A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 146

Chapter 146: Winter (2)

Epherene arrived at The Pig’s Blossom with Rohakan. He had insisted they dine at the finest restaurant in town.

"Hmm, this is quite delicious," Rohakan remarked, clearly pleased with the roasted Roahawk.

"See? I told you it was good," Epherene responded.

Their names sound almost identical. Roahawk, Rohakan... Roahkan, Rohakan... Epherene thought with a quiet laugh to herself.

"Hehe... But really, why are you here? And what’s all this talk about a demon?" Epherene asked, taking a bite of the Roahawk’s hind leg.

As a reference, she had given Rohakan the front leg, even though the hind leg was tastier. Without much thinking, she lied, claiming the front was the best.

“It’s called the Voice. Even I cannot grasp its full nature. Of all the demons I’ve encountered, it is unquestionably the most powerful,” Rohakan said.

"... Wait, really? Does that mean the continent is doomed?" Epherene asked, her eyes widening in shock at the thought that even Rohakan couldn’t fully understand it. The piece of meat she had been holding slipped from her hand and dropped onto the plate.

Rohakan let out a hearty laugh and said, "No, demons wouldn’t want the continent destroyed—without humans, they’d have nothing left to entertain them. Their true purpose lies elsewhere."

"Then what does it want?"

"I’m not sure yet, but one thing is certain—it presents an opportunity for all of you to grow."

“... Grow?” Epherene echoed.

"Yes, it will be dangerous, but you’ll understand when the time comes. ... Oh, and should you ever find yourself in the World of the Voice..." Rohakan paused, pulling out a curious coin from his pocket.

"What’s that?" Epherene asked, her eyes fixed on the unusual coin.

"This is the currency of the Voice," Rohakan said. "I’ve been giving one out to each of my trusted friends."

Epherene accepted the coin but remained silent, her eyes full of curiosity as she watched him, waiting for an explanation.

But Rohakan swiftly changed the topic and said, "So, has anything new come up recently?"

"Anything new? Oh, I ran into Decalane not too long ago."

“... Decalane?” Rohakan said, his expression grew serious as he placed the Roahawk bone into the bucket and asked, "... And what did Deculein say to you?"

“Yes, but only in a dream,” Epherene replied, quietly setting the Wood Steel on the table. Words weren’t necessary.

Rohakan nodded thoughtfully and said, "It seems you’ve reconciled with him."

"It wasn’t really something... that needed reconciling," Epherene muttered, letting the conversation trail off.

Rohakan regarded her for a moment, a faint smile playing on his lips, and said, "He must have taken quite a liking to you."

"What?! Wh-what are you talking about?!"

Rohakan watched her reaction with a knowing smile and said, "Hahaha, I know him well enough. If he didn’t like you, he’d never trust you with his belongings."

"... Really?"

"Of course. He can’t tolerate anyone else handling his belongings. Or do you really believe his nature has changed overnight?"

“Well, I’m not sure... Was he always like that before?” Epherene asked.

"Yes. There was a time I barely touched his staff, and he flew into a rage—even toward me, his mentor. He doesn’t even use that staff anymore. He simply threw it away."

Epherene lowered her head in silence, her attention fixed on the Wood Steel on the table. Thoughts drifted in her mind like mist—so many that they merged into a formless blur.

With a soft laugh, Rohakan gestured toward the Roahawk and said, "That’s enough talk for now. Let’s focus on the meal. You can be sentimental afterward."

"... Okay," Epherene mumbled, grabbing the hind leg of the Roahawk once more. "When life gets complicated, nothing beats a good bite of Roahawk..."

"What kind of saying is that?" Rohakan asked.

"... Just something I came up with," Epherene replied.

***

The night was thick with clouds, the moon swirling ominously in the dark sky. Back at Yukline’s mansion, I stood in silence, holding the radiant treasure in my hands. The Dragon’s Soul—an elixir beyond price, a treasure no wealth could ever attain.

“I don’t quite understand,” I muttered.

The Empress’s unexpected gift made me reconsider her intentions. Whether she had faith in my loyalty or was testing me was still uncertain. Still, I infused the elixir with the attribute of Midas Touch.

───────

[Dragon's Soul]

◆ Details

...

◆ Special Effects

: Upon consumption, increases mana by 333 and smoothly enhances the flow of mana throughout the body.

: All five senses sharpen, gaining clarity and heightened precision.

[Midas Touch : Level 4]

───────

“All five senses sharpen, gaining clarity and heightened precision...” I mused.

Beyond boosting my mana capacity, it seemed to sharpen my other abilities, likely improving my vision and hearing. Without a second thought, I uncorked the glass bottle and drank the elixir, knowing it had once been offered as a rare tribute from the Principality of Yuren.

