Villainess X Villain: They are obsessed with each other!-Chapter 87 -: 86 A promise!

Crypian opened the door and stepped into the Dean’s office.

The moment he entered, Dean Orin Belebright stood up from his chair with a big smile.

He had gone back to his old messy look after losing everything in the gambling disaster.

His hair was wild and unkempt, his beard looked like a bird’s nest, and he wore his usual wrinkled robes.

Yet his face was surprisingly bright and cheerful as he looked at Crypian.

"You are finally here, young man!" the dean said warmly.

He smiled and looked Crypian up and down. "How are you doing in the academy?"

"Good," Crypian replied flatly, his expression not changing at all.

"Cheer up, young man!"

The dean walked around his desk and gave Crypian a friendly pat on the back.

"Guys your age should be more lively and bright!"

The dean had noticed this gloominess for a while now.

The first time he saw Crypian, he could tell the boy carried years of loneliness and heavy burdens on his shoulders.

Crypian gave a small, awkward smile in return.

That was honestly the best he could manage.

After being betrayed by his own brother, the person he had trusted and served his whole life, he found it hard to open up or trust anyone anymore.

The dean patted his back once more and said cheerfully, "Come, sit down."

He walked back to his seat and plopped down. Crypian sat opposite him.

"You called for me?" Crypian asked calmly.

"Yes," the dean nodded. He picked up a glass of water from his desk and handed it to Crypian.

Crypian took the glass and drank a few big gulps.

"You see," the dean began.

His face turned a bit more serious as he leaned forward.

"As you know, our Royal Arcane Academy was established 700 years ago by the greatest heroes of the three floating continents."

He paused for a moment, then continued explaining,

"The Royal Arcane Academy has a long and important history. It all started 700 years ago."

"After the heroes made a peace treaty with the Zlycons, they realized that peace wouldn’t last forever. They knew that one day the Zlycons might break the treaty."

The dean let out a heavy sigh. Crypian sat quietly and listened.

Truthfully, he already knew this story very well from his previous life.

It was the biggest and bloodiest war in the history of both the three floating continents and the four stationary continents.

Many people died on both sides.

In the end, humans and Zlycons reached an agreement: neither side would attack first.

"However," the dean continued, "the heroes were still worried about the future of the three floating continents."

"That’s why they created this academy and named it the Royal Arcane Academy."

He looked straight at Crypian with proud eyes.

"And this academy has only one important responsibility, to nurture the future generations, no matter their class or talent."

Crypian stared at the dean for a moment before asking, "Why are you telling me all these things?"

The dean let out a soft chuckle. "There is a reason why I’m telling you this, but before that..."

He paused and leaned closer across the desk.

He looked Crypian straight in the eyes with a serious gaze and asked, "What do you think of the two greatest geniuses studying in the same class as you?"

His eyes shone like two bright suns as he waited for the answer.

Crypian stared back at him and spoke softly, "They are very talented and already far ahead of me. I can’t hope to—"

"No," the dean cut him off mid-sentence.

"They are talented, yes. But you have something that they don’t."

The dean’s eyes sparkled with excitement.

"You have that fire inside you, the kind that pushes you through any situation. Even fire itself would bend to your will."

"And most importantly, you have already reached the Arcane Core stage with only C-grade talent."

"That’s more impressive than anything they could have achieved if they weren’t born so gifted."

Crypian stared at him.

His face stayed calm, but deep inside, he felt a warm feeling he hadn’t experienced in a long time.

It was the first time someone had praised him like this.

"Don’t get me wrong," the dean continued, leaning back in his chair.

"I love them just as much as I love every student. But the thing is... it feels unfair."

"What I mean is," he said with a gentle smile, "you managed to reach such a high level at such a young age without the same natural talent those two have."

"So what I’m suggesting is..." The dean paused and stood up from his seat.

He looked down at Crypian with a serious expression.

"I see potential in you to become the greatest in the world."

Crypian’s calm face finally cracked. His eyes widened slightly in shock.

’What is this old man even saying?’ It was impossible for someone with C-grade talent like him, basically a cripple in cultivation terms, to even reach the Spirit Core stage.

How could he ever stand at the peak of the world?

"You are..." Crypian started to politely refuse the claim, but when he looked into the dean’s eyes, the words got stuck in his throat.

It was his first time seeing anyone look at him like that.

All his life, people had looked down on him with pity or disdain.

But now, this man was staring at him with complete belief, as if he knew Crypian better than anyone else ever had.

"So what I’m suggesting is..." the dean said with a serious voice.

He stood up straight from his seat and looked down at Crypian with burning determination.

"I will make you the strongest under the heavens. There will be no one who would be able to look down on you!"

"Even those two geniuses would have to bow before you."

"This is my promise," he declared, reaching out his hand with steady confidence.

"Become my disciple, and I will make you the strongest!"