A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 42: Thesis Colloquium (1)

From Sophien's perspective, the imperial succession ceremony ended rather uneventfully. She had secretly hoped for a sudden attack—perhaps a bombing or some grand magic—but nothing of the sort happened. Safely entering the Emperor's inner chambers, she found them, contrary to her expectations of decay and disease, surprisingly clean and fragrant.

Bored, she returned to her study and took out a chessboard. As she played alone, various ministers and officials arrived with documents. Sophien ignored them, focusing on her chess game until they left.

Finally, she said, “I saw the one who gave me that homework. He acted like he knew me.”

"How could anyone on this continent not know you, Your Majesty?" Keiron asked respectfully.

Of course, no one in the land was unaware of Sophien, but her meaning went deeper.

“His ego didn’t waver even in my presence.”

“Indeed?”

Sophien had looked into Deculein’s eyes but couldn't discern his hidden emotions, which she found amusing.

“That was amusing. It felt like encountering a kindred spirit after a long time.”

He possessed a strong and unwavering soul, someone who wouldn’t flinch even with a blade at his throat—a truly transcendent being of the Mortal Realm.

“Did you manage to solve the homework, Your Majesty?” Keiron inquired, shifting the topic.

“Yes, I did. It was interesting. I understand why Geor gave it to me. Solving it made for a somewhat refreshing half-day,” Sophien said, briefly indulging in the conversation before stating, “Keiron, I will lift the restrictions on Marik.”

Keiron bowed silently. Marik was the name of the northwest imperial mana stone mining area, currently off-limits due to rampant demonic energy and frequent appearances of demons and demonic beasts. This restriction had been ordered by the late Emperor Crebaim.

“Initially, only adventurers or licensed Mage Tower mages and their escort knights will be allowed entry,” Sophien continued. “There’s no need for further discussion. I’m tired of those damned bureaucrats.”

“There is a possibility that demons might awaken.”

“If entering a single mine could awaken demons, why have they remained dormant until now? And won't demons and demonic beasts eventually be exhausted? Killing them will eventually purify the area.”

Keiron remained silent.

Still gazing at the chessboard, Sophien asked, “What is Kreto up to?”

“... I have been informed that he is crying.”

“Crying?”

“Yes, Your Majesty, he has just solved the same question as you. However, I am unaware of what he may have realized.”

Sophien chuckled and said, “That idiot... Ah, Keiron, you don’t happen to know the answer to that question, do you?”

“No, Your Majesty.”

Only then did Sophien look at Keiron, grin mischievously, and said, “I’m not going to tell you. But I will say this, it even surprised me a little. Aren’t you curious?”

“... No, Your Majesty, I am not curious.”

“You say that, but I see your eyebrow twitching. My eyes do not deceive me. You are dying to know.”

Keiron remained silent, and soon after, the atmosphere shifted abruptly.

Sophien's eyes narrowed as she spoke with a biting tone, “Keiron, do not deceive me. Even you will not be forgiven for incurring my wrath.”

The weight of the Empress’s authority pressed down on him.

Keiron bowed his head and said, “... I apologize, Your Majesty.”

“Enough. Let’s play some chess. It is tedious alone. Even if I overwhelm my opponent, I need someone to compete against.”

***

Meanwhile, in the remote mountains of Hadecaine, Ganesha observed three children from the archipelago—Ria, Leo, and Carlos, who had arrived on the continent by ship three days earlier.

“Some people on this continent are born with a gift called Magical Talent. Most adventurers who obtain their licenses possess this talent.”

As Ganesha explained, the children's attitudes varied. Ria listened intently with wide eyes, Leo watched distant animals, and Carlos dozed off.

“For example, watch this,” Ganesha said, picking up a long, brittle branch to wake them up. “Pay close attention.”

She held the branch lightly and swung it. The seemingly fragile branch rose into the air, and its weak tip touched the ground with a thud, causing a thunderous explosion that shook the earth and sent dust flying.

