How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 6

“……”

Wasn’t this what one would typically call a twist?

No, a twist was a word used when something you were expecting turned out completely differently.

So, what should this be called?

“Sh…ock?”

He wasn’t sure what word would be appropriate, but the most important thing right now was.

– I believe you understood what I said. So, you should go now.

She waved her hand at him until the end.

“Wow, that’s… creepy. Gives me chills!”

He instinctively wrapped his arms around himself and muttered as he quickly began to walk away.

‘What? Just shut up and stay quiet?’

No, then why did she suddenly appear and help me?

Ah, was it for image-making or something?

To show people she was a princess with a broad mind who even forgave her enemies?

Or was she just a sociopath with a dual personality?

He didn’t know which was correct.

“Seriously, nothing is easy.”

That was his honest impression of the current situation.

It was truly an unconventional world of the novel.

Grrrr!

“Hoo, alright. Let’s just go eat.”

Fed up with the elements that made his life difficult, he hurried his steps.

And soon.

“Is this it?”

He looked at the building in front of him.

The shabby-looking building seemed to introduce itself as ‘a commoner’s restaurant.’

“Yeah, this is more like it.”

Nodding as he looked at the old, decrepit building similar to the newly assigned dormitory, he noticed something.

“But there’s no line here?”

Moreover, unlike the noble-exclusive dining hall, there was no pillar at the entrance checking student IDs.

“Hey, isn’t the treatment a bit too different?”

Muttering to himself, he opened the door and went inside.

Creak.

“……So, in tomorrow’s class……”

“Hey, today’s side dishes are a bit lacking……”

“What are you going to do after eating?”

It was bustling with students gathered in small groups, chatting as they ate, just like a real school cafeteria.

The students were all holding trays, getting their food.

“This is just like a school cafeteria?”

He had imagined a buffet in a medieval academy, but this was a meal distribution.

“Should I just get in line over there?”

As he was about to line up behind the others.

“Huh? Ka, Kamon Vade?”

With someone’s voice, dozens, hundreds of eyes instantly turned to him.

“……”

Well, he was used to this by now.

Ignoring the stares, he grabbed a silver tray and approached the distribution area.

At that moment.

“……M-move.”

“Ah, don’t push!”

“Just get out of the way.”

There was a commotion, with some falling over and others avoiding his gaze in fear.

Step.

Flinch.

Why were they flinching when he hadn’t done anything?

……He was just walking.

Thud.

Flinch!

No, this was better.

It was much better than getting into another fight. And he could get his food quickly.

Step by step.

Flinch! Flinch!

Ignoring the endless reactions to his every move, he got his food and side dishes, then looked around for a place to sit.

“But there’s nowhere… to sit?”

Large tables were occupied by only one or two people each, making the vast place look almost full.

It wasn’t easy to find a table to use alone.

“Well, I’ll just sit anywhere.”

Muttering to himself, he headed to a table where three students were sitting.

Step by step.

Flinch, flinch.

The students reacted to his footsteps and their eyes wouldn’t leave him.

‘Hah, is this how animals in the zoo feel?’

No wonder those animals were always angry or stressed.

Now he understood after experiencing it himself.

Thunk, creak.

As he put his tray down and pulled out a chair.

Creak, thud!

The other students stood up simultaneously.

“……L-let’s go.”

“Ah, I’m so full.”

Yeah, great. Just get out of here.

Even better. I could use this big table all to myself.

It was comfortable and pleasant.

“Thank you for the meal.”

Just the thought of finally having a proper meal made him smile, and he even started to hum a tune as he took a spoonful of soup.

Clank!

Someone’s tray suddenly landed across from him.

And then,

“You’re eating here?”

“Hmm?”

He looked up at the unfamiliar voice to find a strikingly handsome boy with black hair and emerald-green eyes.

‘Oh…?’

The face seemed familiar.

“Are you eating alone?”

The boy asked with a slight smile, and it quickly clicked for him.

‘Ah, I remember now.’

It was the face drawn on the main cover of the novel.

Yes, he was the chosen hero of this world.

The hero who rescued Princess Francia from Kamon Vade’s clutches.

“Kyle Perrion.”

He was the true protagonist of the novel.

‘Stay calm, Kang Hyunsoo.’

There was no need to cause trouble here.

Normally, he would have been surprised or would have freaked out, asking why he was here.

But he was different now.

‘If I stay calm, I can continue to enjoy this delicious meal.’

Grrrr.

He hadn’t even had a proper bite yet and didn’t want any trouble.

“…….”

But the atmosphere around him had already heated up.

Every student in the cafeteria was staring at him and Kyle, their gazes filled with curiosity, interest, and a bit of fear.

‘It won’t be easy, but I have to get through this.’

Even if Kyle tried to pick a fight, he’d just laugh it off.

Yeah, he had been through worse in the real world. He could handle this kid.

He just needed to smile and greet him warmly.

“Nice……”

Wait a minute!

Was that really appropriate?

They weren’t on good terms to exchange greetings like friends, right?

“……to see you.”

He hastily changed his words, trying to defuse the situation, but it made things sound even weirder.

Damn, this wasn’t right!

It looked like he was the one picking a fight now.

“Ha, haha. Right, Kamon. You never were happy to see me.”

Kyle responded with a casual laugh, and he breathed a sigh of relief inwardly.

‘Thank goodness.’

“But Kamon, why are you eating here?”

“What?”

“No, I mean, why are you eating here?”

“…….”

Of course, it was because he was kicked out of his family and downgraded to a commoner.

…but he couldn’t exactly say that.

That would make it seem like he was the one picking a fight again.

“Kamon, can’t you hear me?”

