The Witch Hunter System

While the requirement for academic disqualification wasn't low, it wasn't high either. It was just average, at best.

Most witches could land a job at the academies to further their research and studies while receiving academic benefits. They just needed connections to get in.

As such, it was crucial to establish said connections with the teachers, instructors, or even the headmaster at the academy during their witch-in-training study years.

Dahlia Payne dropping to the point of facing the risk of disqualification proved that her talent was below average.

Nevertheless, Dahlia Payne was Vaan's current backing in Redpine Academy. He didn't want to lose her right after building their relationship.

After all, Dahlia Payne was still an Early-stage Senior Witch—an Early-stage Senior Witch Vaan could raise to become even greater.

Furthermore, the rigid academic system isn't capable of uncovering all talents. Some talents are not picked up by the system and are buried in mud.

However, Vaan's cumulative knowledge could help him turn mud into gems, let alone uncover gems buried in mud.

"How do you intend to repay me, my Lady?" Vaan asked meaningfully.

"That…" Dahlia Payne hesitated with uncertainty before saying, "I'm not too sure exactly... We could dual-practice again… But this seems more like a reward for me than repayment for you…"

"Well, we've already shared a bed once, my Lady. We don't have to worry about these repayments for now," Vaan calmly said.

"If we are that close, stop addressing me formally. Call me Dahli when we are alone, Vahn," Dahlia Payne mumbled.

"As you wish, Dahli," Vaan smiled.

Simply making Dahlia Payne feel indebted to him was more beneficial than any repayment she could offer him. He was still new to Redpine Academy and didn't have much backing.

"Since the whole concept of flight efficiency is about reducing the mana consumption of flight magic, we should focus on that. We shouldn't be fixated on controlling air in the body, my Lady," Vaan started to explain.

"There are multiple ways to reduce mana consumption of flight magic. For example, we can use a magic tool or secondary magic to reduce our weight. That way, less wind power is required to lift our bodies."

"Of course, it would be even better to use anti-gravity and levitation magic to achieve flight. But the whole purpose of your thesis is to improve flight efficiency for wind-attribute witches, so I suppose I should just focus on that."

"As we understand, simply blasting our bodies with wind magic is the most wasteful method to achieve flight. This coarse method was refined throughout the years with various techniques to lower the tremendous mana consumption."

"However, this is obviously not the best way to pursue flight, no matter how many revisions and improvements it has undergone. In the end, it would still be at the basic level of flying with the wind."

"So then, that brings us to the important question. What is the higher level of flying for wind-attribute witches?" Vaan raised the question, allowing Dahlia Payne to give it some thought instead of handing all the answers to her on a silver platter.

Nevertheless, Dahlia Payne knitted her brows in deep contemplation without figuring out the answer. She felt like there was a veil in front of the answer. But unfortunately, she was unable to see past it.

"I don't know," Dahlia Payne shook her head.

Vaan smiled wryly, seeing how easy it was for her to give up.

Given time, Dahlia Payne would eventually arrive at the answer. However, time wasn't something she had and definitely not something he was willing to waste.

As such, Vaan decided to give her a push.

"Actually, you were on the right track when you thought about manipulating the air in the body, my Lady. You just needed to think a step further to arrive at the ideal answer," Vaan hinted.

After listening to those words, Dahlia Payne pondered again, and the veil that obscured the answer from her mind seemingly dissipated.

Dahlia Payne's eyes brightened in the next moment.

"I understand now. Flying with the wind is the only most basic application of flight. The higher level of flight would be to become the wind," Dahlia Payne stated as she was enlightened.

"Wind-attribute witches can freely manipulate the wind with magic. Thus, if there's a way for wind-attribute witches to manipulate their bodies in the same way with wind magic, optimum efficiency would be achieved."

"To do that, wind-attribute witches would have to… increase their wind affinity!"

Right after drawing her conclusion, Dahlia Payne immediately cleared her desk. Then, she pulled out a fresh sheet of paper and began writing her thesis from scratch.

She was so self-absorbed in her work that she had utterly forgotten about Vaan.

Vaan smiled and left her be, allowing Dahlia Payne to concentrate on her thesis without distraction. After putting down her old research papers, he tended to other matters in the library.

'The Flight Efficiency isn't a very valuable topic. Even if Dahli succeeds in her thesis, she will only save her job. It's not enough to bestow the academic title of Wise Scholar,' Vaan mused.

After all, Dahlia Payne's thesis was targeted at wind-attribute witches. And even among wind-attribute witches, a minority would have the wealth and means to increase their wind affinity.

As such, her research would only be useful to a small group of witches, hence its low value.

'But if the other academics can see the hidden values in Dahlia Payne's refined research, she'll be recognized as a late-bloomer and labeled Talented at least,' Vaan figured.

Shortly after leaving the front desk area, Vaan moved to the Artificer section to enrich his knowledge on artificing—if the Redpine Academy's library's collection had anything new for him to learn.

Coincidently, one of the two visitors was also browsing through artificing-related books in the area.

The young lady, a first-year Apprentice Witch, had long taken notice of Vaan's presence when he entered the library.

After seeing Vaan come over to her area, the young lady seriously contemplated whether to ignore or chat him up.

'Think, Evie, think. A rare handsome man is right next to you. You shouldn't let this opportunity go to waste. You might not get another chance to know him! Ah, but he might already be taken… But there's also a chance he might not! Just shoot your shot, girl!'

The young lady called Evie mentally struggled as if she had an angel and devil telling her what to do.