The Imperial High Institution of Knowledge—IHIK for short, was located in the heart of Veloria, in the city of Nevaros, about 400 kilometers from the Ashcroft estate.
Which, in hindsight… wasn't all that far.
Realistically, I could return home whenever I wanted. A quick trip. A day at most. So all the overly sentimental emotions earlier?
They should've been for nothing.
But they weren't.
Because there was one very specific reason why.
Every professor admitted into IHIK had to sign a waiver, a binding agreement, one that explicitly demanded their life… or well, every single second of their time.
From the moment we set foot on IHIK grounds, we were essentially bound to it.
We couldn't leave unless an emergency occurred, or unless the institution itself issued us an assignment off-campus. There were no weekends, no holidays, no sudden breaks to visit family. Just one purpose:
To teach.
To devote ourselves wholly to the next generation of mages.
No lingering feelings of homesickness. No distractions. Only the duty to guide our students.
That's how seriously IHIK took its reputation.
After all, it wasn't just any school. IHIK was the place that produced archmages, the most prestigious and powerful magic users in all of Virelya. When they saw potential, they nurtured it with everything they had. Like a sacred seed that must be tended to until it blossomed into an indomitable tree.
I sighed, both amused and resigned, and steered the car forward.
The road stretched endlessly ahead, flanked by wild flora, trees of varying heights and colors swayed gently in the breeze. Their fragrant scent filtered in through the vents, calming my nerves.
Not that I was anxious. Or homesick.
Far from it.
I had already lived away from home for three years as a student. This was nothing new.
If anything, it felt refreshing. Especially since I had somewhat patched up with my mother. Like a breath of clean air before the next big chapter.
And I was excited.
Really excited.
'I'm genuinely looking forward to meeting my students…'
Even calling them "students" felt a little odd. There would be, what, a four or five-year age gap at most?
It was going to be interesting.
After about half an hour of driving, I finally reached the Spatial Booth, a fast-travel station built precisely for long-distance jumps.
They resembled toll booths from Earth, except here, you didn't pay for using a road, you paid for instant travel.
I took the fourth lane, the one with the fewest cars in line. When my turn came, a man stationed in the booth leaned forward and called out with artificial cheer:
"Welcome, dear traveler! We appreciate you choosing our station as your gateway to a better tomorrow! Where would you like to travel today?"
I lowered the car window, leaning out slightly. "Nevaros."
He gave a short nod and rummaged through a side drawer before pulling out a mana scanner, a device shaped like a hand imprint, designed for secure transactions.
By placing my hand on it and infusing mana, it would link to my account with the Blessed Treasury, the official central bank of the continent.
I pressed my hand against the scanner. It emitted a soft green glow accompanied by a pleasant beep.
The attendant smiled as he checked the reading.
"Thank you for your patronage, dear consumer! Two hundred Ryn has been deducted from your account. Have a wonderful journey!"
There was no need to worry about fraud—the transaction was completely secure.
Those scanners were specifically designed for Spatial Booths and came with a preset cost embedded in them.
200 Ryn. That was the standard rate—whether you were traveling 200 kilometers or 2,000.
The next moment, a portal shimmered into existence before me, oval-shaped, its edges glowing with a bluish-white light that pulsed gently like a heartbeat.
I pressed down on the accelerator and drove into the portal.
The scenery around me warped, rippling like water disturbed by a stone. The colors and shapes distorted, flowing together in waves of translucent light. Then like someone snapping their fingers the world settled again.
I was on a new road now. One paved in darkstone, smooth and quiet beneath the tires.
Around me, the vibrant city of Nevaros bustled with life.
Stalls and shops flanked the roads, people weaving in and out, their clothes as colorful as the banners hanging overhead. The air was thick with the smell of sizzling spices and street food. I could hear merchants shouting their offers, children laughing, and the rhythmic tapping of horseshoes in the distance.
It was… nostalgic, in a way.
But I had no time to indulge.
My destination—IHIK, was still another 20 kilometers from here.
Sigh.
'Note to self: I'm going to sleep like a dead man tonight. Traveling like this really isn't for me.'
But before any sleep, I had a job to do.
I had a class to teach.
Ten more minutes passed before I finally pulled up in front of the academy gates tall, iron-wrought, laced with geometric patterns that shimmered faintly in the morning sun.
