How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 159

The secret passage within the Vade family’s domain was vast and sprawling, practically a labyrinth in its own right. It was designed not just as a covert route but also as a temporary shelter in times of crisis, complete with rooms for planning and issuing commands.

“What’s the current status?” Rowan Vade asked, his voice carrying a quiet authority.

A knight from the Griffin Knights quickly responded, “We’ve identified a total of five individuals so far, including Kamon.”

“And?”

“…As you predicted, the first gate on the northeastern outskirts has been opened. They should be nearing this area by now.”

The knight pointed to a map as he reported, and Rowan Vade let out a short breath, almost a whisper.

“Hm, a fork in the road.”

On the map, two diverging paths were marked with different symbols. The knight placed a flag on one of the paths and continued.

“Whichever path they choose, they’ll eventually converge at the central passage. However, this path has more traps and mechanisms, so it’s likely to delay them.”

“What about the deployment of our forces?”

“They are stationed at the central passage and key points along the routes. Where would you like to go, Commander?”

“This path seems to be calling to me.”

“…Understood, sir.”

With that, Rowan Vade and his attending knight left the command room, heading out to intercept the intruders. The flag on the map was placed on the left path of the fork.

***

“This can’t be happening!” Fabian exclaimed, his voice tinged with frustration.

After a fair drawing of lots, the two teams had been divided, and to his dismay, Fabian found himself on a team with me and Chelsea.

“Let’s do our best, Kamon,” Chelsea said with a nod.

“Likewise,” I responded.

Yes, Fabian was stuck on the same team as me and Chelsea.

“Alright, everyone. Be careful, and we’ll meet up later,” Princess Francia said, taking the lead with Kyle as they headed down the right path.

“See you later, Fabian,” Kyle called out with a wave.

“Yeah, sure,” Fabian replied, his lips pouting in resignation. I gave him a light pat on the shoulder.

“Why the long face? It’s not like we’re heading to our doom,” I said.

“…”

Fabian stayed silent, clearly not thrilled about the situation.

‘He really hates this, huh?’

[Who would be happy about having to obey you from now on?] Airsya quipped.

‘Maybe, but it’s not like I’m going to make him do anything unreasonable.’

As I mulled over the situation, Chelsea turned to me and asked, “Kamon, we’re taking the left path, right?”

“Yeah, left it is.”

With that, I turned to Fabian. “You should take the lead.”

“Why should I…!”

Fabian was about to argue but then sighed deeply and nodded in defeat. “Fine, whatever.”

“Thanks, Fabian,” Chelsea added, and we started moving forward with Fabian in front.

Not long after, a barrage of arrows suddenly shot out from hidden mechanisms in the walls.

“Watch out, traps—!”

Slash!

But before I could finish my warning, Fabian swiftly swung his spear, cutting down every arrow with precision.

“Is everyone okay back there?” he asked, barely fazed.

“Yeah, we’re safe, thanks to you,” I replied.

“Thanks, Fabian,” Chelsea echoed, her gratitude evident in her tone. Fabian shrugged off the praise, resting his spear on his shoulder.

“It’s nothing.”

‘He’s more useful than I expected.’

I hadn’t intended for it, but putting Fabian in the front had turned out to be a smart choice. As we continued, we encountered more traps—arrows, rolling boulders, fireballs, and even poisonous darts. Fabian dealt with each threat without hesitation.

Slash, thud. Boom!

‘Is this for real?’

If Kyle had been handling this, I might have shrugged it off as just another overpowered protagonist moment. But this was Fabian, a supporting character who still had a long way to go before reaching his full potential.

‘He’s pushing himself too hard.’

Chelsea seemed to share my concerns, asking Fabian, “Aren’t you overexerting yourself?”

“No, I’m fine,” Fabian replied, biting his lower lip.

“If you’re tired, I can take over for a bit…”

“No, I’ll stay in front,” Fabian insisted, stubbornly refusing any help.

[He’s letting his pride get the better of him,] Airsya observed.

‘Yeah, I thought so too.’

While I appreciated Fabian’s efforts, I couldn’t ignore the fact that he was pushing himself too far.

‘I understand why he’s doing this…’

It was likely due to the condition I had set—that he must obey me. He was probably determined to prove his worth and avoid being ordered around.

But…

‘No matter how much pride he has, he’s going to wear himself out.’

“Fabian, switch places with Chelsea.”

“I said I’m fine!”

“That’s an order.”

“…!”

My firm tone left no room for argument. Fabian clenched his fists, trembling with frustration before finally relenting. He stepped back to let Chelsea take the lead.

“Alright, Chelsea. You take the front,” he muttered.

“Okay,” Chelsea agreed.

With Fabian now behind us, we continued our exploration of the secret passage.

Sigh.

Fabian took deep, ragged breaths as he tried to regain his composure. It was clear he had been pushing himself far beyond his limits.

‘Stubborn to a fault…’ I thought to myself, shaking my head subtly.

[That’s because of you, isn’t it? Your very presence is provoking him,] Airsya chimed in.

‘Alright, that’s the second time,’ I reminded her.

[What? What did I do now?]

‘You just blamed me for everything.’

[But I wasn’t wrong! It’s all because of how he feels about you, isn’t it?]

