How to Survive as the Academy’s Villain

Chapter 36

“Kamon Vade.”

Diana’s voice was like a bitter wind from the Arctic, carrying an icy chill. She let out a short, mocking laugh as she called my name again. The murderous glint in her bloodshot eyes was unmistakable.

“You think I’m a joke?”

“…?”

“Just ask for money as you usually do. You worthless piece of trash.”

What? She wants me to ask for money like usual?

As expected of Kamon Vade, this idiot.

He had already established some connection with Diana Fren.

“What makes you think you can even mention our family’s vault? You’re not even part of the Vade family anymore. You’re just a commoner now. Huh?”

Diana put down her pipe roughly and scowled at me.

“I’m not sparing you because I’m scared of you. People around you keep praising you as a magical genius, so you think you’re something special?”

Damn it, what kind of relationship did Kamon Vade have with Diana, this lunatic?

I quickly waved my hands, trying to calm her down.

“Wait, I think there’s a misunderstanding…”

“Misunderstanding, my ass. Listen, everyone has basic lines they shouldn’t cross. Basic human decency. But you keep crossing those lines.”

“No, I didn’t mean…”

“Just shut up and get lost before I really kill you!”

Diana shouted with a fierce expression, then turned to the butler beside her.

“Clark, get him out of my sight.”

“…Yes, Miss.”

With her firm order, the young butler called Clark approached me with a few guards, grabbing my arms forcibly.

“Wait a minute!”

“Don’t resist. You’ll get hurt.”

Clark warned calmly, and I looked at Diana in disbelief.

“Diana, please listen to me… Damn it, really!”

“Stop now.”

“Let go of me! Let go!”

I struggled against the butler’s grip, but it was no use.

The guards who had approached from both sides held me firmly and started dragging me out of the mansion.

Thud!

Thrown out of ‘Petrine Forest’ by the guards’ rough hands, I stood there for a while, dazed.

“…”

I turned to look back at ‘Petrine Forest.’

Then I shouted.

“Why does everything go wrong like this?!”

Before I reincarnated, Kamon Vade seemed to have some sort of monetary relationship with Diana Fren.

Although I didn’t know exactly what kind of relationship it was, from the conversation, it was clear that Kamon Vade had behaved terribly.

‘This idiot must have been a real asshole, leveraging power he didn’t have.’

He had already piled up a mountain of karma with Diana Fren, a character you should never make an enemy of.

“You moron, you deserve to die!”

Of course, now Kamon Vade was me.

“Sigh, no, calm down. Getting angry won’t change anything… but still, damn it!”

No matter how I thought about it, this was just too much.

If Diana Fren was already my enemy, how was I supposed to survive this?

‘What kind of difficulty level is this? This isn’t ultra-hardcore hell mode.’

“Huh, hahaha.”

The more I thought about it, the more frustrated I became, leading to a bitter, angry laugh.

“No, no. It’s fine. It’s already happened.”

I tried to think positively.

The relationship with Diana Fren was irreparably bad.

And now, she was already engaged in the excavation work.

But I had knowledge of the original story.

“If we’re enemies anyway…”

I might as well take the first shot.

Of course, there was the risk that the original story could be distorted.

But.

“So what?”

In a situation where the relationship was beyond repair, was I just supposed to stand by and take it?

If I didn’t get the ‘Orb,’ I’d die.

“Now there’s only one way.”

Diana Fren was a character you should never make an enemy of.

But since she was already an enemy, it was better to thoroughly crush her.

So.

“The vault, I’ll take it all.”

I would get the ‘Orb’ with the ‘Mana Drain’ effect, solve my life-threatening problem, and regain my ability to use magic.

* * *

“Diana’s excavation is over 30% complete.”

“…She has hired quite a few mercenaries, and they will be deployed as soon as the entrance is found.”

“The number of people entering and leaving ‘Petrine Forest’ has increased. It seems to be at least three times more than before.”

“The main family has contacted us. They are very interested in this excavation…”

Amidst the flood of endless reports, a handsome man with the same silver hair as Diana’s shook his head and shouted.

“Enough, enough!”

