A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 129: Fog (2)

I opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Epherene sprawled on the floor, drooling and scratching her stomach. The Drowsing Fog must have gotten to her. With a sigh, I lifted her slack form and laid her on the bed.

"Is Allen asleep too?" I mused quietly.

Across the room, Allen lay on the other bed, softly snoring. I settled into the chair, watching them both. They didn’t seem to be having nightmares, but my Sharp Eyesight picked up something—a status effect.

[Status Effect: Coma]

Coma. The word held a weight like no other. He glanced at the clock—it was 6 o’clock 6 minutes in the morning, or more precisely, 6 o’clock 6 minutes on the 6th day.

“... How strange.”

I picked up The Case Files of Goreth Island once more and resumed reading the sections I hadn't yet finished.

The residents of Goreth Island vanished abruptly. According to a witness who had been fishing at sea during the incident, the entire island was enveloped in a thick fog at that moment.

It spoke of the fog. Even now, I could see the thick fog swirling around my feet.

The passage of time on Goreth Island differs from the outside. Upon setting foot on the island, one instinctively perceives a month as 36 days for reasons yet unknown.

Hetrog’s earlier words quickly resurfaced in my mind.

“... Opens precisely at 18:06 on the 6th, 16th, 26th, and 36th days.”

The calendar in this game world was the same as Earth’s—365 days a year. A 36-day month just didn’t exist.

It is believed that Goreth Island is a part of the Coma—a realm where dreams and reality blend. It is a peculiar place, known to consume the subconscious mind of those who enter.

“... Goreth,” I murmured, the name hanging in the air. Then, almost instinctively, it began to unravel in my mind, slowly shifting into a different name.

“Hetrog.”

I stood up and went down to the first floor, where Hetrog's team usually gathered. A thick fog filled the space, and only three remained—Ihelm and his two protégés. The other fifteen members had vanished, like shadows swallowed by the fog.

“What a bother.”

I used Telekinesis to lift Ihelm and his protégés, moving them to the second floor. After carelessly placing them on the beds, I turned to Epherene, observing her calm breathing. I paused, then slipped off my gloves. Placing my hand on her forehead, I activated Comprehension, attempting to peer into her dream.

[Dream Comprehension: 2%]

However, it was going to take some time, most likely because all five—or maybe even everyone in the castle—were locked up in the same dream...

***

At some point, Epherene woke up, an odd sensation settling over her.

How did I end up here? What was I supposed to be doing? Epherene thought, glancing around, her head tilting in confusion.

“Please make your preparations; we’ll be leaving shortly,” one of Hetrog’s teammates instructed.

“Oh, right.”

They were in the middle of a mission. In the meeting room, Hetrog and his team stood alongside Assistant Professor Allen, Ihelm, and his two protégés. Each of them wore a bracelet, connected to one another by a rope around their waists.

“Hmm...”

But something felt off. She couldn't quite explain it or understand why, but a sense of emptiness lingered within her.

As Allen adjusted his gear, he glanced at her and asked, "Miss Epherene, is everything alright?"

“Sorry? Oh, no... it’s nothing,” Epherene said quickly.

“Is everyone prepared?” Hetrog asked, scanning around the room.

Epherene nodded almost reflexively.

"Alright, let's proceed," Ihelm replied.

“Yes,” Hetrog replied, glancing at his wristwatch. At exactly six minutes and six seconds, he opened the door. “6th day, 6 minutes, 6 seconds. Commencing exploration.”

“Shall we proceed?” Hetrog asked, finishing the recording in the crystal orb.

"Yes, let’s head inside," Allen replied with a cheerful smile.

Together, they entered the passage—a wide, dark tunnel cloaked in thick fog, obscuring everything beyond a few steps.

“Everyone, please keep a firm hold on the rope,” Hetrog cautioned.

Epherene gripped the rope tightly as they moved forward, each step tense, ready for a ghost to jump out at any moment.

"Leaf," Ihelm called sharply.

Epherene glanced back at him and asked, "What?"

"Doesn't it seem a bit strange to you?"

Rustle—

The sudden echo of footsteps cut through the stillness.

Epherene replied calmly, “I’m not sure. What do you mean?”

“What else do you think? It just feels too—”

“Over there,” Hetrog interrupted, stopping Ihelm mid-sentence as he pointed ahead.

“Hmm.”

“Oh?”

Ihelm and Epherene turned their eyes to where he was pointing.

“It’s the entrance to the inner chambers of the Ghost Castle,” Hetrog explained.

At the end of the passage, where the fog thinned, a massive door loomed in the distance. Just seeing it sent a chill down their spines—it was covered in what looked like veins or tentacles.

“After countless explorations, we believe that the core of spatial discontinuity lies within this area,” Hetrog explained.

“Hmm. I can understand why. There's an immense flow of mana within,” Ihelm remarked.

Epherene nodded in agreement, though a vague sense of something forgotten lingered in the back of her mind.

"Now, we will begin our approach."

Just as Hetrog moved to open the door—

“Wait! Stop!”

