I’m a Villain, but I Want to Live a Long Life - Chapter 109

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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“It decreased more than I expected.”

Sadina’s lips curved into a slight smile as the garden, which she had expected to be chaotic, turned out quieter than anticipated.

The number of students, which had been around 200, had clearly decreased to about half at first glance.

Sadina’s gaze, which had been scanning the students’ faces, stopped at one spot. It was the daughters of Hemera and Kione who had headed to the forest as soon as the assignment was given.

‘So those kids also returned on time?’

She examined Selene and Estelin’s faces closely with curious eyes.

She was curious whether they had discovered the note she had hidden. But there was another thought that crept into her mind even more.

‘They both look exactly like their mothers.’

A smile unconsciously spread across her lips.

As she was showing an unguarded smile, someone beside her cautiously called out to her.

“Um, Professor? You need to give the briefing.”

It was May. Sadina, who snapped back to attention, accepted the amplification magical device that May handed her.

“Ah, ahem—.”

This magical device, unlike the previous one, wasn’t defective. The sound came out clear and strong.

“For once, Kon did his job properly.”

Sadina moved her mouth away from the device and muttered with satisfaction. Then she channeled her mana to maximize the volume and shouted.

“Your faces are quite a sight to behold!”

It was an incredibly cold choice of words to say to students who hadn’t eaten or washed for two days.

But the students were indifferent. They had grown accustomed to Sadina’s ways by now.

Perhaps they were so tired that they couldn’t quite understand what she was saying.

Sadina spoke as if amused.

“I never told them to fight, yet they went at each other like enemies.”

During the two days they stayed in the garden, the students fought as if they were mortal enemies meeting on a narrow bridge.

‘I guess extending the camping period from one day to two was the problem.’

Originally, the students were supposed to spend exactly one night in the garden, but due to an incident that wasn’t quite an incident, the period was extended by another day.

Sadina nodded inwardly.

‘Two days was a bit long.’

Still, she was surprised that the level of the students’ fighting was higher than expected.

She had thought there wouldn’t be much to children’s fights, but a full half of the students got scared and gave up on taking the exam.

Some were even injured and taken to nearby hospitals.

…Though she was satisfied that the number of people had decreased thanks to that.

‘Should I be grateful to Ronda for this?’

Sadina suddenly recalled an incident from two months ago.

Perhaps this whole mess happening was entirely her responsibility.

Ronda was a new teaching assistant that Sadina had hired a few months ago.

She had hired her reluctantly because May kept complaining that the work was too overwhelming.

But contrary to her initial concerns, Ronda did her job quite well, except for being a bit too talkative.

Nevertheless, Sadina found Ronda a little unreliable.

Seeing her running around everywhere with that bright face gave her a premonition that she would cause a big accident someday.

And her intuition was exactly right.

‘Oh, what should I do, Professor!’

Ronda burst into the research lab with teary eyes and cried out as if in despair.

‘The exam date was recorded incorrectly, but I already sent out all the notification letters!’

Well, that kind of accident wasn’t a big deal if you thought about it, but it could be big if you considered it so.

It was too late to recall the notification letters, and the situation wasn’t favorable for correcting the date and sending new ones.

But May’s opinion was a bit different.

‘The gossip magazines definitely won’t let this slide. Articles will pour out saying that Rishion Academy has fallen behind… To make such a mistake.’

May had a gloomy face as if it was her fault for not checking. So Sadina made an inevitable decision.

She couldn’t change the date. This exam, unlike previous ones, had to be held on the designated date.

‘It’s only a one-day difference anyway. Let’s pretend the camping period was originally two days.’

‘Still, having an unplanned event is a bit concerning. How about we provide dormitory rooms for the first day instead? If we move up the cleaning deadline a bit…’

‘No. It’s a waste of money.’

That was Sadina’s true feeling.

With nearly 200 prospective students, letting them stay in the dormitory for just one day would cost a considerable amount from the budget.

Anyway, only around seventy people would pass.

She didn’t want to spend Rishion’s budget on mediocre students who wouldn’t even pass.

‘Just do as I say. The kids won’t die from sleeping rough for two days. And who knows? Since the period is longer, maybe some interesting kids will emerge this time.’

Having prospective students camp overnight in the Central Building Garden before the exam was a tradition she had secretly established.

The dean asked why she bothered with such troublesome affairs, but she had her own beliefs.

Students who break rules and those who don’t.

To Sadina, that was extremely important.

Of course, in a normal academy, students who don’t break rules would receive good evaluations, but it was different for Sadina.

Students who ventured beyond the garden to explore the forest or anywhere else gave her great inspiration.

‘Mental refreshment, change of perspective! How wonderful.’

Though it might seem trivial, only students with curiosity, appropriate courage, and analytical skills always attempted to venture outside the garden.

And most students who made such choices remained in Sadina’s mind with quite favorable impressions.

