A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 181

Chapter 181: Winter's Moon (1)

In an unnamed forest within the lands of Rekordak lay a clear pond. Enchanted with mana, it remained unfrozen even in the biting chill of that season—a mysterious place, one might have considered it a small, magical space of its own. _{ƒreewebηoveℓ.com}

Plop—

I was fishing there, and thanks to the Midas Touch enchantment on my rod, which carried the ability to 'entice fish,' the experience was far from boring.

Splash—!

Every time I cast the line, the bait was taken almost instantly, and the fish were caught.

Whoooosh...

I reeled in the line with a steady pull, and as the water rippled, a fish broke the surface, thrashing in the light.

Just as I checked its size and species, ready to drop it into the bucket...

“I have a question to ask.”

At the sudden sound of a nearby voice—familiar, yet entirely unexpected—I turned toward it.

"Why are you so determined to assume the role of the chairman?" Yulie asked, standing with perfect poise, her clear eyes reflecting nothing—not even the faintest trace of emotion. "What fuels your insatiable quest for power?"

I turned my eyes back to the pond, casting the fishing line, and said, "Was protecting Rekordak not what you had desired?"

"Yes, however, shouldn’t we allow those who wish to leave—"

“If all others choose to leave, will you remain here to face death alone?”

"... I am a knight who knows when to retreat. Against millions of monsters, the few tens of thousands in Rekordak would serve only to buy time. And for their sake, I would have willingly been there at that time."

Splash—!

The line tugged again, and Yulie glanced at it.

"... I heard you’ve been conducting your own investigation into the incident involving Rockfell and Veron," I said, steering the conversation in a new direction.

Yulie’s body flinched just slightly.

"I heard you requested the assistance of a renowned adventurer—a daring choice for a knight without means," I said. "Give up. There is nothing to be gained."

Yulie’s expression hardened, but I could only hope she never uncovered the truth about Rockfell’s heart, for she would undoubtedly blame herself for the betrayal of someone she once trusted.

"Then let me ask you this—did the two of them really lose their lives in an accident?" Yulie asked.

“... Was that not written in the reports you read? Or are you such a fool that you can’t even trust what your own eyes have seen?”

At that, Yulie’s head dropped, her eyes falling to the ground, shadowed by a veil of quiet despair.

“You are...”

Splash—!

I gently lifted the fishing rod, and the spray of water splashed over Yulie’s shoulders.

"Indeed, as you’ve said, I desire many things. Perhaps, one day, that very greed will drive a knife into my back," I said, shaking the fish free into the bucket.

Yulie raised her eyes, their chill as cutting as winter frost, and a quiet smile formed on my lips, satisfied with what I saw.

"However, it matters little to me," I said. "If I were to regret the end that awaits, I would not have chosen this path to begin with."

Grind—

Yulie clenched her teeth.

"Now, let me ask you this—do you regret the life you've chosen to live?"

It was a question that struck at the very core of Yulie’s identity. She believed she had been born at the cost of her mother’s life, a belief she carried as a burden. In the end, she abandoned everything meant for her, as though her life had never been her own.

“Yes, I regret it—every moment I was bound to you,” Yulie said.

"How pathetic you are, trying to fill the void of a life without yourself by clinging to the identity of a knight," I said, giving a faint nod.

"... Are you insulting me?"

"Indeed, you are a misguided soul who has turned the mere role of a knight into the purpose of your existence, losing sight of what really matters."

In that moment, mana flared from Yulie’s body, spreading an aura that chilled the air around her.

“From here... Oh?”

A sudden, youthful voice broke the tension, momentarily quieting Yulie’s anger. Together, we turned toward the sound, where two children, seemingly here to fish, stood among the bushes with large fishing rods strapped to their backs—Ria and Leo.

"... Hello," Ria said with a small bow, her head lowered.

Leo glanced at her, then mimicked her gesture with an awkward bow.

I thought they would leave, given the weight of the tension hanging in the air.

However...

"Let’s sit here, Leo. This spot is great for catching fish,” Ria said, pulling out a small chair and sitting down.

Yulie and I watched the scene blankly in silence.

“Okay! Do you think the fish will taste good?” Leo asked.

“Of course! Let’s catch some and eat them. I’ll cook them for you.”

Plop— plop—

As the fishing hook disappeared beneath the surface, I glanced at Yulie. She was already stealing quiet glances at me, and for a brief moment, our eyes met.

