Villain Takes Over The Academy-Chapter 55

[Translator - Helga ]

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Chapter 55

-You have a message.

A chilly morning breeze blew strongly.

As I stepped out of my house, heading toward the lecture hall, I heard Caesar’s voice from my phone.

“What’s it about?”

-It’s a message from the administration. Too many students have applied for sick leave, so today’s lecture has been canceled.

“Sick leave?”

I picked up my phone to check the message.

Sick Leave Applications: 16/18

Sixteen out of eighteen students had submitted sick leave requests. Even Seo Su-kyung’s name was on the list.

It was extremely rare for so many students to suddenly call in sick like this… but I had a good idea of the cause.

‘The Bloodsucking Spell, huh.’

Even though it was just a minor spell that didn’t drain enough life force to be fatal, it still sapped their vitality. There was no way they’d be in good shape after that. A level drop was inevitable, and unless their stamina stats were unusually high, some of them would be bedridden.

“I did try to hold back a little…”

But I must have gotten too carried away, excited by how effortlessly I could siphon their energy. I’d have to be more careful next time—otherwise, suspicion would be unavoidable.

“So today’s an unexpected day off, huh.”

I stopped in my tracks, reconsidering my plan to head to the lecture hall, then changed course toward my office instead.

The others didn’t matter much, but Seo Su-kyung’s condition wasn’t something I could just ignore.

‘She’s my servant now, after all. Gotta take proper care of my slave.’

Like it or not, she was meant to lead the Deconstructionist Department in the future. If she was stuck in bed with a level drop, it would be a problem.

I needed to prepare a way to restore her level—

‘…Wait.’

That thought came to a halt as I reached my office door.

I suddenly stopped and leaned in, examining the doorknob closely.

Faint marks etched into the surface.

This was an old academy, so wear and tear were everywhere. But today, for some reason, this felt… off.

Creak…

I slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

The floor, the bookshelves, the chair, the window, the desk…

Everything was as neat and orderly as always. The office reflected Do Jin-hak’s usual preference for cleanliness.

And yet, something felt wrong.

A strange sense of unease…

Ding—

[Trait: "Genius 1" assists in your discovery.]

[You have noticed something out of place.]

As the Genius 1 trait activated, my senses sharpened. In an instant, I pinpointed what was different.

‘…The books are out of order.’

The trait had unconsciously imprinted the usual layout of my bookshelf into my memory.

And now, the books were slightly… misaligned.

Someone had definitely entered this room last night.

‘Who? Who would dare do something this bold?’

Whoever it was, they had some serious nerve.

They had to know about Professor D’s reputation—yet they still went through with it.

[You activate 32% of Do Jin-hak’s Essence.]

[Casting Spell: "Identify Reality."]

[EMP increased to 30/180.]

They must have worked hard to erase their traces, but it wasn’t enough.

Unless they used chemical agents, some evidence was bound to remain.

‘Faint footprints on the floor… at least two people. Judging by the handprints left on the bookshelf and drawers, one male, one female… and they have a significant height difference.’

The man’s handprints stood out the most—large, thick fingers, each joint packed with muscle. A sign of someone with an exceptionally powerful, muscular build.

If I had to guess who, among the people in this academy with that kind of physique, might have a reason to target me…

‘Iron Fist Nam Kang-ik, perhaps?’

Considering all the circumstances, he was the most likely suspect. He had close ties with Seo Su-kyung, and the only person in this academy who harbored enough resentment to keep me under surveillance was Seo Su-kyung.

‘Their goal is obvious—to find my weakness.’

Seo Su-kyung’s schemes were predictable. She was probably planning to turn the tables, using whatever she could find against me.

Not that it would ever work.

[Casting Deconstructionist Department 2-Star Spell: "Formula Deconstruction."]

[EMP increased to 50/180.]

I cast the spell near the bookshelf, where the most traces had been left. Nothing looked particularly out of place at first glance, but in this academy, what you see is rarely the whole truth.

[Targeting Illusion Department 1-Star Spell: "Matter Distortion."]

[Attempting to deconstruct the enchantment.]

As expected.

The bookshelf had been enchanted.

The spell in question was Matter Distortion, a fundamental illusion spell.

Basic in nature, but its refinement could scale endlessly depending on the caster’s skill level.

‘The quality of this spell… This one’s quite skilled.’

If it weren’t for my Genius trait, acquired from Clementine, I wouldn’t have noticed it at my current level.

But no matter how well-executed, a mere 1-star spell wouldn’t stand a chance against a 2-star deconstruction.

[Successfully deconstructed Illusion Department 1-Star Spell: "Matter Distortion"!]

[Slight increase in Deconstructionist Department proficiency.]

