A Villain's Will to Survive

Chapter 167: Advancement (3)

The Inn on the Floating Island—a restaurant hanging thousands of meters above the earth, serving as a haven for named characters. Here, Rohakan was absorbed in Deculein’s report, a document he had gone to great lengths to obtain.

Statistics Grounded in Reality: Charting the Continent's Future

The continent approaches a time of profound transformation. The unexplored regions are no longer merely distant lands of destruction. Instead, with each passing moment, they advance ever closer, pressing toward the core of our world.

In tandem with the fractures widening within the Empire, new threats converge from beyond the continent’s borders, pressing upon us...

... Therefore, to counter these external threats, I propose a fully developed theoretical framework for containment and control.

This theory is based solely on empirical observation, with every element of chance or luck purposefully excluded.

It is my hope that you will study, comprehend, and ultimately embrace this approach, ensuring its value to future generations.

The explanations of collision values began on page 157, with the monster wave calculations derived from those values starting on page 53. Altogether, the dense 210 pages of equations set Rohakan’s mind spinning.

“Hmm...” Rohakan murmured.

“Giving you trouble, is it, old man?” Ganesha asked, sitting across from him with her striking red hair in twin braids and the classic attire of a martial artist, while Rohakan scratched his head.

“... Hard to say.”

Typically, adventurers who were not mages were forbidden from setting foot on the Floating Island. However, her party found its way there through an unofficial route.

"I can still handle the calculations, but I reckon age has made my mind a bit too stiff to fully grasp the logic behind these collision values. Deculein—that fellow has really turned himself into quite the scholar."

"... Huh? That’s all you have to say?” Ganesha said, her eyes narrowing. “It was a struggle just to get my hands on that. You should take a proper look—it’s nearly impossible to find these days, with all the hype and controversy surrounding it.”

Rohakan cleared his throat awkwardly before replying, “Ahem. What more can I say? None of it seems to be sticking.”

“I mean~ I’ll have you know, it cost three hundred thousand elne—even the Adventurers’ Guild had to pay that much just to get a copy!”

"Well, who asked you to go to all that trouble on my behalf?"

“... You did?” @@novelbin@@

“Let’s put that aside. Here—what I promised,” Rohakan said as he extended the prosthetic arm to Ganesha.

With a faintly annoyed look, Ganesha took the prosthetic arm, inspecting it closely from all angles before nodding in approval and replying, “... Made by Arlos, just as you said. Thank you, old man.”

Ganesha’s voice had taken on an unfamiliar weight, and Rohakan turned his attention to the boy beside her, asleep and slumped against the table—a boy named Carlos, dozing with his head resting on the surface. Barely ten, the boy was missing a small arm, leaving a quiet void beside him.

“What happened to that child?”

“Oh, all sorts of things~” Ganesha replied, sidestepping the question as she tucked the prosthetic away.

Rohakan chose not to press her further.

“Can I take a look at that?” Ria asked sweetly, her little finger pointing to the paper in Rohakan’s hand.

“... Certainly, take a look,” Rohakan replied, passing her the document with a gentle smile.

“Thank you so much!” Ria said as she took the document, her face lighting up with such intense concentration that her eyes seemed to slice through the pages like lasers.

Ganesha and Rohakan looked on with fondness, a gentle warmth reflecting in their eyes.

Just then, the dessert arrived, and in that moment, Ria’s focus melted away. A small, delicate sweet was placed on the table, filling the inn with a fragrant, honeyed aroma. It resembled a macaron, its scent so rich and inviting that it seemed to sway her senses.

She reached out as if irresistibly drawn to it, picked up the dessert, and slowly placed it in her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out, soft and round, moving in a gentle rhythm with each tiny chew. She looked completely absorbed, a picture of blissful innocence, savoring the sweetness with every bite as her face glowed with contentment.

“Wow...”

Watching her practically melt with delight, Rohakan chuckled softly and asked, “So, were you able to make sense of the paper?”

“Oh!” Ria gasped, snapping back to the present and nodding quickly.

Rohakan stroked his chin, then asked, “How do you find it?”

“Well... Professor Deculein is really smart, so I think we can trust him, right?”

Of course, the calculations are difficult to follow, but the main quest has its own hardcore trigger—a sudden event that sends demonic beasts in a southern advance from the Land of Destruction. Even if it’s not exactly that, with the main quest right around the corner, more defenses are always a good thing. I never thought Deculein would be this useful, Ria thought.

“Haha. Is that so?” Rohakan muttered, his eyes resting on Ria’s face as he took in the gentle balance of her features. “... Yes, there is quite a resemblance.”

"Ah?" Ria mumured, tilting her head in confusion as the word slipped out of her mouth.

