How To Live As An Academy Extra Villain

✦ Chapter 110 – Expression (1) ✦

「Translator – Creator」

The Holy Sword Ceremony concluded with Eugene raising the sword. At the same time, with the selection of the Hero, the Academy announced a new operational policy.

Henceforth, all duels and practical exercises at the Academy would be conducted with an emphasis on practicality. —Professor Cedric had grumbled days earlier that the recent duel was a pioneering learning experience, but was soon suppressed by Professor Melissa, who warned that there was a procedure for everything. —Additionally, the Academy notified each family and student that this approach might result in unexpected injuries or even fatalities.

Surprisingly, the backlash was not as great as one might think. Accidents had occurred occasionally before, and anyone with an ear to the ground was aware of the circulating rumors of chaos. The Academy’s new educational approach would be more helpful than anything else in getting through such things.

Apart from that, however, things were not much different from before. The time of the prophecy appointed by the Saintess had not yet come. The Hero was still a student, and there was still a mountain of things he had to learn to grow.

Eugene attended classes as usual and, with the second semester’s commencement, began his duties on the student council. A gleaming leaf fragment necklace adorned his neck constantly.

“…Sigh…”

“…? Cecila, why are you looking at me like that?”

“I have a headache…”

Cecila, seated beside me, kept sighing while gazing at me. Her demeanor seemed uncharacteristically heavy, strikingly different from her usual cheerful self. Dark circles, barely concealed by makeup, were evident beneath her pale blue eyes.

“Sigh…”

“If you have a problem with me, why don’t you just say it?”

Unable to bear it any longer, I spoke up. The sighing ceased, but Cecila now pressed her lips tightly shut.

“Oh, for heaven’s sake…”

As always, the classroom was bustling during break time. In particular, the area around Eugene was even more crowded than before.

Conversely, a considerable number of people viewed this scene with disdain. Despite days passing since Eugene’s selection as the Hero, many still refused to accept him. Their reasons varied — personal jealousy, political circumstances, and so on. No matter how great a destiny one carried, it was not possible to be admired by everyone.

Another hot topic was the matter of his companions; the prophecy limited the qualifications to be a companion of the Hero to those born after the Year of the Thorn Tree, and naturally, many students from the first and second grades, excluding the third grade, were on the list of candidates.

The consensus was that the party would consist of 7 members, to match the number 7, which symbolized the Gods, and it was generally agreed that the number of people would be selected to match this time as well. People were getting excited, each thinking of who the five people would be?

Of course, the remaining one place other than the Hero was firmly occupied by the Saintess.

On the other hand, there were also a considerable number of people who were excited about becoming his companion. And most of them were willing to risk danger for their own purposes — wealth, honor, or both. Once you were recognized as a companion of the Hero, anything desired seemed within reach.

“So then… Claudia and… Senior Austin…”

“Hey! Keep your voice down! Everyone can hear you.”

Behind me, two female students were giggling, exchanging gossip — it was another topic that the students were as passionate about as the story of the hero’s companion.

“My goodness… There are so many… Can he handle them all…?”

“He seems confident… Why? Want to get in line?”

“Are you crazy, girl? For that commoner…”

“Ouch! Julie, it’s just a joke!”

I heard a ‘thud’ sound echoing from behind my back. The strange rumor stemmed from one fact — there were only two cases where polygamy was allowed in the empire, and one of them was the tradition of being the Hero.

Those words aren’t entirely baseless nonsense either. In fact, most of the people who have been hanging out with Eugene recently have been female students, by coincidence.

The girls behind me listed several names — Patricia and Claudia, who had recognized Eugene’s potential and supported him early on; Leta, the merchant’s daughter who had aided Eugene both materially and emotionally; Selene, who had been his friend since childhood, and several other names.

I suddenly realized just how many there were. Judging by the fact that I was even familiar with the names of people I don’t know, it seems clear that these were the supporting heroines of the story that I knew. Could he physically handle that number?

Probably not. There were definitely one or two people who only appeared a couple of times and then never appeared in the story…

Occasionally, talk turned to the Saintess, who hadn’t been seen publicly since the Holy Sword Ceremony. The Saintess was assigned to Class A, but none of the students in Class-A had seen her, and she had become a figure of rumor, just like the First Princess.

“Ugh… how annoying… why am I…”

Cecila mumbled something before burying her face in her desk.

* * * * *

Suddenly, I remembered that I hadn’t been to the library once in the second semester. Surely Senior Efania had threatened me that I would have to come to the library at least twice a week in the second semester.

