The Villain Wants to Live

The extreme north where tens of thousands of monsters migrated south to every year. The realm of the frontiers that imprinted on the continent the proverb, ‘The northerners are strong.’ Among them, Julie stood in the square of the Knights of Freyden, a sacred place for the knights that all people particularly respected.

“…Knights of winter.”

The total number of knights in the main building was 300. If you included knights performing missions in various places in the territory, that number was doubled, and each one was full of pride in their affiliation and origin.

“…”

Therefore, the way they regarded Julie was not very friendly. Standing at the very back, they glanced at her as if she was someone disagreeable. Although she was, of course, a direct blood relative of Freyden, it was because she had committed an unacceptable disgrace as a knight.

“Now, the migration to the south is not far away.”

Zeit, who stood on the podium in the square, also didn’t pay any attention to Julie. She took that fact for granted.

“A wave of monsters will crash into the frontier. However, the Holy Majesty has accepted the proposal to support Freyden, and I will place knights at each key point. We will form an unbreakable battle line.”

Zeit and his staff selected a total of thirteen key locations. The knights of Freyden could voluntarily choose one of them.

“Come up to the podium one by one and show your will.”

Then, one of the knights in the front row went up to the podium. He showed Zeit the northern courtesy and made his choice open to all knights in the square.

“I’m Griffin. I will show the bravery and determination of the knights at the walls of Rohel.”

There was not a single place that could be said to be easy among the key points; each of them posed its dangers.

?The descendant of the Mighty Men, Griffin!

That was why the knights of Freyden cheered for the choices of their colleagues.

“I’m Victor. I will protect the villagers from Domon Fortress.”

—Swordsman of Beloris, Victor!

The sound of glorious titles that any knight belonging to Freyden had at least one of filled the square. It was a relic of the old times, which the continent dismissed as childish, but in Freyden, it was still a tradition that inspired the order.

“Bomas will choose the rough terrain of Dokunkan!

—Gerun’s giant, Bomas!

The knights’ choices continued like that, but there was only one, a key point abandoned by everyone. It could be said that it was by far the worst among the eleven key points, but they didn’t avoid it because they were afraid or it was too difficult. It was reserved for the most dishonorable knight. They were allowing her to atone.

“…”

Therefore, when Julie stood on the podium, everyone’s eyes focused on her. There were no cheers that seemed to shake the sky, only darkness. Julie chose without hesitation.

“I will choose Reccordak.”

Reccordak was the prison where only the worst criminals on earth were imprisoned, used as a human wall against the monsters moving south. Julie volunteered for that hellish place where more than 80% of the inmates died within a year of incarceration.

“Okay.”

Zeit looked at her and nodded. The knights in the square did not cheer her on, but their piercing gazes were less angry.

“The knight Deya chose Reccordak.”

Zeit didn’t even call her Julie, but she paid it no mind.

“Yes.”

Julie came down from the platform and met the eyes of the knights who were looking at her. Many emotions reflected toward her; resentment, regret, disappointment, sadness, anger, betrayal…

Julie endured it all. Compared to what that man did to her, this was nothing.

“Now, after one month of training, we will each depart for a key point. Until then, let’s all personally hone our skills.”

Zeit spoke without raising his voice, his charisma proving enough. The knights of Freyden looked up as if they were looking at the king and answered loudly.

“””Yes!”””

* * *

The Imperial University was now entering the midterm exam period. However, there was no midterm exam in my class, so my job as a professor was only to check my research assistant’s thesis.

“Hey. Why is this car so good? The brand is the same as mine.”

On the way back to the Yukline mansion by car, Ihelm murmured from the seat next to me. Without a word, I pulled out a book. It was Sophien’s best-selling Blue Eyes.

[It was still too early for winter. It was snowing heavily on the continent… ]

“What is this now?”

As I read the first sentence, Ihelm kept fiddling with the seat belt. For reference, the belt was the result of my direct involvement in the car’s design. The concept of safety devices was still insufficient in this world. There were not enough cars to cause an accident in the first place, however.

Ihelm was having fun while stretching and shortening the seat belt.

“Is this a magic item?”

It was quite annoying. I put down the book.

“Shut up.”

Ihelm shrugged.

“You could just explain what this is.”

I fastened his seat belt with Psychokinesis.

Ugh-

Ihelm made a choking sound.

“Oh, it becomes bondage. So it was for transporting prisoners.”

