How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 58

Tap!

Roll!

I couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh as I kicked a blameless stone.

“Ha, seriously.”

You want me to steal a top-grade artifact from Princess Francia?

“It would be much easier to catch a dragon instead.”

Among all the people currently at the academy, the one I least wanted to encounter was:

‘Princess Francia and Diana Fren.’

Among them, the one who directly and repeatedly got involved with me in the worst ways was Princess Francia.

“Ha, why did I even go through all that hell to get the ‘Orb’?”

Anyway, if things continued like this, I was bound to die.

No, seriously, would Princess Francia, on a whim, hand over that artifact ring to me?

“Then should I steal it? How? Isn’t it bad enough that I already attacked her, now I’m supposed to steal her treasure too?”

I was in a situation where I no longer had any background or family to protect me.

What if I got caught doing that?

‘I could really be executed.’

“Whew, I’m going to lose my mind.”

Just as I muttered that and let out another deep sigh,

Rustle!

“Huh?”

I felt something moving behind me.

What is it, is someone there?

I turned my head casually to look, and there they were…

‘Why are those bastards here?’

The monster trio who had been beaten badly by me before were awkwardly hiding behind a tree.

‘Do they think they’re hidden? I can see them so clearly.’

These guys, who couldn’t do anything right, seemed to be tracking and monitoring me.

‘Why? For what reason?’

Are they trying to find my weakness or plan some kind of counterattack?

Considering my past interactions with them, it wasn’t strange for them to devise such plans.

However…

‘Come to think of it, didn’t Bren say those guys were persistently asking him questions?’

During the conversation with Bren after clearing up our misunderstanding, their names came up.

– The ones who were asking me questions, that’s Sol. Remember, from the library back then…

Recalling a piece of memory deeply embedded in my mind, I glanced at them with darkened eyes.

They seemed unaware that I had noticed them and kept cautiously following me, looking around.

“Ha, great. This works out well.”

I was already feeling down and depressed…

Some convenient punching bags had shown up to help me relieve stress.

‘Thank you very much.’

Having organized my thoughts, I turned around and shouted with a big smile.

“Hey, Monster Trio. I can see you all hiding there, so come out while I’m still being nice, okay?”

* * *

“Why are they doing that?”

“Who knows? Maybe they ate something bad?”

“Well, seeing them like that does make them look pitiful.”

“Pitiful my ass. Those guys always bully kids from commoner backgrounds and deliberately cause trouble. What’s so pitiful about them?”

Students passing through the academy hallways reacted in various ways.

What they saw was the Monster Trio.

The three of them were standing in the academy hallway holding large placards.

[We apologize. We will never spread false rumors again.]

[We will never do bad things again.]

“……”

Seeing the three silently holding their placards, some passing students giggled, while others pretended not to notice and walked by.

A few watched curiously, like they were observing amusing monkeys at the zoo.

Eventually, unable to contain his emotions, Mork shouted at them.

“Fuck, what are you looking at? Get lost!”

“Hey, Mork! Stop it!”

Sol’s immediate reprimand made Mork mutter resentfully.

“What the hell, Sol. This is so humiliating. Honestly, I shouldn’t even have to do this.”

“Mork, are you really going to talk like that without any loyalty? What if the situation were reversed?”

Mork let out a deep sigh at Crollin’s reproach.

“Ha, yeah. I’m sorry about that. But why is the princess doing nothing? Isn’t she supposed to protect us in times like these?”

“Shh, keep your mouth shut, Mork.”

“Damn it!”

Sol Crensh, who had forcefully silenced Mork, frowned and fell into thought.

Last night, when they were caught tailing Kamon…

“Were you the ones spreading the rumor that I can’t use magic?”

Kamon had abruptly confronted them with that question.

Sol Crensh quickly shook his head.

“No, no, we didn’t.”

“Then what’s this I’ve heard?”

“I don’t know who told you that, but we definitely didn’t spread any rumors.”

“Really?”

With a look that said “keep talking,” Kamon stared at him. Sol continued speaking.

“We were just…”

“Just?”

“Following the princess’s orders.”

“What? The princess?”

Sol, quick-witted and adept at thinking on his feet, had already devised a plan for handling this situation from the moment Princess Francia tasked them with investigating Kamon.

‘The fact that she’s using us without abandoning us means she’ll cover for us to some extent.’

“Yes, that’s correct. The princess instructed us to find out the truth about the rumor, so we investigated. But we didn’t spread the rumor ourselves.”

Kamon’s expression subtly shifted in response to Sol’s somewhat logical explanation of their actions.

“Princess Francia ordered you?”

“Yes.”

“But because you kept asking people about it, the strange rumor spread even more. Even if you weren’t the source, you acted as amplifiers, didn’t you?”

“No, that’s…”

“What, are you going to deny that too?”

“……”

Sol expected there to be no way out once Kamon started nitpicking, so he answered with silence.

At that moment,

“What, do you have any proof?”

“Hey, Mork!”

Mork’s sudden outburst continued.

