A Villain's Will to Survive-Chapter 168: Advancement (4) Part 1

The world was cloaked in a storm of white. The gusting wind rose like a shroud of pure snow, draping the sky in a curtain that blotted out the heavens. Snowflakes, heavy with their weight, pressed down upon the earth. The air was fierce and biting. Over the frozen, muddied ground, a relentless snowstorm howled, scattering dry, icy shards across the barren landscape.

“... It’s cold.”

“It’s okay, Leo... Just a little further now...”

In the Northern Region’s mountain range, Ganesha ascended with caution, the faint voices of children trailing behind her, scattered like leaves before the relentless wind.

With Rohan, Dozmu, and the other members of the adventurer team dispatched on separate missions, the journey had become perilously precarious. The untamed snowstorm howled through the craggy peaks, a relentless force of nature, capable of claiming lives in an instant.

"Everyone, let’s take a break here for now,” Ganesha said.

“... Eh?”

“Come here now, quickly!”

Ganesha gathered the staggering children into her arms, shielding them as she checked the temperature. Negative 27.4 degrees Fahrenheit. The bitter cold, laced with mana that swept through the snowstorm, was a force that truly lived up to its name—the Tempest of Frost.

This was no ordinary chill, but a magical and merciless freeze, so violent it rendered even artifacts nullified—a ceaseless storm that defied all comprehension.

“Stay with me, all of you. Can you hear me?” Ganesha said, her hand patting their frostbitten cheeks.

However, their skin had taken on a pale, violet hue, and their breaths came as faint as the whisper of wind through frozen trees. Frost clung to their lashes, sealing their eyes shut beneath a crystalline shroud.

“Stay awake, all of you! You cannot fall asleep now! If you close your eyes, I’ll be really upset—wake up!”

Ganesha shook their small, fragile bodies, but they collapsed as softly as a feather drifting to the ground, as quietly as a fledgling settling into sleep.

Watching their frail, lifeless forms, a sudden, overwhelming fear gripped her. She could not let them go—not like this. The road they had walked together had been too long, the time they had shared too precious, and the memories they had forged too deeply within her heart.

“Guys, stay with me. Please, no...”

At that moment...

Swoooosh—!

A metallic clang cut through the air, and the swirling snow storm briefly parted. In the stillness, the resonant chime of Wood Steel echoed, unveiling a distant, unknown cabin. From within, a faint warmth rose like a delicate ray of light, cutting through the frozen expanse.

Clutching the children tightly to her side, Ganesha hurried toward it, her steps quickened by the biting cold. She reached for the door, but an unseen sign, hanging in her path, brought her to a sudden halt.

“... A waystation?”

Waystation

The Waystation stands as a refuge for lost travelers, adventurers, residents, and soldiers alike, offering shelter and respite to those in need.

Built to endure the harshness of the Northern Region, this place offers rest to all, regardless of status or rank. However, to gain entry, one must inscribe their name on the register and swear an oath to uphold the three rules below.

First, no crimes shall be allowed to pass.

Second, no conflicts shall be permitted to arise.

Third, no harm shall befall the Waystation.

Those who honor these rules will find the Waystation standing as a haven, offering rest and warmth to those worn thin by the relentless cold.

However, those who dare to disregard these rules shall find themselves ensnared by the magical binding woven into the very heart of the Waystation. By my name, Yukline, I swear they shall face retribution.

“... Yukline.”

The name of the family, coupled with the elegant and meticulous penmanship engraved on the sign, made it unmistakably clear which member of the Yukline family had constructed this place.

"The professor built something really fascinating," Ganesha murmured.

In that moment, Ganesha felt only gratitude. Without hesitation, she bit her finger, allowing the blood to well up. With that crimson offering, she swore herself to the oaths carved upon the sign and inscribed her name in the register.

Creeeak—

Then, the door swung open as though beckoned by an unseen spirit, and the warmth spilling forth from within was nothing short of miraculous. Ganesha wasted no time, swiftly setting the children inside first.

