A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Selection (1)

In the break room of the Freyhem Knights Order, a lively game was underway.

"Let me draw a card," Cindy declared with exaggerated flair. "Drumroll, please... Oh! Binding Sword!"

Out of the nine participants, two were Specters, five were knights, one was a mage, and one was a duke. The game, Specter with Knight, combined psychological strategy and card play. The knights had to identify the Specters, who, in turn, tried to eliminate the knights. This game had recently gained popularity.

"Who should I stab with the Binding Sword...?" Cindy said, her eyes scanned the round table. Yulie sat calmly, though her heart sank when Cindy drew the Binding Sword. Leaning forward with a mischievous glint in her eyes, Cindy asked, "Grand Knight?"

"Yes, Cindy?"

"You’re a Specter, aren't you?" Cindy leaned in, her voice tinged with playful accusation.

Yulie placed her hands neatly on her lap, shaking her head and said, "No, I’m not."

"It sure looks like it. Look at you, Grand Knight. You can't lie to save your life."

"What are you implying?"

"In the last game, when we pointed out your tells, you forced yourself to stay expressionless."

Yulie feigned annoyance, puffing out her cheeks.

"Now, it seems you’re forcing another expression."

"... I assure you, I am not a Specter," Yulie said.

"In that case, I shall use the Binding Sword on Grand Knight Yulie."

"You will regret this decision. I assure you, I am a knight."

"Hmm... Now you have me reconsidering," Cindy said, pretending to deliberate. Yulie wondered if Cindy was truly contemplating, but it was evident she was merely toying with her. "Alright, I'll take the risk."

Cindy channeled mana into the Binding Sword card, making it glow. A small blue sword materialized, pointing at the card in front of Yulie. With a swooshing sound, a ghost emerged.

"See, Grand Knight? You're awful at lying."

"... This game is quite challenging," Yulie sighed.

"But it's enjoyable, right?" Cindy laughed.

Normally, Yulie wouldn’t intrude on her subordinates’ games, but this time, they had insisted she join.

Knowing their true intentions, she gave them a faint smile and replied, "Yes, it is."

"Exactly! We all need a break sometimes. Grand Knight, you've been working tirelessly lately."

"How about this? If you draw the Specter card again, we'll start over. You're great at strategies but not as good with mind games."

"... Next game will be different," Yulie declared as she handled the cards, her competitive spirit ignited. Though the game itself didn't captivate her, the challenge fueled her anticipation for another round. Just then...

"It's already 8 o’clock. Time for the jousting match."

"Is it already?"

"Grand Knight, we're heading out now. Do take some time to practice a bit more~"

The knights hurried out, leaving the once-bustling break room empty. Alone, Yulie gazed at the table before tossing her cards aside.

Shuffle—

As the cards scattered helplessly, the knights returned. Yulie eagerly gathered them, suspecting they had pretended to leave just to tease her. She feigned annoyance, but her heart was full of joy. Thinking this time would be different for her. The subordinate knights lined up behind Yulie, and shortly after, members of the Imperial family entered the room.

"Yulie von Deya-Freyden."

Startled, Yulie quickly rose and snapped a crisp salute.

"Here is a letter from the Imperial Palace. Accept it with the proper respect," commanded Lucan, a knight of the Imperial Palace.

"Yes, sir," Yulie replied, kneeling on one knee to accept the letter.

Lucan handed her the letter, which read:

Yulie von Deya-Freyden, you are granted the opportunity to be selected as the Imperial Instructor Knight. Your first task is to navigate to the designated location, Rone Past.

This letter confirmed that Yulie was indeed one of the candidates for the highly coveted position of Imperial Instructor Knight.

***

The continent harbors various magical spaces, each with its unique characteristics. Some places endure perpetual winter or summer, some are cloaked in eternal night, and others see not a single blade of grass grow.

Even the desolate fringes of the continent, known as the Land of Destruction or Land of Demonic Beasts, belong to this category. Yulie was traversing one such space. Despite it being summer, the surroundings were blanketed in perpetual snow.

"... There it lies."

The grueling half-day march was finally nearing its end. Flickering lights in the distance guided her to a large villa, her destination. Yulie stood before the door and knocked.

Knock, knock—

"Is anyone there?" she called out, but received no response.

Knock, knock—

"Come in," a voice from inside called after she knocked again.

Yulie opened the door, and the warmth inside pushed away the chill of the snowstorm. In the cozy living room, she saw familiar faces—Sirio, Raphel, and Gwen, all seniors from her university days.

"It’s been a while, Yulie," Sirio, the Deputy Knight of the Iliade Knights Order, greeted her with a warm smile. His features were as striking as ever.

