The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

TLed by NolepGuy

Chapter 265

-Bustle, bustle.

-Clack. Clack.

-What the, why is he here? Wasn’t he expelled?

-I think he withdrew on his own, not expelled.

-Even so, what kind of confidence does he have to come back to the Academy? Isn’t he just re-enrolled?

-Ah… Damn, that’s so annoying.

With my hands in my pockets, I strode confidently down the Academy corridor, listening to the murmurs of the female students. Among the familiar faces, one stood out—Lady Vienna, who had been showered with sand by me during the ranking match. Lady Vienna, who seemed thrilled to see me after a long time, was glaring at me while muttering sarcastic remarks.

‘Is this what it’s like to live as a handsome man?’

In an Academy full of unattractive faces, someone like me must be a rare sight. I could generously understand their overreactions.

This is the burden a handsome man must bear. If the Young Lady saw this, she’d probably applaud my nonsense for its originality, but since no one here could understand my feelings, I regretfully blinked at my murmuring peers.

-Ah, that bastard just winked!

Look at them swooning. This is why being good-looking is great.

The familiar smell of the Academy after a long time felt nostalgic. The chatter of the students breathed life into the dreary Academy, and the mundane complaints about assignments felt like a comforting reminder of a harsh world.

‘Ah, youth.’

I felt good. At the same time, I thought, ‘I used to have times like that too.’ With a bitter smile, I unfolded the paper in my hand.

-Senior Director’s Office.

“Looks like I’m almost there.”

The paper had a map of the Academy drawn on it. It marked the place where Malik, who had become the Senior Director in the novel, had settled.

In the novel, Malik lived like half a wreck. The shock of losing Hanna had left him unable to wield a sword, and he resented his father.

-You’re asking me to take the position of Academy Director…? Are you kidding me?

At that time, Malik had taken on the position of Academy Director in place of the unconscious Chartia. There was no one else suitable for the role. At the same time, he made the difficult choice out of a regretful desire not to repeat the same tragedy.

Even though he knew that the Histania Family was responsible for Hanna’s death.

Malik was someone who regretted everything to the end. He would stand by Hanna’s grave, lost in thought, crying all day—a fragile man.

In the novel, becoming the Director naturally entangled him with Yuria, securing his role as the Supporting Male Lead, but he was a man who could never become the protagonist.

Now, though, he’s a man obsessed with business.

“Hmm.”

Shaking my head to dispel my thoughts, I hurried toward the place where Malik was waiting.

The longer I stayed here, the more the people who didn’t welcome me would dislike it. I wanted to finish my business quickly and disappear.

I didn’t have many good memories of this place.

Nor did I have anyone I was close to.

Thinking that I might as well visit Hanna’s grave on my way back, I walked while looking at the signs above the doors.

[Disciplinary Committee Room]

[Student Council Research Room]

[Student Council President’s Research Room]

“Hmm…”

-Clack.

“Hmm?”

-Hiccup!

“It feels like someone’s following me.”

Seeing a glimpse of purple drills peeking out from behind a pillar, I shrugged my shoulders and continued walking.

‘Shuen, huh.’

The reason for following me was obvious without even looking. I didn’t think much of it. Meeting a rival idol would naturally lead to such actions.

‘Whatever.’

I was busy right now, so ignoring it was the best option. I had found the Senior Director’s Office.

“Found it.”

[Senior Director’s Office.]

Setting aside my complicated thoughts, I cautiously knocked on the door where Malik was waiting.

-Knock. Knock. Knock.

“Boss, it’s your doormat.”

“Come in. And it’s Malik.”

At the familiar voice of the boss, I smiled faintly and slowly opened the door.

‘Oh…’

Through the crack in the open door, the scent of Malik’s perfume wafted out. A modern and clean fragrance. As expected of a businessman, Malik’s attention to detail was evident in his sophisticated demeanor. Bowing slightly, I looked at Malik, who was seated in a chair.

“It’s been a while, Boss.”

“How many times do I have to tell you? It’s Malik. You’re a proper boss yourself now, so why so formal?”

“Why would I be the boss? You’re the one handling all the actual management.”

“Drop the ‘Boss’ and just call me ‘Mr.’ Or better yet, use casual speech.”

“Haha…! I’ll try to ease into it.”

“You’re not an easy one.”

Malik, seemingly pleased with my cautious demeanor, smiled faintly as he began boiling water for tea. With steam rising from the Magic Pot, Malik carefully added tea leaves to the teacups, pouring all his effort into brewing the tea.

“What kind of tea leaves are those? Doesn’t seem like black tea.”

“Mandrake. The Mandrake Candy has been well-received lately, so I’m planning to launch it in tea leaf form.”

“Hmm… Won’t it be too bitter?”

“Don’t worry about the taste. I spent some money on the drying process.”

Smiling confidently at the brownish tea he had brewed, Malik carefully placed the teacups on the table.

“Have a seat.”

-Sip.

“It’s quite good. The flavor isn’t too strong, and the mild bitterness will appeal to nobles.”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m confident in the taste.”

Malik, pleased with the business-related compliment, smiled as he raised his teacup. Then, folding his hands calmly, he began to get to the main point.

“I assume you already know the reason I called you.”

