I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains Chapter 81

"Making someone you know the grade representative, huh. Not a bad idea."

Watching Archiond surrounded by friends and bombarded with questions, Milia let out a slight chuckle.

"How did this happen? Milia, it was you who saved Professor Latik, wasn't it?"

Ottbo asked with a confused expression, as if he couldn't grasp the situation. Milia simply shrugged her shoulders.

"I yielded."

"Yielded?"

"Yeah. Anyway, a title like 'the student who saved a teacher' isn't something I particularly need. So I gave it to someone who needed it."

After all, the selection of the first-year representative was by popularity vote.

The title of "the student who saved a teacher" would undoubtedly have a huge impact on winning that popularity vote.

"If it's Archiond Robette, he'd make a fine grade representative, and if he owes a favor, I get the feeling he'd pay it back well enough."

"That's... true."

"Luca really is smooth. To draw in a guy like that. He really charms both guys and girls, I mean it."

Milia, with an ambiguous tone, folded her arms—half in admiration, half in complaint.

"Anyway, with this, it looks like Archiond Robette is almost certainly the first-year representative. I'm curious how the others will react."

"Everyone, please focus. There's one more announcement."

Just then, Ethylen gathered the students' attention again. As everyone turned to look, Ethylen spoke in a serious tone.

"After careful deliberation by the Academy's Operations Headquarters, a decision has been made. After the festival, our Hernan Academy will..."

* * *

"They're shutting down the Academy after the festival?"

"Not shutting it down completely, just closing it for about a month."

Because of his injuries, Luca hadn't joined the assembly. Herote had come to inform him.

"To begin with, much of the facility was damaged, so they need time for repairs. Attending class during construction would be incredibly inconvenient."

"I see."

"Unfortunately, it's not a real month off—it's just that they're moving up the vacation by a month. Haaa."

It wasn't Luca, the student, who was lamenting, but Herote, the teacher. Luca pouted slightly.

"A whole month off because of construction?"

"As if! We gained a lot of information from that Kisen family's kid."

Herote gave a sly grin.

"There were quite a few Demons' lackeys hidden in the Academy. Many of them didn't even realize they were following the Demons."

"So, like a cell structure."

"Yeah. A lot of them were just being used and discarded, like Professor Latik. Most were tempted by promises of getting into the Kisen Magic Research Division."

That seemed to have been the easiest lure. For mages of the Hernan Empire, the greatest dream was definitely to enter the Kisen Magic Research Division.

"For a month, they'll use the information in that kid's head to root out all the Demons' lackeys in the Academy."

"Ho. But won't that leave them short on teachers?"

"Headmaster Eltima has already made preparations for that. That's the reason she's not here now."

At these words, Luca tilted his head.

"Preparations have already been made?"

"That's right."

"So you're saying they already anticipated we would get rid of the Academy's darkness?"

At Luca's question, Herote leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.

"You should probably hear this directly yourself."

"Directly?"

Knock, knock.

Then, someone knocked at the door. Luca furrowed his brow slightly and looked toward the hospital room entrance.

"... Come in."

Creak—

The door opened, and a young girl stepped inside. Her curly hair, shoulder-length, glowed red and yellow, like the sun itself.

With a few freckles, and large eyes and lips, she gave a cute impression.

'There was a description of an appearance like that.'

He knew whose appearance it matched—but couldn't recall the description exactly. He instantly realized why.

'Why does she look so young?'

The person he remembered with that appearance was, he thought, in their early twenties.

But the girl before him, at best, looked to be Luca's own age—or perhaps even younger.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Eltima Cross. I am the headmaster of Hernan Academy."

"..."

As Luca only looked at her with a doubtful gaze and didn't reply, Herote spoke in support.

"It's true. This is Headmaster Eltima Cross."

"... Are you making fun of me? I've never met the headmaster, but at least I know she doesn't look like that."

"She sometimes turns like this when she uses a lot of power. Even more so after visiting with 'god', especially."

"?"

Herote answered his curt remark. Luca made a reluctant face.

"'After meeting god'...?"

"I'll explain."

At that moment, the girl—Headmaster Eltima Cross—spoke. She somehow already had a chair and had sat down, bowing her head slightly.

"First, I need to thank you. Luca Traverse. Thank you so much for helping clear away the darkness that had infested the Academy."

"Ah, yes."

"And I'm truly sorry. For allowing you to be hurt like that."

Headmaster Eltima wore a pained expression. Many emotions could be felt from her. One clear thing was that she felt sorrow over what had happened to Luca.

"... No need for that."

But Luca remained detached. He couldn't feel it. No matter what this girl in front of him said, it didn't move him in the slightest.

'Why come now? After all this?'

She had never shown herself at important moments, so a belated "thank you for your hard work" wasn't anything to be grateful for. If anything, he felt displeased.

