Chapter 68: Summary (1)

Chapter 68: Summary (1)

Sylvia's breathing was steady as she slept soundly. I placed her in a safe spot and turned to face the Baron of Ashes. She glared at me with twisted eyes, but she wasn’t much of a threat. In fact, I was thankful that the Baron had taken over McQueen’s body.

“Foolish creature,” I muttered. “Why did you try to possess a body that doesn’t even suit you?”

It was incomplete. Though it had managed to dominate about seventy percent of McQueen, the remaining thirty percent resisted. The Baron had bitten off more than he could chew with a named character.

"You know as well as I do that you can’t challenge me with that body," I continued, aware that the oath within her prevented it from causing me harm. "You’re at a dead end, parasite."

My mocking words provoked a furious reaction. Its black pupils glared fiercely, and then, unexpectedly, he made a desperate move.

Fwoooosh—!

The Baron abandoned Louina's body, unleashing a vast cloud of ash that enveloped me like a storm. Within the swirling mass, a grotesque face emerged.

"Yes, I was foolish," the Baron of Ashes admitted with a twisted grin, lingering in the air. "But you, you're different."

Soon, the Baron of Ashes lunged at me, its entire being merging with mine. A violent voice erupted from deep within my chest.

“How dare you, a worthless being, call me a parasite?!” the Baron of Ashes raged. Its presence clawed at my subconscious, dredging up memories like grains of sand.

I quietly warned, "Reconsider. This is for your own benefit."

“You’re nothing! I can devour someone like you easily!”

“Foolish creature,” I muttered. Memories of past misdeeds, vile acts, and malignant emotions raced through my veins, yet I remained unbothered. Enduring it all, I asked, “Do you truly believe you can handle this?”

The Baron didn’t respond, but his panic was clear.

I merely smiled and said, “Jealousy, envy, anger, rage, hatred... Such petty emotions can't even touch me.”

Deculein's identity remained steadfast against any enchantment or impulse, never one to collapse on his own. The Baron thrashed within me, desperate to escape, but I wouldn't let it.

“Baron, tell me,” I demanded. “Who was underneath it?”

I was merely curious about whom the Baron of Ashes had encountered in the depths of my consciousness.

“Was it Kim Woo-Jin, or was it Deculein?”

Graaaaar—!

The Baron's scream became a savage howl as Deculein's will overwhelmed it, causing it to crumble chaotically.

“Whoever is in there, take note, Baron,” I said calmly, my mind as serene as a lake despite the Baron’s frantic thrashing. “The depths will be your grave.”

There was no response, and it was likely it would never return.

“Tsk, you pathetic creature,” I spat.

The Baron of Ashes was extinguished. It was neither absorbed into me nor assimilated. Since nothing foreign can exist within me, it was simply crushed by the overwhelming force of my ego.

“... Hmm,” I muttered, looking down at Louina's unconscious form, her body left drained and dormant by the Baron.

***

Louina had a nightmare, one where she was consumed by envy and hatred, turning into a monster fueled by inferiority and defeat.

"Ah..."

There was a time when Louina brimmed with confidence in her own talents, believing she could restore McQueen's glory. She was passionate about leaving her mark on the Magical Realm, desired to become a respected professor in the Empire, and aspired to create her own school of thought that would illuminate the continent.

Those dreams had once filled her with purpose. But all of that had been thwarted by one man.

“... Ugh!” Louina groaned as she woke up, clutching her throbbing temples. She looked around, breathing heavily.

The entire floor was covered in ash, the walls blackened as if a great fire had swept through, leaving soot and debris scattered everywhere. Amidst the ruins lay a nameplate.

23rd Floor: External Visiting Professor Louina

“This... this can’t be real...”

Only then did she fully grasp the reality of her situation. Faint memories of her actions under the Baron’s control began to resurface.

“How... how could—”

“Louina von Schlott McQueen," a voice called out to her.

Startled, Louina turned to see her nemesis standing before her.

“... Deculein?”

His piercing blue eyes bore into her.

"This isn't a dream. It's the outcome of your actions with that thing,” he said.

"... I know." Louina lowered her head at Deculein's reprimand and sighed softly. "I know everything...”

She felt utterly drained, both physically and mentally. She didn’t want to move a finger, let alone think about the complicated situation she was in. Regret gnawed at her. Perhaps she should have bowed her head from the beginning. Perhaps she shouldn’t have resisted. If she had submitted to him like the other mages, things might not have been so difficult.

"I don't plan to run away. I'll surrender. This is my fault."

This was the best choice she could make under the circumstances. Louina, wiping away her tears, spoke weakly.

"No,” Deculein said, shaking his head and looking down at her with disdain. “That’s not part of the agreement. Is breaking promises a hobby of yours? If so, it’s a rather despicable trait."

Louina felt a surge of anger and snapped, “Then what should I—”

“Remember what I told you,” Deculein interrupted. Louina's breathing grew heavy as he continued, speaking slowly and clearly.

“You will become the Head Professor... No,” Deculein paused, closing his eyes briefly before correcting himself. “You will be the Head Professor. No matter what.”

“... In this state, how can I possibly—”

“Let me ask you a question. Is all of this entirely your fault?” Deculein asked with a smirk, his tone almost mocking, though not directed at Louina.

