I Ended up Doing Too Well as a Professor of the Enemy Nation - Chapter 216
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
Chapter 216. That’s Not It
Ruin had been frequenting the village bookstore quite often lately. His purpose was singular: to create the ‘Mage King.’
Haven strangely had very few records about the ‘Mage King.’
‘Did the Demon Emperor clear them all out?’
While he was transformed as Lily.
So he had no choice but to spend long hours at the bookstore where some records remained. He wondered if he was being a nuisance, but fortunately, the bookstore owner was delighted, saying customers had increased thanks to Ruin.
As usual, Ruin visited the bookstore today. He was reading various books when suddenly a familiar voice reached his ears from across the bookshelf.
“Butterfly, do you think I’m some kind of delivery man? Coming running whenever you call?”
It was Echo.
He was still displeased.
And rightfully so, considering that Ruin had fled alone without any warning, leaving him to be caught and beaten by the Hero… damn.
Still, since Ruin was the type who came and went as he pleased like a cat from the beginning, Echo had come to accept it by now.
However, Ruin, who was reading his book, said something even more outrageous without even lifting his gaze.
“Return to your position as ‘Professor Eren.'”
Echo’s eyebrows shot up.
“…You’re really too much. Do you think my disguising as a professor is a joke? Infiltration guys like you have it easy, but assassination guys like me-“
“Orders came down from the Upper Echelon.”
“What orders.”
Ruin’s golden eyes curved into thin crescents.
“To kill the Hero.”
“…Huh?”
The corners of Echo’s mouth twitched.
“Is that even possible?”
It was a subtle smile. Having learned through recent events that the Hero and Fire Butterfly had a master-disciple relationship, Echo found this situation as entertaining as listening to someone else’s family affair.
Perhaps noticing that sinister smile, Ruin closed his book with a dismissive laugh.
“Killing doesn’t necessarily mean taking a life.”
“What?”
“Killing the heart is also killing.”
Suddenly, the air in the bookstore grew heavy. Echo’s gaze pierced through Ruin.
“…You want to erase that guy’s memories?”
“Right. Both his memories with his Master and the fact that I’m from the Shadow Race.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
“I’ll pay you. Do the job.”
Echo laughed with his hands in his pockets.
“…I wondered why the amount you mentioned was so high, and it turns out it was for something like this.”
But within that laughter lay other calculations. In fact, Echo had his own reasons for readily accepting this proposal. The Five Evils of the Seven Black Palace had directly ordered Echo to ‘kill Ruin.’ So when Ruin’s golden eyes flickered past, Echo’s smile wavered for just a brief moment.
A deal where they monitored each other. Of course, Ruin didn’t bother asking about those hidden intentions. Ruin had also called Echo because he had his own ulterior motives.
‘The Hero knows my racial identity. He might try to capture me using the Heroes.’
Maybe he’s already told them.
Ruin’s eyes grew cold at the thought.
‘Even if my Shadow Race identity is exposed, it’s not like I’m low-ranking, so it’s not an enormous risk.’
Still, there’s a big difference between the opponent knowing your identity and not knowing it.
‘If they bring dozens of light attribute mages, even I might find it troublesome.’
For example, continuously shooting light to prevent shadows from forming at all…
[…At that level, anyone would be in trouble from being blinded…]
Anyway, Echo was a key for potential escape.
‘A Special Grade Wanted Criminal would be perfect bait for the Heroes too.’
[Weren’t you guys friends…]
‘We’re not friends.’
Then, for some reason, Echo, who had been probing Ruin, asked nonchalantly.
“I heard you discovered the Hero’s weakness.”
“!”
Ruin’s expression hardened. Echo seemed to enjoy seeing this as his eyes widened playfully.
“If it’s hard for you, should I kill him instead?”
The moment those words came out, Ruin’s hand shot out like lightning and roughly grabbed Echo’s collar.
“Don’t mess around. I’m the one who received the orders.”
His gaze and voice were so fierce that Echo slowly raised both hands.
“Alright, alright. I won’t touch your disciple. But even if you want to erase the Hero’s memories, it’ll be hard to do so against that Luck Power, right?”
“I’ll lend you this.”
“!”
When Ruin gestured, a fire butterfly smoothly landed on his fingertip. It was none other than a fire butterfly filled with ‘Misfortune.’
“Attach this to the enemy before using your ability. Then it’ll work.”
…This bastard, he’s serious?
“More than that, this annoying cat is sneakily trying to make people recognize me as Fire Butterfly?”
Did he catch on.
“The Hero might see you as a master, but in the Union you’re still a legendary villain!”
Ruin sighed and snapped his fingers. Then this time, a shadow creature wriggled out from Ruin’s shadow.
And.
