A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 211

Chapter 211: Mage Tower of the University (2)

In the Hall of Learning within the Imperial Palace, Sophien received Deculein’s message from a maid.

“... My deepest apologies, Your Majesty,” the maid said.

“... It doesn’t matter. That’s just the kind of man that Professor is,” Sophien replied.

Sophien understood his reasoning—he would come on the scheduled lesson day, next Wednesday, not today. Deculein had always been defined by his principled commitment. A man of unshakable conviction, rooted like an ancient tree, never bending to anything that challenged his sense of what was right.

Then Sophien added, “If anything, seeing this has drained whatever interest I had in meeting him. Honestly, it’s for the best.”

As Sophien stared at the wooden box containing Rohakan, a bitter taste settled on her tongue for reasons she could not quite place.

How strange. This man deserved nothing but death—the one who assassinated the Empress, a disgrace upon the Empire’s history... and yet... Sophien thought.

Creak—

Sophien lifted the lid of the wooden box and fell silent. At first, she thought it couldn’t be Rohakan—the face inside was that of a boy. But as she looked closer, recognition settled in. Though his eyes were closed in stillness, the faint trace of mana around the head belonged to none other than Rohakan.

“... So, he is indeed dead,” Sophien muttered, staring down at Rohakan’s severed head in the wooden box.

Even in death, Rohakan did not seem like a corpse. At any moment, it felt as if his eyes might snap open, his voice breaking the silence—just as it had that day—admitting that he had killed her mother.

“... This damned fool...”

Sophien’s memories of the day Rohakan assassinated the Empress were scattered, slipping through the gaps of her mind. Though she had a gift for deciphering events and reading between the lines, those moments remained unreachable. Whenever she tried to recall them, her thoughts recoiled, as if an unseen force pushed them away.

“Died with a face younger than mine,” Sophien muttered.

However, one fact remained unshaken—on that night, beneath the glow of the Blue Moon, Rohakan had admitted to assassinating the Empress.

“... You,” Sophien said as she raised her eyes, settling them on the maid.

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty,” the maid replied with a flinch, her head still bowed low.

Just then, Rohakan’s voice stirred at the edge of Sophien’s hearing once more.

“Sophien, you must already know. Everyone who walks alongside you meets misfortune. Not a single one is spared.”

Among those she had once wished to keep by her side, Rohakan had been one. And in the end, he had proven it in his own way.

“What is your name?” Sophien asked, for the first time in her life, asking a maid's name.

“... Ahan, Your Majesty,” the maid answered.

“Ahan, I have an imperial command for you,” Sophien said.

At the Empress’s words, Ahan lowered herself even further and replied, “Yes, Your Majesty. I remain deeply honored by your favor. I will follow your command—”

"Steel yourself and do whatever it takes to escape misfortune."

“Without question...?”

Ahan's voice trailed off in uncertainty, but as she cautiously raised her head and met Sophien’s eyes, she dropped it again, pressing her forehead to the floor.

"Never let misfortune consume you," Sophien repeated.

"... Yes, Your Majesty. But how could misfortune ever reach me? Simply standing by your side is already a blessing beyond measure..."

Sophien paid no mind to the maid's formal pleasantries and closed the lid of the wooden box. Setting Rohakan aside in a drawer, she opened the Advanced Tsumego once more—a collection of Go problems Deculein had prepared for her.

Grit—

As she worked through the problems one by one, a burning frustration swelled within her—no, it wasn’t sudden, but rather something she had been holding back had finally broken free.

"... They say patience is a virtue, yet now that he’s been called, he chooses not to come."

Lost in thought, Sophien muttered about that damned man, Deculein, as she worked through problem after problem. Before she realized it, she had reached the final page. Every challenge had been solved, leaving only a blank space at the very end—where two lines of text remained, and her eyes settled upon them.

For you, whose nobility stands above all.

May this serve as a small comfort along the solitary road you travel.

The final lines of the book were undeniably meant for Sophien. As she read those two lines, she let out a scoff, as if mocking them, yet couldn't hide the bright smile that followed on her lips.

