Those renowned professors and the Director of Education all showed him respect. But all of this—all of this honor—he had personally pushed away! John was filled with regret and frustration, but now, it was all too late. All he could do was stand outside with the crowd, watching from afar as Arthur, the chosen one, basked in the spotlight. Rocco ignored the murmuring crowd. Right now, his mind was solely focused on the professors inside the room. With quick strides, he approached the door and spoke urgently to the bodyguards outside. "Hello, gentlemen! I’m Rocco, the Director of Education for South City. Please allow us to knock and enter." Rocco’s attitude was sincere, without a hint of arrogance despite his high-ranking position. After all, the bodyguards stationed here were most likely protecting the professors. How could he afford to offend them? The bodyguards exchanged glances before one of them gave a small nod. A knock echoed through the room. Inside, Ashley had just shut the door and was about to escort Hugo further in when she heard the knock. Hugo looked at Ashley with a puzzled expression. Ashley wasn’t sure what was going on either, but considering that someone had knocked despite the presence of the guards, the visitor was certainly no ordinary person. She opened the door, and the moment Rocco saw her, his eyes lit up. With a warm familiarity, he said, "You must be Ashley?" Ashley nodded. "I am. And you are?" "Oh, I’m Rocco, the Director of Education for South City. You and Arthur really brought great honor to South City in this year’s SATs!" Rocco beamed with joy. The students under his jurisdiction had achieved such outstanding results—what better proof of his capable leadership? Ashley was taken aback. Even the Director of Education had come! But before she could say anything, another deep voice rang out from behind Rocco. "Is this Arthur’s house?" Rocco spun around in shock. "Mr. Scott? You came too?"Scott stepped forward, casually shaking Rocco’s hand. "How could I not?" As they shook hands, Scott craned his neck to peer inside. The moment he spotted Ashley, a broad smile spread across his face. "And this must be Ashley?" Having two students in his jurisdiction achieve such outstanding scores—it was a proud moment for him as well. Ashley nodded. "Hello, Mr. Scott." "Ah, good kid." Ashley’s polite and well-mannered demeanor made Scott beam with satisfaction. Without wasting any time, Ashley said, "Arthur is in the courtyard." As she spoke, she stepped aside. The moment she moved, Hugo—who had been standing behind her—was revealed. "This… this is—" Both Rocco and Scott were stunned! Especially Rocco. The man standing before him looked exactly like Hugo! He hadn’t seen Hugo in years. Earlier, his focus had been entirely on getting to the house, and he hadn’t paid attention to the discussions outside. The crowd, upon seeing Rocco, had also shifted their topic of conversation. News of Hugo’s arrival in South City hadn’t spread yet, and Rocco had been unaware of it while traveling. Now, suddenly coming face-to-face with him, he could hardly believe his eyes! That was Hugo from Governance University! Even meeting him once was an incredibly difficult feat—so how could he possibly have lowered himself to come here to see a mere student? Scott was just as shocked. He had once attended Hugo’s lectures! So many years had passed, and Hugo had aged considerably. But his upright posture and piercing gaze remained unchanged! With the wisdom of age, his presence had only grown more commanding. Scott was the first to recover from the shock. He hurriedly stepped forward, his voice trembling with excitement as he carefully addressed him, "Mr. Hugo?"Hugo studied the man before him, sensing a trace of familiarity. He had spent years giving lectures at the academy. But he had taught far too many students to remember them all. Seeing the confusion in Hugo’s eyes, Scott quickly introduced himself. "Mr. Hugo, I’m Scott. I’m now the City Lord of South City. I had the honor of attending your lectures back when I was a student." As City Lord, Scott always carried an air of authority in public. Even earlier, as he walked through the crowd, he had unconsciously exuded the demeanor of a leader. After all, being in a position of power required a certain level of formality. But now, standing before Hugo, that authoritative presence vanished entirely. He looked like nothing more than a respectful student, standing before his esteemed teacher with an innate sense of admiration and reverence. Hugo nodded. "Oh, I see. Well, well, you’ve become a City Lord. Not bad at all."