Chapter 11 – The Headmaster Interview (3)
But that wasn’t even the most surprising part.
「Hey, did you copy the headmaster’s magic too?」
‘Why the hell would I copy something like that?’
He said that, but copying a top-tier hero’s ability without a plan was suicide. You’d get caught without a doubt.
「Really? Then why’s it stored in your body? Looks like you could use it if you decode it.」
…Stored?
「Yeah. If you used that, you could probably take your house back too.」
But Ruin tilted his head, unconvinced.
What the hell is going on?
‘Only explanation I can think of… maybe something to do with swallowing Ruins Wayne recently?’
He needed to check what was happening.
Ruin immediately activated a power—a skill that had evolved thanks to the Hero.
【Shadow King’s Vision】 (Racial Unique Skill)
Allows him to see all information—abilities, traits, biology, structure, composition—of any target for the purpose of copying.
Before evolving, it had been 【Citizen’s Sight】 and only worked on equal or weaker targets. Now it had been upgraded to work on everything.
But when he examined Wayne’s traits using that ability…
【God’s Right Hand】
【Innate Laziness】
【Obsessive Compulsion】
【Everyone Dies But Me】
【Unshakable Pride】
【Joy in Possessiveness】
【Genius Beyond Understanding】
‘Traits’ were like personality markers. They could grant unique blessings or magic depending on what they were.
But the problem was—
‘…Is this a trait window or a minefield?’
Every single one was horrifically unbalanced, in the worst possible way.
Still, there was one saving grace. One usable trait.
【God’s Right Hand】Seals all harm that comes to me.
‘Seals harm?’
Ruin looked at his arm. Come to think of it, there were two unfamiliar symbols carved into his wrist.
‘What are these?’
When Ruin touched one of them—something incredible happened.
Flash!
It was like a new vision opened in his mind, and a spell array unfolded.
‘Shadow race trait activated.’
It was like touching a ship in harbor and instantly seeing its blueprints in your head. “Copying” always required knowing the structure first.
That’s how Ruin could identify classified spells, bypass traps, and so on.
And now, just like that, he could see the formula of a powerful spell in his mind.
Normally, such formulas were heavily encrypted, like patented manufacturing secrets—but to Ruin?
Well.
‘This is the headmaster’s power.’
Given his profession, Ruin was used to disarming magical traps, and he instantly recognized the essence of the spell.
Some kind of flame magic… and with this configuration, it was clearly the same one that burned demons alive.
Why it had imprinted itself onto his body, he didn’t know at first—but the reason soon became clear.
【God’s Right Hand】Seals all harm that comes to me.
Because her power harmed him, it had been sealed.
‘So that execution flame… got sealed into my arm.’
If he could just find a way to use it, that’d be insane.
It was a top-tier spell—equivalent to the headmaster’s own magic.
Ruin’s eyes narrowed.
‘Then what about the other one?’
If this side was a top-tier spell… what kind of monster is sealed in the other?
Ruin, practically drooling internally, brushed a finger over the second mark—
‘……?!’
And immediately felt like he was plummeting from the tenth floor.
‘Shit. It’s a trap.’
「Disciple!」
The Shadow God’s voice echoed faintly as blood welled up in Ruin’s mouth.
That’s when he realized what the second seal contained.
‘The Curse of Misfortune.’
The power no one could identify or decode. The very reason he had made a pact with the Demon Emperor—who could only suppress a fragment of it. That’s how powerful the curse was.
Ruin quickly pulled his hand back. The Shadow God looked panicked.
「Disciple! Are you okay?! Huh?!」
“I’m fine.”
「I was worried about you!」
How sweet. Even the one-and-only god showed concern…
「Who’s gonna make offerings if you die?!」
Ruin promptly tried to dunk the ginseng in the toilet again.
「AAAGH! JOKING! JOKING! I’M YOUR SUPERIOR, DAMN IT!」
Yeah, yeah. Die mad about it.
In short, both the headmaster’s spell and the Curse of Misfortune had been sealed.
‘Because the curse also brings harm to Wayne, it was sealed too.’
The “Infuse Misfortune” skill caused both himself and others to suffer misfortune. That’s how it worked.
But what if the misfortune coming to him got sealed?
Ruin’s eyes gleamed.
‘That means I can use the ‘Unluck’ skill more often now.’
Which also meant he could finally take on that bastard Hero and his broken luck stat.
Apparently, the ginseng god interpreted this train of thought a bit differently.
