Chapter 2 …

Even after gaining a new life, my life was not even a hair different from my previous one.

Adele Catherine, born into a fallen landowning family, entered the Academy as soon as she realized she had talent for magic and graduated at the top of her class.

And she did it while receiving a scholarship from the most promising Department of Magitech Engineering.

Right afterward, she was scouted by the Magic Tower and spent her days handling all sorts of errands for a professor.

Ah! For reference, you can think of the Magic Tower as something like a graduate school for mages.

Anyway, aside from being a bit smarter, it was the same life as before—being worked to the bone under a professor.

‘Still, up until now, I was fairly satisfied with my life….’

But to think this was the world of a novel I had read. To think the apocalypse might arrive soon.

And on top of that, to think I was the culprit who would bring about that destruction!

‘…How did it come to that?’

Honestly, looking at myself now, it was hard to believe.

But no matter how much I searched my memories, Adele Catherine, the final boss of , was destined to be me.

Well, it made sense.

Before awakening as the final boss, Adele was the daughter of a fallen noble family and a mage belonging to the Magic Tower.

‘Huh? That’s me.’

Adele was also someone who constantly drew attention at both the Academy and the Magic Tower thanks to her exceptional magical abilities.

‘Huh? That’s me.’

Furthermore, Adele was known for making a major contribution under Professor Great to the groundbreaking discovery that mana could distort space and time.

‘Huh? That’s me (future success version)?’

But in the end, Adele decided to use that principle to destroy the world and ultimately fulfilled that dream.

‘Huh? Is that really me…?’

In the dream, I was holding a research presentation as a successful mage.

After years of research, I had discovered that mana could distort time and space.

Yet the real me, far from becoming a great mage, was apparently a villain-in-training destined to destroy the world.

‘Could it be because the professor overworked me too much?’

It was entirely possible.

There were plenty of cases where graduate students who had been stripped of their human rights and worked like slaves eventually snapped and went berserk.

Just thinking about all the frustration I’d accumulated over the years, I could have caused trouble a hundred times over.

If that was true, was this very moment also part of the process leading toward the apocalypse?

‘…No. If I keep living like this, I’m really doomed. Research and everything else will be ruined!’

I jumped to my feet.

At this rate, one year from now, this world would plunge into destruction.

There was only one way to stop it.

I had to change my career path before I awakened as the final boss.

‘Alright. My goal is decided.’

I clenched my fist.

From this moment on, Adele, an ordinary magical researcher, had decided to abandon the final boss route.

And the first obstacle was…

‘No, forget the long speech. Let’s get right to it!’

Without hesitation, I headed straight for Professor Great Everrun’s office.

* * *

“Professor, I quit (being a graduate student).”

“…What?”

At my declaration, Professor Great Everrun furrowed his brows as though doubting his own ears.

He blinked several times.

Apparently, he couldn’t tell whether what he was seeing was a dream or reality.

“You know alcohol is prohibited within the Magic Tower.”

Having apparently concluded that he had misheard me, Professor Great lowered his gaze to the desk and replied indifferently.

“I haven’t been drinking.”

“Then did you take Mekedonia?”

For reference, Mekedonia is a hallucinogen.

“No.”

“Then what kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

He let out a sigh and adjusted his glasses.

He had probably expected me to report experimental results, not announce my resignation.

Ignoring his reaction, I continued seriously.

“Professor, I’m serious. I can’t keep doing this graduate student thing anymore.”

“How much research have you even done to be saying something like that? Look at the other laboratories. There are countless research students working far harder than you!”

“Well, that’s true, but at least half of the research was done by me—”

Huh?

I suddenly stopped mid-excuse.

Was I a slave down to my bones?

I came here to quit, so why was I explaining my research contributions?

As I trailed off, Professor Great shot back firmly.

“Half of the research? What nonsense.”

The professor tapped the desk irritably and narrowed his eyes.

“As you know, this place is full of mages who’ve devoted over ten years to a single research project! And you want to quit? I was considerate enough to let you research only eighteen hours a day because I knew you’d be tired, and this is how you repay my kindness?”

“That’s not consideration. That’s overwork.”

“You only call it overwork because you still haven’t come to your senses.”

…It had been the same in my previous life.

There was one time when I became so exhausted that I said I wanted to quit.

Back then, my professor gaslighted me so thoroughly that he ultimately succeeded in stopping my escape.

After that, he tied me down even more tightly so I couldn’t run away again, and I eventually lost every chance to break free.

‘And now it’s happening all over again.’

Looking at the professor in front of me, a normal resignation process seemed impossible.

“Professor, I’m not laboratory equipment.”

“Laboratory? What are you talking about? And I’ve always treated you with respect.”

“Do you even know my name?”

The professor opened his mouth, then froze.

Judging from his wavering eyes, he was desperately trying to remember.

“…Ahem, the student who graduated top of the class?”

Haaah…!

I let out a very deliberate sigh before speaking.

“Anyway, I have no intention of reversing my decision. I’ll be going now.”

As I ended the conversation and turned around, Professor Great bit his lip.

“Don’t come crawling back within a month, begging me to take you back. Because I won’t make any exceptions then.”

“You don’t need to worry. That will never happen.”

Since he remained shameless to the very end instead of admitting any fault, I wasn’t particularly polite either.

The professor’s face stiffened slightly.

He was probably angry that one of his slaves had suddenly rebelled.

As I turned and was about to kick the door open on my way out, Professor Great’s voice thundered from behind me.

“Your name is being removed from the paper! Don’t even dream about it!”

Ah, yes. Feel free.

After all, I was the final boss who completed this research and led the world to destruction.

In other words, if the core researcher of the paper—that is, me—was removed, the research itself would become useless.

So goodbye, Professor.

I’m no longer going to be a slave.

I’m going to become the master of my own life!

* * *

“Adele, you really quit?”

While I was packing my belongings to return to my family estate, Isabella approached me.

“Nothing happened at home, right?”

She wore an unusually serious expression.

Apparently, she couldn’t believe that I—the veteran who had lasted longer than anyone else here—had made such a decision.

I shrugged.

“Isabella, sometimes… knowing when to give up quickly is the wise choice.”

Even after hearing me say that, Isabella continued blinking as if she still couldn’t believe it.

“Are you serious? I thought you’d either taken Mekedonia or said it in the heat of the moment.”

Once again, Mekedonia is a hallucinogen.