Second Semester (3)

"What are you looking for?" Deculein asked in the dark lab.

Quietly letting go of his shoe, she floundered the floor with her robe sleeves as if swimming.

"I was cleaning the floor like this…"

"Do you think I'll believe that?"

"…It works, though— I'm sorry."

Epherene got up, making excuses while stuttering.

"I t-thought the door was open, and… y-you had turned off the lights…"

"Every now and then, I find myself in need of darkness."

Snap—!

Deculein flicked his fingers, turning on the lights in the lab. As the darkness inside went away, Epherene's jaw dropped in astonishment.

"Huh…"

Magic papers filled with formulas and magic circles floated around them.

It numbered well over several thousand. Epherene, still lacking in skills, couldn't even predict what the result of such an enormous set of operations could be.

Snap—!

With another snap of his fingers, all the documents flowed into his briefcase.

'Is that briefcase itself also a magical item?'

She looked at Deculein in awe.

"Was that your personal research?"

"No. I'm preparing a course."

"What? A course?"

"Go." Deculein left as well, allowing her to walk away without reprimanding, criticizing, or giving her a penalty point.

'Shouldn't he scold me?'

Epherene, looking at his back, squatted down.

She quickly turned over a couple of tiles before leaving the lab.

"… Huh."

"Get in."

With him waiting for her in the elevator, she scratched the back of her neck.

"S-sorry for making you wait."

He didn't say anything. Even after she got in, he just pressed the close button silently.

Zeeeing—

The elevator went down.

"…"

"…"

She felt like it lasted for an eternity.

She glanced at him, recalling Gindalf's words about him valuing her, which she thought to be nonsensical back then.

But since she heard those remarks, she began to see this professor's each and every action in a strangely different light.

He was still her father's enemy and a very mean, vicious person who gave her impossible research assignments, but…

"Professor Deculein."

Ding—

The elevator door opened. When he exited and looked back at her, she shook her head hurriedly.

"… It's nothing."

"…"

After a brief pause, he took a ticket out of his inner pocket.

"Take it."

Epherene looked at it.

[Invitation to Locralen Society]

Locralen. It was a word even Epherene had never heard of.

"You'll go with me."

After uttering those words, he left, his strides seemingly wide, perhaps because of his long legs. Epherene could only stare at his back with the ticket in her hand as the distance between them widened.

"… I have no idea why he keeps acting like that."

She sighed.

*****

The next day, early morning at the top floor of the tower.

"Hmm!"

The chairman accepted my lecture plan and the first-class material.

──[Pure Use of Earth and Fire: Manipulation series]──

◆ Overview: This course will provide an in-depth understanding of attributes using the deep utilization of earth and fire elements.

◆ Rating: Advanced

◆ Description…

───────────

"Its purpose is great, but only the Isle of Wizard's Wealth can approve of 'Advanced' rating or higher! They might even decide to lower it to the intermediate level!"

"It's fine."

I nodded at the chairman's words. Classes of "Advanced" level were rare even in the Imperial University Tower.

"What about the related materials?!"

"Here."

I submitted the documents that would serve as the core of the class, which I had prepared with [Understanding]. Concentrating on earth and fire attributes and the manipulation series, it would be almost like a thesis.

"I hope it gets rated the advanced level too! Our tower's status would rise!"

Bang—!

The chairman stamped on the syllabus.

"Yes."

"Then, you can go now! I'm sleepy!"

She moved her hand like bracken and spread out a futon on top of her desk.

"Adrienne II! Come!"

"Woof! Woof!"

Adrienne II jumped over the desk. As I left, the chairman fell asleep with the little puppy.

******

… Six hours later.

Rumors often spread rapidly on the floating island. However, they were limited only to magical and scientific subjects.

They had no interest in common gossip like what happened to the Empire, who was cheating with whom, and the like. That being said, half a day was enough for intel regarding a new magical discovery or a thesis to spread throughout the island.

"Advanced lecture?"

Likewise, news of Deculein's advanced lecture reached Rose Rio swiftly. These were the words of Prince Kreto, whom she met by chance.

"That's what I heard."

"I wonder what verdict it'll get. It's going to be held in a magic tower, not in this place."

Magic towers' lectures usually stopped at the beginner or intermediate level. Of course, their difficulty levels differed since not all of them were the same despite being in the same rating. However, advanced lectures were slightly different.

According to the definition of advanced in the magic world, those rated with it could cause a generation to achieve qualitative development or create new values.

