* * *
Is this how parents feel when they watch their child succeed?
It wasn’t exactly the right thing to be thinking while sitting in front of the Duke and Duchess of Pantheon, my adoptive parents, but that’s how it felt.
Maybe that’s why, even though I wasn’t the one presenting, I found myself nervous and took a sip of water to steady myself.
Not long after, the conference began.
“…So, by modifying the equation like this…”
I’m sleepy.
“Ah, and with this, we arrive at the final result…”
I have no idea what he’s talking about.
Something about mana, something about formulas—whatever it was, it made no sense to me even when I looked at the slides.
It seemed to be something related to magic, but the way it was presented felt like math, or maybe even science.
Well, no wonder—I had been a humanities major back in Korea.
‘I absolutely cannot fall asleep.’
Imagine the gossip: “The Pantheon family’s adopted son dozed off during the Royal Academy’s conference.”
If even a rumor like that started spreading, it would be humiliating beyond belief.
People had already been sneaking glances at our table nonstop, even before the conference began.
‘It’s probably worse since Raizen is standing out so much.’
Still, this wasn’t a social gathering, so everyone was at least trying to maintain a level of decorum.
The fact that this was the Royal Academy also played a role.
I barely managed to stay awake by keeping my mind occupied with random thoughts.
My water had long since run out. A cup of iced Americano would be perfect right now…
‘There’s no way they only serve espresso here, right?’
The café Raizen had dragged me to in Shailot Village had only served espresso.
But I had noticed a café inside the Royal Academy as we came in.
If I got the chance later, I should check it out.
If they really didn’t have anything but espresso… well, I’d just order one and dilute it with cold water.
By distracting myself with these trivial thoughts, I somehow endured until the conference had progressed quite a bit.
Stifling a yawn, I discreetly checked the conference pamphlet.
The next presenter was…
[“The History of Oracular Decrees and Their Interpretations” – Karon Rel Luavis]
The moment my eyes landed on the name, I felt like I had seen something I shouldn’t have and reflexively shut my eyes tight.
This name, appearing here?
It seemed Kim Minsoo was working hard on revamping Karon Luavis’s image.
‘Not that it helped him beat Raizen.’
After all, only Raizen’s name had the title ‘Best Thesis’ written next to it.
‘But… why is he presenting on this topic?’
I thought I might have misread it, but no—it was definitely correct.
“The History of Oracular Decrees and Their Interpretations.”
It was a broad topic, but for Kim Minsoo of all people to present on it gave me an unsettling feeling.
There was no way Karon Luavis had majored in theology at the Royal Academy.
‘No matter how flexible the system is, shouldn’t research topics at least be within the presenter’s field of study?’
If he was presenting on this, maybe it was a double major.
There was no way the real Karon Luavis had done that—this had to be a deliberate choice by the one possessing him, Kim Minsoo.
“The next presenter is Karon Luavis, who will now deliver his thesis, ‘The History of Oracular Decrees and Their Interpretations.’”
At the announcer’s words, Karon Luavis—or rather, Kim Minsoo—stepped onto the stage.
“Hello, I am Karon Luavis.”
His voice was calm as he began speaking.
He continued his presentation smoothly, with practiced ease.
It was strange, but the person standing on that stage didn’t seem like the same Karon Luavis I had seen during the manifestation ceremony.
His face was the same, yet his expressions and even the atmosphere he exuded were completely different.
‘This isn’t just a case of suddenly maturing.’
I deliberately leaned my back fully against my chair, shifting my gaze slightly to the side.
The stage lighting was focused on the podium, making the rest of the hall dim, but I could still make out the tables around me.
Even in the half-darkness, I could easily spot the individuals with blazing red hair—the Luavis ducal family members.
Finding the Duke Luavis among them wasn’t difficult. He was watching Kim Minsoo’s presentation with a satisfied expression.
Perhaps because of his sharp features, his smile looked a little cunning.
‘He’s just… pleased?’
Of course, he did seem a bit annoyed.
After all, Raizen had stolen first place.
But no matter how closely I observed him, there wasn’t a trace of concern or unease on his face.
‘Does he really not notice anything strange?’
Even I, who had only met the real Karon Luavis once, could sense the massive discrepancy.
Yet his own father, the Duke Luavis, seemed to think, ‘Oh, my son has finally done something worth being proud of.’
‘So this is why Kim Minsoo changed his behavior so quickly.’
I had found it odd that someone with experience from a past life would suddenly alter their demeanor so obviously that even Raizen noticed.
But after seeing the Duke Luavis, it all made sense.
The duke didn’t care if his son suddenly seemed like a completely different person—what mattered to him was what benefits it brought.
