Wizard: Unlimited Profession Slots Chapter 730 - 338: Star Initiative’s Influence_2

In their estimation, this youthful lecturer had clearly allowed his newfound status to cloud his judgment, resulting in a decision that lacked any semblance of prudence.

"I shall process your request immediately," he replied with a soft sigh. "However, have you given this enough thought? Should the student enrollment plummet..."

"That would merely indicate that the current pricing has successfully screened out those who are not a fit," Ron replied, turning to exit. "Update me the moment you have the figures."

As he watched Ron depart, Victor shook his head and remarked to his associates: "Far too headstrong. By tripling the fee, I would consider myself fortunate if he manages to fill even a fifth of his lecture hall."

The administrator of finance added, "The title of New Star Plan runner-up surely carries weight, but certainly not to this extent. Students aren't fools; this cost significantly exceeds that of attending sessions led by veteran lecturers."

Yet, four hours after the updated course details were published, Victor’s Magic Crystal Communicator began to glow incessantly.

"Mr. Victor, the enrollment portal for Lecturer Ralph’s advanced course appears to be malfunctioning due to a data error."

The maintenance apprentice reported with visible anxiety, "The enrollment numbers are surging far too rapidly—wait, no, these appear to be genuine figures... the prepaid Magic Stone Fragments have already been processed into the account..."

"What?" Victor stared at the live data in disbelief. "This... how could such a thing be possible?"

Within only a few hours, the number of participants had climbed past 200, and it continued to rise by another 8-10 enrollments every hour.

Even more startling was the discovery that the enrollees included not only disciples but also over a dozen official wizards.

"Hurry! Contact the equipment division and secure the large lecture hall at once!" Victor ordered frantically. "Also, arrange for sound amplification and extra seating to be installed!"

That same afternoon, Victor was compelled to pay a personal visit to Ron’s residence to relay the news. Upon seeing Ron, his expression was one of profound veneration.

"Lecturer Ralph, I... I owe you a sincere apology," Victor said, bowing, his voice betraying a hint of tremors. "I completely misjudged the scale of your influence; subscriptions have already topped 300 and show no signs of stopping."

He carefully produced a comprehensive report, stating, "This list contains 13 official wizards, 87 advanced apprentices, and others of intermediate status. We have been forced to reserve the academy’s primary Lecture Hall, which can accommodate 500 attendees."

Ron accepted the report and scanned the figures quickly. In his view, the prestige of being a New Star Plan runner-up was an asset that could be calculated, and its value had far eclipsed his initial projections.

"What is the cost of the additional logistics?" he inquired.

"In total... an extra 50 Magic Stone Fragments will be required," Victor’s voice faltered. "The fee covers the rental of the large lecture hall, the sound runes, and the auxiliary seating. This has already been adjusted to reflect our internal discount..."

"That is acceptable. Just deduct it from the revenue earned during my inaugural lecture."

Based on his own assessment, this was indeed a favorable rate, and Ron felt no need to haggle over such trivial amounts.

Upon returning to the office, the staff who had remained behind gathered around him expectantly.

"Victor, what happened? Were there actually people willing to pay such a steep tuition?"

"What was Lecturer Ralph’s demeanor? Was he not displeased?"

Victor simply shook his head, his gaze filled with awe: "More than 300 have signed up, including over a dozen official wizards. Our concern is no longer a lack of interest, but rather whether we can physically accommodate the crowd."

The room fell into a stunned silence as everyone stared in disbelief.

"This... this cannot be true," the finance administrator whispered. "300 Magic Stone Fragments per session, with an intake exceeding 300 students?"

"It appears we fundamentally misunderstood the weight of 'prestige value'," Victor remarked with a wry smile. "This title of New Star Plan runner-up is far more valuable than any of us had envisioned."

He recollected Ron’s initial composure and worried that the young man had predicted this outcome all along. His ability to weigh his own standing was remarkably accurate.

"A genius is so labeled because they possess insights that we commoners simply cannot fathom," Victor sighed to his colleagues.

......

As dawn broke, the massive flying machine destined for the Abyssal Observation Station began to churn, its magic engine producing a deep, authoritative thrum.

The lounge was crowded with researchers readying themselves for the return journey, their expressions reflecting the grave anticipation of the perils ahead.

Ron stood comfortably within the crowd, his small, refined suitcase housing a heavily compressed workshop.

He immediately drew envious gazes from the younger researchers nearby.

"Lecturer Ralph, that spatial device of yours seems quite sophisticated," a material analyst wearing thick spectacles marveled. "With a compression factor like that, it must command a price of several full Magic Stones on the open market, right?"

"It is nothing special, though the construction is admittedly intricate," Ron answered with a modest nod.

A seasoned researcher standing nearby offered a bitter smile, shaking his head. "We ordinary folks cannot afford such luxuries. My own laboratory gear must be sent via transport, requiring tedious recalibration at the station, which inevitably costs me several days of precious time."

As he boarded the vessel, the captain treated Ron with a distinct level of deference compared to the other travelers while verifying the passenger manifest.

"Wizard Ralph, your seat is reserved in the third row of Zone A, offering you the premier view," the captain stated, personally escorting him. "Pray, inform the staff if you require any specialized assistance during the flight."