/
Sylvia had fallen asleep. Fortunately, she was breathing normally. I put her in a safe place then looked at the enemy.
Baron of the Ashes.
He was glaring at me with distorted eyes, but he wasn’t too threatening.
Actually, having parasitized McQueen’s body was something I was grateful for.
“Idiot.”
“…”
“Why did you swallow someone that didn’t even fit you?”
He was incomplete. It seemed that he dominated about 70% of the vessel, but the remaining 30% was still under Louina’s control, all because he swallowed a Named character that was too powerful.
“You already know, don’t you? You cannot challenge me with that body.”
The contract that was entwined in Louina’s body still existed.
Hence, he couldn’t do any harm to me.
“This is the end for you, parasite.” My voice sounded scornful, which made the bastard furious. His black pupils’ savage stare grew darker.
The very next moment, he made a move that even I hadn’t expected.
Whooosh—!
The Baron escaped from Louina’s body, causing a stream of air engulfed in ashes to rise in all directions. It wrapped around me like a great storm, revealing a bizarre face within it.
“Right. I was stupid.” The Baron of the Ashes said in midair, chuckling and laughing. “But if it’s you, then it would be different.”
He seeped into me, his particles being absorbed by my body. After a while, a harsh voice rang out from the bottom of my chest.
‘How dare you call me a parasite? You don’t even have anything special within you.’
It was a pretty unpleasant feeling. His essence touched my subconscious, digging up several of my memories and bringing them to the surface.
I replied softly. “… I’ll give time for you to think about your decision.”
‘You are but a common being! I can easily take control of you!’
I closed my eyes.
Memories of the past, filled with demented malevolence and dark emotions, ran through my veins along with Deculein’s pride.
… Enduring all of it, I asked quietly. “Can you handle it?”
“…”
The Baron of the Ashes didn’t answer. I could sense his bewilderment, however.
I just smiled.
“Feelings of defeat, jealousy, envy, anger, hatred…”
Within me was pride that illusions or impulses could never sway.
“A cry like that is rather elegant, almost a classic.”
Deculein was by no means a “self-defeating” person.
‘… Aaaaaaaaah!’ The Baron of Ashes struggled inside me to get out.
I didn’t let him.
“Baron. Tell me.”
‘Open—! Open—!’
“Who’s down there?”
I was curious.
Who did the Baron of Ashes encounter under my consciousness?
“Was it Kim Woojin? Or was it Deculein?”
──────!
The Baron’s scream slowly turned into that of a beast. He was smashed to pieces, swept away by Deculein’s ego.
“Pay attention to whoever is inside me.”
Despite his struggle, my mind remained as calm as a lake.
“That pit of hell is your grave.”
Silence permeated my mind.
He no longer existed.
The Baron of the Ashes had been destroyed.
I neither absorbed nor assimilated with him.
He was simply crushed by the ‘ego’ that filled me.
“Tsk. Moron.”
A being that wasn’t me couldn’t exist in me.
That’s how Deculein was.
“…”
I saw Louina collapsed on the floor.
The body that the Baron of Ashes had abandoned was asleep, exhausted.
* * *
Louina had a nightmare.
She dreamed of being so jealous and filled with hatred for someone that she became a monster with a sense of inferiority and defeat. It was as if she became the very person she despised.
There were days when Louina was also inflated with her own talent, days when she was proud of her belief that she would resurrect the McQueen family.
She had this passion that made her want to leave her mark in the world of magic. It made her want to become a magic professor respected by the empire and desired to create her own school and light a lamp on the continent.
However, it was all interrupted by one man.
“…”
Louina opened her eyes.
Looking around, she grabbed her aching temples.
“Ugh…”
The whole floor was covered in ashes, and everything around her was scorched as if a fire recently burned her vicinity.
A plaque was buried somewhere near her.
“This is….”
[23rd floor: External Professor Louina]
Only then did she realize it wasn’t a dream.
As he ruled her, he brought forth vague memories of what she had to go through before.
“Louina von Schlott McQueen.”
“…!”
A voice called her. Surprised, Louisa looked back, finding the very predator of her family.
“… Deculein.”
