How to Survive as a Villain in a Novel

20 – Secret Passageway

Sun-ayeon, who had realized how nonsensical she had sounded, hastily tried to recover.

“It’s not that I really want to die… I just mean there’s a place that’s so good you could die!”

“It’s too late, lass.”

“Go with me to this wonderful place, okay?”

The reason she kept trying to drag me along was simple.

If things were as they were originally set, her attack power right now would be pathetic. She was trapped in a corner of the podium, and all she had learned was how to pass her tremendous holy power to Pa Anna Kirina.

‘It would be a different story if we were in the Sanctuary of the Aris.’

In other words, unless I was dragged into the Sanctuary of Aris – which supposedly exists somewhere in Orbis – and offered as a sacrifice, this life-form that was following me around sluggishly was not much of a threat.

“I pray to the holy Aris…”

Wait a minute.

Why is she suddenly praying…

A substantial current of ki gathered and coalesced in Sun-ayeon’s palm.

A lump that I could sense without even looking closely.

“I’ll give you something delicious if you follow me, okay?”

“……”

That lump of holy power.

It should be better than most spiritual potions.

I tried to swoop it up, but failed.

“I won’t give it to you if you’re not following me.”

“I don’t need it.”

“Huh? But you look like you want it.”

The problem was that the children around the library where I was observing this scene began to react.

– “Isn’t that Li-Han?”

– “Who’s the woman next to him? She doesn’t seem old enough to be called a sister.”

– “She looks really cute.”

– “Is it a kidnapping? Shouldn’t we report this somewhere?”

It’s a little unfair.

She’s the one who said she’d give me something delicious if I follow her.

Well, it’s a suspicious scene for the bystanders.

A top-tier villain indeed. There’s always something suspicious.

Being cursed at is enjoyable, but being investigated is a hassle.

– “Ice Cream Club’s new menu for this month! We’re running an event for Chocolate Lime flavor ice cream!”

Oh. That sounds good.

I bought an ice cream and handed it to Sun-ayeon.

“Eat this.”

Here’s a high-class tip from a top-tier villain.

A secret method to smoothly snatch an item from someone else’s hand.

1. Hand over a different item to the person who is holding something.

2. At the same time, offer your empty hand as if you’ll hold the item they have. The key is to do this naturally without making it obvious.

3. The other party places what they’ve been holding in my empty hand for the item I had offered.

As a result.

I lost an ice cream.

I had acquired Suna-yeon’s Divine Power bead.

‘What a steal.’

“What’s this? It’s gently melting in my mouth …”

‘Exactly.’

I doubt Anna Kirina’s group took good care of this guy.

This is a first for the guy.

“Delicious…”

Thanks to that, I was able to easily fend off the guy who was engrossed in the ice cream.

I now had the opportunity to head towards our destination, the Orbis 3rd Library.

‘It’s pretty good?’

My ‘Evil’ was quite recovered, thanks to those trying to kill me. From a certain point of view, this kid is an incredible battery for ‘Evil’.

“He has a light temperament, too.”

I have obtained useful information.

‘Anna Kirina is being impatient…’

I have a guess.

The ‘growth’ effect, which promotes and alters the fate of the villain.

Without the ability to accelerate the growth of surrounding villains, the growth rate of villains like the saint Anna Kirina and student president Seo Ha-yoon would noticeably decrease.

‘She must be feeling anxious.’

The Church formally appoints the person with the highest divine power as the Church’s leader. Even though Anna Kirina had the popularity that matches her symbolic title of a saint, she is still an heir-rest, and the existence of Suna-yeon, who is superior to herself in divine power, would surely be destabilizing. While siphoning off Suna-yeon’s power, she wouldn’t want her existence known.

In such situations, the fact that she brought the battery of divine power, Suna-yeon, to this place might be a desperate attempt to maximize efficiency.

‘My chance will come.’

The faction under Anna Kirina, who half-dominate the Church, is a strong one. But a slight chance. If she shows even a sufficient crack that’s worth waiting for, I will definitely knock her down.

With sweet thoughts, I quickly reached my destination.

The location where I can acquire items that could be useful for the Newcomers Welcome Party Scenario Event.

“Welcome to Orbis 3rd Library. How can I help you?”

Orbis 3rd Library.

There exists a secret passageway that leads to Orbis’s treasury here.

* * *

Firstly, I rented a machine that reads texts out loud to avoid suspicion around me.

“I’m looking for English originals. The classification symbol is M.”

“I will guide you.”

With the librarian’s help, I reached my destination.

The secluded corners of the second floor in the library, where basically no one visits, the English originals section.

It was a bookshelf attached to the wall.

