How to Survive as a Villain in a Novel

25 – Clean Up

The scene that was once filled with chaos was gradually restored by the professors and related parties.

The female student who’d run wild ceased breathing, vomiting a strange black energy. There didn’t seem to be any more signs of resistance. Lee Han had already quietly disappeared.

“She’s dead.”

Professors and officials from the Hero Association confirmed the death of the rampaging student.

Ryu Seo-ah, who had maintained her guard, clenched her fist tightly.

Only then did a bit of her tension ease.

She was startled when something like a strange claw sprouted from the mouth of the girl she had assumed was completely disarmed.

‘If it wasn’t for my father’s advice…’

You should never let your guard down in battle until the situation is perfectly resolved.

If not for his advice, she wouldn’t have been able to save Lee Han.

Ironically, she ended up saving her own enemy.

‘My father also said that you had to pay your debts, even to your enemies.’

Lee Han.

Since the entrance ceremony, she always thought about him.

And concluded.

That guy is definitely a powerful individual, no doubt about it.

But in the end, there was always one question remaining.

The punch Lee Han had thrown at her from the top of the golem during the entrance ceremony was filled with far too many holes for someone of his abilities.

The preparatory motion was too long.

‘It’s as if he’s telling me to dodge quickly…’

That’s why she wanted to ask.

Whether he tried to save her.

If so, why he acted that way.

She was dying to know.

‘Let’s forget it for now.’

Even if he did save her, she has saved Lee Han’s life this time.

With this, the debt is paid.

“Huuh…”

She should return to the dormitory and rest for a while.

She was completely drained by the unexpected battle.

She had circled too vigorously.

But Ryu Seo-ah’s steps had to stop soon.

“Woaaahhhhh!”

“Amazing! That was really amazing!”

“You’re a freshman, right? Ryu Seo-ah, isn’t it?”

“I’ve been a fan since you were chosen as the promising junior of the Magic Association! Could you give me an autograph?”

“How can a freshman be your elder sister, you crazy girl.”

“If she’s prettier and more talented than me, she’s definitely my elder sister! Seo-ah sisssss!”

“hehehehe…”

Ryu Seo-ah laughed awkwardly.

Of course, she didn’t act to attract this kind of attention.

She naturally just acted before thinking, feeling the need to save everyone.

‘But…’

Nonetheless, this was her first time receiving so much attention.

She felt embarrassingly proud, in a way.

Still, it wasn’t a bad feeling.

-“Where did the guy who was provoking the crowd go? He seemed to fight decently too.”

-“Hey, don’t talk nonsense. Didn’t you hear who he was? He caused an accident in the second-grade class and got expelled…

-“So he just beat people up because he felt like it? Creepy.”

-“At the end, after everyone collapsed, he got counterattacked and Ryu Seo-ah saved him, right?”

It was true that Ryu Seo-ah had saved him…

In reality, the judgment of this student, Lee Han, who pushed the rampaging student to the brink of death, was correct.

Because the attack launched at Lee Han after the death was strangely beyond mere rampage.

If she really had saved him as she claimed, she didn’t know what would have happened.

That’s why revealing the truth is…

Just as Ryu Seo-ah was about to open her mouth,

“Student Ryu Seo-ah?”

A woman who seemed a bit tired caught Ryu Seo-ah’s arm.

To students, she looked like a professional worker they would admire.

Contrary to her wearied facial expression, she spoke in a friendly voice.

“I’m Seung-ah Kim, an dispatched agent from the Heroes Association, ‘Orbis’.”

“I’m Ryu Seo-ah.”

A sweet smile.

Showing a professional smile, Kim Seung-ah continued.

“If student Seo-ah is okay, I want to hear about the situation at that time. Can you spare some time?”

“Sure. Of course.”

Kim Seung-ah who stepped closer, asked in a voice that only Ryu Seo-ah could hear.

“Did you feel something out of the ordinary when facing the rampaging student? Like ignoring the laws of physics or something?”

“Ah… There was. A shield.”

“A shield?”

“It felt like a shield that simply couldn’t be shattered by mana alone. It was like an overwhelming reverse field.”

“A reverse field?”

“Yes. The reverse field you feel from the monsters that emerge from the Rift. Ah, and also.”

“And also?”

“Strange claws? Fangs like things tore through space and attacked. I’m not sure if it was after he died.”

The woman dispatched from the Heroes Association paled at Ryu Seo-ah’s explanation.

“Have you mentioned this to anyone?”

“No, I haven’t.”

“I’m relieved. There are some matters that need investigation by the association, and I would like to ask you to keep this confidential…”

It felt like there wasn’t really much of a choice in the matter, but Ryeo Seo-ah nodded her head anyway.

There was something off about the agent’s demeanor.

“Yes.”

“Thank you. When the investigation is under process, I will share with you, Ryeo Seo-ah.”

With that, Kim Seung-ah, the association’s agent, quickly ran over to her subordinates who were managing the situation and began to whisper to them.

– “We will temporarily control your phone.”