“You must mean Deculein’s former fiancée, right? She’s heard plenty about it already, and I imagine there will be much more to come,” Ganesha said.

“... Haha,” Rohakan murmured, a quiet laugh escaping as he reached into his coat.

Hearing him speak, Ria’s attention was completely drawn toward him.

“Here—take this.”

Then, he pulled a scroll from his robes.

"What you seek is in the Northern Region. Make your way there, and I’ll see to it that the path is cleared for you."

As Rohakan’s words sank in, Ria’s eyes widened, and she felt a spark of surprise.

[Main Quest: Advancement]

At last, the main scenario was set to take place.

***

I began developing the Northernmost Region. The scale and ambition of the design rivaled that of any knights' order, and there was no need to transport materials—the timber from the Northern Region’s coniferous forests was exceptional, and the frame was raised in a single day.

With the expertise of the Ihelm Division and skilled mages like Epherene and Drent, our progress accelerated, moving with the force and precision of countless hands at work.

"This should be sufficient," I mused.

However, I used my Telekinesis strictly for the mansion’s construction, determined not to spend even a day within the same walls as the prisoners.

“Woah...”

Epherene, Allen, Drent, and the thirteen members of the Ihelm Division looked up at the mansion in astonishment. Designed and built with precise Aesthetic Sense, the five-story mansion blended seamlessly into the Northern Region’s forest, standing as a model of elegance and harmony. Even to my eyes, the result was quite satisfactory.

"That's crazy. How could something like this be completed in just a single day?" Ihelm exclaimed,

I opened the front door in silence, and the mages filed in behind me, closely following at my heels.

“The interior may be empty for now... though I imagine that can be resolved soon enough. But, Deculein.”

Ihelm continued to draw me into conversation, his unwelcome attempts at easy familiarity constantly testing my patience.

“Your name has become quite the talk of late. They say you've earned a fortune in stocks and defeated Her Majesty herself in some other matter—and there are even stranger rumors about you.”

I leveled a sharp look at Ihelm, but he only returned a knowing smile, as if accustomed to such attention, and continued, "Deculein... I hear you even know which family attempted to poison Her Majesty."

In this world, where Sophien survived the poisoning, the crime was classified as an attempted murder of the Empress—an act of such capital severity that it justified the eradication of an entire bloodline. As a result, immediately after my match of Go with Sophien, chaos swept through the Imperial Palace.

“Ihelm, be gone.”

"Oh, come on—there’s no need to be so cold. How about building a house for me as well? Or perhaps I could stay here with you instead. I’d be more than happy to pay the rent."

"... Before I make you regret this—"

“Ah, alright, alright, I’m on my way out~ Honestly, with all these rooms, why are you so uptight? Come on, let’s go!” Ihelm said, calling for his division to follow as they made their way outside.

Meanwhile, my protégés—Epherene, Drent, and Allen—looked up at me with expectant eyes.

“Um... Professor,” Epherene asked, “should we leave too...?”

"You will be here, on the first floor," I instructed.

“Hooray—I mean, yes, Professor~! We’ll go grab our things~”

The three darted off to gather their things, while I lingered in the mansion’s doorway, gazing out over the boundless coniferous forest that stretched endlessly from Rekordak to the farthest edge of the horizon.

Even from the perspective of a Wealthy Magnate, this region held more promise than disadvantage; at times, a glimmer of gold flashed across the landscape. Should an expedition to the Land of Destruction begin, this would serve as the ideal foundation for a base camp.

“... It would be best to begin by building the facilities,” I murmured.

The immediate priority was construction—to transform this cursed prison into a place of minimal self-sufficiency, one that could also serve as a sustainable foundation for Yulie’s future. It was a task well worth pursuing.

***

The Basics of Stocks for Dummies, Volume 1

Yulie sat in her office, deeply absorbed in the borrowed book lying open before her, its margins filling with her meticulous notes as she carefully recorded everything she learned.

“... The first rule of investing is never to let money slip through your fingers.”

Seeing the land fall under Deculein’s control in an instant and witnessing Rekordak change dramatically almost overnight at his command, Yulie felt a deep sense of disappointment in herself for her past ignorance of financial investments.

“The second rule of investing is always to remember the first one.”

Have I clung too tightly to the old belief that a knight must turn away from wealth? After all, money is indispensable—not only for protecting our comrades but also for sustaining the knight's order itself, Yulie thought.

“It’s difficult... this idea of never letting money slip through your fingers,” Yulie murmured.

While a knight was not meant to pursue wealth, Yulie had come to understand that dismissing its importance entirely was just as mistaken. Relieved that this realization had come to her before it was too late, she set down her pen and looked up. Across the room, Reylie sat on the office sofa, lost in the pages of her book.

“Reylie.”

