A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 319

Chapter 319: Moon (3)

Physical conditioning and magic refinement were my daily routine, a program I strictly maintained. Even if the body of an Iron Man slowly crumbled and the weight of my life gradually lightened, my principles would sustain it all, allowing me to live and move even if my body was destroyed.

... However, I looked at Yulie without a word, noticing her round cheeks as she approached with a composed expression, seemingly prepared for how she might appear to me, and then questioned me regarding swordsmanship and sparring.

"Sparring?" I inquired.

"Yes, in truth, this is the second time I have witnessed your swordsmanship, Count Yukline," Yulie replied.

"The second time, you say?"

"I saw it at the Imperial University's affiliated Knights' Order," Yulie said, nodding.

“... This is a junior knight named Yurie, a spirited young warrior from Freyden who seems to have many questions. By the way, what was that basic stance just now?” Raphel said with an easygoing smile, standing beside Yulie.

Even as he spoke, Raphel's eyes betrayed his curiosity about the basic stance he had just witnessed. Though it was merely a warm-up for me, the knights would recognize it at a glance—this basic stance was designed more efficiently and naturally than any other swordsmanship.

"It is merely part of physical training," I replied as I sheathed my sword.

"For mere training, it was, I found, perfection itself? The connection and composition of the basic stances, moreover, were beyond question," Raphel interrupted.

Then Raphel continued, "Let there be no misapprehension. My desire does not extend to possessiveness. My swordsmanship, by now, is inseparable from my very being. Therefore, even should I wish for alteration, it would not change. However, your very swordsmanship is renowned through whispered admiration among the ranks of knights."

"... Renowned?" I said, furrowing my brow.

"Yes. A considerable number of people have witnessed your physical training. I, too, have seen it in Rekordak.”

In Rekordak, I shattered Yulie with my blade, I thought.

Raphel chuckled and added, "However, you seem to have improved even more than before. Enough to make me desire a contest of skill—"

"There is no need for that," I interrupted Raphel, and for a moment, looked into Yulie's face.

Yulie, on the other hand, subtly avoided my eyes.

"... Young, indeed."

Indeed young, a child with a youthful appearance, this is clearly not the Yulie I know. The Yulie of this moment is known solely to Deculein. In my memories, as both Deculein and Kim Woo-Jin, such a young Yulie does not exist.

"Yes, she is a young knight. Like you or me, she is from Imperial University."

I remained silent.

"But, Deculein. Are you not curious? What Yulie is doing now," Raphel continued.

Yulie, likewise, was startled, appearing both then and now unaccustomed to hiding herself.

"It has been months since Yulie went missing... The world speaks of Yulie's death, but I know it is not so. You know that too, do you not?" Raphel said, his voice somewhat tinged with sentiment.

"As he has aged, has there been a problem with his hormones? I thought.

“Yulie is alive, Deculein. Gwen, I, and all of our comrades hold that conviction,” Raphel continued, glancing at Yulie while speaking of her.

To Raphel, Yulie was now merely a young knight resembling herself, which left Yulie alone, fidgeting nervously.

“Oh. I used strange phrases while introducing my junior. I, too, seem to have aged too much. Are you well, junior?” Raphel said, a bitter smile gracing his lips.

"... Yes, I am well," Yulie replied, lowering her head once, then slowly looking up into my eyes again. "However, Count Yukline, I desire that basic stance. For some reason, it seems to suit me, and I wish to cross swords with you now. I wish to seek your guidance."

Yulie was audacious and vibrant, displaying a personality quite different from her distant future in the way she stood up for herself.

Is it, perhaps, owing to the absence of Deculein's taint? I thought.

"There is no need to cross swords. I will instruct my secretary to handle the matter," I replied.

Yulie tilted her head, her eyes wide with curiosity.

“My basic stances have been documented.”

“Pardon?”

As Yulie said, it seemed to suit her just as she instinctively felt, for this basic stance was a swordsmanship more fitting for Yulie than anyone else, having been designed from the very beginning to match her body while considering her mana's characteristics, personality, and habits.

Therefore, documenting it was only natural, as it was a basic stance designed solely for Yulie and intended to be delivered to her.

"If you desire it, I will grant it to you."

“... Are you absolutely sure you can give this to me?” Yulie asked, her face filled with genuine surprise.

Then, with a gentle signal, Raphel said, "Junior, it is not for you to judge what is acceptable. Merely offer your sincere appreciation—"

“Appreciation is unnecessary, for it is useless to me as a mage,” I interrupted Raphel. "I will have someone deliver it today. Do not trouble me further."

