How to Survive as a Villain in a Novel

8 – Emergency Meeting of Professors

The emergency meeting of professors.

The atmosphere in the meeting room while waiting for Yoon Hyunjin, the victim of the hidden camera incident, was filled with silence.

Most of the professors kept quiet, including Professor Elpia.

Blonde. Long Legs. Beautiful eyelashes and blue eyes.

The elf-like professor Elpia was actually a person with elven lineage.

But contrary to her beautiful appearance, her character was akin to a long scar on a face.

Unreserved and direct.

And currently, she was in a very uncomfortable state due to one professor’s oily voice.

“Our Orbis is the best academy in the world, isn’t it? Thus, fittingly, we should quickly ride the wave of the new era…”

Professor Im Man-eok of Magical Engineering, acting as though he was the chancellor himself, was bragging ostentatiously. His pudgy, toad-like face had always been unsightly to her.

‘Hoo…’

Elpia let out a long sigh.

The reason she loathed Professor Im Man-eok was simply that she suspected him of accepting bribes.

‘He’s surely pocketing kickbacks.’

He reeked of the unique stench only detectable from deeply corrupt people. The lineage of elves could instinctively detect this scent.

And so, she thought to herself.

‘Lee Han does not seem like the type to do such a thing.’

The idea that Lee Han, that kid, would secretly use a cheap trick like a camera was absurd.

No matter how much she pondered, it felt strange.

In her eyes, Lee Han was not the type to behave so sleazy.

‘If he ever causes trouble, he would do it flamboyantly.’

She thought back to when she first met Lee Han.

In truth, Professor Elpia was not the type to take a personal interest in each individual student.

However, a year ago on the entrance examination day, Lee Han’s exceptional ability caught her attention.

His daring performance appeared as a beautiful uncut jewel to Elpia, who had valued practical experience. She wanted to meticulously carve it out herself.

‘And then he fell.’

Due to a certain accident, Lee Han lost his sight.

The guy who initially moved with extraordinary agility and decision-making ability lost all of his talent as if it was a lie right after losing his eyesight.

And so, she slowly began to forget about Lee Han.

Yet, just recently,

Lee Han showed another remarkable performance.

In the “Duel Practice” where she participated as a mentor, he excelled in close combat, a completely different skillset of his.

‘A blind kid who accomplished something in a field totally opposite from his own.’

The meaning of that is simple.

Sweating from hard work.

Replacing the lost sensation with a different one.

And he tossed aside his former long-range abilities to learn close combat in order to utilise his intuition.

“…He probably hasn’t had proper sleep, right?”

Was it possible for such a kid to secretly take spy videos?

He must have been sleeping or training during that time.

No. Even if he wanted to do such a thing, he wouldn’t get caught so easily.

‘Besides…’

Who has ever heard of a blind student filming spy videos and for what use?

She made a decision.

There was not enough evidence to hand this case over to the ‘Disciplinary Committee’ yet.

And so.

If one had to take sides, advocating for Lee Han would be the logical choice.

Just then.

-Creak-

The door to the conference room opened, and someone walked in.

A cute brown-haired student with a Seon Do insignia on her arm.

“My name is Yun Hyun Jin.”

The victim of the incident had arrived.

The official faculty meeting began.

* * *

As Yun Hyun Jin entered, Professor Lee Man Ok laughed heartily.

‘Money is rolling in automatically.’

He had a deal with the Seonyang Group.

As long as he fulfills this assignment well, he would receive double the research funding than usual.

Not only that.

With the support from the Seonyang group, it wouldn’t be hard to climb to higher ranks as a professor.

Lee Man Ok congratulated himself for having made contact with the student council president.

His greasy eyes settled on Yun Hyun Jin.

The girl who had become the victim in the hidden camera incident.

Surely, this was within the plan, wasn’t it?

‘Nevertheless, she’s quite petite but well shaped.’

The professor smacked his lips.

Even if the camera hadn’t gotten destroyed, he could have looked a little more closely using the evidence.

‘A pity.’

If money were made, he could tour the red-light district after a long time.

This time, many young ones had joined.

With a smug smile, he opened his mouth.

“You must have gone through a lot emotionally to come here, Yun Hyun Jin. If you could, please describe your feelings at the time.”

Would there be any other professor as empathetic as him – comforting the victim’s emotions?

The corners of Professor Lee Man Ok’s mouth went up.

All that was left was for Yun Hyn Jin to speak about her feelings, and everything would be over.

What kind of an age are we living in?

A time when emotions rather than evidences are important regarding certain incidents.

Just like that, submit to the Disciplinary Committee, and receive the money.

‘hehehehe…’

The moment Professor Lee Man Ok laughed unpleasantly,

Yun Hyun Jin opened her mouth.

“I didn’t struggle emotionally. It wasn’t hard for me to get here.”

“…What did you just say?”

“I’m saying that I wasn’t upset. I’m standing here, but I don’t see why I should find it difficult.”

“But you… you are the secret victim of the camera…! Lee Han took a picture of you…!”

“Hmm. Really? Is there any evidence that Lee Han took a picture of me, or that the camera was installed for that purpose, or any evidence at all?”

… What is she talking about?

Wait a minute.

Yoon Hyun-jin has brought the issue this far, just brushing it under the carpet and trying to take it to the disciplinary committee.

But if she comes out like this…

‘There’s no way if this happens.’

Suddenly, a story comes to mind that he heard when he was asked to handle this case.

– “If you fail to refer that Lee Han to the disciplinary committee, you’d better be ready to resign from your professorship.”

– “Of… of course!”