His blue eyes stared at her, his gaze unbreaking, unwavering.
“This scenery is not a dream. This is what you did with ‘that guy.'”
“… Yes. I know.” Louina bowed her head and sighed. “I know everything…”
Now, her mind and body were exhausted.
She had no desire anymore. She was just at a loss.
She regretted it.
Should she have bowed her head from the beginning?
Should she have resisted?
If she had followed him like any other wizard, she wouldn’t have gone through this.
“I have no intention of running away. I’ll turn myself in. It’s my fault.” Louina said weakly, wiping her tears.
That was the best option she could make in this situation.
“No.” However, Deculein shook his head.
He looked down at her as if he found her pathetic.
“That’s not in the contract. Do you enjoy breaking promises?”
“…”
“If that’s the case, then you have a very disgusting temperament.”
Louina got furious.
“What the hell am I supposed to—”
“Remember what I said.”
Deculein cut off her words.
As her breath grew shaky, he continued to talk.
“You must become the head professor… No.”
He closed his eyes and corrected himself.
“You will become the Head Professor. No matter what happens.”
“… In this situation—”
“Is this your fault?” Then, Deculein grinned. It was a mockery that was close to humiliation. However, its target wasn’t Louina.
“Of course, I can’t say your hands are clean of this incident, but as you may well know, blaming yourself won’t change the world. Even if tears come out of your eyes, it wouldn’t truly care. It wouldn’t even acknowledge them. The sorrows they carried would simply be forgotten.”
“…”
“But if you say it’s not your fault, it’s not your fault.”
Louina couldn’t understand what he meant.
“I will make it so.”
Tap— Tap—
Deculein walked towards her.
His shoes stopped near her, almost touching her knees.
“Louina.”
As he called her name, she looked up.
“Yukline never abandons someone it chose to embrace.”
He reached out to her, who had fallen into disrepair.
“If you hold my hand.”
His blue eyes reflected her, allowing her to see how dirty she was, which brought her infinite embarrassment.
But Deculein didn’t care.
“I will never abandon you.”
His pristine gloves wanted her ash-covered hands.
“This is the grace of the Yukline.”
Whooosh…
The dawn broke from beyond the sky exposed by the tower’s window, a ray of light lighting up the darkness around them.
“…”
Silently, Louina grabbed his hand. Her instincts made her hand move on its own.
“…”
Deculein nodded as he helped her stand up.
Louina looked at him after as he turned around and walked amid the ashes, causing them to spread like a mist.
Their particles mixed with the wind and were blown away.
Even in the middle of it all, he remained untouched by dirt as he left.
A small question appeared in Louina’s mind as she watched him.
‘When did that man’s back become so wide?’
‘Has he been working hard all this time?’
“Gosh…”
… Thinking she was being ridiculous, Louina just laughed.
* * *
The day after the so-called ‘Terror of the Ashes,’ the tower was still littered with the parasites.
“Hahaha. That’s right. Yes, yes.”
Deculein grew busy due to the prestigious “Jefferson” family’s sudden visit. They were known to have made a career as the production directors of the Legal Affairs Bureau and the Internal Affairs Bureau from generation to generation. Their grandfather also served as a minister.
“As expected from you, professor.”
“Oh, of course. I have no doubts about this report. Louina is, after all, a kind-hearted person. Oh, by the way, this one is Viscount Derin.”
“It is an honor to meet you! I’m ‘Lopez Derin,’ currently serving as the deputy director of the Legal Affairs Bureau.”
“He’s a very talented friend. Also, I know this is rude of me, but this one’s also your fan, so let me introduce you… Oh my~ you didn’t have to~!”
Jefferson and Lopez accepted a small gift from the Professor.
Obviously a sign of sincerity.
Nothing against the law.
The two smiled happily and soon heard his main point.
•••••••.
At Lopez’s residence, the deputy director of justice made a call after meeting with the professor.
“Oh, how are you? It’s nothing important. I have someone to introduce to you. Be careful. Come quietly.”
Deputy Director Lopez gathered some people to help him with his light work using a crystal ball. He then smiled contentedly.