“Junior… isn’t it a bit too long since your last visit…? I almost forgot your face…”

“…I’m sorry…”

As soon as I entered the library, I was cornered by a tall female student. The intimidation emanating from her purple eyes was overwhelming.

“How long has it been since the semester started…? And you’re only coming now…? Hmm…?”

“I’m sorry… Things have been chaotic lately… You know, right?”

“…Hmph.”

When I brought up the matter of the Hero’s selection, her momentum faltered. She let me go, but she still pouted and showed signs of being displeased.

“Hero… hero, huh… sigh…”

Even from that brief utterance, I could sense her negative sentiment towards the situation.

I thought she wouldn’t be very interested in world affairs, but surprisingly, Senior Efania also seemed to be one of those who didn’t like the current situation very much. On the other hand, it was a bit strange.

Senior Efania said she was from a northern family, so did she have anything to do with Eugene or the central aristocrats that would make them rub each other the wrong way?

“…Junior. Do you regret it?”

“Regret what?”

“Not being chosen as the Hero. Didn’t you try to lift the sword too? To be honest, I thought you might be the one.”

“What are you saying…? I actually think it’s fortunate. How could I handle such a huge responsibility?”

“Yes… it is fortunate… indeed…”

Efania pondered for a moment, her hand on her chin; then she turned back to me with a bright smile, her previous negativity completely vanished.

“For a moment, I thought you came to lament about not being able to form a harem!”

“Why would I regret something like that…?”

“By the way, Junior. Have you decided which club to join this semester?”

“I’m still thinking about it…”

Efania’s words were definitely one of the things I had been thinking about lately. There was nothing like a club to help people with similar interests and goals. Most of the close connections were also centered around clubs.

Estelle said she would let me into her group, but it was not officially recognized as a club by the academy because it only admitted members from prestigious families.

And since freshmen are required to join at least one club by the second semester at the latest, I had to find another club to put my name on.

“…I hate to say this myself, but how about our reading club? It’s quite nice, you know? It’s quiet, and I think you and I would get along well.”

“…I’ll think about it a little more. I still have some time left.”

“…Tch. Playing hard to get, are we? I even prepared the paperwork, so all you have to do is stamp it…”

“…I think it would be better to put it on hold for now. How’s your family doing these days? I heard you were having a hard time for a while.”

“…Not bad. There’s a very kind-hearted man named Kida who’s been helping me out.”

Efania gave me her characteristic enigmatic smile.

* * * * *

“Here. Take this.”

“What is this…?”

“A gift.”

In a moonlit clearing in the woods. I was meeting Selene today. When I handed her something wrapped in paper, her eyes widened.

Selene untied the string that wrapped the paper with an expression full of anticipation.

“Is this…?”

She asked cautiously as she recognized the gift. I nodded in response.

What she held was a wand about the length of my forearm. Though it appeared to be wood at first glance, its strength was incomparably robust. Adorned with grapevines and laurel leaves along its length, it exuded an air of luxury.

“Oh my… it’s so beautiful…”

Selene exclaimed in admiration. But soon after, she looked at me with an uncertain tone.

“But it looks too nice… I don’t think I should accept it…”

“Just take it. It only looks fancy, but it’s just a decent wand. I bought it along with mine. We’ll need wands now, after all.”

The wand I gave Selene was one of the items I’d acquired while traveling the South before coming to the Academy. I had intended to give it to her when weapon carrying was permitted in the second year, but the Academy’s curriculum reform had advanced that timeline.

Although not a crucial item, it was still superior to any wand currently available in the market.

There was no harm in adding a few more gifts while I was at it.

“But still…”

“Okay then. I’ll just give it to someone else…”

“…Who else?”

Despite it being the onset of a sultry summer, I felt a sudden chill. As I made a gesture to take the wand back, Selene, contrary to her words, gripped it tightly.

“…I was just kidding. You kept refusing, so I said that. So, you’ll accept it, right?”

“Ah…”

Her expression turned sheepish as she lowered her head; then, in a voice as small as an ant’s, she murmured.

“…Thank you… I’m always receiving from you… even though I don’t do anything in return…”

“I told you not to say things like that… It makes me more embarrassed when you make a big deal out of small things…”

“Hee…”

Selene had seemed down lately. When I asked why, she would just shake her head with a weak smile. Just like now. Part of why I gave her the gift was to cheer her up…

After a long silence with her head bowed, she spoke again.

“Um… Edwin…”

“What is it? Did something happen?”

“…I might… get engaged to Eugene…”

The moment I heard Selene’s bombshell announcement, my body froze in place.

Notes :-

지팡이였다 can mean both Staff and Wand. I have used ‘Wand’ for the time being because it was the size of Edwin’s forearm.

— End of Chapter —

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