Professor Ferzen
Euphemia el Lerenne Ruerg slowly shook off the lingering drowsiness as she awoke from sleep.
“……”
Even when they slept with some distance between them, this man always had her cradled in his arms by morning.
Now that she was quite accustomed to it, Euphemia made no effort to pull away.
It wasn’t so much taming as simple resignation.
‘Is there a difference……’
With a sigh laced with self-mockery, she gazed out the window.
The sky was darkening, as if rain was imminent.
Thanks to the gloomy clouds blocking the sunlight, the glass reflected her lying in bed more sharply than usual.
A pathetic, wretched woman, her wings clipped and trapped in a cage.
Unwilling to see more of that sight, Euphemia closed her eyes.
She fanned the embers of lingering sleepiness, trying to let drowsiness wash over her again, but she couldn’t quite drift off.
Last night’s memories crept to the surface.
‘……’
It hadn’t been a pleasant experience.
Growing accustomed, even skilled, at something unwanted—it felt just like being a slave.
No, if she were a slave, that might be better.
Last night, she had felt like a whore.
‘Or not even that……’
More like a purchased servant girl.
That seemed the accurate metaphor.
“Ah……”
As self-loathing clouded her mind like the overcast sky, Ferzen opened his eyes and reached out with a large hand, turning her body toward him.
“I-I’m…… s-shaking……!”
Her face buried in his firm chest rippling with subtle muscles, Euphemia struggled to breathe and pushed at him with both hands.
But his body didn’t budge, solid as a fortress wall.
As if mocking her feeble resistance, he lowered his head, pressing his face to the nape of her neck and grazing it lightly with his teeth.
“Hic……!”
Like a mother dog nipping the neck of her ignorant pup to drag it home—a light warning, no doubt—but Euphemia froze in terror.
“N-No……”
Once she quieted, Ferzen lifted his head to kiss her lips, but she turned her face away.
They’d already shared their bodies—what meaning could this hold? Yet, looking back, they had never kissed.
At least this one experience, she wanted to keep from him—a small act of defiance.
“Ugh……!”
But Ferzen reached out, forcing her head back.
“Mmph……!”
She clamped her mouth shut against his lips, blocking his invading tongue with her teeth……
“Haah……!”
His hand slid down, prodding her navel, and she gasped open.
His tongue roamed every corner of her mouth, toying with her mockingly.
“!”
Instinctively, Euphemia bit down on his tongue.
“……”
Ferzen pulled back slightly, his red eyes narrowing.
“Hic, heuk……”
Meeting that gaze, Euphemia suddenly struggled for breath.
“Mmph!”
Unlike before, he dove in roughly.
Unable even to think of resisting, Ferzen bound her tongue with his and bared his teeth.
“D-Don’t b-bite……”
Bad premonitions always came true—that was life’s cruel irony.
Euphemia pleaded in a choked, slurred voice.
But Ferzen ignored her, biting her tongue.
“───!”
Sharp pain jolted her; tears spilling, she pushed at his head with both hands……
“A-Ah…… Hic…… Uh…… Eek! Mmph!”
Seizing her hands, Ferzen belatedly gave her a surprisingly gentle kiss.
Not a deep exchange of saliva, but a raw sharing of blood, swallowing it down.
“Guh! Eek……! Hic……!”
When the long kiss ended and Ferzen lifted his head, Euphemia covered her face with both hands and burst into sobs.
He reached out as if to soothe her……
But she curled into a ball, rejecting his touch.
“I…… I just can’t…… understand you at all……”
Stifling her sobs, she choked out the words.
Ferzen rose from the bed, straightened his clothes, and replied.
“I never once expected you to understand. To begin with…… you couldn’t even if you tried.”
“……”
“So why resist needlessly…… Euphemia. You truly lack any capacity to learn.”
Finishing in a flat tone, he opened the door and left.
Alone in the room.
She wanted to cry again, but the tears she’d held back didn’t come.
Drip, drip.
Rain fell outside.
Pouring!
Fierce sheets that showed no sign of stopping.
After bathing and changing, I skipped breakfast and headed to the academy.
