A Third-Rate Villain’s Sweet Life Exploiting Academy Bugs – Chapter 98

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Dark skin, hair bleached white. Sharp eyes, and the long, pointed ears characteristic of elves…

“…”

Darian, the dark elf who received Marcosias’s order to investigate the truth behind the 14th legion’s annihilation, arrived at the Ruins of the Sanctuary in the Feifs Mountains.

Normally, if a high-ranking demon was this close to humans, their location would be pinpointed in an instant.

But she was a dark elf, so she was free from such concerns.

And next to Darian, a succubus with an appearance between adult and minor trailed closely behind.

Though banished from Pandemonium, the small horns on her head seemed to insist,

“I was a third-rate demon too!”

In any case, this succubus… was repeatedly chattering in astonishment.

“D-Did you do this all by yourself…?!”

“…”

In the long silence, Darian completed a simple black magic circle on the altar of [Ashes of Blood].

‘…I’m excited.’

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[Eternal Flame] 1st Floor, Expedition Waiting Room.

Before the raid, the cadets were exchanging greetings with their assigned party members.

The method for defeating [Ashes of Blood] was simple.

First, the personnel distribution: six people per team, for a total of six teams and 36 people.

Each party consisted of one main tank to withstand [Ashes of Blood]’s direct physical attack, [Descent].

This role was taken by an experienced member selected from Divine Valhalla, namely the party leader.

Next, one mage capable of handling the [Barrier] spell to block [Ashes of Blood]’s [Ember of Afterimage].

This role was filled by a veteran from Eternal Flame.

According to the original story in , due to a shortage of one person, the student with the highest marks in protection magic from Clarice would take on this role instead.

‘This foreshadowing is where the problem arises…’

Next, one healing-type cadet.

The remaining three members were filled by ranged attackers and mages to deal with the flying boss. [Ashes of Blood] used a pattern of flying around and repeating [Assault] and [Descent] attacks.

When it descended, the main tank with a shield would use [Holy Protection] to block it.

Then, when it ascended to attempt [Descent] on another group, the ranged attackers would intercept. In short, the targeted group was in tanking mode, and the remaining groups would attack.

Four teams would rotate, repeating this endlessly.

Ultimately, if the knights from Divine Valhalla and the mages from Eternal Flame, two per party, did their jobs, and the three ranged damage dealers performed well, the raid could be completed safely without taking any significant damage.

“Ah, hello.”

“Hi! Don’t you take the same liberal arts class as me? Fancy seeing you here!”

“Oh, you’re right…”

The surrounding conversations gradually grew louder. A raid consisted of multiple parties, and coordination was vital.

And to coordinate, trusting each other was a prerequisite. Therefore, each group needed some icebreaking.

So, those involved, including Taylon, left the waiting room, leaving only the Clarice cadets to socialize briefly.

“It’s my first raid, aren’t you nervous?”

“Well, it doesn’t seem like a big deal for a monster.”

“Still!”

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The atmosphere was boisterous with talk about Ashes of Blood and academy life. The elders of each position, after consulting with each other, started calling out the next group.

“Calling group 4.”

“…Timon Gigurta, Lev Denec, Violet D’Crescent…”

For better or worse, I ended up in the same group as Violet, a senior and the chairperson of the Archer Committee.

She wasn’t supposed to participate in this raid in the original story. Considering her visit last time as well, could it be because of me? Then,

“It’s been a while, Lev.”

“?”

Aveline, the blonde knight, whom I hadn’t seen since the ball practice.

“Yes. It has.”

She was smiling at me, but it wasn’t a genuine smile. The other day,

Lady Aveline wishes to be escorted.

-Lady Aveline!

-May I have this dance?

-W-Wait!

I had been dancing with Aveline and then passed her off to a group of unidentified men. It could be considered the worst of ballroom etiquette.

Aveline, maintaining her composure as much as possible, said to me,

“That escort will remain in my memory for a long time.”

“I’m glad you liked it.”

Behind the still-smiling Aveline, a man appeared, replaying the memory.

“Aveline, who is this pretty boy?”

“Timon, you’re here.”

He had patchy facial hair from his sideburns to his chin.

‘Oh right, it was him…?’

Probably an older classmate who started late.

Timon Gigurta.

One of the men who had courted Aveline in the etiquette class, and the villain of this chapter in , who had constantly trolled Selena, calling her a half-baked archer who couldn’t even learn wind archery.

Eventually, due to his carelessness, another cadet would have an accident during the raid.

Selena would then become even more obsessed with wind archery, feeling responsible for not being able to protect them.

Since the original story had changed a bit due to my intervention, things were turning out like this. Aveline introduced me to Timon with a slight smile.

“This is Lev Denec. To introduce him… Well, he’s quite remarkable. Even though he’s ‘Rank B,’ he received a recommendation from the professor and is participating in this raid.”

“What? He’s a B-Rank?!”

Timon’s face suddenly crumpled. More interestingly, Aveline’s tone had subtly shifted to a noble lady’s.

The sentence she used to introduce me didn’t contain any insults, but it implied a lot. That despite being Rank B, I had treated her carelessly at the ball, disregarding etiquette.

Timon, completely smitten with Aveline, stepped forward, glaring at me.

“Wow. He’s ~really something.”

“?”

“You, did you try to hit on Aveline with those measly skills?”

Hit on her? That was harsh. I asked, feigning annoyance,

“Forget that, shouldn’t you thank me first?”

“What?”

