A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 132

Chapter 132: Missa (2)

The clear sky was dotted with a few clouds, and the sunset gradually turned deep red as the autumn leaves rustled in the breeze—a quintessential autumn scene.

Josephine stepped into the alley where they had agreed to meet, her steps light and almost dancing, like a waltz. And she knew exactly why.

"... Brother-in-law," Josephine said.

When she arrived, her expression hardened naturally. Deculein stood across from her, turning to meet her eyes. They remained silent, staring at each other. This was their only chance to save Yulie from her curse, even if the method was uncertain. Josephine trusted Deculein, and he was ready to play his role for Yulie's sake.

There was no signal, but Josephine was the first to break the silence and asked, "Let me be clear—did you kill the knight, Veron?"

She then gestured to the recording artifact resting against her neck. Deculein glared back, his gaze cold and unwavering.

"You can't deny it," Josephine continued. "Witnesses confirmed that you were the last to be seen with Veron. Moreover, the wound on his chest is inconsistent with a simple fall or the mark of an assassin."

Even so, Deculein remained silent, his eyes filled with cold disdain.

"If you insist on your innocence, then lend me your weapon—your Wood Steel," Josephine demanded.

"... My Wood Steel?" Deculein asked.

"Yes. We have recovered Veron's remains. It will be needed to compare the wounds—"

"Is there really a need for comparison?" Deculein asked, a dry chuckle escaping his lips. "He was an arrogant fool, unworthy of life. How dare he forget his place and set his sights on things he could never have?"

He recited the words as if they were scripted, imitating the original Deculein perfectly.

"And even if I were to admit it, what could you possibly do? Do you think you can punish me—the one favored by Her Majesty?"

Josephine clenched her jaw.

Then, Deculein's lips curved into a cold, empty smile as he continued, "In any case, she is worthless now."

"... Could you clarify your meaning?" Josephine inquired.

"It’s only a matter of time before she starts to fall apart."

A vein pulsed on Josephine's forehead. Despite knowing it was an act, his words had hit a nerve.

“A knight worn down by her curse. She reached for something beyond her grasp, while I wore the mask of kindness. But I’ve grown tired of it,” Deculein said, his face unmoved, his voice cold and cutting. “I lack the mercy to love a woman teetering on the edge of death, and the Yukline name cannot afford to suffer such a loss again."

Whether it was an act or his true feelings, his voice sliced through the air like a cold wind.

"So, Josephine. Is that all you brought me here to say? Such insignificant matters?"

Josephine suppressed the surge of murderous intent within her. She knew it was all an act, yet he played the part so convincingly that he might have won an award.

"I have nothing more to say to those who would present me with such a defect. The engagement with Freyden is hereby annulled. Relay this to Zeit as well," Deculein declared, turning and walking away without a moment's hesitation, leaving behind a video barely five minutes long—the very proof Yulie would need to despise him.

"... Defect, he called her," Josephine muttered under her breath.

The gratitude Josephine felt quickly turned her murderous intent into calm reasoning. Deculein loved Yulie as much as, if not more than, she did. For him to speak so harshly, he must deeply, desperately wish to save her—more than anyone else in this world.

If that’s the case, I can only hope this plan works out well, Josephine thought to herself, letting out a quiet sigh.

She made her way back to the funeral hall, but suddenly came to a halt. Someone was hiding in the distance, quietly watching her.

"... Yulie?"

Her head hung low, hair falling over her face. Yulie trembled, her body tense, barely containing the torrent of emotions inside.

"So... you heard it all, didn't you?"

Yulie bit down so hard that blood seeped from her lips. Josephine hadn’t meant for her to find out like this. She was briefly stunned, but soon, a twisted sense of satisfaction welled up from deep within her.

"... It's alright," Josephine whispered softly, offering her sister comfort even as she silently planned the fall of the Freyhem Knights' Order.

If the Order collapsed, Yulie would lose her place in the capital and be forced to return to Freyden. And if Deculein’s words were true, the curse would be cured, keeping Yulie by her side forever...

"You still have me, remember?" Josephine said, hiding every hint of her dark intentions, gently wrapped her arms around Yulie’s shoulders.

***

"Such a shame... what a pity.”

A ghostly voice crept into Epherene's mind, a dark whisper luring the living toward the world of the dead. Mesmerized, she found herself drawn to his face.

“... Do you know what your father desired most?”

In an instant, she sprang awake. Epherene glanced around in panic, realizing she was in the assistant's research lab, her body drenched in sweat.

It was only a dream. Or was it? Epherene thought.

Epherene shot to her feet and hurried to Deculein’s office. If this world was not a dream, he was the only one who could confirm it. She raised her hand to knock but hesitated, her eyes drifting to the nameplate.

Head Professor Deculein’s Office

He was always nearby, yet somehow felt so far away. I felt bitter toward him, but I couldn’t ignore the feeling that I owed him. I couldn't forgive him, but in some way, I understood. He knew all my mistakes and betrayals, yet still told me it was alright because I was his protégé, Epherene thought with a sigh, lowering her hand from the door before turning away.

