A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 303: Again, Mage Tower (1)

Within the Sanctuary of the Ages, Epherene was lost in a daze, her eyes slightly unfocused as she stared blankly into the air, often becoming like this—her mind suddenly growing clouded even while eating, studying magic, or writing a thesis…

It was likely due to that incident from four days prior, for no matter how hard she tried to focus her mind, it wouldn’t leave her thoughts.

“So, Deculein was held in your arms?” Idnik asked, eating French fries.

Epherene flinched, awakening from that day’s memory, and replied, “… Sorry?”

“Asking again, are we~?” Idnik said, her eyebrows dancing.

“W-What are you talking about?” Epherene replied, shaking her head.

“Did you not say that Deculein was in your arms?”

“… What are you talking about? H-He… whatchamacallit, he wasn’t in my arms, he just collapsed.”

After the momentous incident—when Deculein fell into Epherene’s arms, or rather, merely collapsed—Epherene found herself unconsciously touching the parts of her body that Deculein had contacted, where their bodies had brushed, and where his weight had pressed down upon her…

“… Oh, your face is flushing.”

“What?! When?! No, it didn’t!” Epherene screamed, her hands covering her face.

“Haha, why do you act as if you like that Professor?” Idnik chuckled.

“Like him?! What are you talking about—?!”

In a sudden outburst, Epherene sprang up and walked to check Yulie’s condition, finding no cause for concern.

“… I believe two weeks will be enough,” Epherene continued.

“Is that the end, then?” Idnik asked.

“No, in two weeks, when preparations are complete, I will release the time energy all at once. There might be big trouble then.”

“Big trouble?”

“Yes,” Epherene said, her fingers brushing through her hair. “Things like the time in this space suddenly becoming entangled… or something of that nature. Anyway.”

Epherene gathered the documents scattered across the laboratory bench, which were filled with various calculations and spells.

“Since there’s still some time, I’ll just head over to the Mage Tower for a bit. Is that alright?” Epherene added.

Despite her persistence in submitting her thesis, Epherene faced nothing but dismissal and disdain from Academia.

“Huh? Why do you ask me that?” Idnik replied.

“No, not Mage Idnik—I meant this tiny knight right here,” Epherene said, pointing to the miniature Keiron on the laboratory bench.

Keiron was a very dependable Escort Knight, tasked with protecting this Sanctuary until Knight Yulie awakened from her sleep.

“Is that alright?”

— Yes, it is alright.

“Yes. Oh, but…” Epherene said as she approached Idnik. “The Scarletborn… how are they?”

“The situation has improved to a degree, but suppression will unquestionably continue. There are many who feel hostility toward the Scarletborn, and the Altar’s spies have spread throughout the Empire.”

However, Idnik’s voice was unexpectedly loud, whereas Epherene intentionally whispered because of Keiron, the Empress’s man.

— I merely fulfill the duty of guarding this place.

Keiron said, a look of understanding appearing on his face.

“… Do you believe Empress Sophien alone instigated the Empire? No, the Empire’s depths are full of Altar spies who manipulate public opinion and cause disturbance. Because of them, the suppression of the Scarletborn will continue for a time,” Idnik continued.

Perhaps the desert’s defiance has caused a rather intense reaction from the Empire, Epherene thought.

“Then, once Assistant Professor Allen arrives, I’ll head over to the Mage Tower to take care of some work,” Epherene said, nodding.

“What kind of work? You’ll definitely be caught.”

“… The Mage Tower is expansive, you know. I won’t be caught. Besides, I find the Mage Tower rather suspicious lately.”

“Suspcious?”

“Yes.”

Declaring the Mage Tower suspicious, Epherene unrolled a map of the continent.

“Here, I also stole this from the Professor,” Epherene added.

“Good for you,” Idnik replied.

“… This map not only displays our location but also reveals mana phenomena like earthquakes or tsunamis, indicating their position and magnitude,” Epherene said.

The capabilities of Deculein’s continent map, an object almost like an artifact, were absolutely astonishing.

“But during the recent Land of Destruction incident, there was an earthquake, you know?”

In the Land of Destruction, an earthquake occurred, and very oddly enough…

“At the same time, an earthquake also occurred at the Mage Tower, a completely different location,” Epherene concluded.

“That seems to be a rare coincidence,” Idnik replied.

“Yes, while up to this point it could be mere coincidence, the magnitude and mana concentration were identical, with not the slightest margin of error.”

Idnik’s brow furrowed.

“However, it is definitely unusual for the magnitude and mana concentration to be identical, is it not? So, I gave some thought, calculated, and explored every magical possibility to understand how this could be and there was only one conclusion,” Epherene said with a smile. “They are connected—the Land of Destruction and the Mage Tower. For some reason or another.”

***

After returning from the desert to the Empire and seating myself in the Mage Tower’s office chair following a long absence, I heard Sophien’s voice immediately flow from the crystal orb.

— Professor, do you hear me?

“I am now the Chairman, Your Majesty,” I replied.

— … Chairman, do you hear me?

“Yes, Your Majesty. However, your shortness of breath suggests you are in the midst of training.”