‘True, but…’

[Then why—?!]

‘Because it’s a truth that hurts,’ I replied, smugly.

[Kraaaaah!]

I couldn’t help but smirk as I managed to get under Airsya’s skin. Then I turned my attention back to Fabian, who seemed lost in his thoughts.

‘He’s really getting under my skin.’

Until now, I hadn’t paid much attention to Fabian, just another supporting character in the original story. But now that I was involved, I found myself worrying about him more than I expected.

“Don’t push yourself too hard, Fabian,” I said, breaking the silence.

“What?”

“If something’s bothering you, save it for when it really matters. There’s no need to go all out right now.”

“…”

Fabian didn’t respond verbally, but I noticed his breathing gradually steadying. It seemed like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, if only slightly.

We continued through the secret passage until Chelsea, who was leading the way, noticed something.

“Hey, the path is getting wider…”

Just as she spoke, the sound of clapping echoed from up ahead.

“…?”

“What’s that sound?” I asked, instantly on guard as we all assumed defensive stances.

In the distance, shrouded in shadow, a voice called out.

“You’ve arrived faster than I expected.”

A figure stepped out of the darkness, clad in armor with a massive griffin emblem emblazoned on his chest. It was Rowan Vade.

“Long time no see, my dear nephew, Kamon.”

***

Slash!

“Kyle, are you alright?” Princess Francia asked, her voice filled with concern as Kyle effortlessly sliced a massive boulder in half.

“I’m fine, Your Highness. Are you?” Kyle responded with a smile, turning to her.

“Yes, I’m okay,” she nodded, returning his smile.

Kyle was indeed a formidable force, a true “monster” with unparalleled strength. Even at such a young age, he could easily cut down anything in his path with his overwhelming power. Watching him, it was hard not to be impressed.

But at the same time…

‘What is Kamon, then? He’s able to stand toe-to-toe with someone like Kyle…’

And now, Kamon was even using spirit power, something Francia had thought was her unique ability. The thought of Kamon, someone who had always been an enigma, weighed heavily on her mind.

“The path is getting wider, so we should be close to….”

Kyle’s words were cut off as a sharp, familiar sound filled the air, followed by the appearance of an orange haze.

“…!”

Princess Francia immediately recognized the signal—one of their team members was in serious danger. She looked at Kyle, who, despite the situation, maintained a calm demeanor.

“Looks like the others are in trouble,” Kyle said.

“What should we do, Kyle? Should we turn back?” Princess Francia asked, worry evident in her voice.

“No, it’s too far. It would take too long,” Kyle replied, his tone firm as he watched the orange haze trail away from them.

“Then what now?”

“I’ll break through as fast as I can. Stay close, Your Highness.”

With those words, Kyle raised his sword and charged ahead without hesitation.

***

Thud, thud!

The moment we encountered the Griffin Knights and Rowan Vade, I didn’t hesitate to shout.

“Run!”

No matter how talented Chelsea and Fabian were, facing the elite knights of the Vade family was a suicidal mission. Especially with Rowan Vade leading them…

Thud, thud!

Thankfully, both Chelsea and Fabian immediately heeded my warning, turning and running as fast as they could.

Seeing us retreat, Rowan Vade smirked.

“Running, are we? That’s one strategy, but you’ve chosen the wrong opponent, nephew!”

Boom!

With a powerful stomp, Rowan Vade closed the distance between us in an instant.

‘Damn it. I knew this would happen.’

Rowan Vade—commander of the Griffin Knights and the younger brother of Marquis Baran Vade—was a terrifying figure. In the original story, he had shown incredible prowess against Kyle.

He was a true powerhouse, using his bare fists enhanced with magical power. A madman who had earned the title “Rowan Vade, the Crimson Fist,” after beating countless enemies to death with his blood-soaked fists.

Now, with his crimson gauntlets gleaming, he was rapidly gaining on us.

“He’s too fast,” Chelsea noted, her voice tinged with anxiety as Rowan Vade’s armored figure closed in.

In response, Fabian pulled out the small artifact Princess Francia had given him and activated it.

“…I had a feeling we’d need this,” he muttered, almost apologetically.

“You did well, Fabian,” I said, nodding in approval. Even if Kyle couldn’t defeat Rowan Vade, he might be able to buy us some time or provide an opportunity to escape.

The orange haze emanating from the artifact swirled and pointed towards a direction. But then…

“He’s closer than I thought,” Chelsea remarked.

“No, he’s getting closer to us,” I corrected, noticing the orange trail shortening rapidly.

Then, we heard footsteps approaching from the other side.

Thud, thud!

“Kamom, Fabian, Chelsea!” a familiar voice called out.

“Huh?”

Rowan Vade, who had been pursuing us, briefly glanced towards the sound.

Crash!

Suddenly, the wall beside us exploded, and through the debris stepped none other than Kyle.

“Kyle!”

He had burst through the wall to join us, and without hesitation, he charged at Rowan Vade, his sword poised to strike.

“Hyaaaah!”

But…

“Hmph.”

Rowan Vade merely grunted, raising his crimson gauntlet to meet Kyle’s sword.

In the next moment, an immense shockwave erupted between them.

Boom!

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