I loaded the Mysticism panel.

Chapter 249 Changing Lives

The basic knowledge courses are the same for both classes, and the content they learn is also quite similar.

What truly separates people are the courses that are separate from the basic courses and open only to students in special classes.

The tutor provides individual lessons and Q&A sessions, and there's also an "additional topic" whose name is unfamiliar to most people.

The first class was led by an associate professor named Croft.

Richard entered the classroom ahead of time.

He saw that it was a middle-aged man who was so thin he looked unrecognizable, with high cheekbones and deep-set eyes.

He was so thin he didn't look like a scholar; he looked more like a hunter.

However, the hunter's skin was as thin as a dry, hard ham.

Although thin, he has muscles.

As long as you burn blood, you can support your entire body.

But this person was so thin that he was just a skeleton.

The associate professor arrived at just the right time, neither too early nor too late, precisely during class time.

As soon as he entered, his gaze swept around the classroom before finally settling on Richard.

"Williams".

He said coldly, "I heard you were 'carried' in."

The classroom fell silent after the sudden roll call.

All the students around Richard turned their attention to him.

"I really want to see it today."

Associate Professor Croft's lips curled down: "What kind of person stands under Professor Mortimer's name?"

Richard remained seated and did not respond.

Croft turned around, picked up a book from the podium, and spread it open on the table:

Thucydides, *History of the Peloponnesian War*

He pointed to this page.

"This passage is from Clement's speech during the debates of Mythiline."

The sentence stretched to almost half a page, with clauses nested within clauses.

Richard naturally remembered this part.

This is arguably the most grammatically convoluted part of the entire book, as if it were deliberately designed to torment people.

Croft began asking questions: "I need you to translate for me into Albion on the spot."

After the oral interpretation, it was then translated into Ancient Greek.

He began taking attendance.

The first person called was a well-dressed nobleman.

The nobleman's son spoke fluently at first, but he got stuck on the third clause.

He couldn't remember the conjugation of an irregular verb no matter what he did, and his face turned bright red as he embarrassed himself in front of everyone.

The second one to be named was also stuck on a positional shift.

Croft's gaze swept around again, finally settling on Richard:

"Williams, you translate."

Richard stood up.

[博闻] Instantly, the entire original text, along with the printing flaws, was imprinted in his mind.

He looked at that page, and what appeared before his eyes was a whole passage of text whose structure had been dissected.

[Analysis] He then extracted the main clause about weighing for him.

Kreon's speech is convoluted.

The reason lies in the layers of concessive clauses and conditional clauses.

But the main body is actually just one sentence.

The Athenians could not be lenient with their rebellious allies.

Once you grasp this crucial main clause, the other seemingly complex clauses will naturally wrap around the main clause.

Richard had already prepared his speech, and he began to speak.

His Albionese translations were both steady and accurate.

Even the grammatically convoluted parts were reconstructed using Albionese logic, without losing any meaning.

Even when translating those most obscure and irregular verbs, he didn't stumble at all.

[Breathing] gave him a precise vocal instrument, allowing him to pronounce every complex syllable extremely clearly.

His knowledge enabled him to have his own understanding of each Greek word, far beyond rote memorization.

The translated sentences even captured the distinctively aggressive tone of Clerion.

The entire room fell silent instantly.

The presence of the pearl and jade behind them made the faces of the two noble scions who were stuck in their tracks turn ugly.

Croft stood behind the podium, his eyes constantly scanning Richard.

Finally, he snorted through his nose: "Not bad."

The first large-scale interpreting class was just the beginning.

After the basic knowledge classes come large lectures, where hundreds of people sit in a lecture hall to listen.

But in addition to large classes, there are also small classes.

That is, one mentor leads no more than ten students.

The group gathered around a table.

Ask them face-to-face, test them face-to-face.

It's easy to spot who has a weak foundation.

Over the next two days of small group classes, Croft went through each of the thirty or so students in the special class individually.

He doesn't have time for that in a large class with hundreds of students.

However, there are fewer than ten people in each small group.

He has plenty of time to thoroughly analyze everyone and identify their weaknesses.

Especially Richard.

In terms of historical analysis, he presented Tacitus's most obscure passage, asking Richard to analyze the author's hidden political leanings beneath the narrative.

Richard calmly and methodically dissected Tacitus's seemingly fair but actually incisive writing style.

Based on his knowledge of epigraphy, Croft produced a rubbing that mixed up the writing systems of three different eras, allowing Richard to determine its dating.

Richard built upon his experience at the Whitcomb Boundary Stone, further enhanced by his aunt's specialized training.

The three layers of inscriptions were peeled off one by one.

Rhetoric, textual criticism... one subject after another.

All of it was put on Richard.

Even the most outstanding students have their own weaknesses.

For example, there may be someone whose rhetoric is extremely beautiful, but who falters when it comes to grammar.

He also has an extremely solid foundation in textual criticism.

They could even determine which came first from the slightest differences between the two copies.

However, he struggles to read lengthy historical texts and gets stuck when faced with long narratives.

Richard was the only exception.

Even if Croft tried each subject one by one, questioning them meticulously.

But in the end, he was surprised to find that Richard, his student, was like an impenetrable wall.

It has no weaknesses whatsoever.

Latin is unparalleled; no one can rival it.

While the other subjects did not reach the level of Latin, they were still far above average.

He can handle everything and has no obvious weaknesses.

This abnormal "comprehensiveness" is even more terrifying than being the best in a single subject.

Croft believed that a person's energy is limited.

To become the best in Latin, one must dedicate countless days and nights to it.

