I made up magic and taught a world-destroying witch?

He was clearly just preparing materials to fool people for the presentation class. If Grace and Mia couldn't come up with anything at the presentation class next week, he could at least produce a report in advance that looked thick enough, formal enough, and so compelling that no one would know how to refute it after listening to it.

If someone were to ask, "Professor Grantham, why didn't your students complete any effective spellcasting?"

He could say, "In the early stages of the new magic system, it is not appropriate to use the outward manifestation of old magic as the sole evaluation standard."

In addition, there are supplementary explanations such as "structural stability observation phase", "low explicit threshold", "individualized progress difference", and "premature release will disrupt spell slot formation".

He could at least stall the situation by throwing out a string of words, and as long as he could stall, he would still have time to come up with other solutions.

For example, it might be delayed until the quarterly report, until the association audits, until the weather warms up, until the prices at the Southern Manor drop, until he finds a way to take the money and run away.

In short, one should procrastinate as long as possible.

But obviously, you can't say that to Marco.

Joseph nodded and said, "Just some initial preparations."

Upon hearing this, Marco's expression immediately turned solemn with respect.

It's only a preliminary review? Marco thought of the old professors at the academy.

You should know that every time the senior professors in the college present their so-called preparatory materials before class, they either copy a few paragraphs of comments from the students' grade sheets or ask the administration office to change the date on last year's report.

Some even don't bother to change the project title, and the submitted documents may contain the name of the previous student.

The most outrageous instance was when a professor wrote "Summary of the Frost Condensation Technique Training Phase" in the presentation materials for a fire-based training course.

At that time, the clerk in the administrative office cautiously reminded him:

"Professor, your research topic is fire-based..."

The professor remained silent for a moment, then said without changing his expression:

"Why not just remove 'Frost' and change it to 'Blazing Flame'?"

The administration office then reminded him that there were also the words "adaptability to low-temperature environments" at the end.

The old professor didn't even lift his eyelids:

"Then change it to adaptability to extremely hot environments. Do I really need to teach you such a small thing?"

  

Marco, standing nearby, realized for the first time that the so-called sacred and inviolable academic dignity of the Royal Academy of Magic relied heavily on the administrative office's frantic embellishment and leniency when copying documents.

The professors are responsible for being abstruse, and the administrators are responsible for translating their abstruse nonsense into gibberish that the audit team can understand.

Throughout the entire magical world of the Empire, perhaps only the Administrative Office truly worries about the progress of academic projects.

Therefore, Marco naturally has a fondness for professors who are willing to prepare materials in advance, proactively organize their topics, and even write complete titles themselves.

Moreover, this person is Joseph Grantham.

The empire's youngest archmage.

While others were being urged to submit materials, Mr. Joseph had already taken the initiative to prepare his presentation report – that's the difference.

Joseph felt a little uneasy under Marco's fanatical gaze.

To cover his embarrassment, he subconsciously opened the drawer, pulled out a few scraps of paper that he usually scribbled on, and stuffed them haphazardly into the stack of reports.

These were originally just drafts he wrote while thinking about how to slack off on funding. They were full of nonsense about a new magic education system, a failure space, and a draft of a self-practice day system, along with a few crooked and messy pictures.

But whatever it is, just fill up the pages; the thicker the paper, the more authentic it looks.

Joseph had only wanted the report to appear thicker.

When Marco saw these terms, his eyes lit up even more.

Good heavens... Professor Grantham is not preparing a normal demonstration lesson at all!

A typical professor's demonstration lesson might involve students setting up a fireball, freezing a cup, or lighting a candle, but Professor Grantham's demonstration lesson was clearly much more than that!

He is establishing a whole new set of evaluation standards!

New magic cannot be measured by whether old magic can be cast immediately.

It should have its own observation metrics, just like those written in Professor Grantham's draft!

Marco felt increasingly uneasy as he thought about it, overwhelmed by a sense of mission to witness history.