「Tch. Go ahead and fight the Hero if you want, but keep using other gods’ powers like that and I’ll excommunicate you! Got it?!」
But Ruin didn’t even acknowledge him, already deep in thought.
‘Definitely worth researching.’
The ginseng grumbled in frustration.
「Can you hear me?! If you go with the Misfortune path, I’ll sulk! You won’t be able to make offerings to me!」
“……”
「…That means I won’t be able to boss you around anymore!」
Wouldn’t that be a good thing?
Maybe it was that expression on Ruin’s face—
「D-Disiple? You’re not really choosing Misfortune, are you?」
Without a word, Ruin set his superior on the toilet lid and walked out. The bathroom door shut with a firm click behind him.
The ginseng’s face turned pale.
「…Disiple! I take it back! I won’t excommunicate you! Just don’t leave me!」
- - -
The ginseng looked like the world had ended.
「You really dumped your racial god in a bathroom…」
‘I told you, I forgot.’
「Forgot for thirty minutes?! And use my power, not someone else’s! Why aren’t you using me?!」
‘I am using you.’
「Not enough! You’re always holding back! Just a dribble here, a drip there! And yet you keep surviving! How?! WHY?!」
Why? Because you tried to throw in an eternal servitude clause when you gave me your power, that’s why.
I already feel like a grad student being ordered around by their advisor—forever.
‘Who’d want to be used for eternity?’
Besides—
‘That jealous freak of a god gives out more power when he’s sulking anyway.’
At this rate, even the Hero’s god-tier Luck might be manageable.
‘Which means I can take back my damn house from that bastard.’
Ruin’s golden eyes glinted with killing intent.
The only lingering concern was…
He rolled up his sleeve slightly. The seals remained on his wrist.
Interesting, they looked almost exactly like the “Keeping” spell seals used by Union mages.
Keeping: the magic system that stores spells for instant cast, no incantation needed.
And there was only one Union mage Ruin had ever seen use Keeping on their body.
‘Funny how it’s in the same spot, too.’
Strange… for such a powerful ability, there were too many unknowns.
‘Why the hell did the real Ruins Wayne look like that?’
With the power to seal all harm?
‘Honestly, of everyone I’ve absorbed, this guy might be the most useful.’
「If you’re saying that, doesn’t that make him Hero-tier?」
Maybe I should investigate why he never used his power properly.
Anyway, the important thing now—
‘Is securing a faculty office as fast as possible.’
Only then can I access the vault entrance located in the faculty building.
With that, Ruin headed to the administration office to get his office assignment.
Just as he arrived, he overheard some aides talking.
“Ruins Wayne, right?”
Sounded like they were talking about him.
“The self-defense professor got taken down? For real?”
“He probably let his guard down. But why were Charlie and the other professors flipping out at someone else’s interview?”
“Beats me. Everyone’s been on edge since the guy walked in through the front gate. Probably because of that?”
The front gate, huh. Come to think of it, the professors were weirdly fixated on it. Was there a reason?
“They probably think he’s gunning for their seats. Isn’t the faculty review season coming up?”
Sure, makes sense. Coworkers are always rivals when promotions are on the line.
“Wait, really? I thought Professor Wayne was just hired to teach a liberal arts elective. You know, a political favor to the Wayne family.”
Damn. Poor guy must’ve had big dreams, only to get stuck with some sad token job.
Ah well. Whether it’s a liberal arts gig or whatever, it doesn’t matter to me. As long as I recover my retir—
“Right, and isn’t the course he’s assigned to being discontinued soon? So no office either, right?”
Ruin’s inner voice let out a rare scream.
‘No faculty office?! WHY?!’
That was the whole point of playing this ridiculous role! Are they insane?!
“Isn’t he just a part-time adjunct?”
Damn it! That means no office, doesn’t it?!
‘Still… no big deal.’
Haven is located on a mountain. According to his intel, even part-time staff had access to “dormitories”—
“Oh yeah, but didn’t a spy recently plant bombs in the part-timer dorms? They’re off-limits now.”
FUCKING PRIDE BASTARD! I WILL KILL YOU ALL!
“At least he gets a toll share for passing through the front gate, right? That’s basically worth a ten-year professor’s salary, isn’t it?”
“Totally. And sure, he doesn’t get an office, but I heard he’s being treated very well because of that gate pass.”
“Huh? Then isn’t this actually better? Tenured professors work their asses off.”
“Right? For that kind of cash, I’d take a visiting professor gig too. Professor Wayne hit the jackpot.”
No! I don’t care how brutal it is—give me the tenured professor job, please!
