The Villain Who Robbed the Heroines Chapter 20
༺ Professor Ferzen (4) ༻
Usually, in most fantasy novels, the civilizations are a weird mix of the European medieval era and the renaissance period.
And this world seems to follow this trend since the invention of syringes, which were invented in France back in the 18th century in my previous world. But, the overall knowledge of medicine is comparable to that of the medieval era.
Therefore, Lizzy's ankle…..
There is no way to cure her with the current medical knowledge.
Of course, this would only be impossible if you relied purely on medicine.
Warlocks are beings who can make deals with the underworld.
Those of Keter-class can access the first floor of the underworld – Sañjīva.
The second floor – Ruavara, can be accessed by Euclidean-class Warlocks.
Going even deeper than that, there is the third floor of the underworld – Pratāpana, which is accessible only by Apollyon-class Warlocks.
The residents of the abyss might be capable of curing Lizzy's ankles. But I'm not sure if this would work. In the first place, a Warlock cannot choose the type of abyss dweller he will contact.
But, at least the dwellers of Pratāpana are significantly more powerful and bizarre than the ones on the two upper floors, so it wouldn't be surprising to contact the one with advanced healing skills.
'There were records of this….'
A long time ago, it was recorded that a powerful Apollyon-class Warlock managed to contact an abyss dweller who healed his broken and deathly ill body. But it was also written that this Warlock paid a hefty price for this deal.
And Brutein drowns in its abundant wealth.
And since I would be making a deal with the dwellers of the third floor of the underworld, the price of this deal would be unimaginable, but I'm confident I can pay for it.
'Even then, some things won't change….'
What a headache.
Even if I managed to secure this deal and heal her ankles, the emotional damage wouldn't miraculously disappear.
She had to live like that for eight years.
'Sigh, this is getting annoying….'
When I reached the rooftops of Education Building A, I opened my umbrella and then took a deep breath, frowning at the pungent smell of tobacco.
'Should I do it?….'
Or I could just eliminate the root of the problem.
And justifying my actions to both the Alfred and Claudia families should be easy as well.
After all, removing the variable is easier than trying to control it.
"..."
While I was brooding about such things, a purple umbrella snooped around the corner of the rooftop.
I slowly approached it, wondering who would be here as well…..
"Hum…."
Yuriel Wayne Dayna Alfred…. was smoking.
"Unexpected."
"Tch, you're going to tell me that it is illegal for a woman to smoke her cigarette in peace?"
"I just found it surprising."
"Humpf…. someone like you can't tell me what to do."
Puff—–
Yuriel then exhaled the cigarette smoke right at my face.
"... "
I frowned for a moment, but I controlled myself.
"Kya…..!"
No, there's no way I could stand this.
How can someone of my stature put up with this rude woman?
So I grabbed her wizard's hat and threw it on the floor.
Her hat had fallen on a pool of muddy water and quickly became drenched.
"... "
I should have done this sooner.
The hat sank into the puddle.
The hat seemed enchanted, and the rainwater seemed to bounce off of it.
And just as the hat was about to fly back to Yuriel's arms,
"Oh…..!"
I tore it apart.
Warlocks can't use their magic to create natural phenomena like Elemental Wizards, but we can analyze the composition of a spell or magic construct and destroy it.
In fact, rather than destroying the magical construct or spell, it is correct to say they are simply disintegrated.
My following lecture will be related to this concept.
It will be about the 'concept.' behind the magical constructs and spells.
"Cheeky."
Picking up the remains of the hat, Yuriel looked at me and once again let out a puff of smoke right at my face.
Then, chuckling at her little mischief against me, Yuriel got up from her seat.
She also seemed to have no further intention of bothering me, perhaps thinking that her little prank was already enough.
"You're blocking my way."
"Yuriel."
"Don't get chummy with me…."
"Professor Yuriel."
"What."
"You need to dress up modestly."
Holding the umbrella between her neck and shoulder, she threw the cigarette on the floor and reached for the hem on her bosom.
Her collar is only folded on one side, and the other is as straight as a blade, making it quite annoying for me to look at.
"... "
However, maybe because of her ample bosom, the fabric strained and clung tightly against her body as I tried to button her clothes.
"Hey, that hurts!"
"You're such a vulgar woman that you're not even able to dress up properly…."
Seeing that I wouldn't be able to win against those mounds of flesh, I gave up and folded the two sides of her collar in perfect symmetry.
"So what! Stop teasing me…. I don't like it. And also, Alfred has its own dressing code, so I have no reason to listen to you. Alfred will always choose freedom in all aspects."
"This is not freedom; it's self-indulgence."
"Sigh, and your dignity is nothing but cruelty."
Cruelty.
I couldn't even retort because I had no idea what she meant by that.
"Huh…."
Then Yuriel walks past me.
"Sigh…."
The rain showed no signs of stopping.
And amidst the rain, I held my umbrella while watching the capital's landscape.
* * * * *
4:50 p.m.
Lizzy, who chose the Violin as the subject of her practice in her arts and culture classes, finally left the classroom after the long lecture.
With this, there won't be more lectures for today, so I can head back and have a quick dinner with my Lord brother, who should be waiting for me in the main building.
'No matter what….'
Even since that nightmarish day, Lizzy lived like a wastrel.
For a girl who was only ten at the time, Ferzen's actions caused severe mental scars.
[I apologize, I apologize…]
Even though she cried and begged him to forgive her….. he still trampled on her remaining ankle.
But her ankle was not broken.
The nerves and ligaments were still connected.
But when she tried to walk, her ankle couldn't handle the weight of her body.
So her left foot had become nothing more than a trinket.
