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Chapter 52: Imperial Palace (3)

… Deculein left.

As promised, there was no rematch or a comeback. Meanwhile, Louina remained in her place.

Sophien looked at her.

“What do you think of this situation?”

“…He seems to be better than me.” Although her pride was hurt, she answered honestly.

“He’s much better. Not only was he better, but our battle was also a lot more fun. You’re too much of a coward.”

“… I understand. I’m sorry.”

“Did you grow up being beaten by someone when you were young?”

“No. It’s because I only read books at home.”

Louina took Sophien’s words calmly. She didn’t show anything on her face.

“I heard the relationship between the Yuklines and the McQueens isn’t that great.”

“… That’s right.”

However, she didn’t feel confident enough that she’d be able to maintain her composure against that question. She lowered her head to hide her face.

Fifteen years ago, at the Bercht Conference, the former Head of the Yukline family attacked the McQueen family Head and eliminated him by stealing her father’s mana source, ultimately crippling him as a wizard. He then claimed that wasn’t his intention and that such incidents frequented Bercht in the first place.

Yukline then demanded McQueen’s ‘magic vision,’ making an assortment of promises that he would give to him once he had gotten back on track.

McQueen, at the time, refused. It was a matter of choosing the lesser of two evils.

Their family wasn’t the first to fall prey to the Yuklines’ atrocities.

Even after Deculein became the Head of their household, such actions were regularly executed, and as a result, many ‘magic visions’ were asleep in the underground of Yukline’s library.

Louina’s primary goal was to get their family’s ‘magic vision’ back.

“…”

After a long silence, Sophien bowed and looked into her eyes.

“Hey, are you crying?”

“…!” Louina shook her head in surprise.

The emperor noticed her feelings of anger and hatred, which wasn’t that hard to uncover.

They weren’t towards Deculein. Her emotions were opaque and smoky, as if they were covered in dust.

She didn’t show any shards of it, however.

“Louina.”

“Yes.”

“Is this your gift?” Sophien laid her hand on the spellbook that she had brought.

“Yes,” Louina answered proudly. It was something that money couldn’t buy. “It’s about the magical epiphany that Great Elder Dzekdan of Bercht had written in his childhood—”

“I’ll read it. You may now go too. A promise is a promise.”

“… Yes.”

She got up quietly and left.

Sophien rested her chin on her hand and looked at the chessboard. The room now had grown silent after the two wizards left.

However, there was still one person with her in it.

“Keiron. What do you think of this situation?”

“…”

“Even if I engross myself in it, there’s no way out.”

At this point, she had no way to turn the tides around. No matter how much she thought about it, it would always result in her defeat.

The only way out of it was to not be in this situation in the first place.

Looking at that face, Keiron said, “The world is this wide, Your Majesty.”

“…”

For some reason, it sounded like he was in a good mood. Sophien twisted her lips and glared at him.

“I didn’t lose.”

She grabbed her king. In her grasp, it turned into powder.

Chiron raised his eyebrows at the manifestation of her mana.

“If I had taken it slow, I would have won. I got caught up in his tricks.”

Sophien was confident she would win if they played again. She simply lost her original pace.

“Will my next class start next week?”

“The knights will come in three days.”

Sophien closed her eyes without answering and soon sank into her thoughts. Keiron didn’t bother her either.

* * *

“Is it still too much?”

I lost in chess.

Of course, I could pour mana into [Understanding] to read her next move and drive her into a corner to a certain extent.

However, my entire mana tank was exhausted in 20 minutes. I used every drop I could squeeze out, but I couldn’t even finish the game.

Thanks to this, I realized something new.

The temporary amplification of [Understanding].

During the match, that ability of mine rose to a higher level, helping me fight a battle that I had no knowledge about. However, it was an extremely wasteful act. Now that I was no longer using [Undertsanding], I couldn’t even remember how I played.

It was a different level of expression from “learning” or “studying.”

“…”

I came to the parking lot outside the palace’s outer walls, feeling the aftereffects of my magic exhaustion. My car and Louina’s car were parked side by side.

“Those who rode carriages are getting their licenses too late.”

“Really? Well, these days, nobles don’t ride carriages anymore.”

The drivers were talking to each other.

“Yes. I’m glad I found that out early.”

