A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 5: Deculein (4)

Roteo Hall, where I had just finished my lecture, was built ten years ago. Thanks to a donation from the Yukline family, it was the third-largest building on campus. Since it was vacation time and there were hardly any students around, I decided to take a walk around the campus after leaving Roteo Hall to explore a bit.

“It’s quite spacious.”

The university campus was much larger than I had anticipated. The entire area was mostly flat, and the gardens, sports fields, various buildings, facilities, and pathways all reminded me of the American campuses our team had used as models.

I headed toward Deculein's workplace, the Mage Tower. For context, the highest-ranked university in this game was the Imperial University, and the Mage Tower was its most esteemed department.

To compare, the magic department was like the College of Medicine at Seoul National University, and the Mage Tower was akin to Seoul National University Hospital.

As I walked, I suddenly noticed someone following me closely. The thought of an assassin briefly crossed my mind, but it was just the mage who had accompanied me since the car ride. Although I didn't know who it was, the mage kept his head down and hidden under a robe.

“Was your name Zoro?” I asked.

“S-sorry? No, no! My name is Allen, sir!” Allen replied.

“I got confused.”

“Oh... Allen and Zoro aren't... O-okay...”

As I walked in silence, Allen sensed the mood and suddenly started speaking.

“Professor! T-the way you walk, it's like a photo shoot. I, uh, should have brought a camera—”

"There's no need for that anymore. Just talk comfortably," I replied.

“Ah, o-okay, sir...”

Perhaps Deculein had instructed him to say such things before.

True to its name, the Mage Tower was visible from anywhere on campus due to its height, and I reached it quickly by just following my line of sight.

Head Professor: Deculein von Grahan-Yukline identified.

Authentication complete

The Magitech gate of the Mage Tower recognized my body and iris, and opened automatically. As soon as I entered the lobby, many people bowed to me. I nodded in acknowledgment and then spoke to Allen.

“Let's head to the office.”

“Yes, sir!”

Allen hurried to press the elevator button in the lobby. My office was on the 77th floor. The elevator, powered by mana stones, arrived in about three seconds.

Head Professor: Deculein von Grahan-Yukline

My office took up nearly half the floor, making it a spacious and luxurious area. The interior was as spotless as a sterile room, with shelves filled with numerous books. The desk held a crystal orb, a fountain pen, a diamond nameplate, the seal of a Royal University Professor, a golden staff, and more. I surveyed the opulent space, trying not to show any reaction.

“What is this?”

As I sat in the chair, a document on the desk caught my eye. It looked similar in form and size to a guestbook.

"Ah, it's the list of funded novice mages for this year!" Allen replied.

I opened the document and skimmed through the contents.

│ Novice Mage (Debutant) │

│ Jeyren │ 19 years old │

│ Property(ies): Elemental │ Category(ies): Support │ Sponsorship: 30,000/500,000 │

│ Scouting Report │

“Hmm.”

As soon as I looked at the contents, I quickly understood.

In this universe, the Mage Tower was a research institution similar to Caltech or MIT in our world, where research funding was essential. In fact, mages required far more money than modern scientists or engineers.

They needed astronomical resources not only for developing practical, destructive, or useful magic but also for their basic living expenses, training costs, and materials necessary for their advancement.

As I skimmed through the names, I noticed some of them glowing gold. I instinctively realized these were profitable names, likely due to the combination of Wealthy Magnate and Sharp Eyesight.

───────

[Wealthy Magnate]

◆ Grade:

Rare

◆ Description:

A born magnate and exceptional financier with an unrivaled intuition for profitable things.

The more information provided, the more accurate the intuition becomes.

───────

[Sharp Eyesight]

◆ Grade:

Rare

◆ Description:

The ability to visually perceive intuition, attributes, mana points, and similar elements.

It is primarily used in conjunction with other traits rather than on its own.

───────

It was a combination of attributes that reacted exceptionally well to profitable matters and the ability to see attributes with my own eyes. In other words, by simply analyzing the scouting reports of mages' names and strengths, I could determine which ones would be profitable.

“This name looks familiar...”

As I continued, I found a named character.

│ Novice Mage (Debutant) │

│ Epherene Luna │ 17 years old │

│ Property(ies): Material │ Category(ies): Destruction and Support │ Sponsorship: 0/10,000,000 │

│ Scouting Report │

Luna, Luna, Luna... The woman in the photo had light gray hair and jade-colored eyes filled with discontent, staring straight ahead. She was beautiful yet unrefined, like a rough-edged blade or a young predator, resembling a three-month-old leopard or cheetah.

Although I hadn't modeled this named character, I remembered hearing from the company that she had a deep-seated enmity with Deculein apparently related to her father. Despite this, Luna's sponsorship remained at zero, while other novice mages received funding of at least 10,000 elne.

“Why doesn't she have any funding?” I asked.

“Sorry?”

“The name is Epherene Luna.”

“Uh... I’m sorry?” Allen flinched.

“What’s the issue here?”

“Um... The other professors and the sponsors at the Mage Tower... they were all being cautious because of...”

It was because of Deculein. Nodding, I continued to scan Luna's scouting report and discovered something quite surprising.

│ Sponsorship: 0/10,000,000 │

“Allen, do you know how much a meal in the cafeteria costs these days?” I asked.

“Ah, a king-sized cutlet is three elne. It's delicious. You should try it sometime... Oh, I'm sorry.”

It seemed one elne was roughly equivalent to 1,000 won.

“Then, this girl really seems like she's naive about how things work.”

The maximum requestable funding was 10,000,000 elne. She aimed to secure a sponsorship of nearly ten billion won, enough to live comfortably. Although it was in the form of funding, she would eventually have to repay it with interest.

