How to Survive as That Villainess - Chapter 9

Chapter 2: I Won’t Hurt You! (2)

I knew Kailon was only interested in swordsmanship and Seria. However, I never realized he was this indifferent to the villainess. Watching Kailon tilt his head in confusion, I was speechless with shock.

Kailon must have encountered Radel several times while saving Seria from danger. Yet, judging by his current realization of my existence, it seemed he regarded the villainess as nothing more than a pebble on the roadside.

…This feels extremely disheartening.

Once again, I felt sorry for Radel. What’s the point of working hard to harass the heroine when the heroine secretly mocks her, and the male lead candidates don’t even glance her way? Sigh, how did I end up in this villainess’s body…

A wave of melancholy washed over me. It was as if the joy from looking at the flowers earlier was a lie, replaced by sudden gloom. I was on the verge of feeling depressed, trying to think of something happy to avoid spiraling, when Kailon spoke, as if he remembered something.

“I think I’ve seen you before.”

“Where?”

With a hint of anticipation, I waited for Kailon to continue. He seemed unsure, pondering deeply again before speaking.

“When I saved Seria from tripping, I saw red hair next to her.”

“…Is that it?”

He only recognized my existence because of my red hair. Kailon didn’t say anything else, either because he couldn’t remember or he found it too bothersome. Considering his usually taciturn nature, even speaking this much seemed like a miracle.

“Hm…”

So Radel used to trip people as a form of harassment. It’s such a petty and childish method. Although there might have been larger-scale evil acts, Radel primarily tormented Seria through these petty means. I could tell how low my reputation was without even seeing it.

‘I need to start behaving well from now on.’

To live peacefully and safely in this novel, I must improve my reputation somehow. If I cause any incidents or accidents that reach my father’s ears, I’ll be sent straight to the countryside, where I’ll either be locked up until I die or married off to an old, ill-tempered noble. It’s terrifying, absolutely terrifying.

“But you…”

As I shivered at the thought of the worst-case scenario, Kailon approached me. He leaned in, scrutinizing my face.

“I don’t remember the face,”

Kailon paused, tilting his head slightly to the right. His expressionless face was incredibly handsome, and with no immunity, I was frozen in tension. His mouth opened slowly again.

“But I remember the scent.”

Kailon’s eyes glinted. They were like those of a predator eyeing its prey. His deep, red eyes were fixed intently. I felt like a defenseless herbivore in front of a beast and trembled with fear.

“Wh-what are you talking about?”

My voice trembled noticeably. Did he realize I was the one he met at the tavern? I tried to act calm, but all I could do was stand there, desperately trying not to shake. I hid my trembling hands behind my back and feigned ignorance.

“Rose scent.”

“!!”

My pupils trembled as my eyes darted around in panic. How could I escape this crisis? I wished someone would come to my aid, but I doubted anyone could defeat Kailon by force. I finally made up my mind.

“Well, goodbye!!”

Run. In a crisis, escaping is the best option. It would be extremely difficult to outrun Kailon, who had frighteningly abundant stamina and speed. But I had an ally—a magical genius named Aren!

“Radel…?”

“Aren, please help me!”

Aren watched the unfolding situation in confusion until I met his eyes while fleeing. I looked at him pleadingly, hoping he’d understand what I needed. He seemed to grasp my intention, nodding slightly and snapping his fingers.

“Let’s see if this works.”

With a snapping sound, a transparent, round barrier resembling a soap bubble formed around Kailon. It looked suspicious enough to completely trap Kailon. Hmm, so it’s a barrier, just applied differently…?

As a magical novice, I couldn’t possibly understand this advanced magic. As I ran and glanced back, I gave Aren a thumbs-up.

“Aren, you…”

“Don’t glare at me like that. I don’t know what’s going on, but if Radel is in danger, I have to help.”

Kailon glared at Aren, who responded with a smile. Even from a distance, I could feel the tense atmosphere between them.