“Yes?” Reylie murmured, turning her attention from her book to Yulie.

Yulie hesitated, shaking her head before muttering, “... Nevermind.”

“What is it? Oh, studying stocks, are you?” Reylie asked, closing her book as she walked over. She paused, her attention on Yulie’s notes scattered across the desk, a faint smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

Avoid Any Financial Losses: Core Principles of Market Analysis. True trading success relies on understanding and leveraging the psychology of the crowd...

"You seem to be studying really hard, don't you? Always putting so much effort into everything you do, aren't you, Knight Yulie?"

A subtle pride warmed Yulie’s heart, though she kept it to herself, glancing at the clock instead. It was 9 a.m.—the time for Deculein’s briefing was nearly upon her.

“But you know, most people don’t make it in stocks, and more people lose than they gain. Deculein’s something of an exception—he’s earned, what, four hundred million elne? Or was it five hundred?”

“Yes, I know. That’s why I’m taking the time to study first, and I’ll begin with only a small amount,” Yulie replied.

“... Are you? Well then...” Reylie replied with a casual nod.

Yulie stood and said, “The time has come. Let’s be on our way.”

“Really? You’re actually planning to attend?”

Deculein's briefing was a time set aside for him to issue commands to all Rekordak personnel, outlining his goals and expectations. For the time being, he didn’t plan any drastic changes to the general structure of Rekordak, and Yulie’s position remained acknowledged. In theory, she didn’t have to attend, as she was part of Freyden and held 49% of the property.

"It wouldn't hurt to be present. Besides, if his orders are unreasonable, I might be the only one who can stop him."

“... Well, I guess you're right. That’s a fair point. Alright, let’s get going,” Reylie agreed, following Yulie out.

Thud-thud—

As they walked through Rekordak’s weathered corridors, a sudden thought lit up in Reylie’s mind. She clapped her hands together, tapped Yulie’s shoulder, and said, “Oh, that’s right! Knight Yulie, did you know?”

“No, I don’t know.”

“I mean, about that incident a while back—when there was an attempt to poison Her Majesty?”

"... Yes, there was," Yulie replied, nodding with a serious demeanor, her face shadowed by thought."

After all, the event had shaken the Imperial Palace to its very core—second only to the tragedy of the Empress’s assassination.

“But apparently, I heard that while playing Go with Deculein, Her Majesty hinted that Deculein might hold the truth behind it all...!” Reylie said in a low voice, her expression tightening as if the weight of the words pressed upon her, fearful that someone might overhear.

Yulie furrowed her brow, her expression tightening with piercing intensity as she asked, "... Is that true?"

“Yes, that’s what I’ve heard. The entire Imperial Palace is in chaos over it right now. If the truth comes out, especially if any of the noble families from the Empire are involved... Oh my, just the thought of it sends a chill down my spine,” Reylie replied, shuddering slightly.

Yulie's mind wandered like a leaf carried by the wind as they walked, lost in quiet contemplation. Before long, they arrived at the training grounds of Rekordak, where imperial knights, guards, wardens, and mages stood in perfect formation. At the heart of it all, Deculein had already taken his place upon the podium.

"Greetings. I’ll forgo unnecessary introductions. As the new owner of Rekordak, I will move directly to assigning your orders and duties," Deculein announced, as if delivering a lecture.

“This winter’s sustained mission is to cull the numbers. Your task is to advance into the Land of Destruction and eliminate the monsters preemptively. The primary goal is to fell as many as possible before the wave breaks."

Even without casting the amplification spell, his voice reached every inch of Rekordak, and his unmistakable charisma gripped every corner.

"For these special operations, each unit will consist of four knights and one mage. You are authorized to enlist as many prisoners as deemed necessary."

At that moment, a light touch on her arm drew Yulie’s attention. Turning, she found Gwen standing quietly at her side.

“Long time no see,” Gwen mouthed, and Yulie returned the nod.

At that moment...

"Who dares to waste time with pointless chatter?" Deculein said, his voice cutting through the stillness like a blade.

At his words, Gwen let out a quiet, awkward cough. Beside her, Yulie lowered her head, the silence between them heavy with tension.

"... Additionally, each week, the full force of Rekordak will advance to lay waste to the demonic beasts' lair. As for the one who will command this operation..." Deculein let his words hang in the air, sweeping over the assembled knights, weighing each one in silent judgment.

Gwen, Raphel, Sirio—and even the knights of the Imperial Palace, loyal to Deculein—were among those to whom he could entrust command.

However...

"I will entrust the command to Knight Deya."

Deculein selected Yulie, fully aware of her unmatched ability to command in battle. In that moment, all eyes turned toward her, and without a single word, she nodded, silently accepting the weight of the responsibility now upon her.

