Axel raised a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. "Forgiveness does not erase consequences."
His tone wasn’t harsh, but it was absolute.
"A cultivator’s heart must be steady, unshaken by deceit or impulse. If rumors can sway you, what will you do when facing illusions meant to tear your mind apart?"
No one dared to speak.
Lana, however, was taken aback by Axel’s words. Her eyes shimmered slightly, like thousands of stars were illuminated at the same time.
Before, she often wondered as to how the students of the mystic cultivation department were able to remain calm and think rationally while others were accusing her thoughtlessly.
Now she knew the reason.
A smart teacher corrects his students’ mistakes, and it includes temperament.
Only a few capable teachers have this sense of responsibility, and Professor Axel was one of them. An ideal teacher.
Lana’s eyes flickered with admiration while Axel’s stern voice echoed in the hall.
"Second most important thing. In case you see someone close to being insulted or hear rumors about them, your first instinct shouldn’t be acting like a gossiper or doubting your close ones. You should ask for proof. A rumor is easy to dispel, and it only requires one question: Where is the proof?"
Everyone lowered their head in shame.
Indeed, if they wanted, they could have asked for proof; instead, they started to question Lana instead.
If earlier they felt guilty, then now they realized the depth of their mistake. The most update n0vels are published on novｅlfire.net
"I won’t continue to drag this lecture; it’s not my responsibility to correct your mistakes. However, I hope that going forward, you will question the reality rather than passively accepting it or showing a surface-level understanding."
Though Axel’s words were pointed at the students, for some reason Lana had a feeling that Axel was trying to teach her something too.
She shouldn’t be passively accepting the attacks; she should fight back too.
But the problem was... She didn’t have a backer or the equivalent power or influence to do so.
The bitterness might have been visible to Axel because he paused ever so slightly before turning towards his students.
"Go and take rest now."
"Yes, professor." The sextet nodded with an obedient expression, and Axel had to try his best not to laugh.
Just as all of them were leaving, Axel called out, "Lana, you stay behind."
Lana forced a tight smile, and once everyone left, Axel’s tone softened.
"I apologize for my behavior earlier; I shouldn’t have given you such a shock."
Lana was surprised before shaking her head, "It’s alright."
"Did the Almond family abuse you before?" Axel’s question stumped Lana for a few seconds before she smiled.
"Professor Axel, do you see me as a weakling? I assure you! No one can ever abuse me." Lana’s words, though funny, didn’t provide any real answer.
Taking a deep breath, he asked in a soft voice,
"Alright then, I won’t pry if that’s what you want. However..." He drawled, and once he was sure that Lana’s attention was on him, he continued, "We in the mystic department back our students till the end of our lives. In the future, if you encounter a problem and have no one to rely on, we will be there. And... Child, be arrogant, and I will back you up, even if no one does."
His deep, sincere words made Lana fall silent.
A trace of confusion appeared in her eyes, she blurted a bit defensively,
"You don’t need to pity me!"
Professor Axel chuckled, "Pity? No, Lana. I don’t pity a strong individual like you. I admire your guts, I admire your fighting spirit, and I admire your calmness."
"So why?" Lana asked with a confused expression.
She was never able to understand Lucian’s kindness, and now... She was not able to understand Axel’s.
There needs to be a reason for every kindness. After all... Nothing was free in this world.
"Because you are my student, kiddo." Axel laughed heartily before patting her head and leaving behind a sentence, "Now you have a backing, go and cause a havoc. Let those people know the consequences of harming you!"
Lana pursed her lips, and watching the straight back of the man with shoulder-length hair, a rare trace of warmth flooded in her heart.
"What a crazy teacher." She murmured in a soft voice, and Mr. Crow, perched on her shoulder, let out a sound somewhere between a snort and laughter.
"He suits you." Mr. Crow commented, genuinely feeling respect for this teacher from the bottom of his heart.
If Lana had met a few more people like him... maybe she would have learned to smile genuinely.
As Lana started to walk, Mr. Crow asked, "So are we heading to lunch?"
"Of course, after all, we have to cause some havoc later on." A wicked glint flashed in Lana’s eyes.
Axel’s prank just before made her reconsider her plans.
A little retaliation from time to time is necessary.
With a huge grin on her face, she walked towards the cafeteria.
Just like the other facilities of Shadowridge University, the cafeteria was an impressive place too.
To prevent waste congestion, the cafeteria had floors for each department. Each floor was equipped with round tables and tall glass windows that allowed natural light to pour in, giving the space an airy, almost luxurious feel.
The scent of freshly cooked meals wafted through the air, a tempting mix of sweet and savory aromas that could make anyone forget their troubles for a moment.
Students sat in small clusters, chatting, laughing, or simply eating in silence.
The top floor was reserved for the mystic cultivator department.
It kind of acted as a barrier between other departments and the mystic cultivation unit.
Like Lana had known, mystic cultivation was the apex of hierarchy.
After ordering her food at the counter and paying a small sum of 0.001 contribution points, Lana spotted her classmate.
Without any hesitation, she joined them and flashed a sweet smile.
Betty and Layla gave a soft yet embarrassed smile, while Fay and Richard stared at Lana unblinkingly.
"Lana... is there anything we can do to earn your genuine forgiveness?" Wade asked.