“Hahaha. To think that I got to meet the Professor like this. Is this a revelation from God that the position of Director is imminent… I’m really lucky these days!”
•••••••.
“It is an honor, Professor. I’m ‘Geron,’ the head of the Human Resources Department at the Legal Affairs Bureau.”
“I’m ‘Alberg,’ deputy director of the Department of Home Affairs.”
“Haha. Everyone, sit down. You’re making the Professor uncomfortable.”
A meeting was arranged by Lopez.
Geron and Alberg bowed deeply and sat.
To them, an unknown professor handed over a report.
“Well, this is it. Yes. Naturally, rumors are already circulating. Once the trial is held, it will end without any problems.”
But for some reason, the Professor didn’t seem to like even the notion of having a trial.
Geron and Alberg hastily corrected it.
“… That’s right! We, too, want to do what the professor wants. But there are a few problems. We’ll talk to the police on our own!”
•••••••.
Alberg, Geron, Lopez, Jefferson.
The four bureaucrats visited the office of Lilia Primienne, the deputy director of the Public Security Bureau.
“Deputy Director Primienne. There’s something I’d like to tell you.”
“We have nothing to talk about. Leave.”
“Hey, Deputy Director! At least listen to what we have to say.”
Premienne looked like she was looking at some scum, but her expression changed little by little as she listened to them.
“If you refuse, the Professor will come to you directly.”
“‘That professor’ is a hard person to deal with, even for you. Don’t you also have some debts to repay?”
Contemplating, she nodded.
•••••••.
I had made all the preparations, but I met a reef in an unexpected place. Jefferson made a cautious call with the crystal ball.
“Yes. Sorry. There was one problem. These days, some officials are needlessly burning a sense of justice…”
•••••••.
“I am from the law office. He’s got talent, but he’s really cheeky. This report also needs a thorough investigation.”
•••••••.
“You don’t have to take a step forward on your own. We’ll soon… Oh, yes. Sorry. His name is Joseph.”
•••••••
Joseph was a senior official of the court.
He was a child of some lowly nobleman and had a status close to a commoner’s, but he became the youngest to pass the legal exams and became a court official with his unique intelligence.
However, he didn’t have any friends with whom he communicated. Compared to his abilities, his web of connections was poor.
“Someone like you in such a shabby place…”
A university professor visited his small house today. He was far from ordinary, and the thought of meeting him alone was already extremely intimidating in itself.
“Sit down.” He acted as if he were the owner of the house. Joseph accepted his master-like attitude very naturally.
He presented a report as soon as he did as instructed.
“This is a report on the ashes of the tower.”
“I see.” Joseph gave the contents with a quick glance.
“I’ve already read it. Still, it would be absurd to say that the suspect, Louina, was not at all at fault. A more fair analysis would be…”
“Ren.”
The Professor beckoned to the attendant standing behind him. Ren took a step closer and placed a long, luxurious box on the wooden desk, covering the scratches and dents on its surface.
Frowning, Joseph asked, “Is that a bribe?”
“…”
For a moment, the Professor’s expression hardened. He took a deep breath and crossed his legs, those series of gestures putting pressure on his prey.
“You’re pretty rude.”
“I am just being honest—”
“You should distinguish between being straightforward and being honest, shouldn’t you?”
“…”
Joseph bowed his head silently, his shoulders trembling involuntarily. It was an animal-like instinct.
He was rumored to be upright in court, but it was strangely difficult to meet this Professor’s eyes.
“I apologize. But what is this if not a bribe?”
“An opportunity.”
“… An opportunity?”
“Right. A chance to be one of my people.”
The Professor tapped the report.
“I wonder if your attitude to look into this report is the problem.”
“No. A more definitive investigation is needed. The on-site investigation was not fair, and most importantly, Professor Louina wasn’t even interrogated—”
“To be so fair…”
The Professor cut him off.
“You shouldn’t have made a family.”
Joseph’s eyes widened. The Professor buried himself in the chair without expression as his twisted gaze glared at him.
“I heard your son just turned six.”
“….”
“So, is love fun?”
Joseph said nothing. His breathing grew rougher.
“Does a righteous man like you love your children, your wife, and others equally?”
