Chapter 228: Back to the Daily Life (1)
âŚThe regressor Sophienâs fate was honorable. From birth, the noblest human in the world, with the bloodline of the Imperial family, bestowed upon their destiny. The eldest daughter held an absolute legitimacy that was hard to find even if you looked back on the history of the Empire.
However, there was nothing that would give meaning to the life of that perfect reign. It was a life of paradox that suffered from death but could not die. Did the idea of natural death exist to her? Would the last paragraph of life be opened to her as well? What if, when she grew old and died naturally, she returned to that day on January 1st?
If death didnât continue but only repeated itself, how was the right way to end that life? No, was it ever going to come to an end? Therefore, while humans vaguely imagined and feared their distant death, Sophien experienced a universe where her end didnât exist. She would continue to return to her endless cycle. That was why she longed for boredom.
If she learned everything slowly, if she thought sluggishly or acted sluggishly, she could forget a little of those distant restrictions. She could run away.
âŚBut someone broke that defense mechanism. From the moment she met him as a teaching wizard, as the seasons continued, until the present. He always forced her to learn. He demanded she face the world and taught her emotions other than indolence.
It was interesting at first. She just took it as a surprise. However, as time went on, the guy was stuck like a thorn in her core, and whenever she saw him, she felt sad, happy, and angry. She even had dreams about him. She came to imagine a future where she was not alone.
It was unfamiliar.
ââŚHmm.â
Tweetâ Tweetâ
The morning sun was bright, and the birds were chirping. Sophien looked at Deculein wordlessly.
ââŚHeâs sleeping.â
Ahan was by her side.
âRight.â
Deculein was sleeping. Of course, he wasnât lying or anything. Outside the door of the private sleeping quarters hidden in the Imperial Palace, he was sleeping, standing still like a knight.
âYou came to the Imperial Palace arbitrarily⌠and nothing happened until morning. You said you came after seeing the future where I died?â
âThatâs right. That was strange and creepy, unlike the usual ProfessorâŚâ
At any rate, Sophien found that ridiculous and smiled.
âYour Majesty, what are you going to do?â
ââŚI donât know.â
Sophien fiddled with her chin as she pondered.
âFirst, this is punishment.â
She poked Deculeinâs cheek. Still, he didnât wake up.
âYour Majesty, please be careful. The Professor is going to hate it.â
ââŚWhat if that bastard does?â
She was the only person who could call Professor Deculein a bastard. Ahan looked up at Sophien, impressed.
âBut⌠itâs better not to do it twice.â
She gently pulled back. Even though she was an emperor, some servants were hard to mess with. Instead, she stared intently at the sleeping Deculein.
ââŚAhan.â
âYes. Your Majesty.â
Suddenly, Sophien recalled Rohakanâs prophecy. He said that she would one day fall in love with Deculein and that she would kill him. She would take the life of the only being who could have meaning for her with her own hands.
âI will, maybe, for this professorâŚ.â
âNo, thatâs not it! Iâm really in a hurry! Aaah! Ahhh! Ouch! Aaah!
ââŚâ
-Ouch! Aaah! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
ââŚWhat the?â
A groan echoed from under the bedroom stairs. Just when Sophien turned, Deculein slowly opened his eyes.
âProfessor. Did you finally wake up? Nothing happened-â
âAaah! Let me go! Let me go-!
They heard the screams again. Deculein mumbled with a sigh while quietly listening to that dizzy voice.
ââŚIs it Epherene?â
âEpherene? Are you talking about your disciple?â
âYes. It looks like something happened to her.â
Deculein responded shamelessly, pretending he hadnât been sleeping. He looked perfect.
âThen go.â
âNo. Your Majestyâs danger is still-â
âGosh. If I were really in danger, I would have died when you slept.â
Then, Deculein clenched his teeth. Seeing that, Sophie laughed.
âI guess youâre embarrassed as well, huh?â
ââŚAhem.â
Deculein cleared his throat and turned away.
* * *
We stood in the Imperial Prison. I shook my head as I looked at Epherene, who was locked in a cage.
âHehe.â
I didnât know what she was so happy about, but the detained girl was smiling brightly. She wasnât even a dog, but she kept going -hehe- hehe-.
âTalk.â
âProfessor, I returned to the present now! I was surprised to see the calendar! Itâs February!â
I looked at her wrist. She wore a bracelet connected with tape.
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âWhat happened?â
Epherene shook the iron bars excitedly.
âThe guy called god must have stopped intervening. If he proceeds with his work in this situation that has already been exposed, he will lose an important power.â
âOh, then, is that a surrender? Is it over?â
I looked at the pocket watch on her waist.
âNo.â
âHuh? Why?â
âHer Majestyâs power still rests with you. April 9th ââdidnât come. If your regression is permanent, then that is a problem in its own way.â
The mental power that was expended to overcome the regression was quite intense. Headaches and fatigue unbearable even by Iron Man standards, were still ingrained in my body.
âOh⌠so am I still in danger?â
Epherene shook her head inquisitively.
