A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 24: Trace (3)

“... Hmph,” Josephine murmured as she tapped her cheek with her fingers, eavesdropping on the conversation inside.

It was fascinating, and she almost felt a bit upset at being called the insistent sister, but she couldn't help but smile in the end. The price of using the head of the great Yukline family was merely a monthly smile. It was cringe-worthy but also refreshingly honest.

Yet, Yulie couldn’t even respond to that. Josephine found herself frustrated. If it had been her, she would have secured several mines by now.

"Shall I wait a bit more..."

She had planned to kill Deculein. Ever since that day when Yulie wept alone, she had been devising plans, coming up with hundreds, even thousands, of strategies. She had waited for Yulie to speak up, but Yulie was too kind to even imagine saying such things, so she decided to stop waiting.

“Very well.”

But today, Deculein's sincerity was worth listening to. Josephine could discern the tone of his voice. His declaration that he wouldn’t marry Yulie was indeed genuine. So, she decided to let it go this time and postpone her plan for now.

“... Brother, what do you think of Deculein?” Josephine asked Zeit, who was yawning at a table on the first floor.

Zeit raised his eyebrows and responded, “What do you think?”

“I don’t know, brother. I just want to follow Yulie's decision. What about you?”

Zeit's expression turned slightly grim. He rubbed his temples a few times before running his hand through his hair.

“You can’t move the king like a queen in chess. You can’t move a knight like a king, and you can’t move a pawn like a knight. If something you thought was a queen turned out to be a knight, it would be quite disappointing.”

Zeit hadn’t initially wanted to push for the marriage with Deculein either.

“But Deculein isn’t just a piece. He is the chessboard. Even if the board has a few scratches, it doesn’t mean you can’t place pieces on it.”

“So what?”

Zeit looked out the restaurant window, the embers of past wars still raging in his eyes.

“Josephine, I remember our father’s death,” Zeit said through gritted teeth. The terrifying aura that emerged at that moment suffocated the area, causing the nobles in the restaurant to cough without knowing why.

“Our father was worth more than all those damned bureaucrats in the capital combined. But they treated a knight’s honor as worth less than a mere mana stone.”

Josephine only nodded. Sometimes, like today, Zeit could be frightening even to her.

“It’s the capital, Josephine. In the frontier, we don’t even have a chessboard to play on.”

The frontier county of Freyden, a noble family with a long history of defending the Empire’s northwestern border from Land of Destruction, had lost their head in a past defeat.

“I will not repeat the past. Yulie knows that as well,” Zeit said.

“Yes, I understand, brother,” Josephine replied.

Josephine had accepted her father's death. She always knew that Zeit would succeed him, and she had no way to overthrow him, so she gave up on becoming the head early on. Josephine quickly lost interest in things she couldn't have.

“... Those bastards deserve to be torn apart. One day, I will rip their limbs off and feed them to dogs...” Zeit growled.

Josephine shook her head. Despite being family, Zeit was ruthless, and it worried her. With Zeit being this way, if Yulie ever spread her wings and flew away... Josephine hoped that if that day came, Yulie would be much stronger than Zeit. She hoped Yulie would be able to defeat him and soar more brilliantly than anyone...

Just then, Yulie came down to the first floor, accompanied by Deculein.

“Oh, Professor Deculein. Have you finished your conversation?” Zeit asked, immediately changing his expression when he saw Deculein.

There was an awkward tension between Yulie and Deculein, but it wasn't as hostile as before.

“Oh~ haha. It seems the conversation went well?” Zeit asked.

“Yes,” Deculein nodded.

That was enough for Zeit. Satisfied, he patted Yulie on the shoulder.

“Then, let’s go! Time for a drink.”

The four of them left the restaurant together. Deculein deliberately walked slowly, allowing the three from Freyden to lead the way.

"Did you enjoy the food, Yulie? We ate downstairs as well~ The meat was delicious," Zeit asked Yulie.

"I don’t know. Also sister, please don’t talk to me anymore."

"Huh? Why? Why? Don’t make your sister sad, Yulie," Josephine said.

"Do you really not know? Think about what you said today."

"What? Did you have a disagreement while choosing dresses?" Zeit asked.

From a distance, they seemed like a bickering but harmonious family. However, a closer look revealed otherwise. As Charlie Chaplin said, "Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long-shot."

“I should be heading back. I have matters at the Mage Tower to attend to,” Deculein said, stopping at the crossroads.

