A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 225

Chapter 225: Wooden Pocket Watch (4)

“... It has been a long time, child of Luna,” Decalane said.

In the depths of the dream’s darkness, Deculein’s father—Decalane, a specter of the past—appeared. Fear gripped Epherene at first, but only for a brief moment.

I don’t shake in fear anymore, and I’m not afraid to back down. I’ve learned to see myself for who I really am. My properties are Curios and Origin—talents so rare that most people would be lucky to have even one. Running away in fear would just be a waste of my potential, Epherene thought.

“Come at me,” Epherene said, taunting as she took a stance for a magical battle.

Pzzt— Pzzzzzzt—

Sparks of mana crackled in the air.

"You have changed. However, child, I have no desire to engage in a fight with you," Decalane replied with a faint smile.

“Bullshit...”

"Why don't we sit for a moment?”

From the void of darkness, two chairs took shape, appearing as if they had always been there.

"Sit," Decalane said as he stepped forward and lowered himself onto one of the chairs, then, with a simple gesture, he motioned to the seat across from him.

“... What?" Epherene muttered, momentarily caught off guard.

But Decalane remained calm, merely nodding as if to assure her that everything was fine.

“... What kind of trick is this?”

"This is no trick. I merely wish to have a conversation with you," Decalane said.

“A conversation?”

"Come, sit. I will tell you everything you do not know—about my son, and about your father as well."

The relationship between Deculein and her father—Epherene found Decalane difficult to trust, yet the offer was tempting nonetheless.

“... All of a sudden?” Epherene asked suspiciously.

"It is not sudden. I have long wished to tell you, but certain obstacles... stood in the way," Decalane replied with a smile. Then, with a slight motion of his hand, he used Telekinesis to pull out a chair for her. "Will you listen, or will you leave? The choice is yours."

A wave of curiosity and doubt welled up from deep within her, tangled with the heavy burden of her father’s and Deculein’s dark past. Unable to hold it back any longer, Epherene slowly took a seat, her eyes narrowing into a glare as she focused on Decalane.

"What is it that you wish to know, child?" Decalane asked with a gentle smile.

"Your purpose. Why, how, and for what reason do you keep coming into my mind?" Epherene asked.

"It is simple. My intention was to implant myself within your body."

“W-Within my body?”

"Indeed. You may not have realized it, but a remnant of that attempt remains within you, allowing me to take form by your side like this."

“... You are crazy!” Epherene said, glaring at Decalane with pure disgust. “Absolutely disgusting—”

"It was your father’s proposal," Decalane interrupted with a faint smile.

“... What?” Epherene muttered, her brows knitting in disbelief at the incomprehensible words.

"Child, I have told you before—Kagan Luna never loved you."

At that moment, Epherene's face stiffened.

"A long time ago, your mother gave birth to you and then ran away," Decalane said with a faint smile, his fingers tapping on the table.

“... Mother? My mom?”

“Indeed.”

Epherene had never seen her mother’s face, as there were no portraits, no photographs—only a name carved on a gravestone in her homeland.

“What do you mean by that?”

"Iliade offered her a fortune to give up the Luna name. Without hesitation, she accepted—abandoning both you and Kagan."

Epherene's lips parted slightly in silence.

"As a result, Kagan came to resent Iliade, his heart consumed by hatred for your mother, and because you bore her likeness, he loathed you as well. In the end, the only thing left in his life was magic, which he held onto with a desperate obsession, living like a man lost in his own madness..."

A single chess piece appeared on the table before Decalane—a pawn, the smallest soldier on the board.

"However, lost in his own obsession and paranoia, your father, Kagan.”

Behind it, a massive king piece placed itself onto the table.

“Eventually found his way to me."

Epherene clenched her fists tightly.

"He came to me while I was preoccupied with matters of succession and proposed offering you in exchange. In return, he wanted me to help him exact his revenge—to bring down Iliade and find his wife, only to kill her with his own hands. That man was far from sane," Decalane concluded, a smile forming on his lips.

“S-Stop spewing that bullshit—!” Epherene yelled, unable to bear it any longer, her outburst sending the chess pieces on the table—the king and the pawn—tumbling over. “Y-You have no proof! My father would never—”

“Proof.”

"Yeah—!" Epherene shouted, springing to her feet, her hands trembling as she nearly overturned the table as she glared at Decalane. "My father would never hate me! He would never—"

"Did I not already tell you?" Decalane interrupted, his voice dropping to a chilling calm, his eyes—so much like Deculein’s—locked on her. "That remnant is still a part of you."

“What do you mean by...”

At that moment, Epherene met Decalane's eyes, then followed his line of sight.

“Child of Luna.”

... It was toward her wrist—on the bracelet wrapped around it. A keepsake left by her father—or so she had believed. What she had thought was part of her very being all this time, her property, a Curios.

“That is the remnant.”

“... Ah.”

"Becoming a mage, entering the academy, receiving the Curios—every thought you’ve had, every choice you’ve made, all of it was controlled by him," Decalane said. "Your life was never really your own. Not even once."

Epherene fell silent, her pupils darkening as her eyes dimmed and her breath became unsteady. The more her head dipped under the weight of his words, the more Decalane’s smile deepened.

"Do you understand now? Your life has been nothing but meaningless—"

“... Then.”

But just before she could crumble under the weight of his words, Epherene clenched her teeth and braced herself, swallowing back the tears that threatened to fall.

"He knew all this time and never said a word," Epherene muttered.

“Who?”

Epherene lowered her eyes to her wrist without a word, where her father’s bracelet was placed.

“... The Professor,” Epherene muttered, lowering her eyes to her palm, where a piece of Wood Steel lay.

“... Hmm," Decalane murmured, leaning back in his chair as he regarded Epherene with quiet contempt.

“... So the Professor knew everything all along and let me hate him. He made me believe he killed my father."

Suddenly, Deculein’s words echoed in her mind—his chilling question of whether someone as feeble as she could ever take vengeance against the one who killed Kagan.

“... Just like how you're trying to break me now, maybe he thought I would break," Epherene added, lifting her head.

Epherene’s face was a canvas of fractured emotions, but she glared Decalane in the eyes as she placed the Wood Steel onto the table.

Bang—!

The solid, heavy Wood Steel came down, crushing both the pawn and the king beneath its weight.

“This is my knight,” Epherene said.

“... Tch,” Decalane murmured, shaking his head.

“I never played chess because it was too complicated for me, but this,” Epherene added through clenched teeth, pressing down as if to crush her words. “This is dozens of times stronger than any pawn or king.”

Ruuuuumble...

At that moment, the dreamscape trembled, darkness rippling around them as mana flowed into the Wood Steel and cracks spread across the ground like veins of light.

“I won’t break,” Epherene muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes, although her heart felt like it was being ripped to pieces—no, it had already shattered—but her inner strength kept her upright. “Because that’s what the Professor wants.”

Shhhateerr—!

“Ahh!”

“Ugh!”

Thump, thump, thump, thump—

“... Oh.”

“Hmm?” Epherene murmured, her eyes widening the moment they stepped inside. “... It’s crowded.”

This isn’t the Floating Island Library... What is going on? Epherene muttered.

Yuren Literary Quiz Competition! Broadcast Live on Radio!

“Oh?”

“Oh! Wait—Ria? Is that you?” Epherene said

"Yes, the prizes are really big," Ria said with a bright smile, but it quickly faded. "Oh, and I... also heard about the Professor passing away..."

“Oh, that? It’s okay.”