However, this will inevitably lead to weaknesses in other subjects.

But Richard, at the very least, excelled in Latin.

Historiography, inscriptions, rhetoric, textual criticism... he really excels in every aspect.

There are only two reasons for a balance without any weaknesses.

Either they start practicing diligently from the age of five or six, and then continue for more than ten years without interruption.

For example, Montagu.

Or it could be some kind of "talent" that even Croft couldn't understand.

According to his student profile, Richard comes from an engineer's family in Briston.

A year ago, he was still frail and sickly, and his grades were among the worst.

Therefore, the claim about training from childhood doesn't hold water.

He is not Montagu.

Only that explanation remained, which Croft neither understood nor comprehended.

So he became even more difficult.

Every time he saw Richard, his face would become even more tense.

The students in the same cohort all witnessed this scene.

Their thoughts were different.

Some people sympathize with Richard, feeling that Croft is too harsh, constantly singles out Richard as a target.

But besides sympathy, they all understood one thing.

That's the associate professor's predicament, but it's also a form of indirect attention.

Otherwise, why were so many aristocratic children left out of the classroom by Croft?

Croft didn't even bother to glance at these people.

During a break between classes.

Phillips leaned closer to Richard: "Old Ke has taken a liking to you."

He handed over half a pastry that he had somehow gotten his hands on.

Richard took the snacks: "You're interested in me? If you were interested, would you be picking on me every day?"

Phillips: "The fact that he's picking on you only proves that he's interested in you."

He glanced around and lowered his voice, saying, "Have you seen him give me any trouble? The proofreading I submitted last night, he just glanced at it and put it down, he didn't even bother to draw a red circle around it."

Richard was speechless: "...Your homework."

Phillips: "What happened to my homework?"

Richard: "Half of it is copied from last year's template."

Phillips stuffed the remaining half of the pastry into his mouth and mumbled:

"So what? At least I copied it very carefully!"

Time flew by and it was Thursday.

Today's schedule includes a course called "Advanced Topics in Classical Languages".

Although it is a high-level topic, it is still open to the public.

Students from regular classes can also come and audit the classes if they are willing.

Croft finished his half-lesson presentation and put down the chalk:

"Students in the regular classes."

The heads of the few people listening in the back row rose up.

Croft: "That concludes today's advanced session. You may now leave."

The students from the regular classes were somewhat puzzled.

It's only been half a class period.

But since they were just there to listen in, they didn't dare ask any more questions and packed their things to leave.

The classroom door then closed.

Those who remained in the classroom were all people who possessed etheric circuits.

Richard knew the important part was coming up, so he straightened up.

So this is what Pendleton meant by "additional topics".

Croft installed a soundproofing device after the door was completely closed.

He picked up the chalk and wrote a word on the blackboard:

"Change lives."

Croft: "That's what we'll be talking about today."

Richard perked up.

"Most of you heard this kind of story when you were young."

Croft paced slowly: "A perfectly fine child, after a trip to the edge of the forest, came back changed."

Even though it's the same face and the same height, the parents always feel that something is wrong with this child.

This is because of the fairy spirit, or you can call it an elf.

He stood still: "They will kidnap human children and hide them deep in the forest."

Then, she transformed into a child, came to the human world, and lived with the child's parents.

Someone asked, "What happens to the children who were kidnapped?"

Croft smiled sinisterly: "The child who is taken to the forest will become a member of the fairies."

They will forever remain as seven-year-old children, wandering in the forest.

Therefore, they are both celestial beings and children who never grow up.

These words carried a chilling undertone.

"It's not just the appearance; the replaced children are also forever stuck at that age."

Gradually, they will forget their language, their name, their origins...

Once they have completely forgotten, they will become true immortals.

And learn all the skills of life-changing, becoming a true life-changing being.

The students were captivated by the story, and the classroom was unusually quiet.

Croft continued, "As for the swapped beings who take the place of children and infiltrate human families..."

It must perfectly mimic a child's lifestyle and hide its true identity perfectly.

This job is no easy task; the imposter has to be on tenterhooks every day, fearing that he might be exposed one day.

Some of the swapped beings are psychologically fragile; feeling they've harmed others, their mental state collapses before the truth is even revealed.

He came to the front of the classroom and put down the chalk in his hand: "The ability to change living beings is very weak."

All they can do is barely change the shape and perform a few tricks.

Once they completely transform into "humans", all their abilities except for the ability to shapeshift will disappear.

Therefore, once their identities are exposed, they will face annihilation.

Croft paused at this point, then changed the subject:

"These stories have been told by old ladies for hundreds of years."

You heard these when you were little, but now that you're grown up, you probably just think of them as nonsense to scare children.

But now, you've entered this floor.

He raised his hand and tapped the words "exchange living beings" on the blackboard:

"You need to look inside; it's more than just a story."

The success of things like swapping lives depends on making you "believe" it's your child.

At this point, his expression turned serious, and his tone became solemn:

"If you call the alien being 'my child,' then it can rightfully take the child's place."

They'll eat your food, drink your water, until they've eaten your entire family dry.

If one day you see through its tricks, you'll no longer call it a child, but rather "a filthy imposter."

Croft threw the chalk into the wastebasket: "Then its little tricks won't be able to protect itself for long, and it will immediately reveal its true form."

He gave a sinister smile: "The consequences will be dire."

Richard was deeply shocked upon hearing this.

Just then, the bell rang, signaling the end of get out of class.

Croft deactivated the soundproofing spell: "That's enough for today, get out of class dismissed."