âNo. Youâre not in danger. Rather, youâre safer than anyone else in the world.â
ââŚ?â
Ephereneâs eyes widened.
âHuh? Why?â
âYou are only in danger when Her Majesty is dead. Not the current you.â
âSo, I mean, why?â
âFor when you die, the power again passes back to Her Majesty.â
ââŚOh!â
It was a characteristic of this power. Just as the power that escaped from Sophien came to Epherene, when Epherene died, it would be transferred back to Sophien.
âSo the Altar will never kill you. Even if you push your throat forward, asking them to kill you, they will rather kill those who want to kill you.â
âHmm⌠is that a relief?â
Of course, there was the risk of kidnapping, but if she were at least alive, it wouldnât be hard to respond. Epherene wasnât easy to deal with either.
âWhat will you do now?â
âIâm going to go into central politics.â
âPolitics?â
âRight. I remember all the names you gave me.â
A list of those who cooperated with the Altar or belonged to the Altar. I would kill them all. If any of them had ever committed a crime, I would use it against them, and to those who didnât, I would fabricate something.
âYes. Then Iâll end with the Magic Tower. By mobilizing the knowledge of my two years. And, Professor. Come here for a secondâŚâ
Epherene glanced sideways at the empty prison cell and beckoned me to come closer.
âJust say it.â
âGosh, seriously⌠this is a secret. ActuallyâŚâ
Gulp-
After swallowing, she spoke as if leaking a top secret.
âAssistant Professor Allen is alive.
ââŚâ
âSo? Itâs shocking, right? This is Professor Allenâs private matter, so I wouldnât tell you about it normally⌠Huh-â
Creek â
Just then, the dungeon door swung open. Epherene quickly covered her mouth.
âOh, Professor! Iâm sorry!â
The knight who came in was Delric. He was with several of his subordinate knights, and each of them paused to salute me. And then, with resentful eyes, Delric stepped forward.
âNo, who dared! What kind of crazy knight locked up the professorâs apprentice here! Iâll find and kill-â
âEnough. This girl indeed caused a ruckus.â
âKnight Delric~!â
Epherene, still inside the cage, smiled and waved.
âLong time no see~.â
ââŚHuh?â
Delric wore a sour look. Then Epherene flinched and trembled.
âOh, right. We are no longer friends.â
âUh⌠let me just open it.â
ââŚYes.â
Delric opened the cage with the key. I whispered to Epherene.
âForget your old memories.
ââŚâ
âAnd, Delric.â
âYes!â
Delric turned to me and saluted.
âSoon, two people will be appointed as the Emperorâs exclusive escort knights.â
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âYes? Oh, okay. Is that so?â
âIâll recommend you.â
ââŚâ
Delricâs expression froze. Round eyes, half-open mouth, enlarged nostrils. As if time had stopped, or as if he had stopped breathing. Epherene chuckled and tapped his shoulder.
âCongratulations. Wouldnât it be almost confirmed if itâs a recommendation from the professor?â
Delric moved again as if that was the signal for the world to start. He looked at me with teary eyes.
âProfessorâŚâ
I put a hand on his shoulder.
âThen, keep up the good work. Keep in mind that your loyalty now belongs to Her Majesty, and you have Yukline behind you.â
ââŚYes! My loyalty belongs to Her Majesty and, of course, to the professor⌠hey guys! Come on, what are you doing? Salute!â
âYes, sir!â
The frozen knights behind Delric saluted a moment late, and I left the prison with Epherene.
* * *
âŚOne spring day, by the lake of the Imperial Palace.
Splashâ
Sophien was fishing today too. But this time, she wasnât alone. At another point in the distance sat Deculein and Epherene, and not far away, the knight Delric was on guard.
âAhan.â
âYes, Your Majesty.â
Ahan answered while cooking the fish Sophien caught.
âAccording to the professorâs words, it seems that the curse has disappeared from my body.â
âIs that so?â
The power of regression wasnât with her now.
âIâm very relieved.â
âThatâs good, Your Majesty.â
Sophien twisted her lips into a near sneer.
âHowever, it seems that I somehow knew that beforehand.â
âŚTap.
Ahan halted with a knife in hand and looked up.
âAhan. I have been given a prophecy.â
âA prophecy⌠you mean?â
âYes. It said that someday, in the not-too-distant future, I will kill Deculein.â
Bubble-!
She had caught something. Sophien stared at the surface of the bubbling lake.
âIf you do not believe such propheciesâŚ.â
âI have no choice but to believe. Because they were Rohakanâs words.â
ââŚâ
âBut I donât want to kill the professor.â
Sophien put her hand on her chin and smiled.
âIf thatâs the case⌠now I am thinking like this. If I donât want to kill the professor, he has no choice but to kill himself. If we quietly follow the plans the Altar has set out, wouldnât the prophecy go against them?â
Rohakanâs prophecy wouldnât happen, and Sophien would be saved by death.
ââŚIf I am thinking like that now, I could be thinking the same in the past.â
âYour Majesty! No, you canât.â
Ahan knelt and bowed her head, her eyes watery. Sophien shook her head.
