I Want To Save the Academy Time-Limited Madman

118 – 9. How to Win Against Monsters (46) – Vivian.

“I wish they’d all just die.”

Teenage Ludwig Persia Vivian was a cynical person.

Born as the daughter of a prominent family, she was sharp-witted. Vivian had been eavesdropping on the stories of servants since she was young, hearing all sorts of dirty secrets.

As she grew older, she directly confronted various human specimens. Her values began to take shape then.

Humans were monsters that harmed others with their hypocritical masks and ugly true nature.

Everyone had something they hated. For Ludwig Persia Vivian, it was humans.

There were those who pretended to be humble and pure on the surface but were actually monsters. They were called nobles.

Those who flattered and pretended to be loyal to their masters but actually held knives were monsters. They were called slaves.

Those who got caught in the middle and harmed others, vulnerable to manipulation, were monsters. They were called citizens.

“Then, almost no one is not a monster.”

In the end, most people were concluded to be monsters. From then on, Vivian’s life was a series of “distinctions.”

That kid harms others without remorse, so they’re a monster.

That person killed someone, so they’re a monster.

That person deceived and exploited others, so they’re a monster.

That person ignored and abandoned their terminally ill mother, so they’re a monster.

As she watched the news with a expressionless face, making distinctions, the day would soon pass. When she finished making distinctions, she would always mutter a sentence like a habit.

“I wish all monsters would just die.”

Extreme values led to extreme conclusions.

“Unnie, I learned how to ride a horse today! I rode for 2 minutes! Did I do well, did I do well?”

“Our Luna is so cute!”

“Heh! Unnie, you’re holding me too tight, let go, let go…”

“I hate it. I’ll be like this with Luna for the rest of my life!”

Although she divided people into two categories, she deeply loved her family. Precious people were always exceptions. Vivian thought so.

She wanted to become someone who could win against monsters. Since Vivian didn’t have the power to do so, she chose to act.

To survive in a society where monsters ruled, she needed to hide herself. Human Vivian would thoroughly hide her true self so that they would never know her true intentions.

With that resolve, she flipped through the newspaper, sipping her coffee with three sugars, which was tasteless.

…

Years passed, and she became the student council president of a prestigious academy. As time passed, her values underwent a significant change.

“Ugh, ugh, ugh… I’m so embarrassed… Why did I do that?!”

The perfect student council president, who showed a perfect image to everyone, banged her head on the desk, an act that only happened when she was alone.

“What’s a ‘monster’ and what’s a ‘human’… Anyway, this damn adolescence is the problem!! Why was I so stupid? Why did I judge people solely based on black and white?! Ah, this is ridiculous…”

After entering Beatus Academy, Vivian’s values changed rapidly as she made many good friends.

From being a lonely, disease-ridden outsider with middle school syndrome, she became a compassionate and praised student council president!

“Absolutely no one must know about my past. It’s as if it never existed. That’s right, Vivian.”

She looked at Luna’s photo to calm her mind and regain her composure as the perfect student council president.

“Hehehe, no one saw that, right…?”

Vivian, worried that someone might have seen her, sneakily glanced out the student council room window.

Someone was there.

“……”

Vivian almost lost her breath under the cold, piercing gaze of the young man with exceptionally beautiful black hair.

Objectively and subjectively, he was extremely handsome.

It wouldn’t be bad to appreciate this boy’s face, but there was a pressing issue to resolve first.

With a bright smile, Vivian, in her perfect student council president mode, raised her hand and spoke.

“Hello? Did you hear something?”

“What are you talking about?”

The boy tilted his head, looking puzzled. Good, Vivian! The heavens still haven’t abandoned you.

With a sigh of relief, she continued, “Nothing. You’re a new student, right? What brings you to the student council?”

“I heard a strange noise and came to take a look.”

“Eh~. It seems our friend has poor hearing! We definitely cast a soundproofing spell, but I wonder if you heard more?”

“That crude magic can’t block my hearing. If you heard more, then…”

“If you heard more, then??”

“A monster?”

“That’s right~. Hehehe.”

Student Council President Vivian didn’t flinch. She maintained her smiling face and quietly closed the door.