‘Even if others call it a strange preference, what can they do when I like it.’

This time, there were as many as three students who moved according to her expectations. Ah, including the students who got lucky by chance, a total of five.

Sadina looked at Selene, Estelin, and Rosette again with a proud face. She could also see the other two beside them.

‘Those two were lucky.’

Still, they were better than the idiots who fought each other in the garden.

Thinking so, Sadina soon opened her mouth with a refreshed voice.

“I think you’re all tired from the two days. The exam starts at midnight today, so you’ll need a place to rest until then, right?”

The students’ faces brightened at the word ‘rest.’

“From now on, we’re going to the Tower of Repose! Everything you need is prepared, so eat or sleep as you please. It’s free time.”

As soon as those words ended, several carriages stopped at the back of the garden. The students who had been standing blankly soon rushed onto the carriages.

Selene’s group was the same.

“Oh my!”

Verain covered her mouth with her hand in surprise.

In the first-floor hall of the Tower of Wisdom they had arrived at, a banquet table that could seat dozens of people was prepared.

A splendid and massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, and the interior walls were made of subdued dark brown wood.

Academy staff wearing academy uniforms guided them to temporary accommodations from under the straight staircase placed in the center.

The accommodations seemed to be prepared from the second floor onwards.

“I want to wash up first and then eat. I need to put down my luggage too.”

Rosette, holding her returned luggage in both hands, spoke with a determined face. Estelin beside her also nodded.

“Me too. I’d like to enjoy the food in a refreshed state if possible.”

I hesitated for a moment, then followed Rosette and Estelin toward the stairs.

I wanted to immediately sweep all the food on that table into my mouth, but it seemed embarrassing to do it alone.

‘I’ll endure it and come back after washing to eat together.’

Once I fill my stomach a bit, take a nap, and then reorganize my strategy, the timing should be just right.

“Please go up first. Janet and I want to grab a quick bite before heading up.”

Verain said with a smile. We nodded and climbed the stairs. When we reached the top of the staircase, we saw a long corridor stretching out with numerous rooms.

“There’s one bed each. It seems like it’s one person per room?”

Rosette, who had opened the nearest empty room, said.

“Then we should take three consecutive rooms over there.”

I gestured toward three rooms at the relatively far end of the corridor.

At the end of the corridor, it would be convenient to come and go, and it would also be quiet from noise.

“Then I’ll take the very end!”

Rosette skipped over with lively steps and opened the door to the innermost room.

“Let’s wash up and meet in the corridor!”

She flipped the sign hanging on the door so the green side was showing and slipped into the room. The green sign meant someone was inside.

“Seleneae, rest well and see you later.”

Estelin also opened the room next to Rosette’s and went in. I naturally entered the third room.

The space was spacious and comfortable. Next to the large bed was even a wooden bathtub with steam rising from it.

“…After working us mercilessly for two days.”

They’re definitely helping with stamina management before the exam. Is this their way of saying they’ll properly assess our skills?

A smile slowly spread across my lips. The spacious room was nice, but I felt excited because it strangely felt like I was on a trip.

I confirmed the door was properly locked, then quickly threw off the layers of clothes I was wearing. Then I plunged my body into the wooden bathtub with a splash.

My whole body relaxed drowsily in the hot water.

“Let’s see, where’s the clock…”

The hour and minute hands were pointing to just past nine o’clock.

‘Should I sleep for just 30 minutes?’

The moment I thought that, drowsiness came rushing over me uncontrollably.

I seemed to have dozed off like that, when suddenly I heard a steady noise near my ear.

Knock knock knock—

“She seems to still be sleeping.”

“Then we should wake her up. Wait, let me try waking her.”

Bang bang bang—!

“Seleneae! Wake up!”

I opened my eyes wide. After being momentarily stunned by the unfamiliar space that filled my vision, I quickly recalled my memories from before falling asleep.

“…Right. I came to the dormitory.”

Looking down, I saw my palms were all wrinkled and swollen.

Checking the clock, a full hour and a half had passed since I fell asleep. I hurriedly got out of the bathtub, wrapped my body with a towel, and rushed toward the door.

“Seleneae! Hey? Wake up! You need to get up!”

Rosette knocked on the door again. I shouted toward the door outside with a hoarse voice.

“Yeah! I just woke up. Sorry! Just let me dry off for a moment…”

“Hey, come out quickly! Someone’s looking for you!”

Looking for me? Who?

I twisted the towel around my hair and hurriedly pulled out new clothes that Anna had packed from my luggage.

When I flung open the door, I saw Rosette and Estelin, also dressed in comfortable clothes. And next to them stood a woman who appeared to be Academy staff.

“Miss Seleneae Tigris?”

When I nodded, the staff member gestured for me to follow and said indifferently.

“Congratulations.”

My eyes widened.

“You’re about to become the first student to receive penalty points before even enrolling.”

Excuse me?

Penalty, what?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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