âHmph. Itâs just an assumption. Anyway, I canât overcome regression like Deculein. My mental strength isnât on that level.â
Regression was no longer her power. However, she couldnât continue to leave that power to the child named Epherene. It was a curse that only she could bear.
ââŚIf Your Majesty dies, this empire will be destroyed.â
âNo. My eyes are correct. Even with Deculein alone, the Empire will run smoothly. Also, who knows?â
Splash-!
Sophien lifted the fishing rod. The fish that leaped out with the current of the water was an Arandung. This was a fish that Deculein once told her about.
âHe could be even better after my death.â
It was then.
Splaaash-!
There was the sound of something like a stone falling into the lake. Sophien looked around.
âAh, aaah! H-Help! Help! Iâm drowning! I-Itâs deep here! Professor, Professor! Itâs deep! Too deep!
It was Epherene. It seemed that she fell in while fishing, but Deculein was concentrating on his fishing, paying her no mind.
âPuuh! Professor, ah, hey! Hey, Deculein! Apoohhk-
Delric ran to rescue her. Epherene clung onto Delricâs back and took a deep breath. On the other hand, Deculein, who had caught quite a few fish, approached Sophien. He was likely just trying to show off the fish he caught.
ââŚIs this a routine? Itâs my first time.â
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Ahan smiled at Sophienâs somewhat generous words.
âYes. Thatâs right, Your Majesty.â
Soft sunlight. Deculein, walking in the clear breeze, showed her his basket and said:
âI have ten. How is your fishing going?â
As she expected, the competitive professor demanded they do this every time they fished. This was also part of trying to prevent her indolence.
âSix. You won, you bastard professor.â
âCongratulations, Professor.â
Sophien and Ahan smiled with very different meanings.
* * *
Intense sunlight shining brightly. The morning was growing warmer. Finally, it was the first day of university.
âHow many times did we go through this?â
Epherene sat on a bench on the college campus, muttering as she was eating ice cream. Couples covered in cherry blossoms were an eyesore, and a certain sense of anxiety still lingered in the corner of her heart, but anyway, it was nice to be at peace.
âEpherene?â
Then a voice called her. Footsteps slowly approached.
âOh~, Yeriel!â
Yeriel, the businesswoman of Yukline and Deculeinâs younger sister.
âTake this. Eat it while itâs warm.â
âYes! Thank you!â
The food she offered was the most cutting-edge dish these days, the newly invented waffle from the Yukline family. This was the best dessert that one couldnât buy because of the long lines.
âChomp⌠huh.â
Her brain melted with one bite. Epherene was ecstatic at the crisp sweetness she felt.
âThis is really⌠who invented it?â
âI donât know. I found it from my brotherâs junk.â
âJunk?â
âYeah. When I study, there are many inventions that I come across. I donât know if my brother or someone else has drawn them. All of the things that I think look okay⌠I make and sell.â
âAha⌠itâs amazing.â
He was a magic professor, dessert inventor, and Imperial Guard. He was so inhuman.
âYum.â
Epherene took another bite. Yeriel asked, chuckling.
âAre you going to class soon?â
âYes.â
âMe too.â
ââŚWhat?â
Yerielâs words were strange to Epherene. Then, Yeriel laughed again.
âYou⌠too?â
âWhat. Why not? Iâm a student here too. I didnât drop out or get expelled. Donât you like it? Iâm disappointed.â
âNo! No, no, no. Iâm not complainingâŚâ
âHmph. Itâs just to learn some culture. About business administration and economics. Of course, it is best to learn by experience, but I should know the theory.â
âWell. Indeed.â
Epherene changed the topic while eating.
âOh, right. Iâll participate in the magic contest this time.â
âMagic contest?â
âYes. Itâs a contest where several wizards come together as a team to implement great magic, major magic, or something like that.â
Before the regression, she didnât have time because of her thesis, but now she had plenty. So, she would take on all of the external activities and do all the academic activities she could.
âHuh? Then my brother could direct you.â
âYes? HeyâŚâ
Epherene shook her head. Cherry blossom petals landed atop the crown of her head.
âWould the professor do that? He is a very busy person.â
âJust ask him. I think he will if you ask him. You, too, will prefer my brother over Relin or something, right?â
âYeah~, but itâll be too annoying to direct. And to be honest, I think the professor is going to make it too hard for me, so Iâm a little bitâŚ.â
âŚTen minutes later, on the 77th floor of the tower, in the Head Professorâs office.
âIâll be the director.â
ââŚWhat?â
Ephereneâs eyes twinkled as she looked at the professor. Saliva was pooling in her mouth, and her heart was pounding. Deculein continued as he signed the work papers.
âI heard youâre going to a magic contest.â
âOh~ that⌠I will. If youâre busy, itâs fine-â
Thud-!
Before she could finish, Deculeinâs seal was stamped on the [Magic Contest] entry. Epherene opened her mouth, and Deculein cut her off while returning the application.
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âHowever, I will not tolerate anything other than first place.â
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