Involuntarily, he looked at the door to his bedroom, where his wife and children were waiting.
The Professor continued.
“I know. You are different and fair, unlike other rotten officials.”
“….”
“So, I’ll say it again. This is an opportunity, not a bribe.”
His eyes scanned him up and down, his clenched fists standing out.
“You will know. Justice that starts from below is of no use.”
“…”
His mouth remained firmly shut, but he could read everything from the wrinkles on his face.
“Then, see you next time.”
The Professor stood up. Joseph’s wife and child, who heard it, went out and bid him farewell.
Giving them a faint smile, he walked out of the house.
After that, he got into the car parked outside.
“Did he take it?”
Deculain waited for a while before asking Ren that question.
Ren closed his eyes and nodded, his five senses peering into Joseph’s house.
“Yes. He’s opened the box, and his wife saw its contents.”
“Ah, then he’ll accept it.”
People like him would never accept money. No, even if he did, he wouldn’t use it.
Hence, he gave the child a gift instead.
[Imperial Academy Admission Ticket]
[Lifetime Imperial Academy Scholarship]
“The two of them are arguing right now.”
─Don’t you know what it’s like to enter the Imperial Academy?! It’s a place where we can’t go even if we have money!
─Let me think about it!
─What is there to think about! Our child can be there too…
“It seems it’s only a matter of time.”
“Okay.” Deculein nodded.
If it wasn’t money or jewelry, people found it surprisingly easy to accept ‘gifts,’ especially if it was a ‘privilege’ related to children.
This was my way of covering the case while also making connections.
Joseph was an accidentally found treasure.
The brilliance of the [Man of Great Wealth] that he gave off was quite special.
“Let’s go.”
“As you wish.”
The vehicle started smoothly and moved according to Ren’s driving.
* * *
… There was no trial that I was worried about.
The Justice Bureau, the Home Affairs Bureau, and the Public Security Bureau stamped [Investigation Complete] on the report written by Deculein, his subordinate Professor, and a debutante, and all relevant witnesses took a stance favorable to Louina. It ended with the action of a parasitic spirit called ‘The Baron of Ashes.’
─[Imperial Magic Instructor Eliminated]─
The incident at the University Tower has been amended, but an impeccable mental power is also included in the qualifications of the emperor’s Magic Educator. Hence, Louina von Schlott McQueen has been stripped of her position…
────
This entire predicament only cost her her Magic Educator position and a sincere apology to the debutantes who suffered because of her.
Of course, the fact that there were no fatalities was a major factor.
“… Haha.”
Louina laughed bitterly and looked up at her own office.
[47th floor: Professor Louina’s Office]
Somehow, after fighting to the end with the Baron of the Ashes and eventually being swallowed up, she became a do-it-yourself professor, and her office rose 25 floors.
“So this is politics.”
It was probably thanks to Deculein.
Indeed, its magnificence was admirable.
“Hm…”
Louina looked around the 47th floor. It was a much more spacious and neat office compared to the one on the 23rd floor.
She sat behind her desk and grabbed a fountain pen to reply to the letter of the Imperial Family.
“…”
Thinking about how to begin, she suddenly came across the perfect opening.
“Five years.”
Five years came to mind.
“… Why?”
It was a clause in their contract that had been questionable from the time it was created.
Five years.
Why was it not one year, not ten years, not a lifetime, but five years?
“… He stayed home for a week.”
Louina engrossed herself in her writing. Deculein staying at home was a pretty unusual event, so Louina knew about that too.
“According to many rumors, he has changed since then.”
If so, were there any shocking events during that week?
“No, even if it’s not shocking, what transpired throughout that duration?”
She grew genuinely curious.
What kind of incident caused that obsessive Deculein to take multiple leaves, ignoring all his schedules for a week?
… At that moment, a single word flashed through Louina’s mind.
“No way…?”
[Deadline?]
She tapped the words scribbled on the paper with the fountain pen in her hand.
If it was an incurable disease, the period of five years was reasonable. That would also open up the probability of a person’s personality suddenly changing.
Anyone… if their death wasn’t far away….
“… No. That’s nonsense.”
Louina laughed and put the paper in the drawer.