Villain Takes Over The Academy-Chapter 48

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 48

The next day.

I already knew where I was going as soon as the day broke.

It was the Hwadam Library.

“I didn’t expect to be killed by that unexpected guy in the last playthrough."

I had anticipated that the Phantom Thief would come for revenge, but I never expected him to threaten my life at such a terrible time.

“He definitely said he was watching me from somewhere.”

After escaping from the academy, he must have wandered around me instead of fleeing.

Judging by the fact that he approached me disguised as Clementine, who I least expected, I was certain.

‘I have to nip this in the bud.’

In the previous playthrough, I caught the Phantom Thief to raise Shin A-sol's favorability, but this time my purpose is different.

Beep-

- Access card verified. Professor Do Jin-hak of the Deconstructionist Department.

I passed through the security system at the library entrance and went straight inside.

It was too early, and there was no one else in the library.

I could only see a familiar silhouette organizing books on a distant shelf.

“Oh? Professor Do?”

Arche put down the book she was organizing and approached me at a trot as soon as she saw me. A smile bloomed on her dusky face, as if she were seeing a long-lost friend.

“Wow, I heard you were coming to our academy, but I never thought you’d actually come! To come to the library right away, you haven’t changed at all!”

A completely different reaction from our first meeting in the previous playthrough...

“It seems that this character has also been changed, like Clementine.”

It was proof that my guess was correct. Arche, Clementine, and Okamoto. In this playthrough, these three people and Do Jin-hak know each other. And they seem quite close.

‘But if I pretend to know too much, it could be dangerous…’

Arche is a pretty perceptive person, so I should avoid saying or doing anything that would arouse her suspicion.

There must be a similar incident where we met before, just like with Clementine.

“Yes, it’s been a long time. The last time I saw you... was it at the library?”

“The Sardinia Library. You helped me catch a thief at the library on our island.”

Sardinia is the Italian resort that appears as Arche's hometown.

As I expected, only the specific location had changed, but the incident of catching a thief in the library seemed to have been inherited.

“Of course, that thief wasn't the Phantom Thief.”

I was curious about what kind of thief it was, but I decided not to ask. If I delved deeper into this matter, I would only arouse suspicion.

It was more important to accomplish the purpose of my visit.

* * *

"By the way, when we caught the thief at the Sardinia library... you summoned the blue dragon, right?"

As I chatted casually with Arche, I subtly brought up the main topic.

Arche blinked her big eyes and replied, surprised by the sudden change in topic.

"Karpi? Yes, I did."

"Can you summon it now?"

"Well, I can... but why suddenly?"

"Just... I wanted to see it again after a long time."

Arche looked puzzled for a moment, then took out her wand and began to chant a summoning spell. Soon, a light shone from the summoning circle, and a small dragon soared up.

Chirp-!

As if it had been a long time since it had come out into the world, the blue dragon flew around the library excitedly.

'Okay, that's all set.'

To deal with the Phantom Thief's non-physical spells, this dragon's dispel spell was essential. Since it took a long time to summon, it was better to summon it in advance.

"Is there someone named Kim Hyunsuk among your librarian seniors? I heard she's on duty today. Where is she?"

"Senior Hyunsuk? She went to pack up her belongings before changing shifts with me... But how do you know about Senior Hyunsuk, Professor?"

"You know about the series of thefts that have been shaking up the academy lately?"

"Of course. The student council has been nagging me to help catch the culprit."

Arche showed me the many messages from Shin A-sol on her phone and clicked her tongue.

I nodded and said, "Then you, as the student council member, should catch the culprit. Kim Hyunsuk is the thief."

"What, what?"

Arche's reaction was varied. First, her mouth opened in surprise, then she tilted her head as if she were doubtful, and then she chuckled as if she couldn't believe it.

"No way... That can't be right! You must be mistaken, right? Senior Hyunsuk would never do such a thing. She goes to church every week."

"The person you saw today wasn't Kim Hyunsuk. It was the Phantom Thief disguised as Kim Hyunsuk. To be exact, it's been three months."

"Phantom, Phantom Thief?"

Even Arche looked flustered at the name. It was understandable, as it was a very famous NPC in this world.

"Oh, Arche, who is that?"

Kim Hyunsuk came out of the staff room, carrying her belongings. Then, as if she had just remembered me, she spoke again.

"Ah, now I see, you must be the new professor. You must have a thirst for knowledge to come to the library right after you arrived. Oh ho ho!"

"I didn't come here because of a thirst for knowledge. I came to catch a thief."

"What? A thief?"

"I heard there's a librarian stealing books. Ms. Kim Hyunsuk, please show me your bag."

"Huh? Why me?"

Kim Hyunsuk looked dumbfounded and suddenly changed her tone to a sharp one.

"Arche, what is this professor saying? Where did this strange person come from, causing trouble?"

It was exactly the same reaction as in the previous playthrough.

I felt relieved. This reaction meant that she was definitely the Phantom Thief.

"What are you doing?!"

I snatched Kim Hyunsuk's bag and turned it upside down.

Rumble-

The library books spilled onto the floor.

Arche and the startled Kim Hyunsuk looked at each other.

"Se, senior, why are these books in your bag...?"

"This... damn professor, how did you know?"

The Phantom Thief instantly revealed his true colors. He quickly put distance between us and began to chant a non-material spell.