They were closed, but not for long.
Two guards approached my car. One of them, a stout young man who looked like he was trying way too hard to be intimidating, stepped forward.
He squinted at me suspiciously. "Show us your ID before we can let you enter the premises. You look really young. Do you perhaps not know? Students don't have the right to bring cars to the campus ground."
I couldn't help but chuckle. His tone was serious, but his youth betrayed him. He looked barely twenty.
I reached into my suitcase, retrieved my ID card, and handed it over.
He took it and scanned it carefully. As soon as his eyes read the name, his entire demeanor changed. His eyes widened slightly before he stiffened and snapped into a salute.
"Apologies! I'm so sorry, Professor Riven Ashcroft! I didn't recognize you at first. Just a moment—I'll open the gate immediately!"
Without waiting for my response, he grabbed his partner and rushed to open the gates.
I didn't take it personally. Honestly, it wasn't even surprising.
'He must be new… and it's not like he's wrong. I do look like a student. Not his fault I'm the youngest professor in all of Virelya.'
Once the gates opened, I drove through and parked in the designated faculty area. The lot was mostly empty.
Just as I stepped out of the car, a middle-aged man approached me, carrying a clipboard.
"Good morning, Professor Riven," he said with a warm smile. "My name is Jante Kielero, and I'm in charge of the dormitories and faculty housing."
I gave him a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Jante. To what do I owe the pleasure? Are you here to help me with my belongings?"
He smiled again, nodding. "Exactly right, Professor. I understand your first class starts soon, so I came to assist with moving your things to your assigned quarters. You can rest easy—I'll handle everything. You should head straight to the Main Tower."
Efficient. I liked him already.
I handed him my car key. "I appreciate it. Thank you. And if you don't mind… just call me Riven. I'd rather not be 'Mr.' anything, especially from someone who's clearly my elder."
Jante laughed heartily and gave my shoulder a light pat. "In the Imperial High Institution of Knowledge, we don't measure respect by age—but by rank. That rule extends to forms of address as well. So even if you request otherwise, I'm afraid I must decline. I hope you won't take it to heart."
I didn't particularly like the rule. In fact, it sounded like utter garbage. But I wasn't about to start a debate over honorifics on day one.
So I just smiled politely. "As you wish. In that case, I'll take my leave."
Jante gave a small bow and gestured down the path. "Please, go ahead."
With a quiet hmm, I turned and made my way toward the Main Tower.
…
The IHIK campus was massive, divided into various districts and facilities. The Main Tower, as the name suggested was the towering centerpiece of the entire institute. It housed classrooms, and all faculty offices.
We professors didn't live in the tower, of course. But we were assigned individual rooms there to work, meet students, and hold office hours. That way, we were always within easy reach for those seeking guidance—or trouble.
The tower itself was exactly what you'd imagine from the name tall, cylindrical, and imposing. Each level housed a different department, and the higher one went, the more specialized the disciplines became.
I stepped through the large double doors.
The ground floor was buzzing with life.
Dozens of students lingered in the halls, chatting, laughing, and lazing about. It was still early, the classes didn't start until 12 PM, and it was currently 11. Which meant they still had time to gossip, flirt, and act like the privileged nobles most of them were.
I walked through them without much fanfare, though a few heads did turn. Some students gave me curious glances probably trying to figure out which noble house I belonged to.
Eventually, their attention drifted elsewhere. I didn't exactly look threatening. Just… out of place.
I made my way to the front desk and addressed the receptionist behind the polished counter.
"Good morning. My name is Riven Ashcroft. I've been newly assigned here as a professor. Could you check my designated classroom and faculty level?"
The receptionist looked up and gave me a once-over, her brows slightly furrowed—probably because I looked like I belonged among the students rather than the staff.
Still, she said nothing and picked up the mana-linked receiver on the desk—an enchanted telephone that allowed instant communication within the Tower. She dialed a number and waited.
She hadn't even finished her call when—
WHOOSH!
The air behind me shimmered, followed by a strong gust and a sudden magical presence pressing down like a soft wave.
Then came a booming, cheerful voice that echoed down the marble corridors:
"Riven!! You're here—finally! My great student has arrived!"