The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Maris beamed, her excitement evident. "Exactly! We can all benefit from each other's research. We just need to be willing!" she excitedly said as she looked between Amberine and Elara, her eyes almost sparkling with enthusiasm. The initial tension between her friends seemed to have melted, replaced by a more thoughtful atmosphere.

They were no longer opponents in the academic arena but potential allies, with the possibility of strengthening each other's work.

Amberine gave a heavy sigh, slumping slightly in her seat. She poked at her food, her face twisting into a half-grimace, half-smile. "You really think we can pull that off, Maris? I mean... you know how different our work is, right? And besides," she glanced at Elara with a slight frown, "she and I don't really see eye-to-eye on anything."

Elara remained silent, her calm, indifferent gaze meeting Amberine's, but she didn't protest. Instead, she seemed to consider Maris's suggestion seriously.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

Maris reached over, gently tapping Amberine's hand to get her attention. "I know it seems impossible, Amberine, but just think about it. Your ideas are strong, and they have a lot of potential. You just need a more solid foundation. And Elara," she turned her gaze to the stoic girl, "if anyone could help you figure out how to connect those dots, it's her."

Amberine pursed her lips, her face scrunching up as she thought. "Hmph. Maybe..." she mumbled, though she didn't sound convinced.

Maris sighed softly, a gentle smile tugging at her lips. "Why not just give it a try? The worst that could happen is you end up arguing again." She shot them both a playful, knowing look, and Amberine rolled her eyes.

Elara, however, gave a slight nod. "I don't see any harm in exploring the idea," she said simply. "If our work could overlap, and we could assist each other in making advancements, it would be foolish to dismiss the opportunity outright."

Amberine's eyes snapped up, meeting Elara's. For a moment, she looked as though she was ready to argue again, her expression tight, her mouth set in a thin line. But then, she seemed to soften, letting out a huff of breath. "Alright, alright, I'll give it a shot," she said begrudgingly, her voice dropping into something of a mumble. "But don't expect me to be all nice and friendly about it."

Elara's lips twitched—perhaps the faintest hint of a smile, or perhaps not at all. It was hard to tell with her. "I wouldn't expect that from you," she said, her tone as even and indifferent as ever.

Amberine blinked, her eyes widening slightly before she let out a short laugh. "See, this is why I can't stand you sometimes," she muttered, though there was no heat in her words.

Maris smiled, her eyes filled with warmth as she watched her friends. "See? I knew you could find some common ground," she said, taking a sip of her drink. "Now, let's talk specifics. Amberine, tell us more about what Draven said to you about your thesis."

Amberine groaned, running a hand through her fiery hair, the red locks glinting in the dim light of the canteen. "Oh, where do I even start?" She shook her head, leaning back in her chair. "He said it was trash. No, wait—what did he call it? 'Worse than trash.'"

Elara nodded slightly. "He said something similar to me as well. He called my idea ridiculous."

Amberine raised an eyebrow, a spark of surprise in her eyes. "Really? He actually said that to you too?" She paused, considering Elara. "I guess that makes me feel a little better."

Elara inclined her head slightly, acknowledging the sentiment. "It seems that he has very high standards. But his critique was not wrong. There were flaws in my initial proposal."

Maris nodded, her gaze encouraging. "But that's why we're here, right? To make our work stronger. So, Amberine, what do you think your thesis is missing? What do you think Draven meant when he said it lacked grounding?"

Amberine sighed, her fingers drumming against the edge of her tray. "He said I didn't understand the fundamentals of energy balance. I thought I did, but I guess I just... skipped over some important parts."

Elara's eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "Energy balance is crucial when dealing with elemental convergence. The forces involved are inherently opposing—fire and water, for example. The key is understanding how to stabilize those forces to reach an equilibrium."

Amberine frowned, her brow furrowing. "Yeah, but that's the part I'm struggling with. Every time I try to bring two opposing elements together, it just... blows up in my face. Literally."

Maris winced sympathetically. "Sounds rough."

Amberine nodded, a hint of frustration in her eyes. "It is. I mean, I get the theory. You need something to mediate between the two forces, right? But I can't figure out what that mediator should be."

Elara tapped her finger against her chin, her gaze drifting as she thought. "Perhaps the mediator isn't a physical element at all. Perhaps it's a force—something that exists on a different level. For example, mana itself could act as a bridge between elements if it's manipulated correctly."

Amberine's eyes widened slightly, her expression shifting from frustration to curiosity. "Mana as a bridge? I've never thought of it that way. I always assumed I needed a third element to balance the other two."

Elara shook her head. "Not necessarily. Mana is the fundamental energy that fuels all magic. If you can manipulate its properties to resonate with both elements, you may be able to create a stable point of convergence."

Amberine stared at her for a moment, then let out a slow breath. "Okay... that actually makes a lot of sense." She paused, then added, almost reluctantly, "Thanks."

Elara nodded, her expression still calm. "You're welcome."

Maris beamed at them both, her excitement bubbling over. "See? This is exactly what I was talking about! You two can help each other so much if you just stop arguing long enough to listen."

Amberine rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "Yeah, yeah, don't get used to it," she muttered, though there was no real bite in her words.

Maris turned to Elara, her gaze curious. "And what about you, Elara? You said your thesis is about your golden mana and its connection to celestial forces, right? How do you plan to prove that connection?"