‘No wonder Kim Minsoo didn’t bother pretending to change gradually. That would’ve just been a waste of time.’
I didn’t particularly have good feelings toward either Kim Minsoo or Karon Luavis, but that didn’t mean I was in a pleasant mood.
Shifting my gaze away from the Duke Luavis, I looked up at Kim Minsoo standing on the podium.
“……?”
Our eyes met. Or at least, it felt that way.
Kim Minsoo grinned and spoke.
“As you can see, oracles are often filled with metaphors and symbols, making their interpretation dependent on the historical context and background of the time. However, the most recent oracle was different.”
So, he was finally bringing up that troublesome oracle.
With a casual wave of his hand, the floating screen at the center of the stage changed to display the contents of the oracle from four years ago.
“This oracle is directly tied to our present, so as just a mere student, I can’t presume to speak on it too much. However, don’t you find it significantly more specific than the vague oracles of the past? Personally, I find it terrifying—almost as if an extremely dangerous future lies ahead of us.”
A well-placed pause.
A trembling voice at just the right moment.
“That’s why I believe the god Sinoa has given us so many clues.”
With that, Kim Minsoo concluded his presentation.
The applause that filled the academic hall was heavier than before.
This was the Royal Academy’s academic conference—a gathering attended not only by renowned scholars but also by high-ranking nobles and even covert envoys sent by the emperor.
And among them, Crown Prince Hamuel was present as well.
‘What exactly is he thinking?’
There was too much to speculate about, and my thoughts tangled into a mess.
While the temple and the emperor were locked in an unseen power struggle, the fact that Luavis’s heir had chosen to present a paper on oracles—and that Duke Luavis had allowed it—was suspicious.
‘Did the Luavis family align themselves with the temple? Or… did Kim Minsoo already have something on the Duke Luavis?’
If Kim Minsoo wanted to rise as a hero, the first step would be to ensure that the oracle became a topic of public interest again.
Perhaps this was his way of laying the groundwork.
He was convinced that Raizen would resurrect the Demon King, after all.
‘But even so… how is Kim Minsoo planning to do anything without the Divine Sword?’
Then, the hint I had received as a quest reward flashed through my mind.
The Divine Sword.
Just those two words.
Kim Minsoo was a regressor.
Of course, he knew where the Divine Sword was and how to obtain it.
‘Shit.’
How had I overlooked this?
If I were a regressor, the first thing I’d do would be to secure the Divine Sword at all costs.
Because the Demon King’s resurrection wasn’t just a possibility—it was an inevitability.
And if defeating him was my life’s mission…
‘Raizen won’t resurrect the Demon King.’
I would make sure of that.
But… even if it wasn’t Raizen, the Demon King’s return might be an unchangeable fate.
And when that time came, if Kim Minsoo had the Divine Sword, he would be hailed as a hero.
If he, without a shred of doubt, pointed to Raizen as the culprit—
‘Or if Duke Luavis, who dreams of the throne, used this as an opportunity to bring down the House of Pantheon…’
Then the fate of House Pantheon would be the same as in the novel.
∗ ∗ ∗
“Congratulations on winning the Best Thesis Award!”
“It’s such a shame you’re graduating. If you don’t mind, perhaps we could—”
Raizen simply smiled at the Academy students who approached him.
There was no need to say anything or take any particular action.
A well-placed smile was enough.
They would be enchanted on their own, lost in their own little world.
The nameless students meant nothing to him right now.
Uncharacteristically, Raizen quickened his pace.
Pushing past the crowd, he soon spotted his parents and Sean approaching from the opposite direction.
“Rai, congratulations on the Best Thesis Award. Your presentation was excellent.”
“Thank you.”
Raizen responded to his mother, but his attention was wholly on Sean.
‘What’s wrong?’
Now that he was closer, Sean’s condition seemed even worse.
Throughout Raizen’s entire presentation, Sean had kept his head slightly bowed.
Though his exact expression had been obscured, the unease radiating from him was palpable.
“Sei.”
Unable to hold back any longer, Raizen grabbed Sean’s hand.
In that instant, Sean trembled. And then, almost too easily, his hand slipped away.
Raizen could have held on.
He could have tightened his grip.
But strangely, at that moment, he found himself unable to apply any strength.
“Congratulations, hyung.”
Sean was smiling.
And yet…
The blue eyes that had always reflected nothing but Raizen were now partially veiled, looking elsewhere.
His voice, once rough but always brimming with emotion, was now dry and brittle.
“…Sei?”
At that moment, it felt as though every light in the world had been extinguished.
* * *
