Solve

“So, what Landon is facing isn’t just a magic experiment from another department—he’s up against the entire rune department’s professional standards.”

“Anyone with a bit of brains can see—that’s not something Landon-senpai can handle.”

Sphinx started clapping for Leng Qing’s scheme.

“Fortunately, most of the rune students were willing to give Landon some face and deliberately avoided that type of magic experiment.”

“As for those who weren’t willing—do you know Ecfis?”

“This student, ranked just behind you, seemed to have received a hint from Leng Qing.”

“He didn’t give up on experimenting with something similar to Landon’s.”

“But after Landon sought him out for a talk, he gave up on advancing to mid-tier mage and instead chose to graduate early.”

Collins finally understood why Ecfis hadn’t battled him for the top spot—why he rushed to graduate before even trying.

Someone as smart as Felix would never willingly become a pawn in a power struggle between two great noble houses.

Felix was proud—but he also knew that once you angered the elite, they might not be so reasonable anymore.

“So right now, in this whole school, the only one still going head-to-head with Landon—or rather, still competing with his experiment—is you, my dear little junior.”

“Landon-senpai is incredibly talented and virtuous.”

“Under normal circumstances, even if you were more capable or brilliant, he wouldn’t harbor jealousy or resentment.”

“But now, in front of the woman he loves, no matter how virtuous he is—he can’t bear someone outshining him in Leng Qing’s eyes.”

Sphinx spread his hands.

“Now do you understand?”

“Landon-senpai isn’t targeting you out of petty jealousy or hatred.”

“It’s because you’re standing in the way of his love.”

Collins scratched his head with a wry smile.

“If Landon-senpai needed something from me, he could’ve just said so.”

“You sure someone like you, with negative emotional intelligence, can actually understand human speech?”

Sphinx retracted his open hand and sighed slightly.

In truth, Landon had already sent people to talk to Collins more than once—dropping subtle hints about the consequences of his ongoing experiment.

But Collins, wholly consumed by his research, didn’t catch any of those veiled messages.

Many people had come to speak with him.

Collins just didn’t get it—he had no clue why they were even there.

Once they left, he went right back to experimenting.

Looking back now, Collins recalled how in recent weeks, several students he barely knew had approached him.

At the time, he just assumed they wanted to connect after hearing he’d advanced to mid-tier mage.

He never expected they had other motives.

Realizing this, Collins couldn’t help but feel embarrassed.

“What, figured it out now?”

“You finally understand just how impossible it is to deal with someone like you, which is why Landon-senpai had to resort to this?”

“If he had just told me his concerns straight up, I wouldn’t have been so stubborn.”

Sphinx looked at Collins with a stunned expression.

“I thought your EQ was negative.”

“Now I realize—I still gave you too much credit.”

“You don’t have any emotional intelligence at all.”

“What kind of person do you think Landon-senpai is?”

“He’s a once-in-a-generation genius.”

“Someone everyone sees as the protagonist of their story.”

“You think someone like that—proud, admired, at the center of everything—is going to come begging to you?”

“Saying, ‘I’m trying to win a girl’s heart but I can’t beat you, please go easy on me?'”

“Landon-senpai has his pride too.”

“At most, he’ll hint at things indirectly.”

“There’s no way he’d ever openly admit to your face that he’s not as good as you.”

Collins felt more confused than ever about this thing called pride.

“Alright then.”

“Since you’ve explained it like that, I’ll shelve the experiment for now.”

Sphinx nodded and prepared to reveal his true motive.

“After shelving it, you’re going to pick another type of experiment, right?”

“Yeah. I’ll find a different one—make sure it doesn’t overlap with Landon’s.”

“If Landon-senpai is willing, I can even publish my results a full month after he releases his.”

“No, no, no—you don’t get it.”

“Someone reached out to me, asking for information about you.”

“About me?”

“Yeah. This person seems to have a lot of faith in your expertise.”

“She wants to team up with you to form a magic research group.”

“Her experiment doesn’t conflict with Landon-senpai’s at all.”

“You can help her achieve her results without worrying.”

“More importantly—she’s rich.”

“She can fund a ton of magical research.”

Collins’s gaze toward Sphinx shifted.

“Why do I feel like everything you just said was just leading up to that one line?”