The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Elara moved through the crowded space with her usual composure, her tray balanced effortlessly in one hand. Her indifferent gaze swept across the sea of students, her eyes landing on a familiar head of wild red hair near the far corner of the room. Amberine. She was sitting at one of the tables, her face set in a scowl, her tray practically untouched in front of her.

As Elara approached, Amberine's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing.

"You," Amberine growled, her voice dripping with irritation. "What do you want?"

Elara paused for a moment, her expression unchanged. "I'm here to eat," she said simply, then set her tray down across from Amberine and took a seat.

Amberine let out an exasperated sigh, slamming her palm on the table. "Are you serious? There are literally dozens of other empty tables, and you pick this one?"

Elara picked up her fork, ignoring Amberine's outburst as she poked at the vegetables on her tray. "Yes. This table has a good view of the garden. And I like the quiet."

Amberine glared at her, her face flushing in frustration. "Quiet? Are you kidding me? I am anything but quiet!"

Elara glanced up, her eyes locking onto Amberine's. "Exactly," she said in her usual flat tone, her expression betraying nothing. "Your complaining tends to drown out all other noise. It's convenient."

Amberine's mouth dropped open, her eyes widening. "You—!" she sputtered, her face reddening. "You have some nerve, you know that? First, you knock on my head like it's a door, and now you're insulting me?"

Elara took a bite of her food, chewing slowly, her eyes never leaving Amberine's. She swallowed, then said, "I wasn't insulting you. I was making an observation."

Amberine huffed, crossing her arms over her chest, her fingers tapping impatiently on her arm. "Well, maybe you should learn to keep your observations to yourself, 'Progeny of Water'." The nickname was meant to mock Elara's title, something the professors often used to praise her talent.

Elara blinked, her expression unmoving. "I don't mind sharing, actually. Especially when it's accurate."

Amberine let out an incredulous laugh. "Oh, you think you're so clever, don't you? Just because you're hailed as the 'Prodigy Child,' it doesn't mean you get to look down on everyone else!"

Elara set her fork down, her eyes meeting Amberine's, her expression unchanging. "It's not about looking down on anyone, Amberine. It's about acknowledging the reality of our abilities. If you struggle with that, perhaps it says more about you than me."

Amberine opened her mouth to retort, her eyes flashing angrily, but before she could get a word out, a new voice cut through their argument.

"Will you two ever stop bickering?" Your next read awaits at empire

Both girls turned to see Maris standing beside their table, her hands on her hips, her expression torn between annoyance and amusement. Her long black hair fell in soft waves around her shoulders, her gentle eyes flicking between Elara and Amberine with exasperation.

"Maris," Amberine said, her voice still tinged with irritation. "This is not bickering. This is me trying to make her realize she's an emotionless brick wall."

Elara raised an eyebrow. "I thought you said I was clever. A clever brick wall, perhaps?"

Maris sighed, rolling her eyes as she set her tray down next to Amberine and took a seat. "Enough," she said firmly, her voice carrying a note of finality. "Honestly, you two are impossible."

Amberine let out a frustrated groan, slumping back in her seat. "She started it," she muttered.

Elara glanced at Maris, her voice level. "Actually, Amberine walked into my knocking range, so technically, she started it."

Maris held up a hand, her expression stern. "Enough. I don't care who started it. You two are supposed to be brilliant minds of this university, not children arguing over whose turn it is to knock on doors."

Amberine let out a sigh, shaking her head. "Fine, fine. I'll drop it. But only because Maris asked."

Elara inclined her head slightly, her expression softening just a touch. "As will I."

Maris smiled, her shoulders relaxing as the tension at the table seemed to dissipate. She picked up her spoon, taking a bite of her food before glancing at Amberine and Elara. "So, how did your meetings with Professor Draven go?" she asked, her tone more casual.

Amberine's expression immediately darkened, and she let out a heavy sigh. "Don't ask," she muttered. "He tore my thesis apart. Said it was trash—no, actually, he said it was worse than trash." She poked at her food, her brow furrowing. "And then he told me to go read the Weekly Magician Journal. Like that's going to help."

Maris gave her a sympathetic look, her eyes softening. "I'm sorry, Amberine. I know you put a lot of effort into it."

Amberine shrugged, trying to look indifferent, though the frustration was still evident in her eyes. "Yeah, well, apparently, effort means nothing if it doesn't come with understanding. I just... I guess I need to rethink my approach."

Maris nodded, her gaze turning towards Elara, who was silently eating her meal. "And you, Elara? How did it go?"

Elara paused for a moment, then set her fork down, her eyes meeting Maris's. "He said my proposal was ridiculous," she said simply.

Amberine snorted, her eyes widening. "Wait, really? He said that about your proposal too?" A hint of satisfaction crept into her tone. "I mean, no offense, but I thought you were going to be his golden child in an instant or something."

Elara shook her head. "No one is immune to his criticism. He said that unless I could provide a convincing argument for why my topic is worth investigating, he wouldn't consider it."

Amberine frowned, her curiosity piqued. "What's your topic, anyway?"

Elara met Amberine's gaze, her expression as unreadable as always. "I want to research the origins of the golden mana trait in my lineage. I believe it may have a connection to a celestial force—something beyond what we currently understand."

Amberine's eyes widened slightly, her irritation momentarily forgotten. "Celestial forces? Like... gods or something?"

Elara nodded. "Possibly. But I'm thinking more like the connection with the stars. It's not clear yet. But I believe that there may be a connection worth exploring."

Maris's eyes lit up, her curiosity evident. "Well now that I hear it again it does sounds fascinating, Elara. I can see why Professor Draven might be skeptical, but it also sounds like it could lead to some incredible discoveries."

Elara nodded, her eyes thoughtful. "That's why I want to pursue it. I know it's a long shot, but if there's even a chance that I could uncover something significant, then it's worth it."

Amberine leaned back in her chair, her irritation replaced by genuine interest. "You know... I kind of admire that," she admitted reluctantly. "I mean, I wouldn't have the guts to try and prove something like that, especially with Draven breathing down my neck."

Elara shrugged slightly. "It's not about guts. It's about curiosity. If I don't try, I'll never know."

Maris smiled, her gaze warm as she looked between Amberine and Elara. "You know, maybe we could help each other," she suggested, her voice soft. "I mean, we're all working on different research topics, but I think we could benefit from sharing our ideas and helping each other refine our theses."

Amberine raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Help each other? How exactly?"Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Maris leaned forward, her voice taking on a more excited tone. "Well, for example, Amberine, your work on elemental convergence could be useful to Elara. If she's trying to prove a celestial connection to her mana, understanding how different elements interact could be crucial in showing how those forces might influence her lineage."

Amberine blinked, her eyes widening. "Wait, you think my work could help Elara?"

Maris nodded. "Absolutely. And Elara, you could help Amberine with her energy balance calculations. You're good at that sort of thing, and it might help her make her thesis more grounded."

Elara tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as she considered Maris's suggestion. "I see your point. Elemental convergence is about finding equilibrium between forces—something that could be useful in understanding how celestial energy might interact with mortal magic."

Amberine's expression shifted, her brow furrowing as she thought. "And... maybe understanding celestial forces could help me figure out how to stabilize the convergence process. If there's some kind of higher power involved, maybe it could help balance things out."