I'm in Love with the Villainess!-Chapter 63: Kevin’s Recommendation?

[Minor Healing]

[Major Healing]

[Light Sword]

I lost track of time in my dorm as I continuously repeated casting over and over again, with the breakthrough to apprentice level four and my new attunement’s upgrade. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

Casting novice-level spells was now as easy as casting dark magic when I first started.

Instead of feeling like performing surgery on myself, it now felt like solving stupidly advanced arithmetic.

Still difficult, but compared to before, this was a cakewalk.

SLASH!

SLASH!

SLASH!

I practiced sword strokes while casting spells, ensuring I was battle-ready when it came to light magic, to the point that I even forgot to change my clothes.

Bloody clothes.

Not really a big deal, to be honest.

Even if I remembered, I probably still wouldn’t do it if I could use that time changing to do something more productive.

To make myself strong enough that Evelina didn’t need to be concerned for me.

Although... it’ll be nice to see her cute, worried side from time to time.

"Hragh!"

SLASH!

Not perfect, but at least I was battle-ready, far better than when I first started. Not only that, but my physique is also starting to return to its optimal condition.

Just a few more days, and I’ll likely be ready just in time for the examinations.

I rolled my shoulder once, then twice, feeling how naturally the energy reinforcing my body circulated now.

No resistance and no drag. The sanctified profaned attunement flowed like a closed loop instead of two opposing currents fighting for dominance.

"Good enough."

The dorm room was a mess, scratches on the floor, scorched air from repeated spell casting, dried blood on the fabric clinging to my skin, but none of that mattered. What mattered was my newfound strength.

That was the difference between surviving and winning.

I glanced at the clock.

"...Damn."

I’d burned through most of the morning.

Classes were already underway.

[Photographic Memory]

"Doesn’t matter..."

I sat on my bed for a little break, letting my mind recover for a while as I thought about current events.

Evelina was currently busy and didn’t need my help, Kevin was getting stronger, examinations were coming up... and.

That was about it.

No loose ends or any impending future important plot events for me to intervene in for now.

I already had a bunch of free time due to my status as an S-Rank, and now that I’m looking back at it, most of my time was spent outside of classes.

Just like Julius and Lillian in the novel.

Powerful students really do have it easy.

At least on the surface.

I stared at the window, finding things to do for a while, and there I saw Julius and Lillian walking together, all eyes watching them.

The academy’s power couple.

Flirting and bonding without a care in the world, their relationship bloomed faster than the original timeline.

Not a major concern for now.

With their positive reputation already at an all-time high, they didn’t even need to worry about every single action.

Almost everyone would support them no matter what they see.

The complete opposite of me...

Right... I didn’t have the best reputation in this academy yet.

And I’m sure it was something that will eventually bite me in the ass someday.

"I’m already cutting classes, I should use this time to increase my reputation... but how exactly...?"

Helping students study? Nah, takes too long

Helping them get stronger? Same problem as the first one, unless I take shortcuts like I did while teaching Kevin.

Unless...

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

KNOCK!

That’s strange...

Nobody visited me without a reason; my reputation made sure of that.

I stood, opening the door and finding a student standing stiffly outside,

[Photographic Memory]

The daughter of a viscount, a C-Rank air attuned mage, and considered to be one of the more popular students in the academy due to her skill as a leader.

Why would someone like that even attempt to visit me?

"U-Umm..." She briefly gazed at my bloody clothes before snapping back up.

’He really is as insane as the rumours say...’ She thought, starting to regret coming to me.

’Wait! No! Don’t think like that, Vivianne! This is your only chance to get stronger!’

"Y-You are... Cael Arden, correct?"

"Cut to the chase, what is it that you want?"

"R-Right... so uhh, Kevin, I heard that he was one of your students and umm..."

"Spit it out."

"Well... Kevin recommended you and..." Vivianne struggled to find the right words, still hesitant because of all the rumours.

But after noticing that I was getting fairly impatient, she decided that it was now or never.

"L-Let me become your student as well!"

I stared at her for a few seconds.

Long enough for her shoulders to stiffen and her breathing to go shallow.

"...No."

The word left my mouth flat, uninterested.

Vivianne froze.

"W-Wait—! I mean, at least hear me out first!" she blurted out, panicking. "I know your reputation is bad, but Kevin said you don’t waste time and that you actually make people stronger—!"

"Kevin exaggerates," I cut in. "And I don’t take students that easily. Kevin was an exception."

Her lips pressed together.

"I can pay."

That earned a pause.

"Money’s useless to me," I said. "Try again."

She swallowed.

She hesitated, fingers clenching at her side.

"I-I don’t mean just money," Vivianne said quickly. "I can offer information, influence, or even favors."

That made me raise an eyebrow.

"Go on."

She took a breath, steadying herself. "I work for the academy’s council. I manage events, assignments, and solve internal disputes. I also... hear things."

"Such as?"

"Which professors are biased, which students cheat, which noble houses are backing who during the examinations." She looked up at me, forcing herself to meet my gaze. "And which people the academy is already watching."

Interesting.

Not useful yet, but not really worthless as well.

It was good to have information that the novel didn’t have.

But her also helping solve internal disputes might help with my reputation.

"And why do you want to get stronger?" I asked. "Don’t give me some noble duty nonsense."

She stiffened.

"...Because I’m tired of being the one who gives orders while hiding behind stronger people."

That answer was immediate. No hesitation.

"I plan, I coordinate, I keep everyone together," she continued. "But when things go wrong, I’m always the first one protected. I hate that."

"And Kevin said that you’re the blunt type, so... in short, I hate being a damsel in distress!" She shouted, loud enough that everyone from the floor down probably heard her.

"You know, that’s really... generic as motivations go," I answered bluntly.

"H-Huh?"