“Seriously, we don’t have to stand here and be interrogated. You’re not a guard, so why are you grilling us without any evidence?”

“Right, if you’re so wronged, go find the real culprit or talk to the princess. Why are you harassing us?”

Crollin, also harboring resentment towards Kamon, joined in.

‘These idiots…!’

Sol’s anger surged, but he quickly began trying to control the situation.

“Look, what they’re trying to say is…”

“That was a good point. Right, I’m not a guard, and I have no proof.”

“K-Kamon?”

Kamon answered with a slight smile, then nodded and asked again.

“But you guys are taking the Intermediate Magic class, right?”

“Huh?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Well, I am.”

Among the Monster Trio, Sol and Crollin were the ones taking the Intermediate Magic class.

“Two of you are taking it, and one isn’t?”

“……?”

Kamon’s smile grew even wider.

“Well, I’ve been assigned as an assistant by Professor Beroen this time. One of the assistant’s privileges is to give or take away points from students in the class.”

Sol and Crollin felt a strong sense of threat from Kamon’s low tone.

“K-Kamon!”

“What, are you threatening us with grades?!”

At Crollin’s strong rebuke,

“Yes, it’s a threat. Why, can’t I do that?”

With Kamon Vade’s smile widening, the Monster Trio couldn’t utter another word.

And now,

“Damn, how long do we have to do this?”

“Wait. The situation will change soon.”

“What?”

Sol had already simulated and anticipated such situations from the moment Princess Francia forcefully involved them.

‘The opportunity for a counterattack will come eventually.’

Thinking this, Sol lifted the placard in his hand more firmly and muttered,

“Hold on, a man’s revenge is never too late.”

* * *

“Alright, let’s end today’s class here.”

As the elderly professor announced the end of the class, the students hurried to pack up and leave.

Among them, there was a particularly striking beautiful girl with platinum blonde hair.

“What are you doing after class, Princess?”

“When’s the next, or tomorrow’s, class?”

Surrounded by people and smiling as she left the classroom, I frowned.

‘That crazy bitch has been up to something again, hasn’t she?’

Last night, I heard from the Monster Trio that Princess Francia was plotting against me.

I didn’t entirely believe their words, but…

‘It’s entirely plausible. She’s definitely capable of that.’

Given Princess Francia’s past actions and behaviors towards me, it wasn’t strange at all.

The problem was,

‘I need to get that top-grade artifact from her right now…’

Whether by stealing, taking, or receiving it.

“Whew.”

This is really not easy.

Princess Francia, always in the spotlight and drawing attention wherever she went, made my head throb.

‘Still, I have to confront her.’

Yes. To survive, one must be able to love even their enemy.

Step by step.

I approached her, buried in the crowd, and spoke without hesitation.

“Princess Francia.”

At my call, a lot of attention turned towards me.

“K-Kamon Vade?”

“What’s he doing all of a sudden?”

While everyone looked at me with shocked expressions and whispered among themselves,

“Kamon? What’s going on all of a sudden?”

Princess Francia, the one I called, asked back without any sign of agitation.

“Could I talk to you for a moment?”

“Talk? With me?”

“Yes. There’s something I need to discuss.”

Her eyes widened as she looked at me, then she nodded with a light smile.

“Sure. What’s the matter, Kamon?”

“It’s not something to discuss publicly, so I’d like to request a private audience.”

As I looked around at the students, Princess Francia’s expression subtly changed.

Her smile deepened as she whispered a single word.

“Private?”

Amid the murmurs of the students,

“What’s this, suddenly asking for a private audience?”

“Shouldn’t we stop this?”

“But it’s Kamon Vade…”

I noticed Princess Francia’s eyes twitch slightly as she maintained her deep smile.

Then she spoke.

“Sorry, Kamon. A private audience might be difficult. I already have a prior engagement. If you wish to speak with me, you’ll need to formally invite…”

Before she could refuse, I quickly interrupted.

“It’s about the student council election, Princess.”

“What? The election?”

“Yes, it’s related to the election. You might regret not hearing this now. Are you sure you’re okay with that?”

Although I never wanted to get involved in the academy’s student council election, I had no other choice.

‘There’s no other way to approach her properly.’

“……”

Princess Francia, who was silently watching me, twitched her temple again.

“Ha, seriously. Kamon, you really are… Fine. Let’s talk briefly then.”

“Your Highness!”

“No, you can’t. We need to call someone right now…”

Despite those around her trying to dissuade her, she shook her head with a smile.

“It’s fine. At least for now, it’s safe. Besides, this person…”

She trailed off, glancing at me with a slight smile.

Then,

“Lead the way, Kamon.”

I immediately led her to a quiet place where we could talk without being overheard.

Step by step.

Click clack.

“This place should be quiet enough.”

Her cold and icy voice came from behind me.

Turning around, I faced Princess Francia.

“So, what is this about the student council election?”

With her straightforward question, I brought up the prepared topic.

“I heard you plan to run for student council president.”

“Hm, so?”

“I want to support you in this election.”