***

The Imperial University’s grounds were expansive—so much so that one could call it a city unto itself. Even if it were cut off from the continent, it had the infrastructure to sustain itself. Aside from its students, hundreds of thousands passed through its gates daily, and the trends born here quickly spread to the Empire’s youth.

It was a beacon of culture, a source of pride, and the cradle of legions of brilliant minds. I walked through its grand campus, letting the weight of its legacy settle around me.

“... Hmmmmmm!”

With the Chairwoman eyeing me with suspicion and Epherene dragging her feet beside me, her face drowsy from whatever she had been up to the previous night, we walked together.

“There is no way!” the chairwoman shouted after staring at me for a long moment.

“What are you referring to?” I replied.

"How could you, Professor Deculein, possibly kill Rohakan? That doesn’t make any sense!"

“Is that so?”

"Yes, that is so!" Adrienne puffed up, her nose flaring like a steaming kettle, frustration written all over her face. "I thought you’d lose to Rohakan and come running to me for help!"

Well, in a way, fairies could be considered a martial race, I thought.

"I used physical force," I replied.

“What?! Physical magic?!”

"I felled him with my sword."

It was not completely a lie.

“... Oh,” the Chairwoman gawked, gripping my arm with wide eyes. “You've got some real muscle! But was it really a fair victory if you caught Rohakan off guard?!”

"I never said I caught him off guard," I replied.

“Yes, you did!”

“Yaaaaawn—ugh!” Epherene yawned, only to lose her footing with a startled gasp.

“Yes, you did! Yes, you did! Yes, you did!” Adrienne continued.

Through the noise and chaos, I walked on without pausing until I arrived at the Head Professor’s office.

“Yes, you did!”

Tuning out Adrienne, who persistently followed behind me and shouted, I settled into my chair.

“Yes, you—”

"More importantly, it seems the Altar will be making its move soon," I said.

“... The Altar?” Adrienne replied.

"Yes, they are the ones that instigated the southern advance."

“Instigated the southern advance?”

“Yes.”

With Rohakan now dead—though not entirely, as what remained of him was now confined to the vineyard—the Altar would soon begin its advance.

“... I never thought Professor Deculein would believe in such conspiracy theories!” Adrienne said with mild disappointment.

I paused in thought before giving a slight nod.

The Altar, on the continent, was much like the Illuminati in modern times—not that the Illuminati actually exists, of course—but most dismiss the Altar as nothing more than a distant religious sect or an obscure cult.

Few understood that the massacres and oppression of the Scarletborn, the instigation intensifying the southern advance, and nearly every ripple of social chaos were the Altar’s doing. Even those who knew had no way to prove it, and only a few named characters were aware.

"Yes. If there is no further news, I ask that you take your leave. I have much to attend to," I said.

“... There is more!” Adrienne exclaimed, pulling a stack of papers from her robe. “The entrance exam! This time, nobles from the Principality and Kingdom will be taking it! And these—documents for the entrance festival!”

I scanned the list—names of high-ranking nobles and even royalty from the Principality of Yuren, the Leoc Kingdom, the Gahala Desert, and beyond. With so many gathered in the Empire, unexpected sudden quests were inevitable to follow.

"And Professor, you're one of the judges!"

“Is that so?” I said.

"Yes! Please be strict but fair in your evaluation! But, there are donation-based applicants too—I marked them with a gold star!"

"Oh, come on! Still!"

Thud—

"Sheesh! Professor Deculein, you’re no fun anymore!"

“... Eh?” Epherene mumbled, blinking drowsily as she raised her head.

"Ah..." Epherene mumbled as she staggered over, handing me a thick stack of papers.

With the spring season bringing a flood of thesis reviews and evaluations, my responsibilities as both Head Professor and PCO Director left no room for distraction. Beyond reviewing papers from assistants like Epherene, I was planning to personally assess the work of professors and even graduate-level mages. _{freewebnovel.cσ๓}

All professors of the Mage Tower, as well as mages aspiring to a faculty position in the Department of Magic, must submit their spring theses to the 77th floor.

I, Deculein, will personally review each submission. Deficiencies will be corrected where possible, while those deemed irredeemable will be discarded.

Spring was usually a season of leniency, where things were overlooked. And now, with the upcoming admissions, even preparing to receive the royal entrants was overwhelming enough, Relin thought.