I Ended up Doing Too Well as a Professor of the Enemy Nation - Chapter 178

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 178. Who Are You

“Are you perhaps Fire Butterfly?”

The Emperor’s gaze was like a blade. In fact, the air in this room seemed to shrink under his stare.

Thanks to that, Ginseng Superior screamed.

「You’ve been found out! What happened, Fire Butterfly! Are you going to disguise yourself so carelessly!」

‘I didn’t disguise myself carelessly.’

If there was a problem, it was that the Emperor was sharper than expected.

「What are you smiling about! Isn’t he a descendant of the Emperor you put on the throne?!」

‘That’s exactly why I’m smiling. Since I put a sharp one on the throne, his descendant can only be sharp too.’

Back then, Ruin had dealt with the stupid hardline Crown Prince who insisted that all of Pride must be eliminated.

And he had put a passive but relatively sharp one on the throne. From Ruin’s perspective, he was someone who could help Pride’s political situation at the time.

This Emperor is that descendant.

“Are you Fire Butterfly?”

That question was filled with anticipation rather than hostility.

But Ruin didn’t even blink. Rather, he was curious about the Emperor’s ulterior motive for asking such a question.

“It’s true that I’m obsessed with Fire Butterfly, but I didn’t know Your Majesty was as well.”

“!”

“As Your Majesty knows, I have never forgotten our contract for even a single day. That weight is life itself to me.”

He lowered his head and added.

“…Have the recent rumors about Fire Butterfly been troubling Your Majesty?”

The Emperor looked at him silently.

‘He’s still suspicious.’

No, rather he’s hoping I’ll say I’m Fire Butterfly.

‘Does he want to get Fire Butterfly in his grasp?’

Well, from the Emperor’s perspective, Fire Butterfly would be the person who put his father on the throne. He might want to get that strategist in his hands.

Sure enough.

“If you were that legendary Fire Butterfly, I would have used you as my precious strategist.”

「Oh. He says that. Why don’t you tell him you’re Fire Butterfly?」

Are you insane.

‘Do you want to see the Hero and all kinds of other heroes going crazy and charging at me?’

「True. You’d die in a love triangle fight before being executed for being Fire Butterfly.」

‘Shut up.’

I said my goal is a honey-harvesting rural life.

Then there’s no choice. I have to use the last resort.

“Has Your Majesty’s condition… worsened?”

At that brief question, the Emperor’s eyes flashed.

“…What?”

“For the past few months, our meeting places have always been fixed. Not walking around directly suggests that the curse’s symptoms have intensified.”

The Emperor’s eyebrows trembled.

“…Are you mocking me?”

“The contract between Your Majesty and myself is not just a simple obligation, but also mutual assurance based on life. Therefore, Your Majesty’s health is my survival.”

The Emperor’s breathing became rough. It was because of his chronic illness.

And only his direct Head Chamberlain and Elaine knew about his condition. Then the bastard before his eyes was indeed Elaine Saint, not the Fire Butterfly he had hoped for.

“Are you trying to probe my weakness using the contract as an excuse? Do you plan to run that mouth of yours in front of the Revolutionary Army too?”

Ruin slowly bowed his head.

“Of course not.”

The Emperor glared.

“Enough, get out.”

Ruin smiled.

‘Good. I could leave like this, but then the rift would deepen further.’

「Wouldn’t it be good if the rift deepened?」

‘I wonder. I’ve scratched him to the bone, but if I leave like this, who will that prideful Emperor stab to vent his anger?’

「…The Hero?」

‘Correct. If the Hero dies, Haven’s ownership might transfer elsewhere. Then my severance pay would disappear too.’

「Wow… I thought you were actually worried about the Hero.」

Well, aside from that, honestly I don’t like the idea of the Hero dying in such a way either.

Sure enough, Ruin spoke up.

“…Your Majesty’s illness, ‘Seven Step Soul Severance.'”

The Emperor’s fingertips twitched.

Seven Step Soul Severance.

Literally a curse that kills you after taking seven steps.

“There is someone who can treat that curse.”

Ruin added.

“Professor Ruins Wayne at Haven. According to rumors… he’s researching methods to cure any kind of incurable disease.”

The Emperor’s lips twitched.

“…What did you say?”

“If this has displeased you, I apologize. However, Your Majesty’s health is important to me as well… surely I can at least make a suggestion.”

“…”

For a moment, the Emperor’s gaze wavered between killing intent and suspicion.

“Leave.”

“I obey your command.”

Thud.

As soon as the door closed, the Emperor let out a shallow breath and muttered.

“…Ruins Wayne?”

One name remained quietly, yet deeply embedded.

After Ruin left, the Emperor’s attendant who entered the room watched the Emperor’s expression carefully. His face showed he had sensed what kind of conversation had taken place inside.

Sure enough.

“…Elaine Saint. How dare he presumptuously mention my illness.”

“…Your Majesty.”

“What is it.”

“Regarding Your Majesty’s Seven-Step Soul Dissolution… there is one cautious piece of news I must report.”

The Emperor’s eyes sharpened as if to cut through the attendant. But the attendant continued speaking with his head bowed.

“Recently at Haven… there have been reports of a professor researching unusual treatment methods. He has been continuously publishing about all kinds of treatments.”

