Chapter 87: Festival – Contract (5)

“Hmm, it doesn’t seem like much.”

A pink, teardrop-shaped crystal rolled in my hand as I observed it from different angles.

I don’t know much about accessories, but even at first glance, it looked cheap. If I had to be generous, I’d say it was of medium quality.

“Ehm…”

The woman kneeling before me, her head bowed and her disheveled hair falling in strands, spoke cautiously. Moments ago, she had introduced herself as Choi Seol-Ah.

“Could you give it back to me…?”

Choi Seol-Ah spoke in a trembling voice, tinged with humility. However, the forced smile on her lips revealed her deceitful nature.

‘This damn woman.’

I frowned, and she let out a faint squeak, biting her lips. Her fists, resting on her knees, trembled. It was hard to tell if it was from fear or anger.

I sighed and refocused my attention on the crystal.

Rolling it between my index finger and thumb, I examined its color under the light of a nearby lamppost. It looked almost identical to a piece of semi-transparent amber.

‘I thought something called the “Stallion’s Emblem” would be a bit more impressive.’

The Stallion’s Emblem was a crystal that formed when a villain entered into a contract with a high-ranking corps commander. It was their way of demonstrating loyalty, like a kind of identification card in the villain society.

‘But that’s just the surface-level information.’

Its real purpose was as a means of control.

This small crystal, resembling a gemstone, contained the life force of the contracted individual. When a contract was signed, two crystals were created—one for the commander and another for the subordinate.

The commander used it to send mana, while the subordinate used it to receive it.

Thanks to this system, the corps commander held the lives of their subordinates in their hands, controlling them whenever they wished. A straightforward and effective leash, quite literally.

Some might wonder why I took this receiver crystal.

Agor was already dead, so the emblem had lost its functionality. Furthermore, without the ability to wield mana, it seemed useless to me.

Even if it contained the life force of the villain in front of me, it felt insignificant.

However.

‘…At least, as a former player, I can use it another way.’

I smirked slightly and pocketed the emblem.

Choi Seol-Ah’s eyes darted frantically, revealing that my decision had been the right one.

“Hey.”

“Y-yes?”

When I suddenly spoke, Choi Seol-Ah timidly raised her head. Her tone carried a deliberate, false sweetness.

I stared at her. Her dull violet eyes were proof that her humanity was long gone. Although her gaze seemed soft, inside, she was completely hollow.

‘…Still, thanks to her, I discovered things I didn’t know.’

A moment ago, Choi Seol-Ah had revealed something interesting to me.

Apparently, among the villains, a rumor had spread that it was Leon, not me, who had defeated Agor. At first, I was surprised.

The reason was simple—the speed at which the information had leaked. The Sword Master must have imposed strict control over the information, yet somehow, the villains already knew what had happened.

That meant the villains were deeply infiltrated into the academy.

According to Choi Seol-Ah, even though the villains changed their appearances regularly, their undercover identities remained constant.

Even among the academy staff, which consisted of hundreds of employees, a slight change in appearance wouldn’t be enough to identify them.

However, there are always ways to uncover the truth.

‘I’ll need to ask Ryozo to give me a complete list of academy members.’

The method I had in mind for identifying the villains was simple—memorize the faces of hundreds of people and compare them one by one.

It was a laborious method, but I had my club members. If I explained the situation, they would surely help.

It would be unsettling for them to know that villains were hiding in the academy, so there was no reason for them to refuse.

And if they did… well.

‘They can take the president’s position themselves.’

After organizing my thoughts, I spoke in a low voice.

“So, why are you all targeting Leon instead of me?”

“…I’m not entirely sure.”

Choi Seol-Ah replied in a trembling voice. Although my sashimi blade remained sheathed, she flinched every time I brought it closer to her neck.

“I-it’s true! There’s someone among the villains who calls themselves ‘Professor.’ Almost everything originates from that damned brain of theirs. Someone like me, at the bottom, doesn’t know anything more!”

“And who is this ‘Professor’?”

“…That…”

Choi Seol-Ah hesitated, swallowing hard. I moved the blade closer to her neck. Only then did she speak, her voice trembling on the verge of tears.

