“Why Did You Piss Him Off? He’s the Evil God’s Lackey!”

Chapter 35: Pain

Henie hugged her textbook, patiently explaining to Professor Devin:

"This is behavior permitted by Professor Viktor."

"Professor Viktor is away, so he instructed me to teach the class in his place."

However, her explanation was met with a derisive sneer.

"You're just an assistant, you haven't even crossed the threshold of a first-tier mage. What level of teaching could you possibly offer?"

"And you're lecturing the best class in the academy. Do you know how challenging that task is?"

"If the students' grades drop, can you take responsibility for that?"

Most of the main students in the Royal Magic Academy came from noble families, especially in this class of top talents, with very few commoner students.

To Devin, the idea of someone like Henie, who couldn't even be considered a commoner, teaching this class was as ridiculous as a beggar telling an emperor how delicious steamed buns were.

Professor Devin shifted his corpulent body, feeling somewhat tired just from these few steps and sentences.

He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped the oily sweat from his forehead, and stuffed it back into his pocket.

Seeing Professor Devin in this state, Henie couldn't help but step back a bit.

However, Professor Devin continued:

"Class One should have the best teaching resources. You're going to teach them magic? A refugee who doesn't even qualify as a commoner, what right do you have to teach!"

"I think you should just scurry out of the academy like before! Don't let me see you again!"

Devin became increasingly agitated as he spoke, his spittle flying.

Fortunately, Henie stood far enough away that the saliva didn't land on her.

Henie couldn't help but retort: "This is Professor Viktor's course. Since the professor is not in the academy now, it's my duty as an assistant to prepare for the course. Do you have any problem with that?"

When Devin heard Henie mention Viktor's name several times, his face immediately darkened. He looked at her coldly and said:

"You little brat, you seem to know quite a bit."

"However, you'd better not mention that bastard Viktor in front of me again."

Henie's face flushed, her heart pounding, with sparks seemingly flashing in her eyes:

"Professor Devin! You're insulting Professor Viktor!"

"Professor Viktor is the youngest third-tier mage in the academy! He's erudite, what gives you the right to speak of him like that?"

"What gives me the right to speak of him like that?"

Professor Devin's voice suddenly rose a few notches, saying sarcastically:

"You'd better find out what he's been up to all these days he's been gone before you talk to me!"

As he spoke, he threw out a magic stone.

The magic stone stopped in mid-air, turned once, and slowly lit up, revealing a scene before their eyes.

In the scene, a volcano was stirring, about to erupt. Countless mages stood on the mountainside, preparing to channel war magic. The volcano suddenly shook violently, like a celestial beast about to unleash its fury.

A blinding white light flashed instantly, filling the entire frame.

Afterwards, the magic stone lost its luster and fell to the ground, rolling to Professor Devin's feet.

Professor Devin moved his body and saw the magic stone at his feet. He picked it up again.

He asked Henie mockingly, "What did you see?"

Henie was puzzled. She knew about the recent event of many mages leaving the capital, but as a small figure, she naturally had no access to information about volcanic eruptions.

So, of course, she was completely unaware of the recent turmoil in the capital.

Now, Professor Devin provided an explanation:

"The volcano didn't erupt naturally!"

"It was deliberately caused by someone!"

Hearing these words, Henie's body trembled slightly.

"Do you want to know who it was?"

Henie looked at Professor Devin's cold gaze, her heart harboring some guesses, but she immediately denied these thoughts.

Devin, however, seized upon her hesitation and said mockingly:

"That's right, it was your esteemed Professor Viktor!"

"It was he who angered the natural disaster, causing the volcanic eruption. So, he paid the price for his actions. He died in the volcano!"

Hearing this, Henie shook her head, hurriedly refuting:

"Impossible! How could the professor do such a thing?"

"He's so powerful, how could he possibly die in a volcano!"

Professor Devin shook his head disdainfully and continued:

"Refugees will always be refugees. He nearly caused an unstoppable disaster."

"But you? Your first concern is whether he's dead or not?"

"Trash will always be trash! You should stay in the garbage heap where you belong, not come to the magic academy and pollute the environment!"

Henie's eyes glazed over. She stood rooted to the spot, repeatedly muttering the word 'impossible'.

Devin shook his head, completely disregarding Henie's shock, and continued:

"This is a fact acknowledged by all mages."

"Soon, the Emperor will pronounce Viktor's crimes."

Henie suddenly realized that Professor Devin before her was one of the few second-tier mages who hadn't left during the recent period.

So he hadn't witnessed it firsthand.

Her voice trembling slightly, she asked:

"So you didn't actually see Professor Viktor die with your own eyes, did you?"

"What difference does that make? The crimes he committed are irreparable! Even if he's not dead, he wouldn't have the face to stay in the capital!"

Professor Devin, thinking about the consequences for Viktor, couldn't help but get excited, his whole body breaking out in sweat, his thin clothes becoming damp.

"Heh, I'll apply to the dean. Tomorrow, Viktor's course will be handed over to me."

"As for you, pack up your things and get out of the academy soon!"

Professor Devin, like a proud rooster, raised his head and looked down on Henie, swaggering away.

Henie was left alone, hugging her textbook and standing silently at the corner.

Her mind was in chaos, and she could only instinctively walk towards the classroom.

As soon as she entered Class One, the already subdued voices quieted down further.

The students saw the familiar Assistant Henie, and no one reacted much.

In the days since Professor Viktor's departure, Assistant Henie's teaching ability had generally gained recognition from all the students.

But today, the assistant seemed a bit off.

Her usual ease and friendliness had disappeared, replaced by absentmindedness and a worried expression.

Henie walked heavily to the podium, placing the thick textbook on it.