I can hear you. Very clearly.

And it’s driving me nuts, hahaha.

“Kamon?”

Ah, screw it.

“……I’m not a noble anymore.”

“Hmm?”

“I got kicked out of my family.”

He said it with tense resignation and quickly added to avoid any misunderstanding.

“Of course, I don’t blame you, Kyle……”

“Ah, so that’s why you’re here? I wondered what had happened. Enjoy your meal, Kamon.”

“Hmm?”

“Why, Kamon? Did you have something to say?”

“……No. Nothing.”

Seeing Kyle’s slightly apologetic expression, he wondered if he had misunderstood something.

“Ah, sorry. It was rude of me to leave after sitting down first. I have friends I’m supposed to eat with today. Let’s eat together next time. See you later, Kamon.”

With a smile still on his face, Kyle waved lightly and left, leaving him staring blankly.

‘Wait, was he really just curious about why I was eating here?’

Not trying to pick a fight or anything?

“Man, what is this?”

As the tension left his body, he couldn’t help but mutter.

Both Kyle and Princess Francia were behaving in ways he couldn’t predict with common sense.

‘Were they like this in the original novel?’

The characters in the novel had always responded to upcoming events and situations.

They weren’t particularly unpredictable or difficult to understand.

Grrrr.

“Enough, let’s eat first.”

He could think about it later.

* * *

Knock, knock.

“……What is it?”

“I have something to ask.”

He found the maid who had directed him to the ‘noble-exclusive cafeteria’ again.

“……You seem to be quite curious about many things, Kamon.”

She replied with a slight smile, and he nodded.

Of course, he was curious.

He needed to understand why the reactions were so extreme.

He had to know, and she was the only one he could ask.

“So, what do you want to know this time?”

“This might sound strange, but I want to know about the things I’ve done in the past.”

“Hmm?”

“Tell me about my past, what you know about me.”

“Hmm…….”

She looked at him for a long time and then,

“Your past?”

“Yes, like any misdeeds or incidents I’ve caused. Tell me about those.”

“…….”

She stared at him for a long time before her demeanor changed.

The smile disappeared from her face as she opened a drawer in her desk.

Thud.

‘……A pipe?’

The maid pulled out an antique pipe, the kind older men might use.

“Do you mind if I smoke?”

“Oh, go ahead.”

Hiss.

She lit the pipe and took a deep drag.

“Hooooo…….”

Thick smoke was blown directly at his face.

Sniff!

Ah, smelling the smoke made him want to smoke too…….

“So you want to know about the misdeeds you’ve committed. Why are you asking that? You should know them yourself.”

“I’ll explain later. Just tell me for now.”

“Interesting. Kamon Vade is curious about such things. But wouldn’t it be quicker to see for yourself?”

“……Pardon?”

Thud!

The maid stood up and moved to the side.

Then,

Thud, thud!

She opened a locked metal file cabinet and threw something onto the desk.

“Here, take a look.”

She said, exhaling thick smoke, and he quickly reached for the documents and began to read.

[Exposing Kamon Vade as a backward, dirty status discriminator.]

The first thing that caught his eye made him nod.

“A status discriminator.”

Well, that was a basic attribute of Kamon. It was the most famous one.

There were several petitions, letters, and complaints.

They detailed fights with other students, skipping classes, destroying or exploding dormitories, and more.

It was a bit more extreme than a troublemaker but justifiably called an insufferable brat or a spoiled bastard.

‘This setting fits perfectly for a third-rate extra villain.’

Seeing the details and stories that weren’t described in the novel being realized made him focus even more.

And after a while,

“Is this all?”

The maid’s lips curled slightly as she quietly puffed on her pipe.

“Why? Did you finish already?”

“Yes, somewhat…….”

If this was all, it seemed odd.

‘This is weaker than I thought, much weaker.’

Given Kamon Vade’s reputation and the students’ reactions, this couldn’t be it.

But if this was all Kamon had done…

‘How delicate are these kids to make such a fuss over this?’

At that moment,

“Wait a moment.”

Click, click.

The maid moved again.

Thud!

“Take a look at this too.”

“This is…….”

It was much lighter than before, but the red skull emblem on the cover was intimidating.

He cautiously reached out, picked up the documents, and began to read.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh!

His hands moved faster as he turned the pages.

Thud!

Finally, after setting down the last document,

“How is it? Do you need more explanations?”

“…….”

He couldn’t respond to the maid’s question, who still had the pipe in her mouth, and just stared at the documents on the desk.

[Consent for an illegal fight with third-year student Bern Kashien.]

The opponent received permanent injuries and dropped out.

[Mutual agreement on the assault and coercion of several students.]

At least eight innocent victims.

[Report of threatening and attempting to kidnap a commoner teaching assistant.]

No physical harm, but the shock led to her quitting the job.

Aside from these three standout cases, there were many other comparable crimes.

“Do you need anything else?”

“……No, that’s enough. Thank you.”

Shaking his head, he replied in a subdued voice.

Then,

Creak, thud!

He quietly left and walked slowly.

To somewhere quiet and dark.

And finally, when he reached a suitable place,

“Ha, hahahah.”

He let out a hollow laugh.

“Kamon Vade, you crazy bastard.”

At first, he lightly cursed the owner of the body he had possessed.

Then he recalled the incident that led to his expulsion from the family, the ‘attempted assassination of the princess.’

“What? A third-rate extra villain? Hah, what a load of crap.”

Damn writer, you crazy bastard.

How is this in any way a third-rate extra villain?

This was a top-tier criminal villain level!

And now the problem was……

“……I’m in the body of that bastard. Hahaha.”