The Villain Wants to Live

Chapter 288: Time (3)

Today, a guest from Floating Island visited my house.

“I see you came down to the continent.”

A distinguished guest who everyone knew in this magical world, the addict named Astal, an elder from the Floating Island. He was the most famous among the addicts and the most trusted magician of the Magic Tower.

“Yes. I have heard of the personnel committee.”

Astal responded as soon as he sat on the couch. He looked like a typical addict who didn’t care about introductions or keeping up appearances.

“I’ve read the theory of the wizard Epherene, but the Floating Island wants her to stop any research that is undermining the prestige of magic and mana’s mysteries.”

“Is it enough to draw the attention of the Floating Island?”

“It’s not just science. Your theory was to magically reproduce the scientific properties referenced in a carbon particle, but the child named Epherene tried to connect magic and science completely. Using the bizarre term natural science.”

Natural science was a common concept in modern times, but it was a very strange one in this world. Among the providences of nature, mana took priority over science, so even if there was natural magic, natural science was difficult to accept.

“That’s something the Floating Island doesn’t want. It seems that she has already caught the purge officers’ eyes.”

I frowned.

“The sergeant.”

“Yes. There will be no hasty action because the personnel committee already took disciplinary action, but if the research of the wizard Epherene continues, it could cause problems.”

Astal produced a thesis from within his pocket and held it out. It was Epherene’s.

“Have you read it?”

“Of course.”

Astal nodded.

“Also, there is a problematic scientist.”

He said and put another book on the desk.

“This is a book called the Theory of Relativity. It’s a book referenced by the wizard Epherene. This author seems to be trying to explain even time with science.”

Einstein, the century’s genius and the physicist who most marvelously changed the modern concept of time and space. I understood his science through Understanding.

Of course, it was difficult, but if I assembled those fragmentary concepts such as [no matter can go faster than the speed of light] and [however, if you move beyond the speed of light, you can go back in time], I could use Understanding to build up mana again. By pouring it in, I could reproduce some of those theories.

“Read it. The Floating Island is already making moves to designate it as a forbidden book.”

“This is the first time I’ve seen the Floating Island trying to reject knowledge.”

“…”

Astal didn’t say anything, and I smirked.

“Is that the only reason you came down?”

“Yes. I know you turned your back to the wizard Epherene, but she’s still a disciple who has been taught by you.”

“…Anyway. If you have nothing else to say.”

I handed him a small jewelry box.

“Take it.”

Astal looked at it and tilted his head. I briefly explained.

“It is the demonstrative mana stone of the thesis of 「Deculein/Luna」.”

“…”

Astal’s eyes fluttered. Even though the addicts on the Floating Island seemed infinitely cold-headed, they reacted acutely to new knowledge.

“The embodied theory is contained within that mana stone. If you read this thesis as well, you’ll learn more.”

Epherene’s thesis was placed atop the demonstration mana stone. Astal quickly stretched out his hand.

“Did you implement it?”

“No.”

I shook my head.

“The only thing I did was edit Epherene’s work. But, for a while, let’s consider it mine.”

Magical copyright was a sensitive issue. The basis of the Floating Island’s income, the goods that sustained their magical society, all came from their copyrights. Nevertheless, Astal answered calmly.

“Is it because of the officers?”

“If she’s too good, the purging officer could identify her as a hazard.”

“Are you trying to protect your disciple?”

Astal voiced his doubts. Externally, Epherene and I had become strangers.

“No way. She’s a stupid girl, but she has to stay alive for my theory to advance.”

Astal thought for a moment and then nodded.

“Yes. Okay. What is the scope of disclosure?”

“Worldwide.”

* * *

…The 「Deculein/Luna」 demonstration mana stone was announced. Addicts, including Astal, reviewed it closely, and in just a week, concluded that it had no problems. As a result, the thesis of 「Deculein/Luna」 was completely established.

“Congratulations! Already, the number of citations exceeds 5,000 in our tower alone!”

That was the number of times wizards other than me cited my thesis. There were 5,000 papers derived from this one theory of mine.

“The magic world is shaking~! Shall I research that topic too~?”

Adrienne laughed softly. I glanced at the nameplate on the chairman’s desk.