“Wow!”

“Oh.”

Leo and Carlos finally began to pay attention.

“What do you guys think?”

A crater formed where the branch struck.

“That’s amazing, Ganesha...” Ria murmured in awe.

“It may not seem impressive, but I can use a light branch like this as an extension of my body. It becomes a true weapon. Right now, this branch and my fist have the same strength.”

The harmony of Master of All Martial Arts and Invincible Body meant that any non-living object she held possessed the same strength as her body.

“But using these attributes isn't enjoyable, so I usually fight barehanded. I still win most of the time. Anyway, mages call this Harmonic Magic, and knights call it Sword Qi, but I don’t know anything about magic or swordsmanship.”

“Does that mean we can do it too?!” Leo asked excitedly. The cute boy with blue hair barely reached four feet and seven inches tall.

Ganesha chuckled and said, “That’s exactly what we’re going to discover now.”

“How, how?!”

“Quiet down. Why are you jumping around?” said Carlos, who was of similar stature, as he smacked Leo on the back of the head.

“Ow!” Leo cried, tears welling up as he glared at Carlos.

“Be quiet! Why haven’t you two changed even after coming to the continent?” Ganesha scolded them.

Ria stepped in to separate the two. Leo, still fuming, sighed deeply. “To identify your magical talent, you need to start with training... Actions speak louder than words. Follow me.”

Ganesha walked into the mountains, seeming to disappear like a mirage, leaving only her footprints behind. The three children blinked before following her. Suddenly, a loud growl echoed—it was Leo’s stomach.

“... Ria, aren’t you hungry too?”

“You’re always hungry because you’re dumb,” Carlos teased Leo.

“No, I’m not!”

“Yes, you are.”

“... Both of you, stop the nonsense and keep up,” Ria said.

“Carlos started it. He hit me first,” Leo grumbled.

“You’re always saying stupid things.”

“When?! When did I ever?!”

“Mimimimi~”

“Stop copying me!”

“Oh, come on!” Ria finally snapped, grabbing both of her younger cousins by their ears. “If you keep fighting, there will be no snacks, no meals, nothing.”

They fell silent but continued glaring at each other, silently blaming one another.

Ria sighed deeply. I’m not their babysitter. What is this mess?

“This is why I wanted to come alone,” Ria muttered, releasing the boys' hands and chasing after Ganesha’s trail.

“Ria, wait! I’m sorry! Please wait!”

“Ria! Let’s go together! Yuria!”

Realizing the seriousness of the situation, the two boys quickly ran after Yuria.

***

At the Yukline mansion, in the annex, I gripped a pull-up bar with one hand. With my other hand hovering in the air, I held my body balanced in a handstand for thirty minutes.

Thud—

As soon as I landed, I began my second training session with Ertlang's Martial Arts: Intermediate.

I stepped and punched in rhythm, following Ertlang’s manual with nimble, fluid movements. My steps were light, and my punches quick, without a hint of hesitation. After a lengthy, energetic session, I picked up a bo staff.

Recently, I had been learning Bo Staff Martial Arts, though the idea of hitting someone with a bo staff repelled me. I hoped never to have to use it, but I knew desperate times might come. After finishing my bo staff training, I checked the Snowflower Stone in the safe.

[Comprehension : 4%]

I had been steadily increasing my Comprehension, but it was still far from sufficient. After investing about 1,000 mana into the Snowflower Stone, I washed up.

Knock, knock—

Just as it was time for work, Roy knocked on the door. I dressed quickly and stepped outside.

"Roy."

"Yes, sir."

"I heard yesterday that one of the maids' mothers is unwell."

"... Yes, sir. It’s Luri’s mother."

I overheard their conversation in the main house. Whether they meant for me to hear it or not, it reached my ears naturally.

I wrote a check and handed it to Roy, saying, "Use this to take care of it. In the future, if similar situations arise, handle them yourself."

