The Genius Professor Wants An Easy Life - Chapter 195

“No, it’s not that! I didn’t intentionally join the mafia! I was forcibly sold into it!!”

“Sold into it, you say?”

“Can you not ask for the details? I was unfairly burdened with debt.”

“Did you get unfairly targeted by some powerful people while trading stocks or something?”

“That’s right! It should have hit the price ceiling, but how did it hit the price floor right after I bought it!!”

“Just keep your hands where I can see them.”

“Yes.”

I clicked my tongue in frustration.

Will the day ever come when Lindon truly changes?

No matter how I looked at it, Lindon was still trash.

Anyway, Lindon was not the important issue at the moment.

‘Is everything okay?’

The blackness of the monocle had disappeared again.

Like it was a glitch.

The situation was going very smoothly.

“Clean up these mafia scum! It’s fine to shoot those who resist on the spot!”

“Keeughh!”

The Sword King swiftly dealt with Grand Duke Rutger and the core members, and there were no obstacles after that.

While the republic’s soldiers dealt with the remaining, the Sword King was leisurely exchanging pleasantries with the commander from the republic’s side.

“I am General Ralph of the republic. I have always admired Your Grace’s technique, and it’s an honor to witness it today.”

“Thank you for your kind words.”

“I am also a Level 7 knight, but I dare not even imagine the depths of your skill. It has reminded me of the strength of the empire.”

By the way, the reason there are many high-level individuals in the empire is precisely because of the empire’s profound underlying strength.

Even though the Ran Republic is considered a powerful nation, it is no match to the empire.

Strictly speaking, the Ran Republic’s national power is not even a third of the empire’s.

Yet, the balance is maintained because the empire has many enemies.

Not only is the empire hostile with the Ran Republic, but also with the Demonic Realm, the Seven Kingdoms, and internally it has to keep in check the rebels, the Three Evils, and the Great Forest.

“Haha! The Sword King of the Empire! Professor Van, you always had a plan. I, Eckmann, have been trusting you! Now let’s start the purification.”

After the appearance of the Sword King, a then relieved Eckmann made noise.

“Is it starting now?”

“Get the camera ready!! We need to be the first to upload this to the Philosopher’s Stone server!”

“Professor Van, I’m a journalist from Gossip Daily! You were recently ranked third in this month’s ‘Hot New Faces.’ Can I get a comment from you during the break?!”

Journalists were swarming around.

In addition, real-time remote broadcast magical cameras were filming my location.

This was arranged through Emily.

‘The republic’s media is broadcasting our current situation live.’

The goal was naturally publicity.

To influence the people of the republic with my greatness and get them to trade with the Vanmily Company.

“Loyalty! The search team has returned!”

Before starting the purification, I had a foreboding feeling and asked to inspect the Erosion Fixation.

“Is that so? How is it?”

“There’s nothing unusual.”

“You heard it, Professor Van. Don’t worry. This erosion has been stable for years without major changes.”

But then, it happened.

The monocle flickered black again.

Highest level danger detected!

Strongly advised to evacuate immediately!

Strong warning, again, please evacuate!

Warnings flashed chaotically across the monocle.

But that wasn’t all.

A chill ran down my spine, a sinister fear.

It was the alarm of intuition that I had felt every time I faced a crisis.

The issue was the extent of these goosebumps.

‘Is it as much as when the Knight Commander of the Abyss appeared recently? No, it’s incomparable. Duke Alfonso? No, it’s beyond that.’

I had faced numerous crises before, but this level of chills was rare.

If I had to compare,

‘It’s similar to when Emel appeared recently or when the Lords of Fantasy descended a long time ago.’

Soon I understood.

Why were such dreadful goosebumps of mine even rising?

“Huh? Why is the sky so dark?”

“It’s the Erosion Fixation, so of course it’s dark. Don’t you know that as a journalist?”

“No, it’s strange! As a journalist specializing in erosion phenomena for Gossip Daily, such an ashy sky could be a harbinger of something…!”

Then, a soft voice was heard.

[It has been hundreds of years since I last walked this earth.]

“!!”

It wasn’t a voice heard with ears.

It was a spiritual voice that was transmitted directly to the soul.

Kuuuuuuoo

Gray ash in the sky clustered and moved towards one point.

It was towards the body of Grand Duke Rutger, whose head had been severed by the Sword King.

Kiiiiiiekk

Grand Duke Rutger’s body began to rise.

It was no undead.

An overwhelming malevolent energy emanated from him.

A whole kind of evil, different from anything felt from a demon contractor before.

Pure evil itself.

[It’s a good day to hear screams.]

Squelch.

Grand Duke Rutger’s ‘body’ picked up his ‘head’ and placed it on his neck.

The head dangled, 

Smiling creepily.

[Pleased to meet you. I am ‘Jeering,’ one of the 66 Great Demons of Gehenna.]

 

* * *

 

The ‘world’ is made up of multiple dimensions.

The dimension we live in is considered the central one, referred to as the Principal Dimension.

Incidentally, the other worlds often mentioned are completely different and are other Principal Dimensions.

Surrounding the Principal Dimension are various satellite dimensions. Gehenna is one of them.

It is a place where the sins accumulated by the humans of this world flow into and materialize as demons.

The largest congregations of evil are called ‘Great Demons.’

“H-How can this be? A demon on the surface?”

A journalist stuttered incredulously.

The demon, ‘Jeering,’ gave a sly smile and explained.

[Isn’t this an Erosion Fixation? It’s halfway like Gehenna, so of course, I can descend here.]

