"Dr. Muni, you cannot just take an intern without informing the school. Since when did you take Mr. Lindberg as an intern? I have never heard of this news before," Mrs. Johnson said before she turned towards the Principal. "Sir, this was not included in the Rules and Regulations." She then glared at Dr. Muni, who was still so calm despite what he just did.
"Mrs. Johnson, please take your seat," Principal David Wilson sighed. He glanced at Dr. Muni, who had kept his silence since he arrived in his office, then towards the young man sitting next to him. "Mr. Lindberg, is it?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Matthew nodded.
"Are you Dr. Muni’s intern?"
However, before Matthew could answer, Dr. Muni already said, "He is. He doesn’t know it yet."
Matthew blinked. He turned to Dr. Muni slowly, unsure if he had misheard.
Intern? Is he really going to make him his intern?
His gaze drifted down to the floor.
In his past life, Dr. Muni was a major turning point for Lenox. Matthew remembered it clearly. He was the one who’d arranged that introduction. He had begged his father to speak to Dr. Muni, thinking it would help Lenox grow beyond the walls of their high school.
At first, Dr. Muni wasn’t even interested. He didn’t like distractions. He didn’t take on interns, especially not a highschool student. But eventually, after enough persuasion and maybe a nudge from Matthew’s father’s influence, he agreed.
What followed changed everything.
It was through Dr. Muni that Lenox gained access to the black market connections, to the underground circles where spirit stones were traded and Nexians were sought out. That connection had opened so many doors for Lenox, and Matthew had been the one who handed him the key.
He didn’t make that mistake in this life.
He never introduced them, even made some moves to keep them apart. So why was he now suddenly being declared as the intern? He had been trying to avoid people who were close to Lenox in this life, but it seemed that fate had other plans.
"I’ve already spoken to the Dean about taking an intern," Dr. Muni said, finally addressing the room. "I just hadn’t decided who. Until today."
Mrs. Johnson immediately said, "Just because you’re favored by the Dean doesn’t mean you can override school policy on a whim. Besides, he is still in highschool and you are someone from the college department!"
"I’m not overriding anything," Dr. Muni replied. "I’m selecting my intern. That’s well within my rights."
"He assaulted another student," she pressed. "Is that the kind of person you want shadowing you? Interns reflect the staff who train them."
Dr. Muni didn’t so much as blink. "Do you have proof?" he asked. "Or are we still relying on word-of-mouth accusations? Because if there’s no formal complaint, no report, and no footage, then Mr. Lindberg could just as easily file a slander case against you. A lawsuit wouldn’t exactly be good for the school’s image, would it?"
Mrs. Johnson’s face flushed.
Principal Wilson cleared his throat and raised a hand. "Alright, enough. Dr. Muni, if you’ve already made your decision, then please go ahead and complete the formal process. But from now on, kindly inform the administration in advance."
Dr. Muni stood without another word. He tucked the signed paperwork under his arm and walked to the door.
However, when Matthew remained seated and didn’t show signs of moving, Dr. Muni stopped just before he could reach the door. He turned back.
"Well? Are you planning to sit there all day? Stop dilly-dallying and complete your registration with me!"
Matthew immediately stood, giving the principal a shallow bow before stepping out.
He followed Dr. Muni without another glance back.
"That Muni is really—" Mrs. Johnson gritted her teeth. "Just because the Dean favors him doesn’t mean he can just do whatever he wants!"
She crossed her arms tightly, trying to steady her breathing. Years. She had worked in this university for years, taught countless students, handled curriculum revisions, filled in for absent faculty, and even led summer programs when no one else would step up.
And yet, not once was she allowed to take on an assistant or nominate a protégé without going through piles of paperwork and three layers of approval. But Dr. Muni? He waltzed in from one of his so called research trips, skipped protocol, and announced a high school student as his intern, without even a proper documentation!
"Well," Principal Wilson said, tapping his pen against the table. "He has received awards from several institutions. And a few major research foundations back his work. It’s not unusual that the Dean favors him."
He leaned back slightly.
"Besides, technically speaking, he’s right. Faculty members with research grants have the freedom to choose their own interns. I heard the Dean has been pushing him to take one for over a year now. Someone to assist with his fieldwork and documentation."
He looked toward the door where Muni and Matthew had exited.
"I just didn’t expect him to pick a high schooler," he added. "That’s the part that’s surprising."
Mrs. Johnson clicked her tongue. She didn’t say anything further, but inwardly, she swore this wasn’t over. Favoritism was one thing. But dragging some moody teenager into high-level research? That was a disaster waiting to happen.
Then Principal Wilson suddenly straightened up.
"Ah... also," he said, flipping through a folder on his desk. "Almost forgot. We received the formal notice this morning. According to the new directive, all university research staff—even those in the high school department—are now eligible to take on interns."
Mrs. Johnson’s expression shifted immediately. She blinked. "You mean... I can take an assistant now?"
"Yes," the principal replied. "Technically, you’ve always been allowed. But this is the first time the Dean has approved stipends for them. That’s the key change."
Mrs. Johnson tilted her head slightly. "What about the high school department? We’re part of the same system."
"We are," Principal Wilson said with a nod. "But priority funding and placements are being given to the college division. It’s already near the end of the academic year, so most of the top university students are already spoken for by professors with research grants."
Of course they are, Mrs. Johnson thought bitterly.
College faculty always got the better end of things—the grants, the lab access, the events. And now they had the pick of the brightest students for their projects.
Still, this was an opening.
"Well," she said carefully, straightening her blouse, "I’m currently pursuing an excellent research topic. I’ve been preparing the paperwork, and I’d like to apply for an intern as well."
Principal Wilson raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure about that?"
She smiled. "I’ve been waiting for this opportunity. If the process has officially opened, then I want to request the top student of this year’s graduating class."
"You mean Lenox Lindberg?"
"Yes," she said without hesitation. "I want Lenox Lindberg as my intern."