“…Anyway! Congratulations!”

The 99th floor of the tower. This place originally belonging to Adrienne was empty today, and she was standing there now with a puppy in her arms.

“From tomorrow on, you will be the chairman!”

“Yes. Thank you.”

Chairman Deculein. I nodded as I stared at the nameplate in my gloved hands.

“Have you decided on a candidate for the head professor?!”

“Yes.”

Louina, Relin, Ciare… now, everyone was eager for the title of head professor, which would soon become vacant, but I was already thinking of Louina.

“Oh, right. How are you going to use this 99th floor?!”

“First, I plan to move my equipment.”

The lab on the 77th floor, data room, study, laboratory; I planned to move them all to the 99th floor.

“Then, where do you plan to go, Archmage?”

“Oh! You’re calling me Archmage now!”

Adrienne grinned.

“Well! After resting a bit on the Floating Island! I’ll just rest! And rest again, I guess?”

Archmages didn’t engage with the rest of the world. It was an implicit rule. That was the reason why Adrienne became the Archmage of the Floating Island in the first place. If she made up her mind, her destructive magic could sweep away the continent.

Even in the original story, she didn’t intervene much.

“Still, I will come to visit the tower from time to time!”

Adrienne grinned. I also smiled a little.

“Yes. Thank you for your hard work so far.”

“Professor, you too, don’t just kill recklessly from now on!”

I shook my head.

“That’s impossible.”

Now, as the Emperor’s bodyguard, I would be mobilized in the war. To be precise, I would go to the desert. I would kill countless from the Demon Blood clan and the Altar, then meet Quay and negotiate. I would ask about the future of this continent and reveal the significance of my existence.

“Fufu. Indeed! There is a lot of buzzing these days about the book of Revelation!”

Adrienne took the book in question with Psychokinesis. The book of Revelation, where Quay had recorded the various calamities on the continent. Among them, thirteen major catastrophes had already occurred, including major earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tsunamis.

“Yes.”

Ten revelations remained. A landslide would occur in the western domain of the Empire, Bel. A frigid cold equivalent to an ice age would arrive in Freyden’s estate, and the world would be shaken by Yuren’s extraordinary declaration… in the end, God would descend and purify the continent.

“Isn’t this the tabloid the Demon Blood has spread?!”

I didn’t answer. Adrienne had a big mouth.

“Hmph! Forget it!”

Adrienne pouted. It was then-

─T-This is terrible! Professor!

A loud cry rang out from my crystal ball. It was Louina. Adrienne’s ears perked up, and I picked up the crystal ball.

“What’s going on?”

─Hurry, come down to the 77th floor!

Before I could move, Adrienne sprinted into the elevator first. I sighed and followed her.

“Let’s go quickly!”

Adrienne pressed the button to the 77th floor. Her lips were smiling, and her hair was fluttering. She seemed happy to be having fun on her last day even though she still didn’t know what had happened.

Ding-!

As soon as we arrived, I heard a buzzing sound. Louina and many professors, including Relin, and several undergraduate students, seemed to have come to watch.

“What’s going on?”

“I…”

In a cold sweat, Louina pointed to my lab.

“I think you should see….”

I approached the lab and looked inside. I was speechless for a moment.

“…”

Nothing. There was nothing in the lab. It was empty. Microscope, centrifuge, granulator, mana stone condenser… of course, I was obsessed with the title of top-notch, so I bought them for no reason other than to show off and didn’t use them, but they were gone. It was all gone.

“Pfff!”

Adrienne laughed, and I glanced at her. Adrienne cleared her throat, hiding her laugh. Suddenly, Relin shouted. I turned to him.

“It was her!”

Theft of furnishings from the head professor’s lab. Relin’s look was contemplative in the face of this truly unprecedented event.

“Who are you talking about?”

“Epherene! Epherene! That crazy girl!”

Relin screamed as his face turned red, and I was convinced. Indeed, Epherene had the guts to do something like this. No, she was ignorant enough to do something like this.

“Not even the magic alarm went off! If that is the case, it must have been the work of a thief who knew the internal structure of the 77th floor, and not only the furnishings, but also the various magic books in the library.”

