How to Survive as a Villain in a Novel

19 – The Real Saint

“This batch size is no joke.”

In one corner of Orbis headquarters.

This place, with a giant screen installed by merging two floors, was packed with professors and scouters dispatched from guilds to judge the level of the new students.

In particular, the over ten scouters dispatched from not only the top guilds in the country, but also from prestigious guilds all over the world, were even more impressive.

Just a few minutes after the announcement that Orbis will be conducting an emergency test for new students, this was the count of people swarming in.

One scouter, a somewhat husky man, grumbled under his breath.

“They must be getting support from Orbis. They should pull this much talent.”

A few professors who heard him scowl, but they soon closed their mouths as they recognized the man’s face. He was a scouter sent from Sunyang Group, which contributed over two-thirds of the annual operating costs of Orbis.

“Please refrain from discourteous remarks towards our professors.”

The woman in the business suit restrained him.

At her words, Seon Yang’s scout scoffed but held his tongue. Being a scout of the top home-grown guild, ‘Twilight,’ had its drawbacks.

Putting minor disturbances aside, the venue soon became noisy.

“The most promising one in this batch is surely Ryu Seo-ah, right?”

“We’re taking her to our guild. Take your eyes off.”

“You guys don’t have any money in your Korean guild. Ours, CRPG…”

“Who says we’re going to a radiation-contaminated China?”

“Are you picking a fight?”

While everyone was squabbling, things like this were routine whenever scouts gathered.

A few frowned, and others focused on the screen with a bemused smile.

“Hasn’t the student dispatched by the Church arrived yet?”

“He’s undergoing an emergency admission process.”

“It’s a pity. I wanted to see her.”

During this chatter, the ‘Entrance Exam Pop Quiz’ started.

The one who first responded to a suddenly appearing golem was Ryu Seo-ah.

“Ryu Seo-ah is indeed overwhelming.”

“She noticed so quickly that the golem’s nucleus does not have mana.”

“Her situational judgment is at a veteran level.”

“That far-reaching horizon that stretches out like that, I’ve never seen before. Her magic control is also beyond ordinary.”

As it was, the golem was hollow. It was just big and strong.

A test to assess students’ crisis management ability, situational judgment, and the destructive power of their abilities.

Following Ryu Seo-ah, a few other students started pouring their power into the golem.

The eyes of the scouts and professors flickered quickly across the screen.

Then, at some point…

“Uh…what?”

“That golem looks strange?”

Suddenly, the power level of the golem being monitored started to skyrocket.

That golem should have been fully controlled.

It was an accident waiting to happen.

Several professors rushed out hastily.

The scouts stayed seated.

Protecting the students was not their job.

The power level displayed on the screen of the golem was severe. The power that could blow up a small building without a trace.

“… Some are going to die?”

People frowned at the words of Seon Yang Group’s scout.

But he was right.

The distance from the main building to the event venue was quite far. It was a distance too late for professors to arrive.

Even if it was prestigious Orbis, there would be no one among the freshmen who could detect nuclear-like levels of magic. They also weren’t sure.

However.

“To find such a person among the students… it seems there is?”

– Kwaaang!

The enormous amount of magic power caused by Ryuseo-a instantly covered the surface of the Golem, causing an explosion.

Silence fell in the monitoring room.

Someone opened their mouth with difficulty.

“…Is she a student?”

An exclamation soon followed.

“It’s no joke. To have such destructive power at that age.”

“She could even play an active part on the front line right now.”

“She could go straight into combat and would rank at least B level!”

Everyone wanted to examine the screen in detail,

but the screen was obscured by the dust raised in the explosion.

One of them mumbled.

“It seems like the Golem’s core is still alive.”

Once again, the increasing power level of the Golem.

“…Hasn’t Ryuseo-a student exhausted yet?”

In an instant, tension filled the room.

Some of the scouts quickly leapt out of their seats.

The death of a regular student is not their concern.

But a potential candidate who could become a core player in the guild is different.

The moment sweat began to bead up on the brows of those remaining in the room.

– Snap

A spine-chilling sound as if something was cut off.

“The Golem’s magic power level is decreasing!”

What it means is simple.

Someone completely removed the Golem’s core.

Everyone’s most promising candidate, Ryuseo-a also failed to remove.

In other words, there is someone superior to Ryuseo-a in that place.

Everyone quickly scanned the blurry screen.

They can’t see because of the dust.

“Who the hell—“

“Bloody hell–“

Unlike them, who were anxiously watching the dust-filled screen.

There were a few people who were watching a small monitor in the corner.

A woman dressed in a suit was one of them.

The scout from the first-ranked guild, the ‘Twilight’.

She opened her notebook again.

She noticed.

Right before the Golem collapsed.

The student who suddenly disappeared from the screen.

Square by square.

A new name was added above Ryuseo-a, which was at the top of her note.

– At number 0: Lee Han

* * *

– An unfortunate accident occurred during the entrance ceremony…

– The cause of the accident will be investigated by a committee…

– We will inform you of the class assignments as soon as they are finalized.

The professors, who appeared belatedly, sorted out the situation, and the entrance ceremony, which could have been greatly troubled, ended without further ado.

As for me, well.

I’ve cleared the Scenario Quest, avoided penalties due to the dignity of a villain, and even earned shop currency. All in all, a winning situation from any perspective.

This is what a first-class villain looks like.

“The problem is…”

「Scenario Quest: Freshman Welcome Party」

A quest given as if it was waiting for me.

Freshman welcome party.

This so-called freshman welcome party is no different from a ‘social gathering’ considering the caliber of Orbis Academy’s new students.

