A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 91

Chapter 91: Pendant? (2)

Epherene’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at Gindalf, who chuckled quietly while stroking his long beard. The mention of a pendant puzzled her—Deculein had apparently carried around a worn picture of her as a child, one that had needed restoration.

“Hahaha.”

Epherene couldn’t understand Professor Deculein’s actions. Despite her efforts, the reasoning eluded her. The thought crossed her mind—perhaps Gindalf wasn’t telling the truth.

"Quite amusing, indeed."

It still didn’t make sense. Gindalf might have seemed like a pervert, but he was a Super-Ethereal-ranked mage, one of the most powerful. There was no reason for someone of his stature to lie to her; he had nothing to gain from it.

As Epherene reflected on the times Deculein had shown her kindness—overlooking her mistakes, approving her club, and giving her fair evaluations—she had assumed it was out of guilt for her father. But now, her mind was swirling with confusion.

“Um, about the pendant—”

"Haha, the interview’s over. But don’t go telling Deculein I said anything. I’m too old to face his wrath again. And remember, that’s a warning, not a request," Gindalf said with a knowing smile.

Epherene swallowed nervously before asking, "...Could you tell me just one more thing?"

“Ten thousand elne.”

“Sorry?”

"That’s the value of a single word from me. Deculein willingly paid fifty thousand elne for what I had to say."

“Fifty thousand elne... Could you possibly settle for just one hundred elne? I’m only a student, after all—”

***

Thud—!

With a heavy thud, the interview room door closed behind her. Epherene, abruptly thrown out of her negotiation, stumbled forward and soon spotted Karixel. It looked like his interview with Deculein had just ended as well.

"Mr. Karixel! Mr. Karixel!" Epherene called out, her eyes brightening as she hurried toward him.

“Oh, yes? What can I do for you?” Karixel responded.

“How did your interview go? What did they ask you?”

Karixel awkwardly scratched his temple, let out a small laugh and said, “Well... I’m not really sure.”

Epherene tilted her head, puzzled.

“I ended up giving up.”

“... Sorry?”

"They told me I’d earn the Solda rank simply for passing the first exam... and honestly, that’s all I needed."

"Oh... I get it. You must be looking forward to seeing your kids again, right?"

Epherene assumed his primary goal had always been to obtain the Solda rank.

Karixel nodded with a soft smile and said, “... Hahaha. Yes... They’re always on my mind.”

“Still, we should meet up when we return to the continent since we might not see each other for a while. There’s a great restaurant in Roahawk—have you heard of it?”

Though Epherene intended to push herself to the very end, she couldn’t deny that the Solda exam had brought her a valuable connection.

“Roahawk... Certainly, that sounds good,” Karixel agreed.

“It’s really delicious!” Epherene exclaimed with enthusiasm as she walked alongside Karixel, accompanying him down the corridor.

In the hall, other mages who had passed the exam, like Reylie and Dozmu, sat with mixed expressions among those who hadn’t. In one corner of the hallway, Epherene noticed Sylvia’s brightly colored tent still standing. Exhausted from the exam, she felt a twinge of envy for her Primary Colors.

“Miss Epherene.”

“Yes?” Epherene replied, turning to face Karixel.

Karixel placed his hand on the door handle, smiled warmly, and said, “Take care of yourself. Our time together was brief, but I’m grateful to have met someone who will shape the future.”

“Sorry? What do you mean shape the future—”

Ruuuumble—!

Suddenly, the ground shook, and Epherene glanced up at the ceiling, startled.

Boom—! Boom—!

The tremors persisted. While the seasoned adventurers remained composed, the mages were visibly shaken.

“Everyone, please remain calm. There’s no cause for concern,” announced Mimic, the supervisor.

At that moment, Deculein emerged from the interview room. With just two candidates to assess, he had ample time. The other examinees observed him as he passed by, and Sylvia, who had just taken down her tent, also turned her gaze toward him.

Thud— Thud—

Epherene studied Deculein as he approached the exit, searching for any sign of the pendant. She saw nothing visible, but she knew his personality well enough to realize he wouldn’t display it openly.

Suddenly, Deculein halted directly in front of her. Epherene looked up at him, swallowing nervously.

But all Deculein said was, “Move aside.”

“... Oh. Yes, sir,” Epherene said, quickly stepping out of his way with Karixel.

“Professor Deculein, could you assess the situation outside? I’ll be right behind you,” Mimic requested.

Deculein exited silently, and Epherene quietly watched his figure as he walked away.

“But... I didn’t even get to take the exam,” a nearby voice lamented. It was Maiho, who had been waiting for her interview with Deculein, pouted in frustration.

"Oh, please wait a moment. It’ll be over soon. Everyone, stay inside!" Mimic instructed as he returned to the hall.

Epherene noticed the now-open exit. Taking a deep breath, she slipped out quietly and quickly followed Deculein, ascending the stairs to the surface.

