How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 190

“Hmm…”

Cecilia Romanoff, who had been unconscious, finally let out a groan as she regained consciousness.

“Are you awake, Cecilia?”

A soft voice greeted her, making Cecilia jerk her head around in surprise.

“Rosen! How… how could you…!”

She shouted, her eyes filled with confusion and betrayal.

“I’m sorry. I had no other choice at the time.”

Rosen Ravenia’s face showed genuine remorse as she slightly bowed her head.

“If I hadn’t acted then, the Duke wouldn’t have backed down so easily.”

Despite Rosen’s apologetic tone, Cecilia remained on guard, her voice cold and rigid.

“Where are we? Where did you bring me?”

“Look around. It’s somewhere you know.”

Rosen’s response was calm.

Cecilia, still wary, scanned her surroundings. Slowly, she recognized where she was.

“My room?”

“That’s right. I brought you here to avoid prying eyes.”

“Why would we need to hide from people?”

Cecilia asked, her confusion deepening.

Rosen’s expression darkened slightly as she explained.

“This entire estate has been cut off from the outside world. That means we’ve lost all ways of communicating with the academy.”

“…”

Cecilia was speechless.

“And right now, the target the Duke’s forces are after… Kamon Vade.”

“What?!”

Cecilia’s face turned deathly pale upon hearing Rosen’s words.

“Why? Why are they after Kamon? And when you say ‘target,’ do you mean…?”

Her voice trailed off, horror creeping in as she started to piece together what Rosen meant.

“Yes, I’m afraid it’s exactly what you’re thinking, Cecilia.”

Rosen confirmed, her tone grave.

Cecilia’s face fell further, darkened with despair.

“But why…?”

“It doesn’t matter why right now. If we stay here doing nothing, Kamon could be in real danger.”

Rosen’s words were direct.

“That can’t happen!”

Cecilia screamed, clutching Rosen’s arm tightly.

Just moments ago, she had been filled with suspicion and anger towards Rosen, but now, at the mention of Kamon Vade’s predicament, her entire demeanor had shifted.

Her eyes blazed with determination as she looked up at Rosen, ready to do anything necessary.

“Tell me what I can do. Tell me what I need to do, Rosen.”

“Cecilia…”

Rosen gave her a bittersweet smile.

It pained her to see how Cecilia, who had been so cold and distant moments earlier, was now turning to her for help—just because of Kamon’s name.

‘Is this why unrequited love hurts so much?’

Rosen thought, a twinge of sadness passing through her. But she hid it well, maintaining a soft smile.

“You don’t need to worry too much. It won’t be easy, but there is a way.”

“A way? What way?”

Cecilia’s face lit up with renewed hope as she urgently asked.

Her feelings at the moment were filled with frustration and helplessness. While she resented her father’s actions, what infuriated her more was her inability to do anything about it.

And now, learning that her father was targeting Kamon Vade only fueled her resolve further. She was willing to do anything—even betray her own father—if it meant protecting Kamon.

“We need to get to the Duke’s office.”

“My father’s office?”

Rosen nodded.

“Yes. The entire Romanoff territory is currently cut off from all external mana connections. But do you think that means there’s no way to communicate with the outside world?”

“Isn’t there?”

Cecilia asked, her expression skeptical.

“There’s always one line that can never be cut. That’s the connection that only the lord of the territory—your father—can use.”

“…!”

Cecilia’s eyes widened in realization.

Rosen’s plan was clear: use the secret communication line that only Duke Romanoff could access to inform the outside world about the current situation and request help from the academy.

“But… what if there isn’t such a line?”

“There is. Trust me.”

Rosen spoke with unwavering confidence.

“H-How can you be so sure?”

Cecilia asked, still doubtful.

“Because I’m also from one of the five Elector families, just like you.”

Rosen answered with a sly smile.

“…?!”

Seeing Cecilia’s stunned expression, Rosen explained further.

“The five Elector families always have an unbreakable external mana connection. My father told me about this himself, so I know it’s true.”

“So then…”

“We just need to figure out how to sneak into your father’s office without him noticing.”
Rosen winked playfully.

“That’s why I brought you here, Cecilia. The office is in the same mansion, after all.”

***

“…Where are we?”

Chelsea asked, her voice full of curiosity.

“A secret place.”

I replied.

We had escaped to the hidden chamber where the essence of the hot spring had been stored. Of course, staying here would eventually get us caught, but—

[After spending some time here, I sense that there’s likely another hidden space further in. There’s no visible path, but I believe there’s a way to access it.]

“Another hidden space?”

Frilla’s unexpected observation piqued my curiosity. I leaned in closer to Chelsea and whispered.

“Chelsea, look around. See if you can find any hidden mechanisms.”

