A Villain's Will to Survive-Chapter 197: Tough Battle (4)

Ria became aware of the Altar’s movements only because of the quest.

[Main Quest: The Altar (1)]

Even the weakest of the Altar’s forces could not be underestimated. Though their lack of organization, each of them had become a kind of chimera, their bodies fused with the veins of demonic beasts.

The moment Ria received the quest notification, she wasted no time and rallied everyone within the walls, knowing that even the slightest delay was not to be permitted.

“... Oh!”

Putting herself close to the wall like a barnacle, Ria looked down at the approaching group from the Altar. They were the fanatical cult responsible for the latter stages of the main quest—a specter of the Era of Divine Rule, a shadow of the past, and the personification of evil that sought the continent’s destruction.

Of course, they likely saw themselves as justice personified. However, in a world where people struggle to live, the greatest evil has always been those who believed their own sense of justice was the only right path.

Whummm...

The demonic energy emanating from the Altar’s mages swirled like a violent storm, far harsher, more ferocious, and more malevolent than mana could ever be.

“L-Look at them!” Ria shouted, her finger trembling as she pointed to warn them.

“There’s no need for all this fuss,” Deculein said, giving a pathetic look as he motioned for silence.

“What?!”

"They’re nothing."

What do you mean, it’s nothing?! This professor and his stubborn personality never change, do they? Ria thought in frustration.

Fwoooooooosh—!

The demonic energy of the Altar’s mages bubbled and boiled, condensing as if to channel all its pressure and heat into a single, focused point. From that ominous energy, Ria felt a chilling aura—a looming sense of death drawing near.

Just as she was about to cry out for it to stop...

Snap—

The demonic energy from the other side had vanished—or rather, only faint traces remained. Like damp gunpowder, feeble wisps of smoke hung in the air, trembling with fragility.

“... Pfft.”

At that moment, a faint sound of mocking laughter brushed past her ears, and Ria turned to Deculein, her mind clouded with confusion.

“Hahahaha—”

Deculein let out a laugh—not particularly loud, but for someone like him, it bordered dangerously close to madness. The Altar on the other side seemed momentarily taken aback, though only for the span of a heartbeat, before quickly gathering their demonic energy again and resuming their spellwork. Deculein, in turn, observed them with an impenetrable look.

Zzap—!

Then the sparks burst through the air, not just once.

Fzzt—! Fzzzzzt—!

The sparks flared in rapid bursts, crackling like an electric shock snapping on and off, or like the sharp sizzle of a mosquito caught in an electric fly swatter.

Bzzt! Bzzzzzt—!

Not knowing how long that monotonous stillness had lasted, lost in her thoughts, Ria suddenly came to a realization. A battle of magic typically referred to a destructive clash driven by spells—something far removed from the unnervingly static atmosphere surrounding her now.

However, Ria came to an understanding. The sparks crackling so intensely could be explained by only one thing—what was happening now, what Deculein was doing, was the immediate calculation and deconstruction of magic.

It was Mana Interference—calculating the structure and circuits of the magic circle faster than the caster themselves and interfering with the completion of the spell. Textbook definitions would still classify this as part of a battle of magic.

However, it was almost always the defensive side that relied on this technique. Since the caster of the spell held an overwhelming advantage, such encounters were rarely practical and even less likely to succeed.

The reason was that the defender had to decipher, in the briefest of moments, the type and category of magic the attacker intended to cast—the spells, circuits, logic, and combinations. Using their intuition and knowledge, they had to release their mana and collapse the very core of the spell before it could be completed.

Fzzzzzt—!

Fzzt—!

Updat𝓮d from frёewebnoѵēl.com.

Therefore, this kind of battle of magic was something almost no mage could hope to achieve, but Ria had seen something like it before.

It had appeared in a scenario she remembered—a moment when Archmage Demakan made his grand debut, deconstructing every spell cast by the rival schools of magic in a battle of magic, a breathtaking display of the power expected of an archmage.

Ria thought, But how could Deculein possibly...

"Oh! Demonic energy!" Ria exclaimed without thinking.

Sniff, sniff—

Ria could smell the demonic energy swirling near the edge of the wall.

Deculein and the Yukline family were defined by their unique relationship with demonic energy. They carried a pathological hatred for demons and were the most dangerous opponents to face. However, the moment they accepted demonic energy, their power transcended human limitations, unlocking strength far beyond their natural capabilities.

