The Villain Professor's Second Chance

The noise of the marketplace was almost deafening. Merchants called out their wares, children wove through the crowd with laughter, and the scent of freshly baked bread mixed with the heavy aroma of herbs and spices. Sophie led her squad through the market district, and as always, Sharon was beside her, her eyes constantly darting around for trouble. Maris followed in quiet observation, her senses sharp, taking in the lively environment with careful attention.

But then—almost like a ghost passing through the noise—they saw him. Professor Draven. The cold, analytical figure stood out in the throng of colorful people, moving with a purpose that made it clear he wasn't there for the sights.

Sharon's eyes widened, and she instantly jabbed Sophie's arm with an elbow, her face alight with suspicion. "That's him! That's Draven!"

Sophie raised an eyebrow, her expression unreadable, though there was a flicker of recognition. "Yes, I see him, Sharon. Keep your voice down."

Maris turned her gaze towards where Sharon was pointing. There he was, Professor Draven, wearing a cloak over his usual dark attire, moving quickly, cutting through the crowd like a knife through butter. His presence alone commanded an eerie sort of respect, one that both fascinated and unnerved her.

Sharon couldn't contain herself; she leaned in, whispering more loudly than she intended. "What do you think he's doing? He's got that look—like he's up to no good. I told you, My Lady, this guy has a suspicious air. Look at him—just slinking off like he's got some shady business."

Sophie's face remained neutral, but something in her gaze darkened—a flicker of something complicated. Despite everything, she still remembered the letter he'd written when breaking off their engagement. He had called her a disappointment, a failure, and had humiliated her in front of the entire court. Those words had cut deeper than anything she had faced on the battlefield, even after all this time. Despite her usually forgiving nature, that letter—that rejection—still stung. She still bore the weight of that humiliation, and the cruelty behind his cold words haunted her even now.

After the breakup, the knights had treated her as if she was a pariah. She remembered the sneers, the whispers that followed her everywhere. Many believed she had risen in rank solely because of her engagement with Draven—and when it ended, she was nothing more than a failure. They'd called her naive, weak, unfit for her position. But her loyal squad remained by her side, unwavering in their support, and that was what had kept her going.

Sharon's voice snapped her out of her thoughts. "My Lady, this is our chance to find out what he's really up to. Let's tail him! I bet he's involved in something shady—dark magic, maybe, or illegal dealings. We could catch him in the act!"

Sophie's lips pressed into a thin line, her brows furrowed. She was torn—duty told her that she shouldn't act on mere suspicion, especially without solid evidence. But there was something there, something she couldn't ignore. Maybe it was curiosity, maybe it was the lingering hurt from their past, or perhaps it was the nagging question of whether there was something more beneath Draven's cold façade.

"Sharon, you realize this is highly irregular, right? Following someone without a warrant or even a solid reason to suspect criminal activity... it's not exactly by the book," Sophie said, her tone heavy with hesitation.

Sharon leaned in, her voice dropping to an eager whisper. "My Lady, just think about it. He's never out here in public. He's always got his nose stuck in some old tome in that dusty tower of his. If he's here, in a marketplace, looking that shady, it's because he's doing something he doesn't want anyone to see. Please, My Lady. Just this once, let's investigate. Everyone knows about all nasty rumors Draven have in the first place anyway,"

Maris had been listening quietly, her eyes flicking between her captain and the retreating form of Professor Draven. She felt a mix of emotions—curiosity, intrigue, and maybe even a hint of excitement. To her, Draven was a figure of mystery, someone whose brilliance both inspired and intimidated her. She had always wondered about his past, about the coldness in his eyes, and now she found herself thinking that this might be an opportunity to understand him better. Explore hidden tales at empire

"Lady Sophie," Maris began softly, her voice carrying a hint of eagerness. "Maybe... maybe it wouldn't hurt to follow him for a little while? Just to see where he's going? I'm curious as well. And... if we can confirm that he's not doing anything wrong, we'll leave it at that."

Sophie looked at Maris, then Sharon, and finally at Draven, who was disappearing into the narrow alleyway at the far end of the market. She let out a sigh, nodding slowly. "Alright. But we do this quietly. We observe. No jumping to conclusions, and absolutely no confrontation unless we see something that undeniably demands intervention."

