It had been three months since the professor promotion evaluations began, and the Mage Tower was still abuzz with discussions about the Head Professor. Despite Deculein's unparalleled spell interpretation skills and theoretical frameworks, supported by the influential Yukline family, most believed Louina was superior overall, especially in terms of personality.
Deculein's behavior, verging on arrogance, left the current professors wary of his potential as Head Professor. This apprehension drove their support for Louina. The Mage Tower's evaluation criteria focused on individual merit and achievements rather than family or status. Even the current Chairwoman, Adrienne, hailed from a minor noble family.
Trusting the fairness of the selection process, Louina remained resolute. She faced relentless pressure and threats from Yukline but refused to yield. Even if it meant her death, she would not surrender. However, today...
"If the position holds less importance than your family, then it is time to relinquish it."
Her father's voice, once robust, now sounded frail and withered. His words shattered Louina. The pressure from Yukline had extended beyond her to the entire McQueen family. Once one of the twelve great houses, they had fallen from grace ten years ago when her father lost his magic to a severe injury, causing the family's prestige to decline.
The McQueens had no power to resist Yukline. Louina couldn't handle this alone; the situation was far more dire than she had realized. Her father, mother, younger siblings, retainers, and the entire family's territory were collapsing.
Splish, splash—
It was once on a rainy day, feeling a sense of helplessness that far outweighed the rain soaking her, Louina went to see Deculein.
"You are not permitted to enter," declared the guard at the imposing gate of the Yukline mansion, one of the most prestigious residences in the capital.
"I have urgent matters to discuss with him."
"Without a prior appointment, entry is not permitted."
"I understand, but I must speak with him urgently!"
"It is not permitted."
"... Kindly step aside! If you inform Deculein of my presence, he will..."
Louina tried to advance, but several guards blocked her path, resulting in a noisy altercation as they pushed her back. The commotion ceased when a commanding voice interrupted, "What is happening here?"
Deculein stood just beyond the gate, shielded by a servant's umbrella, his eyes fixed on her. The condescending disdain in his gaze churned Louina's stomach.
"You again, Louina," Deculein remarked, his eyebrow twitching with barely concealed irritation.
Louina pushed past the guards and brushed off her clothes. Fixing her gaze on him, she reluctantly spoke the words she had dreaded, "... I give up."
"Give up?"
"Yes."
Deculein gazed at her with the disdain one might show a stray dog.
Louina's voice trembled as she said, "I give up. That will end this, won't it? So, let's put an end to this."
Deculein's twisted smile was filled with disdain as he responded, "End this? What do you mean by that?"
"... What?"
Yukline had driven her entire family to the edge of ruin. Their debts were drastically accelerated, and their family bonds had lost all value. Their territory teetered on the brink of bankruptcy.
"Louina, I truly don't understand what you mean..."
Deculein approached her with slow, deliberate steps, his cold eyes brimming with disdain.
"If your intention is to offer an apology..."
The idea of apologizing was absurd to Louina.
"You should demonstrate appropriate humility."
Under the umbrella held by his servant, Deculein's cold blue eyes glinted as he remarked, "You need to lower yourself."
Louina bit her lip until it bled. Her voice, trembling with suppressed rage she said, "... Apologize?"
"Indeed. After Berhert, your family would have fallen if not for Yukline's support. You were spared collapse through our aid. Despite your family's betrayal, we granted forgiveness, yet your current actions are deplorable. At the very least, you owe an apology," Deculein declared with a calm, aristocratic tone. Louina clenched her fists, glaring at him as he narrowed his eyes.
"... A decayed tree cannot be restored. Remember this, your family will wilt away like a dying plant," Deculein stated. He then turned and walked away.
At that moment, Louina felt the world spinning around her. It was as if the sky were collapsing. She wanted to disappear but couldn't abandon her family.
"Wait!" Louina called out to his retreating figure.
Deculein halted and glanced back over his shoulder.
"... I will do it." Louina said, her voice trembling as she slowly knelt, blood dripping from her bitten lip.
Splash—
Mud and rainwater soaked into her clothes, causing Deculein to pause, seemingly taken aback.
"... I apologize. I... am truly sorry," Louina said, bowing her head as tears mingled with the rain.
Deculein's voice dripped with scorn as he said, "Tsk. How pathetic and pitiful."
Deculein advanced with deliberate steps, the rain intensifying around him.
"Your pitiful family, barely a century old and lacking roots or history, is nothing more than a collection of mongrels."
With her knees on the ground, he pressed his shoe firmly on her knee.
"Your attempts to preserve your pride, ignorant of your station..."
He pressed down on her knee firmly, as if branding it. Louina felt a searing pain that seemed to tear through her heart.
"Were truly repugnant and disgusting."
Crack—!
His heel drove into her knee, tearing flesh and snapping ligaments, causing blood to seep out. Louina stifled a scream.
"Get lost. If you wish for your family's survival, ensure that I never see your face again."