After ensuring no one’s around, I activated my divine eye that I have been saving.

“Where is it…M…M…”

Here it is.

To translate a book title beginning with the alphabet M,

[Analysis of Magic Flow in Fracture Generation Applying Magic Fluid Dynamics – Focusing on the Albert Wave Theory]

The reason why I would bother to seek out a book that no one else will look at is simple.

It’s one of the triggers that can activate the secret passage of Orbis.

‘It was definitely page 69…’

Elite villain skill. Excellent memory.

Raise a hand to the word ‘open’ in the middle.

If you gently push the bookshelf.

– Swish

The scene changes in a blink of an eye.

* * *

Orbis has a variety of equipment and items fit for its reputation, scale, and authenticity.

Among them, item storage places where particularly high-value or important things are kept.

These [storages] are numerous and diverse.

Of course, [storage] access is strictly controlled for students. But this control mainly takes place at the ‘front doors’ of these storages.

If you make use of the secret passages of Orbis scattered like spider webs, you can bypass the ‘front doors’ of the [storages].

However, the [storage] containing important treasures is in itself heavily secured and guarded. Not only various magic engineering designs but even modern devices and sensors are installed, thoroughly protecting the items.

Yet.

＜Supplies＞

What I want to enter is the ‘supply room’ where simple items and trinkets are kept.

If you know the entrance method, it’s a place where you can easily come and go without any special security.

– Creak

Nonetheless, just because they’re ‘supplies’ doesn’t mean the items and materials kept here do not require considerable effort and money to obtain from the outside. Anyway, this is Orbis we’re talking about.

“Hmm…”

Let’s dig in properly.

I spread out the black bag I brought.

It feels like I’ve become a thief.

I use ‘Evil’ to enhance my senses. This somehow enhances my vision as well.

Soon enough, I was able to easily find the item I was aiming for.

“Here it is.”

[ Mask of Perception Deficiency ]

A mask that significantly reduces the wearer’s presence.

After all, being able to reduce one’s presence is a great help in any situation, whether you’re stealing something or fighting. Yet, the reason why this mask is treated as a trinket is simple.

‘Wearing a mask attracts agro.’

No matter how much it reduces perception, walking around with a mask on itself attracts agro, making it a flawed item from the design phase.

‘But it’s perfect for the freshman welcome party.’

The highlight of the freshman welcome party, masquerade.

Considering what needs to be done in that situation from my perspective, it’s indeed a perfect tailor-made item.

“Good, got the core item.”

“Should I look around a bit more now that I’m here?

It wasn’t a place that is thoroughly managed in the first place, so nobody would notice even if I took a few more things.

An eternal hinge that never wears out.

A ballpoint pen that never fades.

These things seem somehow useful somewhere.

Claws of a wild dog.

Grass from distorted land.

These are quite valuable as materials.

By the time I had picked up various things, the bag I brought was full. I want to put more in.

“Let’s pick up a mask.”

I took out the mask with the biggest volume and filled it up with a few more items. Then I headed towards the entrance I had entered.

As the structure of the bookshelf, much like the library, rotates – whir.

As if lying about the storage room full of all sorts of junk, a quiet and tidy library reveals itself.

Just as I was about to leave after achieving my goal.

“Eek!”

As I turn the corner of the bookshelf, I run into someone.

It’s Yoon Hyun-jin.

Why was he suddenly here?

There’s no point in reading the original English version.

Murmuring Yoon Hyun-jin says.

“…a mask?”

Damn. Did I drop it when we bumped into each other?

First, I hid the bag behind me.

Obviously, he is going to pry about where it came from.

With the mask already exposed, his next lines are predictable. Carrying a mask is a violation of school rules…

But the words from Yoon Hyun-jin’s mouth shattered my predictions.

“Planning to go to the entrance ceremony masquerade?”

Was he capable of casual conversation beyond ‘School rule violation!’, ‘Prohibition!’…?

I unknowingly replied in a dazed manner.

“…yeah.”

“With Han Chae-yoon?”

Why is Han Chae-yoon mentioned all of a sudden?

“I didn’t specifically decide to go with anyone.”

“I see!”

Yoon Hyun-jin’s voice suddenly becomes cheerful.

I broke into a slight cold sweat.

He’s not spasming, is he?

He didn’t eat something strange, did he?

If I get mentally disturbed for no reason and awaken ‘that’ thing…

All sorts of worries flood in.

However, a single phrase came, allowing those concerns to fly away.

“I might… might agree to be your ballroom partner.”

“?”

“Not that I specifically want to go with you!”

“What?”

“I mean, someone has to keep an eye on a person like you!”

“?”

For a moment, my mind stopped thinking.