The manual continued flipping pages without my permission.
[Analyzing future events for Villainess Diana Termina Winter.]
[Analysis complete.]
[Diana Termina Winter’s villainess arc comnces in three days. She will be forced to clear Floor 80 once again due to political machinations. The other four noble houses will pressure and plot against her, leaving no alternative but to enter the sa apocalyptic world.]
More pages turned.
[This ti, she will synchronize completely with her villainess counterpart. Upon ejection back to this world, having abandoned everything and living solely for revenge, she will uncover the darker truth behind the orchestration.]
[She subsequently joins forces with the enemy faction to bring down the entire academy and those who rule it.]
The final revelation appeared.
[Later in Act 3, she is defeated by her own niece, the heroine of this tale, who makes her submit through words alone.]
I scoffed internally.
’That’s your typical ending for an overpowered character. Can’t beat them in combat? Here, let present the ancient and sacred technique of talk no jutsu.’
I didn’t care how tragic her past was or what horrors awaited her in the future. I was no saint who fought other people’s battles. If she lost, then it was entirely her fault for being weak.
Simple as that.
I closed the system screen, but not before noticing my level progression. The thousand experience points from the quest hadn’t been enough to advance, but it was better than receiving nothing at all.
│═════════════════│
│ [ Lv.3 ]━━━━━━○━━━[ Lv.4 ]
│ ─────────────────
│ Current EXP: 1000 / 1500
│═════════════════│
I turned to Celestine, who was waiting expectantly for my enthusiastic reaction after discovering I had made it onto the list.
Instead, I delivered my words with complete nonchalance.
"Looks like we won’t be classmates after all. I’ll be one year ahead of you now."
I stroked my chin thoughtfully.
"And you’ll have to address as senior too. Hmm, but I think I would prefer sir."
Her curious and joyful eyes instantly transford into pools of sadness. She was far too innocent to recognize my sarcasm for what it was.
Rather than taking offense at my teasing, she simply accepted the cruel reality I had fabricated.
I sighed heavily.
"But I’ve heard there aren’t really any boundaries between juniors and seniors at this academy. They share the sa dormitories. The sa training grounds. The sa hangout spots. There are even joint classes where all years study together."
Her eyes glead with renewed hope. "Really?"
I maintained the most annoyed expression I could muster while forcing a fake smile onto my face. "Yes. I’m one hundred percent certain of it."
’Oh gods, even the no-na kid is smarter than her.’
Speaking of which, rembering the girl without a na made glance in that direction.
Only to realize I wasn’t the only one looking.
Every single pair of eyes in the vicinity had turned toward where I had left my companions.
Not because of Freya’s status as a princess. Not because of Alia’s presence as either a calamity or simply a beautiful woman. Not because of the naless child’s adorable appearance.
The stares were ant for soone else entirely.
A woman standing coldly beside them. Hands tucked into her pockets. Wearing a long black coat that billowed slightly in the breeze. Red gloves covering her fingers.
Diana Termina Winter.
She spoke sothing to Alia that I couldn’t hear from this distance. Then her green eyes found mine across the crowd.
A mont later, she was walking toward the stage.
I was thoroughly baffled. I quickly rejoined my group.
The mont I reached them, I turned to Alia. "What did she say?"
But before Alia could respond, Freya cut in with barely contained panic.
"Did you do sothing monuntally stupid to attract Diana’s attention?" Her voice carried genuine fear. "The rumored one who never ddles in anyone’s affairs?"
I scratched my head casually. "Let think about that."
Freya’s face turned pale. Her voice dropped to a terrified whisper. "What did you do?"
"I didn’t say anything particularly triggering," I replied with a shrug. "Just ntioned I would cut her leg off. Oh, and I also clarified that I don’t have a leg fetish. Even shared my weakness for feet and gave her a better approach to charm if she ever wanted to try again."
Freya’s jaw dropped so low I thought it might detach entirely. "Do you have any idea who she is?"
I rubbed the back of my head sheepishly. "Of course I do. But at that particular mont, I wasn’t exactly aware of her identity."
Freya pressed her palm against her forehead in disbelief. "Eren, she isn’t just the headmistress of this academy. She is the single most influential figure on the entire island of Azuredel."
My tongue slipped before I could stop it. "Not for much longer."
She blinked. "Pardon?"
"Nothing. Forget I said anything." I waved dismissively. "I don’t think that maniac will do sothing drastic just because I rejected her leg. Anyway, what exactly did she say to you?"
Freya turned to Alia, and so did I.
Alia spoke. "She said to tell you that you should gather your luggage and et her personal assistant behind the stage."
I stared blankly. "Luggage?"
Then her parting words from our previous encounter echoed through my mory.
She had said I would have to see her face every single day. She had also claid she had adopted .
Was she actually serious? Did she genuinely intend to...
’Wow. I’m getting adopted by the villainess who is about to et her doom.’
But it wasn’t like she owned or anything. I could simply decline her bizarre and sowhat deranged offer.
I turned to the naless girl and patted her purple hair gently while directing my words to the others.
"Don’t think too much about it. And don’t worry. I’ll handle my own business."
Then a cold voice began to echo across the square.
It was an announcent being made from the podium on stage. Diana stood there, commanding attention without even trying.
People stared at her like she was so kind of goddess descended from the heavens. Which was fair, I supposed. They didn’t know about her psychotic tendencies.
Her voice rang out with absolute authority.
"I acknowledge every individual across the globe who participated in this tournant and made it a morable spectacle for all who witnessed it."
A pause.
"Your efforts are... appreciated."
The word sounded almost painful coming from her lips.
"However, this academy does not reward effort. It recognizes capability. It acknowledges power. And just like life itself, the losers are discarded and forgotten. No matter how desperately you pushed yourselves, in the end, only victory matters."
Her green eyes swept across the crowd like a predator surveying prey.
"And in that singular aspect, most of you all have failed."
’Well, that escalated suddenly. Isn’t she being a bit too blunt?’
She continued without rcy.
"Out of the thousands of losers who participated, only a fraction succeeded in earning their place. But do not mistake that for so grand achievent. It rely ans you were not disappointing enough to be discarded."
Her tone grew even colder.
"This academy does not nurture weakness. It does not accommodate excuses. And it certainly does not care about your lineage, your past glories, or whatever aningless titles your families cling to."
She let those words sink into the silent crowd.
"If you seek comfort, leave now. If you seek power, register your na and prove you deserve to stand among us."
Her gaze hardened.
"That is all I have to say."
A brief pause.
"For those who have passed this stage, you are hereby notified that inauguration and classes will comnce next week."
The faintest hint of sothing crossed her features. Not quite a smile. Sothing far more dangerous.
"And for those select few, welco to the academy."
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