– “The latter part of the video cannot be revealed. We appreciate your cooperation.”

Afterwards, there was a bit of chaos – the process of editing the footage taken by the students of the battle scene happened rapidly.

The manipulation of specific videos using information-based magical abilities and engineering was quite interesting, and Ryeo Seo-ah, who had no experience in the matter, found the process intriguing.

“Oh, I forgot. Student Ryeo Seo-ah!”

What is it?

Puff, puff. Agent Kim Seung-ah, out of breath after hurrying over, exhaled.

“Do you have any plans to register as a hero at the association?”

“…A hero?”

“Yes. If it’s student Ryeo Seo-ah, you’re definitely a level 7 hero and even level 5 seems possible.”

Kim Seung-ah’s explanation about fighting against monsters popping out of various anomalies or villains as a member of the Hero Association continued.

“You don’t have to do it full-time. There are part-time heroes too. You can do it while attending Orbis.”

“Ahh…”

“You won’t have to worry about the future, and being a hero isn’t a bad job, right?”

Wink. Kim Seung-ah winked smilingly.

The future. Dreams.

Surely, Ryeo Seo-ah must have had these once too.

But now she had lost all of them.

Only having a single minded determination for revenge.

“Thank you for your proposal, but…”

She was about to decline, but Kim Seung-ah interrupted quickly, pushing a business card into her hand.

“You don’t have to decide right now. And above all, …”

“…?”

“Now student Ryeo Seo-ah should understand why heroes are necessary, right?”

Ryeo Seo-ah looked around at the mess.

Honestly.

She didn’t feel bad.

The cheering of the people.

The relief of having saved them.

“You have the qualities of a hero.”

Give it some thought and contact me – with that, Kim Seung-ah ran off to manage the accident site.

She looked tired.

But at the same time, she looked cool too.

A sense of confidence inherent in those proud of their work was palpable.

Gulp. Ryu Seo Ah swallowed her saliva.

She had to admit, she was intrigued.

‘…but.’

If she became a hero, she would no longer be able to exact revenge on Lee Han.

That can’t happen.

Clutching the business card of the Hero Association, Ryu Seo Ah returned to the dorm.

* * *

Meanwhile.

Nearby building with a view of the scene.

Saint Anna Kirina was nervously biting her lip.

“Darn it!”

As it was, her holy power’s growth noticeably declined, she desperately had to make it work.

The ‘experiment’ was blocked like this.

No, the experiment itself was successful, but the results were not good.

“Lee Han, that bastard!”

Truly, there was nothing helpful at all.

How the hell does he know about the field countering method for the metamorphosed human subject?

Such a hindrance in every way.

She was sure the drop in her growth rate was due to him being hospitalized.

‘There’s a possibility of this being related to Lee Han…’

She knew it sounded ridiculous, but…

Lee Han, that boy, must have something.

If coincidences pile up, it becomes fate.

Her instincts strongly suspected Lee Han.

-Bzzzzz

Her phone vibrates.

[ 3rd Elder ]

The saint frowned as she answered.

The voice of an elderly man came through.

[ How did it go? ]

“I carried out as you sent me to.”

[ The casualties? ]

“One dead, many injured.”

[ The power seems less than expected. ]

“Is that so?”

[ Remember, Lady Saint. Our Order can only grow through fear. ]

Sigh.

With a sigh, the saint sunk deeply into her chair.

The elder, wielding his power over her like a servant.

Right now, I feel like throwing this phone away. However, this damned call would not end.

[“Madam Saint. No, Ms. Anna Kirina.”]

“……”

[“It’s not good to underperform. You do realize this, right?”]

“…Yes.”

[“You should either produce better results, or demonstrate overwhelming divine powers. There’s a limit to how long you can keep hiding Suna Yeon. Some members of the council have already started suspecting.”]

“If only there were no one interfering!”

[“Is there an eyesore? Surely, that student from then, the blind one?”]

“… Yes, that’s right.”

[“Why insist on walking the difficult path?”]

“Pardon?”

[“You could corrupt him as well. You probably still have some samples.”]

A corrupted human is infinitely unstable.

They run amok within minutes and combust spontaneously.

There is no room for doubt.

It’s merely that no one is aware that humans can also be corrupted.

This is because she herself is the noble Saint.

The council had sent the samples to the Saint herself due to that reason.

[“Well, as long as you produce good results, Madam Saint, our council will not interfere.”]

Click.

The call ended abruptly.

“Haah…”

But the Saint’s concerns remained.

To maintain her position as a Saint,

And to even take the position of the spiritual leader.

She has to somehow please the council.

– Thump. Thud. Thud.

She tapped one remaining corruption sample onto the table.

The emergence of the Heroes Association means solo operations are no longer acceptable.

She needs allies.

“The student council…”

She wasn’t at all fond of them.

It’s difficult to figure out the cunning scheme of that foxy student council president.

Moreover, it seemed as though they were planning something at the freshman welcome party.

‘They must be out of their mind.’

How should she handle this?

The Saint’s anxiety grew deeper.