"Professor Dextor." Adrian offered a slight nod in greeting.
The man had once led Blackthorn's team during the Arcane Anvil Cup—proud, competitive, and sharp-tongued. Adrian never formed a strong opinion about him. He didn't care enough to.
"I've been hearing a lot about your academy," Dextor began, his tone casual but edged. "But not much about you. Taking a break from research?"
Was that a subtle jab, or just curiosity? Adrian couldn't tell, and honestly, he didn't care to.
He responded evenly, "These days, I'm more focused on learning. Publishing papers and chasing citations never really interested me."
Fame? No, thank you. Adrian enjoyed the stillness of a quiet life. Wealth was never an issue. And as Ariana had said more than once, the world wasn't ready for the knowledge spinning inside his head.
Not even she felt worthy to peek into it.
While Adrian often thought she was exaggerating, Ariana remained firm in her belief.