The Phantom Thief, having become intangible, continued to chant another spell. It was surely an Argonian fire spell, his specialty.

"Gianluca, use Karpi's dispel spell. Then the thief's body will return to the material plane."

"Y-yes, yes...! Kar-!"

Before she could finish saying 'pi', Arche stopped. Or rather, she was suddenly silenced.

"What are you doing? Hurry up and cast the dispel spell!"

I turned around and urged her. With my Blood Demon level not yet raised, if the thief cast a spell first, I would be helpless.

"Ugh...! Uuugh...!"

But Arche was unable to say anything, her face full of panic. It was as if something was forcibly silencing her.

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"Hahaha! Did you think I wouldn't know what you were trying to do with that dragon? How dare you try to play tricks on me!"

The Phantom Thief laughed arrogantly.

I realized a moment too late what he had done.

“Oh no... I wonder if he just cast the ‘Silence’ spell?”

A spell that silences the target and prevents them from casting spells.

I thought he would cast an Argonian fire spell like last time, but the thief caught me off guard with a completely different spell.

“He's more combat-ready than I thought.”

Arche, her mouth sealed, could only stomp her feet. But it would take at least five minutes for the silence spell to wear off at her current level.

That's more than enough time for him to turn us into cinders and escape.

‘...I have no choice but to gamble.’

I glanced at Karpi, who was flying in the air. The dragon was flapping its wings restlessly, waiting for Arche's command.

"That's strange. You know my identity, and judging by the fact that you summoned the dragon in advance, you must have known that I would use a non-material spell."

The thief stared at me intently, his eyes rolling around in Kim Hyunsuk's face.

"Who are you? Did you see the future or something?"

Realizing that I alone was no threat, he started talking, buying time while casting his spell.

I tried to remain calm. I needed to buy some time.

"Curious? Want to know how much I know?"

"Hmm, what else do you know?"

"I know that the Phantom Thief is a member of the rebel army. I know that you're stealing from all over the world to fund them."

The thief's face turned cold. Now he spoke in a completely different voice.

"...What are you? How do you know that?"

"Well, maybe I did see the future, as you said."

I tried to buy time by saying things that would confuse him.

The Phantom Thief stared at me with a mix of suspicion and confusion.

Good, I just need a little more time...

"...No, someone like you deserves to die quickly. You're so annoying."

...but the thief shook his head violently and immediately cast a spell. The magic circle of the Argonian One-Point Radiation spell, which he had already chanted, began to emit a golden light.

"Did you think I'd let you buy time? Everyone in this academy is so full of tricks!"

The thief laughed at me arrogantly.

Overconfident...

And that's when Karpi's cry echoed through the room.

Beep-!

A clear cry echoed throughout the library!

The thief's fire spell, which was within the range of the dispel spell, was instantly canceled, and his body began to solidify.

"What, what? How was the dispel spell cast?"

The thief, whose invisibility spell had been dispelled, quickly checked on Arche, but he was barking up the wrong tree. Her mouth was still under the silence spell.

"Then how...? Could it be you?!"

The thief realized it belatedly. He realized that it was I, not Arche, who had made Karpi cast the dispel spell.

"No way! You mean to tell me you have Dragonkin Affinity too?"

"That's funny. Is there any reason why I shouldn't have such an affinity?"

"That, that can't be..."

The Phantom Thief stared at me blankly, shocked.

It's no wonder he’s so surprised. Dragonkin Affinity was a very rare ability in this world. It's almost unheard of to have two people in one place with such a rare trait.

“It was a close call, but...”

Unlike Arche, my Dragonkin Affinity was at a very basic level, so it wasn't easy to communicate with Karpi. If he hadn't let his guard down for a moment, the situation would have been different.

Beep-

[You have successfully communicated with a higher-ranked dragon.]

[You have gained new insights from the successful communication.]

[Skill "Dragonkin Affinity 1" evolves into "Dragonkin Affinity 2"!]

‘Dragonkin Affinity 2?!’

I got a reward I wasn't expecting at all.

There are usually three conditions required for a skill to advance to the next level.

-Deepening the relationship with the owner of the skill.

-Going through a special event.

-Or honing the skill…

‘Maybe it was because I made the dragon use a spell, so I gained a lot of experience?’

That could be it. It was certainly a difficult task. It must have been such a difficult task that I received a large amount of experience, enough to level up the skill at once.

‘It was just a desperate attempt in a crisis situation…’

I never thought the results would be this good!

"Ugh... Puha!"

Just then, Arche, whose silence spell had been lifted, finally opened her mouth.

"Professor! The thief is trying to escape!"

As she said, the thief was already ready to use a teleportation scroll.

He was really good at preparing for escape.

"You're making a big fuss for nothing. You'll regret this soon! I'll be back for you!"

The thief's voice was full of anger. If I let him go like this, he would definitely lurk around me again this playthrough, looking for an opportunity to kill me.

"I'm sorry, but I won't let you go this time."

"Haha! What are you talking about? You think I'll fall for the same trick twice? Ugh?!"

Before the thief could finish his sentence, blood spurted from his mouth.

The thief belatedly saw the sharp blade that had pierced through his chest.

"Wh-what? When did you...?"

The thief turned his head with difficulty.

Behind him, Seo Su-kyung was standing with a knife plunged into his back.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]