The Villain Professor's Second Chance

"Mana Weave Combination," she muttered under her breath, her eyes locked on the third question on the paper. The words almost taunted her now, daring her to figure out how to combine two spells as incompatible as a fireball and a water shield. She had already solved the first two questions, though not without effort. Now, her progress was halted by a puzzle that gnawed at her precision-driven mind.

Her psychokinesis wavered again, the paper dipping slightly as her control slipped, a rare outburst of emotion bubbling up from beneath her cool exterior. She could feel the frustration boiling inside her, clawing at her carefully maintained composure.

"Impossible," she whispered harshly. "This is impossible!"

Elara's hands balled into fists at her sides, and for a moment, she contemplated crumpling the exam paper in an uncharacteristic display of temper. Her golden mana sparked briefly at her fingertips, but she quickly reined it in, forcing herself to calm down.

A faint sound reached her ears then—the gentle, rhythmic crashing of water. Elara blinked and looked up, realizing that without even knowing it, her feet had taken her to the MTU working space. A beautiful artificial waterfall stood at the center, its waters cascading gracefully into a shimmering pool.

The waterfall wasn't just an architectural marvel; it was enhanced with illusion magic, creating a display of soft, radiant lights that reflected off the water's surface, turning the space into a tranquil haven.

For a moment, Elara stood still, entranced by the sight. Her mind, so focused on the grueling exam, seemed to slow down, letting her appreciate the serene beauty before her. The tirelessly working part of her brain, which had been caught up in intricate magical theory, now quieted in the presence of such peace.

The soft glow of the lights, the gentle flow of water, the illusionary colors that shifted and danced—all of it was mesmerizing.

But her brief respite was interrupted by the sound of hushed voices nearby.

"What's that girl doing? She's going to burn the rooms besides hers if she keeps that up!"

Elara turned her head, her eyes narrowing slightly as she scanned the rows of private working rooms. Each room was small but designed for individual study, equipped with comfortable chairs and desks. The front of the rooms was made entirely of glass, offering a view of illusionary landscapes—some showing serene starry skies, others depicting forests, mountains, or oceans.

Each room was meant to be a sanctuary for deep concentration.

However, one room in particular caught her attention. The glass in front of it was flickering wildly with flames, the light casting erratic shadows across the hallway. Elara's lips twitched into a small, almost imperceptible smile. She didn't need to guess whose unstable fire magic was causing the commotion. There was only one person whose affinity for flame magic was so… volatile.

Amberine.

Elara walked closer, her steps measured and quiet, until she could hear the faint muttering from inside the flickering room. At first, the sound made her smile grow wider, as she caught snippets of Amberine's frustration.

"Damn you, Draven!" Amberine cursed from within, her voice heated, full of fiery temper. "Who in their right mind designs a test like this?"

Elara raised an eyebrow, bemused. Amberine's fiery personality was well-known, especially when she got into a situation that pushed her limits. But as Elara was about to knock on the glass door and offer some sardonic comment, she paused.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

"I can't… I can't get past question four!" Amberine's voice cracked with frustration.

Elara froze in place. Question four? Amberine had already reached the fourth question?

The realization hit Elara like a wave of cold water. She was still stuck on the third question, while Amberine had already advanced. A mix of emotions washed over her—surprise, frustration, and the slightest hint of competitiveness. She prided herself on her intellect, on her ability to solve problems quickly and efficiently, but here was Amberine, the fiery, emotional girl, one step ahead of her.

Elara clenched her jaw, her momentary desire to intervene fading as she took a step back. Amberine was ranting again, but Elara couldn't focus on the words. She no longer felt the urge to interrupt. Instead, she turned toward the room next to Amberine's, which was vacant. Discover more stories at empire

The flickering fire magic from Amberine's emotional outbursts had made the neighboring room too hot for anyone else to use, but that didn't bother Elara. With a flick of her wrist, she summoned her mana, forming a protective barrier around the inner walls of the room. A translucent layer of water magic shimmered briefly as it absorbed the heat radiating from Amberine's side.

Satisfied with her handiwork, Elara took a deep breath and sat down at the desk inside. She glanced at the illusionary glass wall before her, expecting to see one of the typical illusionary landscapes. What greeted her, however, was different.

The sky. Not just any sky, but a vast, dark expanse filled with distant stars and swirling nebulae. It wasn't real, but the illusion was so well-crafted that it felt as though she was gazing out into the infinite cosmos. The sight took her breath away for a moment, her usually stoic face softening as she stared in awe.

"This is beautiful," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible in the silence of the room.

The dark sky, with its endless depth and mysterious beauty, stirred something within Elara. The stars twinkled like fragments of lost thoughts, and as she watched them, a realization began to form in her mind. The clarity she had been chasing for hours suddenly seemed within reach.

Her gaze flicked back to the exam paper. The third question—Mana Weave Combination—had stumped her, but now, with the tranquil sky above her and the faint flicker of Amberine's flames to her side, inspiration struck. She had been trying to force the solution, to apply rigid theory to something that required fluidity and grace.

She glanced at the flickers of flame visible from Amberine's room and watched how the fire danced unpredictably. Yet, when it collided with the water in her barrier, there was no violent reaction. Instead, the mana dissipated slowly, harmonizing into a gentle vapor that rose and disappeared into the air.

"That's it," Elara whispered, her eyes widening with understanding. "The answer isn't about control… it's about harmony."

She quickly scribbled down her thoughts, her hand moving fluidly across the paper as she detailed how the mana from a fireball and a water shield could be woven together. Instead of clashing, the two forces could harmonize by allowing the mana to dissipate in stages, gradually merging the opposing elements rather than forcing them into coexistence.

Timing, flow, and emotional stability were key—elements she had seen at play in the natural world and, oddly enough, in Amberine's flickering fire magic.

As Elara wrote the final line of her solution, she leaned back in her chair, her mind finally at ease. The flicker of flames from Amberine's side caught her eye again, and she couldn't help but smile.

"Now we're finally at the same starting line, Amberine," Elara murmured to herself, a rare hint of competitive excitement in her voice.

She had cracked the third question, and now it was time to move forward. The rest of the exam awaited, and for the first time since the test began, Elara felt confident.