A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 28: Prepare (2)

"Pathetic..." Deculein said with contempt as he halted the class.

The lecture hall fell silent in the face of the senior professor's blatant disappointment. Only sighs could be heard. The Debutant mages, who had entered the tower with high hopes, now felt a stark barrier. Deculein's magic was that formidable. His Telekinesis was so powerful that it seemed absurd to call it mere Telekinesis.

According to conventional wisdom, Telekinesis was easy to learn but often considered minor if it didn't suit one's aptitude. If this mere Telekinesis was such a masterpiece, what could Deculein's other magic be like? How pure was his mana?

Despite his display of skill befitting a senior professor, the mages felt demoralized by his disdainful gaze. The heavy silence lasted only three minutes.

"Ugh, he's so annoying."

"If I knew how to do that, I wouldn't be a Debutant."

"Is he mocking us Debutants?"

"How did he manage to buy 150 mana stones? He must be loaded."

"He's got a reputation for blowing money. I heard he dropped 200 million elne at an auction in just one day."

"200 million?!"

The classroom buzzed with excited gossip.

"Wow... I'm exhausted. How did you do it, Epherene? I feel like I'm dying," Julia said, who had fainted for a moment.

Epherene glanced at her and shook her head and replied, "... I have no idea. My tongue feels numb."

When she succeeded, Epherene felt euphoric, almost like when she passed the entrance exam for the Mage Tower. Battling Deculein's magic and striving desperately for thirty minutes, she experienced a profound sense of accomplishment.

"What did it feel like?" Julia asked.

"It felt like trying to push a train with my bare hands."

Deculein's magic was like a wild boar from Roahawk, distinct from any other professor’s from the Mage Tower. When the intense focus ended, Epherene was utterly drained.

"Isn't this way too hard? It's like he wanted us to fail," Julia grumbled.

Epherene took a sip of water and said, "... I think I get it now. Ah, my tongue is finally loosening up."

"Hmm? Understand what?"

"I had an enlightenment," Epherene said, drawing the attention of those around her.

Even the front-row students turned to listen and asked, "An enlightenment?"

"Yeah. Honestly, I only knew Beginner Telekinesis, but trying to break through Deculein's magic felt like... I don't know, something just clicked."

A primal enlightenment. Beginner Telekinesis was clearly insufficient against Deculein's magic. However, by refusing to give up and striving desperately...

"It felt like my circuits opened up automatically, like a sudden enlightenment. An insight?"

In other words, the circuits opened. Lines appeared and circles expanded in the mental image of Telekinesis, and that spell interfered with Deculein's magic. It was an enlightenment beyond intuition.

With it, Epherene managed to move a mana stone, which was a success. She was close to Sylvia's level, so she had every right to feel proud. Her reward was the 3,000-elne mana stone in her hand.

"No way! That's so cool."

"I can't explain it well, but that's what happened," Epherene said, noticing the others' eyes sparkle with interest.

Words like enlightenment and insight are favorites among mages. Despite being in last place, Epherene's success made the others think, If she can do it, why can't I?

"Anyway, I think it's the right way. It's like in chess—you get better by playing against a master. If you only play against beginners, you end up going back and forth without really improving," Epherene added.

"Back and forth."

"Oh, yeah. My tongue's still kinda numb."

Epherene was convinced. Deculein's path was the right one. If she wanted to enhance her skills, knowledge, and abilities as a mage, she just needed to follow his lead...

However, not all the mages in the room shared her perspective. The noble mages, in particular, found Epherene's growth irritating. Even Sylvia, usually composed, seemed unsettled. She had heard a strange rumor that Epherene, who had been in last place, had received private tutoring from Deculein late at night.

Some professors had even seen Deculein leaving late. Although Sylvia didn't believe it at first, she couldn't otherwise explain Epherene's sudden progress. It was clear that Epherene's rapid growth was due to the private lessons she had received from Deculein...

Sylvia closed her eyes in frustration. The reward meant for the top scorer had gone to the lowest scorer, filling her with anger.

"Hey! Why aren't you cleaning up?" a voice suddenly shouted. It was Beck, the mage who mimicked Deculein's style. He turned to the commoners, including Epherene, and yelled, "Clean up now!"

"We've already cleaned our area," Julia retorted.

"What? You need to empty the trash cans too! Don't you know how much Professor Deculein hates messes?"

Despite the tower's rule against social distinctions, nobles often looked down on commoners.

Epherene frowned and said, "You can't even see it once the lid is on. If it bothers you so much, why don't you clean it yourself?"

"What? Ha, you little... Outside of the university, you wouldn't—"

Beck was interrupted by the opening classroom door. He quickly sat down as Deculein entered and noticed the blood still smeared on Beck's nose. His nose hairs were even slightly sticking out.