In that respect, the Isle of Wizard's Wealth was extremely strict with its implementation. In fact, for nearly 20 years now, all advanced-level classes and above had been only available on the floating island.

The stereotype that academic studies were only done on that island while worldly studies were conducted at magic towers wasn't created out of pure coincidence.

In the first place, even on the Isle of Wizard's Wealth, there were only a handful of advanced classes.

Very few high-ranking wizards had both enough knowledge to teach someone and the skills to actually impart such intricate information in an understandable way. Moreover, they only opened classes when they felt like it.

"I don't know. Since it's sir Deculein, he might just get it."

"Huh? Why do you refer to him as sir? The Imperial Family shouldn't respect anyone."

"I'm his fan. Hahaha." Kreto laughed. Looking at him now, she realized his clothes were also quite strange.

"I just realized you're dressed like Deculein."

"There is no one in the system these days who doesn't follow Deculein's fashion."

"That aside, it would be amazing if it was judged as advanced. I'm skeptical about that, though."

As Rose Rio ate her spaghetti, she overheard the conversation from the table next to them. They talked about Deculein preparing for an advanced class as well.

"Can't you go and take the class? It's been a while since I graduated, but you're nominally on a leave of absence."

"That's true, but… If it's judged as advanced, everyone here will grow anxious anyway. Then we'll be able to get holographic lectures, lecture transcripts, or whatever. That's always been the case, hasn't it?"

The Isle of Wizard's Wealth was the richest in the world, and there were only people crazy about academics up here. Hence, its population's general stance had always been, 'If you don't sell it to us, we'll take it through other means.'

Sellers could name their price when transacting with this place, but if they refused to negotiate in the first place, they'd be considered the floating island's enemy.

"That's true."

"Oh, right. There's also a conference going on in Locralen. Aren't you going?"

"I didn't even get an invitation. I've been a little neglectful of my research these days."

"… Hmm. Is that so?"

Rose Rio narrowed her eyes and pulled out a ticket.

"Do you want one?"

*****

Two weeks before the start of class.

Solda Epherene was looking into her Ouija board in their club room.

─From Solda, establishing your series becomes the most important aspect of magic since differences occur in that regard unless the properties involved are very specific. Therefore, the class unconditionally focuses on that aspect…

It was the advice of a senior wizard.

"… Establishing a series is important."

Epherene crossed her arms and thought about it.

There were eight basic series categories in total:

[Summoning] and [Spiritual].

[Destruction] and [Auxiliary].

[Manipulation] and [Ductility].

[Hunting] and [Harmony].

The distinctions between them seemed to be made more clearly from Solda.

─Half of the magic tower wizards choose only one series, which we refer to as series deepening. The other half is divided into those who have plural series, in which they equally learn two or more of them, and those that have a main series and a sub-series, which means they focus on one series more and use the other as support.

Epherene nodded.

Most wizards chose no more than two categories.

Of course, one could pretend to be crazy and try three or more series simultaneously, but in that case, it would be obvious how many classes they'd have to take.

"… What's Professor Deculein's series?"

"Deculein? I heard he has four: Manipulation, Ductility, Destruction, and Auxiliary." Julia answered, sitting next to her.

Glancing at her, Epherene noticed a new expensive-looking artifact necklace around her neck.

She heard that the [Pig's Flower] was doing great these days, and her buying such a valuable item evidenced that.

She felt envious.

"Doesn't that mean he's a four-series wizard?"

"Yeah."

"… Then me too."

Epherene decided.

Destruction, Auxiliary, Manipulation, and Ductility.

If Deculein could do it, she could too!

"What? Have you gone crazy, Ifi? You'll have to take tons of classes."

"Humpf. It's okay. Do you know what I'm studying these days?"

Professor Deculein gave her thirteen high-difficulty books to research.

If Epherene couldn't understand a thesis, she'd have to study its research paper first. If that also proved incomprehensible, she'd have to visit new professors, including Kellogg, for advice.

"Well… You're even sleeping in the club room these days, Ifi."

"Yeah."

Pillows, blankets, duvets, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and more. The room was filled with her belongings.

"Then how will you apply to the classes? If you want to go to four series, you'll have to take 12 classes about them per semester."

"… Ahem."

Epherene coughed and looked at the registration list through the Ouija board.

"… Huh? He's not teaching Debutantes anymore."

Deculein's lecture caught her eyes.

──[Pure Use of Earth and Fire: Manipulation series]──

◆ Professor: Head Professor Deculein.