"Of course, you can't deny your fault. But what changes by blaming you? Even if you cry and apologize, the world won't care. You'll only become a scapegoat," Deculein continued. "But if you say it’s not your fault, then it truly won't be your fault. I will make it so."

Louina listened quietly. Deculein's footsteps echoed in the silence as he walked over to her, stopping just short of her knees.

"Louina," he said, his voice firm. She looked up. "Yukline never abandons those we take in."

Deculein reached out his hand to help her up from where she had fallen.

"That is not true. A thorough investigation is necessary. The initial inquiry was biased, and the most crucial interrogation of Professor Louina has yet to be—"

"If you insist on being that fair," the professor interrupted, "you should not have started a family."

Joseph’s eyes widened as the professor leaned back in his chair, his crystalline gaze fixed on Joseph.

"Your son is six years old, correct? Tell me, what is it like to love?"

Joseph couldn't respond, his breathing becoming ragged.

"Can someone who claims to be so fair truly love others as much as his wife and child?"

Joseph involuntarily glanced at the bedroom door, where his wife waited.

Following his gaze, the professor said, "I understand. You are different from the usual corrupt officials—intelligent and righteous. So, let me repeat, this is an opportunity, not a bribe."

The professor's eyes glanced over Joseph's clenched fists.

"You must understand that justice from the bottom up is pointless."

Joseph remained silent, but the lines on his face betrayed his thoughts.

"Then, I shall see you next time," the professor declared, rising to his feet.

Joseph’s wife chose the right moment to approach and greeted him warmly. The professor, however, responded indifferently before leaving the house.

Later, Deculein exited the building and entered the waiting car.

"Did they accept the gift?" Deculein asked Ren after a brief pause.

Ren nodded, his eyes closed and senses fully attuned to the household’s activities.

"Yes, sir. They opened the box, and his wife saw the contents," Ren replied.

"They will accept it."

A man of such integrity wouldn't accept money, nor would he use it if he did. Therefore, the gift was intended for the child.

Academy Enrollment Ticket

Lifetime Academy Scholarship

"Yes, sir. It appears they are currently debating it..."

"Do you not understand what the Imperial Academy is? It is a place where not even money can guarantee admission!" Joseph’s wife exclaimed.

"Leave it here and give me some time to think."

"What is there to consider? Our child—"

"It seems it's only a matter of time," Ren said.

"Good," Deculein said with a nod.

If it wasn’t money or jewels, even the most upright person accepted it if it was a privilege for their child. Persuading and cajoling were tedious and unreliable. This was how I resolved issues and built connections.

"Add Joseph to the list. He is a valuable asset."

Joseph was a treasure discovered by chance. His brilliance, recognized through my Wealthy Magnate attribute, was truly unique.

“Let us depart."

“Yes, sir.”

Soon, the car glided away smoothly.

***

The anticipated trials and court cases never occurred. The Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Internal Affairs, and Ministry of Public Safety each stamped their Reviewed and Approved seals on the report prepared by Deculein and his subordinate professors, including Debutant.

All the relevant witnesses supported Louina, leading to the conclusion that this incident was solely the work of the parasitic spirit known as the Baron of Ashes.

Dismissal of Imperial Instructor Mage

While the incident at the Mage Tower is understood, the qualifications for an Imperial Instructor Mage include impeccable mental fortitude...

... Therefore, Louina von Schlott McQueen is hereby relieved of her duties as Imperial Instructor Mage.

As a result, Louina paid the price by losing her position and having to offer heartfelt apologies and cover medical expenses for the Debutants who suffered because of her. Fortunately, no one died, although many were injured.

"... Sigh," Louina murmured, smiling bitterly as she looked up at her office.

47th Floor: Louina’s Office

For some reason, she had become a professor who fulfilled her duty to the end, fighting the Baron of Ashes until she was ultimately consumed by it. Her office had also moved up twenty-four floors.

This is politics, this is power, she thought, likely attributing this change to Deculein's influence.

Louina sighed, feeling a sense of guilt as she surveyed the view from the 47th floor. Her new office was much larger and cleaner than her previous one on the 23rd floor.

“Oh, right.”

Remembering her responsibilities, she quickly sat at her desk and picked up her fountain pen. Responding to the letter from the imperial palace was essential. As she struggled with her reply, a thought emerged.

Five years.

She recalled the peculiar clause in the contract that had puzzled her from the beginning. The term was exactly five years—not one year, not ten years, not a lifetime, but precisely five years.

"... One week of seclusion," Louina muttered to herself as she scribbled on the paper. Deculein's seclusion had been quite an unusual event, and she remembered it well. There were rumors that he had subtly changed afterward.

That week of seclusion marked a turning point for Deculein. Something significant must have occurred during that time, which piqued Louina’s curiosity. The obsessive Deculein had ignored all his commitments and retreated for an entire week. Suddenly, a word flashed through Louina’s mind like a lightning bolt.

"Could it be...?"

Terminal?

She scribbled the word on the paper and tapped it with her fountain pen. A terminal illness could explain the five-year period and the sudden change in Deculein's behavior. Facing imminent death, anyone would likely undergo a significant transformation.

"... No, that's impossible," Louina muttered. "It can't be true."

Dismissing the thought as absurd, she reminded herself of her exhaustion, believing her fatigue was bringing about wild ideas. Louina laughed softly as she tucked the paper into her drawer.