“What? Why are you leaving so soon? Have a drink with us,” Zeit insisted, but Josephine intervened.

She whispered something to Zeit, which included the words about day of remembrance. Overhearing this, Yulie looked at Deculein with a peculiar expression.

“Oh. I see. Well, take care. I hope we can have another gathering like this soon,” Zeit said.

“I hope so too,” Deculein replied.

With that, Deculein turned and walked in a different direction from them.

***

Early the next morning.

Bang—!

The chair I tried to lift lightly shot up violently. It almost crashed into the ceiling, but I adjusted my Telekinesis, and it gently settled down like a leaf in the breeze.

“... I’m still not used to this.”

[Mana Quality Enhancement (Level 1) has been applied.]

[You can now harness mana with greater purity.]

The qualitative enhancement of mana meant that the mana in my body had been purified. Mana circulation was smoother, allowing me to produce superior output with the same amount of mana.

As a result, the power of my Telekinesis, with magic circles memorized all over my body, had increased by at least 25%. However, the inconvenience of having to readjust from the beginning was annoying.

Anyway, it was time to memorize Beginner Telekinesis again. My current Telekinesis was a mix of Basic and Beginner levels, but with one more week of effort, I could fully transition to the Beginner level of Telekinesis and expect a dramatic performance improvement. At that moment...

Swoosh—

The door to the annex suddenly swung open.

“What is it?” I asked.

I had clearly stated that no one should enter without permission. Who dared to—

“What do you mean, what is it? It’s me,” Yeriel said.

It was Yeriel. Her eyes bulged in disbelief as soon as she saw me.

“What... Aren’t you going to put on some clothes? You’ve been working out lately, but have you developed some kind of exhibitionism? Why are you shirtless all of a sudden?” Yeriel asked incredulously.

In Yeriel’s hand was a piece of parchment. Its appearance was unusual, and the system reacted immediately.

[Main Quest: Gatherings from Berhert]

“Take this. Berhert has convened a meeting. It’s the first in fifteen years.” Yeriel said.

I used Telekinesis to bring it over and read it. There wasn’t much to it, just a notice that the Yukline family had been called, with a postscript to take care of my own safety.

“But seriously, did you go through torture or something? Are you dying soon? You look terrible, and kinda disgusting,” Yeriel continued, scrutinizing me with a frown.

She was right; my body was covered in wounds and stained with blood.

“It’s nothing,” I replied.

I had been planning to clean up anyway. I used a cleanse spell to wash away the grime and asked, “Did you come all this way just to deliver this parchment?”

“Partially. I have other things to do, so I’ll be here until tomorrow,” Yeriel said with a shrug, her tone grumbling and looking somewhat shy. “Oh, by the way, remember the room I used when I entered the university? I’ll be staying there, so don’t even think about coming in.”

“You’re being rude,” I said.

“... Sir. You’re really picky about manners, aren’t you? Oh, so picky~” Yeriel replied sarcastically.

With that taunt, Yeriel left the room and shouted, "Bring me some food!"

I could hear Yeriel immediately shouting at the servants.

“... Tomorrow, huh.”

Yeriel said she’d be here until tomorrow... Today is the day of remembrance. It surely couldn’t be just a coincidence.

***

Com’on, Join Our Club! CMRC: Common Magic Research Club

Epherene looked at the sign on the club room door and laughed. The wordplay in the club's name, with the phrase Com'on cleverly carried a double meaning—it was both an invitation to come on and join the club, while subtly hinting the commoner background of its club members with the shortened com.[1]

“Ah, why do I find this so funny?” Epherene chuckled. As she tried to stifle her laughter, the door suddenly swung open. “Yikes!”

“Oh, Ephie! You’re here?! Come in!” Julia said as she grabbed Epherene’s wrist and pulled her inside.

“Oh, Epherene, you’re here,” Rondo said.

“Want to play cards with us?” Yufin asked.

The club had only seven members, far fewer than expected, but Epherene found this small, tight-knit group to be quite enjoyable.

“Ephie, what do you think? Isn’t it spacious?” Julia asked, twirling in the middle of the club room.

“Yes, it is,” Epherene replied.

The room was much larger than she had expected, almost as big as her old house.

“There’s even a sofa...” Epherene murmured as she walked over and sat on it. It was soft. She pressed down on it with her hips, and it quickly returned to its original shape.

“Wow.”

She pressed down again, and it bounced back just as easily. She pushed harder this time, but there was still no problem. Indeed, this was the finest sofa she had ever sat on.