“Funding...” I said, rubbing my chin and deep in thought.

The mage named Epherene Luna was Deculein's enemy. Or rather, Deculein was her enemy. However, regardless of her grudge against Deculein, if I left things as they were in the original game, I would end up meeting the same fate at someone's hands.

───────

[Villain's Fate]

◆ Grade:

???

◆ Description:

A villain's fate. The whole world wishes for his death.

However, what doesn’t kill him makes him stronger...

───────

Villain's Fate was a predestined death. In the game, Deculein died in various ways: a sword through the heart, a wand through the heart, an arrow through the heart, poison, bomb attacks—whatever the method, the fact that he died remained unchanged. Therefore, I needed to make different choices, ones the original Deculein would never have made. However...

“Allen, many of them probably wouldn't want to accept my money, correct?” I asked, observing Allen's reaction.

Allen flinched, almost vibrating, and shook their head. Their actions said no, but their response was clearly yes.

“Even if they don't want it, I will give it to them anyway. They dare not refuse my funding.”

After some thought, I checked the boxes for several names but kept the sponsor's name anonymous. Revealing my true identity and being discovered would have negative consequences.

“Allen, you may leave now and attend to your duties.”

“Y-yes, sir!”

Allen responded promptly and left. His voice was more confident than ever. I turned my chair around and looked out the window. The view from the top floor of the Mage Tower was spectacular. Sunbeams filled the sky, and migratory birds flew in flocks near the clouds. The countless wings fluttering through the light particles seemed freer than anything else.

"To survive... I need a lot of money," I whispered quietly.

The more money I had, the better. For the sake of my lifespan, I needed to save as much as possible. Among my numerous enemies, some could be dealt with using money. Fortunately, thanks to my attributes, this wasn't a difficult task. Simply investing in promising mages could guarantee returns many times over.

“Even so, as time continues to pass, how should I proceed? Where should my existence be directed?”

After making money, I began to consider what would come next. The named characters who hated me were endless, and they could bring death at any time. To survive against them...

“I will need to rely on my own strength.”

My own strength. While it was connected to wealth, I needed a more fundamental power—my own combat strength. Fortunately, I knew the talents of this body. Though average, I definitely had talent in the Element property and Manipulation category.

Unlike Deculein's lies, it wasn't all elements, but specifically earth and fire. Additionally, there were various attributes I had added to this body, among them the Midas Touch.

───────

[Midas Touch]

◆ Grade:

Unique

◆ Description:

Consumes the user's mana to unlock the potential of a target.

Enhances the target's performance by the amount of mana consumed and grants special effects appropriate to the target's category if no potential exists.

Mana could only be bestowed in units of thousands, and overlapping use was not possible.

───────

It was an attribute of a higher grade than Wealthy Magnate. I picked up the fountain pen from the desk to test it.

[Mana Points: 1,315 / 3,375]

My mana had sufficiently recovered, and activating the attribute required only my mental focus. As I activated it, a tug at the back of my neck and temples signaled the consumption of mana points. That was it. There was no visible change in the fountain pen's appearance, but a definite change had occurred, observable only through the system.

───────

[Yukline Fountain Pen]

◆ Grade:

High

◆ Category:

Miscellaneous ? Writing Instrument

Equipment ? Weapon

◆ Description:

A fountain pen engraved with the family crest in pure gold. Enhanced in durability by Midas Touch.

◆ Special Effect:

Increases writing proficiency when equipped.

───────

I picked up a piece of paper and began writing. It felt as if I had become Han Seok-Bong[1].

“... If that’s the case.”

After setting the fountain pen on the table, I considered how to effectively combine my attributes and talents. I had Sharp Eyesight, Midas Touch, Comprehension, Manipulation category, and the Elements of Fire and Earth. As I compared my attributes and talents, Comprehension activated on its own.

Zap—

A current generated in my brain heated my entire body. Goosebumps rose on my skin, and suddenly, a brilliant idea struck me. The combination of earth and fire creates metal. Additionally, the attribute Midas Touch enhances that metal. As a mage, manipulating such metal was like Telekinesis or Qi-Controlled Levitating Blades.

Though I would call it Qi-Controlled Levitating Blades, it was essentially Telekinesis, theoretically perfect as my main ability. Deculein's lack of talent could be compensated by the quality of the metal. In this world, there were more than just steel alloys—powerful fantasy metals like mithril existed, and with unlimited funds, I could procure them. Satisfied with my thoughts, I nodded.

“If clearing the game is the only answer, then I shall endure and prevail until the very end... Ah, why am I talking like this?”

I bit my tongue and checked my posture in the chair with curiosity. My straight back pressed firmly against the backrest, my neck rested neatly on the headrest, and my arms maintained their usual angle on the armrests. This overwhelming formality had become second nature to me. The naturalness of it was almost frightening.

“Allen, are you there?” I called Allen through the crystal orb.

“Yes! I'll be right there, sir!”

I heard hurried footsteps crashing into objects, and then Allen appeared.

“Yes! I'm here!”

I felt sorry for Allen. Maybe postgraduate students on Earth live like this, or not.

"I'll be finishing up and heading out for today. You may leave after you borrow a few books I'm listing for you," I said.

“Ah... Y-yes, sir!”

Although he seemed unwilling to leave, I wrote down the names of a few books for him. The first was about the properties of metal in magic, and the second was about manipulation magic. Since both books were Basic level, Allen looked puzzled but soon bowed at almost a ninety-degree angle and walked away.

1. An eminent calligrapher from the mid-Joseon period. ☜