A voice suddenly cut through the darkness, stopping them. They turned toward the sound, eyes sharp with caution. Slowly, four shadowy figures emerged, drawing closer.

“Who... Oh?!”

Epherene, readying herself for a possible fight, froze as soon as she spotted them. Her eyes widened with recognition. The red-haired woman, and the two children at her side... Epherene knew them all too well.

“The Red Garnet Adventure Team?!”

***

While trying to comprehend Epherene’s dream, I sent my Wood Steel exploring through the castle’s halls. My goal was simple at first—to find that demon and kill it. Although I couldn’t track him down, I did get a good sense of the castle’s layout.

By measuring the mana concentration in each room, I mapped out the different spaces within the Ghost Castle. The structure wasn’t continuous; each area had its own distinct mana density. For example, if one room had 3.1503% and another had 2.9825%, they were clearly a separate space.

Using my Wood Steel, I continued measuring the mana concentration, repeating the process until I counted 3,663 rooms. The number felt strangely familiar. I glanced at a line from The Case Files.

The initial count of missing persons was 3,535, with about 100 more disappearing since then.

3,535 people and 3,663 rooms. The numbers were strangely similar, too exact to be a coincidence. I pressed my hand against the wall and came to a simple conclusion.

“They weren’t simply missing,” I whispered.

The cause of the spatial discontinuity was clear. The entire place was alive, each section a living, breathing entity.

“They became part of the castle.”

“Deculein,” a soft voice called out, and I turned to see who it was. “I think it’s been a while since we last met.”

It was Carla, a named character called the Authority. As expected, she wasn’t locked in the dream as well.

“Are you here to challenge me?”

“I don’t think so,” Carla said, shaking her head slowly. “Deculein, have you happened to see the child?”

That gentle tone, always laced with a touch of uncertainty—that was Carla. It was just part of who she was.

“... Are you referring to the demon?”

“No, I think he’s more of a half-human, half-demon.”

Half-human, half-demon. As soon as I heard it, one name came to mind.

“Carlos?”

“Yes. I wonder how you know the name already.”

Carlos was a complicated one. As a named character, he could turn into a villain, a lunatic, or just an ordinary human, depending on how the quest went. Unpredictable as ever. Still, I didn’t expect him to be this young.

“I’m wondering what you plan to do with the child,” Carla asked.

There was no need for me to think any further.

“Exterminate it, without question.”

Carlos had a high chance of becoming a demon, so I had to end it now. It didn’t matter who stood by his side or tried to get in my way. I wouldn’t give them another chance. No more hesitation or cracks in my resolve. The girl might remind me of someone, but that strange child was not Yoo Ah-Ra.

***

The Red Garnet Adventure Team urged the Imperial support team to hold off on entering.

"Hold on. I’m not sure it’s wise to go in right now. It seems that there’s a strong demonic energy inside~ We should wait," Ganesha cautioned.

“Is that so?” Epherene agreed without hesitation. It was Ganesha, after all.

“Hmph. It has been a while, Ganesha,” Ihelm said, a smirk playing on his lips as he looked at her.

“It certainly has~” Ganesha replied as she sat down. "While we wait, why not share a meal? We have plenty of food with us~"

"Yes! Yes!" Epherene exclaimed, quickly taking a seat. Allen, Ihelm, Hetrog, and the rest of the team followed suit.

"Alright, here’s the food," Ganesha said, taking some pork out of her backpack.

Ria, with practiced hands, slid the meat onto skewers while Epherene started the fire. The pork began to sizzle as it touched the flames.

“Come on, cook faster...”

“Quiet down and have some patience, Leaf,” Ihelm muttered.

Epherene swallowed, eyeing the meat as it sizzled. Once the pork was done, she hesitated, unsure whether to dive in or to slice it first.

“We’ve got some ssam, too,” Ria said, taking out a handful of leafy greens.

Ihelm glanced at Epherene, and she caught his eye. The leafy greens must have reminded him of her.

“Why are you staring at me?” Epherene snapped.

"Nothing, it's just interesting. Hey, what do you call those? You brought some leafy stuff?" Ihelm asked, suppressing a laugh.

“It’s called ssam,” Ria explained. “You basically place the meat and vegetables in the leaf, wrap it up, and then eat it.”

Ria then placed some pork and vegetables on a leaf, wrapped it up, and popped it into her mouth. The process was simple yet fascinating, and Epherene watched with curiosity in her eyes.

“Oh~ So you just wrap the meat and veggies in the leaf and eat it?”

“Mm-hmm, it’s very tasty,” Ria mumbled with her mouth full.

Epherene watched the child chew, then decided to try the ssam herself. She added three pieces of pork and some mushrooms to the leaf, sprinkled on some herbs and salt, and took a large bite.

“Wow!”

“Tastes good, doesn’t it?!” Ria said, smiling.

“Yeah!”

Epherene and Ria glanced at each other, their cheeks puffed with food, and burst into laughter.

Just then, Allen, who had been quietly eating his meat, asked, "I’m curious. How can you tell a ghost from a person? Are those behind the door ghosts, or the three thousand who went missing...?”