“Do you know who started this car trend, though?”

“Who?”

“Professor Deculein. All the trends start with him.”

Even though they both were drivers, the difference was obvious. My driver’s back was straight, and Louina’s driver slouched.

“Oh, you’re here!”

“It is an honor!”

As I approached, the two drivers bowed. I nodded and got into the car.

“Let’s head back to the mansion.”

“Got it!”

My car’s engine started and soon left the place.

Shortly after our departure, I glanced at the rearview mirror, finding Louina’s car following right behind me.

I casually looked back.

“…?”

Certain energy was faintly glimmering on its front seat’s leather covers.

It was a mana trace.

I stared at it with my eyes narrowed as it formed the shape of a sentence.

“Have you abandoned us?”

“Jeff.”

“Yes?”

It was surprising, but I didn’t show any signs of it. I just casually looked around my car’s interior.

There were no death

“Did you leave your post after you parked the car?”

“No. I stayed near it at all times. Since we were around the imperial palace…”

Even though Jeff was my driver now, he used to be a mercenary.

If the sentence were engraved in such a way that his senses couldn’t detect it, it wouldn’t just be anyone who did it.

—Have you abandoned us?

Besides, based on the words alone, it was highly probable that it was someone from Deculein’s original connections.

If that’s the case, it’s a bit annoying. That person probably hailed from the ‘dark family.’

“Has no one come near it? Or have you heard anything useful?”

“…Ah.” Jeff nodded as if coming into realization. “I heard Louina bought a mansion. She seems to want to stay here now.”

“…”

I looked out the window. In the passing scenery, darkness momentarily fell. I thought it was because of magic, but it was just the shade offered by trees.

“Is she?”

I looked in the rearview mirror. Louina’s car had disappeared.

I opened a book as usual. While reading calmly, I thought about Deculein’s power.

“…”

From a player’s perspective, Deculein’s subordinates were obviously annoying. There were many Named villains with stronger combat power than Deculein.

But those connections were very shallow. Even after Deculein died, no event revolved around avenging their boss. They simply scattered.

In fact, since I became Deculein, his network of dark people faded away as soon as I cut off that ‘sponsorship.’

However…

“I should think about it.”

These guys were different.

A few names came to mind, but it seemed necessary to refrain from hasty actions until I saw them in person.

* * *

The night was darker than usual.

Terhal, the capital of Iliade, had been busy these days with the opening of Marik and support for Demon Purification. As a result, Glitheon at the Lord’s Castle was still signing paperwork.

— The competence Deculein is showing these days is unexpected.

Amid the scratches brought forth by his fountain pen scribbling, a voice flowed in.

Glitheon nodded. “I know.”

Deculein’s practical skills had already been “detailed” by a certain incident.

But he thought theoretical skills were entirely his.

Actually, since he ‘died,’ his theoretical skills had been cut off too.

“The Symposium, huh.”

Was it a change of heart, his final move, or a new mindset?

Whatever caused it, Deculein declared his intention to challenge the Symposium.

Resolving the Symposium in this magical world could be called an achievement to some extent.

Of course, it depended on the problem, but at least the 6th, 9th, and 11th problems that had remained unanswered for 15 years were special.

“Which problem is he trying to solve?”

— That is yet to be revealed, it seems.

“… I wonder what’s in his head that made him suddenly desire to do that and oppose the Red Box suppression.”

Glitheon placed the signed papers on the desk, then leaned against his chair’s backrest.

He looked into the darkness outside the castle and smiled.

“He’s very unpredictable. I wonder if it’s because of the Yukline blood in his veins…”

The Yuklines and Iliades were in a cat-and-dog relationship, in a way.

Even if it weren’t for the incident from 15 years ago, they would’ve still clashed, killing and being killed by each other.

And yet, a strange relationship bloomed between them despite recognizing each other as enemies.

“… What happened to the knight who died in Bercht?”

— He’s on hold, but he’ll probably remain on hold forever.

Glitheon laughed quietly.

“Haha. Who knew he harbored ill feelings toward Deculein.”

— Yeah.

Of course, it was the Reok Kingdom that instigated the attack on Bercht itself.

However, Glitheon’s brother Galak added one more piece to the puzzle to make the raid perfect.

Veron.

