A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 124

Chapter 124: Formal Hearing (3)

“Kagan Luna. Your father, Epherene Luna,” the Chairwoman said.

The Chairwoman's words cast a heavy silence over the room, as though every sound had been completely erased. All eyes turned toward Deculein.

"... Hmm. Over a century together, and still... there’s always something new to discover," Sophien mused.

The situation had caught Sophien off guard. The revelation of a co-author was entirely inconsistent with Deculein's character. The idea contradicted everything she thought she knew about him. Resting her chin on her hand, Sophien glanced at Epherene. The emotions on her face were impossible to fully describe.

Ihelm’s voice wavered, his words halting as he stammered, “Deculein? You? What... what? A co-author?”

The Chairwoman intervened, turning to Deculein instead of Ihelm, who appeared at a loss, and said, “I believe an explanation of this co-authorship is needed! Professor Deculein?!”

Nodding, Deculein responded in a calm, factual tone, more like a statement than a defense, “The conception and initiation of this idea originated from Kagan Luna. It was a unique and ingenious thought, unmatched by anything others could conceive.”

Deculein then turned his gaze to Epherene, whose tired eyes shimmered faintly.

"Kagan Luna established the framework for the thesis, while I was responsible for its further development and finalization. Therefore, it was appropriate for both names to be listed as co-authors of the first author of the thesis... That is all."

"I see! Ihelm, please proceed with your questioning!"

"... Why now?" Ihelm asked, still in disbelief. "Why choose now, of all times?"

"... Hmm! I’ll step in for Ihelm, as it seems he’s not in the best state to continue," Adrienne chimed in brightly. "This isn’t the first time Professor Deculein has mistreated his assistants, right? Many have been broken, some even driven to suicide! So why, all of a sudden, are you showing concern for a former assistant now?"

“This was not something that occurred suddenly,” Deculein replied. “It was a gradual awakening. I have come to terms with my past errors and now accept them fully.”

"Hmm~" Adrienne nodded thoughtfully. "I see! Witness Epherene, do you have anything more to add?"

Epherene flinched when her name was called, while Adrienne offered her a warm smile.

"Ah... I..."

Epherene swallowed hard, her gaze flicking between Deculein, Adrienne, and Ihelm as a wave of confusion washed over her.

It wasn’t just the shock of Deculein's unexpected behavior; it was the gravity of his sincere admission. The idea that her father would now be immortalized as a co-author in the Magical Realm stirred something deep within her. She had felt naive, almost foolish.

"... No, I don’t have anything else to say."

"Alright! Then—"

Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!

The Chairwoman struck her gavel and announced, "We’ll take a brief recess! Everyone, take a moment to rest!"

***

Near the hearing room of the Mage Tower, a terrace stretched across the upper floors. Designed like a forest, the place allowed a clear view of the entire campus when I stood by the railing. Night had already fallen, and the world below lay bathed in the light of a full moon.

Thud—!

Not long after, deliberate footsteps echoed, loud enough to make their presence known. I waited a moment longer, and soon, someone approached. His buttery blond hair fluttered in the breeze, and the overpowering scent of cologne stung my nose.

“... I don’t understand your angle,” Ihelm said as he walked up slowly. Staring at the same view, he continued, "Were you aware of the magic marker embedded in the thesis?”

I nodded. I discovered it during the process of developing the thesis. It was a rather clever trap.

“What did you do about it?”

“I left it untouched,” I replied.

Dismantling it would have been simple, just a matter of refining the circuits one by one.

Creak—

Soon, Ihelm gripped the railing tightly, the sound of his skin scraping against the metal ringing out clearly.

"Why? Didn’t you hold a deep dislike for him, Luna?" Ihelm asked.

I turned to look at Ihelm. He had once been the closest to Deculein, knowing him in those days better than anyone else.

“You didn’t care for Luna or his daughter... did you?”

Living as Deculein, there were times when memories I couldn’t fully recall resurfaced—either gradually over time or triggered by specific incidents. Yet, they always came back in fragments, like scattered pieces of perception that demanded careful cross-verification rather than blind acceptance.

"... Decalane was never satisfied with me," I muttered, more to myself than to Ihelm, though his crimson eyes remained locked on me. "Perhaps my talent fell short, or I didn’t develop as he had hoped. Or maybe the ambition of that specter was simply too great."

Ihelm remained silent.

“Whatever the case, during those days of discontent, Decalane discovered the talent of an Archmage.”

Ihelm nodded faintly a couple of times before responding, “Yes. If Decalane hadn’t died, Epherene Luna would have taken the position of head from you. But even then, I still wonder. Could it really have been that simple to place a child from an entirely different bloodline at the head of the family?”

Decalane never intended for Epherene to become the head of the family. What he wanted was a vessel, something that could contain his dying brain—and Epherene was the one he chose.

“Decalane is long dead. Everything has changed now.”

“Still, the Deculein I knew would have strongly disliked Luna’s daughter. You wouldn’t have forgiven Kagan.”

I chose not to answer.

"Kagan and you... You both had every reason to hate each other. Only if he hadn’t been so desperate to earn Decalane’s favor..."

I gazed up at the distant sky. The vast ceiling spread out like an ocean, with the large full moon hanging there, solitary and still.

“None of that matters anymore. The research remains incomplete, and it’s Epherene’s responsibility, not mine, to finish it. Besides...”

“... Besides?”

"His suicide was a consequence of my actions."

“... What?” Ihelm muttered, his mouth hanging open, his expression one of complete disbelief.

“I took her father’s life. I cannot allow myself to harbor hatred for his daughter as well.”

“... D-did you,” Ihelm finally spoke, his forehead damp with cold sweat. “Did you genuinely feel such pity for Epherene?”

“No.”

“Then why are you, of all people, doing this, if not out of pity?”

I stopped to think for a moment. It wasn’t sympathy or compassion—that much I knew. But beyond that, I couldn’t be sure. My emotions were elusive, something even my Sharp Eyesight struggled to grasp.

“Who can say?”

But then I remembered something I had read in a book once—how every mage, at least once in their life, feels a profound sense of responsibility.

"Perhaps I’ve started to see her as my protégé."

Maybe, without realizing it, I’ve grown to feel that way, I thought.

Ihelm stood speechless, his grip on the railing slackening. A gust of wind swept over him, cooling the sweat that had gathered on his brow.

A faint, bitter chuckle escaped his slightly parted lips as he muttered, “... That doesn’t make sense, though.”

“What doesn’t make sense?”

“A few years ago, when Glitheon attempted to wipe out Luna’s bloodline, you were the one who stopped him, weren’t you? There’s no way you felt like this back then.”

“Did I?” I asked, not recalling the event, but Ihelm furrowed his brow in disbelief.

“... Ugh.”

Tap, tap, tap—!

Thunk—!

Beep, beep— Beep, beep—

“The research remains incomplete, and it’s Epherene’s responsibility, not mine, to finish it.”

“His suicide was a consequence of my actions.”

“I took her father’s life. I cannot allow myself to harbor hatred for his daughter as well.”

“... Perhaps I’ve started to see her as my protégé.”

Beep, beep— Beep, beep—

The alarm clock kept ringing. She eventually switched it off and sat up slowly. Her gaze landed on a piece of paper lying on the desk—her Letter of Withdrawal.

“A few years ago, when Glitheon attempted to wipe out Luna’s bloodline, you were the one who stopped him, weren’t you?”

“Only if he hadn’t been so desperate to earn Decalane’s favor...”