The Emperor narrowed his gaze sharply.

“Who is it?”

“…He is called Professor Ruins Wayne. The one who has taken charge of the Imperial Prince’s education this time.”

At that name, the Emperor’s lips twitched.

“…Ha, that insolent professor?”

“I’m sorry to mention this directly, but considering he cured the Isles Family’s daughter, his research achievements are at a level that’s difficult to ignore…”

The Emperor turned his gaze to look out the window.

‘Ruins Wayne.’

The illness aside. But that professor is the one the Hero obsesses over, the Hero who is mad about the phantom Fire Butterfly.

Then perhaps he might…

“…You pick up useless rumors well. Withdraw.”

“I obey your command.”

* * *

Meanwhile, Ruin, who had escaped from the Imperial Palace, entered a quiet alley.

Swoosh-

Fragments of light scattered, and the gentle face returned to a cold, sharp handsome face.

He took off the loose white jacket and shook it out like a wrapping cloth. Then the jacket wriggled and smoothly transformed into a black shadow that clung to him.

When he stretched out his arms, the shadow snapped into a neat suit that fit his body perfectly.

[Master! Master! Shall I make it with knife-edge creases today?]

“Do as you please.”

Ruin adjusted his necktie and muttered as if to himself.

“…As expected, it was Seven-Step Soul Dissolution.”

The so-called curse of ‘walk seven steps and your soul will be extinguished’. The imperial family’s curse dwelling in the Emperor’s heart, and shackles he cannot break himself.

It wasn’t for nothing that the Emperor had delegated supreme command of the war to the Hero. He literally cannot walk.

That’s why Ginseng Superior found it strange.

「But I didn’t expect you to mention your own name with that? Are you scheming to make the Emperor seek you out?」

‘As if. That was just a smokescreen.’

「But… what if the Emperor really calls for you? You don’t know how to cure incurable diseases.」

‘He won’t call for me.’

Ruin turned his neck and spoke in a languid tone.

‘There’s no way that would happen in the first place. With the Emperor’s pride, there’s no way he’d reveal his weakness to anyone.’

Even he had barely found out by digging through the secret records of the Imperial Palace physicians.

‘Reveal something like that to a mere professor nobody? That prideful Emperor would never do such a thing.’

That’s why he declared with certainty.

‘Now there will never be any occasion to get involved with the Emperor. What’s important is finding out what contract terms Elaine is bound by. I’ve achieved that purpose.’

Yes… that’s certainly how it was.

“His Majesty the Emperor has summoned Professor Ruins Wayne.”

…Excuse me?

* * *

Haven Academy, Professor’s Meeting Room.

The professors and teaching assistants were stunned.

“…Excuse me… what did you just say?”

The Information Department teaching assistant asked back with a frozen expression.

At the entrance of the meeting room, a woman in an elegant dress draped with a black veil calmly nodded her head.

“I’ve come to request a meeting.”

Lucerin Winberg.

Former Imperial Princess of Britannia and a living legend of the Magic Tower.

There was only one reason she had personally set foot in this small meeting room.

“…I’ve come to see Professor Ruins Wayne.”

All the faculty members were shocked.

No, it was surprising that she was alive, but of all people, she was looking for Ruins Wayne?

The teaching assistants had good reason to be excited and whisper among themselves.

‘No matter how I think about it, our professor is a dangerously charming man…!’

‘What does he do to get everyone’s attention like that!’

‘He’s definitely in the sexy category!’

Soon the Hero, who had been urgently summoned, immediately showed proper courtesy while checking on Lucherin. At his bewildered gaze asking what was going on, a teaching assistant whispered.

“So… she says she’s looking for Professor Ruins Wayne.”

The Hero’s eyebrow twitched.

“Wh… where is Professor Ruins right now?”

The administrative professor answered while breaking out in a cold sweat.

“Well… he just went out.”

“…Went out?”

“Yes. From the Imperial Palace… His Majesty the Emperor urgently summoned him.”

The Hero’s face turned to horror for a different reason.

“…The Emperor…? Don’t tell me, that damn Emperor?!”

Meanwhile, inside the Imperial Palace.

“…Why did it turn out like this.”

Ruin made a face like he’d eaten shit.

The Emperor before him cast a cold gaze and asked.

“Professor Ruins Wayne. I heard you’re researching incurable diseases.”

“…Yes, that’s correct.”

“There’s someone in the Imperial Court with a minor ailment. That’s why I called you.”

‘So it’s that development after all.’

Then, from inside his sleeve, he heard Ginseng Superior’s voice.

「You said he wouldn’t call.」

‘…It seems a variable has occurred.’

「…But you don’t know how to cure diseases. What are you going to do.」

That’s the problem.

The Emperor’s gaze was sharp, and Ruin’s spine grew increasingly cold.

“It’s a disease where you die if you move seven steps.”

‘…What do I do. That curse is real.’

The Emperor observed Ruin. His expression seemed to inwardly hope whether he was Fire Butterfly or not.

At the same time, that gaze conveyed the will to commit murder if information leaked out.

“So. Can you cure it?”

Ruin smiled calmly. In reality, his answer was already decided.

‘If I say I can’t cure it, I’ll die.’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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