A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 124: Formal Hearing (3)

“Kagan Luna. Your father, Epherene Luna,” the Chairwoman said.

The Chairwoman's words cast a heavy silence over the room, as though every sound had been completely erased. All eyes turned toward Deculein.

"... Hmm. Over a century together, and still... there’s always something new to discover," Sophien mused.

The situation had caught Sophien off guard. The revelation of a co-author was entirely inconsistent with Deculein's character. The idea contradicted everything she thought she knew about him. Resting her chin on her hand, Sophien glanced at Epherene. The emotions on her face were impossible to fully describe.

Ihelm’s voice wavered, his words halting as he stammered, “Deculein? You? What... what? A co-author?”

The Chairwoman intervened, turning to Deculein instead of Ihelm, who appeared at a loss, and said, “I believe an explanation of this co-authorship is needed! Professor Deculein?!”

Nodding, Deculein responded in a calm, factual tone, more like a statement than a defense, “The conception and initiation of this idea originated from Kagan Luna. It was a unique and ingenious thought, unmatched by anything others could conceive.”

Deculein then turned his gaze to Epherene, whose tired eyes shimmered faintly.

"Kagan Luna established the framework for the thesis, while I was responsible for its further development and finalization. Therefore, it was appropriate for both names to be listed as co-authors of the first author of the thesis... That is all."

"I see! Ihelm, please proceed with your questioning!"

"... Why now?" Ihelm asked, still in disbelief. "Why choose now, of all times?"

"... Hmm! I’ll step in for Ihelm, as it seems he’s not in the best state to continue," Adrienne chimed in brightly. "This isn’t the first time Professor Deculein has mistreated his assistants, right? Many have been broken, some even driven to suicide! So why, all of a sudden, are you showing concern for a former assistant now?"

“This was not something that occurred suddenly,” Deculein replied. “It was a gradual awakening. I have come to terms with my past errors and now accept them fully.”

"Hmm~" Adrienne nodded thoughtfully. "I see! Witness Epherene, do you have anything more to add?"

Epherene flinched when her name was called, while Adrienne offered her a warm smile.

"Ah... I..."

Epherene swallowed hard, her gaze flicking between Deculein, Adrienne, and Ihelm as a wave of confusion washed over her.

It wasn’t just the shock of Deculein's unexpected behavior; it was the gravity of his sincere admission. The idea that her father would now be immortalized as a co-author in the Magical Realm stirred something deep within her. She had felt naive, almost foolish.

"... No, I don’t have anything else to say."

"Alright! Then—"

Bang—! Bang—! Bang—!

The Chairwoman struck her gavel and announced, "We’ll take a brief recess! Everyone, take a moment to rest!"

***

Near the hearing room of the Mage Tower, a terrace stretched across the upper floors. Designed like a forest, the place allowed a clear view of the entire campus when I stood by the railing. Night had already fallen, and the world below lay bathed in the light of a full moon.

Thud—!

Not long after, deliberate footsteps echoed, loud enough to make their presence known. I waited a moment longer, and soon, someone approached. His buttery blond hair fluttered in the breeze, and the overpowering scent of cologne stung my nose.

“... I don’t understand your angle,” Ihelm said as he walked up slowly. Staring at the same view, he continued, "Were you aware of the magic marker embedded in the thesis?”

I nodded. I discovered it during the process of developing the thesis. It was a rather clever trap.

“What did you do about it?”

“I left it untouched,” I replied.

Dismantling it would have been simple, just a matter of refining the circuits one by one.

Creak—

Soon, Ihelm gripped the railing tightly, the sound of his skin scraping against the metal ringing out clearly.

"Why? Didn’t you hold a deep dislike for him, Luna?" Ihelm asked.

I turned to look at Ihelm. He had once been the closest to Deculein, knowing him in those days better than anyone else.

“You didn’t care for Luna or his daughter... did you?”

Living as Deculein, there were times when memories I couldn’t fully recall resurfaced—either gradually over time or triggered by specific incidents. Yet, they always came back in fragments, like scattered pieces of perception that demanded careful cross-verification rather than blind acceptance.

