The Villain Alpha's Cursed Mate-Chapter 216: Alchemical In Nature

The classroom buzzed with a quiet murmur, only to settle into a fading whisper as the door swung open. A tall woman stepped inside, and her dark blue robes billowed with each measured step she took. Her dark hair was styled neatly into a bun, with two strands falling at her forehead. The air in the room shifted, and it was charged with a silent intensity as all conversation ceased.

She moved with quiet authority, her sharp gaze cutting through the space like a blade. Reaching the front of the classroom, she set a thick, leather-bound book onto her desk with a resounding thud, the sound echoing in the hush that followed.

Finnian didn’t need anyone to explain– the respect the class had for this woman was absolute– or was it fear?

From their rigid postures, the held breaths, the way not a single student dared to fidget spoke volumes. Though this behavior was unlikely for most students who had a high status, it was clear no one in this classroom was foolish enough to test her patience.

Everyone eventually rose, inclining their heads politely as they greeted in unison. "Good morning Miss Ivana."

"Good morning, class," she said, her voice crisp and expectant as she gestured for them to sit down. "I trust you have all reviewed the fundamentals from our previous session, correct?"

At her question, a few students shifted uneasily, exchanging wary glances. Others say up straighter, whilst bracing themselves for the inevitable scrutiny. Finnian and Luca exhaled in tandem, silently praying she wouldn’t single them out, while Simon looked as bright as day, as if ready to answer whatever question was thrown his way.

The teacher, who the class referred to as Miss Ivana, stepped away from her desk. Her sharp eyes swept over the students before landing on a familiar figure.

She paused, then a pointed look surfaced.

"Let’s start with something simple," she said coolly. "You– explain the base principle behind transmutation."

Finnian blinked, his chest tightening at the mere thought of being called on. His pulse quickened, and although he knew the answer to the question, he wasn’t certain enough to say it in front of the whole class. However, when he lifted his head, he soon realized that the teacher’s gaze wasn’t on him. Instead, she was addressing the mute girl seated beside him.

For a tense moment, Finnian knew she wouldn’t respond. But then, to his utter astonishment, the girl rose from her seat and spoke. Her voice was soft yet clear, and it rang with quiet confidence.

"Transmutation follows the law of equivalent exchange. Nothing can be created from nothing. To change one substance into another, something of equal value must be given in return."

The room fell utterly silent when she was done speaking. Every student had their eyes fixed on her, including Finnian and his friends. Even Simon, who rarely showed much interest in others’ answers, was visibly impressed. She had delivered the explanation so effortlessly– concise yet precise, without using all the unnecessary complexities that came with it.

The teacher gave an approving nod. "Correct. And what happens when one attempts to bypass the law?"

Once again, the girl answered politely, seamlessly elaborating on the consequences of disrupting the balance in alchemical transmutation. At that moment, Finnian realized he was smart, because her explanation matched with the logic he knew in his head, and he didn’t even attend the class to use that as an excuse.

The teacher simply arched a brow, evidently satisfied. "You may sit down, Unna." She resumed pacing at the front of the class, her voice calm yet firm. "What your mate has uttered clearly means that, in a much more philosophical context, that creation is not spontaneous. You cannot make something out of nothing. Instead, in order to transform or create something new, you must sacrifice or exchange something of equal value."

She paused, eyeing the students to ensure she had all their attention before continuing. "In an alchemical sense, if you want to transmute one material into another, you must provide a substance that holds the same worth— matter and energy must be conserved. On a broader level, the terms also symbolize balance and sacrifice in life. Nothing comes for free– whether it is knowledge, power, success, or personal growth, something must always be given in return. If one tries to cheat this balance, there may be severe consequences."

As she continued explaining, Simon, though already familiar with the concept, couldn’t help but write down necessary key points in his notebook. The topic intrigued him, especially in his belief that it also holds a connection to the curse the true bearer keeps spreading. Though the parallel wasn’t entirely clear, the discussion hinted at why so many succumbed to the demands of their affliction.

The teacher then turned to the class, tapping the book on her desk. "Now, let’s move on. Open to Chapter five."

