A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 116

Chapter 116: Sophien (1)

Yulie had awoken in the Imperial Palace infirmary to find Empress Sophien seated by her side. As usual, Keiron stood silently behind the Empress. Yulie blinked in confusion, her eyes fluttering instinctively at the unexpected sight.

“... This isn’t a mere wound. It’s a curse. A particularly vile one,” Sophien remarked, her tone as dry as desert sand.

Yulie attempted to sit up, but pain forced her back down, gasping, “Ah...!”

“It’s fine. Stay down,” Sophien said.

“No, Your Majesty, I—”

“This curse— I was told you got it while protecting Deculein.”

Yulie stayed quiet, offering no response.

Sophien’s gaze swept over Yulie as she continued, “I, too, once suffered from a cruel illness. Life was so agonizing that even the pain lost its edge. Knight, look into my eyes.”

Yulie hesitated before meeting the Empress's gaze. In Sophien's eyes, there had been no spark, no sign of life—only a hollow emptiness.

Sophien let out a soft chuckle and said, “You can see it, can’t you? The illness still gnaws at me. They call it ennui, or maybe even lethargy.” _{freēwēbnovel.com}

With that, she rested her hand on Yulie’s forehead. Immediately, a wave of cool relief flowed through Yulie’s body.

“Your Majesty, this is...”

“I learned the runic language from Deculein. It’s a healing letter, but curses like yours aren’t something that can be cured. This will only ease the symptoms temporarily.”

“Ah!” Yulie gasped, quickly sitting up.

As Yulie attempted to rise in formal greeting, Sophien shook her head and said, “Standing any higher would be rather rude, not respectful. Remain where you are and lie still.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Furthermore, I couldn’t completely cure you. This curse will claim your life one day.”

"... Yes, I am aware."

The curse had worsened over time, and the pain that clenched her heart like a vice had already become a part of her daily routine.

Understanding the torment, Sophien gazed at the moon through the window and muttered, “... Sometimes, I think about starting over. Forgetting everything. Living as if none of this ever happened. This life is a failure.”

Yulie flinched at the sudden confession, her voice trembling and replied, “Please don’t say such things, Your Majesty. You have not failed.”

Sophien’s gaze returned to Yulie as she continued, “Your curse is irreversible. In a way, you're not so different from me. Haven’t you ever wished to start again? Or wondered what might have happened if you hadn’t chosen to protect Deculein?”

Yulie shook her head quietly.

“Why is that?” Sophien inquired, her tone serious.

“Because that decision was mine to make, and this is the path I’ve chosen for my life.”

It was a response worthy of a knight. Silence filled the room, settling in like a quiet acknowledgment.

“... I see,” Sophien said with a slight nod, allowing a faint smile to play on her lips. “You are not like Deculein.”

“... Am I?” Yulie asked softly, her expression clouded with a hint of sorrow at the mention of Deculein.

The hem of Sophien’s cape brushed against Yulie’s hand as she said, “Yes, you are. Deculein moves through life as if he’s never been wrong, convinced that his path is the only truth.”

“... That is true. Professor really is like that.”

“Indeed. But unlike him, you embrace your mistakes as your own, and with each one, the wounds will deepen. Eventually, those scars will be the death of you,” Sophien remarked, her voice laced with biting sarcasm.

But Yulie offered a gentle smile and replied, “Even so, Your Majesty, a knight must endure. And I am a knight.”

Sophien fixed her gaze on Yulie for a long moment, as if begrudgingly acknowledging her truth, and remarked, “You’re right. But knights like you are quite rare.”

“Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Take your time to recover and depart when you're able,” Sophien said, flicking her cape as she rose to her feet.

Yulie, despite the pain, forced herself upright to offer a formal bow. Sophien shut the door behind her.

Thud—!

The Empress walked down the corridor without a word, her commanding footsteps echoing.

Keiron’s voice broke the silence from behind her. “... Your Majesty. Is that truly what you desire?”

Sophien halted in her tracks.

“If you truly wish for a fresh start, it is within reach.”

Sophien stayed silent.

“I can help make it happen.”

At last, Sophien had turned to face him.