After getting as far away as possible, I shouted loudly to Aren.

“Thank you, I’ll definitely repay this favor!”

I could see Aren waving his hand. He must have heard me. Good, it looks like Aren is safe too. I breathed a sigh of relief and was finally able to enter the academy.

***

The inside of the academy was magnificent. It was spacious and grand, with sunlight streaming through the windows, giving it a cozy feeling. Thanks to Aren, I was able to safely enter the academy, and I walked slowly, taking in the sights.

“I didn’t think he’d recognize me so quickly.”

I breathed a sigh of relief, clutching my startled heart. Kailon didn’t know my name, but he recognized me by my scent. Kailon was quite impressive in many ways. His memory didn’t seem great, but his intuition was amazing.

“But where am I?”

I walked without thinking and got lost. I didn’t know the way to begin with, so I thought if I walked aimlessly, I’d eventually reach the classroom. But that was just wishful thinking, and I was completely lost.

I wanted to ask for directions, but there was no one around. Even if there were people, they’d probably run away, startled if I approached them. But still, I couldn’t do anything alone. I thought about how I’d been through so much just by arriving early, and as I walked down the hallway, I spotted a male student staring blankly out the window.

“What are you looking at?”

“Oh, you scared me!”

The male student didn’t even notice my approach and was just looking outside. When I cautiously spoke to him, he flinched and shrank back, startled. I felt relieved by his ordinary reaction. I was anxious that, like Aren and Kailon, he might be another strange… I mean, extraordinary person, but fortunately, he seemed normal.

“Could it be… Karel?”

“Yes, that’s right!”

I clapped my hands with a bright smile, but the response wasn’t good. The male student looked at me in shock, scanning me from head to toe.

“Is it really Lady Karel…?”

“More importantly, what were you looking at?”

I cut off his words, thinking there would be no end if I kept answering him. He had been looking outside earlier; was there something interesting? I looked outside as the male student had done.

“That’s Seria.”

True to her role as the heroine, Seria was surrounded by birds and butterflies, creating a beautiful scene. I sighed deeply as I watched. So he was one of Seria’s followers too.

“What’s your name?”

“Huh?”

“I asked, what’s your name?”

“Oh, it’s Alec…”

The male student with brown hair and brown eyes was named Alec, running the course of normalcy. In novels, having an ordinary friend is usually beneficial. Moreover, judging by the color of his uniform, he was in the same grade as me. With perfect conditions except for being a Seria follower, I gently took Alec’s hand and spoke.

“You like Seria, don’t you?”

“How did you…?”

“Have you ever met a guy at this academy who doesn’t like Seria?”

“Oh, I see, got it.”

Alec nodded a couple of times with an expression of realization. Exactly. At this academy, everyone knows Seria and likes her. Whether male, female, professor, or gardener, everyone likes Seria. Oh, except me. Anyway, to survive in this academy where everyone thinks of Seria as an angel and praises her, I needed allies—a lot of them.

So, I’ve decided you’ll be the first!

“Come on, Alec, let’s head to the classroom together.”

“Why should I…?”

“Don’t be like that, come with me!”

I pushed Alec along by the back toward the classroom. Fortunately, Alec only grumbled but didn’t resist and went along with me.

“So, what do you like about Seria?”

I asked out of mere curiosity. The walk to the classroom was long, and I started the conversation to pass the time. But just mentioning Seria’s name seemed to excite Alec, and he began to speak enthusiastically.

“Seria is so beautiful! When I first met her, I thought an angel had descended! I’ve never seen such a perfect woman. She has such a kind heart and is very considerate. Just the other day, I saw her rescue a cat stuck in a tree…”

I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have brought it up. I slapped my hand against my mouth, hoping to stop Alec’s praise of Seria. But Alec continued to rave about Seria as if there was a flood during a drought. Eventually, I gave up trying to stop him and walked to the classroom with my ears covered. My big mouth got me into this.