It was easy to manipulate a man’s impulses once he had been swept away by his emotions.

However, Deculein’s victory was unexpected.

If it were a one-on-one battle in a limited space, he would’ve had a hard time even against a knight two ranks lower than him.

“You have a very fiery personality, Galak.”

— … Shut up.

All of this was his brother’s doing.

Of course, Glitheon didn’t intervene.

Both superficially and inwardly…

— These days, there are rumors that Julie and Deculein’s relationship isn’t as bad as it used to be.

“I know. The youngest piece of their family is really lucky.”

Julie should have died in her mother’s womb in the first place, but she somehow lived through it and even thrived despite being hit by that “curse.”

It was supposed to be incurable, making Glitheon wonder how she overcame it.

— She seems to be a flower that blooms even brighter the more she suffers.

“She suffered a lot… because of Deculein and my family.”

— Rather, it may have been thanks to you two that she survived. Each individual has different origins.

Glitheon laughed.

“You’re too emotional. That’s a useless hypothesis. Anyway, you may go.”

— Got it.

The shadow that had been talking with him quietly disappeared.

* * *

Wednesday morning.

After waking up, Epherene took a shower and went out. As she yawned, she turned back without thinking and was soon startled by what she saw.

“Gosh… don’t people get tired?”

There were a lot of writings on the door. Piss off, toerag, dirty bitch, moron, etc.

These days, these childish bullies were getting worse and worse.

She thought it would stop if she didn’t pay attention to it, but it just raged even more.

“Are they really nobles?”

She could already deduce who did it. Beck, Lucia, and Jupern, a gang of children of some Viscount with a lot of influence.

At first, it was just pathetic. However, it soon became hard for her to hold back when they started doing it to her club members.

“Childish fakes.”

Epherene wiped the writings off with ‘Cleanse.’

Thinking about it, she wondered if true wizards only existed on the Isle of Wizard’s Wealth.

The saying that one’s identity didn’t matter in the University Tower was just an illusion. For them to stay in it in the first place, practical and theoretical abilities in magic weren’t the only requisites. Political power was almost just as essential.

Considering the number of professors involved in the faculty review, that was easy to deduce.

“Sigh…”

Epherene left the dormitory and walked through the campus.

There were quite a few people on the school grounds these days because the postponed school festival continued until late at night.

All roads were paved, and there was plenty of entertainment around, such as pubs, parties, plays, and horse-riding matches in the Knight Department.

Thud—!

As she made her way to the theater, her ankle got caught in something.

“Ugh!”

Epherene fell, a drink spilling over her body. Sticky fluids dripped from her hair and robes.

“It hurts…”

“… Gosh, who did this?!”

Epherene expected an apology, but she only heard curses. Upon looking at the person, she soon understood why.

In front of her was a bunch of nobles led by Lucia of Countess Leviron’s family. She glared at Epherene, who had fallen.

“Sigh.” As she sighed, Epherene got up, brushed her entire body with [Cleanse], and grinned. “It’s you again.”

“Again, my ass. Hey! Keep your eyes open when you walk. I spilled my drink because of you!”

Lucia pressed her finger against Epherene’s chest. She was furious but thought it wasn’t worth responding to this bitch.

Even if she fought here, she would be the only one who’d get penalty points, and if the impartial Deculein intervened, rumors about them would run rampant again.

Kids these days weren’t afraid of him. They didn’t know his notoriety.

Maybe it was because he didn’t directly give disciplinary actions or penalty points.

“Okay. I’m sorry. Are you done?”

Epherene mocked her and turned around. Behind her, as she walked, she heard their voices.

“That bitch doesn’t know her place.”

“As expected from the arrogant bitch who messed with Sylvia at the beginning of the semester. Who does she think she is?”

“That’s right. Did you know her dad was under ‘that’ professor until he killed himself?”

At that moment, Epherene’s legs stopped.

“Huh? She stopped. Hey, I think she’s mad.”

“What will that moron even do? I guess it’s true that she has no pride.”

“Hey. Stop. She’ll go running to that professor again. We’ll get in real trouble.”

“These days, though, I heard the professors are joining hands. If Professor Deculein becomes the Head of the Planning and Coordination Office, our lives in the tower will turn into hell. He’s trying to keep us in check.”

