The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen - Chapter 417



417 – Side Story – Observation Log of the Special Class

[Side Story – Observation Log of the Special Class]

★Swordsmanship Department Edition.★

-Author: Professor Ricardo, Swordsmanship Department-

*

I received the list from Malik.

A list of about 15 people.

“…”

Frankly, I thought over 100 people would apply, so I was surprised by the lower-than-expected participation rate. The Academy wasn’t some private educational institution stuck out in the sticks, after all.

It was a place where the Empire’s most brilliant prodigies, burning with a thirst for knowledge, came to seek it, so frankly, the mere 15 who showed up left me bewildered.

And there I was, clueless, asking Malik to narrow down the numbers to just around 100.

Still, whatever.

(Participant Roster)

●Swordsmanship Faculty

Mikhail, Histannia Hanna, Sigor Luke, Rohan, Elyria Baylin

●Magic Faculty

Ruin, Tetra Schoen, Leokard Chartier, Adrian Plkner, Irie

●Healing Faculty

Yuria, Sophia, Gail, Lynn, Mira Silvaren

Couldn’t say I was disappointed, seeing so much talent gathered here.

Better to teach three who hunger for something, than two hundred stuck in the middle, anyway. The potential return is far greater, you see?

Spotted a few faces who popped up as extras in the novel, and what’s this, even ‘Elyria Baylin,’ the one rumored to be practically invisible in the story, signed up? Should be… interesting to mold her.

With the right touch, I could forge her into a lethal assassin.

[Day 1.]

The long-awaited first lesson commenced.

Familiar faces all around, which was nice, but meant I had to stay sharp. Can’t let camaraderie muck things up in a professional setting.

Let’s set some simple goals, then.

Hanna: Increase total Aura reserves, and lessen excessive Aura expenditure.

Mikhail: Lay the groundwork to wield at least 60% of the Holy Sword’s power.

Rohan: Construct a sturdy punching bag capable of withstanding an Archbishop’s assault.

Luke: Create a mad dog that doesn’t scare easily.

Malik: Forge ’em so they don’t die, no matter where they’re tossed.

And.

Baylin: Nonexistent, gotta call her name at roll call, for sure.

Think I can manage that much.

What shocked me most in that first lesson wasn’t Rohan’s climb-over-you spirit, nor Malik’s participation, but Baylin’s… lack of presence.

“Class is dismissed for today. Those awake, rouse the unconscious.”

“,,,”

“One… two.. three. Four, five… Someone’s missing?”

“…”

“Ah. Student Baylin was unconscious, I see.”

Maybe it was her quiet nature, but Baylin’s ripple effect of…nothingness, went beyond what was written in the novel, shocked me, it did.

She was a gag character in the novel, too, y’know.

-Baylin?! Where’d Baylin go!

-…I’m here.

-BAYLIN!!!

-I’m right here…

Figured she was a student with real talent, I did.

The first lesson only knocked ’em out, but seeing the students attacking the lesson with such passion, felt like we could make somethin’ half-decent here.

[Day 2.]

A fight broke out.

Swordsmanship Faculty. Magic Faculty. Healing Faculty, all mixed together.

To be honest, I was disappointed in the students, brawling like that, not even knowing how grueling the upcoming lessons would be. Inwardly, I’d thought Malik would at least try to mediate, but he was right there in the thick of it, laughing harder than anyone – it almost made me smile.

-I won.

-…Proud of yourself, are you?

-It’s been a while since I tangled with such young blood. Made me feel alive again, I suppose.

-Then I’ll triple the intensity of your lessons.

-I’ll… refrain.

Truly.

An impossible man to hate.

His thirst for knowledge, the way he admitted his faults – a lot to learn from him, there was.

Anyway, thanks to the trouble last night, I postponed the original plan and we’re starting with joint lessons. I’d meant to set the stage near the end of the course, but these students went ahead and dug their own graves, practically begging for it.

-Spare us!!! Butler-nim!!!

-My mistake.

-P-Please… stop!!! We messed up!

-You b*stard!!!!

-Shut up! Green-hair-for-brains! This is fun, Shuien thinks it’s fun!

Seemed like they were all bonding, which was nice to see.

[Day 3]

Sent the swordsmanship students into the dungeon today.

They survived last night’s joint lesson without kicking the bucket. I think they’ll manage.

The dungeon’s ecosystem: goblins and spiders.

A place where peculiar monsters, unseen readily outside, took root. This monster-den, unsightly and riddled with troublesome foes, was also an unrevealed dungeon, unknown to adventurers—making it the perfect place for a lesson.

Originally, I’d intended to drop them in an elite-orc-infested den, but it seemed the students were more capable than I’d anticipated. It seemed fine to nudge the difficulty up a notch.

“Butler-nim, where are we…?”

“A dungeon. A dungeon anyone can easily enter.”