I turned away, leaving Yulie and Raphel to themselves in the garden.

***

“... Really? Did Deculein actually use a basic stance?” Ria asked.

Having finished sparring with Raphel in the Imperial Palace garden, Yulie was enjoying tea and sweets with Ria, who had joined them belatedly.

“Yes, Count Yukline said he would provide the basic stance document,” Yulie replied.

"Was there anything else?"

Fundamentally, the reason Yulie purposely risked revealing her identity to approach Deculein was, to some extent, to probe him.

“Nothing at all. He left before I had the chance to speak.”

“Hmm...” Ria murmured, tracing her chin with a finger, lost in thought.

Ever since her return from the Sanctuary, Yulie had been unable to sleep, squandering every waking moment lost in thought.

“Do not concern yourself too greatly,” Yulie said, watching Ria. “The Count surely has his reasons. The Deculein I know, while he was a renowned figure often involved in controversy due to his ambition, was never a spirit who would betray the continent.”

“... But what if it is?”

“Pardon?”

“What if Deculein’s feelings changed a whole lot, and he made up his mind to do that?”

Even as she replied, Ria found herself letting out a snort because she and Yulie were, after all, having this conversation—they were the greatest cause of Deculein's defection, if indeed it was defection.

“We merely have to stop him. Miss Ria, you are strong, are you not?” Yulie replied, her answer direct.

“Is it really that simple?” Ria asked, pouting slightly.

“It will prove challenging. However, a method remains, does it not?”

“... What is it then?”

“Unification,” Yulie replied, a smile gracing her lips. “All are worried, much like Miss Ria. We will have to stop him alongside them. Even now, there will be many at the Imperial Palace willing to lend their strength.”

Including the unidentified helper encountered in the Imperial University's Forest of Darkness—whom Yulie strongly suspected to be Gawain—the righteous will of Ria, Leo, Carlos, Raphel, Gwen, and Deputy Knight Isaac would grow stronger as they gathered.

“Well... more than that, aren’t you worried?”

“Hmm? Are you perhaps referring to Lord Zeit?”

“Yes.”

Even if Zeit is the strongest, it might be tough against the final boss, Ria thought.

“One such as I should not concern herself with Lord Zeit. He is moreover a person who would be displeased by my very contemplation of such matters,” Yulie replied with an air of ease.

Well, even I wouldn’t worry about Zeit if I was Yulie.

The moment Ria nodded...

“Oh, I found you still here,” Raphel said, returning with a knight after a brief absence. “Come, Delic, this is Knight Yurie.”

It was Delic, the escort knight of the Empress.

“Knight Delic, you’re here?” Ria said, a bright, innocent smile on her face. Then Ria whispered to Yulie, “Knight Delic is Deculein’s most closest subordinate, the most, most, most closest of all.”

Yulie also looked at Delic, the Imperial Palace knight known as Deculein's most, most, most closest of all people.

"Huh," Delic murmured, his shoulders trembling as his eyes met Yulie's, the wrinkles on his face moving erratically, showing an expression somewhere between admiration and horror. "... Yes, she does resemble her."

The phrase Yulie—whose ten years had been rewound—had heard most often was that she resembled Yulie, and while she certainly did, she was too young and youthful to arouse suspicion, so everyone merely expressed their astonishment.

“Ahem,” Delic said, clearing his throat as he took out a neatly bound book from his pocket.

Yulie’s wide eyes landed on the bound book.

“Knight Yurie, is it? Receive this from the Lead Elite Guard Deculein... a book bound with swordsmanship techniques.”

"Yes, thank you."

Delic approached with heavy steps and placed the bound book on the table while scrutinizing Yulie’s face, then cautiously asked, “So, you remain a knight of the university?”

“Yes.”

"... Young, I see. Your future seems bright, so strive diligently. Oh, by any chance, do not think of using this as an opportunity to importune the Lead Elite Guard. A day like today will not come again," Delic said, admonishing with these words and glancing at the bound book. "If you understand, open this up."

"Yes, I understand," Yulie replied, looking at the bound book.

The cover's title, for one, was simple.

Arc of the Basic Stance with an Integrated Harmonic Category

The integration of the harmonic category and basic stances referred to the category of magic, with the basic stances being, essentially, those of swordsmanship.

"... Read it without delay."

Squeak—

"... Hmm," Ria murmured, a snort escaping her.

Sylvia could, unquestionably, immediately recognize that the title scrawled across the cover—the Arc of the Basic Stance with an Integrated Harmonic Category—was Deculein's handwriting.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify