A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 66: Real Deal (3)

But Epherene will receive a penalty.

Epherene gazed at the blackboard, momentarily forgetting the perilous situation they were in. Her thoughts were fixated on the number of penalty points floating before her eyes.

14 points.

One more penalty point and she’d be stuck with daily cleaning duty in the foulest bathroom. If she reached twenty-five points, she’d lose her dormitory and scholarship, costing her 50,000 elne for the semester. Realizing this, she quickly grabbed the chalk.

Epherene didn't write Deculein is a fool.

The response came swiftly.

Who wrote it?

After a moment's hesitation, she picked up the chalk and wrote.

Sylvi

“What’s going on?” Sylvia asked as she approached, startling Epherene.

“Oh? Oh, uh, I think... I think this blackboard is connected to Professor Deculein!” Epherene exclaimed, hurriedly erasing the writing with her robe sleeve.

Luckily, Sylvia didn't seem to catch on to her deception and simply widened her eyes at the blackboard.

"What’s going on? Why are you staring at the blackboard?"

“Ephie, what’s the matter?” Julia asked, approaching with Lucia while the other mages remained too preoccupied to notice.

Bang—!

Another massive impact shook the lecture room. Epherene quickly wrote on the blackboard.

Professor, this isn't the time. We don't know the code for the barrier, and the lecture room is about to collapse.

Immediately, text began to appear on the blackboard.

Tap— tap, tap— tap, tap, tap—

The sound of precise, methodical writing filled the room. Circles and lines soon covered the blackboard, forming a coded spell.

Bang—!

A violent impact battered the lecture room, causing the damaged walls to buckle like wooden planks. Some Debutants had already fainted, while most others trembled in fear. Only Epherene, Sylvia, and Lucia kept their eyes fixed on the blackboard.

Bang—!

The walls had already banged dozens of times and were now close to collapsing.

Activate the spell.

The code spell was complete. Sylvia acted first, channeling her mana to draw the spell on the lecture room floor.

Woooo...

The floor and ceiling of the A-Class lecture room were constructed entirely of mana stones. As the code activated the crystal orb, the mana source, the barrier engaged.

Bang...

The pounding on the wall ceased, and the space transformed instantly. A peaceful meadow replaced the ashen darkness, enveloping the barrier in greenery.

“Phew...”

This was the power of the A-Class lecture room, which had cost ten million elne to construct. Epherene sank to the floor, clutching her pounding heart. Sylvia, too, let out a relieved breath as she glanced at the blackboard, where Deculein's handwriting began to appear.

Stay calm and focused. This is not a class; it's the real deal. This is reality, not a dream.

Lucia blinked and said, "Ask when help will arrive."

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Deculein responded before they could even ask.

With hundreds of Debutants held hostage, external intervention is impossible. Your best option is to resolve this yourselves.

“What? That’s so irresponsible,” Lucia grumbled.

Sylvia's piercing gaze swept across the room, making Lucia flinch and shrink back in surprise.

Based on the analysis of magic concentrations on each floor, the source of this crisis is presumed to be the 23rd floor.

“Who’s on the 23rd floor?” Epherene asked, glancing around.

Lucia, arms crossed, pondered, "Well, there are several places like labs and storage rooms. There’s also an office for an external visiting professor, but I’m not sure."

The 23rd floor, now overtaken by ash, had morphed into a sprawling nest. At its center, a large cocoon pulsed, with tendrils extending in every direction, feeding it nutrients.

From within the cocoon, a dry, brittle voice intoned, "Complete assimilation is necessary..."

Complete assimilation meant that the ash-dominated brains of the Debutants would be fully absorbed, extracting all their magic and nutrients, and leaving no hope for their revival.

"Complete assimilation is necessary..."

“No,” Louina refused firmly.

Despite the ash parasitizing her, Louina's core personality remained resolute. Her beliefs and convictions held her instincts in check.

"Complete assimilation is necessary..."