— Indeed.

Sophien was liberated from her restraints, and to my Sharp Eyesight, this was evident—a consequence of her understanding of feeling without any assistance. Sophien had gained the ability to look into the deepest parts of her own heart, and now, she was no longer controlled by something as inconsequential as Quay’s defense mechanism.

“Your Majesty, I am relieved to see you are not neglectful in your training.”

— … Indeed.

Sophien replied curtly.

— Anyhow, my swordsmanship is nearly perfected. Next, it will be magic’s turn.

“I will select and send a magic professor from the Mage Tower to the Imperial Palace, Your Majesty.”

— What?

Sophien said, her reply uncharacteristically tinged with disbelief.

— Why ‘send’?

Again, Sophien asked, with an uncharacteristically innocent tone.

Suppressing a smile, I replied, “It’s not that I know all magic, Your Majesty. Magic is divided into categories and properties, which is why professors specialize differently and a magic professor might be entirely ignorant of another’s specialty. Therefore—”

— I have no need for it. You come here.

“Your Majesty, my presence would be a waste of your magical talent.”

— … What is the character of my magical talent, that you speak thus?

Sophien replied, her voice lowering in an unenthusiastic tone.

“Your Majesty, you are talented in all properties and categories and are destined to reach the pinnacle of any you choose. Therefore, you must learn from magic professors across the widest possible range of properties and categories.”

Sophien remained silent.

“Your Majesty, I will select and send the most capable professors to the Imperial Palace. When you have absorbed their instruction to perfection, I will present myself to administer an exam.”

— … An exam.

“Yes, Your Majesty. It is an exam for none but yourself.”

Sophien did not answer, and she merely broke the transmission.

I leaned my chin on my hand for a moment, lost in thought.

Of course, this was the best method for Sophien’s magical progress, as even though my mind brimmed with knowledge from various magical disciplines, I could not match the practical application of specialized professors who manifested such magic.

However, that was not the only reason.

“… A cactus, is it?” I muttered as I looked at the cactus by the window.

The cactus, performing its morning photosynthesis in the sunlight, seemed to twitch slightly, and its flower bud, positioned like a headband, was so inexplicably charming that I kept glancing at it and each time I saw it, I felt Sophien’s heart.

“I did not imagine I would be affected by a mere gift,” I continued, shaking my head.

It must be due to the commingling of Kim Woo-Jin and Deculein, I thought.

Ding dong—

At that very moment, the ringing of the doorbell echoed in my office.

“It’s Louina, Chairman. Would you perhaps care to come down to the third floor?”

It was Louina.

***

The third floor of the Mage Tower, being the lowest floor, was an ordinary lecture space where new mages typically attended classes and occasionally conducted simple experiments.

“What purpose, then, is there in calling me to this very floor?” I inquired.

“Does it not bring back old memories of attending lectures here?” Louina replied.

“It does not.”

“Well, anyway. Here,” Louina said with a smile, wrinkling her nose as she gestured toward a modest lecture hall tucked in a corner on the third floor.

“Enough of that. Explain,” I replied, my brow furrowing.

“… Has your temper worsened somehow?” Louina asked, scoffing. “Look through this glass panel yourself—the outside cannot be seen from within.”

Through the pane of glass, I looked into the lecture hall.

“For the time being, she is a part-time professor.”

As Louina had mentioned, a part-time professor was diligently writing on the board, explaining something to a mere seventeen mages, her long black hair shimmering like obsidian each time she moved…

“That is Sylvia, and she has come back.”

I found myself speechless, if only for a moment, due to Louina’s statement.

“By the way, it’s a secret for now. As you can tell from her clothes, she is in disguise.”

With hair as black as night and eyes to match, Sylvia was dressed in a luxurious suit from head to toe, with round glasses perched upon her nose.

“What do you think? It makes her look completely different, doesn’t it?”

Sylvia now radiated an intellectual aura that seemed composed and cerebral, which was indeed a masterful disguise, making her former self entirely forgotten.

“Her name is Sephine now,” Louina concluded.

“Is there a specific reason for the name change?” I inquired.

“Apparently, she wanted to start from the bottom and receive a proper evaluation,” Louina replied, chuckling. “And she also asked me to keep it a secret from you and the Chairman, which, of course, I just broke. But judging by the Chairman’s reaction, you wouldn’t have recognized her even if you’d met her on the street, would you~?”

“Indeed, it is understandable that her disguise is formidable,” I replied, nodding.

I would not have known from Sylvia’s appearance alone, as I pay no mind to mere part-time professors—no, given my position, I am not even meant to encounter such individuals.

“Does she, then, seek nothing but to provide instruction?”

“Yes—to provide instruction, and nothing more.”

At that moment, it suddenly occurred to me that the magic professor to instruct Her Majesty must be selected.

“Louina.”

“Yes, Chairman.”

“Issue an official announcement to the entire magic professors within the Mage Tower, encompassing all categories and properties.”

“… The entire magic professors?” Louina asked, her eyes wide.