Epherene glanced at her classmates and then slowly lay down on the sofa. Yawning, she asked, “By the way, Julia, what did you list as the club’s purpose?”

“Hmm? Oh, Practical Understanding and Exploration of Magic. If we do well, we might even get to visit the Floating Island,” Julia replied.

The Floating Island of mages had an entrance fee of a hefty 1,000 elne, but it was a must-visit for any mage. After all, the promotion exams were held there.

“Without the entrance fee?” Epherene asked, focusing on the cost.

Money, money, money. The 100,000 elne sponsorship was dwindling quickly. The prices of writing instruments and grimoires were no joke. And eating that Roahawk boar last week hadn’t helped... She had thought she’d get a discount as a friend’s daughter, but they had been so strict about it...

“Of course, it’s free,” Julia said.

“Wow! I mean, uh, I see.”

That was great news. In that case, the club activities weren’t as bad as she thought.

“But don’t we need a supervising professor’s approval for that?” Ferit asked, speaking up.

Epherene listened quietly, pretending not to care.

“Hmm... Maybe Epherene could ask? She seems to get along well with Professor Deculein,” Julia said after thinking for a moment.

“What? Why me?” Epherene asked.

“Because you don’t seem to mind Professor Deculein. There are rumors that he favors you,” Julia added.

Favors? Epherene’s face twisted in annoyance. Unbelievable. Such a ridiculous rumor.

“Are you insane? Who says that? Did someone lose their mind while studying for exams?” Epherene retorted.

“Then what is it? Honestly, this club was your idea, wasn’t it?” Julia pressed.

Epherene smacked her lips in silence. Deculein's kindness toward her was puzzling. He held such high expectations, only to be let down. She tried to make sense of it, but the reasons were elusive. For now, the only explanation that made any sense was pity.

“So, what’s your relationship with Deculein?” Julia asked.

“Ugh. Relationship? He’s just...” Epherene said, scratching the back of her neck.

To her, Deculein was an enemy and rival she had to surpass. He was the reason she became a mage and her primary goal. She would always strive to surpass him with humility and diligence. But saying that out loud felt awkward. So...

“He’s my rival,” Epherene said.

Laughter erupted around the room. Julia spat out the water she was drinking.

“That’s hilarious, Ephie,” Julia said.

“It’s not a joke.”

“Hahaha, your serious face makes it even funnier.”

“Laugh all you want.”

As they laughed and chatted, the door suddenly slammed open. A man who looked like a large pot stormed in, fuming with anger.

“Hey, all of you. What is this?”

It was Relin, the plump, round professor from the Support Studies Department.

“CMRC? What kind of nonsense is this? Hey! What is this?” Relin shouted without any explanation.

Startled, the club members hid behind Epherene.

“What kind of club is this supposed to be?” Relin repeated, questioning.

Despite her tension, Epherene stepped forward calmly. She had anticipated this kind of backlash.

“We wrote a Club Formation Proposal and received approval. It’s an officially recognized club,” Epherene explained.

“What? Who approved this nonsense? Wait a minute. Now I see, you’re that halfwit who was disciplined.”

Halfwit again? It seems to be a popular term among the Mage Tower's professors. Epherene glared at Relin.

“Hah, look at this cheeky brat, staring at a professor... Hey! Lower your gaze!” Relin shouted, his face turning red with anger.

In the hallway, the noble classmates were snickering. It was clear they had been the ones to inform Relin about the club.

“Fine, if you’re so confident, tell me! A club requires at least one supervising professor’s approval. Name that professor!” Relin demanded. “Speak up!”

Epherene bit her lower lip at his command. She had promised not to cause any trouble when forming the club.

“Hah! You must have forged it. If you did, you’ll be expelled. Even if not, you’ve clearly defied me. I’ll tell the professor who approved this club exactly what I think to their face!” Relin sneered.

Relin assumed a newly appointed professor, naive and inexperienced, had approved it. He thought it must be someone like Shane or Heisen, professors of commoner origin.

“Come on, tell me! Who is it?” Relin asked confidently.

“Umm...”

“Speak up! Now!”

The more Epherene hesitated, the fiercer Relin became. More nobles gathered in the hallway, watching the commoner's club with mocking eyes. Just then...

“Tell me! Before I find out myself—”

“It’s me.”

“What?! Who..." Relin said, turning and freezing in place.