Deculein spat his words and walked away, leaving Louina kneeling in the rain. The guards returned to their posts as the downpour mingled with the blood from her wounds, streaming down her body. She remained there, pleading for forgiveness until the rain ceased. The next day, Louina submitted her resignation to the Mage Tower of the University.
Two days later, she left the Empire. Within a week, life resumed as usual. Yet, Louina never forgot the humiliation of that day. She dedicated herself to relentless work. As a head professor at the Mage Tower of the Kingdom, she published numerous papers, developed new spells, earned substantial wealth, and restored her family's reputation.
Having earned the respect of the kingdom's citizens, Louina now stood in the imperial palace. Presenting her credentials to the guards, she received salutes and open doors. The journey from the imperial palace gate to the inner imperial palace took forty minutes, involving several security checks and a change of carriages.
At last, she reached the Path of Humility leading to the inner imperial palace.
"Louina von Schlott McQueen!"
When the Empress called her name, Louina felt as if she owned the world, overwhelmed by the Empress's favor. But then...
"Deculein von Grahan-Yukline!"
Upon hearing his name and seeing his face, Louina braced herself. She would not be defeated again. Resolving to repay the humiliation tenfold, she steeled her determination and walked the Path of Humility in silence.
***
In the imperial palace hall, I observed Louina, her expression stern and unyielding.
"Please refrain from staring," Louina said with a sharp edge to her voice.
Her words cut like a blade, and I quietly averted my gaze.
"But you've managed to endure all this time. It's said that your brain took his own life three years ago," Louina remarked, breaking the silence.
I retorted, "Refrain from speaking to me."
There was no need to be kind to someone hostile. Feigning niceness in such situations only led to negative outcomes. My six months as Deculein had taught me this simple truth.
"Please prepare for a light body search," the maidservants said, approaching. Louina removed her coat and submitted to the search first. One of the maids, inspecting Louina's bag filled with various items, asked, "What are these?"
"These are gifts for Her Majesty and materials for our lesson," Louina replied.
A brief glance disclosed grimoires and hefty documents. The palace mage assisting the maid performed a meticulous magical inspection.
"They are cleared. Now, Mister Deculein?"
I stood and approached the maidservants, who conducted an unusually thorough search. One of them examined the contents of my velvet bundle and asked, "What might this be?"
"A gift for Her Majesty," I responded.
She retrieved a bottle of the finest Prurdua wine, vintage 33, and stated, "... Alcohol requires a more thorough inspection. We will examine it further before presenting it to Her Majesty."
"Understood."
"Tsk, we are here to teach, not to indulge in drinking," Louina murmured.
I ignored her comment. With the search complete, we followed the maidservants up the imperial palace stairs. The Empress's designated lesson space was called the Hall of Learning. We soon arrived at a door adorned with a golden lion, where the maid knocked.
Knock, knock—
"Your Majesty, the Instructor Mages are here."
"You may enter."
"Yes, Your Majesty," the maid replied, bowing her head as she opened the door.
The Empress sat in her chair, observing us. I stepped forward and bowed.
"Deculein von Grahan Yukline, humbly at your glorious service, Your Majesty."
"Louina von Schlott McQueen, humbly at your glorious service, Your Majesty."
"Indeed. You are welcome here."
Keiron, the Empress's guard, stood motionless in the background as the maid closed the door behind us. Louina and I then stepped forward, approaching the Empress.
"Magic, is it? Today marks our first lesson. Where do we begin?" the Empress inquired with a casual air.
Louina quickly responded, "First, we should ascertain which categories and properties Your Majesty prefers."
"Categories? Properties? Ah, the eight categories, you mean."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"Unnecessary. We will not be practicing magic today. Let us simply converse."
Louina's eyes widened in surprise. She looked from her lesson materials to the Empress, clearly uncertain about how to proceed.
"Take a seat. Let's have a conversation," the Empress commanded. As Louina stood there, flustered, the Empress gestured to the chairs.
I shook my head and said, "We were chosen as Instructor Mages to delve into magical truths with Your Majesty. If there is no lesson, we have no reason to remain here."
Setting boundaries was essential. Letting the Empress slack off would significantly increase the game's difficulty. Her eyebrows furrowed in displeasure.
"I said I do not wish to."
"Even if you do not desire it, tradition, etiquette, and study demand it."
The Empress glared at me, tapping her fingers on the desk in frustration. Louina silently signaled me with the Wizard Code, a form of Morse code used among mages.
— What, doing? Trouble, anger, Her Majesty. Because, you, me, too. Damn, you.
I chose to ignore her signal.
The Empress scratched her eyebrow thoughtfully and said, "Very well. We shall proceed differently. Are both of you proficient in chess?"
Chess. I knew the basic rules and a few opening strategies. This knowledge belonged to Deculein, not to me. Noble pursuits such as horseback riding and chess were deeply ingrained in Deculein's character.
"Yes, Your Majesty. While my skills may be modest, I do know how to play," Louina responded.
A smile appeared on the Empress's face as she said, "Good. We'll settle this with chess. If you win, I'll take your lessons. If you lose, you will leave quietly, and today's session will end."
