How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 149

“Wh-what… how do you…?”

The village chief’s stammering response directed everyone’s attention toward me.

Soon enough:

“Kamon, how do you know the chief?”

Princess Francia asked, voicing the question that was on everyone’s mind.

But just then:

“You devil! Are you planning to torment our village again?!”

The chief suddenly erupted, frothing at the mouth as he shouted.

“D-devil?”

“But he’s the one who saved our children…”

“Chief, please calm down.”

The villagers tried to restrain him, visibly shocked by his unexpected outburst.

However, the chief, increasingly frantic, turned to Princess Francia and cried out.

“Your Highness? What are you doing in a place like this? And with this demon?”

“…What?”

Princess Francia, taken aback by his sudden accusation, hesitated for a moment before responding with a polite bow.

“I didn’t expect anyone here to recognize me. I’m here on an Academy mission.”

At her response, the villagers’ murmurings grew louder, filled with surprise.

“What? The princess?”

“Is she really the princess?”

But the chief, undeterred by the growing confusion, pointed a trembling finger at me and continued his tirade.

“But why are you with him? He’s trash, no—a demon!”

“…”

The chief’s finger was now directed at me as he addressed the villagers.

“Have you all forgotten? Every year, this man came to our village, plundering and demanding tributes from us! He’s the only disgrace of the Vade Marquisate, the infamous black sheep of the family.”

“The black sheep of the Vade family?”

“Wait, is he that spoiled prince?”

Recognition flickered in the villagers’ eyes as some nodded, recalling past grievances.

“I remember. He used to come every winter, forcing the chief to hand over our goods.”

“Yes, and he would even kidnap girls over the age of fifteen, claiming they were his.”

“I remember Bator. He’s still limping from the beating he took after accidentally stepping on the young master’s shadow.”

As the testimonies piled up, the expressions of those around me darkened, especially Princess Francia, whose face turned as red as a tomato, clearly humiliated by the accounts she was hearing.

‘Well, what can you do? That’s the price of teaming up with Kamon Vade.’

Though I couldn’t help but feel a bit bitter about it, I understood the reality of the situation.

‘Honestly, even I’d be fooled by this.’

The stories of plundering, kidnapping, and violence—they were exactly the kinds of crimes Kamon Vade had committed at Flance Imperial Academy. Hearing them from the mouths of actual victims only made the accusations seem more legitimate.

But.

‘His acting is impeccable. He’s turned fiction into fact with sheer conviction.’

[Heh, you really are like me, Kamon Vade.]

Airsya’s voice in my head was full of admiration as she praised the chief’s performance.

[You’re more vicious than any of my siblings combined. No wonder you were able to subdue me.]

I rolled my eyes at her, muttering coldly.

‘Just be quiet for now.’

[My dear brother, how about a more refined request?]

I sighed deeply at her overly familiar tone.

‘Please, just shut up.’

At that moment:

“But why bring up the Vade family’s black sheep now?”

“Yeah, it’s like you’re saying he’s one of us…”

“Don’t even mention him! Just thinking about it gives me chills.”

As the villagers’ grumblings about Kamon Vade reached a crescendo, the chief seized the opportunity, pointing directly at me.

“That man is Kamon Vade!”

“What?! Him?”

“That can’t be true. He’s one of the princess’s companions…”

“But he’s the one who saved our Sherry…”

The villagers looked at me in disbelief, and the chief, sensing the tide turning, doubled down.

“It’s true! He must have deceived the princess, manipulating everyone! I remember perfectly well how wicked and cruel this man is. Don’t let him fool you!”

“…”

“The black sheep was indeed cruel.”

“He was nothing but trouble, always taking without giving.”

“I’ve always wanted to teach him a lesson…”

“I heard he was kicked out of his family, but it seems he’s been hiding at the Academy?”

An atmosphere of hostility began to brew among the villagers, especially those who had no direct connection to the children we saved. Their eyes grew cold as they stared me down.

“How dare he show his face here?”

“The nerve of him! He really is the black sheep.”

“A demon, that’s what he is.”

[Hehe, now they’re calling you a demon. What do you think, Kamon? Want to become my brother for real?]

‘Shut up.’

As the villagers’ anger and insults intensified, I found myself lost in thought.

‘I expected something like this.’

I had always known that when I finally confronted the chief, he would have his reasons, his justifications. I hadn’t expected him to try and rally the villagers against me by painting me as the villain, though.

