How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 33

Damn it. Stay calm, Kang Hyunsoo. Get your head straight and focus on the current situation!

I asked her with a determined expression, “First, I need to know the method.”

“Hmm?”

“What’s the way to release the mana accumulated inside me?”

If things continue like this, I’ll either get expelled from the academy and die a vagrant, explode from the mana building up inside me, or get dissected by this insane witch. Every ending currently leads to my death.

Escaping this life with a countdown comes first.

“Tell me the method first. Then I’ll consider your proposal, Jamie.”

My firm tone made Jamie nod her head with an interested look, scanning me from head to toe.

“Is it just me, or does it feel like the roles are reversed here? I thought I made the proposal first.”

Then, nodding towards me, she continued.

“Well, fine. The one in need usually concedes in a deal anyway.”

Muttering to herself, Jamie scratched her forehead and began to explain what she knew.

“Mana naturally flows from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration.”

“…Characteristic?”

“Yes. It’s one of the most basic characteristics of mana.”

Nodding as she mentioned this basic characteristic of mana, Jamie started walking.

“So, what you need to do is utilize this characteristic. If there is something outside with a more powerful mana than your mana heart, mana will try to flow towards it, right?”

“But the mana routes are blocked…”

“Mana exists everywhere, so it can move even without relying solely on the mana routes. Although mana fixed in the mana heart won’t move easily.”

Thud!

She approached the desk in the room and sat on it, continuing her explanation.

“That’s why you need something special. Like a dragon heart or a lich orb?”

“What?”

Dragon heart or lich orb? What kind of bullshit is that?

In games or novels, those items are practically endgame treasures. Why is she mentioning them now, barely halfway through the plot?

“Heh, I figured you’d react like that.”

Jamie chuckled slightly and snapped her fingers.

Clap!

Then, in the dark space of the ceiling, light particles began to gather.

“Let’s assume this is the mana heart, and that is the dragon heart. If you start drawing mana using such an item, in your body…”

Clap!

With another snap of her fingers, the light particles in the two places started moving. The light particles in the less glowing area moved towards the brighter light.

“See? That’s how mana moves. It will take some time, but steadily, it will flow towards the other side.”

Jamie got off the desk and, with a still-smiling face, muttered to herself while looking at me.

“So, even mana fixed in the mana heart will naturally move towards the more potent mana. Like a beast drooling over a piece of delicious meat.”

Clap!

With that final snap, the lights decorating the dark ceiling vanished completely.

“Of course, this is only a temporary measure; it doesn’t fully heal your body.”

Jamie looked at me again and asked in a subtle tone.

“So, what about my proposal? Now that you know the method, are you okay with becoming my research subject?”

“…”

‘Fuck, is she kidding?’

No, she’s a grand mage, and the best method she can come up with is a dragon heart? A lich orb? I could think of that too.

It’s like telling a dying person to find an elixir and sprinkle it on themselves. How is this any different?

“Sigh.”

“…?”

Jamie tilted her head as I suddenly let out a deep breath.

‘Well, it was impulsive, but the information wasn’t bad.’

Dragon heart, lich orb. Both are ultimate items that are hard to get.

But I had information about substitutes in my head.

The ultimate cheat only I could use.

‘…Preemptively acquire items from the original story.’

With that thought, a bit of competitive spirit rose within me as I looked at Jamie.

You think you can easily deceive me with such information? If I didn’t have knowledge of the original story, I would have been completely fooled.

“The method isn’t that impressive.”

“Oh, really? But that’s all I know. I’m not hiding anything from you. So…”

“Ah, then the deal is off.”

“What?”

Shrugging and muttering as if I were teasing her, Jamie raised one eyebrow slightly.

“…Kamon, it seems you’re misunderstanding something.”

“There’s no misunderstanding. I don’t want to let you experiment on my body under these conditions.”

“….”

My firm tone seemed to momentarily silence Jamie. She stared at me, then her lips curved into a slow smile as she muttered.