Then, she reinforced the night silence magic and whispered softly.

“Haulran Dias… was written, right? Haulran Dias. You have to stay by my side from now on.”

She barely held onto her shattered mental state and thought of ways to keep the boy.

Of course, Dias heard everything. It seemed like a troublesome situation was unfolding.

.

“Are you the new student Dias? Oh, you’re really handsome! Your black hair is really cool~ Do you want to join the student council? I’m the president.”

“Get lost.”

“Dias, I’m here! Are you not going to join the student council this time?”

“I’m busy.”

“Dias, I’m here again!”

“You’re not listening, so I can’t persuade you logically. I’ll leave you alone.”

“Dias!”

“Seriously.”

“Magpie, I’m here again! Let’s eat together today.”

“…..”

For over a month, she clung to the boy, and even she thought it was quite persistent.

“Hmm. I’ve talked to him about ten times today. If I keep this up, I’ll be able to make him a student council member soon. I’ll just have to persuade him not to talk about the secret when the time comes.”

She clenched her fist, reaffirming her determination. She was going to make him hers within this week, no matter what.

To be honest, the secret didn’t seem that important anymore. Time had already passed, and rumors hadn’t spread, so it seemed like Dias didn’t have any intention of talking.

What had grown instead was her pride.

After becoming the student council president, there wasn’t a single student who wasn’t friendly towards Vivian. Except for that boy she had just met.

If you summarized Vivian’s psychology, it would be like this:

Will you reject me even if I do this? Will you not accept me even if I do this? Ha. I’ll never give up, so you should know that. I don’t know, just accept me quickly.

She, who showed a perfect image to everyone, was actually just an ordinary student with a childish mindset.

The reason Vivian was clinging to Dias wasn’t just because of her pride.

“It’s because he’s similar to my past self, so I can’t just leave him alone.”

This was the conclusion she had reached after stalking, no, observing him for a few weeks.

He didn’t open up to others. He rejected everyone who approached him and ignored them.

Just like how she used to think of humans as monsters in the past.

The reason Vivian had changed was because she had formed new relationships. She also wanted to open up Dias’s closed heart.

This was sympathy.

“Now that I think about it, I’ve only been reading books related to curses… Maybe I can try talking to him about that once?”

She took out the keyword related to curses, trying to persuade the boy.

It worked.

This had worked.

Dias was now her faithful coworker, or rather, her loyal servant.

.

After entering the student council, the magpie worked diligently, beyond expectations.

On days when they had to work late, they would often be left alone, chatting about trivial things, which had become a sort of routine.

When they got bored while working, Vivian would talk to the magpie and tease him.

The magpie would respond with a annoyed tone, and they would continue.

Back to work.

Repeat.

Others might think it was strange, but it was a very satisfying daily routine.

She felt how precious it was to have someone to talk to while working.

Around that time, Vivian reevaluated her opinion of Dias.

She had thought he was someone similar to her past self, but he was actually much better. The fact that she had managed to make him hers was incredibly impressive.

He had a talent for making her feel at ease.

The student council president, who easily played the perfect role in front of others, had transformed into Vivian, who played and joked around with the magpie. Even if it wasn’t genuine, it was still the same.

The reactions she got when she teased him were also fun, and when they talked, she would deliberately prolong the conversation to hear more.

The skilled actress thought this was also a kind of acting. The magpie was someone similar to her, so she had to take care of him, out of a shallow sense of sympathy.

She looked at Dias’s focused face as he worked. A focused man looked handsome. This was a universal law that transcended time and space.

Suddenly, Vivian thought.

Am I acting right now?

Vivian closed her eyes, thinking.

Maybe it wasn’t an act after all.

Every time I look at my diary, I burst into laughter due to conditioned reflex, and my eyes curve upwards. It’s not a skilled performance, but perhaps.

Every time I talk to my diary, I feel this sympathy, perhaps.

Perhaps this feeling is not sympathy, but a different kind of emotion that I’ve never experienced before.

“What’s up?”

She let out a slight laugh and immediately denied the possibility.

It was much later that Vivian realized her true feelings.