I intended to provide at least basic welfare for my servants. Roy seemed surprised but accepted the check with a nod. As he took it, he said, "Yes, sir. The car is waiting outside."

"Well done," I said as I got into the car. Today’s task at the Mage Tower was a thesis presentation. I reviewed the related documents in the back seat. "Thesis presentation..."

I figured I would just fill a seat, so I skimmed through the novel Sylvia had given me as a gift. Soon, we arrived at the Mage Tower. The entire university, including the Mage Tower, had been on break since the Emperor’s death, so it had been a while since I last went to work.

"We’ve arrived, sir."

"Well done. You may relax now."

"Yes, sir!"

I stepped out of the car and entered the Mage Tower, heading directly to the professors' elevator. The presentation was on the seventh floor.

Ding—

As the doors opened, Relin, standing nearby, approached me with a chuckle and said, "Oh, haha. Head Professor, you’re here."

I acknowledged him with a nod, not particularly pleased. Relin had been showing signs of disloyalty, likely looking for a chance to switch allegiance to Louina.

"Shall we proceed, Head Professor?"

"Lead the way," I said, following Relin to the presentation hall.

"Haha. Please, have a seat."

The hall was divided into three sections—the professors' seats, the podium for the presenting mage, and the audience. I sat in the professors' section, my position as head professor granting me the most prominent seat. I felt no pressure.

"Professor Relin, do you have today's list of presenting mages?"

"Ahaha, yes, here it is," Relin said, still laughing incessantly.

I glanced through the list Relin handed me and saw twenty-three names scheduled for today's presentations.

"Professor Relin, do you have their theses compiled separately?"

"Ah, yes. Have you not reviewed them beforehand?"

"There is no need. I can comprehend them at this moment."

I was not lying. I had eased up on my magic training today precisely for this reason.

"Ha-hahaha, as expected of the G-Genius of Spell Interpretation, Professor Deculein... Hey, Lopen!" Relin laughed, then called his assistant. "Here they are."

I flipped through the stack of papers. None of the presenters were my students, so I planned to just concur with the other professors' remarks. That was until one thesis caught my attention and made me frown.

Solda Drent, The Variability of Element Magic Manifestations and Their Correlation with Environmental Conditions

Magic has a personality, so the same spell manifests differently depending on the caster. This phenomenon, known as a Magical Imprint, leaves a unique mark similar to a fingerprint. These traits appear not just in spell execution but also in written work, like the structure and style of a thesis.

While these imprints are difficult to discern with the naked eye, my Comprehension attribute made it clear. This thesis bore more than a faint resemblance to an idea I had seen before. It was an idea I had evaluated as part of Epherene's assignment.

Though cleverly altered, the core concept was undeniably hers. I didn’t know the circumstances, but it was clear Epherene’s work had been stolen. Had I been the old Deculein, I wouldn’t have noticed, and Epherene would have continued unaware or, worse, been wrongfully accused of plagiarism.

"Just like a mage..."

Drent's family was prestigious, and his rank as a mage was higher than hers, while Epherene had nothing. A complaint from someone like her would be ignored. Drent probably exploited that gap. Still, it was time to investigate.

"Drent, was it?"

Using my Comprehension attribute, I carefully read the thesis. Plagiarism was something the old Deculein might have overlooked, but I was different. Besides, the fact that it involved an assignment from my class really irked me.

"Let's see what he does..."

I started coming up with questions that only the original creator of the idea could answer.

***

— Ladies and gentlemen, the Thesis Colloquium is about to commence. Please be seated.

Epherene attended the Thesis Colloquium out of curiosity. She didn’t have to be there, but she wanted to see how the process worked. Besides, Julia had insisted they go together.

“Wow, this place is huge,” Julia said.

“It is,” Epherene replied.

The hall was spacious and crowded. From the front row, Epherene spotted a head of yellow hair—it was Sylvia.

“... She’s here too,” Epherene murmured.

“Who?”

“There, look.”