Perhaps he would have finished his job if Lord brother didn't arrive just on time and confronted him for his actions.
Of course, Lizzy had grown tired of imagining 'what if' scenarios.
But what if her ankle had been thoroughly broken? Her deceased father and lord brother wouldn't have to suffer such humiliation.
'... '
In the fall, no one was willing to buy their products when the crops had to be harvested and sold.
No physician ever came to examine her ankle.
And as winter approached, the villagers had no choice but to sell their hard-harvested grains dirt cheap to not starve to death, and her ankle became swollen and started to get worse…..
Having no way out, her father and Lord brother went to kneel before the head of Brutein and begged for clemency.
The Head of Brutein accepted their pleas with the condition that the incident would be kept under wraps, and as compensation, he bought the crops at three times the average market price.
And Ferzen Von Schweig Brutein.
No, Ferzen Von Schweig Louerg.
Does he even know the pain he caused to my family?
Even now, Lizzy couldn't understand what she had done wrong.
Did he really do all that just because I made a mistake in our dance?
'I can do it….'
Four years ago, that man proclaimed in the name of Brutein that if one managed to best him in a fair duel on black magic, he would grant the winner an irrefutable wish.
I don't know if his challenge is still valid, but…..
At least because of his proud and belligerent personality, he wouldn't deny an open challenge.
Because of this, Lizzy now had a clear goal.
She would challenge him to a fair duel, she would win, and demand him to apologize to her father's grave, and she would make him break his own ankle.
She didn't actually believe he would comply with her last demand, but after her Lord brother married the first daughter of the Alfred Family…..
Squeak.
Squeak.
While she observed the influx of students from the corner of the hallway, Lizzy manually controlled the corpse as he pushed her wheelchair.
Since that day eight years ago, she has suffered from a case of Androphobia*, but with the support of her family, she managed to overcome it.
Lizzy knows she is talented, so even if it takes 2 or 3 years, her promotion to Euclidean-class is certain.
In his lecture, I let my emotions get the better of me, and before I knew it, those words had already been said….
But this won't happen again.
"Ah... "
There was a ramp connecting the 1st and 2nd floors for disabled people.
And right in the middle of the ramp, she exhausted her mana.
I've been careless. This was expected as I've controlled the corpse since morning;
No, my mana pool isn't the problem.
It's just that I'm not used to the layout of the Academy, and because of this, I wasted a lot more mana than I'm used to.
'Of all the places….'
I can't even roll the wheels myself since it's a downhill slope, and if I go down like this, I won't be able to stop it until I hit a wall.
I have no choice but to get up with the help of my crutches and try to contact my Lord brother somehow...
Stomp.
Stomp.
However, the stomping sound of a man's shoes echoed in the silent hallway.
The sound got closer and closer.
Dressed in a neat suit, his dignity unmatched, his gait resolute.
Ferzen Von Schweig Louerg.
"Ah, uh…."
But for Lizzy, his presence meant something entirely different.
It was the same feeling when a murderer quietly sneaks behind you in a dark alleyway, the same primal fear when a predator stares at you.
Why?
I thought I had overcome my fear…..
How did I even manage to listen to one of his lectures...…
"Eh… "
Thump.
Thump.
He is getting close.
The gap between them gets shorter with every step.
And each step that he takes, it is as if someone is slowly but surely choking her neck, as Lizzy finds herself unable to even breathe properly.
Only then does she understand why.
Just like on that day eight years ago.
When they were alone at the ball and the fact that they were alone yet again in this hallway, was the cause of her sudden panic attack.
"Did your mana run out?"
Lizzy's whole body stiffened when those blood-read eyes, reminiscent of a hungry beast, looked down at her.
"...… Since I have time, I shall lend you a hand."
Dismissing the corpse, Ferzen grabbed Lizzy's wheelchair from behind and started to push it.
But when Ferzen, who, up until now, was in her field of vision, moved to her blind spot in the back….
Lizzy's fear doubled.
No matter how the prey runs, she can still hear the steady steps of her predator, and the cold truth of her imminent demise only seems to further draw the pathetic prey in a state of pure and uncontrollable panic….
"Ah….hu….uh….Hiiiii…..!"
She reached her limit, and her posture collapsed.
Drip.
"… … "
A pale yellow liquid flowed down from the wheelchair.
Because of the rain, the dense humidity present in the building blended with the ammonia, creating a deeply unpleasant smell.
At this, Ferzen stopped his pace for a moment.
It was clear to both of them what was happening right now.
However, he was a tad bit too late to notice it, so his right shoe had been soiled by the shiny stream of the foul liquid.
"Ah!"
Her whole body was trembling, and her legs were clenched so hard that her knees were white.
Lizzy Poliana Claudia cried.
And as he watched her breakdown, Ferzen had no choice but to sink his left foot, almost by reflex, into the urine, which had now soiled the ramp.
"Sigh...."
This situation almost made Ferzen have another psychotic seizure, as his OCD forced him to create symmetry between his shoes, so he became deeply annoyed.
He was annoyed at Lizzy, the root of this unpleasant situation, but out of pity for the young lady, Ferzen forcibly suppressed his feelings.
At least he was aware of why the situation had escalated to this point.
But he couldn't understand why she never showed such panic or fear in his presence while he was teaching.
"... "
And in this deeply disturbing silence, Lizzy had never felt more shame in her entire life.
Translator's Note:
Oh well, my dudes, imma be honest with ya'll. It's not realistic for me to pop chapters in the middle of the week, so get yourself used to weekend releases cause daddy is busy trying not to die from hunger.
*Androphobia is defined as a fear of men. The term originated inside feminist and lesbian-feminist movements to balance the opposite term "gynophobia," which means a fear of women.
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