Her gaze swept over the students below, deliberately looking at a seat in the very front.

That was Erica's seat, and at this moment, it was empty.

Like Professor Viktor, Erica hadn't been to school for a long time since the mages left the capital.

The two seemed to have disappeared together as if by agreement, leaving Henie without anyone to talk to.

She desperately wanted to know the truth, including whether Viktor was really dead.

But with Erica absent, she had no source of information.

So Henie could only force a smile and begin the lecture.

No matter what, these students' courses couldn't be neglected.

"Alright, in this lesson we'll be discussing 'The Composition of Traditional Imperial Magic Circuits'..."

Soon, Henie was back in her element, and the students below listened attentively.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly.

Halfway through the class, as Henie was reading the literature, she suddenly froze.

The content on the book was covered by a line of black text, wriggling on the page as if alive.

Henie was startled, and the book fell heavily on the podium.

The black text continuously extended tendrils towards the surroundings, as if it would entangle Henie the next second.

The scattered text on the book gradually became frenzied, desperately craving something.

The text remained unchanged—

'Do you want power?'

Henie couldn't bear it anymore. She suddenly slammed the desk and angrily shouted:

"I don't need it!"

At this moment, the classroom fell silent. The students were all stunned, not knowing what had stimulated Assistant Henie to become so agitated suddenly.

After venting, Henie realized what she had done. She could only bow her head to the students and apologize.

Then she picked up the book and absent-mindedly finished the lesson hastily.

After the bell rang, Henie didn't even announce the end of class, but rushed out the door with her book first.

Walking on the road, Henie kept her head down, not saying a word.

She felt that many people around were staring at her, making her feel uncomfortable in an unusual way.

Henie suddenly turned her head to look back, but the passersby were either hurrying on their way, looking down at books as they walked, or chatting and laughing in pairs. No one was staring at her.

Perhaps Professor Devin's words earlier had affected her state of mind.

Henie tried very hard not to think about Viktor, still hoping that Professor Viktor wasn't dead.

In this academy, Viktor was the only one who cared about her.

"Stop right there."

A cold and arrogant voice suddenly sounded from behind.

Henie's body trembled, and she turned around.

What she saw was Professor Devin.

Professor Devin arrogantly waved a contract in front of Henie's face.

Henie took it and looked, unable to believe what she saw.

It clearly stated:

'Due to Professor Viktor's prolonged absence from teaching at the academy, Class One's courses will henceforth be taken over by Professor Devin.'

Seeing this, Henie's body trembled slightly, and her face turned pale. She looked at Professor Devin in disbelief.

Professor Devin, with a triumphant look on his face, said to Henie:

"As a professor, I have the right to dismiss an assistant who doesn't even qualify as a mage like you."

"Starting tomorrow, you don't need to come to the academy anymore!"

Suddenly, a shocking flame rose from the book in Henie's hands, like a venomous snake, frantically devouring it.

No matter how Henie tried to pat it out, the pain of her hands being burned couldn't extinguish it.

She was so anxious she was almost crying, her voice tinged with sobs as she cried out:

"No! No!"

But magical fire is not so easily extinguished.

Finally, Henie, unable to resist, knelt on the ground in grief. She was covered in dust, and the book filled with her knowledge had turned to ashes.

It was her only labor of love, her knowledge, her dream.

All of it had been burned to nothing in this fire.

More and more people gathered by the roadside, but no one came forward to comfort her.

No one would care about a small assistant, especially one looking as disheveled as she did.

Professor Devin had publicly humiliated her and left satisfied.

From beginning to end, he had never taken Henie seriously.

This was the hostility others had towards Viktor.

After Henie became Viktor's assistant, they transferred their hostility towards Viktor onto Henie.

Even though she was just an innocent assistant.

In others' eyes, Henie was clearly a punching bag.

These people had no psychological burden when bullying her.

At this moment, the ground seemed to be possessed as those black words rose again, dark and deep.

Unlike before, they became more violent, more distorted, more torn.

Like a messenger carrying ill omens, they appeared before Henie once again.

'Do you want power?'

And this time, Henie's answer was:

"I want power. If possible, I want to possess power..."

She began to hate her own incompetence, her own weakness.

It was she who had held Professor Viktor back.

She didn't want to continue like this anymore.

After Henie answered, the black text seemed to freeze and stopped wriggling, dissipating like a gust of wind.

So Henie waited.

She hoped that some power would suddenly descend upon her.

She hoped that she would no longer be so easily bullied by others.

She hoped that she could better help Professor Viktor, help those who cared about her.

Finally, one second, two seconds, three seconds......

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"Haha! Look, she really believed it!"

"I knew it, just as Professor Devin said. A talentless waste like her would definitely believe it if she saw a shortcut to becoming stronger!"

"Someone who only dreams of getting stronger without effort. Day after day, only thinking about whether she can become stronger. Yet she won't put in even a bit of effort!"

Mocking voices rose from around her. Several students jumped out from the bushes, holding their stomachs and laughing loudly in front of Henie.

The laughter was like a series of mocking daggers stabbing into Henie's viscera. An indescribable sense of grievance rushed to her throat, leaving her unable to utter a single word.

Henie lowered her head, burying her face in her robe.

'Don't cry...'

The onlookers, the mocking laughter around her.

It felt like being cut by a knife over and over again.

She couldn't feel the pain, yet it was as if her heart was bleeding.

'Don't cry, Henie! Don't cry!'

The tears she had been holding back could no longer be suppressed.

Tears fell like pearls, pattering onto the ground.

They watered the ashes, dampening her robe.

Sharp, hoarse sobs echoed by the roadside.

As if trying to completely cut off the heartless mockery and indifferent disdain.

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