"... Decalane was never satisfied with me," I muttered, more to myself than to Ihelm, though his crimson eyes remained locked on me. "Perhaps my talent fell short, or I didn’t develop as he had hoped. Or maybe the ambition of that specter was simply too great."

Ihelm remained silent.

“Whatever the case, during those days of discontent, Decalane discovered the talent of an Archmage.”

Ihelm nodded faintly a couple of times before responding, “Yes. If Decalane hadn’t died, Epherene Luna would have taken the position of head from you. But even then, I still wonder. Could it really have been that simple to place a child from an entirely different bloodline at the head of the family?”

Decalane never intended for Epherene to become the head of the family. What he wanted was a vessel, something that could contain his dying brain—and Epherene was the one he chose.

“Decalane is long dead. Everything has changed now.”

“Still, the Deculein I knew would have strongly disliked Luna’s daughter. You wouldn’t have forgiven Kagan.”

I chose not to answer.

"Kagan and you... You both had every reason to hate each other. Only if he hadn’t been so desperate to earn Decalane’s favor..."

I gazed up at the distant sky. The vast ceiling spread out like an ocean, with the large full moon hanging there, solitary and still.

“None of that matters anymore. The research remains incomplete, and it’s Epherene’s responsibility, not mine, to finish it. Besides...”

“... Besides?”

"His suicide was a consequence of my actions."

“... What?” Ihelm muttered, his mouth hanging open, his expression one of complete disbelief.

“I took her father’s life. I cannot allow myself to harbor hatred for his daughter as well.”

“... D-did you,” Ihelm finally spoke, his forehead damp with cold sweat. “Did you genuinely feel such pity for Epherene?”

“No.”

“Then why are you, of all people, doing this, if not out of pity?”

I stopped to think for a moment. It wasn’t sympathy or compassion—that much I knew. But beyond that, I couldn’t be sure. My emotions were elusive, something even my Sharp Eyesight struggled to grasp.

“Who can say?”

But then I remembered something I had read in a book once—how every mage, at least once in their life, feels a profound sense of responsibility.

"Perhaps I’ve started to see her as my protégé."

Maybe, without realizing it, I’ve grown to feel that way, I thought.

Ihelm stood speechless, his grip on the railing slackening. A gust of wind swept over him, cooling the sweat that had gathered on his brow.

A faint, bitter chuckle escaped his slightly parted lips as he muttered, “... That doesn’t make sense, though.”

“What doesn’t make sense?”

“A few years ago, when Glitheon attempted to wipe out Luna’s bloodline, you were the one who stopped him, weren’t you? There’s no way you felt like this back then.”

“Did I?” I asked, not recalling the event, but Ihelm furrowed his brow in disbelief.

“... Ugh.”

Ihelm didn’t press the issue. Instead, he simply shook his head and let out a sigh.

“You know, this was my final effort,” Ihelm said, staring out at the night, his face unusually calm. “A co-author. There’s nothing left to use against you. No, I have no reason to continue.”

Ihelm hunched over, his body sagging against the railing like a rag left to dry.

“... If you’ve really changed. If the Deculein before me isn’t the same as he once was. If you’re no longer the man I was determined to tear down...”

I looked at him. His crimson eyes, which had always appeared lifeless like spoiled cheese, now glimmered faintly under the moonlight. An unfamiliar spark of life seemed to flicker within them.

“I have no reason to argue with you any longer. Holding on to the past only causes me pain.”

At that moment...

“Hey!” Ihelm shouted.

A sudden presence stirred near the terrace entrance.

"Leave before he catches you."

Tap, tap, tap—!

The sound of hurried footsteps faded into the distance.

Thunk—!

A thud echoed, followed by the sound of someone stumbling and scraping their knee against the ground.

I shot a glare at Ihelm, who simply chuckled and shrugged, saying, "... I didn’t bring her here. I only informed her she could follow if she chose. That’s why I remained silent about everything else."

Ihelm turned his gaze to the sky, as if looking for something lost to time, his eyes following the trail of distant memories.

“To claim that Kagan wasn’t right in the head, that he didn’t care for his daughter, or that he may have even held resentment toward her... would’ve been too cruel, don’t you think? After all, she’s here as my witness,” Ihelm said, chuckling as he turned to look at me.

