Academic gathering with Lich colleagues

Lyle realized his narrow understanding of the word "clothing".

The door opened again, and a tall figure once again shocked Lyle's worldview.

Tap tap tap tap.

That's the sound of that big iron block moving.

At the very top is a sculpture of the head of a beautiful girl. Below is a huge hollow iron cabinet with evenly spaced diamond-shaped protrusions on its surface. There is a large iron ring on each of the four sides, which should have been the original place where the iron chains were threaded to ensure that the victims inside could not struggle to escape.

If it's like Lyle's memory, the interior is a human-shaped space filled with iron nails of varying lengths, and at the bottom there's a hidden door covered with iron plates and saw blades to ensure the victim's fragments are safely expelled.

This is the Iron Maiden, a medieval instrument of torture used for interrogation and torture.

Lyle was amazed by the powerful figure among them, and he wasn't the only one who was amazed; everyone's eyes seemed to be focused on the pulsating Iron Maiden.

The Iron Maiden continued to move on as if it were her own.

Tap tap tap tap tap tap tap.

He jumped right in front of Lyle!!!

The pressure of being the center of attention suddenly fell on Lyle.

He swallowed hard, then took a deep breath of the medicinal aroma from the bird's beak. A pungent smell of blood was filtered out, but Lyle could still smell it.

This Iron Maiden is the real deal!

Lyle was so startled he almost fell over. He pinched his trembling thigh, knowing it was time to show off all his skills.

“Peace, sir.” Lyle removed his hat and bowed respectfully, like a gentleman.

“…Anle, sir.” A woman’s voice came from inside the Iron Maiden, clearly not bothered by Lyle’s misuse of words.

"Is there anything I can do for you, young lady?" It's always a good thing to compliment a woman's youth, no matter what she is.

"I'm curious, you..."

“Pandemic Doctor, you can call me Pandemic Doctor, madam.”

“I am Ariane, the Plague Doctor. Why are you looking at me like that?”

"So many eyes are watching me, yet you're only focusing on me," Lyle thought to himself, feeling wronged.

"They all looked at you with surprise, as if to say, 'Is that even possible?' But your gaze... held pity."

Lyle did indeed feel sympathy for the victims of the Iron Maiden, which was understandable, given that it was such a shocking instrument of torture.

"I only sympathize with those who died on this Iron Maiden; they didn't deserve to suffer like this."

"...What a pity that the Plague Doctor has come here."

Huh? What do you mean? I'm not worthy? In this day and age, does pity symbolize weakness?

Lyle, who was of the heart, did not dare to answer and could only stand silently to the side.

Ariane stood beside him, as if she were a real instrument of torture.

The air around them was filled with the stench of blood.

Chapter Twelve: The Dean's Speech

Lyle felt as if he had lived through a century.

Only then did she see the gentleman return to her side as she had hoped.

Just as he had hoped, he broke the tranquility around Lyle.

The gentleman turned his face toward Ariane and nodded slightly to the Iron Maiden, seemingly unsurprised by the large creature.

"Thanks to this young lady, finding the Plague Doctor is no easy task. I didn't interrupt your pleasant conversation, did I?"

"Has the gentleman finished his greetings?"

"It was largely successful. Not everyone attended the welcome party, so my workload wasn't too heavy."

"Let's talk later, Dr. Epidemiologist, the hospital director is here."

A loud noise came from the main hall door, like the hum of an old city gate that could not bear the weight, and the sounds of gears turning and chains moving could also be heard from the dark.

Just a few tens of minutes ago, when Lyle passed by the gate, there was no such commotion.

Just like in classic movies, the sound of the door opening usually indicates that a very important person will emerge from behind it.

The first thing that appears from behind the door is a walking stick. The top of the stick is made of wood shaped like a curved spoon. The overall grain is very beautiful, and it has a glossy sheen from being waxed. It looks very appealing.

A huge pointed hat, with its enormous brim drooping due to gravity, looks like a giant mushroom.

Its head made it appear very thin, and below it was a dark gray robe, with a long beard like tree roots hanging down in front of the robe.

“Sir, if I’m not mistaken, that beard looks like a tree root.”

The gentleman glanced at Lyle. "That's one of the Dean's hobbies. Just keep that in mind."

A dean who dressed like an old wizard, liked to wear a clumsy fake beard, and loved to make a show of things.

Lyle didn't dare to underestimate him. The dean was nearly two meters tall, and from the muscular physique under his thin gray robe, one could tell that he must be quite strong.

It's just unclear whether he's a melee mage like Gandalf or a fake boxer like Gul'dan.

