How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 89

The excruciating pain blurred my vision, making the seconds feel like hours.

“Alright, perfect. The mana inside your body has stabilized. The completely blocked pathways have also been overlaid with the power of the ‘Orb’.”

“Huff, huff.”

Drenched in cold sweat, I panted heavily, not wanting to experience that agony ever again.

“So, is it all done now?”

“No, not yet. Now, close your eyes.”

“What? All of a sudden?”

“Close your eyes and try to sense the mana around you. You should be able to feel it now.”

Jamie’s words brought back memories of when Bren first tried to teach me magic, moving as if he were dancing. Back then, I couldn’t feel a thing. Would it be different this time?

“Hurry up.”

At Jamie’s urging, I slowly closed my eyes.

“Phew.”

I concentrated, trying to sense whatever might be flowing around me.

‘Mana, mana. Please this time…’

In that desperate moment,

“……!”

I felt an incredibly intense energy, incomparable to the tingling I had once thought was mana. It was like being suspended in a massive electromagnetic field. A colossal force was swirling around me, from my head to my toes.

‘Is this mana?’

The sheer magnitude of the energy made my heart pound as I felt as insignificant as a speck of dust.

‘So this is what mana feels like.’

In this extraordinary new experience, I increased my concentration. If this really was the mana I sensed, it would move according to my will.

‘Slowly, and with utmost focus.’

Calming my almost bursting excitement, I focused on the energy circling my body. Soon after,

‘It’s working.’

Part of the immense energy began to gather according to my will. Despite its strong resistance, trying to return to its flow, I kept my focus and controlled its movement.

‘Now, I need to channel this mana using the one within me, right?’

I recalled the basic spell formulas I had diligently learned.

Fwoosh!

A small flame appeared before me.

Unconsciously, I opened my eyes and shouted in excitement.

“It worked!”

Whoosh!

But as soon as I exclaimed, the flame vanished, leaving only a wisp of smoke.

“Alright, you’ve confirmed it. Now, go back. It’s quite late, isn’t it?”

Jamie’s cold voice snapped me back to reality. I quickly bowed to her.

“Thank you, master. Because of you, I…”

“Enough. Just come regularly for check-ups.”

“Yes, I will.”

“I’ll say it again: don’t take it off unless you want to die. Unless you’re considering suicide.”

“I’ll keep it on.”

With a respectful bow, I left her lab and returned to my dormitory.

Thunk!

As soon as the door closed, I looked at the ring on my finger. The milky ‘Orb’ reflected the moonlight, making me smile as I closed my eyes again.

Then,

Whooosh!

I could still feel the massive energy swirling around me, gathering and dispersing according to my will. It moved from my head, to my chest, my hands, and my feet, clustering and then dissolving back into the larger flow. I could only mutter to myself in awe.

“I’ve finally mastered real magic.”

It felt like I was being rewarded for all the absurd and unfair situations I had been through since falling into this novel’s world. Overwhelmed by emotions, I lay on my bed, staring at the sparkling ring.

“Now, let’s seriously study magic.”

* * *

The murderous atmosphere among the academy students towards me began to fade with time. Each day, the number of students gathered in front of the dormitory decreased noticeably. After about four days, only a handful remained.

“Nom, nom, chomp. Kamon, I think you can go out now.”

“Ah, Elliot. Finish eating before you talk. It’s distracting.”

“Sorry.”

Elliot apologized sheepishly, his mouth still full of food.

“I was planning to go out soon anyway. I can’t miss more classes.”

I had asked the professors for understanding immediately after the incident, and they had been sympathetic. But now, two weeks had passed since I holed up in my room. Last night, through the maid supervisor, several professors had sent letters saying they couldn’t excuse my absence any longer.

“Are you sure? Even if the number of people has decreased, the hostile atmosphere is still there.”

“…Well, there’s no other way. I have to face it. I can’t stay hidden forever.”

I answered Elliot, who looked worried. Bren, also looking concerned, spoke up.

“Kamon, are you going to keep wearing that ring?”

“Hmm.”

I looked at the ring on my right hand, Princess Francia’s ring. It was clearly visible in the scandalous news and photos that had spread throughout the academy.

‘If I keep wearing this, the public opinion about me will likely worsen.’

But I had no choice. To stay alive, I needed to wear the ring. Moreover…

“Yes, I have to.”

It was an essential artifact for learning, mastering, and using magic.

‘I worked so hard to get this; I’m not giving it up.’

I had endured much hardship due to Kamon Vade’s notorious reputation as a talented mage. But now, things were different.

‘Because I can use real magic now.’

* * *

As Cecilia Romanoff, the newly elected student council president of the Flance Imperial Academy, read the letter in her hand, she faced an unwelcome visitor.

“Well, President. Have you finished reading the letter?”

“…”

Without a word, Cecilia put down the letter and took a sip from her teacup.

“I trust that with your quick wit, you’ve understood everything. So, we’re on the same side now, right?”

The visitor, with a sly smile, was Rosen Ravenia, who had been part of Princess Francia’s campaign team. Despite being scorned and called trash by Cecilia, she now smiled as if none of it mattered.

Maintaining her silence, Cecilia finally spoke.

“So why…”

“Hmm?”

“Why did you bring a letter from my family?”

Cecilia asked while looking at the letter bearing the Romanoff family seal, which Rosen had delivered.

Rosen laughed, her tone mocking.

“Haha. How is it that your first question is exactly what I expected, Cecilia?”

