Aegon had noticed a pattern. Everything seemed to happen in the Dean's office, and it was clear from the countless number of times he had needed to visit there.

But he didn't say anything to Grandpa Sam. He just shrugged and said, "Just don't run off from there like last time. I'm coming."

[I'll wait this time.]

With that, the call was cut off. Aegon jumped to his feet and said, "Kai, I need to leave."

As he had been busy talking with Grandpa Sam, he hadn't noticed the strange expression on Kai's face.

Upon hearing him, Kai snapped out of his thoughts and asked, "Yes, that's fine, but who were you talking to?"

"Hmm? It's my Grandpa Sam. He's probably popular in the Empire, so you must've found his voice familiar," Aegon said, guessing what Kai was thinking.

"Sam, huh. That makes sense. Yes, I've heard about him," Kai sighed softly before smiling. "You're really amazing, Aegon."

"I don't know where that's coming from, but thanks," Aegon said, then suddenly pulled Kai into a hug. "And once again, thanks for everything. I know you don't follow the usual norms, so at least take this hug from me."

Kai hesitated for a second before hugging him back. He patted Aegon's back and said, "Go and brighten the world, just like the sun you are."

"Hmm, I will." Aegon nodded and pulled away with a grin. "Also, remember that I accepted you as my teacher, which means you're Aegon Valeria Augustus's teacher for my whole lifetime. Never forget that."

Kai couldn't help but smile. He understood what Aegon meant, but it truly didn't matter much to him. Others would probably give everything just to earn that title, but he didn't care about it.

Perhaps, that was exactly why Aegon let him take this esteemed position in his life.

"Go!" Kai patted his shoulder. "Just remember to come back for your punishment."

"Aghh! Don't remind me of that," Aegon groaned, hurriedly picking up the metal box before running away, afraid that Kai might decide to punish him right then and there.

Kai watched his back as he left and muttered, "To think even he would behave like that with you… What a remarkable person you are, my good man and disciple."

....

The journey to the Dean's office was a quick one, as Aegon had already become all too familiar with the Academy's shortcuts. In just a few minutes, he stood before the office doors.

Without even bothering to knock, he slammed the door open and strolled inside as if he owned the place rather than being a student of the Academy.

Just as he expected, he found the two old men sitting on a sofa, rambling about some utterly useless topic, something about which prostitute had run away from the Grand Pleasure Sect.

'And these guys are actually running the Empire,' Aegon rolled his eyes and slumped down beside Grandpa Sam. The old man hadn't changed one bit, even after fifteen years.

"Brat, don't you have manners?" Grandpa Sam narrowed his golden eyes at him. "Knock before entering, and don't disturb when your Elders are discussing something important."

"Important, my ass!" Aegon snorted and glanced at a scroll half-hidden behind a cushion. "Respected Dean, care to tell me what that scroll is?"

"Confidential information!" Amon said instantly, adjusting his monocle nervously.

Aegon's eyes narrowed in suspicion before he suddenly shouted, "Dragon!!"

"Where?" Amon's head snapped to the north, only to realize a second later that he had fallen for Aegon's trick. "Don't open it, Aegon! You can be branded as a spy and—"

"Sexy Miss Wang Serves Wine with Her Feet!" Aegon read aloud before glancing down at the vivid, colorful illustrations depicting scenes he had never seen before.

Closing the scroll, he took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes. "It really is confidential information, huh."

"I mean, technically I'm not wrong," Amon said, smiling sheepishly yet again.

"Of course, you need to keep your fetish confidential," Grandpa Sam clicked his tongue repeatedly. "Who would've thought that the esteemed Dean of the Supreme Apostle Academy is actually into feet? Really though, I never thought you were so depraved."

"Shut it, Old Sam! You were no better, but losing your jewels changed you," Amon shot back with a smirk and a wink.

"You want to see the Balls of the Sun?" Grandpa Sam growled, his tone dark.

'It seems this topic is forbidden. Wait… did he really lose his balls?' Aegon hurriedly shook off those thoughts, pretending he hadn't heard a thing.

His family had taught him to respect his elders, and he truly did, but these two were different. He just couldn't see them as Elders, they never even bothered pretending to be dignified ones.

More than elders, they felt like old friends, even though there was such a big age gap between them.

He sighed and said, "Forget all that nonsense. I came here to show you something and also to discuss the future."

Grandpa Sam finally shifted his attention toward him and asked, "What is it?"

Instead of saying anything, Aegon took out the metal box and placed it on the glass table. Neither of the two old men reached for it, they didn't need to.

Amon adjusted his monocle and said with interest, "Interesting! It's actually storing Essence. You created this Rune Formation?"

"Wait! Isn't this a Rank 3 Rune Formation?" Grandpa Sam asked, shock clearly visible in his eyes.

"Yes, created by yours truly," Aegon said with a mock bow and even threw in a wink for good measure.

"Bullshit!" Grandpa Sam cursed loudly. "You snot-faced brat actually did this? In just a single year?"

"A very handsome-faced young man did this, yes," Aegon corrected him smugly.

"Your talent is as fascinating as always," Amon said, smiling warmly. "This is a huge accomplishment. But it can't just be about this Rune Formation, can it?"

"Yes, I don't understand why you're so obsessed with creating this," Grandpa Sam muttered, still half-lost in shock.

"I'm planning to make cheap, affordable, and long-term Mana Batteries," Aegon explained, his tone serious. "It'll help me in many of my future projects."

"Essence Gathering Formation would go well with this," Amon muttered thoughtfully. "It's a brilliant idea but far too wasteful to be produced cheaply, not to mention the consequences it'll have on the atmosphere."

That was the biggest problem and the very reason why no one had ever tried to make something like this, even though a few had come up with similar ideas before.

It was simply too wasteful.

Each Mana Battery would require a Rank 3 RuneMaster to create it, which simply wasn't worth the effort. Not to mention the outrageously expensive ingredients needed to craft the medium capable of sustaining the Rune Formation.

It couldn't possibly be mass-produced.

Using Mana Stones was still a far more practical option for everyone.

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