The Villain Professor's Second Chance

But now wasn't the time.

I pushed the urge aside, knowing I had more pressing matters to attend to. As I sat up in my chair, the familiar weight of my thoughts settled back onto my shoulders. Time hadn't passed in the real world since I had entered the quest with the queen—just as I expected. That's how it always was.

I hadn't even been gone a second here, yet I could feel the echoes of everything I had done reverberating through me. My study, dimly lit by the soft flicker of the fire, felt both comforting and oppressive at the same time.

The pen hovered closer, the glow intensifying slightly, as if responding to my thoughts. "Later," I murmured, knowing I'd have time to experiment with it soon enough. My gaze shifted to the store catalogue of skills that I had summoned before my nap. I flicked through it, mentally calculating the points I had gained. The currency had increased by one, bringing it to a total of five.

I smiled to myself, satisfied. That extra point was a result of the quest. It wasn't much, but every little bit counted. Soon, I'd have enough to unlock something… interesting.

But right now, I needed to focus on what mattered. Liora would be here soon, with her report. I had been expecting it for a while now, and the timing was perfect. She had always been reliable, precise, and—more importantly—silent. The Silent Merchant, as they called her.

I hadn't heard a single word from her since sending her off to oversee certain operations in the earldom, but that was how she worked.

I stood up, stretching as I did so. My limbs felt unusually light, almost like I was floating. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling—more like the aftermath of having tapped into something deeper, something more profound during that quest. I wasn't the same person I had been before I entered it, and the power that coursed through me now made that clear.

As I rose, a familiar, unsettling voice reached my ears, cutting through the quiet of the chamber. "They're growing stronger, Draven. So much bigger now, aren't they?"

I turned toward the source, already knowing who it was before my eyes fell on her. Sylara, sitting in the corner of the room, her eyes gleaming with an almost maniacal joy, was petting the three chimeras with a disturbing level of affection.

Their once small, twisted bodies had grown considerably in size, and they responded to her touch with almost purring sounds, though there was nothing comforting about it.

"They've improved," I acknowledged, watching the way Sylara's fingers danced over their scaled flesh. "But that's to be expected."

"Expected?" Sylara's voice was thick with amusement. "You're too modest. These creatures are evolving. You've done something different this time. They're not just beasts anymore."

She was right, of course. I had imbued them with something beyond the usual necromantic magic, weaving in my own twisted essence. Unlike the chimeras Sylara had created before—broken, emotionless dolls—these creatures had intelligence. Their eyes were sharp, calculating, aware in a way that made them more dangerous than anything she had worked with in the past.

Their forms, while monstrous, held a certain elegance, their grotesque bodies designed with both aesthetics and functionality in mind. I had made sure of that.

But the chimeras weren't the only things I had brought back from the quest.

My eyes flicked toward the large, intricately designed coffin in the corner of the chamber. Without hesitation, I strode toward it and, with a wave of my hand, lifted the heavy lid. Inside lay the goblin king—one of my more prized creations. Its enormous frame was barely contained by the confines of the coffin, and as I gazed down at it, something immediately struck me as different.

Its body had changed.

Muscles rippled beneath its skin, far more defined than I remembered, and black tattoos snaked across its form, glowing faintly with necromantic energy. I could feel the magic I had bound to it pulsating, deeper and more potent than before, as if it had integrated with every fiber of its being. The goblin king stirred, its eyes snapping open, and I felt the connection between us tighten.

My magic had wrapped itself around its very soul, ensuring its absolute loyalty to me.

"Interesting," I muttered, noting the sheer power that radiated from it now. "You've grown."

The goblin king rose from the coffin, towering over me, its presence a looming shadow. I could see the potential in it now—the raw, untapped power waiting to be unleashed. But this wasn't the time to test it.

As if on cue, the devil hobgoblin servant I had brought back with me emerged from the shadows, its figure even bulkier than before. It, too, had grown—its body brimming with latent energy, as though it was on the verge of evolving into something greater. The air around it crackled with potential, and I could sense that the transformation was close. It wouldn't take much more.

"Not yet," I said quietly to both creatures, my mind already spinning with possibilities. "Soon."

I turned my attention back to Sylara, who was still cooing over the chimeras. Her joy was almost infectious, but I wasn't here for pleasantries. "What's your report, Sylara?"

"They're stronger than before," she said, her voice almost gleeful. "More resilient, more beautiful. I owe you so much for this, Draven. They were broken before, but now… now they're perfect."

I nodded, though I was already moving toward the exit of the chamber. There was no time to waste. As much as I wanted to delve deeper into the changes within the creatures, there were more pressing matters to attend to.

The door to my secret chamber opened silently, revealing the dimly lit hallway of my mansion's lower levels. But as I stepped out, I was met with a surprise.

"Liora," I said, my voice steady though my eyes flicked over her with mild amusement. "You're early."

She stood there, leaning casually against the wall, her sharp eyes watching me with an amused glint. The Silent Merchant always had a way of making herself appear where she was least expected, and this time was no different.

"Surprised?" Liora chuckled, pushing off the wall with a graceful movement. "I have my ways."

I raised an eyebrow, my lips twitching slightly. "I'm not the one who should be surprised." I nodded toward the corner of the room, where Alfred, my loyal butler, stood with his arms folded, watching Liora with a calm, unreadable expression.

Liora, for all her poise and confidence, visibly jumped, her eyes widening slightly as she registered his presence. "You—! How…?"

"Alfred has his own ways," I said smoothly, enjoying the rare moment of seeing Liora caught off guard. "But enough of this. Time for your report."

She recovered quickly, clearing her throat and smoothing her features. "As you wish, Draven."

Liora's report was exactly what I expected—precise, detailed, and executed flawlessly. The operations in the earldom had gone according to plan. Her merchant firm had discreetly spread throughout the region, gaining influence and wealth, all without drawing unwanted attention. The nobles who might have posed a threat were either pacified or removed from the equation.

Trade routes had been secured, ensuring a steady flow of resources to my various projects.

"Everything's been set up just as you requested," Liora continued, her tone businesslike. "The trade agreements have gone through, and the assets are in place. The earldom is under your control, and no one even suspects it."

I nodded, pleased but not surprised. I had orchestrated everything perfectly, ensuring that each piece of the puzzle fell into place. "Well done, Liora," I said, my voice calm. "But tell me, how far do you think I've planned?"

She raised an eyebrow, a small smirk playing on her lips. "Farther than anyone could guess, I'd imagine."

Before I could respond, the door to the chamber burst open, and a guard rushed in, his face pale. "My lord," he panted, bowing quickly. "The Crown Cavaliers have arrived. They're here under orders from Her Majesty, the queen."

I exchanged a glance with Liora, whose smirk had vanished, replaced by a look of curiosity. "What could she want now?" I muttered under my breath.

Alfred stepped forward, his expression unreadable. "Shall I receive them, Master Draven?"

"No," I said, a cold smile curling at the corners of my lips. "I'll deal with them myself."