“... It’s warm.”

The interior was unexpectedly spacious, with sleeping quarters arranged in quiet order. Ganesha knelt beside the children she had placed upon the floor, tenderly assessing their condition. Slowly, warmth began to return to their previously lifeless faces, a faint flush of life replacing the cold emptiness.

“Oh, I really thought... you’d all die out there,” Ganesha murmured, releasing a sigh of relief as she leaned against the wall. Her eyes wandered to the snowstorm raging outside the window. “... We survived, all thanks to him.”

Had it not been for the Waystation, they would have been claimed by the storm’s fury. She might have endured, but for the children, it would have been a sentence of death.

“Ugh...” Ria muttered, pushing herself upright with a soft groan.

“Ria, are you feeling better now~?” Ganesha asked, her voice deliberately bright and cheerful, her hair fluttering like the whir of a spinning propeller.

Ria, understanding her meaning, smiled weakly and replied, “Yes, I’m feeling better now...”

"Alright, get some rest, okay?"

“Oh, um... By professor, you mean Deculein, right?” Ria asked, her exhaustion clear on her face, though her curiosity wouldn’t be silenced.

“Yes, it seems the professor built this place. Thanks to that, we’re still here.”

“Oh... but lately, haven’t there been some strange rumors going around?”

“What kind of rumor?”

“ACtually, before we came here, I heard from the Floating Island that Professor Deculein knows who was behind Her Majesty's poisoning attempt—”

Snap.

Suddenly, the lamp’s flame wavered and sputtered.

Ganesha trembled as a sudden chill swept over her, rising hurriedly and lighting the lamp with trembling hands as she whispered, “... Ria?”

The lamp’s light fell upon Ria, cloaking her in a deep crimson glow.

“Yes?”

Foll𝑜w current novels on fɾēewebnσveℓ.com.

“That’s a dangerous thing to say. Don’t let them pass your lips again.”

No matter how much the treatment of commoners had improved in recent times, their status remained unaltered—a commoner was, and always would be, a commoner. Ria, born of humble origins in the archipelago, should never have entertained the thought, let alone wandered through the imperial family’s secrets or scandals. Such things were far beyond her place.

“... Yes. I’m sorry. I won’t do it again,” Ria said, kneeling on the floor and raising her arms in a comical display of apology. But as she sat there, exhaustion overtook her, and she drifted into sleep.

“Hehe, such a curious little one,” Ganesha murmured with a faint smile, leaning against the wall.

Whoooooosh—!

As the storm howled and twisted beyond the window, she watched its chaotic dance. Her thoughts drifted to the impending event of the Altar, where the God it sought to awaken loomed in her mind—an entity immeasurable, veiled in the mysteries of the unknown.

"It won’t be easy... not from this point forward."

I suppose I must prepare myself to meet death, Ganesha thought, her eyes closing with a soft sigh.

For the first time in nearly a month, the demon of slumber came for her, drawn to the exhaustion that had crept into her very bones...

***

Rekordak pulsed with life as the construction of the knight order's temporary stronghold began to take form. The site gradually transformed into a unified complex, crafted in the image of a knightly headquarters.

At its heart stood the central building, while training grounds, armories, tactical rooms, dining halls, dormitories, and other facilities flowed together into a seamless, organic whole.

“Hey! Keep moving, you lot, and do it right! If I see a single drop spilled, there’ll be hell to pay!” the architect commanded.

The Empire sent an architect, and under his command, the prisoners labored without rest to bring my designs to life.

“Professor, what do you think of this spire? The view is nothing short of breathtaking, wouldn’t you agree?” the warden asked.

From the spire of Rekordak, I surveyed it all. To the north of the grounds stood a massive wall, separating the wild, unexplored region from the settlement. This spire was the only vantage point from which one could behold both the limitless wilderness beyond the wall and the full breadth of Rekordak itself in a single sweep.

“Knight Yulie frequently visits this place as well and...”