A cold sweat started to run down the back of Professor Yi Man-beok.

“Wait… wait…”

He has to say something.

But before he could finish, Professor Alpha interrupted him.

“Let’s listen to the story in silence; it’s a very awkward case. No. Wait a minute. Can you call this a case? It seems like there’s no victim?”

At her words, the atmosphere in the conference room changes rapidly.

Professors nodding their heads or exchanging opinions began to increase.

Distraught, Professor Yi Man-beok tried to open his mouth as he could.

“Wait… just a moment.”

“Do you have something to say?”

“No, that’s not what I mean…”

He couldn’t think of anything appropriate to say.

Damn it!

Then Yoon Hyun-jin opened her mouth.

‘Seriously? Is she changing her statement? Please. Please.’

With the desperate mentality of clinging to his last straw, Professor Yi Man-beok listened carefully to Yoon Hyun-jin’s words.

“I am currently participating in student self-government as the chairman of the student guidance committee. Therefore, I memorized all the school rules, but as far as I know, clear evidence is necessary for a disciplinary committee to be convened.”

Th… that b*tch!

Professor Yi Man-beok gritted his teeth.

But that wasn’t the end.

Professor Alpha also opened her mouth.

“Yoon Hyun-jin’s statement is correct. Without evidence, the disciplinary committee cannot convene. Therefore, I believe it would be appropriate to delay this emergency meeting until evidence can be secured.”

She drove the final nail into the coffin.

* * *

In a corner of the conference room.

‘Such a useless person.’

Suh Ha-yoon, the student council president, shook his head while watching the useless Professor Yi Man-beok.

According to the plan of the Virgin and the Funeral Faction, this emergency professors’ meeting was merely a stepping stone to the disciplinary committee.

The goal was to deal with the common annoyances of the student council and the virgin, Lee Han and Yoon Hyun-Jin at once.

‘She can’t even do that.’

Seo Ha-yoon scrunched up her face at the sight of Professor Lee Man-eok’s pig-like expression.

Shouldn’t you use the right tool for the job?

She had gotten herself in this mess by trying to use something cost-effective.

‘Whatever.’

She had prepared insurance in advance.

She lowered her head and checked her wristwatch.

5… 4… 3… 2… 1

– Bang!

The door to the conference room was harshly flung open.

* * *

At the sudden noise, the professors’ eyes were drawn to the door.

“What! Who dares!”

Whilst several manners-conscious professors vented their anger.

“M…Madame Seon Yang Group?”

On the other hand, professors with prudence recognized the unwelcome guest.

The wife of the chairman of the Seon Yang Group and the mother of the current Orbis student council president.

It was the arrival of Seo Yu-kyeong.

The Seon Yang Group, owned by her husband, is one of the giant conglomerates in the top three wealthiest. In addition, Seo Yu-kyeong is a key figure who is directly involved in the group’s major decisions.

A considerable portion of Orbis operating expenses were filled through the Seon Yang Group’s sponsorship, and the person involved in that sponsorship was none other than Seo Yu-kyeong.

In other words, she’s the major benefactor of the professors’ research funding.

Knowing this, the professors quickly entered into hospitality mode.

“P…Please take a seat.”

“Thank you so much for coming despite your busy schedule. If you had let us know beforehand, we would have prepared.”

“What brings you here today?”

Casually acknowledging the obsequious behavior of the professors, Seo Yu-kyeong nonchalantly opened her mouth as she passed by.

“I heard that there is a spy camera culprit in Orbis Academy?”

“Ah…currently there’s a lack of evidence, so we are planning to gather…”

The moment a professor answered.

– Squawwk!

“You lot!”

The incisive noise erupted from Seo Yu-kyeong’s mouth.

“Do you even know what time it is? A spy camera in the ladies’ restroom has emerged? But you’re trying to sweep it under the rug?!”

Seo Yu-kyeong glanced around at the professors with eyes filled with madness and contempt.

Every professor caught by her gaze flinched.

It was a spectacle where one couldn’t distinguish who were the professors and who was the parent.

However, one of the braver professors carefully opened his mouth.

“We… we don’t have evidence to open a disciplinary committee.”

“What? Evidence? Evidennnnnne?!”

Seo Yu-kyeong stormed at the professor in front and started pounding on the desk.

“Hey, Professor. If your daughter was stabbed to death on the street, would you still require evidence?”

“Uh… No…”

“The act of secretly filming and circulating it is a social murder. Murder!”

“Of course, you’re right… but… well…”

“Hey!”

― Squeeek!

Again, a piercing high-pitched sound.

Taking advantage of the flinch from the professors trying to stop her, Seo Yoo-kyung, her words poured out like a waterfall.

“I can’t educate my daughter in this kind of place!”

“We should cut it down from the sprout! What are you doing?”

“Deal with it right away. A disciplinary committee or something. Hurry up and call a meeting!”

At this sight, Yoon Hyun-jin was about to refute, the moment Ee Man-eok, the professor, hurriedly cast a silence scroll on her.

The act was unbelievable, but it was possible at this moment.

Seo Yoo-kyung, locking eyes with the nodding Professor Ee Man-eok.

In a much calmer tone, she continued speaking.

She spoke in a fragmented tone that conveyed her determination.

“When this issue is elevated to the disciplinary committee, and properly handled, we will contribute additional funding for building the Orbis security environment.”

She took a step towards the center of the conference room.

“If not,”

Slowly, she looked around at the professors and carefully articulated each word.

“You’d better prepare yourselves.”

Thus.

The referral to the disciplinary committee was decided.