“It’s a lie! Only lesser demons can appear in the Erosion Fixation!”

[That’s how much the causality of evil has accumulated.]

“!!”

[Why do you think the erosion phenomenon occurred here in the first place? It’s because you humans have accumulated so much sin.]

I swallowed hard.

It’s natural for people to commit wrongdoings, but the extent was severe in the mafia-dominated Ran Republic.

Of course, it’s the mafia who committed the wrongdoings, so it would be fitting for them to receive the punishment, but the laws of this world do not judge that way.

It’s merely seen as a wrongdoing committed by ‘humans.’

[And when the owner of this body dies, he agreed to offer his body to me. Initially, at most a very partial descent was possible, but with the justification of the contract, the background of the erosion, and the causality of evil all fulfilled, I was able to descend so completely. I was indeed lucky.]

He leisurely scanned the crowd.

[There are many toys to destroy here. This outing is going to be quite fun.]

“Shut your filthy mouth.”

[Hmm?]

It was the Sword King!

She did not draw her sword.

Nor did she spread a barrier.

Instead, she clasped her hands and closed her eyes.

Like in a prayer.

Everyone was puzzled by her incomprehensible action, and I widened my eyes, realizing what she was attempting.

‘Is this too much for the Sword King?’

Drip.

Blood trickled from the Sword King’s mouth.

Skeech!

Without swinging a sword, the demon’s head was severed and floated up.

[!!]

But that wasn’t the end.

Pop pop pop!

The Sword King hadn’t moved a finger, yet the severed head and the entire body were endlessly sliced and disassembled.

‘It’s the Heart Sword!’

The Sword King was not simply slicing through his flesh.

The Heart Sword is a sword of the mind, not physical force.

Thus, it can even cut through metaphysical concepts, directly slicing the ‘evil’ harbored within him.

The demon turned into a pool of blood, unable to maintain any form, and the overexerted Sword King vomited blood.

“I-Is it over?”

“Long live the Sword King!!”

However,

[Haha. Impressive. Had I been a typical high-ranking demon, I would have been annihilated just now.]

Clap clap, applause echoed from thin air.

Swish!

The disassembled flesh gathered, forming again into a human shape.

In a distorted, tattered doll-like appearance, making it even more terrifying.

[Unfortunately, unless the causality is completely resolved, I will not perish.]

I swallowed hard.

‘Only an Ascendant can defeat a Great Demon that has descended in perfect form.’

It’s because of the causality the demon mentioned.

Only a Level 9 Ascendant can directly influence causality.

‘…Wait, but can’t I also intervene in causality?’

I blinked.

Of course, there was no chance of success for me.

The Gambler also said this.

<Probability of repelling the Great Demon ‘Jeering’>

0%

But then.

<Probability of repelling the Great Demon ‘Jeering’>

If a miracle occurs: 3~25% (varies with the size of the miracle)

‘What does this mean? What miracle?’

And it varies depending on the size of the miracle?

I had no time to think deeply.

The demon began to move.

[Hehe, let’s have some fun now. I wonder whose scream I should listen to first.]

After some deliberation, I stepped forward.

“I will be your opponent. Let the others go.”

“Professor Van?”

People looked at me in surprise.

[You’re asking to send the others away?]

“Yes, wouldn’t you also find it more interesting to match with a being as great as myself?”

I covertly elevated my Ascendant status.

It was barely perceptible, but given his high status, I recognized it.

[Hehe, that’s a reasonable point. The scream of one like you would indeed be sweeter than killing a thousand such vermin.]

Unexpectedly, he seemed to accept my proposal.

‘He can’t just come into this world indefinitely. He won’t be able to kill everyone at this site.’

Then, it makes sense that he would target the most appealing prey, like me.

[But are you sure about this? Once you send them away, you will face a terribly gruesome death.]

‘You weren’t going to spare me anyway.’

As I just mentioned, I am the most appealing prey.

Whether I stepped forward or not, I would have been his target all the same.

The reason I ostensibly acted to save others was,

“It is only natural for the great to sacrifice themselves for others.”

“!!”

I could see the other people’s eyes trembling at my statement.

Yes.

My actions were merely for show.

Why?

‘Because I need to increase the chances of a miracle happening, even if just a little.’

His power’s source is the causality of ‘evil.’

The ‘sins’ accumulated in the Ran Republic allowed him to descend into this world.

To weaken his power, even slightly, the causality of ‘good’ was needed.

The pinnacle of ‘good’ is the noble act of ‘sacrifice.’

I addressed the journalists, the ordinary soldiers, and the live cameras broadcasting this scene.

Calmly, thus making it feel even more poignant.

So, I made sure my ‘sacrifice’ carried a deeper meaning.

Especially ensuring it was clearly audible for the live camera devices.

I don’t know how many people are watching this scene through the broadcast.

“If it can save everyone’s lives, I am more than happy to give up my life. That is my duty as Van the Legend, my noblesse oblige.”

“!!”

Was it moving?

I don’t know.

The die has been cast.

“Come at me. Let’s start the game you want.”

 

* * *

 

Then, in the capital’s square of the republic.

Many people had gathered.

What they were watching was the giant screen hung on the clock tower.

It was a video device used for important events in the republic, and right now, it was broadcasting an incredible scene.

If it can save everyone’s lives, I am more than happy to give up my life.

Calm.

Thus a voice that stirred people’s hearts.

The intense charisma embedded in the man’s face added a sense of gravity.

“…Is that man Van the Legend?”