After class, a handful of students quietly slipped out of the academy’s premises to avoid the next subject, which was maths. Luca wished he could do the same, but he knew better. The moment he so much as set foot outside that door, Finnian would have him by the collar, dragging him straight back inside. freewёbnoνel.com

He hated how determined Finnian was to have him succeed in his academics.

"Hey Unna!" A voice rang through the classroom, drawing Finnian’s attention to the owner of his voice and his seatmate. A student was approaching Unna who had risen from her seat, probably to head out and prepare for the next class since her items were still on her table.

"Would you mind going over some revisions with me after school?" The student asked. "We all know what Miss Ivana is capable of. She is bound to set up a test during her next lesson and I can’t screw it up. Well... I could really use your help since you know so much... so... what do you say?"

Finnian glanced at Unna, who remained weirdly silent, offering nothing but a serene smile with her eyes closed. The student in front of her hesitated for a moment, as he was uncertain whether that counted as an agreement, but ultimately took it as one.

"Great! Let’s meet in the library then," he said before turning away, satisfied.

Finnian frowned, watching the exchange with mild intrigue. His blue eyes followed her as she exited the class. So, she wasn’t mute, but she didn’t speak either?

"Weird," he muttered under his breath.

The hum of conversation resumed in the classroom. Finnian shifted his attention to Simon, who remained engrossed in his notebook as he scribbled furiously, most likely piecing together some elaborate puzzle he had thought of again.

His quill tapped rhythmically against the parchment, his eyes sharp with concentration.

Luca, equally puzzled, was also watching Simon. He glanced at Finnian, who gave him a small shrug, wordlessly admitting he had no idea what Simon was up to either.

"Hey Simon," Finnian then rose from his seat and made his way over to him, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "What are you working on? We still have fifteen more minutes of free time before the next class begins. Want to grab some snacks and head back?"

Luca was already up on his feet. Simon quietly closed his book and pushed himself up from his chair. "Sure, but I just realized something."

He easily fell into step beside Finnian and Luca as they left the classroom. "Doesn’t today’s topic remind you of something?" His tone held a spark of intrigue.

"It’s almost identical to the runic procedure. Think about it, alchemy follows the principle of equivalent exchange, right? Something must always be given in return for something else. The curse works the same way, just with a far more sinister approach."

Finnian’s brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

Simon wordlessly pulled up his sleeve, revealing the dark etchings of the cursed mark on his arm. The sight of it was enough to send an uneasy chill through Luca and Finnian, whilst he let the sleeve fall back into place before continuing. "I always wondered why the true bearer kept spreading his curse on us, and how it so happens that even children who are born, like fresh out of the womb, get the mark as well. I understand that the mark affects the blood, which could be a reason for that too. But what if there’s more to it? Isn’t it weird how most people in the Damned woke up and realized they were suddenly marked with the curse on them? These marks were forcefully given to them, but how is the true bearer able to achieve something like this without the necessary contact?"

Luca scratched his head, apparently lost, but Simon continued.

"It’s just a theory, but hear me out," he said with conviction. "What if the curse operates on the principles of equivalent exchange as well? Immortality doesn’t come without a cost– there has to be a price. What if the true bearer discovered a way to shift that burden onto others? Rather than paying it himself, he forces us to bear the consequences, binding everyone under the curse’s influence while he remains in complete control. That must be why he’s able to wield such absolute power over it. I don’t believe this curse is some mindless affliction rained upon us– it follows a structure, a design that we don’t know yet. It’s alchemical in nature, and he’s manipulating it exactly as an alchemist would, redistributing the cost while reaping all the benefits for his greedy self."

Finnian and Luca exchanged glances, unable to deny that Simon actually had a point. Since everyone believed that the curse was a punishment due to the Alpha’s late father’s misdeed, what if they were just deceived into thinking it was. After all, he isn’t the true bearer.

"How about we ask sir Neville?" Finnian suggested. "He makes the vaccines that subdues the curse’s effect every month, so he must know something about this, maybe?"