A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 131: Missa (1)

The interior of the Ghost Castle was hazy, cloaked in a thick fog. Epherene’s senses dulled as a deep lethargy washed over her, making it feel like she was drifting away from herself. Enveloped in this fog, she wandered aimlessly.

“Carlos! There you are!” Ganesha called out, her voice cutting through the fog.

Epherene paused and glanced back.

“Pull yourself together!”

“Stay strong!”

Ganesha, Ria, and Leo held tightly to Carlos, urging him to get up and not lose hope.

“Sis! Where’d you go, sis!” Jackal kept shouting, his voice tinged with panic as he searched frantically. Epherene forced herself to move forward.

“... Indeed, it is you.”

A voice suddenly broke through, snapping Epherene out of her daze. She turned slowly.

“I offer you my greetings.”

A man who bore a striking resemblance to Deculein stood before her. He appeared older, a faint smile touching his lips as he watched her closely.

“Daughter of Kagan, my most favored one.”

Epherene remained silent.

“Step forward,” Decalane said, extending his hand.

Epherene hesitated, then slowly stepped forward, compelled by an unseen force.

“Leaf!”

Someone suddenly grabbed her wrist—it was Ihelm.

“Stay away from him,” Ihelm said.

He stepped in front of her, blocking her from Decalane’s view.

“Ah, Ihelm,” Decalane remarked with a faint, dry laugh.

Ihelm kept his silence.

“There was a time when I was grateful for the friendship you showed my son—”

“Friendship? Our relationship was never that close or sentimental,” Ihelm cut in.

“Haha.”

“What is happening here? How can a dead man walk among the living? And where are we?” Ihelm demanded.

Decalane’s expression hardened for a moment, but he soon regained his smile and replied, “Ihelm, I am very much alive. I was never really dead.”

Madness flickered in his eyes, hovering on the brink of obsession.

Locking his eyes on Epherene, Decalane continued, “Daughter of Luna, do you know what your father desired most?”

“Don’t listen to it, Leaf,” Ihelm said, channeling mana into his palm as he readied a spell to shatter Decalane’s soul.

“If you only knew what he desired—”

As Ihelm prepared to cast the completed spell...

Ruuuuumble—!

The ground trembled violently. Epherene and Ihelm quickly scanned their surroundings, searching for the source.

“...How unfortunate,” Decalane murmured, his expression growing grim as he looked up at the sky. “It appears my son has involved himself in something reckless.”

Ihelm swiftly cast a protective barrier around Epherene and the others. At that moment, a deafening crash shook the ground, as if the earth were splitting apart.

And then...

***

Carla recalled Deculein from their childhood—a boy once hailed as a whiz kid. But that brilliance soon faded, leaving him a mediocre and pitiful friend in Carla’s eyes.

“Decu, I wonder what will happen if we try it this way?”

“... No, that won’t be necessary. And stop addressing me as Decu.”

“I think maybe you could try it the way I did?”

“I said no. Stop phrasing everything as a question. Speak clearly; your uncertainty only causes confusion.”

Carla recalled how Deculein had always struggled to follow her teachings. Her methods were far beyond his understanding, but his pride kept him from admitting it. Instead, he stubbornly blamed Carla for his failures. He was an odd one, that much was certain.

But now, Carla watched as Deculein stood before her, casting a spell so powerful that the island splintered and crumbled around them.

Ruuuuumble—!

The entire castle trembled as a massive earthquake roared from every direction. The cries of the dead filled the air, their tormented wails surrounding Carla. Some cursed their fate, clinging desperately to life, while others begged for the release of death.

In this world, ghosts had their own society called the Phantom Haven, a realm Carla had visited once before. These souls could always sense those who had taken the lives of spirits, and now, Deculein would almost certainly earn their undying hatred.

He must have known, yet he moved forward without hesitation, unconcerned by curses or the looming consequences. Deculein's transformation left Carla unsettled, unable to make sense of the change in him.

Ruuuuuuuuuuumble—!

The ground rumbled deeply as the castle crumbled, its walls tearing apart like paper and scattering into countless fragments. A wave of telekinetic force surged from the earth, rippling through the air in a powerful shockwave.

At the heart of the spell, Deculein coughed up blood, a dark stream trickling from his mouth. Blood seeped from his torn muscles, soaking into his clothes. Though Carla had only lent him a fraction of her mana, the cost of wielding borrowed power was severe.

"You're okay?" Carla asked.

