Ronin had no problems with having Professor Vyrill as a test subject. As long as it’s not him, that’s fine.

The problem would only arise if the experiment somehow failed, which was not really likely given the high success rate so far for so many years on so many different animal test subjects.

But you never know where the story may go. He had the precarious position of being a villain after all, and cursed with a fate that would ‘bring suffering to himself and those around him’.

“I would need to have you sign a waiver, Professor. And we must have witnesses proving that I had not killed you and you had agreed to become a subject of our own research.” Ronin said nonchalantly.

Even Vyrill’s green eyes widened a little at this. “So you agree that easily?”

“Yes, as long as you would secure that I would not be incriminated for my involvement here first. I am far too young to go to jail, don’t you think?” Ronin said with a grin.

Why must he be afraid of driving a scalpel down someone’s heart? He had even more heinous things waiting to be done as a villain, this kind of thing would just be like a drop in the ocean.

Professor Vyrill was obviously ecstatic at this, and he said, “We can arrange an appointment for a live presentation with the Council. I’ll sign the papers in case of failure, you would have not to worry about it.”

Ronin nodded, only curious about one thing. “Can I ask something that may seem a bit personal, Professor?”_.

“Yes?” The professor led the dog back to the cage.

“Are you not afraid of death yourself? Or do you just no longer care whether you live or die for the sake of this study?”

Professor Vyrill went awfully quiet at this, only pausing in front of the dog cage with his back turned to Ronin. He stayed crouched there, before standing up, and slowly turning to him.

“This study has become my own lifeline. This.. and him. Before, I was just living for the sake of it.”

“Maellan. Was he like a son to you?” Ronin asked.

“I do not know what it was like to have a son. I never yearned for one, nor a family with a wife and children. My annoying half-brother was enough for me.”

“Maellan was more than that, more than family. He was my student.” Professor Vyrill said with a small smile.

Ronin tilted his head to the side. “How is a student higher than a family member?”

Professor Vyrill sat down on the electric chair to explain.

“I value my students more than family because they are the future. My connection with them is intellectual, not something as fleeting and temporary as emotions.”

“Your ‘love’ or ‘affection’ may disappear, but the knowledge you shared with someone.... that will stay with them, even when you two became enemies in the end.”

He reached out to pat Ronin’s head, but Ronin stepped back from it. He didn’t look hurt by it, and just nodded in response to his reaction.

“You and he are my most valued students now. You two are the ones that I have shared knowledge with the most.”

“Maellan could not understand that. He doesn’t want me to lose my life just because of him and this research.”

“He sees you as family.” Ronin said. “That’s what complicates a research like this.”

“Yes.” Professor Vyrill sighed. “I really feel a great loss when he lost his life before the knowledge that I passed down to him would have been shared with the masses.”

“If only he had seen me as a teacher, not a family, we could have finished the project faster and be able to release it quickly.”

Ronin was quite pleased that this professor was not as sentimental as he thought. Maellan’s death hurt him not because he bears any feelings or attachment towards him, but because he was a lost opportunity.

They’re birds of the same feather.

“If it gives you any relief, I see you as a teacher. ” He said.

The professor looked at him with those moss green eyes once more, and nodded with a smile at this.

“It’s late now, you may return to your dorm room. I will go write a request for the appointment to the Council.”

“Wait, I have another question, professor.” Ronin clutched his sleeve, since he was still relatively smaller at 13 when he was still having his growth sprouts.

“What is it?” Professor Vyrill answered in his usual monotone manner.

“Do you know any... any professor or faculty member who has a Spinel Heartstone?”

“Espinella?” Professor Vyrill asked. “He is the only one that comes to mind. He teaches Advanced Life Science for the upper years.”

Ronin’s coal-black eyes widened with excitement at this. ‘So he really is a teacher here at Scholars. That means I could find him easier.’

“How do I find him? I would like to ask him something.” Ronin said.

“Well, younger year students, 1st to 3rd year, are not allowed to go to the upper year’s floors.” Vyrill said. “But...”

“He is part of the Council. If the Council agrees to our live presentation, you will meet him.”

Ronin thought about this all night, and felt like he couldn’t wait. He would be meeting this Espinella, this man from his dreams, who may be his key to changing his Coal Heartstone back to that mighty Obsidian.historical

“Espinella.. I hope that your own research about metamorphism would be something good. If you disappoint, you may be the next person I drive a scalpel to the heart next time. And I won’t put you in a resurrecting machine.”

He slept while rewinding what this Professor Espinelli looked like in his mind, so that he could tell even just by a strand of his hair that it was him once he saw him.

However, it turned out that having the two meet was not so easy.

After the Council received Professor Vyrill’s letter, the Head ripped it to shreds and threw it in a garbage can.

He sat back down at their meeting table, sighing. “Ah, Vyrill’s foolery had really gone for too long. He needs to be put to a stop before he endangers himself and society. Are there any objections?”

Everyone succinctly answered. “None, Lord Blanc D’Argent.”

Everyone except one member at the farthest table.

A jittery man whose knees kept on shaking and knocking on each other raised his hand. “B-But what if this research actually works—“

“No objections then. You are all dismissed.”

Professor Espinella felt wronged to be dismissed easily like this, but stayed quiet and meekly left the room.