“Ah, the convenience store, right?”

“Yes, the convenience store. I drafted a rough business plan based on what you mentioned, but there’s a problem.”

With a bitter smile, Malik carefully placed a stack of documents on the table and let out a sigh.

[Academy Convenience Store Business Plan.]

Nodding as I flipped through the documents with my thumb, I remarked,

“You wrote it in great detail.”

“Money doesn’t like incompetence, so I had to write it well. It’s our first venture, after all. We can’t afford to be sloppy.”

“Have you secured the permits?”

“Yes, I managed to get them. Unintentionally, I ended up taking the Director position.”

“The Senior Director?”

“That’s right. Thanks to that, I was able to bypass the Student Council and get the permits. You know how influential the Student Council is in this Academy.”

“The Student Council does hold a lot of power.”

Malik, with a bitter smile, muttered to himself, “If I had known, I would’ve pulled some strings back when I was the Student Council President.” His words, befitting the eldest son of the righteous Histania Family, made me chuckle as I nodded.

“So, this is the part that’s causing trouble, right?”

“Exactly.”

[Employees]

1. Counter Staff

└Hire Academy students.

└Three shifts.

·

·

·

Nodding at the page Malik pointed to with his finger, I agreed.

“Although I jotted down the plan based on what we discussed, I can’t quite figure out the exact image to aim for. While we can adjust things like triangular gimbap or the interior as we go, there’s no one to manage the store in its early stages.”

“Can’t you just hire regular store employees?”

“It’s not that simple. This is the first time we’re trying out a convenience store, and we can’t just hire ordinary employees. Plus, there’s the matter of business confidentiality.”

“Hmm… That’s true.”

Letting out a sigh, Malik spoke to me.

“Do you understand what I’m asking of you?”

[Counter.]

“Later on, I plan to hire Academy students on an hourly wage as you suggested, but for now, I need someone to establish the framework and provide feedback.”

I understood exactly what he meant.

It was clear that since I was the one who proposed and conceptualized the convenience store idea, he wanted me to manage the counter, pass on the responsibilities to the next suitable person, and then step away.

But Malik must already know this.

“That does sound reasonable, but you also know, sir, if I take charge of the convenience store at the Academy, it’ll fail before it even begins.”

“…”

“It’ll be like getting hit by an egg bomb.”

Malik nodded heavily and responded to me.

“I know. But I believe in something even more certain than that.”

“What would that be…?”

Malik looked at me and smiled.

“I believe in your face.”

Like a sage who had just achieved enlightenment, I nodded at Malik’s words. Then, with a bright smile, I replied.

“You’re absolutely right.”

As the self-proclaimed most handsome man in the world, I couldn’t betray Malik’s faith in me. Even though this business wasn’t mentioned in the novel, running it smoothly was also part of the possessor’s virtue.

After all, a convenience store here is different from the ones in this world.

With a sly smile, I spoke to Malik.

“Then, may I take the discarded food for myself?”

“…Ho. You’re quite clever. Is it because you’re a butler of the House of Desmond? Your quick thinking is impressive. Histania would never have thought of such a suggestion.”

“Thank you for the compliment.”

Malik extended his hand.

“Then I’ll call you once it’s completed.”

“Will a week be enough time?”

“If you can perfectly handle the handover. Personally, I’d like to ask for more time.”

“As you know, I’m a high-level talent.”

“I’ll make sure to compensate you generously.”

Nodding, I shook Malik’s hand.

“Then I’ll be counting on you, boss.”

“It’s Malik.”

And so, the chaotic daily life of the convenience store began.

*

At that moment.

A girl peeked out from the corridor, staring at the Senior Director’s Office with sparkling eyes and clenched fists.

“That man is the one Histania Hanna likes…!”

With purple drill-shaped hair.

And a voluptuous figure.

Although she was hiding behind a pillar, her voluptuous figure gave her away. Shuen was curiously spying on that man.

He was no ordinary person.

It was rare for someone to appear invisible to Shuen’s mana-seeing eyes.

-Broadly.

Either he possessed immense mana.

Or he had no mana at all.

Of course, Shuen assumed it was the latter.

“Suspicious.”

Shuen wanted to investigate that man. He was the man her friend had a crush on and the one who had tormented her idol.

She wanted to unmask him.

-Ding-dong-dang-dong.

“Ah! I have to get to class.”

Shuen, who had been absentmindedly spying on the Board of Directors Room, hurriedly began moving her legs at the sound of the bell.

And then.

-Creak.

The sound of the Director’s Office door opening echoed at the same time.

Shuen quickened her pace.

Not being accustomed to running, Shuen’s legs tangled, and she naturally missed her step.

“Kyah…!”

In front of Shuen’s eyes was the edge of the stairs. At this angle, if she fell, her forehead would hit the edge of the stairs.

‘No. My face.’

Shuen tightly closed her eyes, bracing for the impending pain.

At that moment.

“Got you.”

With a faint perfume scent, someone grabbed the back of Shuen’s clothes, pulling her into his arms.

Shuen’s eyes widened.

“Huh…?”

And the gentle voice of the man snapped her out of her daze.

“Are you alright?”

Ricardo.

Shuen had just encountered the person she hated most at the Academy.