"... I must take my leave, as there are other duties I must attend to."

"Very well."

And so, Yulie left, and I resumed fishing.

... Splash—!

I caught a fish, and the two children glanced at me from the corners of their eyes.

... Splash—!

I caught another fish, and the two children pouted.

... Splash—!

I caught my third fish.

“... Ria, why can't we catch anything?” Leo asked.

“... I don’t know. Maybe that professor is catching them all,” Ria replied.

The two of them leaned in close, whispering to one another.

Splash—!

By the time I caught my fourth fish, I rose to my feet, their resentful stares weighing on me.

***

At noon, the only time when sunlight touched Rekordak, the knights of the Imperial Palace stood, lost in deep contemplation.

“Ugh, who would have imagined this place was a damn pitfall? I thought it was meant to be our El Dorado,” one of the knights muttered.

To disregard Deculein’s warning and abandon Rekordak, or to throw reason aside and stand together in its defense—that was the choice before them. If they had managed to defend the stronghold, the rewards would have been immense—glory worthy of knights, as well as significant wealth and social standing.

The problem, however, was that success seemed nearly impossible, and desertion midway might have been their only chance to preserve their lives.

Burdened by all these concerns, Knight Delic made his rounds along the walls with his knights when his eyes fell on an unusual sight—a guard tinkering with an unfamiliar machine.

"... Hey, you there," Delic said.

"Yes, Knight Delic."

"What is that?"

It was an odd contraption, resembling a massive crossbow with a clumsy mechanism attached haphazardly.

"It's an automatic crossbow, sir," the guard replied in response to Delic’s question.

"... An automatic crossbow?" Delic repeated.

“Yes, sir,” the guard replied, resting a hand on the automatic crossbow. “It’s one of the professor’s inventions, and its power is unmatched.”

“... A crossbow is a crossbow—there’s no need to boast about its power. Let’s see. Go ahead and fire it.”

“Yes, sir,” the guard replied, nodding and positioning himself to demonstrate as he gripped the handle of the crossbow.

Rat-a-tat-tat-tat—!

In an instant, dozens of crossbow bolts were unleashed, their violent force startling both Delic and the knights.

"It can release two hundred bolts in just ten seconds. Though its accuracy decreases, it remains highly effective against large numbers."

“... Yes, it seems so. And this is the professor’s invention?"

“Yes, sir. The professor appears to be planning on installing several dozen more in the near future.”

The professor seemed intent on preparing thoroughly, relying on new inventions to strengthen their defenses.

At that moment...

Whooooosh—!

Someone emerged from beneath the wall as the wind swept through, causing her red twin tails to flutter in the air.

"Captain Ganesha," Delic said, almost instinctively offering his respect.

“Hmm? Oh~ Hello, Delic?”

"Yes, captain."

“I heard you failed in your escape attempt and ended up getting caught by the professor~” Ganesha said with a light giggle.

“Haha, yes. Well, I wasn’t exactly caught trying to escape—it would be more accurate to say I was persuaded by the professor’s reasoning... Might I ask where you’re headed?” Delic asked with a polite smile, though inwardly cursing her the entire time.

"I’m here to help~"

“Heh, well, typically, dangerous tasks like this would start at no less than fifty million elne at auction for me to accept. But, just because of our past connection, I’m offering my help free of charge.”

“Hmm~ Knight Delic, do you know why the demonic beasts tend to advance in winter?”

"W-what? Oh, no. Not at all. Of course not. As a knight, I would never run away... Haha, right, boys?" Delic said.

“Hahaha. Hahaha. Hahahaha—”

"Ah... well," the First Sergeant said, scratching the back of his neck in discomfort as he stood before Rekordak’s food storage.

“... The merchant guilds are hesitant to provide supplies. It seems that word of the monster wave being more severe than expected has spread, and now they are hoarding supplies themselves... Oh, my apologies, Professor; I could not find a more appropriate term for hoarding—"

The First Sergeant’s face brightened, and he said, “Oh, thank you, Professor. I'll make sure to preserve them properly by salting them. Your catch has been a great help. We already have forty, thanks to you—"

"Ah, yes, Professor! They are the Lotrin and Beola merchant guilds, the most renowned in the Northern Region."

"Oh, sorry."

"Umm, boss?" Louina said, tapping the spot on my shoulder where Daeho had bitten me.