Sylvia sat quietly, engrossed in her studies.

“Ah, I see. She’s studying even here,” Julia remarked.

At that moment, Deculein appeared. He took his seat at the head of the table and accepted a thesis from Professor Relin. Sylvia closed her book and looked toward him. Epherene tilted her head in curiosity.

— May I have your attention, please? The first presentation will be given by third-year mage, Solda Drent.

Drent was the first to present. Julia’s eyes sparkled with excitement, and Epherene chuckled.

“... Is it really that exciting for you?”

“Huh? W-what do you mean? He’s just a nice senior. I just hope it goes well for him, that’s all.”

Drent stepped onto the podium, wearing a crisp, neat robe.

“The manifestation of magic is generally consistent in ordinary situations. However, it changes under special natural conditions, such as altitude or water depth. My thesis explores how to maintain consistent magic across various environmental conditions...”

After briefly introducing his thesis, he demonstrated his magic.

“... With a small adjustment, it’s possible to manifest this Fireball even underwater or in oxygen-poor highlands. Currently, it’s called Protective Fireball, but the name can be changed at any time.”

Epherene tried to get a better look at the proceedings, but her seat was too far back, so she could only hear the voices. The atmosphere seemed positive.

“Drent, I heard you changed the topic of your thesis while writing it. There must have been a good reason. I was pleasantly surprised while reading it,” Professor Retlan remarked, smiling softly in praise.

Drent nodded, attempting to hide his smile, and said, “Thank you, sir.”

“Have you decided which professor you will join?” another professor asked.

“Sorry? Hahaha. No, not yet, but it would be an honor to study under any of the professors.”

“Are you suggesting we compete for you? That’s quite bold,” another professor joked, and the others chimed in with kind words.

Julia clapped enthusiastically, shaking Epherene’s shoulder as she exclaimed, “It looks like he did well!”

“Yeah, it seems so...”

However, Epherene felt a strange unease. She couldn’t be certain, but Drent’s thesis topic sounded somewhat similar to her own assignment. It seemed too coincidental.

“Oh no, it’s Deculein,” Julia said suddenly, her expression tense.

Epherene focused her attention as well. The final speaker was Head Professor Deculein.

He started by saying, “Solda Drent.”

“Yes, sir!”

“Is this thesis idea entirely your own?” Deculein asked bluntly.

Without hesitation, Drent nodded and said, “Yes, sir!”

Deculein stared at Drent, his gaze as heavy and cold as ice.

“Let me ask again. Is this your original idea, developed without anyone else's input?”

“Yes, sir! Absolutely!” Drent replied confidently, mistaking Deculein’s question for praise.

Nodding, Deculein continued, “Do you seek my evaluation?”

“Yes, sir!”

“Good.”

Epherene, a former student of Deculein, felt a chill run down her spine. However, Drent found it amusing and thought, No matter how much Deculein praises me, I'll never work under him. I know he's desperate with only one assistant and needs more, but there's no way I'm becoming his slave—

"Now, I will proceed with my questions," Deculein announced, holding the thesis aloft. "Drent, you have addressed the changes in element magic due to natural conditions and terrain, and you have proposed a method to maintain its consistency."

He then cast a spell with his mana. The structure was unusual; the magic circle's shape was closer to an ellipse, distorted by some natural condition.

"Now, tell me, in what environment did this spell become so distorted? Exactly 13.7% of its structure is damaged."

“Sorry? Uh, well... that is—”

“It’s 13.7%. Can you infer anything from that figure?”

Drent was at a loss. Deculein continued, “If you are unsure, how would you manifest this distorted spell? Why don’t you elucidate a general method.”

Unable to answer, Drent felt overwhelmed by the barrage of questions. Deculein pressed on relentlessly.

“Since you appear uncertain, let us proceed to a simpler question. The Protective Fireball you just demonstrated—”

Deculein's questions were precise and relentless, making it difficult for a mage who had plagiarized ideas to answer confidently.

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