A Villain's Will to Survive novel Chapter 321

Chapter 321: Painting Prison (2)

The following noon, the depths of the Imperial Palace basement were declared the site of a magical incident, and all entry was forbidden. Every mage and knight of the Imperial Palace was dispatched, and Ria was no exception.

"... Yawwwwn. What's going on?" Ria muttered, yawning with a tired face and rubbing her eyes.

Ria's stamina was depleted, having spent the previous evening in consecutive sparring matches with Delic, Leo, and Carlos, all while grappling with her thoughts about Deculein.

"Do not approach. It is dangerous," said one of the knights.

In the Imperial Palace basement corridor, near the library, a crowd of curious ministers and maids were in hushed whispers. Though the knights attempted to maintain order, heads craned and murmurs spread among them.

"What is it? What's going on?" Ria asked the knight, approaching him with an innocent voice.

"Do not even be curious... Oh, it's Ria. Hmm... Yes, look there," said the knight, seeming to recognize Ria's face and gesturing towards the Imperial Palace library. "It's a magical attack."

“Magical attack?”

“That is correct.”

Is it the Altar's doing? Ria thought.

Ria glanced over the knight's shoulder, and just as he'd said, the library was an absolute disaster, with bookshelves toppled like dominoes and volumes scattered like refuse across the floor.

"All who visited the library in the past three days have gone missing."

“Missing?”

“Yes.”

"Does that mean no one knew for three days?"

"... The Imperial Palace library, as you know, is not a crowded place. This was only revealed because the selected mage and his escort knight went missing last night. But there's a bit more of a problem than that..."

Appearing to glance around his surroundings and clearing his throat, the knight then whispered, "The number of missing persons in this Imperial Palace is gradually increasing."

“... Really?”

The Imperial Palace was immense, to a degree that its true scale was often lost on those who merely spoke of its grandeur. With tens of thousands residing within its grounds—from ministers and maids to imperial knights, mages, their attendants, and hundreds of foreign guests—the disappearance of merely one or two individuals rarely sparked news.

"Is it my turn to step forward?" Ria asked.

"Would you like to go within? Even for you, I believe, danger might attend," the knight replied, a subtle smile gracing his lips.

“It’s okay.”

“Alright.”

With entry granted, Ria stepped into the library, her eyes slowly sweeping over the investigators at its heart. Numerous people were present, from imperial mages scattering mana in every direction to men and women in suits who appeared to be from the Intelligence Agency. Deputy Knight Isaac, Knight Gawain of the Imperial Knights' Order, and Knight Delic were also there.

"... What's the matter, Knight Delic?" Ria asked Delic.

"Hmm?" Delic murmured, noticing Ria while conversing with agents. "Oh, it is you Ria."

“Yes.”

Delic is kind. He’s smiling at me like this, I suppose, must be because of Deculein. No, maybe I should say thanks to Deculein? Ria thought.

"Well, the selected mage, the knight, and the librarian were pulled inward."

"Where were they pulled inward to?"

"This canvas," Delic replied, pointing to the canvas in the middle of the library. "This seems to be the cause... We are currently investigating who placed this canvas here. Why, will you join us?"

"Is that alright?"

“Of course.”

Buzz—

At that moment, a sudden vibration startled Delic, who drew a crystal orb from his inner pocket and looked at it for a long moment before clearing his throat.

"Everyone, make ready. Count Yukline will arrive momentarily."

“Yes, sir!”

At Delic's words, everyone, including the Intelligence Agency agents, stiffened. Ria felt a growing unease at their loyalty, wondering if this was indicative of the Empire's foremost authority. For now, however, she awaited Deculein's imminent arrival.

Thud—

At that moment, the distinctive sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the library, drawing the collective eyes of everyone present as Ria found herself instinctively swallowing.

“Gulp—”

For a moment, Ria's heart fluttered, but she calmed herself with a deep breath and meticulously composed her expression, determined not to betray any sign of her inner state.

"Have you arrived!" Delic said, offering a salute.

The other agents mirrored his salute while Gawain and Isaac wore distinctly bitter expressions, and these two knights showed no signs of excessive loyalty, leading Ria to consider that she might well need their assistance.

"A magical attack, was it?" Deculein said, his low voice vibrating like a rumble.

"Yes, that is so," Delic replied.

"What is that which is presumed to be the medium?"

"It was this canvas itself!"

For a short while, Deculein merely stared at the canvas, but then he covered the distance between them.

"Oh, Count Yukline. It is dangerous. I encourage not to—"

Clack—

Despite Delic's dissuasion, Deculein, without a moment's hesitation, pulled the canvas from its place on the wall, and with one hand, rotated and inspected the blank surface, examining every inch.

"... Do you happen to know what it is?" Isaac asked.

Deculein offered a nod without a word.

“What is it?” Ria asked.

"They will descend from the Floating Island," Deculein said, looking down at Ria and speaking words that were rather unexpected.

“... Sorry?”

A collective bewilderment settled upon every face.

"It is Epherene," Deculein said, hanging the canvas on the wall.

The name Epherene Luna was familiar to both Ria and Delic.

"It seems that she is engaged in strange conduct."

At this very moment, Epherene was being pursued by the Purgers of the Floating Island, accused of being the seed of a disaster that would destroy the continent. However, the greatest threat resided with the Altar and within the Imperial Palace itself, while the Floating Island misguidedly targeted Epherene.

I understand. Oh, that doesn't mean I actually understand them. However, since the Floating Island is a separate world unrelated to the continent, the greatest harm to the organization will be a being with the potential to collapse the foundation of the current magic system—that is, Epherene, Ria thought.

“Epherene, really?”

"Yes. How many missing person reports have there been recently?" Delic asked, looking at the Intelligence Agency agent beside him.

"Within the Imperial Palace, one hundred three cases, and outside, a total of eight hundred thirty cases," the agent replied without hesitation.

The number of disappearances was enough to make even Ria pause in disbelief.

Then, seeming to fall into thought for a moment, with a twist on his lips, Deculein muttered, "How foolish."

"Count Yukline, where are you heading to?" Delic asked Deculein, who spun on his heel, unaware of what Deculein found foolish.

"I am going to be searching for Epherene. It is likely the Floating Island has already commenced its own search for her," Deculein replied.

"What will you do after finding her?" Ria asked, a question born of instinct.

Deculein regarded Ria with deep-set eyes, and his words, delivered in a voice like sharpened steel, sent a shiver down Ria's neck.

“... It is likely that I will kill her.”

Without a moment's hesitation, Deculein turned and left the scene, declaring his intent to kill Epherene, his former protégé, as he stormed out of the library. Meanwhile, Ria, watching him go, felt a strange, undeniable certainty solidify within her.

The current Deculein is dangerous, Ria thought.

***

I was running, my own two legs outpacing both horse and vehicle, and with the Mirror Passages scattered across the continent, distance could not bind me.

What Epherene sought to achieve with that canvas was clear, as if I somehow already knew—perhaps because, in a distant future, Epherene had, or rather would, engage in a similar undertaking.

Strange conduct? I thought.

Well, is it perhaps understandable to make such a misconception? I thought.

Well, I have never withheld my cooperation with them, I thought.

"Hmph, enough with the justifications. When do you mean to proceed with that grand magic?"

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