A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 107: Ghost (2)

Chapter 107: Ghost (2)

While driving toward the center of the Floating Island, a mage noticed something unusual in the rearview mirror—a remarkably tall woman. Although her presence was unsettling, it wasn’t something to be concerned about on the Floating Island, where magical phenomena were common. The mage continued driving without giving it much thought.

After some time, he glanced in the mirror again and saw the tall woman still standing in the corner of the reflection. What was strange, though, was that despite the car moving forward, she hadn’t gotten any farther away.

"What in the world..." the mage muttered, realizing something was wrong as he pressed down on the accelerator.

Vroom—

The car sped up, attempting to leave the woman behind, but then, without warning, she appeared directly in front of him.

Screeeech—!

The mage swerved the steering wheel sharply, causing the vehicle to veer off the road and crash into the bushes on the Floating Island.

“Huff, huff, huff...”

Thanks to the quick activation of a protective spell, the car remained intact. Gasping for breath, the mage looked ahead. The woman had vanished. She was nowhere to be seen—not in front, nor to the right or left.

“Whew...”

He sighed in relief, convinced it had been a mere hallucination, and leaned back against the seat.

But then...

Rustle— Rustle—

A rustling noise came from the backseat, causing the mage's spine to stiffen. His eyes widened, veins bulging, as he slowly turned his gaze to the rearview mirror. There, awkwardly hunched over in the backseat, was the giant woman, grinning eerily with her blood-red pupils glaring.

“Aaaaaaaah—!”

***

Epherene had been discharged immediately. After all, no one believed her story about the ghost—not Allen, Drent, nor the doctor.

“Ah~ Tomorrow’s the start of a new term,” Julia remarked as they walked back to the Mage Tower.

Epherene noticed a new bracelet on Julia's wrist, an accessory she hadn’t seen before. At this rate, it seemed like Julia’s entire body would soon be adorned with artifacts.

“By the way, Ephie, are you sure it was a ghost? You weren’t just imagining things? You’ve been under a lot of stress with Professor Deculein,” Julia asked.

"It was real."

The ghost’s terrifying appearance couldn’t have been a figment of her imagination. It wasn’t a hallucination, even if she had been exhausted at the time.

"Why don’t you rest today, Ephie? What if you run into another ghost?"

"... No," Epherene replied, shaking her head with determination. "I have something I need to check."

She hadn’t been able to forget the feel of the letterhead she found in Deculein’s office—it was a texture that felt disturbingly familiar.

"Ephie, you’re such a studyholic... Oh, look! Look over there!" Julia exclaimed, suddenly flailing her arms excitedly.

Epherene followed her gaze, curious about what had caught Julia's attention.

Hup-two— Hup-two—

A blond knight ran laps around the training grounds. It was Gawain, the renowned knight whose handsome features were famous across the continent.

"It’s Gawain!"

"... He is good-looking," Epherene admitted with a nod.

They say Gawain from the knights and Deculein from the Mage Tower are the two most handsome men at the university. I wonder if that knight’s personality matches his looks, like Professor Deculein, Epherene thought.

"Wow... watching him run is like watching a statue come to life..."

"Keep your pace steady!" Gawain commanded, leading the Knight Department trainees.

Julia gazed at him dreamily while Epherene, shaking her head with a smile, said, "I’m heading off. Keep watching if you like."

"Yeah... I think I will..."

Leaving Julia behind, Epherene arrived at the entrance of the Mage Tower. In the first-floor lobby, she encountered Allen.

"Oh? Assistant Professor Allen, when did you arrive?" Epherene asked, her eyes widening in surprise. She was certain she had taken the quickest route.

Allen offered a bright smile and asked, "I tend to walk quickly~ But what’s that you’re holding~?"

Epherene quickly hid the letter behind her back and said, "It’s just a letter I need to send to my sponsor..."

"Ah, I see~ The sponsorship mailbox must be open today. You received another sponsorship, didn’t you? Congratulations, Miss Epherene."

"Haha... I'm just thankful, that's all."

Epherene walked over and dropped the letter into the Sponsorship Mailbox. By the time she turned around, Allen had already disappeared.

Mumbling to herself, Epherene said, "He really does move quickly... But still, there’s no way... right?"

She stared at the mailbox, a strange thought crossing her mind before she shook her head. As if. There was no way Deculein would do something like that to her.

"I should get back to my report..."

It was time to immerse herself in the report once more.

***

In the game, the Encryption attribute likely had a simple application, mainly for locking and storing items.

However, in this world, where freedom was limitless and Deculein's unique mental fortitude came into play, its versatility became significantly enhanced. The first application was Digitization.

Though I coined the term myself, it accurately described the process of converting tangible objects into intangible mana codes. These codes were stored in my mind, functioning like an inventory. Even large items like ironwood could be easily stored through this digitization, provided the code could be reversed.

The second use was Magical Locking. As the name suggested, it involved embedding an encryption code into a magic circuit or spell, restricting access to only those I allowed. By combining these two methods, I could encode a spell and release it instantly.

However, since the attribute description emphasized the need for mental strength, the drain on my magic power was immense, and the headaches that followed were severe. Even with my Iron Man body, the pain made it clear that this application extended far beyond its original in-game intent.

Knock, knock—

While I was deeply immersed in analyzing the Encryption attribute from multiple angles, a sudden knock broke my concentration. My gaze instinctively shifted to the office door.

Knock, knock—

But the sound hadn’t come from the door—it had come from the window.

Knock, knock—

Of course, there would have been nothing unusual about this if I weren’t on the 77th floor of the Mage Tower. I turned to face the window.

Knock, knock—

It wasn’t a ghost. Instead, a robed figure stood outside, an unidentified mage.

As soon as our eyes met, her lips moved, and she said, "Do you mind if I come in?"

There was no immediate threat of death, nor any sign of hostility. Permission wasn’t required; the mage simply phased through the glass. Though the windows of the Mage Tower were crafted with magitech, she passed through them effortlessly.

"Deculein. Not even a hint of a welcome after all this time?" the uninvited guest said, her hood still drawn low. The voice was feminine, but I couldn’t identify it. "It’s me, Idnik."

Idnik, the merchant. Fortunately, I recognized the name. She was a companion of Rohakan and a key figure in the main quest. In one hand, she held a peculiar object—a cage shrouded in a veil.

“And—”

“I’m here too, protégé,” said another voice, strange and high-pitched, as if it had inhaled helium.

“This is it, Deculein,” Idnik said, placing the cage firmly on my desk.

A voice emerged from within the shadowy veil encasing the cage, commanding, “Remove this veil.”

I followed the command and lifted the veil. Inside the cage was a small cabin, complete with a garden. The entire structure was miniature, about the size of a toy house, and within it, a shrunken Rohakan gazed up at me.

“It has been a while, my protégé.”

“... Rohakan?”

"Indeed, I am. Haha," Rohakan's laughter rumbled deeply.

For a moment, I struggled to grasp what I was seeing and asked, “What brings you inside that?”

“It’s a precaution to avoid detection. As you know, I’m a Black Beast, so I had to miniaturize the cabin to bring it here.”

I glanced at Idnik. She still had her hood up, and when our eyes met, her displeasure was evident.

“... And you’ve brought a subordinate with you,” I said.

“I’m not his subordinate; I’m his colleague,” Idnik corrected firmly.

“Haha!” Rohakan grinned. “Deculein, have you reviewed the Chronicles of the Land of Destruction that I provided?”

“Yes, I have.”

The chronicle mostly covered information I was already familiar with. As a designer, I had tested the game extensively and absorbed various details from my team and from Yoo Ah-Ra.

“Good. My subordinate here and I both have something to discuss with you—”

“I’m not your subordinate; I’m your colleague.”

“... You’ve grown rather bold, haven’t you?”

“Hah. You speak as though you could manage anything without me.”

“Oh? Is that so?” Rohakan replied, raising his finger toward Idnik.

Bzzzz...

Mana flowed from his finger, shrinking Idnik to the same miniature size as Rohakan, pulling her into the cabin.

“... Rohakan, I’m warning you. Turn me back to normal,” Idnik growled, her teeth clenched.

“You can return yourself, can’t you? Or are you helpless without me?” Rohakan shrugged with a feigned innocence.

"... I’ll count to three. I need to speak with Deculein, so return me to normal."

"Go ahead and count. If I die, you’ll remain in that small form forever."

Rohakan and Idnik glared at each other, their tiny forms tense with animosity, locked in a silent struggle of wills like two miniature figurines poised for battle.

“Rohakan, I told you, return me to normal.”

“Admit that you are my subordinate, and I’ll return you to normal.”

“My only mentor is Demakan.”

“I was the one who introduced you to Demakan.”

Knock, knock—

Just then, another knock echoed—this time from the proper entrance, the door. I covered Rohakan’s miniature cabin with a cloth.

“Professor, it’s Epherene,” she said.

I used Telekinesis to open the door.

Epherene entered and handed me a report, saying, "Here is the research report."

I skimmed through the first few lines before letting out a sigh. It was still far from satisfactory.

Epherene hesitated before asking, "... Is it still not satisfactory?"

“No.”

“In that case... could you help me with this?” Epherene asked, handing over another sheet of paper filled with intricate spells and calculations. “It’s an academic problem posed by Telgend, the author of Harmony of the Four Elements, in the latest issue of Wizard Academic. Could you assist me in solving it?”

“... An academic problem?”

“Yes, sir. There was a footnote mentioning that anyone who truly grasped Harmony of the Four Elements would find it easy to solve.”

I understood what she was thinking. It was a feeling I had experienced during my time as a designer—when constant criticism made me question whether my superiors knew what they were talking about or if they were simply giving me a hard time. I studied Telgend’s problem and activated my comprehension.

“Hehe.”

As Epherene smirked with arrogance, I calculated the element proportions presented by the problem, established the framework of element’s harmony, and predicted the circuit based on that hypothesis. Finally, I arrived at the solution to the entire academic challenge.

“22.1935%, 23.1105%, 27.8505%, 26.8455%.”

Epherene’s face went blank as she leaned in closer, as if uncertain she’d heard right.

“... I’m sorry? C-could you repeat that?”

“22.1935%, 23.1105%, 27.8505%, 26.8455%.”

“Uh...”

“The problem is designed to reveal the golden ratio necessary for the harmony of the four elements. Were you unable to solve it?”

“N-no, I did solve it...” Epherene mumbled quietly.

Had he solved this before? How could he figure it out so quickly? It was only released five days ago... Epherene wondered.

“Epherene,” I said, calling her name.

“Y-yes?”

“What you know, I know. And I know what you don’t.”

In theory, she wouldn’t be able to challenge me—perhaps not ever. Epherene, visibly deflated, scratched the back of her neck.

“Approach your studies with humility. If you persist in doubting like this, you’ll never achieve your full potential,” I concluded.

“... Yes. I apologize.” Epherene replied, shuffling her feet as she left.

Creak—

Once the door shut, I removed the cloth, and Rohakan asked, “Was that Epherene’s voice I heard just now?”

“Yes, it was.”

“Hmm...” Rohakan murmured. He and Idnik, who seemed to have reconciled, were now sitting at a table in the garden, sipping tea together.

A sudden thought crossed my mind, and I asked, “Would it be possible for me to enter that cabin as well?”

“No. The contract between Idnik and me allows us to enter, but pulling in someone with your level of resistance wouldn’t be possible. An ordinary person, maybe, but not you.”

“So, what brings you here? I distinctly recall telling you that the last time I let you go would be the final time,” I asked.

When I first met Rohakan, I had warned him. It wasn’t just a caution but a genuine concern—advising him not to overreach and get himself killed.

“... Who’s letting whom go? Are you suggesting that you, Deculein, are the one who allowed Rohakan, this old man, to walk away?” Idnik muttered, disbelief evident in her voice.

Rohakan's tone grew serious as he said, “I understand. But there’s something crucial that I need to tell you.”

“What do you need to tell me?”

“The Altar is making its move. A significant threat is looming over the Empire. It will strike in winter, during the Monster Wave.”

Winter and the main quest. I had anticipated this the moment I saw Rohakan—he was practically a quest personified.

“So, I must ask a favor of you.”

“A favor?”

“Yes. When the Monster Wave arrives this winter, meet me. I’ll provide all the details when we gather in the Land of Destruction.”

“What do I stand to gain from this?” I asked.

Rohakan paused briefly before replying, “... Life. Yours, and that of everyone on this continent.”

As he spoke, a notification for a main quest appeared before me.

[Main Quest: Life]

? Rare Attribute Catalog

? Store Currency +5

Hesitation wasn’t necessary.

I nodded and said, "I’ll give it some thought."

“I trust you’ll make the right choice,” Rohakan said, smiling warmly as he released Idnik from the cabin. She returned to her normal size and took a seat. “Idnik has some matters to discuss with you privately, so I’ll be on my way. Until we meet again, take care, my protégé.”

His cabin floated into the air and disappeared with a soft pop.

“By the way, Deculein, is this how you typically treat your guests?” Idnik asked, lighting a cigarette as she glanced around the office.

“Uninvited guests should anticipate disdain, not hospitality.”

“... Hah. You've certainly grown bolder, haven't you?”

"Get to the point," I commanded, using Telekinesis to snatch the cigarette from her.

Idnik clicked her tongue in annoyance and said sharply, “Sylvia is in danger.”

I stayed silent, observing her intently.

Idnik frowned and said, “Deculein, remember the deal we made back then.”

“Back then?”

“When you killed Cielia, I spared you because you made me a promise.”

I couldn’t respond. That was a part of Deculein’s past that remained unknown to me.

“Are you planning to break that promise?” Idnik inquired.

I shook my head in response.

Idnik’s expression eased as she continued, “Good. ... But you’re still keeping that child with you, aren’t you?”

“By that child, are you referring to Epherene?”

“Correct.”

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t?”

Idnik shrugged, although her eyes remained sharp and said, “No, I just assumed you might have killed her by now.”

Her comment caught me off guard, causing my eyebrow to arch.

I kept my composure and asked, “Why?”

“Because Decalane was the one who discovered her first. Anyway, the main point is—Sylvia is in danger,” Idnik said, instinctively reaching for another cigarette. I swiftly removed it with Telekinesis. “Damn it—”

“In my office, your mouth is for speaking only. Get to the point.”

“... You arrogant fool. It seems you’re not afraid of death. Fine. There’s been a murder on the Floating Island.”

“And?”

Idnik’s leg trembled, likely from withdrawal symptoms of her cigarette, as she continued, “One of the main suspects is Sylvia, a high-ranking member of the Regallo.”

I blinked, processing the unexpected new information.

“Let’s go over the details on the Floating Island. Now, give me back my cigarette and...”

***

Late at night in the assistant research lab, Epherene stretched and yawned as she slowly woke up. She had apparently drifted off.

"Ah... it's already night... But really... how did he solve it...?" Epherene muttered to herself, recalling the shocking event that had just occurred—Deculein had solved in 30 seconds a problem she had agonized over for nearly 30 hours.

"Did I dream that?" Epherene muttered, rubbing her eyes.

“Dreaming?”

Allen’s voice startled Epherene, but she quickly composed herself and offered a smile, saying, "Oh, Assistant Professor Allen, you’re still here."

"Haha. Well... I’ll just step out for some fresh air~"

"Okay, see you later."

Allen’s smile had a way of lifting her spirits. Epherene exited the research lab, but as she stepped into the hallway, something unusual caught her attention.

“Huh?”

At the far end of the hallway, she noticed that the door to the Head Professor's Office was slightly slightly opened once again.

“Why is that door always open... It was like this yesterday too,” Epherene muttered nervously, swallowing hard as she deliberated.

I need to check something... Just a quick peek. There’s no way it’s true, but I can’t shake this uneasy feeling... Epherene thought.

"Alright."

Let’s just check. It’s likely nothing. I’ll see for myself... But what if that ghost appears again?

"Whatever."

Assistant Professor Allen is in the lab, so I should be fine.

Epherene moved cautiously toward the Head Professor’s Office. She peered through the slightly ajar door into the shadowed room, where not even the moonlight penetrated. Deculein wasn’t there.

Epherene took a deep breath and used her mana to light up the room like a flashlight. She moved silently, her breaths shallow, as she approached Deculein’s desk. Her body tensed, drenched in cold sweat. Once she reached the desk, she quickly crouched beneath the chair.

“Where have I seen the paper before...” Epherene mumbled to herself.

The paper on Deculein’s desk was of such fine quality that its texture was unforgettable. She didn’t need to search far—just a quick glance inside the first drawer revealed what she feared. The sight made her heart plummet.

“... Wait.”

It felt as if a stone had dropped into her chest. Epherene stared blankly at the sight before her, her hand trembling as she picked up the neatly folded letter.

“This can’t be...”

The first line her eyes landed on read, To my sponsor, It’s Epherene again— It was the very letter she had sent through the mailbox to her anonymous sponsor earlier that day.

“... Ahhhh!”

The shock made her drop the letter as if she had seen a ghost. Her entire body shook uncontrollably, and her head spun like she was coming down with a fever.

“My sponsor was...”

It had to be Deculein. She clamped her trembling hands over her mouth, muttering in disbelief.

“... Why?”