Deculein offered no response, seated in his chair with his eyes fixed on his assistant professor and protégé. Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“... Ugh,” Epherene groaned, stirring awake before the others.

Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused as she blinked at Deculein, her face caught in a haze between dream and reality.

"Professor...?" Epherene called, staring at him, covered in blood and exhaustion. Deculein looked so unlike his usual self that she could only believe it was a dream.

“Ah! Professor?!” Allen exclaimed as he stirred awake.

Moments later, Deculein closed his eyes slowly, causing the two to tense in surprise.

“Professor~!”

“He’s dead!”

"... I think he's not dead," Carla said, making them whip their heads toward her.

Epherene and Allen looked at Carla, confusion written on their faces.

“Sorry, but who are you?” Epherene asked.

Meanwhile, Ihelm’s protégés began to stir, while the sharp click of heels echoed in the distance as Ganesha approached.

“Wow, our professor is certainly intense~ How many square feet was this castle again? Anyway...” Ganesha remarked, smiling as she picked up a fragment of the shattered ruins.

Although the castle lay in complete ruin, the area around them remained intact, held together by Deculein’s Telekinesis.

"With this much mana stone, the Imperial family will be quite pleased. Though we failed to drive away the thieves~" Ganesha muttered, her gaze shifting to Carla.

Ganesha’s smile remained, but her eyes turned serious.

“Carla.”

“Carla?! You're the Carla?!” Epherene and Allen exclaimed, their faces draining of color.

Carla, like Rohakan, was a criminal graded as the Black Beast—a feared individual known as the Authority of Death, responsible for wiping an entire city off the map and causing thousands of casualties.

Ganesha suggested, "Why don't we make a deal? You can take 5%."

“I think these mana stones are made from people,” Carla said.

Mana stones took on many forms. The most common ones formed naturally when earth and mana fused, crystallizing into solid gems. Rarer types included the Deep Sea Mana Stone, which grew inside the belly of the Black Titan Whale, and the Mountain Mana Stone, found only in the high mountain peaks.

"We could simply sell it to the Floating Islands," Ganesha replied.

Mana stones formed from human corpses were known as Human Mana Stones. While most avoided them, the Floating Islands valued these stones for their use in magical experiments.

Carla shook her head and said, "I think it doesn’t feel right to me because I can’t stand mana stones made from humans."

Ganesha watched Carla in silence.

A young girl, about five foot three, approached nervously. It was Ria, hoping to establish a future connection with the named character.

“Carla, may I ask what led to your decision?”

Carla’s eyes moved silently between Ganesha and Ria.

“Why do you... choose to cooperate with the Altar?” Ganesha asked, picking up a twig from the rubble.

Carla replied, “... Who knows. I wonder if it’s because I don’t want to die.”

Suddenly, an intangible blade swept through the air.

Claaaaang—!

Jackal’s cursed sword, Muramasa, struck with force, but Ganesha effortlessly deflected it with nothing more than a dried twig.

“Whoa, Ganesha! Knew you’d, like, totally nail that, no prob!” Jackal called out, laughing from afar.

Ganesha shook her head with a sigh, then glanced his way.

"Sis! You’ve been here this whole time?” Jackal exclaimed, hopping over and pointing at Deculein, still sitting. “Is the prof, like, totally crashed or what?”

At that moment, Deculein’s eyes slowly opened.

"Oh, like, never mind, I was so wrong, haha!"

Without a word, Deculein surveyed the crowd, then turned his focus to Ganesha and said, “Ganesha, I never expected you to bring a demon along with you.”

"Not a demon, exactly, but a half-human—"

“It makes no difference,” Deculein interrupted. His body groaned, muscles aflame with pain, yet he cast Cleanse to remove the blood and grime. Straightening his attire, he called out, “Ganesha.”

“... Sir!”

As he opened his mouth to continue, another voice called out—it was Ria.

“I swear, I’ll even take an oath if I must. If Carlos becomes a demon, I’ll end him with my own hands. So—”

“Keep your mouth shut,” Deculein cut her off.

Ria bit her lip as Deculein slowly got to his feet, with Epherene and Allen quickly moving to stand beside him.

“The boy is fated to become a demon.”

“No, if we guide him the right way, he—”

“If you can keep it hidden, then do so. But do not speak of oaths. Do not plead with me. If he crosses my path, I will end him without mercy,” Deculein concluded.

"Ah..." Ria murmured, glancing up at him before lowering her head.

Deculein turned away from the girl and focused on Ganesha.

