The next day, Rian was very affectionate and clingy.
Ren Xiyang patted him on the head and went to work in the morning, returning in the afternoon to attend magic practice class. After a short break, it was time for the meeting with Dean Palatinate.
Ren Xiyang and Rian walked to the Dean’s office. Ren Xiyang knocked on the Dean’s office door. Upon receiving the acknowledgement, he opened the door and let Rian in first.
Inside, there was Dean Palatinate, Vice Dean Blewitt, Lord Zaffre who taught first-year magical theory, Lord Coquelicot who taught first-year magical history, and two other teachers that Ren Xiyang didn’t recognise. They all stood up to greet His Highness Prince Rian.
“Good afternoon, thank you for having us today,” Rian said.
“Your Highness, Earl Rosewood, take a seat,” Dean Palatinate said.
Two chairs were placed closest to the door for them. Ren Xiyang pulled out a chair for Rian first before sitting down.
“Our purpose today is to discuss your attendance record, Earl Rosewood,” Dean Palatinate said.
“Let everyone know, again, why it is that you’ve been skipping classes,” Vice Dean Blewitt said.
“The content being taught is either not new or not relevant for my work in the Rosewood fief,” Ren Xiyang said. “And the teaching is not engaging enough to listen to purely out of interest—”
Lord Zaffre and Lord Coquelicot frowned.
“—and since my role as earl of the Rosewood fief is several times higher in priority than my role as a student of the academy, I find it wasteful to spend time in such classes.”
“You’re ignorant if you believe that my class isn’t relevant,” Lord Zaffre scowled.
Ren Xiyang looked at him. Did he need to repeat? Did Lord Zaffre didn’t hear him properly the first time?
Lord Zaffre: “…”
Lord Zaffre gritted his teeth. “Don’t think that your inability to understand class is due to my teaching.”
“Then you should send out an anonymous survey to students, asking them to rate the teaching quality.”
All the teachers: “…”
“As educators, you should be striving to teach well and teach better,” Ren Xiyang said.
Rian touched Ren Xiyang’s hand lightly. Ren Xiyang leaned back in his chair.
To outsiders, it looked like Prince Rian was suppressing Earl Rosewood.
Rian smiled in a soothing manner. “Our purpose today is to propose some alternative arrangements, not only for Earl Rosewood, but for other and future talented mages attending the academy. We wish to contribute to the improvement of the academy.”
Dean Palatinate’s eyes sharpened. “Please elaborate, Your Highness.”
Rian nodded. “As I understand it, the purpose of the academy is to train young mages and deepen their knowledge. As such, I propose that a new research subject is created. Other students, not only Earl Rosewood, could take it in place of another subject. It would require less time-commitment from a suitable chosen staff member as opposed to completely new advanced classes, while allowing students to conduct a deep investigation into some aspect of magic.”
“This isn’t the university,” Vice Dean Blewitt said coolly.
“Indeed, this isn’t the university,” Rian said. “But the university doesn’t have the monopoly on research. More generally, we propose that the academy offer several additional subjects and allow students to choose which subjects they’d like to take. In this way, each subject could be much more focused. For example, rather than having a single combat magic class, there could be two classes focused on different combat schools of thought, or on roughly two different magic grouping types. The academy could also offer work experience or internships in place of a class, where a mage undertakes magical work such as in the Capital Hospital. Alternatively, the academy could make an agreement with the university to allow high-achieving students to take a university course in place of an academy subject.”
“This isn’t the university,” Vice Dean Blewitt repeated. “What is being taught in the academy must be known by all mages. One cannot simply pick and choose. We have all gone through the academy schooling. You can complete it too.”
Ren Xiyang’s eyelids lowered. “Vice Dean—”
Rian touched Ren Xiyang’s hand lightly again. “Vice Dean, I understand your sentiment. The academy provides the baseline, and university provides the extension. Instead of a completely new research subject, or splitting one subject into several, the academy could have small assignments throughout the year instead of the end-of-year exams. This would allow students to focus on discovering more about the different topics throughout the year, rather than focus on memorising the course content.”
“The academy has always had exams,” Vice Dean Blewitt said.
“In that case, the academy could consider allowing students to take the exams early and allow students that pass to either take an advanced class, or skip to the class of the following year level. After all, if a student can pass the end-of-year exams at the beginning of the year, would it not be a waste of both the teacher’s and student’s time if the student is made to sit through the year’s classes?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Eljc aegcfv ab Gfjc Ujijalcjaf. “Ktbrf jgf beg reuufralbcr. Qf tbqf atja sbe olcv ja ifjra bcf bo atfw jwfcjyif.”
Zbra bo atf atlcur Uglcmf Eljc rjlv kfgfc’a mbwqifafis cfk ab Gfjc Mglveglm Ujijalcjaf.
