I Became the Academy's Worst Villain Chapter 21: Past

"Uncle Victor...."

"Twenty knights ca with . They’re not here for show. They’re yours. Along with access to the family’s full treasury and all political connections and ntelligence networks. Everything." He stood. "You’re not alone in this, Hadeon. You never were. You were just being an idiot before, and now that you are ready.... "

Sothing tight in my chest loosened. I’d been so focused on my faction, on my allies at the academy, that I’d almost forgotten.

I had family too. Even if they are slightly fake in the fictional world.

"Thank you," I said, and ant it.

"Don’t thank yet. This path you’re on is going to get worse before it gets better. Much worse." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "But I believe in you. Just like I believed in your father. And this ti..." His grip tightened. "This ti, we’re going to win."

☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆

After Victor left to settle his knights in the guest quarters, I sat alone in the eting room, turning the vault key over in my hands.

Three hundred years of Ravana resistance. Generations of my new adopted family fighting this fight. Dying for it. Failing, but never stopping.

And now it was my turn. I was forced into it but there was no other choice but to drag into the light, that which was hiding. Only then would I know of my true fate.

[CRITICAL INFORMATION ACQUIRED]

[Thornheart Family, Multi-generational resistance movent]

[The Cycles, Confird across centuries]

[Previous Heroes, All beca tyrants or were eliminated]

[Council of Fates, Kill anyone who threatens their control]

[Your Parents, Assassinated for getting too close to truth]

[RESOURCES UNLOCKED]

- Family Vault access

- 300 years of records

- Ancient artifacts

- 20 Thornheart Knights

- Full family treasury

- Political connections

- Intelligence networks

[QUEST UPDATED: THE CONSPIRACY DEEPENS]

[You are not the first to fight this war]

[But you might be the first to win it]

[WARNING: Your uncle is right, it will get worse]

[The Council kills threats]

[You are now a confird threat]

[Prepare accordingly]

I pocketed the key and stood. The Spring Festival was here and soone would try to kill .

But for now, I had work to do.

☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆

I found Damian in the headquarters’ small library, reviewing supply manifests.

"Uncle Victor is staying?" he asked without looking up.

"For a few days. He’s worried."

"Reasonable, given our plan." Damian set down his papers. "Though I suspect his visit isn’t just about concern."

"No. He brought information. Important information." I sat across from him. "Damian, I need you to keep sothing confidential. Even from the others."

His attention sharpened. "Of course, Young Master."

"My parents’ deaths weren’t an accident. They were assassinated. By the sa people who are trying to kill now."

Damian was very still. "How long have you known?"

"I suspected. Uncle Victor confird it today." I t his eyes. "The people we’re fighting, they’ve been doing this for centuries. Killing anyone who threatens their control. My parents got too close to the truth. So they eliminated them."

"And now you’re walking the sa path."

"Yes."

Damian was quiet for a mont. Then, "What do you need from ?"

Not "are you sure?" Not "is it worth it?" Just "what do you need?"

This was why his loyalty was at 100%.

"Keep doing what you’re doing. Be my shield. My sword. My right hand." I pulled out a small token, the Ravana family seal. "If anything happens to , give this to Uncle Victor. He’ll know what it ans."

"Nothing will happen to you. Not while I’m breathing."

"Damian...."

"No." His voice was firm. "I’ve served the Ravana family for five years. I knew your parents. They were good people. Honorable. Just." His hands clenched. "If they were murdered for trying to make things right, then their deaths will not be in vain. You will succeed where they couldn’t. And I will ensure you live long enough to do it."

The conviction in his voice left no room for argunt.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

"It’s not thanks I want. It’s justice. For your parents" He stood. "Let them co. Let them try. They’ll learn what it ans to threaten a Ravana."

That afternoon, I t with Uncle Victor in the training grounds. He’d requested a conversation, away from the headquarters.

"I wanted to see where you train," he said, watching students spar in the distance. "Get a sense of your environnt."

"And?"

"It’s softer than back ho. But that’s expected. This is an academy, not a military outpost. Besides, you never take to training back ho as well."

We walked in comfortable silence for a mont.

"I’m going to tell you sothing else," Victor said finally. "Sothing I didn’t ntion earlier because the wards needed to be family-only."

"I’m listening."

"Your father left you a ssage. Sealed with bloodline magic. It can only be opened by you, in the family vault, with your blood." He glanced at . "He created it the week before he died. Like he knew sothing was coming."

My heart clenched. "What kind of ssage?"

"I don’t know. It’s sealed. But given the timing..." Victor’s jaw tightened. "I think he knew he was running out of ti. That he’d learned sothing critical. Sothing worth dying to protect until you were ready to hear it."

"Why didn’t you tell before?"

"Because you weren’t ready before. The Hadeon from two months ago? He would have ignored it. Maybe destroyed it out of spite." Victor looked at directly. "But the Hadeon standing in front of now? You finally get your head screwed back and so you’ll understand it."

We stopped at a quiet corner of the grounds.

"I will leave you to deal with things here in your capacity," Victor said, "after you’ve dealt with your assassination attempt, I want you to co ho. Visit Ravana ground. Open the vault. Read everything. Train with our family’s weapons. Prepare properly."

"I will. But Uncle Victor..." I hesitated. "When I co to Ravana ground, I’m bringing my inner circle. The people I would need. They need to know so of this too."

"How much do they know now?"

"Not much at all."’

Victor considered this. "Bring them. If you trust them enough to die for you, I trust your judgnt." He smiled slightly. "Besides, we could use fresh perspectives. Three hundred years of Ravana approaching the problem the sa way? Maybe we need new minds."

"Thank you."