Could it be possible that Deculein has an instinctive, almost primal sensitivity to magic created by demonic energy? Is that why he can immediately sense spells imbued with it and deconstruct them completely the moment they take shape and...

"Demonic energy? Ah, you must mean the Yukline bloodline," Ihelm remarked, glancing at Deculein with a faint smirk. "Well, it’s true. The Yukline family does have that tradition—becoming stronger when facing demons or something of the sort."

It wasn’t merely a tradition—it was a fact. Ria glanced toward Ihelm, then turned her eyes back to Deculein.

At that moment, a sudden realization dawned on her. The image of Deculein as an irredeemable villain—shallow, unchanging, and devoid of even a slightest of potential for redemption—had been nothing more than a construct, perhaps even a bias, shaped by the narrative of the scenario.

It was this deeply ingrained notion that had blinded her to any alternative perspective until now.

What if Deculein could be swayed to our side? Or, at the very least, if we could guide his power toward something greater and put it to good use? Ria thought.

When he was going up against demonic energy, he was all but untouchable—no, even now, the sight of him left no room for doubt.

Fzzt— Bzzt—! Fzzzzzt—!

The chaotic sparks that had once filled the air began to fade, clearly signaling that the Altar mages' demonic energy had been completely drained.

"So, is that all?" Deculein murmured.

In other words, when it came to demonic energy, Deculein wasn’t just nearly invincible.

"It was foolish of me to expect anything from the likes of you—wretches who have long since abandoned the last shreds of your humanity."

Deculein was, in every sense, invincible.

“... Not even the slightest bit entertaining. Lunatics, driven beyond madness. Worthless filth, beneath even the most depraved of fools. And with such a pathetic excuse for a system of magic, how dare you stand before me...”

Of course, the exposure to demonic energy seemed to make him far more ferocious and violent than usual.

"Even got the talent for trash talk,” Ria muttered.

Suddenly, Deculein turned around and glanced in her direction.

“... A-Ahem! Ahem! Yeah, that’s right! How dare you!” Ria huffed, quickly lowering her eyes.

***

A heavy silence loomed over the grand hall of the Imperial Palace, where majesty and weighty dignity intertwined. It was as if the world itself had faded to shades of gray, stripped of all vitality. Outside, the steady drizzle seeped into the hearts of the gathered officials, staining them with a quiet gloom.

“... If we hadn’t forced the defenses into place, ignoring the warnings...” Sophien muttered.

Today's assembly in the grand imperial hall was designed for the weighty task of meetings and governmental reports. As Sophien skimmed through the documents sent from the farthest corners of the continent, she shook her head.

“The Empire wouldn’t just be in ruins—it would’ve been wiped off the map.”

The officials remained silent. Among them, Romelock and the theocracy—those who had opposed Deculein’s predictions before the winter arrived—hung their heads so low that it seemed their necks might snap. Now, there was no room for doubt. This southern advance had been the most intense in the Empire’s history.

"Your Majesty, perhaps it would be best to first send the Imperial Knights to the regions in greatest hardship. Furthermore, if we were to secure additional supplies from the Yukline Merchant Guild—"

“I’ve heard enough,” Sophien declared, silencing the officials. “Based on these reports and the current state of affairs, I alone will decide the form, extent, and location of aid and reinforcements.”

These damned officials—except for a rare few—would undoubtedly prioritize aid based on their own hometowns or the interests of their allies and their associates' houses, rather than the needs of the Empire itself.

“But, Your Majesty—”

Just as Romelock was about to quietly raise opposition once more...

“Your Majesty!”

Beyond the open doors of the grand hall, Imperial Knight Gawain and Court Mage Geor rushed forward, their urgency written in the pallor of their faces. Even Sophien held her tongue, refraining from chastising them for the sudden interruption.

“Your Majesty! There is an urgent matter requiring your attention!” Gawain and Geor cried out, dropping to their knees in the grand hall.

"Speak," Sophien said with a sigh.

"Your Majesty, I, Gawain, found last night’s mana disturbance too irregular to overlook. Therefore, I took it upon myself to investigate the gardens and inner walls of the Imperial Palace. And then!" Gawain exclaimed, rising to his feet and presenting a torn piece of a robe.