“Did the thief even steal books?”

I asked so. Then, Relin grew still.

“…Oh, yes. Um… yes.”

“…”

I got a bit angry. Of course, if it were Epherene, I would be angry regardless, but this kind of pilfering didn’t fit my dignity. It was too radically an effective way to be hated.

“A-Anyway! To think that crazy girl pulled off this great heist!”

“…A great heist?”

Well, it wasn’t just a bit of pilfering. I calculated the value of the furnishings in the lab.

“I think the thief stole about 100 million Elnes.”

Everyone shut their mouths at those words. Adrienne’s jaw dropped.

“100 million, 100 million Elnes…”

Some items were artifacts that performed better than the inventions from the Floating Island, so they would come out to that price if sold. These were monster-grade equipment that consumed 4,000 of my mana.

“T-Then, I’ll go report it right away!”

Relin ran out, and the other wizards left the 77th floor while glancing at me.

“Then, me too! I want to watch it!”

Adrienne went with them too, giggling all the way.

“…”

The quiet 77th floor.

“…Epherene.”

My words echoed off the walls. It was ridiculous to see this empty scene. This was where I felt proud every time to see the high-end machines.

“Cheeky bastard.”

Flutter—

Then, suddenly, a piece of paper fell from above. It wasn’t a coincidence; it was a magical device. I snatched the note with a snort.

[The price of stealing my thesis and mana stone.]

* * *

At the same time, in Sanctuary Time.

“…Is it okay? To bring it all.”

Allen asked cautiously. Epherene answered while installing the fixtures from the 77th floor.

“What? He presented my thesis and mana stone as if they belonged to him first.”

“You told him to do so.”

“Still. It’s give-and-take.”

Epherene laughed. Allen asked, still worried.

“You will get on the wanted list….”

“I won’t be caught if I stay here anyway.”

“You won’t be able to go to the Floating Island….”

“I won’t have to go to Floating Island for the rest of my life with how good the stuff we have now is.”

The mana particles themselves could be observed with Deculein’s microscope, and the pure mana in the mana stone could be separated with his centrifuge. Other than that, with the condenser, she could turn her mana into new mana stones…

“Oh, my, why didn’t he use such good things?”

Epherene mumbled in admiration, pounding on the fine-toned, barely-used machines. Allen asked one more time:

“Will you be okay?”

“…Of course, I’m sad. But there is no turning back now.”

She wore a smile, but Epherene’s heart ached. Now, to what extent did Deculein hate her? The very evil disciple went beyond simple acts of ingratitude and even robbed him. It was scary and painful to even imagine…

“And if you get caught, you’ll go to jail.”

“There is no evidence.”

“You left a note…”

“…Oh.”

That was trouble. Epherene licked her lips, mouth suddenly dry.

“Still, you can’t just catch someone with that, right? I left a note, but there is no evidence that I stole it.”

“…”

Allen swallowed his words before they left his mouth.

“So, what are you going to do with this?”

“First.”

Epherene cleared her throat.

“I’m going to save Julie. With this fixture and my magic.”

Then, Idnik’s laughter cut over them. Epherene and Allen turned to look at her. Idnik continued to giggle and picked up the Wizard Board.

“Epherene. Look, the report on you has already been received. There’s even an article about it. Epherene was presumed to have stolen all of her master’s furnishings.”

“…Really?”

Epherene was absorbed in assembling the fixtures again.

“Yeah. It was also published in the newspaper here, and it’s saying that if you add it all up, the estimated value is 200 million Elnes.”

“…”

200 million Elnes. It was a lot more than she expected.

“Wouldn’t it be… as much as the value of my thesis?”

Right now, there was even a department in the tower that focused only on the magic of Deculein/Luna. All sorts of wizards were digging into that thesis, which had been cited worldwide. Soon, Deculein would become the elder of a new school.

“With this, your relationship is completely broken.”

Idnik looked at her and smiled.

“From now on, run away, Epherene. Until you complete your research.”

Epherene stuck out her lips but nodded.

“Yes. Rather, that’s what I was hoping for. Now, there will be no harm to the Professor, right…?”

But, for some reason, there was a little sorrow in that voice that seemed to be chattering happily.