A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 71

Chapter 71: End of Semester (1)

“Why’d he burn it? I still don’t undahstand,” Rogerio asked.

"He must have had his reasons," Gindalf replied.

Judges Rogerio and Gindalf, along with the Chairwoman, were gathered in the waiting room, deeply engaged in analyzing Deculein's abrupt actions. Their discussion continued to revolve around his unexpected behavior.

"Deculein muttered three words in the runic language, right? An' he used eighteen runic lettahs for those three words? We all felt the mana waves, didn't we?"

While Deculein’s claim of translating forty-eight runic letters might have been an exaggeration, even interpreting just eighteen new runic letters was a significant achievement. Yet, Deculein had chosen to destroy that achievement himself.

It was peculiar. Rogerio and the rest of the Magical realm knew Deculein as a mage who was always eager to boast about his research. He was driven not by empathy but by an insatiable thirst for recognition.

“Maybe it’s because revealing the translations for the runic letters could have caused trouble with the Ashes?!” the Chairwoman exclaimed.

Rogerio flinched at her blunt mention of the Ashes.

"Well... considahrin’ that their spies have recently infiltrated even the Floatin’ Island, it seems plausibuhl."

“Exactly! Those troublesome Ashes! They're the reason the runic letters were destroyed!"

“... Eh-hem. Ya right, but Chairwoman, ya language might be a bit too strong...”

As they continued their discussion, Louina pondered Deculein's decision to destroy his own research. She attempted to piece together the incident using her wisdom and insight.

“Perhaps...”

Louina speculated that Deculein might have hoped to find a cure for his illness within the runic language, seeking ancient powers that were believed to surpass modern magic.

Yet, instead of discovering a miracle, he found only endless possibilities for misuse. Faced with this harsh reality, he destroyed the runes without hesitation, realizing that no achievement could restore the glory he once pursued.

At that moment, the door swung open, and Deculein strode in. Rogerio and the Chairwoman, taken by surprise, quickly pretended to be engaged in other matters.

“Elder Gindalf,” Deculein said, his eyes fixing intently on the older man.

“Hm? Deculein, is it me you are speaking to?” Gindalf inquired, his eyes widening with surprise.

"Yes, Elder Gindalf, I have a favor to ask of you."

“A favor?”

"Might I request a moment of your time?”

“Certainly...”

Louina watched as Gindalf left with Deculein, her curiosity piqued. Normally, she avoided gossip, but this particular moment intrigued her so deeply that she found it difficult to sit still.

Noticing Louina’s interest, the Chairwoman laughed and remarked, “Professor Louina, it seems you’re just like me!”

Louina narrowed her eyes in exasperation and replied, “No, we are not the same at all.”

“What’s the difference, really~?”

Louina sank into the sofa, her body language indicating she was deep in thought. The Chairwoman, ever on the lookout for gossip, noticed Louina's relaxed posture, the dismissive glint in her eyes, and the subtle movements of her fingers. Her expression conveyed a sense of arrogance, a confidence that came from knowing something others did not.

“What’s the difference, Professor Louina?” the Chairwoman asked, her curiosity fully piqued as she scooted closer.

“I don’t know.”

“Oh, come on! Don’t be like that...!”

Despite the Chairwoman’s persistence, Louina kept her silence, offering no further explanation.

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Gindalf examined the pendant I handed him. Inside it was a photograph of the Luna family, showing the father and his daughter together.

"Is it your request that I restore this pendant?" Gindalf asked.

"Yes," I responded with a nod. "The photograph enclosed within holds significant importance."

He examined the photograph intently and replied, "Hmm, the image appears somewhat timeworn, yet I believe its restoration should pose no significant challenge."

Gindalf was a named mage character, a true master of the Harmonic category. That’s why I had sought him out.

“However, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you,” Gindalf said.

“Of course,” I said with a nod, watching Gindalf cast his spell on the photograph. It was a masterful demonstration of Restoration and Regeneration, magic beyond ordinary comprehension.

“Is it true that you’ve translated forty-eight runic letters?” he asked.

I smiled slightly and replied, “... Of course.”

Gindalf chuckled, stroked his beard, and handed back the pendant, saying, “Here you go.”

The pendant was now pristine, and when I opened it to look at the photograph inside, I felt my eyebrows twitch involuntarily.

"Is that someone you recognize?" Gindalf asked.

"Yes," I replied, slipping the pendant into my inner pocket. "He was once my assistant."

"Your assistant?"

"He committed suicide," I said casually. Gindalf awkwardly scratched his cheek. "Is there anything I can offer in return—"

"That won’t be necessary," Gindalf replied, a warm smile on his face. "Witnessing your accomplishments today has been more than enough reward for me."

As expected, Gindalf’s personality was exactly as described. He was not someone who tolerated insincerity or disrespect. Anyone who took his words literally and failed to show genuine respect would find themselves without any favors from him in the future.