“It looks like you’re confused, Kamon Vade. The reason you can stand up to me right now is purely due to my leniency. This isn’t a proposal.”

“Really?”

“Indeed. So, until when are you going to…”

“What if I request help from the Seven Table?”

“What?”

“If my body is so coveted by you, the Yellow Mage, wouldn’t the Seven Table be interested as well?”

The Seven Table. It was the highest council of the seven magical towers on the continent. And the current chair of that council…

“Considering the Blue Mage is one of the primary colors, they might be quite interested.”

“Stop!”

At the mention of the Blue Mage, Jamie’s expression twisted.

“Don’t mention that old man.”

Jamie’s voice was sharp, making me shut my mouth.

“…”

For a moment, she stared at me, seemingly lost in deep thought, her eyes trembling slightly. Finally, she spoke.

“You’re quite bold.”

“Yes, I’ve been told that many times before.”

“Alright. I don’t particularly dislike rebellious kids. So…”

Though she was smiling, her eyes remained cold and unchanged. It was clear she was very displeased.

“Are you really suggesting a deal?”

“It’s not a deal. I just want to revise the conditions a bit.”

Though I phrased it differently, it was essentially the same thing.

“…”

“…”

A heavy silence fell between us. Then, Jamie spoke again.

“Selling yourself to the old men of the Seven Table is a foolish idea. They won’t treat you like a human.”

“Are you different from those old men?”

“Me?”

Pointing to herself, Jamie looked incredulous.

“Of course, I’m different!”

“In what way?”

“Ha, really…”

She let out a laugh of disbelief, then looked at me and spoke quietly.

“Alright, Kamon Vade. I’ll humor your boldness. I’ll take you as my disciple.”

“What?”

“I’m nothing like those rotten old men of the Seven Table. I don’t see humans as mere tools. So…”

So she would take me as her disciple?

This is a golden opportunity!

Jamie’s unexpected counter-proposal made my mind race.

In the original story, Jamie Hasellion had two disciples: Chelsea Artin and Ariel Adeline. Both were heroine characters who assisted the protagonist, Kyle.

‘Of course, I won’t be at their level.’

But as a disciple of one of the strongest contenders in the world, I wouldn’t die a vagrant death on the streets, would I?

“However, I’ll conduct a few experiments and research on you from time to time. It might be a bit painful or difficult, but… it will be for the purpose of unblocking your mana routes. Isn’t that a beneficial deal for both of us?”

As Jamie spoke with a slight smile, I thought to myself.

‘Beneficial for both? It’s more like a very, very thank-you-very-much-for-me deal.’

Having the Yellow Mage as my mentor would give me a stronger background than the Vade Marquess family. Moreover, the solution Jamie suggested was only a temporary measure for my survival, not a permanent fix.

But if it’s Jamie, she might eventually find a way to completely unblock my mana routes.

“Well… the terms aren’t bad.”

“So, do we have a deal?”

Jamie asked quickly, not wanting to wait any longer. I bowed my head politely and shouted.

“Greetings, Master.”

“Haha! Yes, disciple! Welcome, welcome!”

Jamie burst into laughter and responded energetically, then her eyes gleamed as she muttered.

“You’re my disciple now.”

With that, Jamie’s expression turned manic again as she whispered to herself.

“Now that you’re my disciple, even if something goes wrong during experiments, it won’t be a big deal. Accidents and deaths during magical experiments are common.”

Wait a minute. What do you mean by that?

Deaths? Accidents?

“Yes, teaching my disciple and doing whatever I want with them is my prerogative. Not even those old men can interfere. The same goes for everyone else!”

Hey, Jamie. Wait a minute. No matter how close our master-disciple relationship is, you can’t just do whatever…

“Sigh.”

Taking a deep breath, she wore a bright smile and an affectionate expression as she looked at me and softly whispered.

“Alright, my disciple Kamon Vade. When should we start the first experiment? Now? Or tomorrow? Pick a time that suits you.”

Damn it. I think I made a big mistake.