Wrapping another piece of meat into a ssam, Ria said, "They say ghosts do everything in reverse."

“Everything in reverse? Like walking on their hands or something?” Epherene asked, making another ssam for herself.

Ria gave a slight smile and said, “Noo, not that obvious~ It’s more like they do things in reverse without realizing it—like clapping with the backs of their hands...”

Ria turned to the boy beside her, Leo, and handed him a ssam she made. He took it eagerly, like a baby bird.

Epherene chuckled and replied, “Doing things in reverse... You really know a lot. It’s interesting. I guess we usually hear those kinds of stories when we’re young.”

Epherene stuffed another ssam into her mouth and glanced at Hetrog. To her surprise, he was making a ssam too. She quickly looked away, pretending not to notice.

“... Gulp.”

Epherene swallowed her ssam whole without chewing, feeling it catch in her throat. Her eyes widened at what she had just seen. Hetrog had put the meat down first and placed the leaf on top. He’d made the ssam in reverse...

“... Um, Mr. West?”

“Yes?”

Epherene remembered something not so long ago. The last time West opened the refrigerator, it was a closed space, affected by spatial discontinuity. But the moment he closed and reopened the door, everything went back to normal. She hadn't given it much thought then...

“What’s wrong?” West asked.

Epherene pretended to be scratching her temple, wiping away a bead of sweat, and said, "It's nothing."

“Oh, come on. It’s clearly something,” West replied with a gentle smile. To Epherene, his face blurred with the ghost from her nightmare the night before. “Just tell me, what’s—”

Before he could finish, a loud roar echoed nearby.

“Eek—!” Ganesha screamed, sprang into battle mode, while Epherene turned toward the source, mana already surging through her.

“Who could that be?” Epherene murmured.

A samurai appeared, dressed in martial attire, a long sword slung over his shoulder.

Ganesha clicked her tongue and muttered, “That’s Jackal. Seems like trouble has arrived~”

Jackal flashed a sly grin and said, “Trouble? Aw, c’mon, that’s harsh. How ‘bout sharin’ some of that food, huh?”

***

Meanwhile, I sat across from Carla, both of us silent for a good thirty minutes. It felt like a standoff. Finally, as we neared the thirty-seventh minute, Carla spoke.

“I heard you met Idnik.” n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

I glanced at her, a hint of victory stirring within me. She finally broke the silence, conjuring a teacup and filling it with coffee.

"Indeed, I did," I replied.

“I wonder what she said,” Carla mused, taking a slow sip.

I stayed silent.

Carla continued, “I heard Idnik’s been taking care of Sylvia lately.”

“I'm aware,” I replied.

Carla nodded, a hint of surprise in her eyes, and said, “I wonder if that makes things uncomfortable for Deculein.”

“... Hmm.”

I wasn’t sure how much she really knew about the original Deculein, but from her words and actions, it was clear we were acquainted.

“What is there that should be considered uncomfortable?” I asked.

“When Sylvia matures, she might become Deculein’s greatest threat.”

I held my silence.

“I wonder if I should just kill her for you?” Carla added.

I lifted my head and glared at Carla. Her face was hidden in the shadows of her hood, making it impossible to see her eyes.

“Is that possibly a way of saying no?” Carla asked, tilting her head.

“... Keep away from Sylvia,” I commanded, my voice carrying more weight than I intended.

“Why? Is it guilt? Or do I wonder if you're planning to kill her yourself?”

I closed my eyes, a cold, throbbing pain pulsing at my temple. Memories of that day flooded back in fragments.

“... No.”

The moment Deculein strangled Cielia felt blurry and distant, like a memory borrowed from someone else. Yet, the sensation of my hands gripping her innocent neck stayed painfully vivid.

“Please... spare Sylvia... I’m begging you...”

I opened my eyes. Carla tilted her head, clearly waiting for an answer.

“... I don’t deserve to be the one to kill her,” I said.

Sylvia. The child who awakened a faint trace of compassion within me.

“Yet, she deserves it,” I added.

Perhaps, somewhere deep in his heart, Deculein felt a hint of remorse. Maybe, he even had a trace of regret.

“Deserve what, exactly?”

“She deserves to kill me,” I replied shortly.

“... I see.”

Then, an odd phenomenon unfolded. A gust of wind twisted into a vortex, releasing a surge of mana.

“What was that, I wonder? Could someone have been watching us?” Carla murmured, a faint smile curling on her lips.

I narrowed my eyes, tracing the flow of the strange energy.

"... Deculein, I think a demon is drawing near."

However, I turned back to Carla, my voice low and edged with anger as I said, “Which demon?”

“The Voice.”

The Voice. Just the mention of its name was enough. It came as no surprise. With the way this quest was unfolding and its ties to the Yukline bloodline, I knew I would have to face that demon sooner or later.

“Wherever there are demons, Yukline always seems to be around. So, to deal with this one, we’ll need someone with Yukline blood, right?” Carla wondered aloud.

"Enough talk," I said, using Telekinesis to set down the teacup Carla was sipping from. "My focus now is on this cursed island that took my protégé."