Louina opened her eyes, her blackened pupils scanning the cocoon's membrane. The world outside was shrouded in darkness, but within, the mana was boundless.

"Complete assimilation is—"

Smack!

Louina struck the cocoon with her fist, silencing the incessant voice, though her anger only grew stronger. In her fractured consciousness, one face surfaced. She whispered his name.

"Deculein..."

***

Three chocolates, two large bottles of drinks, two squid, one pack of jelly, five bags of snacks, two packs of cream pies, one pack of gum, five tangerines. Epherene laid out the food on the table in the meadow. It was a decent amount for a group of five, but...

“How many are we?” Epherene asked, but no one answered.

More than half of them were asleep, and she understood. They had been through a lot.

Sylvia responded, "Fifty-one."

Fifty-one people. The number itself was daunting, but the real problem was their appetites. The basal metabolic rate of a mage with mana was comparable to that of a robust farmer. Epherene sighed and began writing on the blackboard with the chalk.

I don’t think we can hold out long in here. Our food supply is too low. I’m thinking of going to the store in the baseme

A response appeared on the blackboard before she could finish writing.

Check the tool cabinet at the back of the classroom.

Epherene turned around and noticed that despite the barrier's alterations, the tool cabinet and other supplies were still intact. She ran over and opened it.

“Oh, wow!”

Inside, she found frozen meat, water, canned goods, and more. If rationed carefully, it would be enough to last them two days.

“How did the professor know about this?” Epherene muttered in amazement.

Lucia scoffed, flicking Epherene’s hair and said, “He probably prepared it ahead of time, idiot. The Mage Tower is always a target. Now, get cooking.”

Epherene bit her lip and shot her a glare.

“What are you staring at? You expect me to cook? Or Miss Sylvia? I don’t even know how,” Lucia retorted.

"... You really can't get a grip, even in this situation?" Epherene muttered, rolling up her sleeves in anger.

Just then, another message materialized on the blackboard.

Rest for now. We are formulating a plan outside. If any conflicts arise, those involved will be penalized based on witness reports.

Epherene couldn't understand how he always seemed to know everything. Grumbling, she started preparing the meal. Using magic, she lit a fire, grilled the meat, and made soup. As the delicious aroma spread, the mages began to wake up one by one.

***

Late at night in the vast warehouse of the Yukline mansion, I focused intently on the blackboard.

We've eaten and are resting now. All the monsters are our colleagues and classmates, so we can’t harm them. There's also an external visiting professor's office on the 23rd floor.

The situation had become quite problematic.

"... Louina."

The Baron of Ashes parasitizing Louina was indeed a significant problem, but also a curious one. Louina, a named character, had a mana grade of three, making her quite formidable.

“Is it because of the oath?”

I wondered whether the oath had impacted her mana grade or if her mental strength had deteriorated from dealing with me for so long. Whatever the case, it wasn’t entirely negative. The Baron of Ashes, with a lower mana grade, couldn’t completely consume Louina.

Knock, knock—

Just then, Roy entered and announced, "Master, everyone has arrived."

"Let them in."

"Yes, sir."

Roy brought in the professors I had summoned. As I went to greet them, however, I frowned.

"... Head Professor."

"We're here," said Relin and Siare, the tenured professors, with grave seriousness.

The newly appointed professors, like Kelodan, whom I had specifically called for, trailed behind them like meek followers.

"Here is the ash collected by the knights," Relin said, presenting a vial of ash.

My plan was to analyze and understand this ash to create a custom spell. Since the Baron of Ashes was parasitizing Louina, standard methods wouldn’t suffice.

"If you need any help, please let us know!"

A multitude of supplies flowed into the warehouse: microscopes, tables, mana stones, related spell books, and magical tools—all transported directly from the Floating Island.

Using Telekinesis, I neatly organized everything. With a few thumps and movements, the space quickly transformed into a lab resembling the Mage Tower. I couldn’t tolerate a dirty and inefficient environment.

“Oh! That was incredible! Let us know if you need any assistance!”

"... Assistance would be helpful," I replied to Relin's words.

