Theo sensed the spatial distortion shift from the corner of the wall and disappear, making him gulp as his eyes darted around the room.

And just when he thought that the distortion had vanished, the same distortion reappeared right in front of him.

Theo instinctively stepped back, only to notice the old man watching him with an amused expression on his face.

Their brief eye contact was enough—the old man’s forehead flashed white, and the distortion vanished from the room completely.

Theo took a deep breath, then let out a low chuckle, trying to show that it hadn’t fazed him that much.

"He isn’t always like that, but when someone detects his presence, the kid gets oddly excited for some reason," the old man said while stroking his long beard.

"I see." Theo wasn’t sure what to make of it. Not only did the headmaster seem a little eccentric, but he had also just revealed a lot about himself, about his ability to perceive things.

"Be seated. The tea is almost ready," the old man added, glancing to the left, where a man in a uniform was brewing some tea.

Theo nodded and took his seat opposite to the headmaster.

Before the old man could say anything, Theo bowed slightly. "It’s a great privilege for me to be able to attend this academy, Headmaster. Thank you for giving me this opportunity."

The old man regarded Theo with quiet amusement.

"When the emperor himself vouches for someone’s capabilities, one tends to listen, Theo Merrick," the old man said and flipped through a book before looking back at Theo.

"You are among the few students who have achieved as much as an adult before even properly joining an academy. We will need to keep that in mind before we put you in the classes."

With that, he began writing something down.

"As much as I would like to hear about all your adventures, legal and otherwise, our first priority is knowing what you want to do," the old man spoke again.

"What I want to do?" Theo blinked in confusion, clearly not having expected such a question at all.

"Yes. As you may have already realized, summer holidays are about to begin. Students of all years will have four months—they all will either return to their homes or go on academy-planned trips," the old man explained.

"But at the same time, we have called you here for classes, which means you will have to sacrifice your vacation time. Are you okay with that?"

The concern on the old man’s face made Theo slightly surprised. He couldn’t help but smile as he began.

"Thank you for the concern, Headmaster. But I don’t care much about the vacations. Please teach me as much as you can this summer," Theo said with that same smile on his face.

The old man couldn’t help but lean back in his chair, clearly pleased. "Such charisma and confidence... it’s rare to see someone at such a young age have it. I commend you, Theo Merrick."

With that, his face turned slightly serious as he continued.

"Very well. We will begin with your first-year fundamental class, though it won’t cover everything in detail. With your capabilities, as the emperor has stated, I am confident that with access to the subjects’ materials you choose, you can learn and give the final exams within a few months."

He paused, then leaned forward again.

"Though that will consume all your time, so I will ask you this once more, Theo Merrick."

"We can proceed at a normal pace, slower, and your studies will go on as a normal student, just a little late in life. Or we can take this accelerated path. Which path will you choose for yourself?" he asked.

Theo didn’t even need to think about it twice as a confident smile returned to his face.

"I would feel more excited with the early final exams, Headmaster—if what I understood is right."

The old man laughed a little and clapped his hands lightly in happiness.

"Good. I like the fire in your eyes. You will be assigned professors for all your chosen subjects, and within the next two months, you will be practicing with the knowledge that you would usually learn in a year instead."

He said while continuing to write things down.

The uniformed individual on the side, who had the tea already brewed, stared at Theo as if he were some sort of monster.

For the emperor to vouch for him... and the headmaster himself to offer him such a crazy deal...

It could only mean one thing.

Theo Merrick was going to bring chaos into the academy’s peaceful life, and the man could already picture it.

"Rudery, is the tea ready, child?" the old man asked, his voice gentle, almost as if he were speaking to his own son.

The more Theo interacted with the people of this academy, the more it felt like he had been all wrong.

’Merek really warped my view of higher nobles. These people aren’t as arrogant as that one,’ Theo thought and sighed inwardly.

Soon, the uniformed man returned with the tea. The moment Theo took his first sip, his eyes widened.

"Hoh? Have you had this tea before, Theo Merrick?" the old man asked.

Theo nodded. "I had it once during brunch with the emperor some time ago, Headmaster," Theo replied, taking another sip of the tea.

The old man just kept looking at him for a moment before returning to his own tea.

They sat in silence until they were halfway through. Just as Theo was about to ask if he could leave and began preparing for his classes the next day, he noticed a shift in the old man’s demeanor.

"I won’t lie, Theo Merrick. My confidence in you has doubled since we started this conversation. In fact, I can’t help but think of asking something... more daring from you."

The old man spoke, and Theo just stared at him, his expression turning serious to show that he was listening intently.

"Are you willing to serve this kingdom in whatever way it needs your service?" the old man asked, his hands clasped on the table. There was that same seriousness in his eyes, which made it clear to Theo that this conversation was going to take another sharp turn.

"I would do anything for the kingdom, Headmaster. My family lives here, and I would do anything for my family," Theo replied.

The old man looked at him in brief shock before breaking into a grin, as if he had seen something in Theo’s eyes at that moment.

"To love your family, huh... I see."

Theo sighed inwardly. His bold way of answering hadn’t been taken badly, but he knew he had just spoken about how he could do anything for his own family while the headmaster had clearly asked about the kingdom. Those were two heavily different things.

"You have been to two gates and returned stronger; that’s what I can tell from the reports," the old man continued. "With that in mind, I am going to offer you another deal."

"If you can fulfill it, then I can confidently merge both the second and the third year of your academy life, allowing you to graduate at the right time."

Theo didn’t know what to say to that, but his gaze couldn’t stay normal anymore. His gaze sharpened and his lips parted to say something, only to stop himself.

The headmaster was making promises before even stating what he wanted from him. That was never a good sign.

"I don’t need proof of your abilities, but the student body is another matter, Theo Merrick," the man said.

"I want you to prove your strength as quickly as you can among the students, and then secure a position on the team that will represent our kingdom in the annual game of kingdoms."

At that moment, Theo frowned.

The old man’s eyebrow lifted slightly at that unfiltered reaction, clearly noting that Theo was daring enough to show such raw emotions.

"Please don’t be offended, Headmaster," Theo said calmly. "But can I hear more about these kingdom games you are talking about... before I can agree to anything?"

The uniformed man looked at Theo as if he had lost his mind, while the old man simply looked at Theo with that same amused grin.

’If he expects this much from me, then it’s safe to assume I have some say in these matters. There’s no way I will blindly do anything he asks me to,’ Theo thought instinctively.

"Good. Seeking information before agreeing, that’s a valuable political trait," the old man said with a nod.

"The kingdom games are exactly what the name suggests. All the kingdoms participate in them to resolve the purpose of making decisions that are simply tough enough to do without something like this."

"We can’t wage wars over every resource we discover at our borders—or for every gate we find in neutral territory."

"And in such cases, the kingdom games play a great role in deciding the outcome. The kingdom whose team emerges victorious in these games gains the privilege to claim those resources and titles, and that victory is recorded in their history."

He paused briefly before finishing.

"That is what the kingdom games are. And I want you to participate in this year’s game—no matter what."