Like a man turned to stone, Relin stood there, dumbfounded, with a puzzled, almost innocent look on his face.

“Professor Relin, you called for me. So here I am,” Deculein said.

Deculein. Why is this professor here?

“Uh... sorry?”

“Speak to me, Professor Relin,” Deculein said.

Deculein stepped closer, looking down at him. The height difference was ideal. If only Relin were a woman...

“Speak up, Professor Relin. What is the issue here?” Deculein demanded.

“... Uh, Head Professor Deculein, you approved this club...”

“Yes, I approved it.”

“Oh, I-I see... But w-why did...?”

“Do I need a reason to approve something? Should I have sought your permission first?” Deculein said, his lips twisting into a smile.

Relin’s eyes darted around frantically.

Deculein continued, “Go on with what you were saying.”

“Well...” Relin said, breathing heavily, desperately searching for an excuse. "Well, uh..."

Relin racked his brain frantically, his eyes darting around for something, anything, and after thirty seconds, he finally, desperately blurted out.

“This space is too cramped, isn’t it?!” Relin said, pointing around the clubroom. “We’re mages from the Mage Tower of the Imperial University, and the furnishings here are unacceptable! It’s too small, and the furniture is inadequate! That’s what I was upset about. Hahaha.”

Relin exhaled deeply, then plastered a bright smile on his face and said, "I'll take responsibility and ensure we get better furnishings."

“You’re very considerate, Professor Relin,” Deculein said calmly, nodding.

Relin laughed nervously, trying to play along.

“I have a class to teach, so I’ll be on my way. Ha ha ha!” Relin said, leaving while laughing loudly. The hallway of the Mage Tower was still crowded with curious mages.

Deculein glanced at them, particularly the group that had informed Relin. He knew their names—Beck, Lucia, and Juperne.

"Vermin will always act like vermin," Deculein said coldly. The group flinched and quickly scattered like pests caught in the open, fleeing to avoid any consequences.

Deculein then looked around at the members of the CMRC. His gaze shifted to the clubroom itself.

“It does look cheap,” Deculein remarked, saying only that before walking down the hallway like a model in a photoshoot.

“... Wow,” Ferit muttered, collapsing onto the sofa, his legs weak.

The other members were equally shaken. They had felt a chill from Deculein’s presence. Despite rumors about the decline of his outputs over the past three years, anyone who encountered him would immediately realize those rumors were nonsense.

“Was Professor Deculein in a bad mood today? He seemed scarier than usual...” Ferit said.

“Shh,” Julia said, putting a finger to her lips and whispering softly. “Today is the day of remembrance for his late fiancée.”

“Day of remembrance?” Ferit asked, startled.

Epherene widened her eyes in surprise. She hadn’t known that.

“Yeah. But don’t ever mention it in front of Professor Deculein. If you do, you might never open your eyes again. It’s forbidden to talk about it,” Julia warned ominously.

Epherene stifled a laugh. The idea of never opening your eyes again for saying the wrong thing was absurd. But seeing the serious expressions on the others' faces, she held back her laughter.

“It’s strange that today is his fiancée’s day of remembrance. I didn’t know the professor had someone he cared about,” Epherene said softly.

“... Huh?” Julia said, looking puzzled. It was understandable if she was unaware of Deculein's past loss, but his engagement to Yulie was too well-known to ignore.

Then again, commoners like us aren't privy to high social scene gossip, Julia thought.

“Who would have thought he had someone he loved,” Epherene mused, her voice a blend of sighing and criticism.

At that moment, Rondo, who had been looking at a Wizard Board, exclaimed, “Oh no! This is crazy!”

“What’s wrong?” Julia and Epherene asked, turning to look at him.

“Professor Deculein just assigned a ton of assignments,” Rondo said, looking panicked.

“What? Let me see!” Julia exclaimed. Julia, Epherene, and Rondo, all students in Deculein’s class, crowded around the Wizard Board to read the assignment.

The tasks listed by Deculein were overwhelming:

Research and describe the spell of Pure Elements combined with three or more elements.

Research and describe the theory and element fluctuations according to Mana Density and Concentration.

Research and describe the Quality of Mana.

“Oh my god, what is this...?” Epherene muttered, feeling a wave of dizziness as she realized the enormity of the assignment.

1. Original from Raw: Epherene looked at the sign on the club room door and laughed. The wordplay in the club's name, Common Magic Research Club, used Common as a play on words for both the club being common and ordinary, as well as for commoners. ☜