"It has indeed been a while," Yulie responded with a polite nod.

"I had a feeling it would be you. Please, have a seat."

Five chairs were arranged in the living room. Yulie took one of the two remaining seats, presuming the final one was reserved for the Selector.

"I'm curious about the test," Sirio continued. "This gathering reminds me of our university group projects. Right, Gwen? Yulie? Remember when we escorted that dignitary?"

"I don't care. I'm not going easy on you, Yulie, so you better be ready," Gwen, the short-haired knight, warned, her sharp eyes scanning the room.

"Certainly," Yulie replied with a resolute nod.

Raphel remained silent while Sirio continued, "The last seat must be for the Selector. With Deputy Knight Isaac injured, does that mean Sir Gerfried will be joining us?"

The mention of Sir Gerfried, the Empire's Guardian Knight, caused Yulie to tense up.

"Hmph. No way," Gwen scoffed. "Sir Gerfried is retired now. Besides, the Guardian Knight's residence is in the south, not the Imperial Palace."

"True enough," Sirio said with a shrug.

Knock, knock—

The sound echoed clearly, capturing everyone's attention. The door opened before anyone could respond.

Whoosh—

A snowstorm blew in from outside as the man entered, wearing a coat and a fedora that obscured his face. Tall and well-built, he exuded an air of familiarity that Yulie couldn't quite place.

When he removed his hat, she realized why. Yulie's eyes widened in recognition, and the other knights simply blinked in surprise. Unfazed by their reactions, he nonchalantly hung his hat and coat in midair.

Creak, creak—

The wooden floorboards groaned under his steps. His shoes remained spotless, untouched by the snow outside.

"Greetings," Deculein said as he took the Selector’s seat. "I am Deculein, the Acting Selector."

Silence enveloped the room as the knights stared at Deculein in stunned disbelief, their faces a mixture of shock and confusion.

"... Deculein?" Raphel said, his deep voice cut through the silence. "You? You're the Selector?"

Deculein nodded and replied, "Indeed."

Raphel, Sirio, Gwen, and Deculein were the former colleagues who started at the Imperial University together, although Raphel joined the Department of Knights while Deculein enrolled in the Department of Magic.

"Do you even know how to wield a sword? Or understand a knight’s honor? How dare you—" Raphel, nearly six foot seven inches tall, stood up and glared at Deculein, his chiseled features contorting with anger.

"Of course, I am a professor, not a knight, so I will assess you according to the manual."

"Manual? What could you possibly know about swordsmanship—"

"Not much. However, the qualifications for the Imperial Instructor Knight extend beyond swordsmanship. Additionally, I have already been chosen as the Imperial Instructor Mage, so my credentials are more than sufficient."

Sirio's eyes widened in surprise and asked, "You were selected? What about Louina? Did she lose out again?"

"... Louina?"

"... Oh, I didn't realize. I forgot about your big fight."

Deculein reflected on Louina von Schlott McQueen, his inevitable rival. She should have surfaced by now, yet there had been no word from her since the Floating Island incident.

"Anyway, how fascinating," Sirio mused. "With Deculein as the Selector, there are four of us from the same year."

Raphel and Gwen seemed disgruntled, while Yulie felt more uneasy than discontented.

"But is this fair? Won’t there be favoritism?" Sirio asked, grinning as he pointed out the issue.

Deculein shook his head and replied, "I will conduct the initial selection, but the final decision rests with Her Majesty."

"Hmm. You didn’t specify it would be fair... Well, understood."

"Alright, when does the test start?" Gwen inquired.

Deculein turned to her, and she flinched under his sudden gaze.

"The first test was merely reaching this destination," Deculein declared. "The true examination begins tomorrow. Take this time to rest."

***

[Independent Quest Completed: Selection as Imperial Instructor Mage]

◆ Mana Point +100

◆ Store Currency +2

Sirio │ Knight of the Fresh Breeze │ 33 years old

Raphel │ Knight of Might │ 34 years old

Gwen │ Knight of the Holy Star │ 31 years old

Yulie │ Knight of Refinement │ 28 years old

Clang—! Clang—!

Clang—! Clang—!

With my Sharp Eyesight, I closely examined their swordplay. Gwen employed Advanced Rodeltra, while Sirio used his own creation, Sirio's Masterful Fencing. Both were incredibly skilled, but Sirio’s unique style gave him a slight advantage.

Boom—! Swoosh—!

“... Phew.”

"Hey, you've really improved. I can't afford to let my guard down around you." _{freeweɓnovel.cøm}

“... Ha.”

Screech—