Sophien recognized it at a glance—a calling card left behind by Rohakan.

"I discovered a torn piece of a robe caught on the bars. Finding it suspicious, I requested for Mage Geor’s analysis, and—"

"Are you saying an intruder breached the Imperial Palace?" Romelock asked, his brow tightening.

"Yes. But there's something even more urgent—no, this isn’t the time for explanations. Mage Geor?!" Gawain said, nodding before growing serious.

"Your Majesty, when this robe was discovered, traces of someone's mana still lingered on it, not yet fully faded. Out of caution, I compared it to the mana records of criminals stored within the Imperial Palace archives, and..."

Gulp—

Geor swallowed hard, his eyes sweeping the grand hall. The officials, lost in confusion, remained unaware of the weight of the truth he was about to reveal—a truth he feared to speak.

“... It was Rohakan.”

Everyone's eyes widened in shock, a chorus of stifled gasps from the officials filling the hall. Romelock, who had ties to Rohakan, turned deathly pale, his body trembling as if the ground beneath him had given way.

"... Your Majesty, it was Rohakan who had breached the Imperial Palace," Gawain continued.

Sophien gave a composed nod. The officials were usually slow to catch on, but this time, they had realized it quickly, leading her to think that Gawain and Geor made a more competent pair than she had expected.

"Your Majesty, how should we respond? Should we first issue a widespread bounty and reinforce the defenses of the Imperial Palace, and—"

"Leave it be. The continent is already in chaos—there is no need to fan the flames by dragging the Imperial Palace into it," Sophien cut off Gawain.

Romelock bowed his head and said, "But, Your Majesty! If it truly was Rohakan, then he must be looking to exploit this chaos to strike at you—"

"Romelock, do you plan to spew such blasphemy over mere speculation? I will not fall to the likes of Rohakan," Sophien interrupted, rising from her seat as if she had no patience for further discussion. "However, a mage is best dealt with by another mage."

Rohakan claims that his days are numbered, but that does not absolve him of his crimes—nor is he the sort to seek absolution. That’s likely why he left behind this trace of himself, Sophien thought.

"Once this southern advance is over, leave it to Deculein. Since the man was thoughtful enough to leave a scrap of his robe behind, preserve it well, assign a skilled adventurer-mage versed in tracking spells, and he will handle the rest."

With those final words, Sophien turned and left the grand hall, a train of knights and officials flowing behind her.

Upon entering her bedchamber, Sophien glanced at the towering piles of documents and reports before letting herself sink onto her bed. Lying there, staring blankly at the ceiling, she found herself repeating Rohakan’s words—words that, in over a century of life, had never once taken root in her thoughts.

“... Is everyone who walks alongside me doomed to misfortune?”

Those who walk alongside me are doomed to misfortune? My very existence has been nothing but misfortune. And that damned man dared to speak of misfortune when he has never died a hundred deaths, never lived a life defined by nothing but pain and death, Sophien thought.

"Are you listening?" Sophien murmured with a faint smirk, her eyes settling on the snow globe resting atop the table. "... Keiron."

After living for over a century, to be wondering about it now—it’s almost laughable. But just this once, I’ll entertain the thought for the last time.

"Do I, bring misfortune to those around me?"

... But whether Rohakan’s words were truth or lies, the future he spoke of—by the very act of speaking it—has already become one that will never come to be.

"... There is no world in which I would love that man. There is no such emotion that is ever fated before it is felt."

Sophien knew this better than anyone. Even after hundreds of regressions, no two days had ever been the same. Every slight action, every minute decision she made, had the power to reshape fate itself. So, no matter how much nonsense Rohakan spewed—whether there was truth in it or not—she knew one thing for certain; she could prevent it, just as she always had.

Tap, tap— Tap, tap—

At that moment, a faint tapping sounded against the window, causing Sophien to sit up in bed and look downward.

“Ah! It’s an honor to stand before Your Majesty!” said an adventurer from the garden below, grinning up at her as he held up a letter. “A message from Professor Deculein~ Your Majesty.”

***

Beneath the night of the Northern Region in Rekordak, where stars lay scattered like jewels upon velvet, I kept my watch in silence.

“Snore... Snore...”