“If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have even been able to talk to Aveline. Not even once in your life.”

“Are you done?”

“My mouth hurts.”

“Ha! A good-for-nothing who was banished from his family…!”

He started growling at me, looking at my face. This was a bit burdensome. It seemed that Aveline had investigated me, perhaps to use my family as a threat.

Just as I was thinking how pathetic that was,

-Whoosh!

Clichéd as it was, his fist flew at me. There was no need to dodge.

-Thud!

-!

-Crack.

“St… Kuh-hack… Let… Kuh-ugh!”

-Crash!

Selena caught his wrist and made him fall.

“Argh! Argh!”

“…”

Timon’s face became deeply creased with wrinkles. His face red, he pleaded,

“S-Selena! Why are you doing this? We’re in the same Royal Class…”

“Not anymore. Not now.”

Selena spoke indifferently, as if he wasn’t worth dealing with. She had already left the Royal Class. And, being a half-elf… she hated discrimination.

‘She’s definitely grown.’

Above all, since she had learned wind archery, her combat power would be higher than I thought.

“Alright. Alright…!”

As Timon’s plea turned into begging, Selena released her grip. And, as Selena dusted off her hands,

-Dash!

“You, you’re unbelievable! D-Damn it! Just one hit!!”

-!!

He lunged at me again in an awkward posture.

‘He’s crazy.’

Along with my admiration,

“Stop it.”

This time, a woman with an alluring, noble scent appeared in front of me.

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-Violet? Didn’t you say you were busy?

“…”

Professor Diene’s worried question. The reason why Violet, who was busy every day, applied for this [Ashes of Blood] raid was simple.

Lev Denec. Because he was participating.

Indeed, the fact that he was Professor Diene’s exclusive disciple wasn’t a lie. They were close enough that she could get a recommendation letter whenever she wanted.

But… only Rank B?

‘…I can’t understand it.’

But it didn’t matter. Seeing was believing. By participating in this [Ashes of Blood] subjugation, she would naturally be able to observe his skills.

Ultimately, the fact that Lev Denec and Violet were assigned to Group 4 together wasn’t a coincidence, but due to her influence.

“…?”

The target of Violet’s observation. Someone was threatening Lev Denec.

You’re… Damn it! Just one hit!!

And he charged.

-!

Without a moment’s hesitation, Violet moved instantly and stood in front of Lev.

-Bang!

“Ugh!”

With a heavy thud, Timon’s forehead collided with Violet’s Wind Blessing. Timon was a protection-type mage.

Because he blindly trusted his protection magic, his physical abilities weren’t that great.

-Thud!

Therefore, his body staggered backward a few steps and eventually lost its balance, causing him to collapse.

Fortunately, the Eternal Flame waiting room was always kept clean, so his clothes didn’t get dirty.

-What’s that sound?

-What’s going on?

At the sudden thudding sound, the gazes of the surrounding cadets began to gather. Timon, embarrassed, tried to get up immediately, but,

“Damn it, wh-who is it?!”

He realized that the floor was spotlessly clean and that the person he was cursing was a senior from the committee, so he couldn’t help but slip again.

“…V-Violet sunbaenim?”

“I believe it was said that this is a time for fostering camaraderie.”

“Th-That d-doesn’t make sense! My dedicated archer is Rank B? The entire raid will be in danger!”

At Timon’s words, Violet sighed softly, as if annoyed.

The fact that she, who was destined to defeat the Demon Lord, had to deal with the childishness of a mere first-year cadet. She replied in a tone devoid of any mercy,

“All the cadets here have received recommendation letters from their professors. What you are saying is a clear overstep of your authority.”

“B-But…!”

“Then shall we report directly to Captain Baek according to protocol? From my perspective, this simply appears to be an act of disrupting team harmony and lowering morale…”

“…”

At Violet’s words, Aveline’s expression twitched, and Timon shut his mouth tightly.

“If you step down now, there will be no further punishment. And Aveline Valantis, return to your group. This is a warning as an Elder.”

-What’s going on?

-I don’t know, that guy suddenly charged.

-That’s Timon Gigurta. He’s notorious among the girls for having a bad personality.

“What, what are you looking at?!”

Embarrassed by the attention, Timon looked around, searching for an ally.

“A-Avel…in, where…?”

But Aveline had already returned to her group.

The ash-gray-haired man didn’t show any signs of surprise. He just wore an expression as if he had expected it.

‘Phew.’

Violet was relieved that the situation hadn’t escalated.

She was already busy, and she wanted to avoid writing an incident report. Of course, Violet’s intervention wasn’t perfect.

In a dispute, one should listen to both sides, even if it’s bothersome. But she had sided entirely with Lev.

If he was also at fault and she had to hold him accountable, he would be expelled from the raid in the worst-case scenario, and then there would be no reason for her to have come to see him.

Violet looked into Lev’s black eyes and opened her mouth.

“You…”

“…?”

“…”

Please be careful with your actions.

She tried to say it, but she couldn’t.

‘But…’

It was because an additional question came to her mind.

‘Why didn’t you dodge?’

Did he know someone would step in for him? Even considering that, his expression was too calm. Did he really have hidden skills, or was he just brazen…?

She was confused.

-…

At that moment, an announcement through a magic tool began to broadcast in the waiting room.

Attention Clarice Academy raid practice cadets. The dispatch ceremony will be held shortly, so please follow the Elder’s instructions…

The subjugation of [Ashes of Blood], which would resolve Violet’s curiosity… had begun.

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