“Oh, that’s right. That’s right. My dad was originally going to just let it slide, but after hearing he defended the enemy during the Bercht Conference, he signed against him…”

To them, Deculein was the villain.

Deculein was, of course, a villain to her as well, but they were no different than him.

“… Morons.” Epherene, who had barely managed to hold herself back, started to walk away again. Upon reaching her destination, she bought a ticket and looked at it.

Nine o’clock tomorrow night. Portrait of a Melancholic Day.

Afterward, she ate alone and asked the members, whom she ran into on the side of the road, to pretend not to know her at the tower.

At 3 PM, she returned.

[Class A]

Today, their classroom was a wide and high open area.

Epherene had grown used to such subtle changes now.

She stood alone without even paying attention to the members of the club who were glancing at her.

“Nice to meet you.”

At three o’clock, Deculein came in, standing in front of the debutantes indifferently.

“The projects I gave you can be submitted even after the final exam is over, so don’t rush and push yourselves too hard.”

Those words were pleasing to the ear.

Deculein continued.

“The topic of today’s lecture is the practical use of pure elements, also known as series application.”

Series application. It was the ‘final boss,’ the focal point, of his lectures.

The wizards were quite tense.

“Series application might seem a bit complicated, but there is no need to think about it in a complicated way. Let me show an example.”

Deculein hit the pavement with the bottom of his cane.

Thud-!

With that sound, [Wildfire] appeared all over their vicinity.

Its appearance and the way it swayed exuded elegance.

Since its beauty was more like art than magic, the debutantes unknowingly stared blankly at it for a moment.

“This [Wildfire] is a combination of ordinary fire and wind, but…”

One of them stuck to Rondo.

It startled him, but it wasn’t hot at all.

“Move.”

Rondo did as instructed, and his eyes soon widened.

His body felt light.

Afterward, the [Wildfire] clung to the other debutantes, including Epherene. They reacted the same way as Rondo.

“That is what happens when this magic is applied to an auxiliary or support series. If its elements of wind and fire are in perfect ‘harmony’ in its formula, a ‘special effect,’ which goes beyond simple combinations, occurs.”

It was essentially a bonus effect.

Originally, in the game, if a player used [Wildfire] combined with a support series, it affected movement speed and attack speed. That system also existed in this world.

“[Wildfires] can be used for destruction, of course, but it works best when used as an auxiliary skill since each of its pure elements has its own unique advantages.”

It was a fact that Epherene didn’t know. No, looking at their reaction, it seemed that all the debutants weren’t aware of it.

It was a common game system for Kim Woojin, so in a way, it was only natural for him.

“It is necessary to use pure, harmonious elements in appropriate series according to their characteristics. Doing so isn’t difficult at all. You just need to remember the circuits of the magic you learned.”

He radiated mana and created [Fireball], a basic destruction magic.

“The key to this formula is the [Fireball]’s circuit. If I were to remove it…”

The flame that served as its core disappeared, and the pure element [Thundercloud] took its place.

“You only have to connect its core circuit after transplanting it into a pure elemental formula.”

… A moment of silence enveloped the entire classroom.

The sudden combination of circuits and magic made them feel like their minds temporarily became paralyzed.

“It’s only natural for you to find it hard. You’ll only get it once you’ve done it yourself. Epherene.”

Deculein called out Epherene. As she recalled what she had just heard, her body trembled.

“And Sylvia. Come to the front, both of you.”

The first and second placers in the midterm exam would serve as good examples.

“Let’s try applying the series to any pure elemental magic.”

The two nodded. Epherene tried to apply [Thundercloud] to destruction magic.

Her magic created [Thundercloud] in the air, but…

Snap—!

Deculein flicked his fingers, disrupting it. No, it was erased immediately.

Magical interference.

“Huh?”

“Wrong. Again.”

She didn’t feel mad when he told her to do it again. However, no matter how inexperienced she was in the series of magic, the fact that it was deleted just by flicking his fingers hurt her pride.

“Okay.” Epherene nodded and condensed mana once more.

“Again.”

Snap—!

Deculein once again deleted her magic and told her to do it again, so she did.

Sylvia began casting magic as well, but…

“Again.”

Snap—!

“Again.”

Snap—!

“That’s a bit better. Again.”

Snap—!

His ‘again’ was endless.