“Oh my... You two are really professional, always able to separate duty from personal matters,” Reylie whispered in admiration from beside her.

Yulie curled her fingers into a fist, taking care that no one saw.

***

Three days passed since my arrival in Rekordak, and my days settled into a simple pattern. Each cold morning, I focused on my magic training, draining my mana until little remained. Once that was done, I worked on my writing, spending the rest of the day composing.

In the rare moments when I had free time, I stepped outside to map the land or hunt for game. The rest of the time, I left the routine tasks to my three assistants. All in all, life here felt no different from my days in the capital.

The Values Pursued by This Age

The Magic of Statistics

The Economics of Magic

Principles of Economics

For some reason, the bitter winter made writing come more easily. I had often heard that one of the reasons Russia produced so many great authors was its brutal cold, and now I understood, at least a little. When the weather was unforgiving and there was nothing else to do, you ended up finding yourself writing something.

"... What is all this, Professor?" Epherene asked, pointing at the stack of manuscripts on my desk, her face bright with curiosity in the early morning light.

“Read it. It won’t do you any harm, and it might just fill in some of the gaps in that empty head of yours with knowledge.”

"Wait, what..." Epherene muttered, her face scrunched in a frown, looking grumpy. "I’m not empty-headed, you know. Why do you always talk to me like that, looking down on me as if I’m not good enough—"

"Foolishness must be called foolish—what other name than foolish would you give it? If you cannot bear to hear the word foolish, then strive to be anything but foolish. Dedicate yourself to learning and growth, and become someone free of foolishness, so that no one has cause to call you foolish again."

“Ugh, really. How many times are you going to call me foolish? That’s it—I’m leaving,” Epherene said, slipping a manuscript under her arm. “... And by the way, I’ve volunteered to help with the process of reducing the numbers starting tomorrow.”

I nodded, looking directly into her eyes, and said, "Don’t get yourself killed."

“... Oh. Yes, Professor, I’ll make sure I don’t die.”

“Even without your limbs, prosthetics can help you live on."

“... Yeah, yeah. I’ll make sure to come back in one piece. Thank you very much,” Epherene said, pouting as she walked out of the room.

The study returned to its usual quiet and peace. I looked out the window, spotting Yulie below in the training grounds, sparring with Gwen, their swords and mana intertwining in the air.

Clang— Clang— Clang—!

The clash of metal and mana rang through the air, sparks flying as light danced with every strike.

At that moment, Gwen pointed up and called out, “Oh? Hey, Yulie, look over there. Your ex-fiancé is up there.”

That damn woman, I thought.

Yulie glanced up, and for a moment, our eyes met. I bit down hard, my face twisting in a silent wince before I drew the curtains shut.

“... Tch.”

I leaned back in my chair and picked up my pen, but for some reason, my heart felt tight. My chest ached, and my pulse raced. However, I couldn’t reveal it. As long as I maintained my composure, no one would notice, and it would fade soon enough. After all, Deculein was a cold-blooded man—designed to be this way from the start...

***

... At the same time, in the break room on the first floor of Rekordak, Epherene sat with her lips slightly parted, lost in quiet astonishment. The cause of this was The Magic of Statistics, a manuscript borrowed from Deculein and written in his own hand.

“Wow.”

The fundamentals and concepts fired through her mind, sparking across her neurons and synapses, flooding her veins with energy and awakening even the furthest reaches of her nerves.

“This is... revolutionary,” Epherene murmured to herself.

The combination of statistics and magic. As a mage who had learned much, Epherene instinctively understood the implications—using statistics to interpret magic, predicting the damage and scale of a spell through the language of probabilities.

“I-I want to learn this,” Epherene said, scrambling to grab the pen.

Epherene’s sudden burst of enthusiasm captured the attention of everyone around her. The first floor of Rekordak buzzed with mages who had come to volunteer for their missions, many of whom watched her closely.

"... Excuse me, but are you Miss Epherene, Professor Deculein’s assistant?"

“Sorry? Oh, yes, that's me.”

“Do you mind if I ask what you are doing?”

“Sorry? Oh, it’s—”

"What are you reading? May I sit with you and share it for a moment?"

"... Sorry? Actually, I haven’t even finished reading it—"

“Oh? Wait, could that be a work authored by Professor Deculein?”

“Sorry? Oh, uh, yes, it is, but—”

“Oh, is it really? May I read just a single line? Only one, I promise.”

“... Sorry?”

It wasn’t just a few mages from the Ihelm Division who gathered around. Soon, combat mages from Freyden, along with curious knights and officers, joined in. Almost all the high-ranking personnel who had lingered on the first floor were now gathered around her. Epherene, ever kind-hearted...

“Okay, alright. Let’s... read it together...”

Could hardly refuse, and so they read Deculein’s work together.