Regressor Instruction Manual -
Chapter 1246: . Blue Guild’s Youth Center (15)
His scummy glare was the first thing I saw. He was rambling on as if trying to convince the world that he was a villain. It was to the point that I thought the hassle wasn’t worth it. Honestly, even without any prior intel, just meeting this guy would be enough for me to know that he was a villain. His gaze was off, like he was halfway between a deranged genius and a lunatic off his medications.
He was like Seraphim, Villain Song, or the old followers of Commander Jin.
Of course, there seemed to be a clear difference in their skills. It seemed like he had sorted out his personal affairs, but there were gaps all over the place. It was obvious that research funds were leaking out somewhere, and the reports about business trips to the Republic and North were full of inconsistencies.
There were signs of him trying to make it all look legit, but it didn’t take much digging to see that something was off. That said, I couldn’t say I had definitive proof. It wasn't like I witnessed the crime myself.
‘But... I don’t think I really need to go through all that.’
I had a feeling. It was hard to deny that—one way or another—he was connected to the six-pointed star villains. And if not them, he had to be tied to some other bastards.
As soon as I started tapping my thigh with my fingers, he continued talking, saying, “First, let’s take a look at some of the most prominent examples of forbidden spells. I’m sure you’re all well aware that black magic, in particular, is subject to especially strict regulation, so let’s start from there.
"Necromancy is a prime example, but that’s not what we’ll be focusing on today.”
“...”
“Necromancy definitely makes people uneasy since it involves corpses. There are also ethical and humanitarian concerns surrounding it. For that reason, we’ll be avoiding that topic in today’s lecture,” Professor Traore explained.
“...”
“My focus today is on spells categorized as biochemical magic. For example, spells involving plagues, poisons... The kinds of magic used in warfare, ones that clearly fall under the category of weapons of mass destruction,” Professor Traore said.
“...”
“Those spells are classified as forbidden spells, and even during wartime, their use is discouraged for humanitarian reasons. But is there truly a valid reason for that? You there... why don’t you stand up for a moment... Yes, Miss Aryl Baker,” Professor Traore said.
“Huh? Yes...” Aryl answered.
“I’m not sure if you’ve caught on, but I cast a spell on you,” Professor Traore revealed.
“Wh-What? What do you mean?” she asked.
“The continental laws state that it's a forbidden spell. You haven't realized it yet, but you’ve been poisoned,” Professor Traore said.
“Ah...” Aryl was stricken with fear.
“You don’t need to worry. The spell was cast using the maximum amount of mana a novice mage can possess, and... now... it has dispersed. So, what do you think? Do you feel anything? Compared to this fire arrow created with the same amount of mana, which spell feels more threatening?” Professor Traore asked.
“That’s...”
“I’ll ask again. Do you truly believe that limiting these possibilities holds any real meaning?” Professor Traore questioned.
Hanest raised his hand and said, “It seems that you’re outright denying the continental laws established by the Continental Protection Management Committee, Mr. Traore—”
“That’s not true,” the professor interrupted him.
“Even though these are all lethal spells, there’s no need to cause unnecessary pain or injury. Especially with plagues and poison spells, I heard they have a high potential to affect civilians.
"Moreover, the aftereffects tend to linger long after these spells have swept through the area. Even if an unexpected war breaks out, we have a duty to protect our land and citizens from excessive violence,” Hanest explained.
“Interesting,” Professor Traore commented.
“No one wants to die from poison with their organs rotting away. They’d rather be hit by an arrow. The more effective something is, the greater its side effects. A war with no wounded but only casualties is beyond reason,” Hanest continued.
“Then, using the same logic, let me ask you about the Blue Guild’s archmage or the Red Mercenary Guild’s God of War. Without exaggeration, they could wipe everyone in this room with a single finger. There wouldn't be any wounded, only dead,” the professor said.
“The Blue Guild’s archmage holds great power, and with it comes great responsibility. Professor, you told us not to limit our potential, so why do you keep mentioning the archmage?
"Isn’t Miss Jung Ha-Yan the very embodiment of that potential?” Hanest questioned.
“Then let me ask you this. Do you know how many towers of sacrifice she’s built during every war where she fought? That’s what true potential looks like. Think about what she accomplished across the continent.
"Warp gates, magic engineering, the research papers piled up in the magic tower, and countless spells that have driven the continent's progress...” Professor Traore remarked.
“...”
“It seems you’re misunderstanding something. I am a follower of the archmage and a fan of hers. I’m a scholar who wishes to walk the same path as her, and a student who wants to follow the road she has paved. Evolution and breakthroughs always require sacrifice.
"Just as we have used some monsters as test subjects to advance medicine, to develop one's potential, sacrifices and experimentation are necessary. Don’t you want to become the second archmage?” Professor Traore questioned.
‘What the hell is he talking about?’
Whether it was a magic war or whatever, Jung Ha-Yan would achieve greatness even if she were to lock herself away in the Magic Tower. It was only natural for him to use the continental laws as an excuse for the lack of talent.
Although his mental composure during the lecture was questionable, his swift recovery showed why he became a professor.
“Of course, regulations must be followed. After all, Father Lee Ki-Young has decided on those laws through the Continental Protection Management Committee. However, we must not completely forget the forbidden. That’s why classes like this exist.