“I will undertake the selection of magic professors to tutor Her Majesty and personally oversee their evaluation,” I replied, my eyes resting on Sylvia, who was then engaged in earnest instruction. “Until then, is it possible for a part-time professor to be promoted to full-time?”

“It’s impossible. In her current state, even permanent employment would be a challenge,” Louina said with a chuckle. “Let us agree to leave Sylvia as she is. … However, setting that aside.”

However, Louina’s expression immediately hardened.

“There’s a slight problem with the Mage Tower right now—more than that, actually. Umm… I’d say it’s a matter of factional conflict.”

***

“… Foolish students,” Sylvia muttered.

After the class concluded, Sylvia remained seated in the lecture hall chair.

Tap—!

Sylvia smacked her forehead, her head swimming.

“How can they be so completely incapable of understanding my lecture.”

The name of Sylvia’s lecture was the Nexus of the Four Great Elements. In brief, it was a theory lecture that instructed on naturally connected properties, like water, wood, fire, and wind, thereby assisting in a more proficient command of complex property magic.

“How can they be so completely foolish.”

There were seventeen students, but at most one—and sometimes none—understood Sylvia’s lecture. Despite having passed the Mage Tower of the Empire’s examination, they were completely lost, and Sylvia looked down at the curriculum she had personally designed.

If they’re this completely foolish from the first lecture, the next one will be a disaster. I suppose I’ll have to revise it, even if it’s the curriculum I worked on all night, Sylvia thought.

“… Hoo,” Sylvia murmured, sighing as she glanced at the employee Wizard Board.

Ding— Ding, ding—

At that very moment, an alarm sounded, and Sylvia sighed before opening her Wizard Board, whereupon a message surfaced.

Miss Sephine, if your lecture has concluded, please return the lecture hall key to the reception on the 10th floor.

I’ll ask about your first lecture later. Meanwhile, keep the lecture evaluations in mind, and I will provide a list of the more discerning noble mages.

The lecture evaluation was the biggest hurdle to a permanent contract, and Sylvia packed her Wizard Board into her bag before leaving the lecture hall.

Since part-time professors had no offices, Sylvia merely roamed the Mage Tower corridors, which were far too crowded with people in the middle of the semester, mostly university freshmen and sophomores.

“Dude, what classes did you enroll in?”

“I don’t know, man. I just signed up for whatever, and my course registration totally bombed.”

“This is so annoying. Seriously, why won’t they just open up more spots for popular lectures?”

Those were the students’ oddly adorable concerns, for some reason.

“Where to rest,” Sylvia muttered, wandering through the Mage Tower.

Sylvia had no more lectures today, and now she had no home to return to because she had come without her father’s permission.

Of course, Sylvia, as a part-time professor, had acquired a room in the dormitory, but she did not wish to return there immediately.

Therefore…

Mage Tower library

In the Mage Tower library, Sylvia saw the sign and gave a smile. When she opened the door, the scent of paper filled the air around her.

“… Hoo.”

Since I’ve been away for over a year, there must be many new books. I’ll read every single one and not a single one will be missed, Sylvia thought.

With such determination, Sylvia proceeded directly to the library’s Employees’ Reading Room.

“Visiting part-time professor Sephine—identity confirmed.”

“Thank you.”

Since the Employees’ Reading Room was forbidden to students and external visitors, Sylvia submitted her identification to the staff member at the entrance.

The Employees’ Reading Room was somewhat dark and peaceful, with few people present—perhaps because professors by nature did not often read books.

As a result, Sylvia was able to examine the various bookshelves… then her eyes were suddenly drawn to a corner of the reading room that, for some reason, seemed to hold many rare books.

Restricted Access Area : Authorized Professors Only

Sylvia blinked her eyes, cautiously observing her surroundings.

Creeeeeak—

At that moment, a male professor appeared from the opening door of the Restricted Access Area.

Was his name Pedhel—the rising star of the destructive category. I know him well, as he was featured in the last issue of Wizard Journal, Sylvia thought.

Clack—!

Pedhel closed and locked the Restricted Access Area.

Rattle, rattle—!

Watching Pedhel’s back as he left the library after checking the lock two or three times for good measure, Sylvia again looked toward the Restricted Access Area.

What could be inside that necessitates fastening a lock so tightly…

However, at that very moment, as if sharing Sylvia’s thoughts, someone tiptoed along the reading room wall like a thief. Cloaked in a hooded robe, the figure seemed unknown—until Sylvia looked closer and recognized the lower part of the face as a familiar fool she knew.

“What is she doing.”

Epherene stealthily scanned her surroundings and, apparently oblivious to Sylvia, who was watching with unblinking eyes, proceeded to break the lock on the Restricted Access Area.

Screech—

Although Epherene cut the lock without making a sound, the metal shackle fell with a loud crash.

Clunk—!

Epherene, startled into a frenzy, stamped her feet impatiently.

“How foolish, how impressive,” Sylvia mused.

“Oh, to hell with it…” Epherene mumbled to herself before entering the Restricted Access Area.

“… What is she even trying to do,” Sylvia muttered.

Sylvia, too, using the pretext of punishing the foolish Epherene, followed her into the Restricted Access Area.

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