Keiron, still bowing, went on, “Your Majesty, you are just as deserving of happiness as anyone.”

“... Hmph. Who says I deserve that?”

"Anyone who knows what you’ve been through—endless deaths, relentless suffering, repeated attempts at ending it all—would say the same."

Sophien’s expression faltered, momentarily taken aback. Keiron had always been like a statue, stoic and unshakable. Even his title, the Statue, had been bestowed upon him by the Imperial family. His ability to use statues as a medium to multiply his presence was rooted in that same concept.

“You don’t know me, Keiron,” Sophien said with a frown. “Even if you did, you’re letting your emotions cloud your judgment, speaking of things that are impossible.”

“It isn’t impossible, Your Majesty,” Keiron said, raising his gaze, his eyes burning with a knight’s determination. “The Altar lies beneath the Imperial Palace. They plan to harness Your Majesty’s regression. But if we act first, we can use it to return.”

“Return?”

“Yes. Your Majesty can find happiness. In a new world, you could begin again, unburdened by your past.”

The Demon’s Mirror desired Sophien, and the Altar had been harvesting the vital energy of her regressions from the mirrored world. While the two entities seemed to exist in a symbiotic relationship, Keiron saw things differently.

Inspired by Deculein but envisioning something beyond his reach, Keiron had imagined a new world—a world born from the mirror, where Sophien could start anew, forgetting this life completely. If this one had failed her, perhaps the next could offer her redemption.

“And what if the same history simply repeats itself?” Sophien asked, meeting his gaze directly.

“I will ensure it does not happen.”

The conversation had come to a halt, the atmosphere thick and oppressive. In that lingering silence, Sophien turned away once more.

Thud— Thud—

Without a word, she dismissed him. Keiron, understanding the silent command, remained rooted in place, as unmoving as the statue that had given him his title.

***

It was a dark night. I returned to my office in the Mage Tower, deep in thought. My mind felt submerged in contemplation.

"... If only I could attain full understanding of the Demon's Mirror," I murmured, my gaze locked on a mirror resting on my desk.

I activated my Comprehension attribute and focused on the mirror’s essence. It didn’t take long before I understood its properties. Glass was formed by combining sand with other materials and heating them at extreme temperatures. This seemed fitting, considering my properties were earth and fire.

"More precise information is required."

I stood up, certain that the tower’s library would contain some grimoires on glass or mirrors.

As I stepped into the hallway and made my way toward the elevator...

“Ah!”

A strange noise escaped someone. It was Epherene. She looked utterly exhausted, a cup of coffee clutched in one hand. Without a word, she slowly backed away, retreating like a shadow.

Ding—

As the elevator arrived, I glanced at Epherene and remarked, "It seems things aren't progressing as expected?"

"... N-no, it’s fine. I just need to find the right lead," she muttered, her voice growing quieter.

As I observed her, Ihelm’s words echoed in my mind, “Have you developed pity for Luna’s daughter? After all this time, did you finally begin to feel sorry for her?”

Perhaps he had been right. For some reason, I felt an unusual sense of pity for Epherene. It was strange—Deculein rarely showed sympathy for anyone. This had to be a remnant of Kim Woo-Jin within me.

“W-why?” Epherene asked.

There were only a few people in this world who reminded me of Kim Woo-Jin. So far, it has been Sylvia, Epherene, and Yeriel. Yulie, however, was the complete opposite. She embodied the part of me that was fully Deculein. She was a chain I could never break, an emotion I could never escape.

"Determination and persistence. Those are the virtues you must embrace," I stated.

“... Sorry?"

"Maintain your efforts unwaveringly, and trust in the person you are meant to become."

Epherene’s eyes widened in surprise, but I had already stepped into the elevator.

Ding—

When I stepped out onto the first floor, I found Yulie waiting there.

"Ah, Professor," Yulie said with a hint of awkwardness, still clad in her light armor.

I stepped toward her and said, "Yulie, it is time for you to stop your duty of protecting me."

“No.”

“What do you mean, no—”

“Oh, that! To be honest... I just can’t do it. How am I supposed to get through 30,000 pages in a month? It’s impossible, and you knew that when you gave it to me, didn’t you?”

“—Huh?!”