"Being able to learn a little bit about forbidden spells is a great way to broaden your view,” Professor Traore explained.
‘So... that’s what this class was about.’
“Don’t go hiding in a cramped room doing pointless research. The Blue Guild’s youth center is paying me to work with licensed mages—to do research, stay alert, and to keep watch,” Professor Traore said.
The lesson was about understanding forbidden magic, and he seemed to have a quite good grasp of that subject.
‘Isn’t this something these kids go crazy over? Things like forbidden magic?’
I was a little worried that some kids would lose interest, but surprisingly, their response was more careful than I expected.
It was probably because the effects of forbidden magic weren’t very flashy, but I felt like a bigger factor was that these spells had a reputation for being dishonorable or vile, which didn't fit the noble image of magic.
Kids wanted to be a dark knight capable of summoning a black flame dragon from their hand instead of becoming a despicable villain.
‘I think the slightly threatening atmosphere has something to do with it, too.’
“What you’re going to do now is poison the monster in front of you. Do you understand?” Professor Traore asked.
The rabbit inside the transparent box was incredibly cute. Of course, it wasn’t actually cute. Despite its adorable appearance, it was a sinister creature. It was infamous for stabbing humans in the stomach using its three horns and then devouring that unlucky fellow's insides.
“It’s... so cute.”
“I-I can’t.”
“How can I...”
“Myung-Won... do you think you can do it?” Aryl asked.
“Yeah, I’m just poisoning them. These are monsters, not pets... It may be hard to understand, but I think I know what Professor Traore’s intentions are,” KimMyung-Won answered.
“...”
“...”
“Ah...”
“...”
“Mr. Jin Young, w-will you be okay?” Slava asked.
‘The trio. What are they so scared of?’
“This is nothing for Mr. Jin Young. Are you okay, Slava?” Xiaolan asked.
“I-I-I’ll be fine,” he answered.
“Hmph... even a baby fox... is cunning...”
‘Are you guys okay? Are you really okay? Your hands are shaking.’
“This is... nothing. Victor Galia, are you okay?” Xiaolan asked.
“D-Do you... know who I am... I’m... Victor Galia,” Victor answered.
“...”
The loyal Slava looked as if he was about to cry. Victor Galia, who was always prepared to give up his life for my sake, was trembling all over.
They had all received specialized training, but at the end of the day, they were still kids.
Some of them probably had real combat experience, but fighting monsters charging at them to kill them and killing a defenseless creature were two different things, especially when the creature in question was so cute that one instinctively wanted to pet it.
Only Xiaolan, who enjoyed violence, stared at the dying rabbit with a slightly flushed face.
‘Looks like she’ll awaken.’
The rabbit, seemingly having its airway blocked, was thrashing around and repeatedly slamming its horns against the box. At this rate, he might actually awaken, so when I grabbed her hand, a startled look flashed across her face.
“You don’t need to kill it,” I said.
“Ah...! R-Right. I don’t need to kill...” Xiaolan mumbled.
“The only goal for this lesson is to poison the target. Additionally, this spell is even more effective when the target is unaware of it,” I said.
“Ah...”
“...”
“...”
“I see. I’d expect nothing less from you, sir,” Xiaolan said.
It was probably just me, but her cheeks looked slightly flushed. Feeling uneasy, I broke eye contact with her and reached for the rabbit before me.
I could see it weakening. The poor thing had been running around energetically, unaware it was cursed. Now, it was staggering and was losing its strength. Its fur began to fall out, and its eyes became bloodshot. Pus-filled blisters popped up all over it, too.
There was no need for me to put in much effort, but...
“Are you... Jin Young?” Professor Traore asked.
“Yes,” I answered.
“This is... ha... haha... amazing,” Professor Traore commented.
My efforts were enough to grab Professor Traore’s attention. I deactivated the spell, and the rabbit immediately began to recover. Professor Traore looked even more surprised upon seeing it.
“Have you cast that spell before?” he asked.
“That was my first time,” I answered.
“Ahhh...”
‘But what should I do with him?’
'Should I take him down right now or plan things out a bit more?'
“Would you mind coming to my lab after the lecture? There’s something important I’d like to discuss with you,” Professor Traore said.
I was planning on setting off the bomb during midterms, or perhaps during a magic tournament for maximum dramatic effect.
The moment I saw that disgusting face of his, however, I couldn’t hold myself back.
With a sweet smile, I whispered, “Fuck you.”
Professor Traore was stunned upon hearing that, but he couldn't get angry because—
Booooom!
A massive explosion shook the entire building.
In the blink of an eye, Ha Yeon-Soo appeared, and there was a hexagram on her forehead. The twins appeared with her, and they had matching hexagrams drawn on their cheeks.
They were all wearing the same cloaks, which truly suited these villains. Of course, each one of them had their unique flashy twist.
Although the psychopathic killer Jung Jin-Ho wasn’t here, the first-round villains had appeared, targeting the academy.𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂
“Hahahahahaha!” Ji-Hye noona’s right-hand woman, Ha Yeon-Soo, really stood out with her wild energy. “Good! Very good!!! The scent of fresh mana! I love it! Hahahaha!”
‘She's done this several times before, and it seems like she has finally gotten used to it.’
"This translation was made by our team, to read more translated novels please visite www.readernovel.net"