Dea atf kjs Uglcmf Eljc rjlv la ofia j yla qfmeiljg.
It was the way Prince Rian said ‘students’, as though he wasn’t a student himself, but an adult who had already gone through the academy; as a mage who already knew all of the academy’s teaching content; and as a prince with the power to change the academy.
Friduric strongly suspected that Prince Rian already knew everything the academy would teach him. Count Aegean was a strict tutor, and Prince Rian was the crown prince.
What a farce it would be if Prince Rian took the end-of-year exams right now and passed every single one of them.
“Your suggestions are interesting. However, we will need to discuss them further,” Friduric said. “We must be sure that any changes only improve the academy, and does not lead to any degradation of knowledge.”
Prince Rian inclined his head with a smile. “Yes, I understand that implementation will be difficult. But I believe it will be worth it, and I offer my full support.”
Vice Dean Blewitt raised an eyebrow. “And would Earl Rosewood start attending class if we implemented one of your suggestions? Allow me to bring to your attention the 75% minimum attendance requirement. You told me to expel you. Why haven’t you withdrawn yourself, so that neither of us waste our time further?”
Earl Rosewood nodded. “You’re right, that’s an option.” He glanced over to Prince Rian. “However, I haven’t been able to convince His Highness to withdraw with me yet.”
Friduric felt a jolt in his heart. If Prince Rian withdrew from the academy, that would be an even bigger farce than passing every single exam right now!
“Don’t drag other students down to your level,” Vice Dean Blewitt said sharply.
“Then perhaps teachers should raise their level and undertake training to improve their teaching. That way, classes will be enjoyable to attend,” Earl Rosewood said.
Lord Zaffre’s face went red in indignation. “Classes are not meant to be fun, Earl Rosewood.”
Friduric spoke, “It is in our best interest to come up with a solution that satisfies everyone. Prince Rian, I would appreciate it if you can put all your suggestions into writing so that it can be circulated to all the teachers and the academy board.”
Prince Rian nodded. “I will do so as soon as possible.”
“We will meet again in a week. Is this time suitable?” Friduric asked.
Earl Rosewood suddenly pulled out a notebook and flipped it open. “I have an association meeting at this time next week, and so does Prince Rian. We can do a little later, at 5 pm.”
Prince Rian nodded.
Friduric glanced at the other staff around the table. “Very well,” he said. He stood up, thanking everyone for their time, and let Prince Rian and Earl Rosewood leave first.
After Earl Rosewood closed the door behind him, Friduric turned to the other staff. “What are your initial thoughts?”
Lord Zaffre scowled. “The academy has been operating for hundreds of years. We’ve all gone through the academy schooling. Who does Earl Rosewood think he is?”
“There’s nothing wrong with the academy,” Vice Dean Blewitt said. “If Earl Rosewood doesn’t like it, he can leave. We don’t need him.”
“I wonder which of those suggestions were from Earl Rosewood, and which were from Prince Rian,” said Lord Elfenbein blandly. Lord Sigimund Elfenbein was a light-healer mage who taught third year magical theory.
“If he wasn’t going to attend, why enrol in the first place?” Lady Celeste asked. “He and Prince Rian have already won a duel with the previous King Augustus of Angio.” Lady Anaïs Celeste was a lightning mage who supervised third-year combat practice.
“Prince Rian was the one who enrolled Earl Rosewood to attend,” Friduric said.
Lord Zaffre swallowed his words and scowled.
Friduric acknowledged that Prince Rian was the most complicating factor in all this. He bit down a sigh. “We will await Prince Rian’s report.”
“Very well,” Vice Dean Blewitt said. She took the lead in leaving.
Friduric was left by himself.
On the surface, it appeared that Earl Rosewood was the one who had a problem with the academy. If Earl Rosewood had been alone, then they might have let him fail automatically or waited for him to withdraw.
But, the more Friduric thought about it, the more he felt that Prince Rian was behind all of this. Had Prince Rian enrolled Earl Rosewood and asked Earl Rosewood to disrupt the academy? Had Prince Rian been intending to reform the academy all along?
Prince Rian, Crown Prince Rian. When would he take the throne? Where would Friduric be at that point? And how about his family?
Friduric had a flash of annoyance. If all those first-year teachers had taught better, then they might have passed Prince Rian’s test and they wouldn’t be in this position.
They had to make at least one change. But Friduric knew very well that there would be no consensus among the teaching staff. Any change would offend someone. The key was to know who to offend and who to placate.
Since Ren Xiyang and Rian already had their table of suggestions and plenty of report-writing experience, they drafted a document that evening. Rian copied out a neatly written version and handed it to Dean Palatinate the next day.
Dean Palatinate appended Anya’s ideas: adding more classes for younger ages, lifting the difficulty of the higher (current) grades, and voluntary assignments throughout the year.
