How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 76

“Come on, who would believe this? Even for a rumor, it needs to have some context!”

“They believe it?”

“Yeah, quite a few do.”

I responded harshly to Bren’s short reply and Lois’s agreeing nod.

“What? Who? Where? Why?”

“Well, I overheard some kids talking about it earlier.”

“Yeah, I heard it too. They were saying it finally made sense why Lady Cecilia accepted Kamon into her campaign.”

Elliot nodded in agreement as he added.

“Are you serious? There are idiots who believe such bullshit?”

“Shouldn’t we be the last ones to talk, considering we’re the ones who put up the posters?”

Crack!

Lois, standing next to me, clenched his fist and muttered to himself, his eyes slightly wild.

“Kamon. Even if you’re Kamon Vade, if you mess with my sister Cecil…”

“So, Lois, what’s your relationship with Rosen Ravenia?”

I retorted lightly to Lois, who was burning with determination, causing his expression to crumble.

“Huh? Oh, well, that’s…”

“Yeah, you kept your mouth shut back then, didn’t you, Lois?”

Elliot chimed in, making Lois shout in frustration.

“No, that’s not the point right now!”

“Oh, right. This is probably Princess Francia’s doing, isn’t it?”

Elliot’s cautious voice made Bren nod in agreement.

“Probably. There’s no one else who would do this.”

Hiss.

Honestly, receiving the same method I used wasn’t bad. It was quite surprising, though.

‘I didn’t expect a counterattack like this, but it’s quite refreshing.’

Whether by chance or intention.

‘I didn’t expect them to use a strategy like covering one issue with another, like in modern election campaigns.’

‘This means they’re expecting a proper reaction from our side, right?’

Princess Francia’s image was already significantly damaged due to the continuous attacks with posters and the Pjinyo (anti-Princess Francia) movement.

Since the situation was beyond repair, they were trying to drag us into a mudslinging fight…

‘There’s no need for us to respond in kind.’

A scandal like this wouldn’t have a significant impact on the election itself.

The poster operation I used was more about laying the groundwork for a fabricated voice recording.

… Or so I thought.

“There has been significant damage to our image. We’re being criticized for not distinguishing between public and private matters, and there are a lot of harsh criticisms.”

“What?”

“Our support rate has dropped by more than 6%. It seems this will affect the actual votes.”

As Claire’s cold report continued, my head dropped lower.

What? Our support rate is wobbling because of a simple romance scandal?

No matter how you look at it, does this make sense?

“Discussions about the Princess Francia faction’s hatred for commoners have significantly decreased.”

“The public criticism against the princess has also subsided. Most of the attention has shifted to this scandal instead.”

“The group demanding the truth from Princess Francia has lost momentum. Many students are expressing fatigue over this issue.”

With each successive report, the atmosphere in the meeting room grew heavier.

“Wow, this time we got hit hard, didn’t we?”

Meanwhile, Lady Cecilia looked unaffected, staring at the poster detailing her scandal.

“This issue can be easily resolved with an official rebuttal statement from the campaign team.”

“Last time, the Princess Francia faction also chose to directly address such fake news and saw results. It seems best for us to approach it the same way.”

Despite the suggestions from Claire and Elliot, Lady Cecilia remained unfazed.

“……”

After staying silent for a while, she looked away from the poster and turned towards me.

“Kamon?”

“Yes?”

I, who had my head down, finally looked up at Lady Cecilia’s call.

“Did you call for me?”

“Yes, Kamon.”

With a faint smile, Lady Cecilia continued in a calm voice.

“How do you feel? Being the subject of such rumors? I feel kind of excited and thrilled.”

“……”

Hah, is this really the time to feel thrilled?

Some of us have a headache that feels like it’s going to split open.

“How about you, Kamon? You don’t look very happy. Do you not like the rumors? Or is it because I’m the one involved…?”

“No, it’s not that,” I said, feeling a sudden wave of relief at Lady Cecilia’s words.

“So stop hanging your head like that. It’s not even true, right?”

“Yes, that’s true.”

“Then let me ask you another question. Kamon, how should we respond to this?”

At Lady Cecilia’s question, I slowly turned my head to look at Elliot, Claire, and the others. Then I spoke up.

“Of course, I thought that issuing an official rebuttal statement, as everyone here has suggested, is the proper way to handle this.”

The temporary drop in support due to the fake news would eventually recover over time. Rather than getting swayed by such events, it would be more beneficial to continue focusing on what we need to do.