The warden silenced himself, his hand flying to his mouth, as though he had only just realized the weight of mentioning Yulie—it seemed the thought of my relationship with her had only now occurred to him, and all too late, at that.

The warden bowed low and said, “My apologies, Professor!”

“Hmph. What’s there to apologize for?” Reylie said, her voice floating from somewhere within the spire.

The warden gestured toward her and said, “... Ah, over there. That is Adventurer Reylie, the deputy to Knight Yulie, Professor.”

“I am aware,” I said, my steps measured as I approached her.

“What now? What do you want?” Reylie muttered, seated before an easel, seemingly painting the landscape with a palette and brush in hand.

“Is painting a hobby of yours?” I asked.

“The view here isn’t bad, I guess. Hmph!”

Reylie, Yulie’s cousin, shared a resemblance to her, though her hair gleamed silver rather than white, and her spirit radiated with a lively energy, in contrast to Yulie’s calm and composed nature.

“The landscape, is it?” I murmured, following where Reylie’s eyes wandered. “Hmm...”

I had never been one to admire landscapes, though a quiet sigh of wonder escaped my lips. Beyond the wall of Rekordak, a world stretched out, draped in snow and wind, its contours veiled by a dreamlike shroud of mist. As I looked out upon the endless horizon of the unexplored region, a moment arrived when my Aesthetic Sense awakened.

“Step aside,” I commanded.

“What? What do you mean— What are you— Oh my goodness?!”

With a flick of Telekinesis, I nudged Reylie aside, lifted the brush and palette from her hands, and using Cleanse, wiped down the chair she had been sitting on.

“Unbelievable! What’s wrong with you, Professor?!”

I focused on the thought of painting, letting Reylie’s loud protests roll off me like distant thunder. Every ounce of my attention narrowed to a single point, and I slipped into a state of effortless flow.

In my mind, I was entranced by the desolate expanse before me. My fingers moved as though part of the very landscape, each stroke traced with instinctive precision, guided not by thought but by the rhythm of the scene itself.

“... Oh my.”

I had barely begun my painting when Reylie’s gasp of surprise pierced the silence, followed by the warden’s quiet murmur of admiration behind me. My brush, once sweeping across the canvas in broad, fluid strokes, stilled. My eyes, fixed on the canvas and the distant horizon, faltered and returned to the present, drawn back by an unexpected notification.

[Craft: A Masterpiece of the Era]

◆ Store Currency +1

◆ Mana Point +50

When I looked at my painting, the Wealthy Magnate responded, and a radiant golden light rippled across it like waves on still water. The details that followed in the item's description grew even more mystical.

───────

[Deculein’s Canvas: Untitled]

◆ Information

: A canvas painted by the hand of Deculein von Grahan-Yukline.

: Its painted landscape is infused with a magical illusion that brings the artistry to life.

◆ Category

: Unique ⊃ Artwork

◆ Special Effects

: Supreme Air Purification — Purifies the air within a 500-meter radius. It restores vitality, accelerates mana recovery, and transforms the area into a haven of renewal.

: Advanced Enchantment — Viewing this painting sharpens focus and clears the mind, granting enhanced mental clarity for up to half a day.

: Muse — A timeless masterpiece, eternal and unchanging through all eras.

───────

It was proof that my canvas had become a unique item. Perhaps it was because I was seen as an NPC rather than a player in this world.

"Absolutely remarkable, Professor!"

"Absolutely remarkable, Professor!" the warden exclaimed, his hands clasped as if in prayer.

Reylie pressed her lips together in a faint gesture of discontent; however, both their eyes remained fixed upon my canvas.

“Wow... Such a breathtaking work of art. What name will you give it, Professor?" the warden asked.

I allowed a moment of thought to pass and said, "... I will name it Winter."

In that instant, the name and effects of the item shifted, taking shape in a new form.

───────

[Eternal Winter]

...

◆ Special Effects

: Supreme Air Purification

: Advanced Enchantment

: Muse

: Eternal Winter

A canvas infused with the mana of Winter.

───────