The Villain Professor's Second Chance

"This is it," he muttered to himself, his golden eyes gleaming in the dim light of the hall. "I'm going to do this." Read new chapters at empire

He quickly activated the charm, watching with a mixture of awe and pride as his body faded from view. The air shimmered faintly around him, but he knew it would be enough to fool the guards patrolling the castle grounds. He glanced around once more, ensuring that no one had noticed him, before slipping out of the grand double doors of the royal quarters and into the long, empty corridor.

With each silent step, his excitement grew. The thought of sneaking into MTU, where the kingdom's best and brightest studied, sent a shiver of anticipation down his spine. He had heard endless stories about the university's ancient halls, the legendary professors, and the students who would one day become the greatest mages in the land. And now, here he was, sneaking in like a common thief.

The streets of Regaria were surprisingly quiet as he slipped past the outer gates of the castle, his steps light and quick. The invisibility charm held firm, masking him from the curious gazes of the townsfolk, though he couldn't help but feel a flicker of guilt at using such a powerful artifact for something so trivial. Still, he pressed on, his destination clear in his mind.

As he approached the towering gates of MTU, Caelum's nerves began to tangle with his excitement. The university loomed before him like a massive fortress, its spires piercing the night sky, each tower glowing faintly with magical energy. The iron gates were flanked by stone sentinels, their eyes glowing a soft blue as they watched over the entrance.

Caelum paused, holding his breath as a group of students passed by, their robes billowing in the breeze. He waited, heart pounding, and then slipped in behind them, careful to time his steps with theirs. The gates creaked open, the sentinels unmoving as they allowed the students to pass. Caelum, with his invisibility charm still active, walked in unnoticed, his grin widening.

Inside, the university was even more awe-inspiring than he had imagined. The halls were vast, lined with towering bookshelves that reached the ceiling, filled with ancient tomes and scrolls that hummed with magical power. Students bustled through the corridors, some deep in conversation, others pouring over scrolls or casting minor spells as they practiced.

The air itself felt alive with magic, thick with an energy that made Caelum's skin tingle.

This is it, he thought, his grin widening as he made his way deeper into the university. The Magic Tower University. This was where the kingdom's brightest minds gathered, where the future leaders of magic were trained. And he, a prince of Regaria, was standing among them.

His first goal was clear: find the famous working spot he had heard so much about. It was a place where the most dedicated students studied late into the night, pushing themselves to the brink of exhaustion as they tackled the toughest magical problems. Caelum's fingers itched to take out his quill and parchment, to scribble down notes as he watched them work.

Maybe he could even get a glimpse of how they tackled their exams.

As he wandered through the labyrinthine halls, he spotted the famous waterfall he had heard rumors of—a stunning cascade of water that flowed through one of the university's central courtyards. It wasn't just any ordinary waterfall, though. The water shimmered with magical energy, each drop glowing faintly as it fell into a pool below, creating ripples of light that danced across the courtyard.

The waterfall was said to be a place of inspiration for students, and as Caelum watched, he felt a surge of excitement.

He found a nearby table, tucked away in a quiet corner of the courtyard, and pulled out his notes. The third question on Draven's exam had been gnawing at him for days, the Mana Weave Combination. How could he combine two incompatible spells—fireball and water shield—without causing a disruption in the mana flow? The more he had thought about it, the more impossible it seemed.

But now, watching the waterfall's harmonious flow, something clicked in his mind.

"Of course," he whispered to himself, his eyes widening as the solution came to him. It was all about timing. The key to weaving mana was to control the flow, to allow one spell to complement the other, rather than forcing them to coexist. The fireball needed to be woven in a way that allowed the water shield to absorb and redirect the energy, rather than resist it.

Excited, he scribbled down his ideas, his quill scratching furiously across the parchment. He mapped out the mana flow, detailing the exact timing and balance needed to harmonize the two spells. His heart raced as he realized he had finally cracked the problem.

Just as he finished his notes, his concentration was shattered by a sudden collision. He stumbled back, nearly dropping his quill, as he bumped into someone. A fiery red-haired girl stood before him, her eyes blazing with equal parts frustration and exhaustion.

"Hey!" she snapped, her voice sharp. "What's a kid like you doing wandering around MTU alone?"

Caelum blinked, his heart still racing from his sudden burst of inspiration. "I—uh—" he stammered, struggling to come up with an excuse. "I'm… I was just… studying!"

The girl crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept in days, her fiery hair messy and her robes slightly wrinkled. Despite her disheveled appearance, she radiated an undeniable power, the air around her shimmering faintly with heat. She raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.

"Studying?" she repeated, her voice dripping with skepticism. "Here? Alone? At this hour?"

Caelum fidgeted, his eyes darting around as he tried to think of something—anything—to say. "Yes! Studying!" he insisted, his voice cracking slightly. "I-I'm working on an exam. Draven's exam."

The girl's eyes widened at the mention of Draven's name, but her suspicion didn't waver. "Draven's exam, huh?" she said, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "You're not even a student here, are you?"

Caelum swallowed hard, his face flushing. "I… well, not exactly…"

The girl let out a tired sigh, rubbing her temples. "Figures. Look, kid, wandering around here is dangerous. MTU isn't exactly the kind of place you should be sneaking into. You could get yourself into a lot of trouble."

Before Caelum could protest, the girl's expression softened slightly, and she let out a small laugh. "But honestly, I'm too tired to care right now. I've been stuck on Draven's exam for days, and my brain is about to melt."

Caelum blinked in surprise. "You're… stuck on the exam?"

The girl nodded, running a hand through her messy hair. "Yeah. Question nine. It's a nightmare. No one I know has figured it out yet."

Caelum's heart skipped a beat. "Q-Question nine?!"

She nodded, then sighed deeply. "Ugh, but I'm too hungry to think about it anymore. Tell you what," she said, her mood suddenly shifting. "I'm starving, and I've got a ton of money from a recent job. Why don't we go grab some food? My treat.

You look like you could use a break too."

Caelum's eyes widened in surprise, but before he could respond, the girl slung an arm around his shoulders, dragging him along as she headed toward the university gates.

"I'm Amberine, by the way," she said, flashing him a tired but friendly smile. "And you're about to have the best meal of your life."

Before he knew it, they were sitting at a small restaurant just outside the university, with Amberine ordering food like there was no tomorrow. She piled plates high with roasted meats, steaming soups, and rich desserts, her fiery eyes gleaming with excitement as the food arrived.

Caelum, still reeling from the rapid change of events, sat across from her, trying to keep up with her energy. He had never met anyone quite like her—so full of life and completely unapologetic about it.

As they ate, Amberine talked casually about the exams, the challenges of studying at MTU, and her frustrations with question nine. She was fiery, passionate, and utterly unfiltered, but Caelum found himself enjoying her company despite her chaotic energy.

"You know," Amberine said between bites of food, "I've been stuck on that stupid question for days. I've tried every combination I can think of, but nothing works. If I don't figure it out soon, I'm going to fail this exam."

Caelum stared at her in disbelief, his eyes wide. This girl—who looked like she hadn't slept in days and was currently devouring half the menu—was already on question nine. He hadn't even made it past question three.

"Y-You're on question nine?" he stammered, his voice filled with awe.

Amberine glanced up at him, her mouth full of food, and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? Why? What question are you on?"

Caelum swallowed hard, his mind racing. This girl was incredible—chaotic, yes, but clearly brilliant. And here he was, a prince sneaking into the university, struggling with question three. How was he supposed to keep up with someone like her?