Rosen Ravenia couldn’t stop laughing for a while. Eventually, she slapped her own face to calm down.

“Ah, I’m sorry. I overdid it, didn’t I?”

“…”

“To give you an understandable answer… it’s because there was a legitimate transaction between our families. I was also present during the meeting.”

“What?”

“Is there a problem?”

Cecilia couldn’t respond further to Rosen’s words. The content of the letter matched the one from her father, with his seal. The letter contained…

“So, the position I will be taking is Vice President, right, President Cecilia?”

It was her father’s order to appoint Rosen, from the Marquis of Ravenia, as the Vice President of the student council.

* * *

A grand hall, as Oblate and majestic as a royal palace, housed a magnificent throne. Sitting upon it was none other than Vitell Romanoff, a central grand noble. With a sharp jawline and slightly upward-turned eyes, Duke Vitell Romanoff looked ahead. Kneeling before him, a courier respectfully lowered his head.

“Here is a reply from the Lady.”

The courier handed the letter to the Duke.

“…”

Duke Romanoff read the reply in silence, the weight of his presence naturally creating a heavy atmosphere.

Then.

“What did the Lady say?”

A plump middle-aged man standing to the side broke the silence with a leisurely voice. Duke Romanoff, glancing at him, then smiled faintly.

“As expected of my one and only Cecilia. She said she would do as I instructed.”

“Is that so?”

The plump man responded immediately, smiling broadly and nodding his head.

“It seems the Lady is very wise, just like you, Duke. My daughter should learn from her.”

“She is much wiser than me.”

The Duke, showing a hint of doting affection, quickly changed his expression to one of cold authority.

“Marquis Torcen. Now that I have fulfilled our agreement, our deal is sealed?”

“Haha, of course. From now on, the Romanoff Duchy and our Ravenia Marquisate are in the same boat.”

Marquis Torcen Ravenia, Rosen’s father, had come to the Romanoff Duchy and allied himself with the Duke for reasons yet unknown.

“There is nothing more to discuss. I’ll see you at dinner.”

With Duke Romanoff’s dismissive order, Marquis Torcen bowed and responded with a smile.

“Yes, Duke. I will see you at the banquet… Ah, by the way, has there been any response from the Axelion Grand Duchy?”

“Not yet.”

Duke Romanoff’s firm reply made the Marquis frown in confusion.

“Hmm. They should have received our message by now. How can there still be no response?”

“If that old stubborn mule had responded quickly, I would have suspected he was plotting something. So don’t worry and just wait.”

“Haha, if you say so, Duke, I will trust your judgment. I’ll take my leave now.”

With that, Marquis Torcen walked out. After he left, one of the Duke’s retainers spoke cautiously.

“Your Grace, I still don’t think allying with the Ravenia family is a wise move.”

“I agree with Gloin. Although they hold power in the southern part of the Empire, they are untrustworthy.”

“…”

Duke Romanoff silently looked down at his retainers.

Then.

“Are you saying my decision is wrong?”

His low voice made the retainers’ faces turn pale.

“N-no, Your Grace. I didn’t mean that…”

“Indeed, we could never question your wisdom, Your Grace.”

The retainers prostrated themselves on the floor, shouting their loyalty. Duke Romanoff waved his hand dismissively.

“Enough!”

His single word silenced them. With a deep, composed voice, he continued.

“Of the five electors in the Empire, none are without danger. Does that mean I should fear them?”

The retainers responded vehemently.

“Absolutely not.”

“No one would dare challenge this family!”

Duke Romanoff nodded, his voice stern.

“Then why should I not ally with them?”

“There is no reason.”

“We apologize, Your Grace.”

The retainers bowed deeply, seeking forgiveness. Duke Romanoff shook his head.

“To oppose the royal family, the grand nobles must speak with one voice. At the center of that unity will be the Romanoff Duchy.”

Displaying immense charisma, vastly different from the doting father earlier, Duke Romanoff’s declaration left the retainers speechless. They were the five pillars of the Empire: the Axelion Grand Duchy in the north, the Hydrin Marquisate in the east, the Ravenia Marquisate in the south, the Vade Marquisate in the west, and the Romanoff Duchy in the center. Vitell Romanoff intended to unite these powerful families against the strengthening central power of the royal family.

“You may all leave.”

Following the Duke’s order, the retainers quickly exited the hall. Left alone on the grand throne, Duke Romanoff murmured to the empty air.

“Still no contact from the Vade family?”

A voice replied from nowhere.

“No, not yet.”

“If we remain idle, nothing will be resolved. Send an invitation to the Vade Marquis for Rozalin’s memorial.”

“A… an invitation?”

“Yes, send the invitation.”

“Understood.”

The unseen voice answered. Duke Romanoff, still looking weary, asked again.

“Any other news?”

“No, Your Grace. We are still gathering information about the Lady as instructed.”

“Is that so? Good. Continue… Oh, wait.”

As if remembering something, Duke Romanoff frowned and asked.

“The eldest son of the Vade family… That wretched brat is still around Cecilia, isn’t he? I heard there were strange rumors?”

“If you mean Kamon Vade, yes. But he has been expelled and disowned by the family.”

The report made the Duke scoff.

“Ha. Expelled, disowned? Should we consider… No, no. How can the power of that bloodline be severed by mere family names?”

He nodded and continued.

“Keep a close watch on Kamon Vade. Report every single move he makes.”

“Yes, Your Grace.”

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