How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 112

Whish, thud!

Tonight, the training grounds were lit until late. This was because Kyle continued swinging his sword without stopping.

“Yaaawn.”

Next to him, his friend Fabian yawned widely with a tired expression.

“Kyle, how long are you going to keep this up? Isn’t it time to stop?”

“No, it’s still not enough. If you’re tired, go ahead and rest. I’ll come separately when I’m done.”

“No way. What’s the point of coming separately? Keep going, then. Yaaawn.”

Fabian yawned again as he spoke, causing Kyle to smile faintly before continuing to swing his sword.

Swish, thud! Whoosh, bang!

The scarecrow in front of him was already tattered, but Kyle’s sword didn’t stop.

Ten minutes, thirty minutes, an hour passed with Kyle Ferrion repeating his movements without pause.

“……”

Fabian, who had been silently watching Kyle, opened his mouth with a serious expression.

“Hey, Kyle.”

“Hmm?”

“Are you anxious or something?”

At Fabian’s sudden question, Kyle stopped swinging his sword and looked at him.

“Why do you ask?”

“Well, whenever you’re anxious or worried, you swing your sword like crazy. You said it stops you from thinking about useless stuff.”

“……”

Kyle remained silent at Fabian’s follow-up comment, as if he had hit a sore spot. Fabian tilted his head and asked again.

“Is it because of that honor duel or whatever?”

“Uh, sort of?”

“Geez, it’s either yes or no. What’s ‘sort of’?”

Fabian chuckled, muttering to himself, then looked at Kyle with a puzzled expression.

“But Kyle, what are you worried about?”

“Hmm?”

“You’re up against someone you already beat once, right? Can’t you just overpower him again like last time? It’d be great to use this opportunity to kick that annoying guy out of the academy.”

“Hmmm.”

Kyle made a noncommittal noise and a strange expression at Fabian’s continued words. Then he slightly lowered the sword in his hand and spoke.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

“About what?”

“Just…”

Kyle trailed off as he was about to say something more, then lifted his sword again.

“What the heck, why’d you stop talking?”

Fabian looked at him in disbelief.

“Anyone who loses big in a fight once will lose the next fight the same way. Fear gets imprinted in one’s instincts, you know. So…”

As Fabian enthusiastically expounded his theory, Kyle smiled faintly and swung his sword again.

Thwack! Whoosh, thud!

“Hey, how can you swing your sword while I’m talking?”

“Huh? I’m listening. Keep talking.”

“No, that’s not what I meant!”

Ignoring Fabian’s exasperated shout, Kyle smirked and kept striking the scarecrow. Something unknown swirled intensely in his eyes.

‘Kamon Vade…’

* * *

Time passed, and the day of the duel arrived.

“Is it today?”

“Yeah, we need to get there early to get good seats. Everyone’s going to be flocking to watch.”

“Man, I’m so excited. It’s been ages since I felt this kind of tension.”

Just as the students, brimming with anticipation, said, many people flocked to the location of the duel. The place where Kamon Vade and Kyle Perrion’s honor duel was to be held was a giant dome-shaped gymnasium at the heart of Flance Imperial Academy. At its center was a square duel arena made of white marble.

“Wow, is that it?”

“But it’s so far away. Can we even see their movements properly? It might look like just a dot moving around.”

“Haven’t you been to one of these before? They broadcast everything. Look over there.”

“Huh?”

Where the finger pointed, a gigantic hologram was displayed. Similar projections could be seen all around.

“What’s that?”

“Live broadcast. It zooms in and shows different angles. Just watch comfortably.”

On the hologram screen, the image of the square duel arena began to appear.

“Amazing. You can see it so clearly.”

“Right? Now we just sit back and watch. Anyone want to go get something to drink?”

Amid the noisy chatter of the students, there were also people with somewhat tense expressions.

“There are so many people.”

“Yeah, I wonder what’s so interesting that they all came here…”

At Bren and Elliot’s murmurs, Lois responded briefly from the side.

“There’s a rumor it’s a battle to determine the strongest freshman. Between Kyle and Kamon, who’s stronger.”

“Strongest freshman?”

“Yeah, and it’s also a revenge match, a rematch, so everyone’s interested.”

With a small sigh, Lois explained, making Bren and Elliot’s expressions turn even more sour. Just then, a voice interrupted them.

“Ah, here you are. Lois?”

Recognizing the familiar voice calling him, Lois turned his head and shouted in slight surprise.

“Mellin? Elaine?”

“Ah, hi! Lois!”

Elaine waved cheerfully, while Mellin, unlike her, glanced at Lois, Bren, and Elliot with a peculiar look.

“You were with your friends?”

“Uh, yeah… That’s right.”

Lois responded in a slightly flustered tone, prompting Elliot to mumble briefly beside him.

“Ah, Lois. These are the friends you mentioned before, right?”

“Ah, yes. Senior.”

