Chapter 254 : Chapter 254

Chapter 254: A Survivalist Villain?

Five ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍years, on the path of magic, would pass in the blink of an eye.

More ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍than that, Ryan was not even certain he could safely survive the next five years standing before him.

With ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the end of the semester approaching, Ryan would soon be leaving the academy for the holiday break. Which meant returning to the Velt Territory, returning to that so-called “home.”

And ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what awaited him there?

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Northlands. House Velt. Marquis Wilier.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Marquis’s power was so overwhelming that people even said they would rather serve tea and water as a lowly servant in House Wilier than become a respectable steward in the household of an ordinary count.

Less than a month remained in this term. Once the holiday began, he would have no choice but to return to the Velt Territory in the Northlands. How to deal with that old bastard William Velt, who might well harbor murderous intent toward him, would only be the first obstacle.

Even more troublesome was how he would handle Marquis Wilier—the very man whose two viscount houses Ryan had personally toppled, and who might now even have drawn the Emperor’s notice over suspicions of smuggling with the orcs beyond the border.

From Ryan’s current perspective, his family was nothing but a net liability. It was dead weight.

His nominal father, William Velt, was not merely cold. He might very well intend to strike down his own heir.

The Velt family’s inexplicable attitude toward Ryan was absolutely something he had to uncover when he returned.

The external pressure mainly came from the uncrowned king of the Northlands—Marquis Wilier.

This great noble, whose family had entrenched itself in the Northlands for centuries, had long regarded House Velt as a thorn in its side.

The reason was unclear. Perhaps an old grudge. Perhaps House Velt had refused to submit completely.

The attempts Ryan had suffered at the academy, especially the bullying from Andre and Wood, may well have had the Marquis’s shadow behind them.

And in this ruins expedition, the people of Marquis Wilier’s faction had openly cooperated with the Second Prince’s men in trying to kill him.

The seeds of hatred had been planted long ago. It was only that Ryan had once been too weak to merit much attention.

Now, however, he would be returning as the hero who had conquered an elven ruin. That meant stepping fully onto the stage and formally entering Marquis Wilier’s line of sight.

Given the man’s absolute authority in the Northlands and his vindictive temperament, further harassment, suppression, or even more direct assassination attempts were practically inevitable.

A great tree made for good shade.

But Ryan had no tree at his back.

House Velt was not a tree. It was a sinking wreck.

So he would need to find a tree of his own—or make himself grow into one as quickly as possible.

It was under exactly those circumstances that he had entered into a contractual alliance with Princess Cecilia.

He needed the Royal Princess’s banner to shield him, at least on the surface, from part of the political pressure and open and hidden attacks that would come from Marquis Wilier. At the very least, it would make the other side hesitate before moving against him.

At the same time, the resources, intelligence, and limited protection that Cecilia could provide were of crucial importance to someone who had begun with nothing.

This was a transaction in which both sides took what they needed.

He would offer future value, and the utility of acting as a white glove, becoming the Royal Princess’s banner figure within the academy and among the younger generation. In return, the Royal Princess would provide political protection and early investment.

It was fair.

And fragile.

Both sides understood perfectly well that this alliance was built upon mutual benefit and could shatter the moment those benefits changed.

“I need to recover a certain amount of strength as quickly as possible and regain the ability to act independently and protect myself. I cannot place all my hope on Cecilia alone,” Ryan’s consciousness planned. “Once I return to the Northlands, my first priority is ensuring my own safety and Cosette’s. Then I need to understand the true condition of the family and the movements of Marquis Wilier. At the same time, while digesting the inherited knowledge, I must look for a way to restore my Mana quickly—or perhaps go further. Resources... the Northlands may be barren, but perhaps there are special products there, or perhaps I can get hold of certain things in advance...”

Cosette.

At the thought of the little maid, the absolute rationality within Ryan’s consciousness seemed to ripple with a warmth even he himself might not have noticed.

In this strange world, she was the first thing he had cared about, and for now the only one free of all impurity.

She trusted him. Relied on him. She regarded him as her only master, perhaps even as her entire world.

That pure loyalty and attachment were among the few bright colors within his bleak memories and cold calculations.

And because of that, she had also become his greatest weakness.

Which meant that when he returned to the Northlands, he could not merely think about how he himself would maneuver and survive. He also had to raise a patch of comparatively safe sky over Cosette’s head.

“There is much to do...” Ryan’s consciousness floated quietly in the sea of luminous knowledge, sorting through everything with cold clarity. “Digest the inheritance. Restore my strength. Deal with the family. Maneuver against the Marquis. Make use of the Royal Princess. Protect Cosette. Prepare for the upheaval to come... Every step will be like walking on thin ice.”

But so what?

He was already someone who had died once before. He had struggled his way this far from a game opening that was hellish from the very start.

Danger?

He was already accustomed to it.

Scheming?

He was one of the very best at it.

A dead end?

It was merely another problem waiting to be solved.