The moment the spell broke, the bookshelf shimmered, revealing its true contents—a book shifting back into place, and beneath it, a small charm talisman… alongside something else.

‘This is… a miniature surveillance camera. The kind used by special forces.’

While the primary form of combat in military warfare involved weapons and spells, the game’s modern setting meant military-grade equipment often played a role as well.

‘But this… This is the type of device you’d install in an enemy base during wartime.’

I’d seen similar hidden cameras before, discreetly planted in High Society faction bases by the military. The design was familiar.

And the blinking red light on the camera? That meant it was active.

Which also meant…

My every move was being transmitted somewhere in real-time.

‘If that’s the case…’

I paused, considering my options.

I could just smash the camera right now—but that wouldn’t solve the problem. They’d just plant another one.

‘In that case, it’s better to cut the problem off at the root.’

Instead of destroying the camera, I pulled out my phone.

I scrolled through my contacts and made a call.

I let the line ring for a while before finally speaking—deliberate, as if reciting a scripted conversation.

“Yeah, it’s me. Everything’s ready, just like I said, right?”

“……”

“The operation will proceed exactly as planned. There’s no room for mistakes. We can’t afford to miss out on an opportunity this big.”

“……”

“Don’t worry. Seo Su-kyung personally guaranteed it. International Group is going to take over Myungshin Corporation. Those idiots at Myungshin don’t have a clue.”

I deliberately emphasized the company names as I spoke, letting the words sink in.

Of course, no one was actually on the other end of the line.

I had never called anyone in the first place.

‘Myungshin Corporation… That’s Nam Kang-ik’s family company. And they have a close relationship with International Group.’

The ones monitoring me through this camera were either Nam Kang-ik himself or Myungshin employees.

Hearing this "revelation" must have shaken them to the core.

To them, the idea that International Group was planning to betray Myungshin would feel like a thunderbolt out of nowhere.

‘If Nam Kang-ik turns against Seo Su-kyung, she’ll have no one left to do her dirty work in this academy.’

Too bad for her, but Seo Su-kyung needs to be completely isolated here.

Like an island—cut off from everyone, with no one left to support her.

Only then would she have no choice but to obey me.

“…Well, I should take a look at the books for my next lecture.”

Casually, as if nothing had happened, I turned toward the bookshelf, pretending to browse through the titles.

At the same time, I smoothly reached down and picked up the talisman beside the camera.

‘A student from the Illusion Department using talismans… Who could it be?’

The Illusion Department wasn’t as obscure as the Deconstructionist Department, but it was still considered a minor department within the Masterclass, so there weren’t many well-known students specializing in it.

However, if they were involved in something like this—helping Nam Kang-ik...

‘Whoever they are, they’re likely to be a nuisance in the future.’

I needed to keep a close eye on them.

Just in case, I slipped the talisman into my pocket, pretending to skim through a book for a while before leaving the professor’s office.

Looking forward to the chaos that was bound to unfold soon between Seo Su-kyung and Nam Kang-ik.

* * *

Mid-March in the Masterclass was always hectic.

With the early-semester exams approaching, students scrambled to get their hands on study guides, leaked questions, and other valuable intel.

Back when I played as a student, I had also been caught up in this madness. But now?

Now, it was different.

Now, my concerns were more along the lines of…

‘What kind of brutal exam questions should I prepare to make their lives a living hell? Maybe it’s because I became a villain, but… watching people suffer is oddly entertaining.’

Then again, maybe I had always been like this, even before becoming a villain.

Either way, I decided to just blame it on my villain arc and call it a day.

It’s not like it mattered. I was a villain now, whether I liked it or not.

‘…But what the hell is he doing over there?’

Of course, not everyone was focused on exams.

There were always a few clueless idiots who completely ignored the atmosphere and did their own thing.

And right now, the biggest idiot in my line of sight was Okamoto Daichi.

"09:38 AM… Chatting with students on the 3rd floor of the main building… Talks way too much…"

He was pressed up against the wall, scribbling notes in a small notebook as if secretly observing someone.

With that shady look on his face, he resembled a private investigator digging up dirt on someone.

‘Weird… Around this time, he should be clinging to Shin A-sol like a lost puppy. So why is he sneaking around alone?’

In Military Chronicle, Okamoto was notoriously obsessed with Shin A-sol. Seeing him running around on his own at the start of the semester was definitely odd.

What was he spying on so intently?

I followed his line of sight, then immediately understood.

‘…So Heavenly Fallen Emperor is over there.’

At the center of the hallway, Yang Hak-je, also known as the Heavenly Fallen Emperor, stood surrounded by his retainers.

Okamoto’s gaze was locked onto him, eyes practically glowing with intensity as he watched every movement like a hawk.