◆ Overview: This course will provide an in-depth understanding of attributes using the deep utilization of earth and fire elements.

◆ Core Materials: Head Professor Deculein's personal works.

◆ Credits: 6 credits, 3 hours every two weeks.

◆ Registration Procedure: Students will be selected by the aforementioned educator among applicants.

◆ Lecture Rating: To be announced at a later date.

───────────

"Wow. A six-credit course?" Julia laughed in surprise.

Seeing that paragraph, Epherene also expressed her shock.

"How can it be worth six credits when it's only held every two weeks? Is it because he's the Head Professor?"

"Right? Don't take this, Ifi. It'll be extremely difficult."

"… Hmm. If I take this and one more basic lecture worth 1 or 2 credits, I'll be able to meet my quota for the Manipulation class."

"Yeah, but it's six credits every two weeks. It'll probably be extremely difficult. If you fail to follow even once, it'll be hard to recover. There will also be a selection process, so just applying to it won't be enough."

"It's okay."

She had been overflowing with confidence these days. She had read a total of two advanced magic books recently and was in the middle of the third.

She knew literary works and lectures were different, but…

"I can do it. Whose daughter does he think I am?"

Epherene clenched her fists and nodded.

*****

Study room, Imperial Palace.

"I heard the [Rohalak Concentration Camp] is almost complete," Sophien uttered.

I looked down at her, finding it a bit absurd. Having become more comfortable as her lessons progressed, she ended up lying down completely today.

"… Yes."

"The mana stones are also circulating smoothly in the market right now. It's only natural for those at the top who have been controlling the market through unity to suffer huge losses."

"That's true."

She grinned.

"Nevertheless, there are quite a few of them that didn't seem to have been affected at all, most likely because they didn't spend any money to mine the mana stones."

She drew her finger in the air and continued speaking.

"That begs the question, however, of how it was possible not to expend anything to do such a task. I'd say the answer is that the Altar members in the underworld mined the mana stones at a low price or for free."

"Perhaps."

"With just one opening, we were able to filter quite a few high-ranking individuals."

She was still grinning, but her eyes remained serious.

"Deculein."

"Yes?"

"Here. Take this. It's a list of those who received money from the Altar."

There were a total of thirteen high-level people in it.

She murmured coldly. "I don't care if you label them a Demon Blood member or a criminal. You can kill them yourself."

"As you wish. I'll have the Imperial Family confiscate all their properties afterward."

Sophien frowned and tilted her head.

"It doesn't matter if you take them all for yourself."

"It's better not to have any wealth that can cause trouble."

I had to carefully ensure the concentration of power wouldn't fall on the Yukline any more than necessary. That left a dissatisfied expression on her, almost as if she suggested it while completely knowing that fact.

"… Have it your way. Regardless, I'll be ordering the full-scale Demon Blood subjugation to begin now."

"Okay."

"You'll have to catch them as well."

"I've already completed my investigation. I'll soon be bringing you good news."

"Hmm. Is that so?" Sophien raised her eyebrows at my words.

The day I promised Carixel was approaching. After arresting him, I'd take him to Rohalak.

"Yes. If the operation is successful, I'll be dropping them in Rohalak to serve as an example. However, before that…"

Looking at her, I grew silent. Realizing what I meant, she grinned and recited a word.

───.

'רֶטֶט.' Meaning vibration, it was a rune that made one's brain cry.

"Good job."

I got up. Sophien, still lying down, looked up at me.

"… Deculein."

"Yes?"

"You always make me do annoying things… No, you're the only one that bothers me."

Her hair had become disheveled, and her pupils relaxed, symbolizing her lethargy and the boredom she was suffering from at the moment.

"Deculein." She called me again.

"Yes?"

"Aren't you afraid of me?"

Those words carried so much meaning and weight it would be natural for any citizen of the Empire to have their hearts pounding if they were asked that by the Emperor. Nevertheless, I didn't think about its implications.

Without hesitation, I answered.

"I'm not."

"Cheeky… Why?"

"I don't know. It's very strange." I replied, looking into her eyes.

"I'm not afraid of anything in this world."

This wasn't a lie.

I just hated the phenomenon of death that would come in the distant future, the vague feeling that one day I would lose myself as Kim Woojin, and the possibility that Julie would leave me.

Feeling the emotion of 'hate' before fear perhaps best described and expressed this very Deculein-like ego.

"I'll be going."

I ended today's lesson with that.

