NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7
Chapter 7
Lying on the old dormitory bed, I stared blankly at the ceiling, recalling what had happened earlier.
– “…Well, this is just what has been officially proven, so it’s probably not everything. Take care, Mr. Kamon.”
Before I left the room, the maid supervisor exhaled a thick cloud of cigarette smoke and told me that.
“Yeah, I guess. No way that a heinous bastard like him wouldn’t do worse things, right?”
But still.
‘Isn’t this a bit too much, no matter how you look at it?’
Of course, I understand that the contents of this world might differ slightly from what I read in the novel.
But this goes beyond just a slight difference.
“Ah, this is driving me crazy.”
What was the author thinking, depicting this guy as a pathetic third-rate villain?
“Ah, who cares? That’s why the novel was a flop!”
I kicked the bed and vented my emotions for a while, then muttered again, feeling deflated.
“Should I just run away?”
Rather than risking my life here…
Couldn’t I make a living outside by selling something or doing manual labor?
No, wait, I have the knowledge of a modern 21st-century person.
Soap, explosives, hot springs, steelmaking, generators, etc.
I can’t follow every cliché of a fantasy possession story.
But I can imitate them… right?
“No, no way.”
Why should I leave here?
They feed me, give me a place to sleep, and I can stay safe and comfortable here. Why leave on my own?
Since I’ve come this far, I should endure till the end.
“Yeah, damn it. What’s the worst that could happen? I just die, right?”
I really considered that possibility.
What if I’m suddenly attacked while staying here?
For someone who has built up such a history of evil and grudges, I could get killed by a sword or magic while walking down the street.
Moreover, I’ve been demoted from a noble to a commoner now.
“Then I’ll just die.”
Though I said that, I was actually calculating quite coldly inside.
‘Even so, Kamon Vade’s infamy and fear must still be alive. Maybe because of that, they won’t easily harm me.’
That means…
“I must become the perfect Kamon Vade.”
Of course, I don’t mean to commit the same evil deeds, but I have to maintain at least the minimum level of infamy and image that Kamon currently has.
“Alright, Kamon Vade.”
I don’t know how I ended up possessing your body.
‘But from now on, I will truly live as you!’
And right now.
“I should stay inside as much as possible and hide safely. There’s no need to take unnecessary risks.”
Living as Kamon Vade is one thing, but I also need to maintain my current life.
I’m definitely not staying inside out of fear.
Really, I’m not…!
* * *
Thud!
After wandering around the academy, I returned to my dorm room and quickly took off the oversized coat.
“Yeah, this is it.”
Thunk!
“The basics of survival are scavenging.”
In my hand was warm steak and bread wrapped in paper.
“How much experience do I have with survival games?”
X-Ground, X-Ease, X-Out, X-Str, and many more that I can’t count with just my fingers.
This should be enough to last for a few days.
Chomp, chomp!
‘…As long as the ceiling doesn’t suddenly collapse while I’m sleeping.’
Seeing the still precarious state of the room, I sighed and muttered.
“Alright, let’s fix everything while I’m at it.”
Tap, tap!
Rumble, rumble!
Bang, bang!
In preparation for any unforeseen situations, I gathered some materials from outside the dormitory and finished repairing the room.
“Phew, now it feels a bit more livable!”
Plop!
As I threw myself onto the bed.
Creak.
Though there was a slight off-key noise, it no longer sounded like it would collapse at any moment.
“Done….”
Having finished all the repairs and cleaning, I lay down on the bed and looked around with a satisfied expression.
On the right bookshelf, neatly packed bread was stacked.
On the desk in front, though not visible, each drawer was filled with boxes of cookies and chocolate bars.
And in the wardrobe…
“Uh, I need to get more dry ice.”
Sterilized juice and milk bottles were placed, along with a container of dry ice I had stolen from the herbal lab, emitting white vapor.
Unexpected gains I found while wandering around the academy, looking for things to stock up on.
“Heh heh heh.”
A smile, no, a laugh naturally burst out.
All this was the result of my decision to live quietly and unnoticed in my room.
‘Quite a lot has happened.’
From sneaking steaks and bread from the cafeteria.
To smuggling dry ice and ice from the lab, and stealing clothes that wouldn’t easily reveal my identity while wandering around.
Even pilfering supplies like tissues, shampoo, and soap.
“Just looking at it makes me feel proud. It feels really solid!”
Half a year, no, a year? Maybe I could last until graduation from the academy?
“As long as I’m not kicked out, that is.”
Anyway, I felt like I had finally found something proactive I could do.
“Canned food would have been nice too… well, it’s greedy to expect everything from the start.”