Just then, she noticed Allen and Drent walking down the hallway, deep in conversation.

Drent noticed Epherene and called out, "Hey, Epherene! Did you hear? A Gerocecream shop just opened nearby!"

“What? No way! Really?!”

Gerocecream—short for Gero Ice Cream—was hugely popular in the southern region and had finally made its way to the Empire.

Epherene clasped her cheeks, her eyes sparkling with excitement, and continued, “This has to be a dream, right?!”

Drent shook his head and replied, “What dream? I went there, but the line was so long, I just gave up.”

Allen sighed in disappointment and added, "Yes, they mentioned the wait would be about three hours..."

"No! I'll go wait in line! Just give me the money!"

Studying her thesis while standing wasn’t an issue. If anything, it actually helped her focus. She could handle three hours on her feet without a problem.

“Hurry, hurry! I’ll do it!” Epherene urged, reaching out to Drent and Allen, her eyes shining with eagerness.

~

Fifteen minutes later...

"... Ugh. There really are so many people," Epherene muttered, fanning herself with a hundred-elne bill as she eyed the line for Gerocecream. Just like Allen and Drent had said, at least two hundred people stood waiting. "Oh, well."

Epherene considered the wait a small price for Gerocecream. While standing in line, she reviewed her thesis, reading about one page every twenty minutes as the line inched forward at the same pace. After nearly three hours, with the sun starting to set, only twenty people stood ahead of her.

“Whew...”

She had read enough for the day. Epherene stretched her stiff neck and tucked her thesis back into her bag.

“Next customer, please!”

Time dragged on as the line inched forward, person by person, until at last, her turn came.

“Next customer, please!”

"Yes, that's me~" Epherene exclaimed, raising her arms in excitement like a playful puppy.

Screech—

Just then, a luxury car pulled up to the curb. The driver stepped out and whispered something to the frog-faced store owner.

"... Ah, I see," the owner replied, his expression turning serious. He nodded, handing over most of the remaining ice cream to the driver. Then, he turned to the waiting crowd and announced, "I'm sorry, but we're out of stock! Please come back tomorrow!"

“What!”

"If you have a waiting ticket for today, you'll get priority service tomorrow! Oh, wait, tomorrow’s a holiday."

“Argh!”

"Looks like it'll have to be Monday then!"

Before Epherene could utter a word, still clutching her ticket, the owner pulled the shutters down. Her eyes, filled with resentment, shifted to the luxury car parked nearby.

"Are you kidding me?!"

I waited hours for this! It’s not fair! They could’ve just taken one serving—there was plenty left. Why take everything?

Epherene ran up to the car, banging on the window as she shouted, "Excuse me! Hey, excuse me—!"

Her patience broke, anger twisting her face as she glared through the window.

"Heeeey! Excuse meeeeeee! Open the windooooooow—!"

The window slid down, and Epherene instinctively reached her hand inside. However, the moment she saw the face within, she froze in shock.

"Oh... Professor?"

Inside was Deculein, his eyes fixed on Epherene with pure disdain.

“Professor, do you... really like ice cream?” Epherene asked, her voice trailing off.

“No,” Deculein replied.

"But why? Why... did you buy so much...? I was right next in line..."

The sight of the ice cream tubs piled on the passenger seat sparked something in her—courage, or maybe just plain greed.

Epherene demanded, “Can you at least tell me why...?”

Without a word, Deculein reached into his inner pocket. Along with his wallet, a small object slipped out. Epherene glimpsed a silver chain glinting in the light, with a hint of a pendant just below it.

"Here, take this as compensation," Deculein said, extending three bills—totaling three hundred elne.

"No, I don’t need the money. I’ll just... go. Enjoy your ice cream," Epherene murmured, bowing her head. Shoulders drooping, she slowly turned to leave.

Deculein sighed quietly before saying, “... Ren?”

“Yes, sir.”

The driver, who seemed to be his secretary, offered Epherene a tub of ice cream.

"Sorry? Oh... really? Thank you so much! Here, let me pay you. One serving is thirty elne, right, so—"

“You may leave now,” Deculein commanded.

The engine roared to life, prompting Epherene to step back in surprise. Without hesitation, the car sped away into the distance.

"Was he just in a bad mood?" Epherene muttered, feeling a bit awkward. She cringed at how she'd lost her cool over ice cream. "... Well, at least I got one, heh."

As she walked away with the ice cream in hand, a small smile crept onto her face.

So, the professor likes ice cream too... I guess we do have at least one thing in common... But that pendant I saw—could it really be the one Mage Gindalf mentioned...? No, it’s probably something else, Epherne thought.

"... Oh?" Ganesha said, turning to Epherene. She flicked her hair back and pointed at the ice cream with a smile. "Is that Gerocecream? Wow, it looks delicious~."

“Sorry? Oh, yes...” Epherene murmured, instinctively hiding the ice cream behind her back. There wasn’t enough to share. “What brings you here?”

She knows. She has to know what happened between our families. She wouldn’t react this way otherwise, Epherne thought.