“I don’t know anything else besides the fact that they’re subordinate to Kuarne… that damned demon!”

…The Second Corps Commander, Kuarne.

In the current situation, with Lycan sealed, Kuarne was considered the general commander of the Demon King’s army.

If a subordinate of theirs was at the academy, that posed a serious problem.

‘For someone like that to be here…’

Choi Seol-Ah tried to back away on her knees, but upon noticing my sharp gaze, she stopped and returned to her original position. Forcing an awkward smile, she continued speaking.

“Although they hide their identity, unlike other villains who secretly recognize each other, no one knows who they really are. That’s why they’re not well-regarded, even among villains. They go around disguised as a professor, acting as if they’re the most refined person in the world.”

Choi Seol-Ah spoke fervently, using exaggerated hand and foot gestures. It was clear she would do anything to save her life.

…It was uncomfortable to see a woman with such an elegant appearance behave so pitifully.

‘It’s impossible to trust someone like her.’

Suddenly, I narrowed my eyes and sharpened my senses, focusing all my attention on Choi Seol-Ah.

With my heightened perception, enhanced by the blessing, I felt as if I could see through her. It was a skill that, if overused, could make one question their dignity.

‘What I’m sensing is…’

Only faint traces of mana remained, weak and scattered. Most likely, her magical energy had been steadily dissipating since Agor’s death.

She seemed to have relied entirely on magic, as her physical abilities were nothing remarkable.

No matter how much I analyzed her, she didn’t seem to pose any real threat. But letting her go freely still irritated me.

I rubbed my temples, deliberating on the best course of action. How could I handle this situation in a way that would leave no loose ends? After a while, I raised my head.

Our eyes met, and Choi Seol-Ah flinched. She swallowed nervously, forcing a clumsy and insincere smile.

I looked at her coldly and spoke in a low voice.

“Choi Seol-Ah.”

“Y-yes!”

“From now on, be a villain.”

Her eyes widened in confusion, as if she couldn’t comprehend what I had just said.

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“Don’t you understand?”

“W-well… I think I understand, but it’s kind of vague. I was already a villain… but since my master is dead, I guess I’m technically not one anymore. Either way, what exactly do you mean by that…?”

Choi Seol-Ah began to sweat, her face pale as she struggled to piece together the meaning behind my words.

‘It’s natural that she doesn’t get it.’

Of course, it would be confusing. After all, what I had said was a line from one of my favorite movies in my past life.

It was the basic strategy of manipulation: return the fox that escaped the tiger’s den back into its lair.

A tactic I had learned from cinema.

***

Choi Seol-Ah, who had just been spared her life, fled the area as if she were escaping from something.

Before leaving, she bowed repeatedly, her waist bent almost at a perfect right angle. I knew her gestures weren’t sincere, but I decided to ignore them.

Honestly, if I stared at her any longer, memories of what she had done would start flooding back, and my hand would instinctively reach for my sword. It took a lot of effort to stop my fingers from gripping the hilt like a magnet.

I always say conversations are the best way to resolve things.

After that come the hands. If talking doesn’t work, then it’s time to use other methods.

‘Today’s strike was unavoidable.’

Choi Seol-Ah’s nature is that of a bat—neither suited as an ally nor reliable as a collaborator. However, as an information source, she wasn’t a bad choice. After much deliberation, I decided the best course of action was to use her.

‘I just need to manage her properly.’

With the right balance of carrot and stick, I was confident I could control her sufficiently. I already had the Emblem of the Stallion in my possession, and if she became a problem, I could always deal with her later.

I organized my thoughts in my head. Soon, the final exams would arrive, followed by the semester break.

I’m not someone particularly fond of planning, but it’s important to have at least a general idea. Preparation is everything; doing it after the fact would be too late.

I didn’t know the true goals of that professor, but the silhouette behind everything was gradually becoming clearer.

Auditore was already moving to oust the council of elders, and I had planted Choi Seol-Ah on the villains’ side. All I needed to do was wait for the gears to align. In the meantime, I planned to strengthen my foundation.

Crystal extraction, training with the Sword Master, information gathering.

On top of that, several upcoming events loomed ahead. There was a mountain of things to do. I couldn’t prepare for everything, but I would do whatever was within my reach.