"First, let me tell you why I couldn't help you. The reason for that."

"There's no need to say it. It's not something I want to know anyway."

"Luca."

Herote frowned, but Luca didn't stop.

"Am I supposed to sit and listen to excuses? I'd rather not waste my time. What I want is rest."

"I understand how you feel, but Headmaster Eltima also had her own difficulties..."

As Herote started to add a word, headmaster eltima spoke.

"I am sorry I could not help at a crucial moment. She wanted me to give you that message."

"What..."

"She also said, 'Next time something like this happens, I'll find a way to connect with you'."

The word 'connect' made Luca pause. He turned and looked directly at Headmaster Eltima.

"Those words—who said them?"

"..."

Headmaster Eltima silently pointed skyward.

"... Ha."

Luca let out a humorless chuckle and surreptitiously took out his phone. It displayed a connection signal.

'Did she really meet god?'

Luca could faintly recall meeting a god.

Something about being called a devoted reader and asked to complete the story, memories from the world of Pandia.

"Will you listen to what I have to say now?"

"..."

At Headmaster Eltima's words, Luca clicked his tongue and met her gaze.

"Keep it brief. What happened?"

"First, the Martin Curves incident showed just how deeply the Demons' claws had reached into the Academy."

Headmaster Eltima began her account.

From the start, headmaster Eltima had known the Demons had reached into the Academy. It was only natural, as Hernan Academy, gathering the continent's brightest talents, would naturally attract their attention.

That was why she had been bringing powerful figures with special abilities to the Academy.

That explains why so many talented people, like Herote, were present in each department.

She believed their presence would act as a deterrent to the Demons' ambitions.

"But I overlooked something. Or perhaps, I simply did not want to believe it."

"... You mean that the Demons' underlings were students?"

"Yes."

Headmaster Eltima said that she hadn't wanted to suspect students.

So, she had focused her management on the teachers, but the Demons had exploited that gap.

"Of course, that was my own wishful thinking. I simply did not want to believe there might be impure students."

"..."

Luca kept his face unreadable.

'What an idealist.'

She took a similar stance in the original story, though not quite to this extent.

Perhaps her character had changed a bit after being driven out of the Academy.

"So I came to a conclusion. That I am unfit for the position of Academy headmaster."

"?"

Headmaster Eltima's sudden announcement made Luca look puzzled, but not particularly surprised.

'So, fate can't be changed after all.'

The rule that great destinies cannot be altered. It appeared that Headmaster Eltima stepping down as headmaster really was inevitable.

'Wait a minute. Does that mean that fate also can't be changed?'

Suddenly recalling something, Luca glanced at Herote. Herote, as if knowing this much, also wore a faintly sorrowful expression.

"The next headmaster will be Herote, sitting here."

"Pardon?"

Herote's eyes widened, as if to ask what that meant. It seemed this decision had been made without consulting her.

"I can't think of anyone more suited to lead the Academy calm-headedly than Herote. I will take responsibility for this incident and leave the Academy, so I ask you, Herote, to take over."

"W-wait, hold on a second. Me, headmaster? What about my research?"

"I believe Herote, you will be able to manage your research and guide the Academy at the same time. Please, I'm counting on you to ensure the Academy doesn't fall to the Demons' grasp."

Watching them, Luca nodded inwardly.

'Just as I thought. Even Herote becoming headmaster is a fate that cannot be changed.'

It was not a surprising turn. With Headmaster Eltima stepping down, Herote was the only obvious choice to take up the position.

"N-no! Headmaster Eltima, you said I could just focus on my research!"

"Herote. If I don't choose the next headmaster, do you really think someone else will let you continue your current studies?"

"That's... true, but..."

"No one except a heretic experimenting with students' lifeforce would be appointed."

"W-headmaster Eltima! Hush!"

Flustered, Herote glanced at Luca after Headmaster Eltima's words.

"Don't worry, Herote. I'm sure Luca roughly knows about your research."

"K-knowing roughly and knowing completely are very different!"

"Maybe he knows all about it. Isn't that right?"

At Headmaster Eltima's question, Luca answered indifferently.

"I'm not interested. In the Witch's experiments or whatever."

"Could you stop with that Witch thing...?"

Herote looked rather wounded, but Luca ignored that and turned back to Headmaster Eltima.

"Let's end the idle talk here. Why are you telling me all this?"

"I intend to step down as headmaster and set out to destroy the Demons' devil idols scattered across the continent."

Devil idols.

These were barrier-like objects the Demons made, through which they could exert true devilish power even on this continent blessed by God.

In the original story, Heaven's Door had gone around destroying these idols.

Luca tilted his head after listening.

'But why is she telling me this?'

At that moment, headmaster Eltima looked Luca straight in the eyes and spoke.

"Will you come with me—to destroy the devil idols together?"

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=

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