Even if there were parts that were lacking right now, there was no need to be impatient. With that thought in mind, I soon got up and stood in front of a broken mirror I had found somewhere.
‘Raise your chin a bit more, look down on them… Curl the corners of your mouth just slightly, to look as sneering as possible!’
Yeah, that’s it.
Taking on a posture that exuded contempt and disdain, I opened my mouth.
“How dare a commoner… No, how dare a mere noble…”
I felt like I might go crazy from the sheer cringe of it.
No, I have to bear it and try again!
“Foolish people. Just die al… Kgh.”
Ugh, I can’t do it.
“Dammit, how do people actually do this?”
Thud!
Shouting like that, I threw myself back onto the bed.
“Actors are really amazing.”
Just as I was starting to feel a newfound respect for professional actors,
Knock, knock.
“Hmm?”
There was a knock on my closed door.
What? Did I hear wrong?
Knock, knock.
There was another knock.
‘Who, who is it?’
Was there someone who would come looking for me?
‘No, no one. Just don’t answer.’
Pretend I’m not here.
If they think the room is empty, they’ll leave soon. There’s no need to invite trouble, right?
Knock, knock.
“Mr. Kamon, please open the door.”
…What?
It was a very familiar voice.
“I know you’re in there. Open the door.”
Isn’t this the maid supervisor’s voice?
Clatter, creak!
As soon as I opened the door, the maid supervisor, holding something that looked quite heavy in one hand, smiled and greeted me.
“Hello, Mr. Kamon. Were you doing something? It took you a while to open the door.”
“What brings you here? All of a sudden?”
“I have some messages to deliver from Professor Delon, among other things.”
“What? Professor Delon?”
“First, take this.”
Thud!
“A letter?”
“Yes, letters from the professors addressed to you, Mr. Kamon.”
Letters from the professors to me?
Why all of a sudden?
“By the way, Professor Delon said that if you don’t attend the dungeon studies class tomorrow, he will fail you. He’s angry that you haven’t shown up since your suspension ended.”
“What?”
Classes? Failing? Suspension ended?
What am I hearing?
“The content of those letters is probably the same as what Professor Delon said.”
“Wait, hold on.”
I interrupted the maid supervisor and asked her to clarify.
“So, you’re saying my suspension has ended?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“When?”
“Didn’t you receive the suspension termination notice?”
“What? Termination notice?”
“I heard that your suspension ended last week. No, it definitely ended.”
Huh?
My suspension ended last week already?
“I believe it was eased because of the forced eviction from Elijah Hall. The punishment was very severe after all.”
“…Why?”
“Pardon?”
“I mean, why did they suddenly reduce the punishment?”
“…?”
The maid supervisor tilted her head and looked at me.
“Isn’t it good that the punishment was reduced? But why…”
“It’s, it’s too… great. I’ve been waiting, but why are you telling me this now? Hahaha.”
I quickly gave an awkward laugh and answered.
“Yes, it’s a bit strange. Usually, in such cases, the student council or the administrative office would send someone directly to notify you…”
Trailing off, she shrugged as if it didn’t matter.
“Anyway, you know you’ve been marked as absent without leave for two days now, right?”
“Absenteeism?”
“Yes, absenteeism.”
“Wait a minute. I didn’t get the termination notice, and now you’re marking me as absent? How is that fair?”
“You should probably take that up with the administrative office or the dean’s office, not me.”
The maid supervisor continued with her business.
“If you miss tomorrow’s class, you might actually fail.”
Creak.
As if she had said everything she needed to, she started to close the door but then added,
“Oh, just so you know, if you fail one more subject this semester, you’ll be expelled.”
“What?”
“You seem to like asking questions repeatedly, Mr. Kamon. Well then, I’ll be going now.”
Thud!
“…”
What is this?
If I don’t attend, I’ll fail, and if I fail even one more subject, I’ll be expelled?
“Ah, seriously… Calm down, let’s think, no, let’s organize first.”
I quickly opened the letters from the other professors that had been delivered to me.
As expected, the contents were similar to what the maid supervisor had said.
“Damn it. Just when I thought I was getting used to things!”
In a situation where the world wouldn’t leave me alone even if I didn’t want to go outside, I gritted my teeth and muttered.
“Should I just barge in? Yeah, that’s it. I have to charge in.”
Careful judgment and situation analysis?
Forget it, what’s the use of that now?
“If I don’t attend classes right now, I’ll be kicked out of the academy.”
Maybe this is a better opportunity for me.
“This might be for the best. I should learn magic or swordsmanship or something.”
I did study a bit in my school days. This is an academy after all, how hard could it be to learn something?
Right?