“Mechanisms?”

“Yeah, there are a lot of secrets in this place.”

Chelsea smiled faintly at my words and nodded, then began searching the area with me, looking for anything unusual or out of place.

Eventually—

“Kamon, look here.”

“Hm?”

I rushed over to where Chelsea was standing. Beneath the central pillar that once held the essence of the hot spring, I noticed something strange about the floor.

The floor was segmented into several parts, all interlocking like pieces of a puzzle.

“Tsk. Looks like it could move somehow.”

“Right? I tried messing with it, but it didn’t budge.”

Chelsea explained, frowning slightly. I gripped the pillar tightly and gave it a strong push.

“Hrrngh!”

But—

“…It really doesn’t move.”

Just like Chelsea said, the central pillar was rooted firmly in the ground, not budging at all despite my efforts to move it.

‘Frilla, is this pillar something created by the previous Red Mage?’

[No, Master. This place existed long before I was sealed here.]

‘It existed before?’

[Yes. I don’t know why the Red Mage chose this place, but the pillar that trapped me was already here for a long time before.]

Frilla’s explanation made me certain that the strange lines carved into the base of the pillar were hiding some sort of secret.

The only question now was: how do we open it?

“Ugh.”

I tried twisting the pillar again, straining with all my might, but it refused to budge.

At that moment—

[You fool. Do you think a secret door will open just because you try brute force?]

Airsya cackled from the side, clearly amused by my fruitless efforts.

I shot her an irritated glance.

‘If you’re so clever, why don’t you tell me how to open it then?’

[Hmm… I wouldn’t know either.]

Airsya took a step back, smirking as she distanced herself from the situation. Meanwhile, Frilla shook her head and offered a suggestion.

[This pillar was also used to transform my slothful power into healing energy, Master. Perhaps you could try using the healing energy you recently acquired.]

‘Healing energy?’

[Yes. Though my power was forcibly altered, this place has always been tied to healing magic. It might be connected somehow.]

Frilla’s suggestion made sense. I focused my attention on the **Orb** ring and drew forth the powerful life energy I had recently absorbed. A gentle blue-green glow began to emanate from the ring.

“Kamon?”

Chelsea noticed the shift in the air, her voice laced with concern.

I quickly reassured her.

“Don’t worry. I just want to test something.”

As I channeled the immense life force stored within the **Orb**, the moment I directed it toward the pillar—

*Zzzzzzng.*

The pillar began to vibrate subtly, and a matching blue-green light started to shine from its base.

[Oh, looks like that was the right idea.]

Airsya murmured, sounding surprised.

‘Good thinking, Frilla.’

[Thank you, Master.]

Frilla remained humble, simply bowing her head.

With the constant flow of life energy being channeled from the **Orb** into the pillar—

*Zzzzzing, Thunk!*

“…!”

“Kamon, the pillar is moving!”

The pillar, which had been rooted firmly in place, began to rotate slowly. As it turned, the lines at the base shifted, revealing small gaps between the previously interlocked segments.

“Just a little more, and it’ll open completely.”

Focusing my energy, I continued channeling the life force into the pillar. Soon enough, the entire structure rotated fully, and—

“…Stairs.”

As the lines separated, the floor revealed a hidden stairwell leading downward into darkness.

“I can’t believe there was something like this hidden here…”

Chelsea murmured in awe.

I turned to her and asked with a playful tone.

“What do you think, Chelsea? Want to head back now?”

“…”

Chelsea didn’t say a word, simply glaring at me in response. I raised my hands in mock surrender.

“Kidding, kidding. Of course, we’re going together.”

“Let’s go, Kamon.”

Chelsea smiled faintly, her resolve clear. We stepped onto the dark stairwell together, making our way down into the unknown depths.

As we descended, the pillar behind us began to rotate back into its original position, sealing the entrance shut. The gaps that had opened before closed seamlessly as if they had never existed.

*Thud, thud.*

Without looking back, we continued down the stairs. After what felt like an eternity, we were greeted by a sight that left both of us speechless.

“…”

“What is this?”

In front of us was something completely unexpected.

[Secret Laboratory of the Archmage Katryzin, Who Sealed the Demon King Agnito.]

“Ka-Katryzin? You mean *the* Archmage from the legends?”

Chelsea’s voice trembled with shock as she read the inscription. The meaning was clear: this was the actual laboratory used by Katryzin, the legendary mage who had fought alongside the hero to defeat the Demon King Agnito.

But that wasn’t the only thing that caught my attention.

‘So, it was true…’

Beneath the plaque introducing the laboratory, there was another inscription:

[Visited by the Red Mage Anne Carson.]

I had found yet another trace of Anne Carson.

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