The Villain Professor's Second Chance

The university courtyard was alive with excitement, buzzing with energy as students, scholars, and seasoned magicians crowded the symposium registration area. It was a chaotic scene of conversations, laughter, and the constant shuffle of papers as young researchers moved forward with hopeful eyes, eager to secure a place. Among them, Maris, Amberine, and Elara pushed through, their determined expressions setting them apart from the rest.

Amberine led the way, her fiery red hair unmistakable as it caught the sunlight, almost glowing like the flames she wielded. She had a look of impatience, her eyes darting left and right, trying to make sense of the slow-moving line in front of them. Elara, with her golden hair neatly tied back, remained composed, her gaze fixed ahead, her silence speaking volumes. And Maris, slightly shorter than the other two, kept glancing nervously at her companions, her eyes filled with both excitement and anxiety.

"Do you think we'll make it?" Maris asked, her voice barely audible above the noise.

"We will," Amberine said confidently, though her eyes betrayed a hint of worry. "I didn't spend all those sleepless nights burning my eyebrows off for us to be turned away now."

Elara gave a subtle nod, her expression not changing. "We'll be fine. We have Professor Astrid backing us up, remember?"

Maris sighed, her anxiety slightly easing at the mention of their mentor. "Right. You're right."

Finally, they reached the registration desk. The clerk behind the counter was a stern-looking, middle-aged mage with sharp, scrutinizing eyes. He looked over their papers with a frown, his gaze lifting to take in the sight of the three young women before him. He didn't hide his skepticism, his eyebrows arching slightly as he scanned their documents.

"Are you sure you're in the right place?" he asked, his voice dripping with doubt. "The symposium is for advanced research only—I hope you understand that. We can't allow every fledgling experiment here just because someone believes it's worthwhile."

Amberine's eyes flashed, her temper flaring at his condescension. She took a step forward, her hands clenching at her sides. "Our research is not just some fledgling experiment," she snapped. "It's groundbreaking. We've worked tirelessly, and we have the data to prove it."

The clerk looked unimpressed, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Groundbreaking, you say? Everyone here thinks their work is groundbreaking." He flipped through the pages with an air of indifference. "This doesn't seem—"

Amberine's confidence began to waver as the clerk continued to question them. The documents felt heavy in her hands, and her mind raced for a response that would shut him up, but the frustration was beginning to cloud her thoughts.

Before her emotions could spill over, Elara stepped forward, her expression still calm, her voice even. "If you'll look at section five," she said, pointing at a specific page, "you'll see our calculations on the emotional resonance feedback loop—a concept that's been theorized but never properly demonstrated before." Her tone was so composed, so matter-of-fact, that the clerk's smug expression faltered for a moment.

He looked down at the page she had indicated, his eyes narrowing as he read over it. Amberine took a breath, grateful for Elara's intervention, but the tension hadn't fully dissipated.

The clerk looked back at them, his skepticism still there, though less pronounced. "I'm still not sure…" he began, but before he could finish, a commanding voice cut through the noise.

"What seems to be the issue here?"

Professor Astrid stepped up beside the trio, her presence commanding attention. She was tall, her silver hair braided elegantly over her shoulder, her robes shimmering slightly with enchantments that marked her status as one of the leading scholars in emotional magic. She looked from the clerk to her students, her sharp gaze lingering on the documents in the clerk's hands.

The clerk cleared his throat, his demeanor shifting as he recognized her. "Professor Astrid, I was just—"

"You were just what?" Astrid asked, her voice cold. She took the papers from him, flipping through them quickly, her eyes scanning the text with a practiced ease. "These young women are my students, and their research is nothing short of remarkable. If you have doubts, I suggest you set them aside."

The clerk swallowed, his previous arrogance replaced with unease. "Of course, Professor. I—I was simply verifying—"

"Consider it verified," Astrid said, her tone leaving no room for argument. She handed the papers back to Amberine, her eyes softening slightly as she looked at her students. "You three have worked hard. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

Amberine, Elara, and Maris exchanged looks of relief, their tension easing. Amberine managed a smile, her earlier anger dissipating. "Thank you, Professor," she said, her voice sincere.

Astrid gave them a nod, her expression warming. "Just stay focused. The symposium is only the beginning. Now go—you have a presentation to perfect."

The clerk, now visibly flustered, quickly processed their registration, handing over their entry badges. With everything finally settled, the trio turned to leave, their steps lighter, the weight of uncertainty now lifted. As they walked away from the registration area, Maris let out a long breath, her shoulders relaxing.

"I thought we were going to get kicked out before we even got in," she said, her voice filled with relief.

Amberine gave her a wry smile. "Not while we've got Astrid on our side. I swear, she's like a force of nature."

Elara nodded. "She believes in us. We just have to make sure we don't let her down."

Maris smiled, her confidence growing. "We won't. We're ready for this."

Amberine glanced at her friends, her fiery spirit returning. "Damn right we are."