“However, if we had been moving by the book all this time, it would have been impossible to catch up to Princess Francia, let alone defeat her in this election.”

“So?”

“If the other side is playing dirty, we should respond in our own way.”

“Our own way? What do you mean by that?”

“Well, that is…”

* * *

Thump, thump!

[Hello, I am Claire Jartion, a member of Cecilia Romanoff’s campaign for student council president.]

At the central fountain park of the academy, Lady Cecilia’s camp had started an emergency statement.

[Due to various circumstances, many rumors and stories are circulating. Our campaign intends to set the record straight. Lady Cecilia herself will speak directly about this matter.]

“They must be really desperate.”

“They’re reacting faster than expected.”

Rosen Ravenia’s murmurs were met with a nod from Vice President Obern.

“What do you think the statement will be about?”

“They’ll probably issue an official rebuttal, just like we did.”

“If they do, it’s good for us. We’re ready with the next step.”

“Don’t go too far. Just because the other side crossed the line doesn’t mean we can do the same.”

“What, are you afraid their backers will make a move?”

“It’s not a good look for this to turn into a proxy war between the royal family and noble factions.”

“Well, if you put it that way, I’m also from a noble family.”

“That’s not what I meant!”

Firmly cutting off Rosen’s playful remark, Obern continued.

“Anyway, this incident has significantly diluted the perception of Princess Francia as a commoner-hater. You’ve done well, Rosen.”

“Let’s save the congratulations for after we’ve won.”

Waving her hand dismissively, Rosen Ravenia turned her attention to the podium with a serious expression.

Then, click-clack.

[Hello, fellow students. I am Cecilia Romanoff, running for student council president.]

“It’s really Lady Cecilia.”

“What’s she doing? Is she trying to settle this once and for all?”

“Well, nothing’s more effective than the person themselves denying it.”

[I’m here today to address the recent rumors spreading around the academy.]

Starting her speech calmly, Lady Cecilia began to clearly state her position.

[When young students spend time together, it’s natural for feelings to develop between them.]

“Huh?”

“What does she mean?”

“Is she saying they’re dating?”

The students’ curiosity was piqued by the unexpected preface before getting to the main point.

[But more important than anything is sincerity and true feelings. It can be problematic to criticize such emotions due to external perceptions and institutional procedures. In that sense, I am not someone who judges people by their status.]

Subtly targeting Princess Francia, Lady Cecilia began addressing the audience directly.

[It is natural for young men and women to meet, fall in love, and become lovers. And Kamon Vade is a person who has been talked about a lot in various ways.]

After pausing to take a breath, Lady Cecilia continued with a confident expression and voice.

[Currently, I, Cecilia Romanoff, and Kamon Vade are not in a romantic relationship. However, I will not categorically deny that there could be a possibility in the future.]

“Wow!”

“What? Is she admitting it?”

“Is Lady Cecilia really in a relationship with Kamon?!”

“Quiet, it’s not over yet!”

The sudden buzz and chatter filled the venue, making it noisy.

[I do not believe that someone’s past mistakes or simply being a ‘commoner’ should prevent them from being in a relationship with me.]

“What is she saying?”

“Shh, just listen.”

Rosen Ravenia exclaimed in shock while Obern frowned, focusing on the announcement.

[I, Cecilia Romanoff, will not be swayed by cowardly schemes spreading false rumors and fake news. Whether it’s a relationship or love, if there’s anything true, I will be honest and open about it. And…]

Pausing to draw everyone’s attention, Lady Cecilia smiled slightly and continued.

[Unlike someone who deceives fellow students with a two-faced facade, I plan to be sincere and fair. So, no matter what surprising events occur, I hope you won’t be too shocked. Whether it’s about my love life or my victory.]

With a wink at the end, Lady Cecilia finished her speech.

“What?!”

“We’ve been outplayed.”

Rosen Ravenia and Vice President Obern shouted in disbelief.

“What was that? A confession?”

“So she’s saying she’s dating Kamon?!”

“No, she said they’re not in a relationship yet. It’s more like they’re getting to know each other.”

“Wow, this is huge!”

The students erupted in excitement as if a bomb had gone off.

And then.

“Damn, did she really just turn this around like that? That brainless idiot has truly gone crazy.”

Rosen Ravenia, who knew Lady Cecilia’s true nature better than anyone, could only shake her head in disbelief at how she handled the controversy.

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