But still—

‘Should I just handle this Kamon Vade style?’

If I were the real Kamon Vade, I might have burned the chief to ashes by now, unable to tolerate such a situation. And honestly, that was exactly what I wanted to do.

‘It’s not a bad option, really.’

But I shook my head.

‘No, there’s no need to escalate things further.’

With Princess Francia, Kyle, and Chelsea present, doing something reckless would be incredibly foolish.

Besides—

‘If I did that, his lies would become the truth.’

Just then:

“That can’t be right! He saved us!”

‘Hmm?’

“Sh-Sherry!”

The young girl who had been staring at me earlier suddenly spoke up, her voice filled with determination.

“Mom, Dad, he saved me. He’s my lifesaver.”

“…”

“Sherry, be quiet! The adults are talking.”

The middle-aged man, likely her father, scolded her sternly, but she continued with tears in her eyes.

“You’re all being so unfair. This isn’t right.”

Her outburst seemed to embolden the other children.

“She’s right. He saved us.”

“Whether he’s the black sheep or not, he’s a hero to us.”

Their voices grew louder, gaining confidence.

“Silence, all of you!”

“Quiet, now!”

The other adults quickly stepped in, scolding the children into silence.

‘Oh? Is this how it’s going to play out?’

The tension only seemed to provoke one person in particular.

“Wait a moment.”

Chelsea, who had been silent until now, finally spoke up and stepped forward. She approached Sherry and knelt down to speak with her.

“Your name is Sherry, right?”

“…Yes.”

“Are you upset because people are treating Kamon unfairly? Even if he was that notorious black sheep?”

“That’s…”

Sherry hesitated, unsure how to answer Chelsea’s sudden question. Her father took a step forward, his face stern.

“Young lady, what are you—”

“Please, quiet down.”

“What?”

“Sherry, let me ask you again. Even if he’s the black sheep, you’re upset because he’s being treated unfairly, right?”

“…Yes.”

Sherry finally nodded, her expression resolute.

“I hate this. Whether he’s the black sheep or not, he’s a hero to me. He shouldn’t be treated like this.”

“I see.”

Chelsea nodded in satisfaction and stood up, turning to Princess Francia.

“Your Highness.”

“Chelsea?”

“I think this chief is deliberately trying to make things difficult for Kamon.”

“What?”

“What are you…”

The chief’s expression twisted in confusion as he sputtered.

“Young lady, are you accusing me of making up lies to attack him? Everyone here knows how wicked and cruel the black sheep was!”

“…”

Chelsea ignored the chief’s protests and turned back to me.

“Kamon.”

“Huh?”

“Is what they’re saying true?”

Her direct question caught me off guard, but I quickly composed myself.

‘If Chelsea’s backing me up, I’m grateful.’

With her taking the lead, I didn’t have to step in myself. If she hadn’t, I would have had to confront the chief directly.

Because—

“Kamon?”

“No, it’s mostly lies.”

I answered firmly. The truth was, the chief’s accusations were mostly fabricated.

I wasn’t foolish enough to confront the chief without doing some research. After deciding to settle my grudge with him, I had investigated and verified several things.

‘It’s possible he might have harbored some grudge against me or sought revenge.’

But the reality was different.

Sure, there was a kernel of truth in his claims.

‘Kamon Vade did visit this village once.’

He had acted like a spoiled brat, just as the villagers described, even breaking the leg of a young man named Bator.

But that was all.

After that, Kamon Vade hadn’t bothered with this small village, never visiting again—at least not until I arrived.

So the accusations of plundering and kidnapping were all lies created by the chief.

“Are you sure?”

Chelsea asked again, and I shrugged.

“Why would I lie?”

“Good enough for me.”

Chelsea nodded as if she had expected that answer.

“What are you doing?! Do you expect the guilty to confess their crimes? What nonsense is this?”

“My name is Chelsea. And I have questions for you, Chief, so I’ll ask them later.”

“What?”

Chelsea turned away from the flustered chief and addressed the villagers.

“Has anyone here actually met Kamon in person before today

?”

The villagers fell silent, glancing at one another.

“…”

As time passed and no one spoke up, Chelsea changed her question.

“Has anyone here witnessed Kamon directly during the times you claim you were plundered, or when the girls were supposedly kidnapped?”

Rate us on Novel Updates