‘So even his settings must have changed after the last cycle.’

Originally, in Military Chronicle, Okamoto had no connection with Yang Hak-je at the start of the semester.

But now, he was trailing the guy like a stalker.

The only reason for this change?

The humiliating defeat he suffered in the previous cycle must have altered his behavior in this one.

‘Yeah… With his creepy, obsessive personality, he’s definitely out for revenge.’

He was probably desperately searching for a way to expose Yang Hak-je’s weakness.

Not that it would matter.

Even if he managed to dig up something devastating, Yang Hak-je wasn’t the type to be easily rattled—especially by someone like Okamoto.

Still, I couldn’t just ignore this situation.

After all, thanks to Okamoto, I had acquired the Speed Reading Lv.1 trait—and it had proven incredibly useful.

‘This skill is seriously underrated… especially in my current situation.’

In previous cycles, reading books to gain power wasn’t really an option, so I hadn’t paid much attention to it.

But now?

Now that I was surrounded by an entire library of valuable magic texts, Speed Reading was a game-changer.

If I could build a closer connection with Okamoto and upgrade Speed Reading to Level 2 or even 3…

‘Just thinking about it is exciting.’

With that in mind, I changed course.

Instead of heading to the professor’s office, I walked straight toward Okamoto.

"What exactly are you doing over there?"

"Shh! You can’t talk to me right— Ah?! P-Professor?!"

Okamoto Daichi, who had been furiously scribbling in his notebook, flinched in shock and dropped it the moment he saw me.

I bent down, picked up the notebook, and casually skimmed through its contents.

— March 4th, 08:11 AM. Dormitory cafeteria.

He had braised dried tofu, three servings of meat dumplings, and a large bowl of bokjoritang for breakfast. Then, for dessert, he devoured sweet red bean porridge with rice cakes. Judging by the amount of food he consumes, his meal expenses must be astronomical.

— March 5th, 17:24 PM. Untni Café, 2nd floor of the main building.

After class, he ordered a large rooibos tea. Even though his lackeys were following him around, he only paid for himself. What a selfish bastard.

— March 7th, 13:43 PM. 3rd floor restroom, Divine Department Building.

While he was inside the restroom, his subordinates blocked the entrance, preventing anyone else from using it. They even kept people ten meters away. Judging by how seriously they guarded the area, his shit must reek like death itself...

The notebook was filled with detailed logs of Yang Hak-je’s every movement, accompanied by Okamoto’s personal commentary dripping with resentment.

Panicked, Okamoto snatched the notebook back like his life depended on it.

"T-This is nothing! Really! I just… have a hobby of observing people and taking notes…!"

"Still holding a grudge against the Heavenly Fallen Emperor?"

Okamoto had been rambling in desperation, but at my words, he froze mid-sentence. His eyebrows twitched slightly before he sighed, as if realizing there was no point in denying it.

"Haa… So you remember it too, Professor. What happened at the seminar back then."

Seminar?

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I quickly racked my brain. I wasn’t entirely sure which seminar he was talking about, but judging by Arche and Clementine’s cases…

"…Ah. The Deconstructionist Department seminar. The Heavenly Fallen Emperor suddenly attacked you there."

"Exactly! That lunatic picked a fight out of nowhere! I was just minding my own business, and I nearly got killed for it!"

Judging by his reaction, I had guessed correctly.

As I listened to Okamoto’s story, I started piecing together how this cycle’s events had changed.

‘So the incident didn’t take place in a Deconstructionist Department classroom this time—it happened at a seminar instead. And Yang Hak-je and Okamoto ended up clashing there…’

That also meant that in this cycle, Yang Hak-je and Do Jin-hak weren’t strangers.

If Okamoto had been attacked at the seminar, then Do Jin-hak must have stepped in to help him.

This was a valuable piece of information.

"Um, Professor D? Are you even listening to me?"

"…Yeah. That must’ve been a traumatic experience for you."

"Of course it was! I nearly got crushed to death like some pathetic little rat—in front of everyone!"

Okamoto’s voice grew sharp with frustration, as if demanding to know how he was supposed to just let that go.

So that’s why he’d been following Yang Hak-je around, searching for weaknesses—all for the sake of getting revenge and making him suffer the same humiliation.

"So, have you found anything useful?"

"Not yet. But I think I’m close. There’s something that’s caught Yang Hak-je’s interest recently."

"Something that caught his interest?"

"Yeah. Students have been disappearing. They just vanish without a word."

That jogged my memory—I recalled Gangnam Twin Peaks mentioning something about a string of disappearances before.

At the time, I hadn’t thought much of it.

But now that I knew Yang Hak-je was actively looking into it…

This was something worth investigating.

[Translator - Helga ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]