‘Misfortune Injection’
“What’s this now?”
“It’s a shadow. If this guy bites the opponent before you use your ability, any power will work well.”
“Oho. Must be your hidden power.”
Echo grabbed the shadow tightly like squeezing a slime, looking pleased. At that sight of him trying to hold it upside down like a newborn baby, Ruin immediately got angry.
“Handle it gently.”
“Why, it feels nice like slime dough.”
“….”
How dare you treat our kid like bread dough?
Just as Ruin was about to say something, whether misfortune struck Echo or not, the bookstore door opened roughly.
Bang!
“Master!”
It was none other than the Hero.
After learning about Ruin’s racial identity, he had prepared a huge black parasol the size of an umbrella and secretly followed Ruin around. He seemed to perceive the Shadow Race as something like vampires that would perish if touched by sunlight.
Even now it was the same, the Hero caught his breath and said.
“The bookstore owner said Master got caught up in a fight, so I came….”
But the moment his gaze caught Echo, his expression hardened instantly.
“…Professor Eren? Why are you here?”
The Hero’s gaze pierced sharply.
Echo, who had been standing behind the bookshelf, smiled calmly as if meeting an old friend after a long time.
“The Head Professor… told me to return to Haven.”
The Hero spoke curtly as if telling him not to talk nonsense.
“I’ll cut you down.”
Ruin said coldly.
“Then please cut me down too.”
A brief silence.
Soon the Hero looked at Ruin with a ‘why is this person acting like this?’ expression, then immediately turned a sharp gaze to Echo.
“Don’t you have no reason to return now?”
“Oh my, I’m worried about my students. I think I should return.”
Bullshit.
The next moment, the Hero’s hand shot out like lightning and grabbed Echo by the collar.
“Come out.”
Thud, Echo who was dragged out over the threshold coughed as if being violated.
“Oh my, the Hero who is humanity’s pride handles people roughly.”
The Hero’s grip tightened like iron tongs.
“…You, what kind of bastard are you.”
Even as his throat was being squeezed, Echo shrugged his shoulders and maintained a sly smile on his lips.
“I just came because your master commissioned me-?”
“What commission?”
The Hero’s voice sank low. Killing intent was embedded in it.
“Kid. Do you think I’d tell you that? Common sense?”
Echo’s lips curled up slightly, and at that moment, his form distorted like ripples on water. Light bent, and the air rang strangely. Echo’s appearance gradually became transparent.
“I can’t use my power inside Haven, so I deliberately let you hit me obediently. Did I look weak because of that… Do you think I’m a Special Grade Wanted Criminal for nothing?”
A voice spreading from the void enveloped the surroundings.
The Hero’s eyes were tinged with instinctive wariness. He slowly turned his body and scanned the area, but nothing was caught in his sight.
And, words falling clearly from the invisible darkness.
“Actually, what your master ordered is something else. To erase your memories.”
“…What did you say?”
The Hero’s heart beat irregularly.
“Your race and… memories with your master?”
The Hero’s eyes wavered.
Race aside… why the memories…?
Echo’s laughter brushed past on the wind.
“Orders came down. To kill you.”
“!”
“Your master already knows your weaknesses too, yet he’s taking the roundabout way.”
The Hero steadied his breathing while sharply scanning his surroundings. However, Echo’s presence gradually faded.
Then, one last word came from the empty air.
“Why am I telling you this? Because I hate Butterfly’s habits. I don’t know if it’s a spy habit, but she always tries to make herself the villain. It’s easier to make others into the bad guys.”
In that moment, Echo’s ‘Memory Erasure’ struck the Hero.
Shortly after, Echo’s traces completely disappeared.
* * *
“Lord Ruin! You’ve returned!”
Zera, or rather the Princess, was extremely delighted when Ruin returned to the Demon Hunting Research Lab.
Ruin was relieved that his supporter was still at the academy, but also looked puzzled.
“Why did you remain at the academy?”
“Because Lord Ruin didn’t give the order to retreat. I naturally knew you’d return, so I was gathering information.”
Ugh. That stings.
Ruin, who had no intention of returning at all, looked up at the ceiling. Normally he wouldn’t have irresponsibly abandoned a subordinate like this, but he wondered if he’d been quite blinded by the severance pay.
「Coming to Haven was personal business to begin with.」
Well, that’s true. The problem is that now I’ve entered under official orders…
‘I need to create the Mage King without the Upper Echelon knowing.’
“Where are Judith and Karin?”
For some reason, the Princess startled and watched Ruin’s expression carefully.
“Those two specifically?”
“Is there some problem?”
“Well, those two…”
Why…?
What’s with that expression on the Princess’s face!
“They left on a warrior’s journey to cure the Professor’s terminal condition.”
…That’s not it!
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————