Chapter 4: Deculein (3)

Chapter 4: Deculein (3)

[Side Quest Completed: University Lecture]

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Bathroom. Bathroom, bathroom. Where is the bathroom? I urgently need to go to the bathroom...

This reaction was definite proof that I was not really Deculein. Even though some of his personality traits had influenced me, it was only to a small extent and for the most part, I still remained Kim Woo-Jin. The cramp in my lower stomach was the result of accumulated mental stress that I hadn't even realized.

Gurgle—

The biological reaction that I was experiencing was unbearable. Nevertheless, I maintained a perfect model-like walk on the outside. Although I was desperate inside, I maintained a composed look on the outside as I searched for a bathroom. Suddenly, I encountered a woman standing at the other end of the hall, looking at me from the long corridor.

I walked toward her and she stood still at her position. As our distance naturally closed, I was the first to stop when we were within arm's reach.

"It's been a while," Yulie said, bowing her head first.

She was a beautiful woman with smooth, white hair and eyes as clear as ice. Her appearance reminded me of that blood-soaked moment I had once seen on a monitor. Eight out of the sixteen deaths of Deculein that I had tested were related to her.

“... Yes, it's been a while,” I replied.

Her name was Yulie, the fiancée of this body. She was also a named character who would become the ultimate knight in the near future.

“Have you been well?” Yulie asked.

It wasn’t a question I had an answer to.

If it had been a servant, they would have walked away, unable to withstand my gaze. However, Yulie simply waited. Inevitably, I had no choice but to respond to her in this manner.

“I’m unsure.”

It was the best I could do, but Yulie seemed irritated by my reply. She took a deep breath and spoke.

“Do you remember the promise you made to me a week ago?”

I stood still, looking directly into her eyes. In those deep and beautiful eyes, a clear smoldering hostility burned.

“You broke the promise,” Yulie continued.

I remained silent as it was a promise I knew nothing about. I nodded and tried to pass by her.

I had to poop.

Yulie took a step to the side and blocked my path.

“Are you trying to run away?”

I was trying to run away because I really had to poop. In a situation I knew nothing about, saying anything would only make it worse.

“Are you really doing this to me again?”

But the woman didn’t let me escape. She glared at me with a face as cold as ice. In this situation, the best I could do was far from adequate.

“... What promise did we make?”

I genuinely didn’t know, so I asked, but Yulie's anger sent chills down my spine.

My back itched and felt hot. I wanted to scratch, but this body bound by Noble Etiquette wouldn't permit such low-class actions. Instead, I continued speaking with a hint of awkwardness.

“I'm asking you. I must have forgotten because I've been sick with a fever for a while.”

“Haa," she sighed, feeling somewhat resigned and nearly hopeless. It was a sigh burdened with more than just anger.

“... Damn it. That’s what you were after all,” she said, her tone as cold as ice and filled with contempt, sadness, and disappointment directed at her fiancé. “Go.”

She stepped aside, and I walked right beside her shoulder. Even as I walked away, I could still feel the gaze drilling into the back of my neck.

Leaving the corridor, I entered the VIP bathroom. I looked around, worried that someone might come and only after confirming that no one was there, I finally used the toilet.

“It was so embarrassing...”

The sardonic laughter still echoed in her ears, but she had made progress.

“Pfft. Enchantment category, my ass,” Epherene smirked, remembering what he said.

Clearly, he was inexperienced in this kind of situation, saying it was Enchantment magic. It made no sense. Of all things, he claimed it was Enchantment magic. Enchantment magic was definitely one of the most incredibly difficult categories of magic.

It required an enormous amount of mana to deceive and disrupt a person's perception, making it highly inefficient. Most Enchantment magic requires a medium, making the idea of performing it without one nearly impossible.

“What an idiot. Seriously, he's a total idiot.”

As she repeated it to herself with satisfaction, a loud voice called her name and approached her.

“Epherene! Epherene!”

She looked toward the source of the noise. It was her colleagues from the freshman mage orientation last week.

“Thanks to you, we figured it out!”

“Huh? Figured out what?” Epherene blinked, had no idea what they were talking about.

“That magic spell at the entrance of the dormitory last night!” one of the freshman mages shouted, placing a hand on Epherene’s shoulders.

An unidentified spell formation was found at the entrance of the mage dormitory last night, drawn in red mucus. Initially thought to be the work of a demon because it had not been reported to the Academia. It had become a competitive project among freshmen from different category majors, all eager to interpret it.

“What do you mean? I didn't do anything.”

“Come on. You asked Professor Deculein about it,” one of the freshman mages replied.

“Huh?”

Epherene was puzzled. She hadn't asked anything. All she intended was to mess with him, but now their conversation had taken a completely different turn.

“Oh my god~ We were too scared to ask him about it. You are really brave aren’t you?”

“Huh? No, wait. That magic was... really a barrier?” Epherene asked, shocked.

So that means Deculein was right?

“Yeah, it was. When we restructured the spell assuming it was a barrier, it fit perfectly. Wow, Deculein is amazing, isn't he? I wonder how he knew it was enchantment magic without any medium in the spell?”

Epherene's jaw dropped. She could only gasp at what she heard.

“Thank you for your help, Epherene. We're going to submit the research report soon and include your name as well,” one of the freshman mages said.

“Eh? Oh, you don’t have to... But, o-okay, you can include my name.”

“Okay!”

They all left together, smiling with joy. Epherene blankly stared after them. They were kind people. They could have taken all the credit for themselves, but they chose to share it with her. However, the situation wasn't ideal. Deculein's reputation had only improved.

“L-lucky man, wasn't he? Got it right on the first try just by guessing it?”

Denying reality, Epherene pulled a paper from her backpack. It was a syllabus written by a professor for the upcoming semester at the Mage Tower.

Understanding the Properties of Element Magic

Grade: Advanced class for Debutants only (5 credits)

Professor: Deculein von Grahan-Yukline

It was Deculein's class. Her properties weren't an element, but there was no reason not to attend. Elemental magic is fundamental to all magic, and as they say, “Know the enemy and know yourself; in a hundred battles you will never be in peril.”[1]

“You just wait...” Epherene growled, staring at the syllabus.

1. Sun Tzu's famous quote emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and understanding one's opponent in achieving victory. ☜