He had also prepared a short one-page summary of the situation and request for feedback. He had duplicates made of the suggestions and summary and distributed it to all the teaching staff and the academy board, which consisted of several distinguished mages.
He also had a copy of the documents sent to Anya.
That night, the teachers’ dining room was abuzz with heated conversation.
“What’s the meaning of this? Is it a joke?”
“Look at the dean’s face: it’s clearly not.”
“I attended every single class when I was their age! They can do it too!”
“Children these days, so spoiled.”
“What’s the country coming to if we give into their demands?”
“This isn’t the university.”
“Do we have to prepare a special exam?”
“Ugh, I don’t want to have to prepare an exam right now!”
“Earl Rosewood would definitely pass the combat exam, what’s the point?”
“If Earl Rosewood passes, will he be transferred into the second-year classes? Then we’ll have to conduct early exams too?”
“Assignments? Isn’t that more work for us?”
Teacher training? What is that even meant to be?”
“Dean Palatinate, will you hire more people?!”
Dean Palatinate’s face felt stiff as he did his best to maintain a calm expression. “Whether or not I hire more teaching staff depends on which route we take. Please compile your responses and we will have a meeting on Friday evening to discuss the most acceptable option.”
The rest of the students didn’t know why the teachers seemed a little odder than usual that week.
Rian pretended not to notice. He highlighted important topics on the academy curriculum for Ren Xiyang. He also had a lot of catch-up work to do, given how he had spent Monday night (very good), and Tuesday night (writing up the document with the list of suggested changes). And Ren Xiyang always had more work.
For Dean Palatinate, Friday came much faster than expected, which meant the big academy staff meeting in the evening.
Unsurprisingly, there was no consensus.
Some teachers didn’t see any need to change the academy.
Some teachers didn’t want to do more work, arguing that they already had a lot of work.
Some teachers didn’t like the idea of having more subjects, which would mean hiring more staff and reducing student numbers in their own class, and which could also mean having to redo their own subject.
The idea of taking a university course in place of a class seemed acceptable to some, but they also raised the difficulty of implementation—not only agreements with the university, but also timetabling issues.
For every voiced agreement for a suggestion, there was three voices describing all the potential problems.
To be honest, Dean Palatinate left that meeting feeling disappointed. He felt that there was a distinct lack of leadership and responsibility, and an avoidance of hard work, among the teaching staff.
He started to understand why Prince Rian wanted to reform the academy. Not only were the students not challenged, but the teachers were also complacent. Prince Rian’s initiatives—the Royal Healers’ Association, the Association of Future Leaders, and the Royal Agricultural Development and Food Security Program—showed how practical Prince Rian was. The Association of Future Leaders must inspire students more than the Imperial Magical Academy.
Dean Palatinate’s conviction grew. Yes, something had to change.
Lord Zaffre: Who does that Ayden Rosewood think he is???
Rian: Powerful enough to defeat ten of you in a duel ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Lord Zaffre: (╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻
Count Aegean: New around here?
Dean Palatinate: Prince Rian is so scheming!
Rian: Hey, for once, I’m innocent!
Thank you to an anonymous person for the name “Anaïs”, and thank you to lazy cat Kohaku for the family name “Elfenbein”
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Dean Palatinate: offending someone is inevitable, let’s just choose! 🤣
Thank you for the chapter.
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Thank you for reading!
At least the dean can be reasoned with! Those teachers sound too much like my coworkers, lol.
The teachers sound like your coworkers? I’m glad the teachers in the story feel a bit realistic then 🤣🤣🤣
I always feel that you write very realistically 👍❤️
Thank you!
Has anyone suggested the name Tyrone yet?
Also Lee, Vanya, Killian, Kinsley, Vadik, Luna, Harrod, Isaac, Jeremiah, Ulrich.
Thank you for the names!!
At least someone is thinking
Indeed~ Thank you for reading!
what a group of lazy teachers 😫 why don’t they understand that these propositions have been made to better the system already in place and teach more efficiently and not just to annoy them
Yeah always sticking with 100 year old teaching methods. Same situation in reality… 🤮 And being proud of no improvement….
That’s why I’m so into this story 😁
🤗🤗🤗🤗
+1
Understandably, people don’t like change, especially change they didn’t initiate…
Love! I always feel very engaged in reading your story. Thank you.
Thank you!!! 🥰🥰
GET SCHOOLED, SCHOOL!! MWAHAHA
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Oh! I have a name suggestion: Edrich!
Thanks!
I like the way you seriously describe the problems that arise in their lives.
Rian idea of taking selective courses is great.
Oh, don’t be so conservative!
You need to be flexible, because I think this is the most important thing for a teacher (I speak as a teacher)
Thank you!!!! Oooh so you’re a teacher!! The teachers in this story are too complacent u_u
Rian and Ren will change them for the better
ಡ ͜ ʖ ಡ
hehehehehe