“I’m a gentleman, after all.”

***

Beep, beep— Beep, beep—

The alarm clock rang loudly, pulling Epherene from her sleep. She slowly opened her eyes, her thoughts still hazy. It was the same dream again, just like before.

“The research remains incomplete, and it’s Epherene’s responsibility, not mine, to finish it.”

“His suicide was a consequence of my actions.”

The conversation she had overheard between Deculein and Ihelm echoed in her mind.

“I took her father’s life. I cannot allow myself to harbor hatred for his daughter as well.”

“... Perhaps I’ve started to see her as my protégé.”

Deculein's voice lingered in her ears, each word replaying in her thoughts.

Beep, beep— Beep, beep—

The alarm clock kept ringing. She eventually switched it off and sat up slowly. Her gaze landed on a piece of paper lying on the desk—her Letter of Withdrawal.

Three days had passed since Deculein's hearing began. Though it continued, the fierce intensity of the first day had subsided. From what she’d heard, even Ihelm seemed to have given up.

“A few years ago, when Glitheon attempted to wipe out Luna’s bloodline, you were the one who stopped him, weren’t you?”

Epherene’s mind kept circling back to the link between Luna and Deculein. It was a constant thought, lingering from the moment she woke until she finally drifted off to sleep.

“Only if he hadn’t been so desperate to earn Decalane’s favor...”

If the former head of the Yukline family had really wanted me as the successor, and if my father had hoped for it too... if Deculein was at risk of losing Yukline to Luna... Epherene thought.

Epherene let out a deep sigh, her eyes sweeping over the room one last time. It was clean and orderly. She had already packed everything she needed, discarding what was unnecessary, and her backpack was filled to the brim.

“This should be enough...”

She had no intention of leaving the room untidy for someone else to handle. After slipping the withdrawal form into her coat, she struggled to lift the overstuffed backpack onto her shoulder.

"Here we go~ Back home~" Epherene mumbled with feigned enthusiasm, ready to leave. Just as she reached the door, something caught her eye.

“... Huh?”

Epherene noticed an envelope under the door. It hadn't been there the day before, almost as if it had appeared out of nowhere. It must have arrived that morning. She picked up the thick envelope, opened it, and found a letter along with a certificate inside. Skimming through them without much thought, her heart suddenly sank.

“... Ah,” Epherene gasped softly.

Her entire body froze, her mind going blank. She stood there, unable to tear her eyes away from the document.

Mage Tower Sponsorship Certificate n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Recipient: Solda Epherene Luna

Amount: 100,000 ∃

The anonymous sponsor who had been supporting her since the day she entered the Mage Tower had sent another sponsorship certificate, dated just the day before. The letter contained only one sentence.

I support you.

“What...!”

The moment Epherene read those words, her backpack fell from her grip, and she dashed out of the dormitory, running as fast as her legs would carry her. She didn’t know where she was going—her body just moved, driven by instinct.

She ran relentlessly until she reached the Mage Tower, her feet tapping anxiously as she waited for the sluggish elevator. Once inside, she quickly pressed the button for the 77th floor.

Ding—!

By the time she realized it, she was already standing in front of the nameplate.

Head Professor’s Office: Deculein

Head Professor Deculein. She stood there, staring at the name, her heart pounding so fiercely it felt like it might burst. Only then did she notice the tears rolling down her cheeks.

I support you.

The few simple words from the letter tugged at her heart.

“... Why.”

I turned against you, choosing the other side... I acted so recklessly, without knowing anything. Even now, I still hold some blame for my father's death, and this anger won’t ever fade...

“Why...”

Knock, knock—

Epherene's hands shook as she knocked on the office door. After a moment, it swung open on its own—Deculein’s Telekinesis at work.

“Epherene, it seems you’ve been neglecting your responsibilities at the laboratory lately,” Deculein said.

Epherene remained silent.

"Five penalty points for neglecting your duties," Deculein stated, giving her the same cold, indifferent look, as though nothing had ever happened.

Epherene stepped closer to him.