freenovelworld Chapter 73: Do You Have a Lunch Date Today?
Chapter 73: Do You Have a Lunch Date Today?
Seizing the unmissable opportunity, Aiwas didn’t hide his excitement, emphasizing his love for archaeology.As Bard hesitated, Aiwas revealed his greatest asset—
“This is…”
Bard’s eyes widened, and Haina froze.
Only Lily didn’t grasp the moment’s weight.
Aiwas’s right hand, placed on Bard’s forehead, glowed with warm, steady light, gentle enough to look at directly.
Bard felt his mind sharpen, fatigue fading.
“Hey, how—”
Bard quickly lowered Aiwas’s hand, glancing nervously at the empty classroom.
Good—no one saw; they were all at the door with John Aiden.
He whispered, “You haven’t taken the exam—how do you have superhuman powers?”
“And… right-hand Illumination? How long have you known it?”
“Wait, I remember…”
Haina chimed in, “Aiwas, didn’t you just encounter a path a few days ago?”
Though Aiwas was her junior, Haina instinctively called him “Mister.”
She recalled the Pelican Bar fight, where his commands led her to victory over those thugs.
“Yes,” Aiwas said calmly.
“That day’s danger prompted my father to arrange Bishop Mathers to teach me sacred arts early and give me protective superhuman gear.”
The deep red “key” from Saint Genevieve’s Chapel, heavier and thicker than Haina’s sword, was hidden in his suitcase’s secret compartment.
At six or seven pounds, it wasn’t classroom-friendly but too vital to leave at home.
Bard was incredulous.
“You mastered right-hand Illumination in just days?”
Right-hand Illumination was over five times harder than left-hand.
Even stable left-hand users often faltered if distracted by a question.
Bard, though not superhuman, knew the theology graduation exam: ten seconds of uninterrupted right-hand Illumination, delivering two mana units under interference.
Achieving this marked a qualified priest, immune to conversational disruptions.
Aiwas, a new student, was already there…
“So, I won’t be held back by graduation requirements.”
Aiwas smiled confidently.
“Whether it’s academics or priestly basics, I’m certain I won’t fall behind.”
“I could even finish three semesters’ courses in two.”
“And for archaeology, priests are hard to hire, right? It’s dangerous work—having an Illumination-skilled priest for healing or literal lighting would help immensely.”
“As for my legs—no worries. They’ll heal in six months to a year, by my first or second year.”
“I could join your digs then… you won’t mind, will you, Professor?”
“…After all that,” Bard said with a wry smile, his joy clear, “how could I say no?”
“So, you agree?” Aiwas asked, thrilled.
“Yes, I agree. And to make it easier to look after you, I’ll take Lily too.”
One or two students, no difference—Bard added Lily to his roster.
His hesitation gone, he relaxed, adding, “It’s not just hard to hire priests—it’s impossible.”
“You’re the first priest I’ve met interested in archaeology.”
“Usually, only Wisdom, Adaptation, or Twilight path superhumans care about ancient ruins.”
“For injuries, we rely on Adaptation’s herbs or Twilight’s preservation, but both are far weaker than church Illumination and luck-dependent.”
“I’ve lost friends and two students to untreated injuries in ruins…”
Bard fell silent, his earlier smile fading.
Aiwas didn’t console him, quietly keeping him company.
Haina and Lily stayed silent too, the room quiet as youthful chatter seeped in from outside.
After a dozen seconds, Bard adjusted, coughing.
His smile returned, softer.
“I’m formally inviting you, Aiwas Moriarty.”
“Within your course schedule, will you be my teaching assistant? Four classes a month, paid two red candles per class.”
He chuckled.
“Of course, as a Moriarty, you probably don’t care about that.”
“Beyond that, your grades with me will be perfect.”
“I’ll issue a weekly pass for the main library to catch up on this course.”
“If you need help from other professors, I’ll write recommendation letters.”
These were the real perks.
Bard’s terms were lax—only four classes a month, just the theology sessions.
He taught other departments, but Aiwas could skip those, working around his schedule.
Missed classes could be self-studied or covered by consulting professors, with Bard’s connections footing the bill.
“I’m deeply honored,” Aiwas said, smiling politely.
They’d sign a contract, get it stamped by his department head—mere formalities Bard could handle.
A clear win-win.
Both felt they’d struck gold.
*
With business settled, Aiwas planned to check on his old friend, Little John.
He’d also probe Aiden about any odd encounters—especially with shady women.
If he’d met someone, it likely meant a plot was starting.
But as Haina opened the classroom door, Aiwas saw a crowd at the entrance and one lone figure nearby.
“…Isn’t that Her Highness?”
Haina asked, puzzled.
“She’s in the sixth department, right? Why’s she at the fourth?”
She paused, glancing at Aiwas.
[No way…]
Isabel stood with her back to the classroom, gazing enviously at griffins rising and falling on the training field.
The chatting students noticed her solitude and felt a pang, but their families warned against approaching her.
Her sudden death could bring trouble.
If Avalon’s royal line ended due to her curse, families too close to the crown might face repercussions.
And no one knew why the esteemed princess was at their classroom door.
“Maybe she’s waiting for Teacher Aiwas?” someone whispered.
“Teacher Aiwas” was now his nickname.
“No way…”
Most dismissed it.
“The Moriartys and royals have never been close.”
“Don’t stir trouble for Aiwas.”
“Has anyone told him about Her Highness’s issue?”
“He probably knows, right?”
“Maybe someone should warn Teacher Aiwas.”
As they murmured, Lily pushed Aiwas’s wheelchair out.
“Your Highness,” Aiwas greeted warmly.
“Good afternoon… what brings you here?”
Hearing him, Isabel turned, her face lighting up with a radiant smile.
“Good afternoon, Aiwas… I came to see you.”
She spoke without a hint of nerves, asking bluntly, “Got any lunch plans with classmates today?”
…Huh?
What?
The nearby crowd, Haina, and even Bard fell into stunned silence.
Their disbelief was perfectly synced.
It wasn’t that Aiwas knew Princess Isabel.
Nor even that she invited him to lunch—though that was wild enough.
No one had dared imagine it.
The real shock was her casual tone, calling him by name, speaking like a normal person would.
Not the cautious, skittish demeanor of someone ready to flee, nor the formal platitudes of a middle-aged diplomat.
[She can actually talk normally?!]
Even Little John, who thought he knew Aiwas best, froze.
[Did I get it wrong?]
[Was Aiwas rejecting those girls not for Yulia… but because he’s secretly childhood sweethearts with the princess?]
*
Launch burst: four chapters, 14,000 words total! Please vote for monthly tickets!
Thanks to Yuan Yuan Liu Shang for the Alliance Leader donation~
Cat’s off to sleep!
(Chapter End)