On the floor atop the wall of Rekordak, Epherene lay asleep, while Louina and Ihelm passed the time with a game of cards. It was the calm before the storm—perhaps the last we would know. In that brief moment of peace, I took the opportunity to inspect the performance of my Daeho Robe.

───────

[Daeho Robe]

◆ Details

: A finely crafted robe made from the hide of a Daeho.

: Enhanced by Midas Touch, all its effects have been amplified.

◆ Category

: Treasure ⊃ Robe

◆ Special Effects

: Advanced Magical Resistance

: Advanced Physical Resistance

: Advanced Tiger’s Aura

[Midas Touch: Level 4]

───────

Magical and physical resistance were common enough effects, but the Advanced grade on its effects made this robe exceptional. Typically, such a grade was reserved for armor worth millions of elne, yet this was nothing more than a robe.

More than that, its unique effect, Tiger’s Aura, an effect so potent it bordered on magic and...

“Professor Deculein~?”

Just then, a sudden voice called out to me. As it was the very person I had been looking for, I turned toward the voice without the sound, and there stood Ganesha.

"We're planning to leave now~ Would that be alright?" Ganesha asked, with Leo and Ria standing beside her.

I silently shook my head.

"Then~? What is it you’d have us do?" Ganesha asked, her smile bright.

"... I, Deculein, as the head of the Yukline family, would like to offer a commission to the Red Garnet Adventure Team."

"Oh~ I was starting to wonder when you’d get to it. Just so you know, we don’t work for free~"

I pulled out a checkbook from my coat and handed it to her.

“Oh my, my! This much~?!” Ganesha exclaimed, her eyes widening, practically turning into elne symbols at the sight of the amount.

"How much, how much is it?"

"I wanna see too! I wanna see!"

Ria and Leo looked over her shoulder and caught sight of the long string of numbers, immediately gasping in shock.

"Did you achieve what you sought in the Land of Destruction?" I asked, letting their excitement pass as I steer the conversation elsewhere.

This adventure team had been traveling back and forth between the walls of Rekordak and the Land of Destruction for some time now. No doubt, they were searching for something.

"I heard you’ve been visiting the hospital as well. Seems you have an interest in the herbs gathered by the herbalists."

Without saying a word, Ganesha tucked the check away.

"Is the half-breed injured?" I asked in a single sentence.

Then, the three adventurers tensed, and Ria, lips jutted in a pout, glared daggers at me.

... That expression is difficult to bear, I thought.

I turned my eyes and looked toward Ganesha.

"... Isn’t half-breed a word meant for beasts~?" Ganesha said.

"Ganesha, I am barely holding my fury in check. You should be grateful that I haven’t already sent men to hunt him down and make sure he never draws another breath," I said with a voice carrying a flicker of heat.

Ganesha awkwardly turned her head, scratching the back of her neck, and replied, “Ahem. Alright, alright~ I get it. After all, Professor, you're the type to bury an entire Scarletborn alive at the mere scent of demonic energy in their blood. Carlos—no, the child is a little sick, but we’ll cure him. And this money... we’ll put it all toward that.”

I remained silent.

“So, I was just hoping you might be willing to turn a blind eye, just a little~?” Ganesha said, fluttering her twin tails.

I looked between Ganesha, Leo, and Ria before giving a slight nod and replied, “There’s nothing to turn a blind eye in the first place.”

Whoooosh—

A chill wind brushed through, ruffling my hair and making the robe's hem sway.

"If he cannot be fixed, then I will risk everything I have to kill him. That remains unchanged. If he dares to stand before me, I will kill him without hesitation," I said.

The trio tensed for a moment, but Ganesha was the first to nod and replied, “Alright, alright~ Then for now, we’ll start preparing for our mission~”

Ganesha descended the wall, with Leo following close behind her, but... Ria stayed behind and looked at me with her eyes betraying an unspoken question.

“I have a—”

“Leave,” I said, meeting her eyes.

“... Okie,” Ria replied before hopping off the wall and hurrying after the others.

I watched her leave for a moment before shaking my head and pulling out the book tucked inside my coat—The History of the Imperial Palace. Page by page, I read, grounding myself in the words as I prepared for the final battle that awaited.

... The air in Rekordak was bitterly cold, and the night, fragile as glass on the brink of fracture, stretched on, keeping pace with me.