"I-I apologize! It won't happen again!" Beck stammered as he bowed deeply.

"Go back to your seat. You're distracting," Deculein ordered.

Beck's isolation brought quiet satisfaction to the commoners. They easily ignored his trembling presence at the back of the room.

"See? He doesn't care if you're a noble or a commoner," Julia whispered to Epherene, who shook her head.

"Well, I'm telling you, it's not a good thing. I don't like it."

Deculein began the lecture and asked, "Can anyone tell me why you failed at magic interference?"

"Because defending is easier," Sylvia replied, catching everyone off guard. Her dissatisfaction with Deculein was evident in her bulldog-like glare. Epherene raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Please show us an example, Professor."

Knowing that defense was easier, Sylvia believed she could last at least three, maybe five minutes against Deculein. She thought she would be satisfied if she could make Deculein tremble for those few minutes.

"Yes, defending is easier. Everyone knows that," Epherene added, further angering Sylvia.

"Alright," Deculein agreed confidently. He knew his Telekinesis was far superior, not just to the Debutants but to many others in the academy. "Let's begin."

Sylvia immediately activated her Telekinesis at full power. The mana stone floated up, caught in her magical grip.

Whoosh—!

In an instant, Deculein seized it from her.

"What?" Sylvia said, stunned. The stone had been snatched so quickly she couldn't comprehend what had happened. It took less than a second.

"Epherene, would you like to give it a try?" Deculein asked.

Epherene hesitated, then quickly searched her desk, bag, and notes. Lowering her head, she appeared embarrassed and said, "I'm sorry, I think I lost the mana stone."

"I'll give it back."

"... Ah, it was in my pocket. Sorry about that, I'll give it a try," Epherene said as she floated the stone and focused intently.

Despite her best efforts, Deculein effortlessly took the stone from her just as he had with Sylvia. The outcome was the same.

"How."

Epherene felt completely outmatched.

"The difference in magical skill is so vast that this isn't interference; it's a one-sided contest," Deculein stated.

Both Epherene and Sylvia frowned.

"You need to understand Mana Interference rather than Magic Interference," Deculein explained. With a snap of his fingers, he dimmed the lights and projected three magic circles—Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. "You don't need to dismantle the spell or counter it with the same magic. Simply use your mana to disrupt the Core Circuits."

This technique, known as Mana Interference, is quite well-known. Most mages learn it during their time at the Mage Tower. However, it isn't widely practiced because mages can only interfere with spells they know well, and real combat often doesn't allow enough time for its use.

As a result, most prefer to defend with barriers or counter with the same type of magic. But growth requires effort and the willingness to overcome challenges.

"The key to Mana Interference is identifying the Core Circuits of the magical circle. I'll show you with various examples," Deculein continued, explaining how to identify and disrupt these circuits.

"... Even if you encounter a spell for the first time, don't panic. Analyze it with a mage's eye. Determine if it's destructive or supportive, and identify the element used. Then, target the Core Circuit. Anticipate the location of the Core Circuits and disrupt them. Now, let's move on to a support-type magic circle..."

Deculein's unique expertise was built through the thorough study of not only grimoires and textbooks but also rare ancient texts that most noble mages could neither access nor read. He also analyzed the game’s system and settings. With his Comprehension, he compared and contrasted the structures of dozens, even hundreds, of spells.

"Once you master Mana Interference, Magic Interference will become much easier. Now, observe this magic circle for the Whirlwind Blade Awl spell."

Because of their profession, most mages—nearly all, in fact—closely guarded their trade secrets. But Deculein generously shared his knowledge with them.

"Destructive spells have circuits that cause mana to explode outward. So keep that in mind and—" Deculein explained.

The mages took notes, captivated by his every word. Deculein's presence had a mesmerizing effect, always commanding attention. His unique charisma was both captivating and intimidating, a remarkable display of his attributes of Intimidation and Dignity.

Time flew by, and at exactly 6 p.m., Deculein stopped the lecture and said, "That's all for today."

The mages, engrossed in their notes, were taken aback. The lecture felt unfinished.

"Well done, everyone."

However, Deculein had an almost obsessive sense of time. He was never late and never early. He arrived precisely at 3:00 p.m. and left exactly at 6:00 p.m., not a minute more or less.

"I wanted to explain more about interfering with Pure Elements, but we'll stop here," Deculein said, his gaze sweeping over them critically. "You wasted time, so don't complain. Use your imagination and figure out the rest on your own."

With that, Deculein adjusted his attire and left the classroom, leaving the Debutant mages staring blankly after him. Normally, everyone would rise and leave when the class ended, but today, no one moved.

"... Ugh."