Lois quickly nodded and answered, causing Elliot to smile and extend his hand.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Elliot, a third-year. I didn’t get to properly introduce myself last time…”

But before Elliot could finish his greeting, Mellin turned her head and spoke.

“Elaine, let’s go somewhere else.”

“Huh? Me-Mellin?”

Thump, thump!

Everyone was taken aback by her sudden action, but Mellin had already started walking away.

“Come on, let’s go, Mellin! Lois, see you next time. Friends, see you too.”

Elaine, left alone, bowed her head quickly and hurried after Mellin.

“……”

Those left behind stood in a daze, with even Elliot letting out a small laugh without realizing it.

“Ha, Lois. Your friend is quite rude.”

“……I’m sorry, senior.”

“No need for you to apologize. It’s her fault, not yours.”

Despite the obvious anger boiling inside, Elliot maintained his composure and sat down.

“Enough. Let’s sit down and see how well Kamon fights. Let’s cheer him on.”

Lois and Bren exchanged uneasy looks but soon sat next to Elliot, knowing there was no other choice.

At that moment.

“Isn’t that the student council president?”

“Huh? It really is!”

“What’s going on? Is the president watching with us?”

The crowd suddenly grew louder, and there was a buzz of excitement.

“Everyone’s gathered here?”

A lively voice reached Elliot, Bren, and Lois’ ears.

“Huh?”

“P-President?”

“Cecilia? What are you doing here?”

The three of them looked at Lady Cecilia in shock.

“What, are we not supposed to be here?”

Another voice answered in a cold tone from beside Lady Cecilia.

“Rosen Ravenia?”

“E-Even the vice president is here.”

Elliot and Bren mumbled in surprise at the unexpected arrivals.

But the most surprised person was someone else.

“Uh, Rosen… Hi?”

Lois, blushing without realizing it, stammered as he struggled to make eye contact. Rosen Ravenia laughed softly and answered.

“Yes, hello, my fiancé?”

At her bright smile and words, everyone around them froze.

“What?!”

“Did she say fiancé?”

Naturally, Bren and Elliot shouted in disbelief.

“Hmm? You guys didn’t know?”

Rosen Ravenia shrugged and nonchalantly replied before speaking to Lady Cecilia.

“Cecilia, let’s sit over there. It looks good to watch with them.”

“……I was going to do that anyway.”

Lady Cecilia replied with feigned indifference, and Rosen smiled and nodded.

“Alright, let’s sit here.”

Tap, tap!

Following her suggestion, Lady Cecilia sat next to her.

Eventually, the main members of the student council were all sitting with Bren, Elliot, and Lois.

And then.

“Hey, Lois. What’s going on? Why didn’t you tell us about this?”

“Yeah, Lois, are you really engaged to Rosen?”

“…Sorry. I didn’t mean to hide it. Sigh.”

Lois sighed deeply, as if there was something he couldn’t talk about, causing the two friends’ eyes to sparkle with curiosity.

“Lois, tell us everything. No more secrets!”

“Right. We need to know everything. What’s going on between you and Rosen…”

Just as their questioning intensified.

“It’s starting!”

“Look, they’re out!”

Their voices were drowned out by the surrounding cheers and shouts.

And soon, the hologram screen displayed the image of Kyle Perrion, walking out with the legendary sword “Python,” now his, strapped to his waist.

“Wow!”

“It’s Kyle.”

“The princess’s knight, the strongest freshman!”

“Kyle! Kyle! Kyle!”

Most of the cheers came from students in the swordsmanship and martial arts departments.

“He’s really something.”

“Of course. The swordsmanship and martial arts students are all cheering for Kyle.”

Lois and Bren’s conversation made Elliot shake his head slightly.

“No, they’re not the only ones.”

Just as he said, those cheering for Kyle weren’t limited to that group.

The gymnasium’s seating was divided sharply between commoners and nobles.

The best seats were mostly occupied by noble students, while the obstructed or distant seats were filled with commoners.

Surprisingly, many of the nobles were also cheering for Kyle.

“…?”

“That’s odd. Isn’t Kyle a commoner? Shouldn’t the commoners be cheering louder?”

At that moment.

“Here comes Kamon Vade!”

With someone’s shout, another figure appeared on the hologram screen.

“There’s our main character.”

“He looks a bit tense.”

“Just don’t lose, Kamon!”

With the reactions of the three, cheers erupted from the students in the magic department.

“Wow!”

“The greatest talent in the magic department! The prodigy!”

“Kamon! Kamon! Kamon!”

Though fewer in number, the variety of places calling Kamon’s name was evident.

Some nobles were shouting, and even some commoners joined in.

However.

“Does it make sense for Kamon to be our representative?”

“No matter how skilled he is, personality matters too.”

“Yeah, this doesn’t feel right.”

Most students voiced negative opinions about Kamon Vade, failing to adapt to the cheering atmosphere.

Click!

As the two approached the front of the arena.

“Now, we will begin the ‘Honor Duel’ between Kamon Vade and Kyle Ferrion.”

At the announcement, the crowd roared in unison.

“Wooow!”