These are the heirs of the upper class, the talented assured of a bright future.

Given that this event is designed for these individuals to mingle, Orbis goes to considerable lengths to prepare it luxuriously.

And, of course, the centerpiece of this Freshman Welcome Party is a masquerade ball.

Already thinking about the ball, I let out a small sigh.

“I need to find a partner…”

A defining characteristic of a first-class villain: Loneliness.

After quickly running simulations of the women I know in my head, I come to one conclusion.

“I’ll need to hire a party partner.”

There’s no one normal enough to use.

My reputation at school is already at rock-bottom.

If I post something like ‘Looking for party partner agent’ on the school’s anytime community board, I should find someone. It’s embarrassing, but it’s not a crime, is it?

“… Feeling disillusioned.”

What can I do?

This is also the fate of a first-class villain.

If I were to reincarnate again, I’d like to be…

“What a ridiculous thought.”

I’ve had enough of reincarnation.

Suppressing my absurd utterance, I continued to wander.

“I want to build up my evilness.”

In the end, the core of my development is gathering ‘evilness’.

The evil that I’ve used since my destiny changed from a villain to a gentleman does recover, but I’ve exhausted too much evilness killing the golem.

[Current remaining ‘evilness’: 2.23 / 12.43]

At this rate, it will take at least 3 days for everything to recover.

‘Anyway, everyone’s attention should be focused on the golem incident.’

In essence, people are likely to be more interested in other exciting content, pushing any gossip about me to the backburner.

To a first-class villain, indifference hurts more than insults.

“If only I had a proper ‘evil’ vending machine, this dilemma could be solved.

Something harmless yet detests me.

There’s nothing like that…

– Thud!

It happened when I bumped into the ‘real’ holy maiden as I was having such thoughts.

* * *

“I… I’m sorry!”

Confused, I feel the energy of the holy maiden, who is dripping with sweat and infusing my arm with divine power.

Sun Ah-Yeon.

Known to the fans of the original work as the spiritual assistant battery, spiritual wireless charger, or genuine holy maiden, but not a social outcast maiden, I mean a real holy maiden.

‘It’s complicated.’

According to my calculations, why is this character who should still be locked in the corner of the podium even after becoming an adult, paying a loan to scam maiden Anna Kirina by taking spiritual power instead?

‘Moreover…’

I must never be recognized as a good person by this woman.

With this thought in mind, I roughly shrugged off her hand.

“Let go.”

“Kyaa… I’m sorry.”

She apologizes while slapping her hips.

This is driving me crazy.

It’s as if I’m the bad guy when she’s acting so kind.

Yeah, I’m a bad person. She’s truly a good one.

Damn.

As I’ve already become a bad person, why not gather some information.

[ 0.5 currency spent to purchase the Potion of Truth (Minor). ]

“You. Why are you here?”

This girl, because of fake maiden Anna Kirina’s gaslighting, her mind is pure white without any barricades. But the ‘Potion of Truth,’ which can be bought at the ‘store’ but is seldom used, can be used.

“Actually, I was at the monastery. Merciful Anna Kirina…”

Smoothly does Sun Ah-Yeon unfold her narrative.

In other words, for some reason unbeknownst to me the fake holy maiden has been quite anxious lately, and just as Sun A-Yeon who has come of age fulfilled the academy admission requirements, she was commanded to enroll as a first-year and handle someone by hook or by crook.

“Who was it you were supposed to handle?”

“It was a very bad person named Yi-Han.”

“So, you came to the academy to kill this Yi-Han?”

“Yes!”

“That’s not a great motive. Don’t say it out loud, keep it to yourself.”

Then it seemed like I heard a surprised cry from Sun Ah-Yeon.

“…but you asked me.” Then a sound like a sob could be heard.

[ You’ve collected ‘Evil’ ]

Nevertheless, I see.

I had been wondering how I could make this guy hate me.

Looks like the problem’s been simplified.

There’s no need to swear or intimidate him.

I reached out in his direction.

And this guy quickly grabbed my hand, seeming pleased.

“Nice to meet you! I’m Suna Yeon!”

“Pleasant to meet you. I’m Lee Han.”

“Lee… Han?”

[ ‘Malice’ has been collected. ]

Ah, This is it.

The elite villain special.

Just my name is enough to make people tremble in fear.

“Yo. You are that evil person? You didn’t look like that! No, not that. That place over… Lee… Mr. Lee Han?”

“Why.”

“Do… Do you believe in the path? Would you like to go to a nice place with me?”

I don’t know where this nice place is, but it’s certainly not in this world.

I immediately shook my head.

“I don’t believe in the path.”

“Why! The path is a good thing.”

At this point, I’m sure I had quite a dumbfounded look on my face.

“Don’t go around trying to convert people.”

“Well… I’m actually a saint!”

“Yeah, so?”

The flustered girl began to spout nonsense.

“Anna Kirina is a great saint! She’s worthy of being recorded in history!”

“So what.”

“Don’t be like that and…”

All of a sudden, Suna Yeon leaned on my arm.

What kind of evangelism is this crazy sect teaching?

Considering the incredible growth they show, it’s not a normal method. Even pseudo-saint Anna Kirina would lean on you pretending to be something else if she’s in trouble.

Unlike pseudo-saint Anna who was desperate, there was nothing I felt from the real-saint Suna Yeon.

She’s flat.

“I’m not interested in slender types, so leave me alone.”

“Ooooh… but I think I’m popular enough…”

At least she’s a good kid.

“Ugh… Can’t you just die?”

No, cancel.

I tilted my head towards the sky.

I felt like I might cry.

Why aren’t there any normal people around me…?