Someone sighed—probably Epherene. Sylvia blinked, gripping her pencil. The unfinished sentence bothered her. It kept coming back, nagging at her over and over.

"Oh my god. What does he expect us to imagine and figure out?" a mage muttered, echoing the group's frustration.

"Why did he stop halfway? What's his problem?"

"This is driving me crazy. He just left us hanging," another said, losing their mind.

They cursed Deculein but soon realized he wasn't coming back. Left with no answers, they turned their frustration toward the world.

***

The Emperor's direct dominion, Impurium, connected to the capital in the south and sheltered by the rugged Kidea Mountains in the north, served as the administrative hub of the Empire.

Beneath the city, which housed various imperial institutions like the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, lay the criminal interrogation room of the Ministry of Public Safety. Lokhak was confined in that underground cell.

"You will be sent to Rekordak," said the interrogator, Lillia Primien, the renowned deputy director of the Ministry of Public Safety. "You will never come out. You might not even survive a year."

Lokhak looked into her eyes. Primien's long, dark blue hair was tied like a horse's tail, and her icy, clear blue eyes exuded an aura of strength.

"... Any objections?" Primien asked, her tone firm but her voice soft, contrasting with her stern appearance. "I asked if you have any objections."

Lokhak remained silent, causing a vein to bulge on Primien's temple.

"Activate it," Primien demanded.

"... What?"

"Your ability."

Lokhak smirked and closed his eyes. Instantly, all magic in the vicinity was blocked. Once she confirmed the surveillance crystal orbs were disabled, Primien lashed out.

"You worthless fucking idiot," Primien spat. "I told you not to bring harm to our people. Why did you do it?"

Lokhak stared at her in silence. Primien continued, her face expressionless.

"I intended to kill you. If it's discovered that you are one of us, it will only fuel the oppression against our people. The only reason you're still alive is for research purposes. So, don't even mention Scarletborn."

"... Do you really think we can survive in this Empire?"

"If we stay hidden, it's possible. Scarletborn are no different from ordinary humans, except for their birth."

"No. We are born with demonic talents, and that's what they fear."

"You little shit. There are plenty of talents besides being a Scarletborn," Primien snapped, her tone angry but her expression indifferent. "And why did you provoke Deculein? We've been watching the Yukline family closely."

"... Are our people planning to kill him?" Lokhak asked, causing Primien's eyebrow to twitch.

"We were just observing. But if that trash keeps causing problems, we might have to step in."

"There's no need to kill him. He's not a fraud, but a true noble."

"A true noble? Bullshit. I've got a list of his crimes as long as my arm."

Lokhak shook his head, recalling Deculein. He had insisted that the Scarletborn were human, not demons. His eyes saw only righteousness, without a trace of doubt. If there had been more nobles like him in the past—many more—perhaps the Scarletborn could have lived harmoniously with the world.

"He knew I was a Scarletborn, but he didn't kill me."

Primien's eyes widened in surprise, the first sign of emotion she had shown all day. She quickly regained her composure, however.

"... Are you unaware that Yukline's ancestors led the massacre and persecution of the Scarletborn?"

"I didn't know. But if we judge him based on his ancestors, we're accepting their claim that we're demons."

"You always have to get the last word, don't you?" Primien snapped, running her hand through her hair in frustration.

Lokhak chuckled. "How long do you think you can keep your position without being discovered?"

"Forever. You can't identify a Scarletborn by their appearance or blood."

"There are foods we can't eat."

"Then we just won't eat them."

"What if they find another way? Isn't that why you're always so vigilant?"

"No, I'm not, you fucking idiot," Primien snapped, her gaze turning sharp. "The Emperor's condition is deteriorating. He might die soon."

The current Emperor's policy toward the Scarletborn was one of strict indifference. Despite numerous petitions for their persecution, he never responded. What his successor might do, however, was unknown.

"For now, you should remain locked in Rekordak," Primien continued.

Rekordak, the harshest prison on Earth, was known as the icy hell.

"Our people's official policy will be decided after the Emperor's death. I don't know if you'll still be alive in Rekordak by then."

At that moment, loud pounding sounded on the door as the Ministry of Public Safety staff, sensing something was wrong, rushed over.

"Endure the pain," Primien said.

"If it's from our people, I can do it all day," Lokhak replied with a smile.

Primien grabbed Lokhak by the hair and slammed his head into the desk. The door burst open at the perfect moment.

"No, Deputy Director! Stop! Please, stop!"

"You worthless piece of shit. I'll crush your skull," Primien snarled, slamming Lokhak's head onto the desk repeatedly.

"De-deputy Director! Please calm down!"

"Move aside. I'll strangle this fucking shit with his own intestines."

"No, please! Someone stop her! Stop her!"