Chapter 228: Back to the Daily Life (1)
…The regressor Sophien’s 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 didn’t 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 didn’t 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.
…But 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.
“…Hmm.”
Tweet— Tweet—
The morning sun was bright, and the birds were chirping. Sophien looked at Deculein wordlessly.
“…He’s sleeping.”
Ahan was by her side.
“Right.”
Deculein was sleeping. Of course, he wasn’t lying or anything. Outside the door of the private sleeping quarters hidden in the Imperial Palace, he was sleeping, standing still like a knight.
“You came to the Imperial Palace arbitrarily… and nothing happened until morning. You said you came after seeing the future where I died?”
“That’s right. That was strange and creepy, unlike the usual Professor…”
At any rate, Sophien found that ridiculous and smiled.
“Your Majesty, what are you going to do?”
“…I don’t know.”
Sophien fiddled with her chin as she pondered.
“First, this is punishment.”
She poked Deculein’s cheek. Still, he didn’t wake up.
“Your Majesty, please be careful. The Professor is going to hate it.”
“…What if that bastard does?”
She was the only person who could call Professor Deculein a bastard. Ahan looked up at Sophien, impressed.
“But… it’s better not to do it twice.”
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.
“…Ahan.”
“Yes. Your Majesty.”
Suddenly, Sophien recalled Rohakan’s 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.
“I will, maybe, for this professor….”
—No, that’s not it! I’m really in a hurry! Aaah! Ahhh! Ouch! Aaah!
“…”
-Ouch! Aaah! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!
“…What the?”
A groan echoed from under the bedroom stairs. Just when Sophien turned, Deculein slowly opened his eyes.
“Professor. Did you finally wake up? Nothing happened-“
—Aaah! Let me go! Let me go-!
They heard the screams again. Deculein mumbled with a sigh while quietly listening to that dizzy voice.
“…Is it Epherene?”
“Epherene? Are you talking about your disciple?”
“Yes. It looks like something happened to her.”
Deculein responded shamelessly, pretending he hadn’t been sleeping. He looked perfect.
“Then go.”
“No. Your Majesty’s danger is still-“
“Gosh. If I were really in danger, I would have died when you slept.”
Then, Deculein clenched his teeth. Seeing that, Sophie laughed.
“I guess you’re embarrassed as well, huh?”
“…Ahem.”
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.
“Hehe.”
I didn’t know what she was so happy about, but the detained girl was smiling brightly. She wasn’t even a dog, but she kept going -hehe- hehe-.
“Talk.”
“Professor, I returned to the present now! I was surprised to see the calendar! It’s February!”
I looked at her wrist. She wore a bracelet connected with tape.
“What happened?”
Epherene shook the iron bars excitedly.
“The 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.”
“Oh, then, is that a surrender? Is it over?”
I looked at the pocket watch on her waist.
“No.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Her Majesty’s power still rests with you. April 9th didn’t come. If your regression is permanent, then that is a problem in its own way.”
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.
“Oh… so am I still in danger?”
Epherene shook her head inquisitively.
“No. You’re not in danger. Rather, you’re safer than anyone else in the world.”
“…?”
Epherene’s eyes widened.
“Huh? Why?”
“You are only in danger when Her Majesty is dead. Not the current you.”
“So, I mean, why?”
“For when you die, the power again passes back to Her Majesty.”
“…Oh!”
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.
“So 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.”
“Hmm… is that a relief?”
Of course, there was the risk of kidnapping, but if she were at least alive, it wouldn’t be hard to respond. Epherene wasn’t easy to deal with either.
“What will you do now?”
“I’m going to go into central politics.”
“Politics?”
“Right. I remember all the names you gave me.”
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 didn’t, I would fabricate something.
“Yes. Then I’ll end with the Magic Tower. By mobilizing the knowledge of my two years. And, Professor. Come here for a second…”
Epherene glanced sideways at the empty prison cell and beckoned me to come closer.
“Just say it.”
“Gosh, seriously… this is a secret. Actually…”
Gulp-
After swallowing, she spoke as if leaking a top secret.
—Assistant Professor Allen is alive.
“…”
“So? It’s shocking, right? This is Professor Allen’s private matter, so I wouldn’t tell you about it normally… Huh-“
Creek –
Just then, the dungeon door swung open. Epherene quickly covered her mouth.
“Oh, Professor! I’m sorry!”
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.
“No, who dared! What kind of crazy knight locked up the professor’s apprentice here! I’ll find and kill-“
“Enough. This girl indeed caused a ruckus.”
“Knight Delric~!”
Epherene, still inside the cage, smiled and waved.
“Long time no see~.”
“…Huh?”
Delric wore a sour look. Then Epherene flinched and trembled.
“Oh, right. We are no longer friends.”
“Uh… let me just open it.”
“…Yes.”
Delric opened the cage with the key. I whispered to Epherene.
—Forget your old memories.
“…”
“And, Delric.”
“Yes!”
Delric turned to me and saluted.
“Soon, two people will be appointed as the Emperor’s exclusive escort knights.”
“Yes? Oh, okay. Is that so?”
“I’ll recommend you.”
“…”
Delric’s 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.
“Congratulations. Wouldn’t it be almost confirmed if it’s a recommendation from the professor?”
Delric moved again as if that was the signal for the world to start. He looked at me with teary eyes.
“Professor…”
I put a hand on his shoulder.
“Then, keep up the good work. Keep in mind that your loyalty now belongs to Her Majesty, and you have Yukline behind you.”