Louina glared at me resentfully. I wondered how much my Comprehension would aid me in this chess game.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Louina, you may go first," I said, gently urging her forward.
She stumbled slightly, then glared at me before approaching with her head bowed and said, "I am not skilled, Your Majesty, but I will do my best to—"
The Empress interrupted, "You may consult with each other if necessary."
I shook my head, preferring to observe Louina and the Empress's game first. This would help me gauge how my Comprehension might apply.
"Better to go alone than with him... Never mind," Louina said.
"Hmm. One-on-one can be dull, but very well. Let us begin."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Louina played the white pieces, while the Empress, Sophien, took the black pieces.
Tap—
The pieces made crisp sounds as they moved across the board. Louina was cautious, deliberating over each move, while Sophien made her moves with just a glance. The outcome was evident from their postures alone. An hour passed...
"Checkmate."
Only black pieces were left on the board.
"... I have lost," Louina said.
"Louina, you're too cautious and analytical. This is boring. Keiron would be more fun to play with. Deculein, you're next?" the Empress asked, turning her gaze to me.
A faint hostility flickered in her intrigued eyes, showing that she had already begun to dislike me.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"You better make this interesting, or I might punish you."
I took Louina's place and said, "Your Majesty, we shall only have one chance."
"One chance?"
"Yes, Your Majesty," I replied, preparing for the possibility of running out of mana. "If I lose, I will leave without a word. There will be no rematches or retries."
"... Alright. Do as you fucking wish," Sophien spat, her crude words grating on my ears.
Since I played white, I made the first move, simply shifting my pieces. Black responded, and I continued to play intuitively. At some point, my vision shifted to a blue hue, as if a layer of blue paint had been smeared over my eyes. This was the manifestation of Comprehension.
***
Sophien pondered. He was an enigma, like a wild dog. His moves were rough, swift, and reckless, yet effective. Fierce and aggressive but still unrefined, his untamed nature was sharp like shards of glass, a danger if underestimated.
Compared to Louina, he was far more formidable and threatening. From the opening, he created chaos, relentlessly pressing forward. Whenever he saw an opening, he exploited it; if he could seize a piece, he did so savagely.
Sophien alternated between studying the chessboard and scrutinizing her opponent's face as she moved her bishop.
Click—
Click—
Deculein swiftly moved the queen, taking less than three seconds from conception to execution. The move was audacious but sound. Sophien observed her opponent's unwavering gaze. Deculein, head of the Yukline family, stared at the board with an intensity that suggested either starvation or a love of battle. His demeanor sharply contrasted with his appearance.
"... Hmph."
However, Sophien understood the flaw in such a reckless strategy. A ravenous dog, blinded by its aggression, could easily fall into a simple trap.
Click—
Sophien deliberately left a gap in her defenses, creating a tempting but deadly trap. It appeared to be a blunder, yet stepping into it would result in entrapment. Maintaining a poker face, she waited for him to take the bait. Without hesitation, Deculein fell into the trap, unaware of his predicament. Sophien smiled as her knight captured his queen.
Click—
That should have ended the game, but it didn't. Sophien found it peculiar. The match, which should have concluded swiftly, dragged on. Despite losing his queen, Deculein continued to move his pieces with unwavering confidence. The Empress couldn't afford to ponder longer than her opponent, so she matched his pace.
Though she countered his attacks, an unsettling feeling grew. The board still favored her, but the odd sense of being led into a trap persisted. Victory seemed within reach, yet she felt as though she was sinking into a mire. At some point, Deculein halted his movements. The game had reached its endgame, and the Empress gazed at the nearly empty chessboard.
Why did he stop so abruptly? Confused, Sophien examined the board, trying to foresee Deculein's next moves.
One move, then two, then three... In her mind, the pieces shifted. His bishop threatened her king, her queen captured his bishop, but on the eighth move, she saw it—her defeat. If Deculein continued as planned, no strategy could save her from inevitable loss.
It wasn't just that he would make the moves; he had orchestrated the entire game to bring her to this point. This was the source of the unsettling atmosphere she had felt all along. Sophien couldn't grasp the intricate setup. Every piece Deculein left on the board, every position, held significance.
"How did I find myself cornered? Had I underestimated him and been too careless?"
Silently, the Empress looked up. Deculein's unwavering gaze met hers, expressionless. All that remained was for him to make his move. But his next action defied her expectations once again.
Thunk—
Deculein toppled his own king. The white piece rolled off the board and fell. The Empress raised her gaze from the fallen king to Deculein.
"What is the meaning of this?"
In response to her detached query, Deculein replied, "I have lost."
As if it were the most natural outcome for him.
"But my king has not been captured," Sophien said.
"There are no winning moves remaining," Deculein stated with calm certainty.
... Whose solution? Mine or yours? Before the Empress could ask, Deculein stood abruptly.
"Since both of us have lost to Your Majesty, we will take our leave for today. We shall see you next week."
Without another word, as promised, he departed. There would be no rematches or retries. Deculein honored his commitment, and the Empress glared at his departing figure.