The atmosphere in the lecture hall, as Anaxa prepared to conclude this "final lesson," should have been moving towards a solemn or sentimental farewell.
However, just as Anaxa turned to leave—
"Please wait a moment, Professor!" Hyacinthia's clear, firm voice rang out. She stood up, her face wearing the earnest expression befitting a teaching assistant.
Anaxa's steps halted. He glanced at her sideways, impatient.
Hyacinthia met his gaze without flinching, even tilting her chin up slightly. "According to Article 5, Section 7, Chapter 3 of the *Sanctuary Grove Teaching Regulations*, it is explicitly stated: 'At the conclusion of the final formal session of a course, the instructing professor shall—*engage students in discussion regarding their post-graduation ideals, guiding them towards sound and proper paths.*'"
Hyacinthia offered a perfectly measured smile. "Professor, such an important segment concerning the students' future development really shouldn't be omitted, should it?"
"Tch..." Anaxa clicked his tongue in extreme displeasure.
"Assistant Hyacinthia truly is... Professor Anaxa's natural counter," Castorice murmured, hiding her mouth behind her quill. Her voice was just loud enough for those nearby to hear, laced with a mischievous delight in watching the drama.
Anaxa clearly heard. He shot a fierce glare at Castorice, who immediately shrank her neck in, though her shoulders continued to tremble slightly.
He took a deep breath, as if enduring something with immense effort, finally speaking in a tone bordering on resignation:
"...Ahem. Fine." He turned back to face the students, the word "trouble" written all over his face.
"Since Assistant Hyacinthia is so... 'dedicated to her duties' as to demand it... let's go through this tedious procedure."
"I noticed someone posed a rather... *novel* question last time," Anaxa said, deliberately choosing a neutral term.
"So why don't you start this off, Phaethon of Aedes Elysia—"
He pointedly called on Phaethon, his tone suddenly sharpening. "The question: What is your ideal?"
"Huh? Me?" Phaethon jolted out of his reverie, pointing at his own nose with an "unbelievable" expression.
But immediately, he switched to his signature cheeky grin.
"My ideal?" He started counting on his fingers with great ceremony.
"First of all, waking up naturally in the morning! Eight o'clock on the dot! Not a minute more, not a second less! Then getting up, full of energy, to prepare a lavish breakfast for my Cyrene and my foolish little brother."
He paused, ignoring the glare Phainon shot his way, and held up a second finger.
"Next, of course, is coming to The Grove for class on time! Finding a good seat, settling in comfortably, and then—"
He dragged out the syllable, looking mischievously towards the podium, "—watching my esteemed classmate Phainon and our beloved Professor Anaxagoras engage in a magnificent 'debate tournament' in class! That spectacle... is absolutely the sustenance for my soul each day!"
"Hehe..." Castorice couldn't hold back this time, laughing aloud before quickly lowering her head to pretend to take notes.
Phaethon, as if oblivious to Anaxa's darkening expression, held up a third finger, his voice even more "excited":
"The moment the class-ending bell rings! Immediately! Instantly! Use the fastest speed to find that 'mysterious author'! Demand updates! Must demand updates fiercely!"
"When is the next chapter of *My Professor Can't Be This Tsundere* coming out?! And what about *The Thousand Untold Stories of the Gentle Assistant and the Aloof Mentor*?! Abandoning a story is a sin against heaven!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, a wave of barely suppressed murmurs and chatter instantly swept through the lecture hall:
"Gods! *Tsundere Professor*? I'm following that one too!"
"*Thousand Untold Stories*? Assistant Hyacinthia and Professor Anaxa? Sss... that title..."
"Shh! Don't say it out loud!"
"Phaethon knows who the author is?!"
"Really? I want to demand updates too! The cliffhanger is agony!"
"..." The smile vanished completely from Castorice's face.
"After that, of course, comes the serious business! Using my 'Infinity Gates' to transport a batch of freshly cooked, fragrant meals from the Golden Eatery straight to The Grove!
"Setting it all out in front of the starving students—Heheh, won't the Balance Coins just come pouring into my pockets? Make a hefty profit!"
"In the afternoon..." Just as Phaethon was about to raise a fifth finger.
"STOP—!!!" Anaxa finally couldn't take it anymore, cutting him off. His face was as dark as a pot.
"Phaethon! I asked you! Your! I! Deal! What is it!!"
He practically growled the words through gritted teeth. "Not for you to give a minute-by-minute report of your daily routine!!!"
Phaethon blinked, his face a picture of "innocence" and "righteousness," even puffing out his chest proudly. "Yes! Professor! This is my ideal!"
"Hah... Your ideal is to lie around like a dead fish all day? Worthless! Negative points! Next!"
His gaze fell on Phainon, carrying a scrutiny that seemed to say "let's see what other nonsense you Aedes Elysia brothers can come up with":
"You? Phainon of Aedes Elysia! What is your ideal? It wouldn't be the same as Phaethon's—muddling through, watching people argue, and demanding updates for some trashy novels, would it?!"
"Me?"
"Hmm... It's not really an ideal, I suppose. The only thing I want is to protect everyone I care about..." Phainon's words were cut off by Anaxa.
"Understood, you want to be a hero. A tediously clichéd answer, but still better than Phaethon's. Zero points! Next!" Anaxa commented bluntly.
"Uh, I didn't say..." Phainon scratched his head.
"Heh..." Castorice this time only managed half a laugh before stopping.
"Castorice! You've been snickering down there since earlier. How about you share next?" Anaxa turned his head towards Castorice.
"Eh...? Me... Perhaps my answer is somewhat vague, meaningless, Professor Anaxagoras..."
"I wish for this world to be free from the pain of death, for everyone to be able to live on forever." Castorice instantly stopped her giggling, answering honestly, even using Anaxa's full name.
"Naive... So naive it makes one want to shed tears for your fairy tale. Also, Castorice, I asked for your ideal."
"Don't treat my classroom like a wishing well! You go sit at the same table as Phaethon! Negative points! Next!" Anaxa's tone was slightly gentler, but his words remained sharp.
"I wish for endless Balance Coins..."
"Negative points! Get out!"
"I wish for the senior sister from the neighboring Lotophagism school..."
"Zero points! Next!"
"Professor Anaxa, please marry me!"
Σ(ﾟ∀ﾟﾉ)ﾉ
"You... Get out of here?!"
...
"See! This is precisely why I didn't want to follow that archaic regulation—because all I get are these dull answers." Anaxa stood on the podium, speaking as calmly as he could manage.