"Yeah. Get out of here, you cheeky bastard. Next time you come, bring a Demon Blood with you."

Sophien laughed.

*****

… End of August.

A road in the eastern part of the continent.

Carixel solidified his fortitude once more as he moved and hid in the luggage compartment of a wagon. He left his three children to his wife and younger brother. Afterward, he entrusted his duties and position at the [Cradle of Trees] to Elesol.

Now, the rest was up to him.

"… Captain, do you really believe in that professor? It is not too late to back out yet." Said Dehal, who decided to accompany him to the camp.

Carixel shook his head.

"I've already decided to trust him. Don't try to interfere. No, it's just a simple transaction. Dehal, you didn't tell anyone about this, did you?"

If one wanted to deceive the world, they'd have to deceive their allies first. That was why he didn't tell anyone about his plan. Not even the [Cradle of Trees] or his wife and children.

Otherwise, information would've definitely leaked out.

"Yes. Naturally. Only the two of us…!"

Thud!

The carriage stopped.

Carixel and Dehal swallowed hard.

Tap, tap, tap.

Exactly three footsteps.

He wondered if the driver was quarreling with someone.

────!

Not long after, the whole carriage was smashed and soared into the sky.

While he remained suspended in the air for a few moments along with the wreckage, Carixel saw a certain individual staring at him from the ground.

Deculein.

Rumble-!

Crashing onto the road surface with all kinds of wood chips, Carixel grabbed his back.

"Do you see this as ordinary luggage?"

"Ah, that's…"

"Professor! L-Look at this bastard's face!"

A knight, holding a poster Deculein had given him beforehand, pointed at him with good timing. He even grew his beard and hair to resemble the person in the photo.

"That's right! I'm Brolin, an officer of the Demon Blood!"

"…"

Deculein twisted his lips into a smile silently, making him admire his contempt-filled performance.

… Maybe, maybe it wasn't acting.

"Yeah. You shouldn't have told anybody."

Carixel jumped up and started a riot at the promised signal out of desperation, but the knights rushed in before he could do anything, crushing him with their bodies.

Meanwhile, the Professor picked up his bag.

"Isn't there anything other than this bag?"

"There are many mana stones."

Deculein ripped off the bag and dropped it on the pavement, causing plain equipment and tableware to litter the ground.

"Are you trying to sell these off somewhere?"

"What should we do with these mana stones, Professor? There are quite a few of them…" A knight asked, his voice filled with anticipation.

That greed was the reason why Carixel had to prepare the mana stones in the first place. To distract them.

"That, too, is evidence, but we only need a couple for that purpose, don't we?" Deculein said, discreetly sliding the mundane items scattered around into a bag with [Psychokinesis].

"Oh, yes! Thank you!"

They bowed thoughtlessly.

Carixel smiled inwardly.

Now, once the contents of that bag came into the camp, he would be able to feed his family…

"You scum bastard!"

At that moment, a knight struck his forehead with the hilt of his sword, causing him to pass out immediately.

*****

Three days later, The Emperor's Lounge at the Imperial Palace.

"That cheeky bastard is really good at what I asked him to do… He catches Demon Blood like he's just buying ice cream." Sophien grinned as she ate a genuine Heodran marbled ice cream.

"That's right. He's a very talented professor." Keiron answered, wrapping his right wrist with a bandage.

"Is that Brolin person going straight to Rohalak?"

"Yes. He's guilty of organizing an association, but he has no records of committing other crimes, allowing him to avoid the death penalty. Well, Rohalak would be a far worse fate than a quick and easy death."

As soon as Sophien nodded, She threw away her leftover ice cream and went back to bed.

"Gosh… I'm even tired of eating these days… How were you injured…? You're fucking bandaging it…" She mumbled sullenly amid a yawn.

Keiron shrugged, fiddling with his swollen right hand. "Zeit came to the island. He's a total monster now."

"Did you lose to him?"

"Is there any knight on this continent who can defeat him? He's even more powerful than my father right now."

At his words, she grinned.

"The Emperor's knight is acting like an asshole… If I study a little harder, I'd probably win against him."

"Are you even studying at all?"

"… Why did Zeit come?"

"He's looking for a wedding venue."

"…"

Sophien pursed her lips. If that were the case, then it had to be for Deculein and that knight Julie.

"Is that so?"

Did that mean he was going to get married?

He said he had nothing to fear, so he probably wasn't afraid of marriage that would forever affect his life.

Indifferently, Sophien nodded as Keiron observed her reaction, pretending not to.