He couldn't help but ask:

"Sir...should I take this magnificent manuscript back to the administration office immediately and edit it into a formal submission version?"

Joseph's heart skipped a beat when he heard this.

Official submission version?

If he writes it himself, at most he can produce a perfunctory document, but if the administration department organizes it according to the association's project specifications, the effect will be completely different!

Even if there's no real substance in the outfit, wearing the whole set will make it look very formal, won't it?

Once the two students can't produce anything during the presentation class, he can simply put the formal report on the table.

We have a way out, don't we?

Joseph was satisfied, but he didn't show it on his face; he simply nodded calmly.

"Can."

"I understand, sir!" Marco solemnly clutched the stack of drafts to his chest.

"I will prepare the materials according to the association's official project material specifications!"

Joseph had no idea what he had figured out, but since free, high-quality typesetting labor was offered to him, he figured he might as well take it. "Go ahead, thank you for your hard work."

"It's my pleasure to serve you!"

Marco walked to the door, but couldn't help turning back again to glance at Joseph sitting behind his desk.

The young great magician lowered his head again, picked up his quill, and continued writing on another piece of paper.

The light from the window fell on the shoulder line of his dark blue mage robe, making his back view appear quiet and composed.

Marco felt a surge of respect.

Look, this is the true pioneer of arcane magic!

While others were waiting to see him fail, he was already quietly building a new foundation for the entire system amidst the ruins.

Marco left the experimental tower carrying the materials, his steps quickening compared to his arrival.

Joseph listened to the footsteps fade into the distance, finally put down his quill, and let out a long sigh of relief.

Fortunately, at least there's a stepping stone for demonstrating the lesson.

He leaned back in his chair, rubbed his temples, and began to seriously consider another question.

Since the official report has already been prepared, can he continue to sleep for a while?

Meanwhile, Marco returned to the administration office with the stack of documents.

The administration office is located on the first floor of the main building of the college, in a back area. It looks inconspicuous from the outside, but inside it is filled with rows of filing cabinets.

Each filing cabinet is labeled with different years, different projects, and different professors' names.

If the main tower of the magic academy symbolizes knowledge and glory, then the administration office probably symbolizes all the forms that no one wants to fill out behind that knowledge and glory.

As soon as Marco entered, several administrative staff who were organizing the list of demonstration classes looked up.

"Marco, another document from Professor Grantham's side?"

"I heard he finally recruited students this year?"

"Those two who were rejected by the Royal Academy?"

"One is a third princess, and the other is a blacksmith's daughter, right?"

Someone asked in a low voice:

"Is he really going to let them teach this demonstration lesson?"

Marco placed the parchment on the long table and glanced up at the man.

"Watch your wording."

The administrator immediately shut up.

Although Marco is usually easy to talk to, he becomes much more serious than the old professors in the college when it comes to formal project materials.

A young clerk nearby curiously leaned over, glanced at the top title, and read it aloud:

"A report on the priority principle of spell slot structure stability and observations in the low-obvious-stage"? What is this? A demonstration lesson report?

Marco paused for a moment, then slowly said:

"It's not just a demonstration lesson report; Professor Grantham's demonstration this time is probably not just one or two spells, but a new set of assessment standards that differs from the old magic training courses!"

Several people in the office stopped what they were doing, and after a while, someone whispered:

"But isn't the demonstration lesson supposed to showcase student work?"

Marco glanced at him and said, "That was the old demonstration lesson."

"The old demonstration class?"

Marco didn't explain further because he hadn't fully figured it out yet, but that didn't prevent him from understanding Professor Grantham.

As a result, the administration office had an extra task that day: to organize the draft of Professor Grantham's presentation report and transcribe it according to the association's official project material specifications.

However, in a place like a magic academy, any secret that is even slightly respectable, once it enters the leaky machine that is the administration department, will never simply remain there.

It all started when a clerk went to the archives next door to borrow an old project report template and casually remarked:

"Professor Grantham has already begun preparing materials for his demonstration lesson."