Ganesha gave a faint, bitter smile and said, “I apologize for not telling you earlier. But he is part of the family now.”

“Do you honestly believe a demon can belong to a family?”

“... We will make certain he doesn't become one.”

Deculein's expression hardened. He muttered a curse under his breath, gave a slight head gesture, and said, "... Epherene. Allen."

“Yes, Professor.”

“Yes, sir!”

“We are leaving,” Deculein said, unwilling to remain a second longer near the demon.

As he prepared to leave, he noticed Ihelm loitering nearby and called, “... Ihelm.”

Ihelm stood vacant, his two protégés at his side.

“Ihelm.”

“... Oh,” Ihelm murmured as he turned to Deculein, giving a nod. “Right. Are we leaving? Is it over...? Um, what exactly happened here?”

For the first time, he took in the sight of the ruined castle, eyes wide with disbelief.

“Follow me.”

As Deculein used his Telekinesis to sift through the rubble, a notification suddenly appeared before him.

[Main Quest Completed: The Altar and the Ghost]

◆ Mental Strength +1

[The body of the Iron Man has gained Comprehension of the mana from the Authority]

◆ A new Characteristic has awakened in the circuits and skeleton.

***

As we sailed back on the cruise...

[The body of the Iron Man has gained Comprehension of the mana of 'the Authority']

I glanced away from the system notification toward Carla. She sat with Jackal and Ihelm, casually sipping her wine—odd behavior for a criminal graded as the Black Beast.

"... P-Professor, are you sure it's safe to leave her like that?" Allen asked, his voice trembling.

“It’s fine. She isn’t one to kill without reason,” I replied.

Carla, the Authority. Her mana spanned from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, a vast power rooted in her unique attribute—Luminous Embrace.

Carla had a unique attribute. As her life neared its end, her mana only grew stronger. It was a gift far beyond what any ordinary person could possess, but it came at a heavy price. With less than two years left to live, she suffered from an incurable illness that made her more powerful even as it slowly drained her life away.

I looked over at Epherene. She was biting her nails, lost in thought, and it was starting to get on my nerves.

"That's filthy," I remarked

“... Eh?” Epherene murmured.

Snap—!

Then her nail snapped; she had chewed right through it.

I drew in a sharp breath and muttered, “... Epherene.”

“Yes?”

"That’s five penalty points for you," I stated.

“Eh? Why?! Out of nowhere?!”

“Improper conduct.”

Epherene gaped at me, her eyes widening in shock as she cried, "Noo~ You can't do that~ That's not fair~"

“Why?”

She shook her head as if trying to persuade me and quickly explained, "If I get five more penalty points, that puts me at fifteen. I’ll have to pay a fine."

“Fine. If you can explain what you did wrong, I’ll withdraw the penalty.”

"Hmm..." Epherene frowned, casting me a wary glance before mumbling, "Did you invent some kind of mind-reading magic...?"

"Five penalty points for you," I stated.

“Aaagh!”

***

Autumn had settled over the continent I returned to. The university grounds were scattered with autumn leaves, and the chilly wind bit into my skin. There was a strange emptiness in the season, much like those back on Earth.

— Today is Veron’s funeral. I’m glad you made it just in time.

While organizing my lecture materials in the Mage Tower, a message from Josephine came through.

— Please proceed directly to the funeral at the Freyhem Knights’ Order~ And do remember to play your part, brother-in-law~

Her voice slipped through the crystal orb, smooth and tempting, like the serpent whispering to Eve. The sound of her soft, charming laugh lingered in my ears as I pocketed the orb and headed to the parking lot outside the Mage Tower, where Ren was already waiting.

I got into the car and instructed Ren, "To the Freyhem Knights' Order."

I looked out the window as the car sped down the road, the scenery blurring past. It felt strange, but I knew this was the right decision. It wasn’t a perfect plan, and I might be hated for it, but it was the only way Yulie could survive. That alone made it worth it.

"... Very well, then."

I could keep the emotions in check. No— I could bear them because I loved Yulie. It was a kind of love I didn’t fully understand; it had simply become part of me.

For Deculein, loving Yulie was second nature. So, even if she ended up suffering because of me, even if she came to hate me enough to wish me dead. As long as she could live in the same world as I did...

Tap-tap— Tap-tap—

Suddenly, I felt a nudge. I turned to look.

Tap-tap— Tap-tap—

A red-furred munchkin cat clawed at my sleeve. I glanced down at it, then signaled Ren with a look.