“…That’s…”

-Screeeeeeeeeech!!!

“I hear strange noises coming from inside the dungeon?”

I spoke to Hanna, whose face trembled.

“Perfectly ordinary monsters. Do not worry, and enter.”

“…Not orcs, are they?”

“Ha ha…! Of course not.”

Hanna shook her head, wearing a pained expression.

[Day 6]

Their eyes have improved.

The dungeon that seemed like it would take at least five days, they reached its deepest levels in just three.

“I hate spiders… I’m going to kill them all.”

The students’ stomachs had also improved beyond comparison to before. Most academy students hadn’t experienced real combat, and would easily panic.

There were many students with exceptional abilities who couldn’t become protagonists because they were afraid, so this class looked like it would bring good results.

-Here they come again…!

– Why’s the spiderweb color brown!!!

– HATE IT!!!

With that kind of stomach, she could probably face down a mage controlling insects.

Found a weapon for Hannah too.

And decided on the direction for the lessons. Gradually increase the intensity… step by step…

That’s when it hit me.

That I was making a colossal mistake.

“Um…”

“…Huh?”

I flashed an awkward smile at the gloomy girl hiding behind her bangs. She’d been wielding her dagger more diligently than anyone in this lesson, and I’d completely forgotten about her.

“What am I supposed to do?”

“Ah… Bailyn, you can learn aura training together with Rohan and Luke.”

“Okay…”

I felt guilty for Bailyn, whose presence was unsettlingly faint.

“Um…”

“Yes?”

“Thank you… for noticing me.”

Truly meant.

*

[Histannia Hannah’s Diary.]

[Day 1.]

Today is the first day of lessons with the Butler. My brother said it would be a special instructor, but I was utterly shocked to hear it was the Butler.

– Good morning.

How could he be so dashing?

With a Butler who could steal a woman’s heart with the slightest gesture, I thought this summer vacation could be the best time of my life.

And the Butler is in charge of the Swordsmanship Faculty…!

‘This is an opportunity…!’

I figured this was the perfect chance to flaunt a charm I haven’t been able to show until now. Because I can’t really appeal myself with the Princess around at the manor.

Besides, Schoen went and earned points at that estate, so I couldn’t just sit idly by either.

– Ohoho~ I went to Schoen’s commoner home!

– …What?

– I went to appeal to the most beautiful person in the world! I may have outstanding beauty, but I can’t help it if I need to survive!

– …Haa?!

I resolved to seize this opportunity firmly, so as not to be overshadowed by Schoen. If my head isn’t good enough, I’ll use my body…!

I swore I wouldn’t lose out to Schoen, no matter what.

[Day 2.]

The Magic Faculty brats caused trouble.

If they’d just kept their mouths shut, everything would have been fine. Thanks to that second-year punk, I’m going to have a hell of a time, and I’m furious.

My brother should just stay out of it, why did he have to get involved…?

– Swordsmanship Faculty, rise.

– What in tarnation…!

– We had it the hardest.

– …No!

– The moment the story gets interesting, you faint…! Do you know how goddamn frustrating that is.

Appeals or whatnot, I didn’t even have the strength to move.

Tomorrow, for sure… I’m gonna get that back hug. I will, damn it…!

[Day 3.]

I hate spiders.

Truly, I do.

Especially those goblin-spider hybrid freaks. They’re gonna haunt my dreams… and to think I gotta go again tomorrow… I feel like crying.

I was gonna try and hug the butler when he wasn’t looking, but instead of finding an opening, I almost died from the spiderwebs.

Spiderweb’s stuck in my hair, won’t come out. I’m doomed to be awake all night.

[Day 4.]

Ugh… I hate spiders.

Enough with the webs…

[Day 5.]

I’m gonna obliterate them.

[Day 6.]

The butler gave me a present.

A sword that’s definitely missing a screw somewhere.

The gift from the Butler felt good, really good, but inside, a little sting. A sword that sucked down aura like it was air… still, being the first to get a gift had to mean something, right?

From noble mtl dot com

-You’re a bit…disappointed, aren’t you?

-Huh…?

-If a gift after all this time ended up being a sword that slurped up aura, I’d be bummed too.

-Haha… no, no. I’m just grateful for the gift itself.

-Haha…! Did you know?

-Know what?

-I would never, ever give something bad to someone I care about.

Hearing the Butler say that… well, it made me feel good. I’ll participate extra hard in tomorrow’s lessons, I decided.

·

·

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[Day 10]

Big trouble.

I feel bad for the spider.

Just until recently I couldn’t stand spiders, hated them with a passion.

-Screeeee…

Weirdly, it looks… cute. This is big trouble.

*

After logging my lesson notes for today, I closed the notebook, muttering quietly to myself.

“Guess I should be headin’ out soon.”

Needed to go see the Young Lady, hadn’t I.