The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Inside that chamber, a young prince sat, hunched over a desk scattered with parchments and ink stains. His brow was furrowed in deep concentration, his lips pressed into a thin line as he stared down at the paper in front of him with a look that teetered between frustration and determination.

Caelum Aurelian Drakonis Regaria, the brilliant young prince, wasn't known to be easily discouraged. With a mind sharper than most of his age and an unquenchable thirst for knowledge, he had always excelled in his studies, especially in magic. But today… today was different.

The paper before him wasn't just any ordinary assignment. No, this was Draven's Mid-Term Exam. A test crafted by the genius professor himself, known across the kingdom for his razor-sharp intellect and no-nonsense attitude. It was no small feat that Caelum had even managed to get his hands on it.

After a request through the Magic Tower University, the exam had been sent to the castle, specially delivered to the prince who longed to test his magical prowess against the kingdom's best.

But now that it lay before him, the young prince's confidence faltered.

"This is... impossible," Caelum muttered under his breath, his hand gripping his quill tighter as he read through the third question for what felt like the hundredth time. The ink had smeared slightly where he had crossed out a previous attempt at solving it.

Mana Weave Combination. The task asked for an impossible harmony between a fireball and a water shield—two spells that, by their very nature, should disrupt one another.

Caelum's normally bright golden eyes dulled with frustration. He tapped the end of his quill against the desk, trying to focus, but the chaos in his mind wouldn't settle. He had aced questions one and two without much trouble, but now he felt stuck, as though his brain had hit a wall he couldn't climb over.

A knock sounded at the door, and a soft voice followed it. "Your Highness," the maid's gentle voice called, "your lunch is ready in the dining hall."

Caelum barely looked up, his brow still furrowed. "Wait... please... I-I haven't passed the third question," he mumbled, more to himself than to the maid.

The maid hesitated, not used to seeing the young prince so absorbed in his work that he forgot to eat. "Shall I inform the kitchen to keep it warm for you?" she asked softly, not wanting to disrupt his concentration.

"Yes... just a bit longer," Caelum murmured, his mind already diving back into the question, even as his stomach gave an embarrassing grumble. He ignored it, eyes fixed on the paper, but nothing seemed to click.

Time passed in a haze of scratching quills, muttered complaints, and the ever-present ticking of the clock on the wall.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Caelum sat back in his chair and let out an exasperated sigh, his hand pushing his golden hair back from his forehead. His eyes were tired, but more than that, they were filled with disappointment. I can't solve it.

For a moment, he considered giving up, the idea of failing a question gnawing at him. But as his gaze wandered over the room, past the piles of books and notes on magic theory, his eyes lit up with sudden clarity.

Aurelia.

His big sister, the queen herself. Who better to help him with a magical puzzle than the genius Queen of Regaria, Aurelia Thalassia Arctaris Regaria?

A small smile crept onto his face, and his eyes sparkled with newfound hope. "I should ask sis to help me!" he exclaimed to himself, his voice filled with excitement.

Of course, only Caelum could refer to Queen Aurelia so casually, a right afforded to him by birth and their close bond. Despite being royalty, Aurelia had always pampered her younger brother, treating him more like a friend than a prince. But lately, Caelum had noticed something had changed.

She had become busier, more focused on her duties as queen, and they didn't spend as much time together as they used to.

Still, the idea of seeing her made him smile again.

He stood up, his legs feeling stiff from sitting too long, and stretched before walking over to the door. His stomach growled once more, reminding him of the lunch he had yet to eat. "Right... let's eat lunch first!" he said with a grin, suddenly eager not only to fill his stomach but also to share a meal with his sister. Perhaps during lunch, he could casually bring up the exam.

____

Caelum strode into the dining room, followed closely by a few of his maids. The long table stretched out before him, laid with steaming plates of food, each dish meticulously prepared. But the seat at the head of the table—Aurelia's seat—was conspicuously empty.

He frowned.

"She's not here?" Caelum muttered under his breath, his excitement wavering slightly.

One of the maids, noticing his confusion, approached quietly. "The queen has been very busy, Your Highness. She's often in meetings or—"

Caelum waved her off, already knowing the answer. "Of course she's busy. She's always busy." He sat down at the table, picking up his fork absentmindedly, his mind elsewhere.

Even as he ate, his thoughts lingered on his sister. The food, no matter how rich and delicious, didn't seem to fill the void of missing her company. When he finished his meal, Aurelia still hadn't appeared.

He stood up, wiping his mouth with a napkin and glancing around. "She's never around anymore..." he muttered to himself. But he wasn't about to give up so easily. If she wasn't at lunch, she had to be somewhere in the castle, right?

He turned to the maid, his eyes gleaming with determination. "I'm going to find her," he said, a mischievous smile playing at his lips. "I'll just… check the throne room first."

____

Caelum tiptoed silently through the vast corridors of the castle, slipping past guards and servants with the stealth of a shadow. His heart pounded in his chest, not from fear, but from excitement. It felt like a game—like the adventures they used to have when they were younger.

When he reached the throne room, however, it was empty.

His brow furrowed. Not here either?

He thought for a moment, then it hit him. Her room!

Quietly, with the stealth of a trained spy, Caelum crept toward the queen's personal chambers. When he reached the door, he paused for a second, his hand hovering over the doorknob. What if she's really busy? But curiosity won over hesitation, and he slowly pushed the door open.

The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn, casting a soft glow over the space. And there, lying peacefully on the large bed, was Aurelia.

Caelum blinked in surprise. It wasn't often he saw his sister like this—sleeping. She was always so full of energy, always moving, always working or yelling at someone. But here she was, her features soft and calm, her breathing steady.

Her fiery red hair spread out across the pillow, a striking contrast against the pale silk sheets. Only a small portion of her hair, near the roots, remained the platinum blonde that she had been known for. Caelum knew the change had happened when she began her magical training with Professor Draven.

The fiery red had overtaken most of her hair, a sign of the immense power that now coursed through her.

As he watched her sleep, Caelum's chest tightened. She looked… so peaceful. So different from the fierce, sharp-tongued queen everyone knew.
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He took a step forward, drawn toward her, when a soft voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Your Highness."

Caelum turned sharply, his heart leaping into his throat. Standing in the shadows was Zelina, the castle's head maid and Aurelia's personal attendant. Her pale eyes, sharp and all-seeing, regarded him calmly.

"The queen has been resting for quite a while," Zelina said, her voice low and respectful. "It seems her duties have finally worn her down. Let her rest for now, Your Highness."

Caelum nodded slowly, taking one last glance at his sister before backing away from the bed. She deserves this rest, he thought. She had been working tirelessly for the kingdom, and he hadn't realized just how much it had taken out of her.

As he left the room, his mind raced once more. If Aurelia's too tired to help me, then…

A new idea sparked in his mind, and a smile crept back onto his face.

I know what to do!

Back in his own chamber, Caelum quickly grabbed a coat and threw it on, excitement bubbling in his chest. He would infiltrate the Magic Tower University himself! Who needed help when you could get answers directly from the source?

With renewed determination, he slipped out of his room, prepared to face the next adventure head-on.