and had no heirs, his abandoned lands were reclaimed by the kingdom about ten years after his death.

Aina was still immersed in grief at that time and had no mind to care about Xia Lun's assets.

And Aina...

The wealth she controlled was quite terrifying.

The vampires, the Truth Academy of Magic, the Wings of Dawn... just the factions under Aina's control all possessed unparalleled power.

Even Xia Lun was completely unable to predict exactly how many assets Aina possessed.

Xia Lun glanced at the wedding ring on his hand.

Ah, wonderful. That's my wife.