"Yes, sir," Ren replied promptly, pulling the car to a stop and getting out.

The cat glanced at Ren, let out a low laugh, and said, “He catches on fast, doesn’t he?”

“... Your Majesty, to what do I owe the pleasure?” I asked.

“I heard you handled that Ghost Castle mess pretty well,” the cat replied.

“Is that so?”

“Plenty of spirit mages have filed petitions, demanding you be punished as a mass murderer.”

“Is that so?”

“Hmm. You look a bit sour today.”

I gave a brief nod and said, “A demon is drawing near.”

“Again?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“That will take a lot out of you,” Empress Sophien remarked, yawning through the cat’s body.

I replied, “If Your Majesty took the time to study the runic language, it might spare me a lot of trouble.”

“Ah, yes. I would, honestly, but it seems I’m trapped at the moment.”

“Trapped,” I echoed, puzzled at how an Empress could be trapped. “... Could you clarify, Your Majesty?”

“Ah~ So, a treasure was brought to me last night. I toyed with it out of curiosity and somehow ended up trapped inside. It is quite the fascinating item.”

I was stunned into silence. Still, the fact that the Empress had shown curiosity about anything was, at the very least, a good sign.

“So, you’ll need to come and get me out. Keiron is a dumbass, it seems, and can’t manage it himself,” the cat added.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I’m afraid I already have a prior commitment," I replied.

“A prior commitment over the Empress... Hmph. Five years in prison for that. How does that sound?” the cat muttered, licking its paw in annoyance.

"I will make every effort to arrive as soon as I can, Your Majesty."

“And do bring some ice cream with you. Don’t keep me waiting.”

Getting used to the Empress’s unpredictable nature was a challenge. Her demands often came out of nowhere, leaving me constantly on edge.

The red-furred munchkin cat spoke again, “Learning to appreciate life takes time. I just haven’t figured out what really suits me yet.”

“... Yes, Your Majesty. I understand,” I replied.

“Good. Take this cat with you,” the Empress ordered.

At that moment...

“Meeeooow—” the cat cried softly, stretching as the possession faded away.

I gestured to Ren, who was waiting outside, and commanded, "After our visit to the Freyhem Knights' Order... we will stop by the ice cream shop."

“Pardon? Oh, yes, sir,” Ren stammered, momentarily caught off guard.

We had never been to an ice cream shop before, which likely explained his confusion. A strange warmth crept up my spine as the words left my mouth.

***

The Freyhem Knights' Order held a somber and intimate funeral. The atmosphere was peaceful, with few guests in attendance, as the melody of the missa filled the funeral hall. Yulie stood by Veron’s coffin, lost in thought.

“Yulie,” Josephine called out gently.

Yulie sighed softly, turned to her, and greeted, "You’re here.”

“Yes. How are you feeling? Are you doing okay?”

“I am, actually. It’s a relief to have his remains back, thanks to you,” Yulie said, offering her sister Josephine a respectful bow.

In response, Josephine gently patted Yulie’s head with a smile.

A faint vibration came from the crystal orb tucked inside her robe. Unfazed, Josephine glanced at Yulie and said gently, “Well, I need to step out for a moment, Yulie.”

“Of course, please take your time.”

“Okay~” Josephine said with a cheerful wave before exiting the hall.

Yulie watched her leave before turning back to the funeral. Around her, many knights wept, their sorrow strangely filling Yulie with a quiet sense of pride. This was the camaraderie and kinship she had long sought as a knight, now emerging in this solemn moment.

"Grand Knight," Deputy Knight Rockfell said as he approached, his cloak billowing behind him.

Yulie cleared her throat and replied, "Yes, Rockfell. What is it?"

"A luxury vehicle is parked outside."

“A luxury car?”

"Yes, Grand Knight. It is parked a little further away, but I believe it to be Professor Deculein's vehicle."

"... Ah!" Yulie exclaimed.

Rockfell gave a slight smile, fully grasping her reaction. They both understood what it meant.

Yulie said, “So, the professor has come to extend his condolences...”

“That must be the case. After all, the knight gave his life to save him.”

"... He must be exhausted; the mission only ended recently," Yulie murmured, a faint smile tugging at her lips. "I’ll go to him. Knowing the professor, he doesn’t do well alone in situations like this."

“Understood. Please go ahead.”

Yulie decided to approach casually and remain by his side, as if by coincidence. She knew the professor preferred it that way.

Yulie took a deep breath and pushed the door to the funeral hall open.