She needed time to calm her emotions too.
So, drafting the lecture plans in my office at the academy’s main building seemed best.
Creeeak.
Idly watching raindrops slide down the carriage window, I arrived at the academy and parked neatly.
Opening the door and raising my umbrella, I stepped toward the main building.
‘Fourth floor, was it……’
Recalling faintly, I folded my umbrella and headed up.
403—Ferzen von Schweig Ruerg
Confirming my nameplate, I opened the door to a starkly plain office.
Minimal furnishings only—anything more, and they expected personal expense.
But I preferred this.
Clutter would only trigger my compulsions.
“……”
As I stepped in, curiosity turned my head to the neighboring office.
404—Uriel Wayne Daina Alfred
“Hm……”
Intentional? No matter.
Well, no matter……
‘404……’
It tempted me greatly.
403 wasn’t uncomfortable, but 404 was preferable—irresistibly so.
Bang.
Opening the door revealed a red carpet, vases of fresh flowers by the window and desk.
Uriel must have stopped by yesterday to set a few things.
‘Doesn’t seem hard to move.’
The moment I pondered it, my mind was made up.
So I swapped our nameplates and methodically moved her items to my original office.
“Hum……”
Manipulating air currents to repel rain, Uriel entered the main building and climbed to the fourth floor, grasping her office doorknob.
Bang!
“?”
Ferzen sat neatly, reviewing work—Uriel couldn’t help but falter.
“Hey.”
“Don’t you know to knock?”
“……It’s my office, so I didn’t.”
“Nameplates aren’t for show.”
Thinking it over, her things weren’t here.
Stepping back, she checked the hall nameplate.
404—Ferzen von Schweig Ruerg
‘What……’
Memory fuzzy on 403 or 404, but she remembered entering the right-side office.
“Nothing to say? Then leave.”
“……”
Uriel didn’t suspect Ferzen’s pettiness—such a picture didn’t fit.
Third party sowing discord between Alfred and Brutein?
‘No……’
They were already on bad terms publicly—no need.
‘Someone who personally hates me among the new professors?’
A few suspects from the list, but narrowing it down was hard.
Everyone knew Ferzen hadn’t visited his office yesterday, heading home instead.
“Uriel. Staying planted there?”
“I’m leaving now, so don’t rush me.”
“……”
His silent frown irked her; she spun and exited to the hall.
No valuables left unlocked before, but from today, she’d lock religiously.
It passed smoothly enough, so I returned to my desk, pen in hand.
The academy spanned three years from enrollment to graduation, split into two semesters yearly—much like modern universities.
‘Theory in black magic has limits. Guide directionality, collaborate externally for field experience.’
Shaping the framework bit by bit, I sat motionless in the office chair until late afternoon.
In The Villain Who Robs the Heroines’ world, years, months, days matched Earth’s—so February’s mere 28 days flew by, March arriving swiftly.
“Stop touching……”
Last fertile window, I’d ejaculated inside daily save one, yet Euphemia menstruated.
Regrettable, so on March 3rd—before work—I caressed her belly.
“I ordered foods aiding implantation recently. Report from maids upon return—eat diligently.”
“Hmph…… Your noble seed must disdain my lowly womb. Don’t blame me.”
“……”
Her words recalled those nights: her limp tongue protesting as she crawled away, only to collapse trembling after three or four loads, strength gone from her hips.
After spilling so much, no pregnancy might mean a real issue with me.
I doubted the author cruelly set Ferzen as infertile.
“Euphemia.”
“What……”
“I’ll be off. If bored, ponder names for our future child. Or finish unsolved problems—each one, I’ll grant a wish, not reward. No Ruerg trips or vetoing nights.”
“……”
“Ah…… Speaking of Ruerg, a letter arrived. Detailed territory progress—read if curious.”
Handing the missive, her eyes lit; she snatched it eagerly.
“See you later.”
“Come back safe.”
No eye contact, buried in the letter—I let it slide.
March 3rd.
Academy entrance ceremony today.
Checking the mirror for wrinkles, I boarded the carriage to the academy.