“…”

I didn’t bother to correct him. I would just consider this man who shamelessly got in the car as soon as I ran into him a prisoner.

“Huh? Hey, isn’t Leaf over there?”

Ihelm pointed out the window.

“…”

Epherene, wearing a backpack, was waddling back and forth like a penguin. Behind her, some boxes followed like pets. It was a pretty cute use of Psychokinesis. Ihelm grinned and opened the window.

“Hey!”

“Aaah!”

Epherene, jumping like a startled cat, turned around.

“What!”

“I just felt like calling you. Why?”

“Ah, what are you doing… uh, Professor?”

The growling girl saw me, tilting her head.

“Are you two going together?”

“Yeah. We were going in the same direction. And you, Leaf?”

“…I want to put down my luggage first. I passed.”

Epherene glared at Ihelm with displeasure. I didn’t know if it was because of Ihelm, but Epherene was famous as ‘Leaf’ these days. Soon, even Allen would use the nickname.

“What did you pass?”

At that question, Epherene glanced at me. She was just scratching the back of her neck without answering until Ihelm asked again.

“Why? What did you pass?”

“…Yukline wizard training.”

“Hmm? Oh~ that? Hasn’t it been announced yet?”

“I pre-passed the exam.”

“Pre-pass?”

Ihelm looked back at me. Continental Yukline Wizard Training was a wizard development program held every winter on the Lake Island of the Yukline Territory. Usually, only university wizards with exceptional talent were selected, and several famous wizards came as daily mentors…

That’s what I heard from Yeriel. However, I didn’t know that Epherene would also have passed.

“Your Professor seems to think of you a lot, huh? He even let you pass such a famous program in advance. How corrupt.”

“W-What? It’s not corrupt.”

Seeing Epherene bewildered, Ihelm grinned.

“By the way, Leaf. Have you finished your midterm exams?”

“No. There are about half left, and I think I got almost a perfect score on everything; no, more importantly, I said don’t call me Leaf!”

“Oh? Perfect score?”

“…Yes.”

“How many days will you stay for training?”

“It’s a week-long schedule. Isn’t that right, Professor?”

Epherene turned to me. I closed the window without answering. Outside the window, Epherene stood perplexed, but I didn’t know much about the training either. I didn’t want to say, ‘I don’t know.’

“Right. Deculein. Have you hired a training mentor?”

“…”

Yeriel did ask me to hire someone. I didn’t look for anyone yet, but I didn’t think it would be too difficult. Rose Rio, Gindalf, Louina… my network wasn’t narrow.

“Hey. Judging from your look, I don’t think you hired any. Should I go?”

Ihelm looked a little cheeky. I narrowed my brow and glared at him, but he grinned and continued.

“Instead, it’s a deal. Just tell me why you didn’t save Julie- uh-oh!”

I immediately opened the car door and released Ihelm.

* * *

…I started recruiting mentors in earnest. If the name was Yukline’s training, and the list only included professors like Relin and Ciare or something like that, my reputation would be in trouble. The first was Rose Rio. I called her on the pretext of interviewing students.

“Rose Rio. Would you like to participate as a mentor in the Yukline training?”

“Huh? …Oh~, hehehe.”

Rose Rio’s attitude changed to arrogance almost immediately. She looked at me with her arms crossed.

“Hm~, but you should know. I don’t have much time these days-“

“Rose Rio. You know.”

I cut her off.

“It is up to me to remove students from my lectures.”

“…”

Rose Rio’s eyes narrowed, but I took that gaze indifferently. Then a very cold smile worked its way onto her lips.

“Haha. Are you threatening me now?”

“…”

I didn’t say anything. I just pulled out the student list from the drawer and held a red ballpoint pen. For a moment, Rose Rio’s body shook.

“…I said I don’t have time. It’s a week-long schedule.”

“The following content of my class is the pure use series. It will be a lot more difficult than it is now, but it will be a valuable learning experience.”

Rose Rio began to sweat.

Gulp–

I moved the pen slowly. If I drew just one line with this red pen, Rose Rio would be removed from my list of students.

“…”

Rose Rio’s eyes widened, and the sweat pouring from her temples ran down her chin. The moment the red pen finally touched against the paper…

“Ah, all right! Really! Do you have to be mean?”

Rose Rio reached out and snatched away my red ballpoint pen. I hid my smile and nodded.

“Good. Let’s write a contract.”