"It is a small token of appreciation. Please accept it," I said.

I gave him a check for 50,000 elne, a reasonable price.

Gindalf glanced at the check, laughed heartily, and said, "Well, thank you kindly. I shall use this to nurture young mages rather than for my own benefit."

I stepped into the backyard of the Megiseon. At the agreed-upon spot, I found Kreto, Yeriel, and Epherene already there, along with Sylvia.

I first acknowledged Kreto with a nod and said, “I appreciate your attendance.”

“Haha, there is no need to thank me. Your lecture was truly enlightening. How did you come up with such ideas? You truly are a mage walking the royal path. However, I must ask...” Kreto then covered his mouth and inquired, “Was it truly the only existing copy of the original runic letter translation?”

“Yes, Your Highness,” I replied. “The original no longer exists in this world.”

“... Isn't that a waste? You devoted so much time to it.”

“I intended to destroy it from the outset, Your Highness. This era is not yet mature enough to utilize the runic language.”

“Not yet mature?”

“If runic letters were to fall into the wrong hands, they would undoubtedly become deadly weapons. Therefore, it is better to destroy them.”

Kreto stared at me, his mouth half-open in awe and respect.

“Your Highness, here is the book you requested earlier,” I said, presenting the signed first edition of Yukline: Understanding Element Magic from my briefcase.

“Can you truly give me such a precious item? I heard it is not available for sale.” Kreto said, his eyes sparkling as he carefully stroked the cover.

“It is precisely because it is valuable that I am giving it to you, Your Highness...”

At that moment, Epherene’s voice cut through the air.

“What’s your name?”

Epherene's voice took on an unusual tone as she spoke to someone. Feeling a bit tense, I turned to see what was happening.

"Hehe, you're so cute. Look at your short little legs."

Epherene was talking to a cat that silently glared at her. The red-furred munchkin looked incredibly cute, but knowing its true identity, I could only hope Epherene would be safe.

“Pfft. Why are you staring at me? What are you going to do about it? Here, check this out!”

Epherene made a tuft of foxtail grass and waved it in front of the cat.

Swish, swish—

The cat reached for it, its short paws following the movement of the grass. Even though it was possessed, its original habits remained unchanged.

"Ah, that cat was entrusted to me by the Imperial Palace," Kreto said with a smile.

I suddenly realized why Sophien was being so quiet. Kreto still didn’t know the cat was actually Sophien.

“Epherene, Sylvia,” I called them over, hoping to prevent things from escalating. Firmly, I stated, “You both played significant roles in the Baron of Ashes incident.”

I took out my checkbook and wrote each of them a check.

“This is your reward. Purchase anything you desire from the Floating Island, regardless of the cost.”

Sylvia nodded calmly, Epherene appeared overwhelmed, and Yeriel, who had been watching, looked stunned.

“H-hey, what are you guys going to buy with those?” Yeriel asked, rushing over to get a closer look at the checks. She then leaned in and whispered in my ear, “Damn it, those are the house checks! Why didn’t you use your personal ones?!”

The Floating Island doesn’t accept personal checks.

Meanwhile, Yulie wandered through the Floating Island on her own.

“These paths are so confusing,” Yulie muttered.

In truth, she was lost. After leaving the Grand Hall, she found herself in the city area of the Floating Island. The usual rule of following the walls didn’t apply in the Floating Island. Some streets soared into the sky, while others sank into the ground.

“... Hmm?”

As she wandered the area, she stumbled upon a shop.

Brand Doll Shop

A smile appeared on her face when she saw a doll shop on the Floating Island. As she approached, she noticed the display filled with cute stuffed animals like eagles, rabbits, and pandas. Among them, a panda caught her eye.

It was a Bearbie Panda. Unlike other pandas, this one had brown eyes. It had been a famous brand since Yulie was a child.

“... Oh?”

Just then, the shopkeeper opened the display case and took out the Bearbie Panda, which had just been sold. As Yulie watched in disappointment, the doorbell rang, and Sylvia, a well-known figure, walked out of the shop holding the Bearbie Panda.

“Hello, Miss Sylvia,” Yulie greeted politely.

“Hello,” Sylvia replied, slightly taken aback by the unexpected encounter. She soon noticed that Yulie's eyes were fixed on her panda doll. Proudly, Sylvia explained, “It’s a gift.”

“Whom are you giving it to?” Yulie asked.

“No, actually, I received it,” Sylvia clarified, feeling somewhat awkward.

“Oh, really? That’s wonderful!” Yulie exclaimed with admiration.

“Ah, yes,” Yulie replied.

“Ah, yes, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you, Knight Yulie!” Allen said with a bright smile, bowing to her.

“I-I should plan the g-guided tour... S-should I take you to the main island first? Or maybe s-start with the surrounding islands... Ah, h-how much time do you have, Knight Yulie? The tour route depends on—”

Deculein, Director of Planning and Financial Coordination.

"Ah, w-well, um..."

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