Relin took a deep, solemn breath in response and said, “Yes. This unprecedented attack on the Mage Tower, we are prepared to—”

“But,” I interrupted, pointing to the young professors behind the tenured ones, “only you three stay.”

Kelodan, the bespectacled one, Jennifer, the authority on Harmonic Magic, and Grant, a former Addict. As for Allen, it seemed he was trapped in the Mage Tower, but I wasn’t worried. He was far stronger than me at the moment.

“The rest of you may leave.”

“... Sorry?”

Too many cooks spoil the broth. To prevent pointless politics and ambition from undermining the junior professors' morale, it was far more efficient to exclude the tenured ones altogether.

“Um, Head Professor Deculein? They’re still quite inexperienced and lacking—”

“I must have misspoken,” I said, nodding. Relin’s expression brightened. “I need the rest of you to monitor the area around the Mage Tower. It’s a critical task. If a larger incident arises, we’ll require your help there.”

“... Sorry?”

"Now, leave," I commanded, using Telekinesis to push the open-mouthed tenured professors out of the room.

Then, I silently observed the remaining ones.

“W-what're we s'posed to do now?” Kelodan drawled nervously.

“What should you do?” I said, as I dropped dozens of magical texts on their desks, the books piling up like a mountain. “Extract the key points from these.”

***

I am in the process of creating a spell to effectively counter the ash.

“What? Creating a spell? Do you realize how long that could take?” Lucia’s irritated shout deepened the somber mood in the classroom. “Ask him! How long do we have to wait—”

“Quiet, Dorothy,” Sylvia murmured, her words startling Lucia into silence.

Lucia held her breath, her heart skipping a beat. She rushed over to Sylvia, her face inches away. “I asked you not to use that name. Why now—”

“Dorothy? Who’s Dorothy?” Epherene asked innocently from behind Lucia.

Lucia clasped her hands together, pleading with Sylvia, “Please, I’m begging you...”

Lucia was actually an alias; her real name was Dorothy. For someone as refined and beautiful as she was, being called Dorothy felt unbearably rustic for a noble young lady. She had begged and pleaded with her father until he finally allowed her to change it.

“If you stay quiet,” Sylvia replied calmly.

“Yes, of course. I will.”

Sylvia pushed Lucia away and stood up, saying with determination, “We will assist Professor Deculein from here.”

“Assist? Y-yes, sure! I’ll do that,” Lucia—Dorothy—agreed hastily before Sylvia could say more.

Epherene tilted her head, puzzled. Sylvia’s next words chilled the room.

"We'll capture and dissect one of the Debutants," Sylvia declared.

***

... Sophien Aekater Augus von Jaegus Gifrein asks,

Do you know what it’s like to die every single year? To wither away from an incurable disease that no one across the continent understands, blindly groping through the darkness, not knowing what lies ahead? Do you know the pain of that disease consuming your body? It felt like my ribs were being gnawed at while an awl stabbed into my lungs.

And yet, do you understand the torment of returning to life each time, only to endure the same suffering all over again? Do you know this cursed wretchedness? At the age of eight, I died dozens of times. There were days when I waited an entire year to die, and days when I couldn’t bear it and cut my own throat.

No matter how many times I died, each time I opened my eyes, it was always January 1st.

The eight-year-old child lay in a luxurious bed, staring out the window. The palace garden was eternally in spring. My mind matured, watching the delicate spring, but my body remained a child. It was an incongruous feeling, like trash drifting in the ocean—rotting yet unable to escape.

Humans are said to cling to life and fight to survive. I, however, wished for death right up until the moment I died. Even after death, I fervently wished to disappear completely. The only joy in my endless cycles of rebirth was seeing my brother's face.

But even that tender feeling faded eventually. I could no longer endure even by looking at him. The constant scents of iron from the knights, sweetness from the eunuchs, money from the merchants, disinfectant from the doctors, and herbs from the healers overwhelmed me.