[You have consumed the supreme grade Dragon's Soul.]

◆ Mana Point +333

◆ Physical Reinforcement

That was the end of the system notification. No pain followed, just a soothing warmth that spread through my body.

“... Hmm,” I muttered, reviewing my mana stats—now increased by an impressive 333 mana. A faint smile crossed my face.

Knock, knock—

Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by the familiar voice of my butler, Ren.

"Master, the item you requested..."

“... the item you requested... the item you requested... the item you requested...”

The words seemed to stretch and warp, as though they were drifting from far away. I turned toward the door.

In an instant, I became aware that the world around me had changed.

“Hmm,” I murmured, surveying my surroundings.

The corridor was dark, lined with strange paintings, and cobwebs draped the corners like an old, forgotten mansion. But there was no need for alarm—this was the World of the Voice.

"... Nothing’s changed."

Fortunately, the scene closely resembled what I had seen in the game. I walked slowly down the corridor. While there were only a few signs of life, the sensation of being watched was unmistakable.

Thud— Thud—

As I continued down the hall, I soon reached a fork. To my right, a small plaque hung above the doorway.

Restaurant.

I headed toward it without a second thought. The restaurant was exactly as the sign suggested.

"Hey there, can I get some fried rice?"

"Can I get a beer with that?"

The room buzzed with chatter, more like a rowdy tavern than a proper restaurant. Among the noise, I spotted three familiar heads—small figures I knew all too well. As I approached their table, heat rushed through my veins, and a primal instinct stirred within me.

"So, it means time moves here, while outside, only a split second has passed."

“Really?! But how’s that even possible?”

"Basically the way it works is... Oh?’ the girl said, her voice trailing off, and the two boys, noticing her hesitation, stopped eating as well.

It was Ria, Leo, and Carlos—the trio I had encountered on Ghost Island. Carlos, the half-human, half-demon boy with navy blue hair, seemed to sense my presence sooner than the others.

“You filthy half-breed...”

The sight of him sparked a surge of anger, the tension mounting until my temples began to pulse.

Booooom—!

Without realizing it, I unleashed a surge of Telekinesis, shaking the entire restaurant. The air rumbled, and the walls trembled under the sheer force of my power.

“Guys, run aw—”

As Ria screamed, her face turning ghostly pale, my time in the World of the Voice came to an immediate end.

“... the item you requested...”

I was back in Yukline's mansion, the clock unchanged, not even a single second having passed.

“... has arrived. May I come in?” Ren asked, his voice growing clearer as the flow of time, once halted, slowly returned to its natural rhythm.

Using Telekinesis, I opened the door and said, “Set it down and you may go.”

"Yes, sir," Ren said, placing the items on the desk before quietly excusing himself.

It was the Go board and stones I had requested. As I stared at the wooden grid, my thoughts wandered back to the recent event. The anger still simmered in my veins. Carlos—his face was now burned into my memory.

"It’s no surprise that someone like him—a half-human, half-demon—wouldn't be left out of a major event like the Voice," I said.

After all, the Voice was both a threat and a chance—an opportunity for even a mage as lacking in talent as Deculein to grow.

“Go, huh...”

Since I couldn’t enter the World of the Voice whenever I wanted, I had no choice but to focus on Go for the time being.

"Let’s give it a try."

The culture of the Eastern Archipelago—a game that stirred old memories of Earth.

Clack—!

I placed a Go stone on the board, drawing on the memories of master players that still lingered in my mind as I entered into Comprehension. This session was dedicated entirely to Empress Sophien.

Meanwhile, in the World of the Voice, Ria and her group let out deep sighs of relief.

“Phew... That was way too close."

“Wow, Ria! That was crazy! His mana was all over me—it was insane! Amazing, amazing! Professor Deculein is awesome!” Leo shouted, practically bouncing with excitement.

"Ugh! He was getting on my last nerve, seriously."

"... Oh."

In the middle of complaining about Deculein, Reylie followed Yulie’s line of sight to her bag, where the edge of Yukline’s Theory was sticking out, the section authored By Deculein clearly visible.

“Oh~ Oh, ah~ Um, this? Y-yeah, I just accepted it, that’s all...! Want me to throw it away? I can get rid of it right now if you want!”

Reylie smiled innocently and said, "Oh, come on. It wouldn’t be a waste at all. I could throw this away without a second thought. But since you told me not to, I’ll hold onto it. It’s not entirely useless, after all, you know?"

Neighhh—!

"Ah, there they are! I can see them clearly now."

"Ah, a warm welcome to you both!"