How To Live As An Academy Extra Villain

✦ Chapter 108 ✦

「Translator – Creator」

The day after the duel concluded, I made time to visit the academy’s infirmary. While the wounds I sustained had healed quickly, there was another matter I needed to address.

The infirmary wasn’t far from the training grounds. Following a winding path through the forest, I soon emerged into a bright, open clearing. Lush deciduous trees surrounded the area, and birds flew to and from a nearby pond, stopping to drink. It was truly a place where one could feel their body and mind begin to heal just by being there.

The infirmary itself was a simple log cabin, its walls constructed from rough logs and its roof thatched with bark. I approached the wooden door, set between round windows, straightened my appearance, and knocked twice on the door handle.

Knock— Knock—

“Come in,” a faint voice of permission drifted from beyond the door.

As I opened the creaking door and stepped inside, I saw a woman in a gray gown with her back turned, preoccupied with something; her long beige hair was tied back haphazardly as she shook a potion bottle, exuding an air of intense scholarly focus.

“Yes, what brings you… Oh my.”

“Greetings, Lady Tespira.”

Upon hearing my footsteps, the woman spun around in her seat. Seeing me, she wore an expression of surprise, as if my visit was unexpected.

Tespira Eldin was the academy’s healer. Though she appeared to be in her twenties, rumors suggested her true age was at least two or three times that. Occasionally, some students would boldly attempt to uncover the truth, only to return with ashen faces. As a result, no one knew the truth.

Once renowned as the continent’s finest healer, Tespira now served as the academy’s resident healer at Principal Evangeline’s request. In exchange, she had gained the right to freely explore all of the academy’s restricted areas. She had an insatiable thirst for researching rare medicinal herbs, and the academy’s grounds, heavy with ambient mana, provided the perfect environment for such plants to thrive.

While this was my first encounter with her, I felt a sense of familiarity, as Tespira had also appeared in Eugene’s stories, tending to his wounds.

For magical afflictions or relatively shallow injuries, holy power was often sufficient, but for serious or life-threatening wounds, a more fundamental healing approach was still required. This was why healers still existed despite the widespread presence of priests.

“Hmm… I see. And what brings our student here today? You don’t seem to be injured…?”

Tespira muttered skeptically. Perhaps she thought I had come to inquire about her age? The way she licked her lips sent a shiver down my spine.

“My body is fine, but… do you also offer treatment for mental ailments?”

“Oh my, and here I thought… Come, have a seat.”

Tespira’s eyes widened at my words. She pulled out a chair, placed it in front of her, and patted it invitingly.

As I approached and sat down, she handed me a steaming cup of tea.

“Drink this. It’s brewed from cornflowers, excellent for calming the mind and body.”

“Thank you.”

“And you’ve come to the right place. A person’s mind is just as important as their body, if not more so. Those who don’t understand simply dismiss it as weakness. There’s no shame in seeking help.”

Tespira’s words suggested that few sought treatment for mental issues at the infirmary. In truth, even I wouldn’t have considered visiting the infirmary for this reason before my encounter with the Nightmare Demon. If the healer back then hadn’t mentioned the term ‘mental illness,’ I would still be in that state of denial.

I recounted to Tespira the symptoms I had been experiencing — the intense emotions and thoughts that would involuntarily surge forth whenever I encountered certain individuals or situations, the Nightmare Demon attack in the south, and the words of the healer who had treated me at that time.

“My goodness, you’ve been through quite an ordeal. A Nightmare Demon, no less…”

Tespira’s expression turned grave as she listened to my account.

“From what you’ve told me, there are certainly some unusual aspects to your case. Had there been any other incidents beforehand? Anything that might have caused you significant distress…?”

“Well…”

As I hesitated to answer, Tespira gently placed her hand over mine, offering reassurance.

“It’s alright. I never disclose my patients’ personal matters. I’ll even take a Seal of Silence if that would make you more comfortable.”

“…No, that won’t be necessary. Well then…”

While I wasn’t entirely comfortable sharing my experiences, it seemed better than leaving empty-handed after coming this far.

I eventually disclosed the rest of my experiences to Tespira — I explained that I had undergone a sudden personality change one day, and that the symptoms had begun shortly thereafter. I mentioned that I had felt a surge of emotions when I witnessed a soldier being devoured by the troll and when I stabbed a ruffian in Drakton. 

As I spoke, Tespira’s eyes filled with sympathy.

However, I refrained from revealing details about my past life memories, my efforts to escape the grim future, my encounter with the necromancer, and so on.

“My goodness…” After listening to my account, Tespira rested her chin on her hand and fell into deep thought, “I see. I think I’m starting to understand. Just a moment…”

She nodded and leaned closer to me, placing her hand gently on my forehead. I felt a warmth and a tingling sensation as mana flowed into me from her fingertips.

“Tsk tsk… the colors are all drained out… so dull and lifeless…”

Tespira, her eyes closed, suddenly frowned.

“Could you elaborate, please?”

“It seems like you’re suppressing your emotions excessively. It’s a common symptom among those who have faced overwhelming adversity. A survival instinct, if you will.”

Frankly, I didn’t quite understand her words. I felt I was experiencing a full range of emotions — anger towards Eugene, joy around Adele. 

But when I raised my doubts, Tespira simply shook her head dismissively.

“It’s not quite like that. It’s more fundamental than that… you wouldn’t understand even if I explained, so just know that much. Now, to delve deeper into your inner…”

The tingling sensation from Tespira’s hand intensified. After channeling mana for a while, she suddenly tilted her head, puzzled, “I can’t seem to access it… have you ever trained in mental barriers?”