____

Back in the lab, the atmosphere was one of focus and determination. The scattered papers, the orb of emotions glowing softly at the center of the room, and the hum of magical energy all combined to create an environment that was both chaotic and productive. Amberine sat at a large oak table, her eyes darting across the notes, her fingers tracing the lines of calculations she had gone over countless times before. She was meticulous, cross-referencing everything, ensuring that there were no mistakes.

"Every rune, every sigil, every calculation needs to be perfect," she muttered, her eyes narrowed in concentration. Her Ifrit spirit, a tiny flicker of flame that hid beneath her robes, peeked out curiously, almost as if sensing her tension.

"Amberine, don't stress too much. It's all going to come together," Elara said, her tone calm as always. She stood near the orb, her hands moving through the air, tracing imaginary currents. "I think if I explain the mana flow like this," she gestured, "it might make it easier for them to visualize. What do you think?"

Amberine looked up, her expression softening. "I think you're overthinking it, Elara. You're the prodigy child, remember? Just talk, and they'll listen. Your passion will come through."

Elara gave a small nod, a flicker of uncertainty still in her eyes. She knew Amberine meant well, but the weight of the symposium—the eyes of so many esteemed scholars—felt like a heavy burden.

Maris, on the other hand, was focused entirely on the orb. She projected different emotions into it—fear, hope, calm—each one causing the orb to glow in different colors. A deep blue for fear, a gentle gold for hope, a soft green for calm. She watched the shifts intently, her hands steady, her concentration unwavering.

"Looks like it's working perfectly," Maris said, her eyes lighting up with excitement.

"It better be," Amberine replied, her voice half-serious, half-joking. "Or we'll be the laughingstock of the entire university."

Maris glanced at her, a smile tugging at her lips. "We won't be. We've come too far to fail now."

Elara nodded, her hands lowering, her gaze steady. "Let's make sure we're as ready as we can be."

A moment of silence fell over them, the weight of the upcoming symposium settling once more. Elara sighed, her eyes drifting to the orb. "What if it doesn't work?" she said quietly, her voice tinged with doubt. "What if, in front of all those people, the orb fails?"

Maris reached out, placing a reassuring hand on Elara's shoulder. "It won't fail. We've tested it a hundred times. We know it works."

Amberine, however, took a different approach. She leaned forward, her gaze intense. "Listen, Elara. We didn't spend countless hours in this lab for nothing. We've faced failure after failure, and every single one of those led us here. We've worked for this. We've earned it. And we're going to show them exactly what we're capable of."

Elara looked at her, the fire in Amberine's eyes sparking something within her. She nodded, her expression firming. "You're right. We're ready."

At that moment, the door to the lab opened, and Professor Astrid stepped in, her presence as commanding as ever. She took one look at the trio, her sharp eyes noting the tension in the room.

"Nerves?" she asked, a small smile playing at her lips.

Elara hesitated, but then nodded. "A little."

Astrid approached them, her gaze softening. "Good. It means you care. But remember this—even the greatest magicians faced setbacks. Every success is built on the foundation of failure. What matters is that you kept going, and that's what sets you apart."

Her words seemed to settle over them like a comforting blanket, the tension easing. Amberine smiled, her fiery spirit returning. "We won't let you down, Professor."

Astrid nodded, her eyes filled with pride. "I know you won't. Now, let's get everything ready. The symposium awaits."

The trio gathered around the presentation tools—magical projection crystals, enchanted parchments, and the orb of emotions at the center of it all. They meticulously checked every detail, ensuring the crystals were calibrated, the mana storage full, and every component functioning seamlessly.

Amberine picked up one of the enchanted parchments, her eyes scanning the runes inscribed on it. She traced her finger over a line, her brow furrowing. "Maris, can you check the alignment of the projection crystal? I think it's slightly off."

Maris nodded, moving to the crystal, her fingers adjusting it with practiced ease. The crystal glowed softly, its light aligning perfectly with the runes on the parchment. "Got it," she said, a satisfied smile on her face.

Elara stood by the orb, her hands hovering over it, her eyes closed as she felt the flow of mana. "The orb is stable," she said, her voice calm. "Everything is ready."

Amberine let out a breath, her shoulders relaxing. "Alright. Let's go over the script one more time."

They gathered around, each of them holding a copy of the presentation script. Amberine began, her voice confident. "I'll handle the introduction. I'll talk about the concept of emotional resonance and why it's important."

Maris nodded. "Then I'll dive into the technical aspects—how we developed the orb, the challenges we faced, and how we overcame them."

Elara looked at her part, her eyes scanning the words. "And I'll explain the practical applications—how this can be used in real-world scenarios, and the potential it has for the future."

There was a moment of silence as they absorbed their roles, the weight of the symposium pressing down on them once more. Maris, sensing the tension, grinned and said, "You know, I think the real challenge here is going to be wearing those ridiculous academic robes. I mean, who thought it was a good idea to make them so itchy?"

Amberine snorted, her serious expression breaking into a smile. "Probably someone who never had to wear them."

Laugh rippled because of that comment, and finally, the tension slightly subsided. Continue your adventure with My Virtual Library Empire

"Okay, guys," Amberine gaze his friends one by one.

"We're going to nail it,"