The dean walked up the stone steps, tapped the ground with his long cane, and, noticing that all eyes were on him, stroked his fake beard with satisfaction.

In Lyle's eyes, the dean, not paying attention to his strength, squeezed hard and pinched off half of the fragile tree tendrils. The crisp sound of the broken tree roots hitting the ground could be clearly heard in the silent hall.

The indifferent gazes of the crowd made the already awkward atmosphere even more uncomfortable.

However, the dean did not notice.

"Honey, ladies and gentlemen. It is a great pleasure to welcome our fifth cohort of new members to Andre. May they find their passion and continue to live on."

"First and foremost, the sad news. The Gelber Academy in the neighboring country was burned down by the church. It's said that some of their recent recruits were church members who infiltrated the church, and given Gelber's carefree nature, they didn't bother to hide their identities. They investigated thoroughly, and the area is now a mess. Gentlemen living nearby could try to find their ashes; they're good materials for spellcasting."

"My point is that Andre's pretense was indeed necessary, and all newcomers should also be careful about their words and actions and be cautious in making friends."

“I know a lousy old guy whose head is still hanging in the church in Londera as a negative example.”

"Secondly, the bad news is that we have gained another group of sisters. The Holy Light forces of Cinderella have recently persecuted a group of women there. I have received pleas for help from the witches. Some homeless former witches will join us, so we will have a new society, the Witches' Association. Unfortunately, it is a group with strong sexism. So, gentlemen who are interested in witchcraft, please be prepared to be transformed into women."

"The point I'm trying to make is that this is why I was 38 minutes and 27 seconds late for the welcome party. Those incorrigible women howled like succubi in my office for over half an hour, trying to gain special privileges within the club, but I refused them for the sake of harmony and equality in Andrei."

……

"The dean's focus is quite strange."

"He is a punctual gentleman, and most of us don't have a sense of time, which may be one of the reasons that annoys him."

"I see."

"so good."

"what?"

"I also hope that some cheerful ladies will chatter in my ear like larks."

"The dean's rhetoric is the wailing of a banshee..."

"Wouldn't that be better?"

"..."

……

"The third piece of news is also unfortunate. With the addition of the new Witch Association, the total number of societies in Andrei has reached 2,800. Therefore, Andrei Castle can no longer provide suitable activity areas for new societies. New society applications are hereby cancelled unless you obtain a new castle deed or a victory notice in a society conflict for the executive committee."

"My main point is that after this speech, the next step is the club's recruitment activities. New members of Andrei, please believe that no matter what you encounter next, you will be absolutely safe. Andrei's motto is inclusivity and acceptance. After you walk out of that door, please do not look at everything you experience with worldly prejudices."

"Please believe that what you gain here are countless possibilities for the path to truth. There is no absolute right or wrong. No matter how much pressure you face, believe in yourself. Truth is not in the mouths of others, but in your own hands..."

The script was indeed passionate and inspiring, but the dean had no speaking skills whatsoever. He just read each word in a monotonous, mechanical way, and even his pauses were strange. It felt like you were controlling a warrior class and trying to unleash a magic explosion.

Lyle looked at the crowd in front of him; they were one of the reasons for the failure of this speech.

Few people listened to the dean.

Have you decided which club you want to join?

"No, but maybe I'll join the Magic Research Club. Before coming to the academy, I was making a high-yield arcane bomb."

"It's done?"

"I've come to Andrei, what do you say?"

“...Anle, sir.”

……

“I want to join the music club. I think I have talent and I will become Andrea’s rising star, just like Ariana.”

Lyle listened to the young woman's shrill voice; it felt as if her throat had swallowed a large piece of shards of glass, each syllable a drill piercing his eardrums.

……

What do you think about me joining the Witches' Guild?

"Not good. You're a man, your voice is too deep."

"Actually, I have some expertise in the study of souls. I can modify a small part of my soul to make myself believe that I am a woman."

"Oh, that's really interesting. But you know, the study of the soul is a rigorous yet permissive discipline. What I'm trying to say is, what if you can't change your ways later?"

"Then I'll be a woman. I've already thought of a female name for myself. What do you think of Daisy?"

"Cool, Daly will be my first girlfriend."

……

Lyle felt that his way of thinking was still too rigid, which led him to hear some unpleasant things. He realized that his understanding of the world was not yet sufficient, just as the dean said, "Don't look at people with worldly prejudices."

"Sir, who are those two people?"

“Mr. Anka and Mr. Daly.”

Lyle blacklisted the two men.

The dean's speech finally came to an end.