I had no attachment to life, trapped in that hellish cycle. I felt no passion, no emotions. I couldn't have them.

I only wished for my entire being to grow numb to this pain. I prayed to crumble without suffering. They say this continent is boundless, yet I was confined within the narrow imperial palace, trapped in an unchanging body. How crippled was I to have lost even the sense of misfortune...?

... Dying over and over, killing everything within me—Deculein, do you know how that feels?

You wouldn’t know. I don’t expect anyone to understand. Every night, I prayed and cursed to the only one who truly knew me—to you, whether you were in the unreachable heavens or the lightless depths of the earth, laughing at my ennui. I made my vow.

God is dead. I will kill him.

"When I was young, I remember meeting Deculein. Back then, he wasn’t particularly special. Besides his appearance, nothing about him stood out."

Of course, Sophien overcame the terminal illness and ultimately survived. Numerous assassination and poisoning attempts followed, and though she died several times, she always managed to fend them off, only to die again.

Through these experiences, she discovered her regression followed a cursed yearly cycle. If she died at nine, she would wake up on January 1st of the year she turned nine. If she died at ten, she would restart her life from January 1st of the year she turned ten.

“Your Majesty, you speak as though death does not concern you,” Sophien recalled Deculein's words.

"As though death does not concern me..." Sophien mused, wondering if his words were simply a roundabout way of describing her recklessness.

“No.”

The nuance he conveyed was distinctly different, and Deculein also said, “I see the world differently.”

Seeing the world differently. She wondered if his perspective included her.

“Keiron,” Sophien called.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Yukline was among the families present that day, correct?”

The terminal illness that had caused her countless deaths had actually been poison. When she uncovered this truth, it left her profoundly unsettled.

"Yes. All the earldom families from across the continent were present that day."

The suspect was likely from one of the families present on the day she ascended as heir. Sophien had initially planned to hunt down the perpetrator, tearing them apart limb by limb and exterminating their entire family. However, after three years of contemplation, she lost interest.

After all, they only died once. Killing them, then dying herself to regress and kill them again, only for them to die once more, seemed pointless. The effort outweighed the satisfaction, and the world itself felt like a cheap, broken place. She decided to let it go. Even revenge felt too bothersome.

“If you are curious about Deculein, Your Majesty, you will need to learn magic, regardless of the circumstances,” Keiron suggested, his voice tinged with an unexpected joy.

Sophien gritted her teeth, saying, "Keiron, you are quite an underdeveloped individual. Weren't you the one who assumed Deculein was flawed based on mere rumors?"

Keiron bowed his head in shame and replied, "It was a misjudgment, Your Majesty. Today, Deculein was exceptionally honest. With your insight into a person's soul, you surely recognize this, don't you?"

Sophien glanced at the desk where Deculein had left a book titled Yukline: Understanding Element Magic. It was lavishly adorned with gold and jewels, and a note was affixed to it.

Please review up to the first chapter.

Keiron urged, “Your Majesty, you should begin your studies.”

Sophien glared at him coldly and said, "... Keiron."

"Yes, Your Majesty?" Keiron replied, his face a mask of calm.

"Fuck off," she said, raising her middle finger at him.

Keiron smiled and closed his eyes, pretending not to notice.

“I will retire to my chambers. Ensure no one disturbs me tonight.”

“Take the book with you, Your Majesty.”

“I told you to piss off,” Sophien said as she headed straight to her inner chambers.

The imperial palace mages and officials tried to speak to her about the Mage Tower incident, but she ignored them. She threw herself onto her bed and stared at the ceiling, sorting through her jumbled thoughts. In the end, they all boiled down to a single emotion—curiosity.

"Mage Tower incident..." Sophien muttered, recalling a servant's words. She scoffed and rose from the bed, retrieving the report from a waiting servant outside. "Let’s see."

Deculein had indeed proclaimed himself the continent’s brightest mind. Sophien was eager to see what ingenious solution this so-called brightest mind would devise in this crisis.

"I anticipate it with great interest," Sophien remarked.