***

As the Security Chief overseeing the Solda exam, I’m soaring through the air—not just figuratively, but literally. Standing on a platform woven from six cables of Wood Steel, I zoom ahead. This advanced technology far surpasses the speed of the Iron Man attribute.

“Could it be those guys from yesterday?” I asked.

— I’m uncertain. This magic glass isn’t revealing anything.

Louina’s voice came through the crystal orb.

— Damn it... everything is completely dark.

The ones I chased last night disappeared without a trace. Even the resonance of the steel failed to reveal their direction.

— Please wait a moment. I'm on my way and will arrive quickly on horseback.

While Louina continued talking, I reached the location ahead of her. The scene before me was so bizarre that I was momentarily at a loss for words.

— I’ve already sent a Whisper, so—

“End the call,” I commanded, terminating the communication.

I stood there, silently absorbing the grotesque scene before me.

Trickle—

A stream of thick, red blood trickled over and touched the heel of my boot. The overpowering stench of iron filled the air, mingling with the sight of severed flesh, torn entrails, and brains spilling from cleaved skulls. It was rare for anything to unsettle me, but this was different. What had once been bodies were now twisted into a grotesque mound.

There had to be over a hundred bodies, shredded like paper. Using Telekinesis, I examined the remains. Many were split cleanly from head to toe, while others bore the marks of a brutal struggle. Among them was Druman, a strongman from the Altar. As expected from a named individual, he had fought fiercely, but his efforts only left him torn to pieces.

“Interesting.”

I couldn’t grasp what could have caused this. The vibrations hit less than a minute ago, yet within sixty seconds, an entire unit was slaughtered.

Some bodies were severed with precision, while others were torn apart like shredded cloth. Whether it was magic or some unique ability, I couldn’t determine. It felt as though the space itself had been cut along with their bodies.

"... I’ve witnessed this before."

Sliced through space itself. A vivid memory surged back—this wound was eerily similar to the one that had taken Veron’s wrist, an incomprehensible phenomenon that defied explanation.

... Then.

Rustle—

A faint rustling emerged from the bushes. I turned to investigate.

“... You.”

Epherene was crouched among the foliage, her cheeks puffed out like a hamster.

***

"Ah... Professor," Epherene began, her eyes shifting uneasily between Deculein and the gruesome pile of corpses behind him.

Deculein’s piercing gaze sent a chill through her, causing her to hesitate before taking a step closer.

“Stay back,” Deculein ordered.

The moonlight highlighted the sharp angles of his face, casting shadows that made him look ghostly, like a masked phantom.

"You’ll get blood on you."

"... Sorry?" Epherene murmured, puzzled.

Despite the horrifying scene in front of her, there was something different in his voice today. She stood still, staring at him, deep in thought.

“Debutant Epherene! What are you doing here? Return immediately!” Louina shouted as she arrived late, galloping up on horseback.

Epherene slowly backed away, but her gaze remained fixed on Deculein.

Whoooosh—!

Suddenly, the air was filled with the whirring of engines as several magitech aircraft appeared over the Training Island. The knights, urgently dispatched to defend the area from intruders, had finally arrived.

“Wh-what is this?!” one of the knights stammered, his voice trembling as he took in the sight of hundreds of scattered remains. There was nothing left to do but clean up the aftermath.

Deculein shrugged and stated, “Let me make one thing clear—this wasn’t my doing.”

“Pardon, sir? Oh, yes... I understand,” one of the knights replied, though his expression betrayed his doubt.

Deculein’s gaze moved across the group, noticing Yulie’s absence, even though she was expected to be there.

A knight stepped forward and explained, “Knight Yulie will be delayed; she lost her way.”

“I understand,” Deculein replied with a slight nod.

It was understandable, given her penalty attribute, Poor Wayfinding.

***

“Oh, that’s where the late Emperor’s wisdom comes into play. Records from that time still exist. Moreover, local authorities have compiled lists of Scarletborn through various methods. After all, their birth is considered highly ominous and demonic—they’re born shrouded in a blood-red amnion.”

“Oh, by the way, Sir Bethan had high praise for the Rotaili Soup he enjoyed at the Light and Salt.”

“Oh... I see.”

“Oh! In that case, could you reserve a table for four—ah?!” the eunuch exclaimed, his eyes suddenly widening in alarm.

“Lord Yeriel, please be careful! Ah! Be careful, please! Aaah!” the eunuch screamed in panic.

“Ah, I’m sorry, but that scorpion—”

"Shh. You'll startle it. If it panics, it might thrash about. Just stay quiet," Yeriel said, extending a finger toward the scorpion.

“P-please, be careful. Its venom is extremely potent.” _{fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm}

“Shh.”

“Oh...” the eunuch murmured in amazement.

Yeriel chuckled mischievously, then extended her finger, allowing the scorpion to crawl off as she softly said, “Shoo~”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh—! Stop it! Please, stoooooooooooop!” the eunuch cried out in terror.

"Hmph. So, you’ve even taken to traveling with an escort knight. Are there knights in the Imperial Palace now who serve eunuchs instead of the Empress?"