A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 145

Chapter 145: Winter (1) Part 2

After four days of training, Monday came. Epherene and Allen returned to the university, walking behind someone who drew everyone's attention.

Dressed in a flawless suit, with long legs, broad shoulders, and a commanding air—Professor Deculein stood out from the crowd. Epherene still had things she wanted to say to him. Unspoken thoughts swirled in her mind, waiting for the right moment.

"Oh, that reminds me. Professor, what are your plans regarding Civil Support?" Allen asked first.

Epherene subtly leaned in, listening closely.

"The Northern Region. Most likely fire support," Deculein answered.

The Northern Region was where the mages avoided the most. The farther one traveled from the capital, the fewer mages there were, and no place was as demanding as the Northern Region.

Its brutal climate, infested with demonic beasts and occasionally tainted by traces of demonic energy, made it the harshest environment for mages lacking physical endurance. In the North, knights outnumbered mages by more than ten to one. _{freewёbnoνel.com}

"Do you fear it?" Deculein asked.

"Not at all, Professor! Especially with you there!"

"I’m not afraid either," Epherene added quickly.

Deculein nodded at their responses. Just then, they arrived at the Mage Tower’s parking lot.

As Deculein stepped into his car, he gave a final instruction, saying, "Allen, ensure all the class materials are properly organized."

"Yes, Professor!"

"Epherene," Deculein called.

"Yes, Professor.."

"Your thesis fell short of the standard."

"Ah..." Epherene murmured, feeling the sting of his words. She lowered her head. "I’m sorry."

"I’ll be returning your thesis. Revise it properly and submit it again."

"... Yes, Professor."

Sccccchhhh—

The window slid up with a soft drag, and the sleek, rare luxury car—one of the few in the entire capital—came to life with the deep resonance of its mana stone engine, accelerating swiftly as it sped away.

Epherene frowned and muttered under her breath, "Where’s he heading off to this time?"

"Isn't it obvious? Dressed like that, he's likely on his way to the Imperial Palace."

"I see..." Epherene muttered, nodding absentmindedly, though something felt strange about the voice that had responded.

"Haha, it has been quite some time, hasn’t it?" said the old man, his bearded chin visible beneath the hood of his robe. A thick beard framed his face, while his sharp green eyes sparkled beneath a knowing smile.

"Roha—"

Rohakan quickly covered Epherene’s mouth with his hand, whispering, "Oh dear. Why do you always announce our meetings to the world? Keep it down, keep it down."

Epherene’s eyes grew wide as she nodded rapidly, her surprise evident.

Rohakan chuckled softly and continued, "Haha. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Good to see you again."

"Miss Epherene, I’ll be heading out first... Oh? And who might this be?" Allen asked, tilting his head in curiosity.

"Haha, I’m Epherene’s great-uncle. A pleasure to make your acquaintance," Rohakan said.

"Oh, I see~ It’s a pleasure to meet you, sir. Your arrival was rather sudden, though," Allen responded.

"Haha~ this old man may still be light on his feet," Rohakan said, introducing himself to Allen. Then, leaning closer to Epherene, he whispered, "Just play along with it. You know, we’ve run into each other more than a few times."

"Ah... Haha, yes, of course... Great-uncle," Epherene said.

"Ah, well, I’d better not intrude! I’ll be off then! Have a great time!" Allen replied, quickly disappearing into the Mage Tower, leaving Epherene waving after him with a strained smile.

Pat—

Rohakan rested his hand gently on Epherene’s shoulder.

"Ah, you really scared me. What brings you here this time?" Epherene asked.

Rohakan’s face turned serious, and he said, "... I’m here to talk about a demon. We call it the Voice."

***

The atmosphere in the Imperial Palace had been tense for some time. I assumed it was due to the ongoing power struggle between Sophien and her ministers. Even though I only visited twice a month as her Instructor Mage, the strain was unmistakable, a constant presence that had undoubtedly been festering behind closed doors.

"Yes, I know," Sophien remarked from the Hall of Learning, addressing my unspoken concerns. Today, she was dressed in the traditional dragon robe. "I can practically hear them scheming from here. A tiresome pack of idiots."

The dragon robe, traditionally worn by Eastern Emperors on Earth, was now the ceremonial attire of the Archipelago chieftains in this world. It appeared to have been a gift from one of the noble families, and to my surprise, Sophien wore it without question.

Whether she simply found choosing clothes to be a tiresome task or intended it as a subtle political gesture, it was still remarkable that her attire changed with every meeting.

"Why? Is my beauty too much for you to handle?" Sophien asked, locking eyes with me, a confident smirk curling on her lips.

"The dragon robe is impressive. It complements your presence perfectly," I replied.

"Hmph. How honest of you. But do not bring up those ministers around me again. Just the thought of them sets my temper alight."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

At that moment, she snapped her fingers as if recalling something, and said, "Oh, by the way, I heard you've taken on a protégé recently."

"You must mean Epherene."

"I didn’t catch the name, but I’m curious. How does someone as particular as you end up with a protégé?"

"I will introduce her to you at the appropriate time, Your Majesty."

Then, for the briefest of moments, Sophien's movements stilled, like a scene suspended in time. It was fleeting, lasting only a heartbeat.

Sophien let out a quiet laugh and said, "Deculein, I’ve just been elsewhere."

"Elsewhere, Your Majesty?" I asked.

"Yes. It was your voice that drew me to that place."

"... That must have been the Voice."

I understood immediately. This was the demon marking the midpoint of the main quest—the Voice. While the Demon’s Mirror had once desired to become the world, the Voice likely represented the world itself.

"How long did you remain there?" I asked.

"Hahaha. You and I share the same mind, Deculein," Sophien remarked, before her tone grew more analytical. "This demon is likely quite advanced, though incomplete—its brief presence makes that clear. I spent roughly five minutes there."

"... Hmph. You really do care for me—and worry about me, don’t you?" Sophien remarked, her eyes narrowing in my direction.

Using my Sharp Eyesight, I scanned the item's description and was momentarily speechless. It didn’t just boost mana by 300—it enhanced mana circulation, speeding up the body’s recovery. This was a treasure beyond measure.