Elara was silent for a moment, her gaze distant as she considered her answer. "It's difficult," she admitted, her voice softer than usual. "The connection I'm trying to prove isn't something that can be easily observed. It's more of an abstract concept—something that requires a different perspective."

Maris tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with interest. "What do you mean by a different perspective?"

Elara met Maris's gaze, her expression thoughtful. "Most people view mana as a source of power, something that can be manipulated and shaped. But my golden mana is different. It doesn't respond in the same way as regular mana. It's almost as though it has a will of its own—something that guides it. I believe that will comes from a celestial source, something beyond our understanding.

Or originates from an unknown source of element,"

Amberine frowned, her brow furrowing. "A celestial source... Like the god? Or the stars you mentioned?"

Elara shook her head slightly. "Not necessarily a god. But something ancient, something powerful. Something that exists not close, that's why my hypothesis is that it's from the stars."

Maris nodded slowly, her eyes widening slightly. "Wow. That sounds... incredible. But also really hard to prove."

Elara nodded. "It is. That's why Professor Draven was so skeptical. He said that unless I can provide a convincing argument for why this connection might exist, my research will be nothing more than a collection of empty words."

Amberine frowned, her expression serious. "That's tough. But if anyone can do it, it's you, Elara."

Elara blinked, her gaze shifting to Amberine. There was a moment of silence, and then Elara nodded slightly. "Thank you."

Maris smiled, her eyes filled with warmth. "See? This is what I wanted. We're all in this together, and we can help each other succeed."

Amberine let out a huff of breath, a small smile tugging at her lips. "Yeah, I guess you're right. I mean, it's not like we're getting anywhere on our own."

Elara nodded in agreement. "Collaboration is often the key to progress. Even Professor Draven acknowledges that much."

Amberine raised an eyebrow, a smirk forming on her lips. "Did he actually say that?"

Elara shook her head, her expression unchanging. "Not in so many words. But his actions imply it. He wouldn't have agreed to consider my proposal if he didn't believe in the value of pursuing the unknown."

Maris leaned forward, her eyes bright with curiosity. "What exactly did he say, Elara?"

Elara paused for a moment, her gaze distant as she recalled Draven's words. "He said that there wouldn't be any innovation if no one was willing to challenge the unknown. He told me to prove why my idea is worth investigating, and if I can do that, he will support it."

Amberine whistled softly, her eyes widening. "Wow. That's... actually kind of inspiring. In a very Draven-like, cold way."

Elara nodded. "Yes. He may be harsh, but he isn't wrong. If we want to make progress, we need to be willing to take risks and explore things that others dismiss."

Maris smiled, her eyes filled with admiration. "You're right. And we're all here to help each other do that." She held out her hand, her gaze shifting between Amberine and Elara. "So, what do you say? Let's make a pact to help each other succeed."

Amberine stared at Maris's hand for a moment, then let out a sigh, her expression softening. "Alright, fine. I'm in." She placed her hand over Maris's, her eyes meeting Elara's. "But don't expect me to go easy on you."

Elara gave a small nod, placing her hand over Amberine's. "I wouldn't want you to."

Maris beamed, her smile widening. "Great! Together, we're going to make our research stronger than ever."

Amberine rolled her eyes, though there was a smile playing at her lips. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't get all sappy on us, Maris."

Maris laughed, her eyes shining with joy. "No promises."

The three of them sat there for a moment, their hands stacked together, a silent understanding passing between them. They were all different—different personalities, different strengths, different goals. But in that moment, they were united by a shared determination, a shared willingness to challenge the unknown and to help each other succeed.

Maris finally pulled her hand away, her gaze shifting between her friends. "Alright, so... when do we start? I mean, we need a game plan, right?"

Amberine let out a thoughtful hum, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Yeah, you're right. We need to figure out how our work overlaps and what we can do to help each other."

Elara nodded in agreement. "I suggest we begin by identifying the specific aspects of our research that require more support. Amberine, if you need assistance with energy balance, I can help with that. And if there are aspects of celestial influence that require elemental examples, your work could provide valuable insight."

Your journey continues on empire

Maris grinned, her eyes twinkling with excitement. "And I can help with the practical application side of things! My illusion magic might not directly connect to your topics, but I can create scenarios where we can test theories without risking too much."

Amberine nodded, her eyes lighting up with newfound determination. "Alright, let's do it. I'm tired of Draven calling my work trash. This time, I'm going to show him that I'm capable."

Elara's lips twitched—the faintest hint of a smile. "And I will prove that my lineage is worth studying."

Maris beamed, her eyes filled with warmth and pride. "And I'll be here to help both of you every step of the way."

The three girls sat back, their trays still in front of them, their conversation shifting from one of rivalry and frustration to one of collaboration and hope. They were no longer just individuals struggling with their research—they were a team, united by a common goal. And for the first time, they all felt that perhaps, just perhaps, they could overcome whatever challenges lay ahead.

The canteen around them continued to buzz with the usual chatter of students, but at that moment, it felt as though the world had narrowed down to just the three of them—three students, each with their own dreams and fears, united by the promise to help each other succeed.

And perhaps, in a place as competitive and demanding as the Magic Tower University, that promise was more powerful than any magic they could wield.