“I’m only a first-year, so not yet…”

“Is that so? Then perhaps it’s innate? This is quite fascinating. Alright, I understand. Let’s try a different approach.”

Tespira removed her hand from my forehead and rose from her seat to retrieve a small box. With a click, she opened the box, revealing a stack of worn cards. She took out the cards, shuffled it once, and spread them out on the table. The constellations on the backs of the cards seemed to writhe and stir as if alive.

“I’m going to read your stars. I need to understand your inner self before creating a potion. That way, I can prescribe the most accurate treatment for your symptoms.”

“I’m sorry, but is this really accurate? It seems like fortune-telling…”

“Fortune-telling? This is a method based on statistics! If you’re skeptical, let’s do a test. Let’s see… yes, you’re at the peak of your virility, so let’s take a look at your romantic relationships.”

“Romantic relationships…?”

“Yes. Are you curious about your current situation? Or what lies ahead?”

“…Then let’s see what lies ahead…”

“Alright. Pick any card you want from the front.”

Tespira gestured towards the spread of cards on the table. Following her instructions, I randomly selected a card and flipped it over.

The card’s face depicted a moving image — a man was lying in a thorny thicket, entangled by several snakes; the snakes were tightly wrapped around his limbs, their heads writhing and snapping at each other.

“Um…?”

With my limited knowledge, I couldn’t decipher the meaning at all. I turned to Tespira for an interpretation, but she was staring blankly at the card, her face pale as a sheet.

“…Goodness me. I’ve never seen such a tangled and complicated relationship before. You’re in for a rough ride. With this kind of reading, it wouldn’t be surprising if someone dies…”

“Are you sure this is accurate? I don’t have any romantic entanglements at all.”

“The stars never lie. I can stake my life on this, even if I’m not sure about anything else. My dear, please be cautious. Just because you’re good-looking doesn’t mean you should be so… promiscuous.”

“……………..”

Tespira reiterated her assertion after hearing my question.

“Satisfied with the verification? Now, I’m going to delve into your inner self. Draw three cards consecutively, as you wish.”

Although I remained skeptical, I had no alternative. At Tespira’s gesture, the backs of the cards turned blue in an instant.

The first card I drew depicted a jar overflowing with gold coins. The bottom of the jar was cracked, and coins were spilling out through the gap.

“Greed, I see,” Tespira murmured. “Not just ordinary desire. Once you grasp something, you never let go — truly the maw of an insatiable demon.”

I flipped over the next card. This time, I was greeted by the image of a howling wolf with blood-stained fangs. At its feet lay a severed human head.

“Ferocity,” she continued. “The willingness to trample others and bring them to their knees to achieve one’s goals.”

I turned over the final card. It showed a woman wearing a broken wooden mask, tears streaming down her face.

“Deception,” Tespira concluded. “You harbor secrets of the world but share them with no one. You’re like a mute, unable to speak what you see.”

Once all three cards were revealed, Tespira gathered them and tucked them back into the box. She turned to me and asked, “What do you think?”

“…Honestly, it doesn’t sound very promising. Deception is one thing, but greed and ferocity…”

“Well, that’s up to each individual to decide. And desire isn’t inherently bad. It can be channeled in different directions depending on your actions.”

“But even if I say so myself, I don’t think my personality aligns with greed and ferocity…”

“That’s how it appears to me as well. But the stars reflect your inner self. You mentioned that your personality changed drastically after a significant shock, right? That could be the cause of the symptoms you described.”

Tespira rose from her seat and approached the area where the potion bottles were stored. She lit a lamp, brought water to a boil, and began working with her hands.

“Uncontrollable emotions often stem from a discord between one’s inner and outer selves. It’s not uncommon. Some people experience a disconnect when their personality doesn’t align with their destined star.”

“What happens if it’s left untreated?”

“It won’t kill you, but if the disconnect becomes too severe, it could lead to mental breakdown. Considering the state of your colors, it’s not a risk worth taking…”

“…………….”

“Don’t worry too much. You came here at the perfect time. I’ll concoct a suitable potion for you.”

After mixing dried herbs and powdered substances, she simmered the mixture for a while, resulting in a liquid that took on a deep purple hue. Tespira cooled the liquid, poured it into a cup, and handed it to me.

“Drink up.”

The liquid tasted like a bittersweet berry. I gulped it down and waited, but I didn’t notice any immediate changes.

“…I don’t feel any different…”

“Of course not. It’s a potion that regulates the psychological aspect. Each time you drink this, it will help bridge the gap between your unconscious and conscious mind. It will also release the dam on your suppressed emotions, allowing you to embrace them more honestly and naturally than before. Again, desire isn’t inherently bad. Just be mindful of yourself.”

After a brief exchange, I left Tespira’s cabin. She had prepared a few more bottles of the potion for me and instructed me to avoid situations that might trigger emotional outbursts for the next two to three hours after taking it.

* * * * *

Today was a day when both the sun and moon shone in the sky simultaneously. It was also considered an auspicious day in the Holy Kingdom.

A multitude of people streamed through the academy’s main gate. Under the strict guard of holy knights, several priests with deeply drawn robes carefully carried a long box.

At the forefront of the procession was a woman in white clerical robes, her face veiled. Her hair shimmered silver, and through the gaps in her veil, piercing blue eyes occasionally flashed. All who beheld her solemn presence were struck speechless.

The Wheels of Fate had begun to turn in earnest.

— End of Chapter —

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