The Villain Professor's Second Chance

"Watch your right, Draven!" Elandris's excited voice cut through the clamor of the battle, her words sharp and clear despite the chaos.

"I know," I replied, my voice steady and calm, as if the monsters closing in from all directions didn't even matter.

The truth was, they didn't. Not to me. The undead goblin king, my minotaur devil servant, and the hobgoblin devil servant were wreaking havoc with brutal efficiency. Trolls, ogres, and grotesque creatures spawned by the dungeonification lurched forward, but each of my summoned forces dispatched them with ruthless precision.

The goblin king swung its massive, rotting club, smashing an ogre's head into pulp with a single, deafening blow. The minotaur's heavy hooves crushed a pack of kobolds beneath its weight, while the hobgoblin devil danced between monsters, its fiery claws leaving trails of dark flames in its wake.

We were pushing to the top—Level 100. The grand office at the very peak of the Magic Tower University. That was where the Senate met, where all the highest matters of importance were discussed. The place where Professor Armandra was most likely waiting.

"She'll be there," I said, more to myself than to Elandris, my eyes fixed on the top of the staircase that spiraled endlessly upward.

"Are you sure?" Elandris asked, glancing at me from the corner of her eye. Her silvery hair shimmered faintly in the dim light of the tower, her mana restrained but still potent enough to make the air hum around her. She moved gracefully beside me, her steps light but purposeful, each movement calculated. Her mana might have been restricted, but she was still incredibly strong.

Even at this fraction of her power, she was fifty times more powerful than any of the other professors in the Magic Tower. Her control was absolute.

"Yes, I'm sure," I replied. "There's no one else who could have orchestrated this chaos. She'll want to finish what she started."

I didn't bring anyone else with me. Elandris had to stay unseen by the rest of the tower. Her true identity as Chancellor Sylrin was still hidden, and revealing it now would complicate matters more than necessary. Alfred, Garren, Sylara, and the Drakhan knights were securing the lower floors, ensuring the students and staff were safe. I left my chimeras with them to aid in the effort.

As we ascended the staircase, Elandris glanced back at the undead goblin king and devil servants trailing behind us, a smirk tugging at the corners of her lips. "You're quite naughty, Draven," she remarked, her tone playful despite the gravity of the situation. "Hiding these creatures all this time."
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"They're recent acquisitions," I said, my eyes forward. "Captured during the dungeonification. I plan to analyze and research them."

Elandris raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Research, huh? Interesting choice of specimens. I'm sure the Senate will love that explanation."

The minotaur devil servant swung its massive axe, cleaving through a troll that had charged at us from the side. The creature let out a guttural roar as it collapsed, its body splitting in two. The hobgoblin devil servant leaped onto an ogre, tearing its throat out with its fiery claws, while the undead goblin king crushed a pack of snarling kobolds with a single swing of its club.

Elandris watched the display of power with a gleam in her eye, clearly impressed.

"Your control over them is… remarkable," she commented, her tone almost admiring.

"It's not about control," I corrected her. "It's about understanding. You have to analyze their behavior, predict their movements. If you can anticipate what they're going to do, you can guide them without needing to force them."

She chuckled. "Spoken like a true academic. Always analyzing, always calculating. You're never off the clock, are you?"

I didn't respond. There was no need to. We continued our climb, the monsters becoming fewer but more powerful the higher we went. More trolls, ogres, and even a few wyverns appeared, their scales gleaming in the dim light as they swooped down to attack. But they were no match for the combined strength of my summons and Elandris's precision.

Elandris moved like a dancer, her mana swirling around her as she dispatched the monsters with effortless grace. A flick of her wrist sent a troll tumbling to the ground, its body convulsing as her restricted mana struck with deadly precision. Despite having most of her power trapped in the doll she left behind, Elandris was still formidable. Her attacks were precise, efficient, and devastating.

But as strong as she was, her incessant curiosity was becoming a distraction.

"So, Draven," she said suddenly, her voice light despite the chaos around us. "I've been wondering… What's your secret?"

I didn't bother looking at her. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on," she teased, dodging a troll's club with an almost lazy grace. "You're always so secretive. You're hiding something, aren't you? Maybe something about your past?"

"I'm not hiding anything," I replied, blocking an incoming ogre with a telekinetic barrier before it could get too close. "I'm just not interested in sharing personal details."

She rolled her eyes. "Oh, please. Everyone has secrets, Draven. Even you."

I sighed inwardly. Elandris could be incredibly annoying when she wanted to be.

Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. "So… what about Lady Sophie? You and her still an item?"

I paused for just a fraction of a second, caught off guard by the question. It wasn't something I had expected, not here, not now.

"No," I said flatly. "We're not."

Elandris froze in mid-step, her eyes widening in shock. "Wait—what? You broke it off?"

The surprise in her voice was genuine, and for a moment, she almost seemed to forget about the battle raging around us. That moment of distraction nearly cost her as a troll swung its club toward her with terrifying speed.

I reacted without thinking, halting the troll's attack with a swift burst of psychokinetic force. The troll stumbled back, its club frozen in mid-air before shattering into pieces.

Elandris blinked, shaking off her surprise as she realized what had just happened. Then, without warning, she shouted, "WHY!?"

The sheer force of her voice sent a shockwave through the air, powerful enough to send the goblins in front of us flying into the walls. It wasn't anger that fueled her outburst, though—it was pure, unbridled curiosity.

I didn't flinch. I didn't react. I simply looked at her, my expression cold and unreadable.

"You really want to know?" I asked, my voice low.

"Yes!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with an almost childlike fascination. "Why would you break it off? She's Lady Sophie of Icevern! One of the most sought-after women in the realm! You're telling me you just… ended it?"

I turned away, already dismissing her question. "I have my reasons. And I don't owe you an explanation."

Elandris pouted, clearly unsatisfied with my response. "That's not fair, Draven. You can't just drop a bombshell like that and then refuse to explain."

I remained silent, my attention back on the staircase ahead. The battle wasn't over yet, and I wasn't about to waste time discussing my personal life with her.

She sighed dramatically, clearly frustrated by my lack of openness. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"I'm aware," I replied dryly.

As we reached the final steps of the staircase, the monsters began to thin out, their numbers dwindling as we approached the top level. The grand office loomed just ahead, the massive doors standing tall and imposing at the end of the corridor. This was it—the place where the Senate met, where all the highest matters of the Magic Tower were decided.

Elandris's playful demeanor faded, replaced by a sharp focus as she stared at the doors. Her eyes gleamed with anticipation, her mana swirling around her like a storm waiting to be unleashed.

"She's behind those doors," Elandris said softly, her voice steady now. "Professor Armandra."

I nodded. "It's time to finish this."

We approached the doors together, my undead goblin king and devil servants flanking us. The air was thick with tension, the weight of the battle ahead pressing down on us. But I wasn't worried. I had prepared for this.

As I reached for the door, Elandris spoke one final time, her voice barely above a whisper.

But I noticed her face turning into an unusual serious expression.

"Let's make this quick, Draven. I have a feeling things are about to get much more complicated."