At that moment, my phone vibrated, and the screen lit up.

♬

[Ryozo: Where are you?]

“Oh, right.”

I had been away for too long due to the unexpected incident. I quickly tapped out a response on the touchscreen keyboard with my index finger.

[Me: I went to the bathroom for a moment.]

Rollin sounds ominous when sending it~♬

[Ryozo: Are you making the bathroom, or what? Why are you taking so long? ㅡ.ㅡ]

My finger paused for a moment. Those words didn’t seem like something someone with her “noble lady” personality would say.

‘Well, this is the real her.’

…Though, come to think of it, isn’t that what most people do in the bathroom? I chuckled a little and typed my response.

[Me: On my way.]

[Ryozo: Bring me a Melona ice cream.]

[Me: I’ll bring vanilla.]

[Ryozo: Ew, ahjussi.]

After sending the message, I brushed the dust off my pants and stood up.

At that moment, a loud sound erupted behind me.

Boom!

Instinctively, my eyes followed the noise.

Boom! Bang!

A line of light burst into the sky and scattered.

Fragments of light splashed across the dark sky like a brilliant fountain. I watched the scene, captivated.

“Staying out of the dorm wasn’t a bad decision.”

I tilted my head back for a better view. The night sky kept lighting up with every explosion.

Shapes of birds, elephants, and various phrases written in different languages appeared in the sky. The sheer size and grandeur were breathtaking.

‘The scale is simply remarkable.’

At the academy’s festival, these fireworks held great significance. They represented blessings for the students and a tribute to the former heroes who now shone as stars. It was a tradition upheld since the academy’s founding.

“Maybe I should’ve come with the other club members.”

I scratched my head. While I had achieved some unexpected results by being alone, I felt like I had missed out on something more important.

I began walking briskly. If I hurried, I could meet up with them before the show ended.

Tap, tap!

My footsteps echoed lightly as I walked down the path.

Bang!

Another explosion lit up the sky behind me.

The brilliant light illuminated the nightscape, marking the end of the festival.

***

The time flew by like an arrow, almost as if the festival had been nothing more than a distant dream.

And what awaited us after that youthful event was…

“Ugh, exams again.”

Speedweapon, holding an eraser, scratched his temples in frustration. His brows furrowed with irritation.

Beside him, Ryozo looked like seaweed sprawled across her desk.

Buzz-

Chloe was chasing a tiny fly with her gaze, her pupils darting back and forth quickly.

“Damn it! Why does the exam material cover so much? Aren’t they violating student rights? President, what do you think?!”

Speedweapon slammed his palm down on three thick textbooks. The tower of books wobbled slightly. Incidentally, those books contained all the material for the final exam. I nodded in agreement.

“Not only do we have written exams! There are practicals, too! This is insane…”

“Ugh, enough!”

The endless chatter was interrupted by Ryozo’s sharp voice. She glared at him with fury.

“How much longer are you going to complain?! Shut up and study! You’re keeping us from sleeping with all that noise!”

“Hey! Am I the only one taking the exam? You have to take it too! How do you expect to memorize all this if you don’t even read—”

“I’ve already memorized it all.”

“…What?”

Speedweapon froze at Ryozo’s cold response. She glanced at him sideways with a challenging expression.

Speedweapon gaped, his lips moving as if to retort, but before he couldñ

Slap!

The sound of a slap echoed through the room. Chloe had smacked Speedweapon’s cheek with her tiny hand.

“…?”

“Huh, huh.”

Speedweapon, who had drawn everyone’s attention, held his left cheek with a bewildered expression. Judging by his wide, teary eyes, the slap had been quite strong.

“Oh, oh… I’m sorry! There was a fly on your cheek! I’m really sorry!”

Chloe apologized hastily, looking remorseful. Speedweapon just pursed his lips, seemingly out of it, while Ryozo smirked sarcastically at the scene.

At that moment, notification sounds filled the classroom.

Ding! Ding! Rollin~♬

Everyone, except for the dazed Speedweapon, simultaneously checked their phones.

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[Official Announcement: 2034 Semester-End Practical Exam]

Due to certain circumstances, the content of the practical exam has been modified as follows:

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