Sharon's eyes lit up with triumph, her hand instinctively resting on the hilt of her sword. "Understood, My Lady. I knew you'd see it my way. Let's go."

The trio followed discreetly, keeping a reasonable distance behind Draven, who continued moving with purpose, taking narrow alleyways that cut through the heart of the market district. His cloak billowed slightly with each stride, and his face was as unreadable as ever—focused, detached, as though he had no concern for what was happening around him.

"He's avoiding the crowds," Maris whispered, her brows knitting together in thought. "It's almost like he doesn't want to be seen."

"I told you," Sharon muttered back, her eyes gleaming with suspicion. "Shady."

They followed him further, watching as he slipped into a quieter area of the city, the narrow alleyways giving way to older, crumbling buildings that were less frequented by the city's inhabitants. Maris felt her heart rate quicken—this part of the city always made her uneasy. It was a place where the walls seemed to close in, where the shadows were thicker, and secrets were easily hidden.

Suddenly, Draven paused, glancing around as if checking to see if he was being watched. The group quickly ducked behind a corner, holding their breath as they peered out, watching his every move. He approached an abandoned building, its windows boarded up and its walls covered in graffiti. Standing by the entrance was a cloaked figure, their face obscured by the hood.

"Who's that?" Sharon whispered, her eyes narrowing.

"I don't know," Sophie replied, her gaze fixed on the two figures. "But they seem to be expecting each other."

Draven reached into his cloak, pulling out a small package wrapped in dark cloth. He handed it to the cloaked figure, who accepted it with a nod, slipping it into their own robes. The exchange was quick, almost practiced, as if they had done it many times before.

Sharon's grip tightened on her sword, her eyes filled with fire. "That's it—he's definitely up to something illegal. We should step in now, My Lady! We can catch him in the act."

But Sophie hesitated, her instincts telling her to wait. "Not yet, Sharon. We need to be sure of what we're seeing. If we make a move without understanding the full picture, it could end badly."

Maris nodded, her eyes never leaving Draven. She could sense something—a feeling in her gut that told her there was more to this. Draven wasn't careless. He wouldn't do something illegal in the open unless... unless he had a reason.

The cloaked figure finally turned, their hood falling back slightly as they moved, revealing a glimpse of their face. Sophie's eyes widened in shock, her heart skipping a beat. She recognized that face—it was someone she knew, someone she had seen countless times before in the royal palace.

"Wait... that's..." Sophie whispered, her voice filled with disbelief.

Maris leaned in closer, her eyes widening as recognition dawned on her. "Isn't that one of the upper echelons of the royal knights, Sir Galahad?"

The revelation sent a chill down Sophie's spine. Sharon looked equally stunned, her fiery determination replaced by confusion. Why was an upper echelon of the royal knights meeting with Draven in a place like this, away from prying eyes?

"What is going on..." Sophie murmured, her mind racing with questions, her heart pounding. She couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to uncover something far more complicated than they had imagined.

Maris glanced at Sophie, her expression a mix of curiosity and concern. "Lady Sophie... what do we do now?"

Sophie took a deep breath, her eyes locked on the two figures as they exchanged a few more words, their voices too low to hear. "We keep watching. We need to understand what's happening here."

The cloaked figure turned and walked away, disappearing into the shadows of the alley, while Draven stood there for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly, as though he sensed something. He glanced back over his shoulder, and the trio quickly ducked behind the corner, holding their breath.

Sophie's heart pounded in her chest, her mind a swirl of thoughts. Who was the cloaked figure? Why were they meeting with Draven? And what was in that package? There were too many questions, and not enough answers. And as much as she wanted to believe that Draven was innocent, the sight of that upper echelon knight made her stomach twist with unease.

"We'll follow him a bit longer," Sophie finally said, her voice barely above a whisper. "But be careful. If he finds out we're following him..."

Sharon nodded, her expression a mix of excitement and determination. "Don't worry, My Lady. We won't let him out of our sight."

Maris swallowed hard, her eyes fixed on Draven as he started moving again, this time heading deeper into the maze of abandoned buildings. She couldn't help but feel that they were on the brink of discovering something significant—something that could change everything they thought they knew about Professor Draven.

And maybe, just maybe, she would finally understand the man behind the cold, calculating eyes.