“…Yes! My loyalty belongs to Her Majesty and, of course, to the professor… hey guys! Come on, what are you doing? Salute!”
“Yes, sir!”
The frozen knights behind Delric saluted a moment late, and I left the prison with Epherene.
* * *
…One spring day, by the lake of the Imperial Palace.
Splash—
Sophien was fishing today too. But this time, she wasn’t alone. At another point in the distance sat Deculein and Epherene, and not far away, the knight Delric was on guard.
“Ahan.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Ahan answered while cooking the fish Sophien caught.
“According to the professor’s words, it seems that the curse has disappeared from my body.”
“Is that so?”
The power of regression wasn’t with her now.
“I’m very relieved.”
“That’s good, Your Majesty.”
Sophien twisted her lips into a near sneer.
“However, it seems that I somehow knew that beforehand.”
…Tap.
Ahan halted with a knife in hand and looked up.
“Ahan. I have been given a prophecy.”
“A prophecy… you mean?”
“Yes. It said that someday, in the not-too-distant future, I will kill Deculein.”
Bubble-!
She had caught something. Sophien stared at the surface of the bubbling lake.
“If you do not believe such prophecies….”
“I have no choice but to believe. Because they were Rohakan’s words.”
“…”
“But I don’t want to kill the professor.”
Sophien put her hand on her chin and smiled.
“If that’s the case… now I am thinking like this. If I don’t want to kill the professor, he has no choice but to kill himself. If we quietly follow the plans the Altar has set out, wouldn’t the prophecy go against them?”
Rohakan’s prophecy wouldn’t happen, and Sophien would be saved by death.
“…If I am thinking like that now, I could be thinking the same in the past.”
“Your Majesty! No, you can’t.”
Ahan knelt and bowed her head, her eyes watery. Sophien shook her head.
“Hmph. It’s just an assumption. Anyway, I can’t overcome regression like Deculein. My mental strength isn’t on that level.”
Regression was no longer her power. However, she couldn’t continue to leave that power to the child named Epherene. It was a curse that only she could bear.
“…If Your Majesty dies, this empire will be destroyed.”
“No. My eyes are correct. Even with Deculein alone, the Empire will run smoothly. Also, who knows?”
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.
“He could be even better after my death.”
It was then.
Splaaash-!
There was the sound of something like a stone falling into the lake. Sophien looked around.
—Ah, aaah! H-Help! Help! I’m drowning! I-It’s deep here! Professor, Professor! It’s 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.
—Puuh! Professor, ah, hey! Hey, Deculein! Apoohhk-
Delric ran to rescue her. Epherene clung onto Delric’s 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.
“…Is this a routine? It’s my first time.”
Ahan smiled at Sophien’s somewhat generous words.
“Yes. That’s right, Your Majesty.”
Soft sunlight. Deculein, walking in the clear breeze, showed her his basket and said:
“I have ten. How is your fishing going?”
As she expected, the competitive professor demanded they do this every time they fished. This was also part of trying to prevent her indolence.
“Six. You won, you bastard professor.”
“Congratulations, Professor.”
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.
“How many times did we go through this?”
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.
“Epherene?”
Then a voice called her. Footsteps slowly approached.
“Oh~, Yeriel!”
Yeriel, the businesswoman of Yukline and Deculein’s younger sister.
“Take this. Eat it while it’s warm.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
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 couldn’t buy because of the long lines.
“Chomp… huh.”
Her brain melted with one bite. Epherene was ecstatic at the crisp sweetness she felt.
“This is really… who invented it?”
“I don’t know. I found it from my brother’s junk.”
“Junk?”
“Yeah. When I study, there are many inventions that I come across. I don’t know if my brother or someone else has drawn them. All of the things that I think look okay… I make and sell.”
“Aha… it’s amazing.”
He was a magic professor, dessert inventor, and Imperial Guard. He was so inhuman.
“Yum.”
Epherene took another bite. Yeriel asked, chuckling.
“Are you going to class soon?”
“Yes.”
“Me too.”
“…What?”
Yeriel’s words were strange to Epherene. Then, Yeriel laughed again.
“You… too?”
“What. Why not? I’m a student here too. I didn’t drop out or get expelled. Don’t you like it? I’m disappointed.”
“No! No, no, no. I’m not complaining…”
“Hmph. It’s 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.”
“Well. Indeed.”
Epherene changed the topic while eating.
“Oh, right. I’ll participate in the magic contest this time.”
“Magic contest?”
“Yes. It’s a contest where several wizards come together as a team to implement great magic, major magic, or something like that.”
Before the regression, she didn’t 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.
“Huh? Then my brother could direct you.”
“Yes? Hey…”
Epherene shook her head. Cherry blossom petals landed atop the crown of her head.
“Would the professor do that? He is a very busy person.”
“Just ask him. I think he will if you ask him. You, too, will prefer my brother over Relin or something, right?”
“Yeah~, but it’ll be too annoying to direct. And to be honest, I think the professor is going to make it too hard for me, so I’m a little bit….”
…Ten minutes later, on the 77th floor of the tower, in the Head Professor’s office.
“I’ll be the director.”
“…What?”
Epherene’s 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.
“I heard you’re going to a magic contest.”
“Oh~ that… I will. If you’re busy, it’s fine-“
Thud-!
Before she could finish, Deculein’s seal was stamped on the [Magic Contest] entry. Epherene opened her mouth, and Deculein cut her off while returning the application.
“However, I will not tolerate anything other than first place.”