At his outburst, those delivering the reports fell silent and bowed their heads.

“So, what you’re saying is we’re far behind Diana.”

“…”

“And, of all things, our father is paying attention to this.”

Elliot’s voice was weak as he questioned, and one of the servants nodded.

“Yes, sir.”

“Sigh.”

Thud!

Elliot slumped into an opulent chair adorned with luxurious silk and soft fur, burying his face in his hands.

“It’s over. Everything’s ruined.”

Muttering despairingly, he leaned back and rested his head against the chair.

“The successor of the Fren Guild and our family is Diana. There’s no way to beat her. What am I supposed to do? How can I ever defeat that monster?”

“……”

“……”

Compared to his younger sister Diana, Elliot lacked basic skills and achievements. He believed the successor competition was already hopeless.

“But the excavation of the first guild master’s vault isn’t finished yet. If we succeed in that first…”

“We’re already behind in the construction progress! How are we supposed to get it first?!”

Elliot snapped at the servant who was trying to comfort him.

“Get out. All of you, get out. I want to be alone.”

The servants who had been reporting to him quickly left the room as Elliot issued his dismissal order. Once they were gone, Elliot snapped his fingers.

Snap!

The lights in the office went out, plunging the room into darkness.

“Shit… Fuck.”

He slumped in his chair, feeling completely drained.

“Both the guild master’s position and the family head position are hers. It’s all over for me. I can’t compete with her.”

From a young age, Elliot had been locked in fierce competition with Diana, and he was filled with bitter defeat. He had always been manipulated and outwitted by her, leaving him psychologically broken by her dominance.

“It’s all Father’s fault. This is all because of him. I was the only legitimate heir, but he brought in that girl from God knows where and made us compete. How does that make sense?”

Elliot Fren and Diana Fren shared the same father but different mothers. Elliot was the only child of the legitimate wife, while Diana was the daughter of a concubine, a former slave.

Originally, the position of heir should have belonged solely to Elliot.

“A dirty slave’s bloodline continuing the family? Does that make sense? How can that be?”

But.

“…If I were Father, I might have done the same. She’s a monster. A crazy monster.”

At the same time, Elliot knew better than anyone how terrifying Diana was. Her abilities and ruthless nature were something he could never match. For the growth and development of the Fren family and the guild, there was no more suitable successor than her.

“Sigh.”

Elliot let out a deep, heavy sigh and nodded with a defeated expression.

“Yeah. It’s not so bad to step back this way instead of resisting and getting killed.”

He knew that Diana was someone who would not hesitate to take his life, regardless of any familial ties. For Elliot, it was a relief just to survive.

“If I stay alive, another opportunity might come someday. Who knows what could happen then…”

At that moment.

Bang!

The firmly closed door burst open, allowing a faint light to seep in.

“What the hell? I said I wanted to be alone… Huh?”

Step!

Through the light, a dark figure appeared.

“What… what is this?”

“……”

The shadow said nothing as it approached Elliot, who was hidden in the darkness of his office.

Step, step.

Elliot was naturally filled with fear by the stranger’s actions. His eyes widened in terror as he asked in a trembling voice.

“Wh-who are you?”

At the same time, the light from outside briefly illuminated the shadow’s face.

“……?!”

Recognizing the face, Elliot covered his mouth in shock and muttered.

“K-Kamon Vade?”

With an expressionless face, Kamon Vade walked briskly up to Elliot.

Step, step!

“Wh-what is this? Why are you here? Why now?”

“……”

Step, step!

Ignoring Elliot’s panicked questions, Kamon Vade continued to approach.

“Don’t come closer! Stay back! Damn it!”

Terrified, Elliot shouted, his voice filled with panic.

At that moment.

Swish!

Kamon Vade’s hand appeared in front of Elliot’s eyes.

And then.

“Elliot Fren.”

In a low voice, Kamon Vade called his name.

“You’re still in the succession battle, right?”

“Huh?”

With a twisted smile that reached his ears, Kamon Vade’s face reflected in Elliot’s eyes.

“Then I’ll make you the head of the family, Elliot.”

“What… what did you say?”

“So let’s do a job together.”