Correcting the Villainess of the Academy

I reflexively turned my body at the sudden voice.

Behind me were three shadows. They had positioned themselves in a crescent shape, surrounding me.

In the background, I could see two wolf monsters pacing menacingly, casting threatening glances.

Drool dripped from their mouths as they let out low, savage growls.

“After how pitifully you’re crying, I could at least give you some last moments to enjoy…”

“Hey. But didn’t I tell you to just check first? What if I had just killed you?”

“…It’s certain…”

The shadows chattered as if critiquing me.

As they said, I was so caught up in my weeping that I hadn’t noticed their approach.

Each of them draped in suspicious black robes.

Occasionally, red glows flickered in the air, coupled with the fierce techniques they used, controlling the monsters like extensions of their own bodies.

Thanks to those characteristics, I was able to immediately recall their identity.

Warlocks.

Heretics who supposedly obtained powerful dark magic at the cost of their own souls.

Every aspect of the shadows matched the descriptions of the wicked group I had heard about before.

“…Who are you?”

“The scar under your eyes is a bit disappointing. Still, at this level, it’s quite top-notch.”

“Right? How much do you think this is worth…”

“I asked who you are!!”

“Ah?”

I shouted in fury.

Only then did the shadows stop their conversation and turn their heads toward me.

“You’re still full of energy. That’s the beauty of youth.”

“…Are you trying to kill me?”

“Hm? Was that what you were curious about?”

“At first, we were planning on doing just that. But your looks are just too precious. You probably never had a shortage of women in your life. I envy you.”

“What nonsense… Just answer…!”

“Let’s see, first we should feed you some medicine. Don’t worry. It’s actually medicine that will help you.”

“Medicine…?”

“You’re going to encounter various things ahead, and it’s much better to be completely devoid of memory than to be fully intact. Plus, it’ll keep you quiet…”

“What do you mean…”

“Heh… Even after looking again, you do look tempting. Who would have thought such a bonus would fall into our laps?”

“Better keep a note about those perverted tastes of the older ladies. I think they’d pay a good price.”

The warlocks chuckled among themselves, exchanging words. The sight was utterly absurd.

From what I could gather, it seemed like they were planning to sell me off in some kind of auction.

I had heard that warlocks couldn’t integrate into society and lived in the shadows or through plunder, but I never expected to become one of their commodities.

“…I will kill you.”

“Uh?”

But what filled my head wasn’t fear. It was more a sense of injustice and anger.

“…I will kill you. Just like the trash you are. Like the beasts that made my village this way. I’ll tear you limb from limb and watch you die painfully…”

I spat curses at them, overcome with rage.

I had already suffered too much sadness and pain. Now, I couldn’t even properly mourn my family and found myself about to be sold off as a commodity to the warlocks.

No matter how I thought about it, I didn’t recall committing any sin severe enough to deserve such a harsh punishment.

“Puhuhuhu! You’ve got more guts than I expected from your appearance, huh?”

“I used to be like that back in the day. Youth does have its perks…”

“Let’s get this over with. We’d better restrain you, just in case.”

But the warlocks just continued to laugh at me.

One of them stopped laughing and pretended to wipe away tears. Then, he began waving his fingers in the air as if drawing something.

Soon, five flaming rings appeared before him.

“It’d be best to give up on unnecessary resistance. If you get hit in the wrong place, it’ll hurt like hell. Well, it doesn’t really matter to us…”

The warlock pulled back the hand he had been waving.

The rings floating in the air began to fly toward me.

Their speed was sluggish, seemingly aimed at provoking my fear right up to the end.

But unlike what I had just shouted, I had no way out of this situation.

My back was blocked by a wall that still stood, while the three other directions were each guarded by warlocks.

Even if I managed to break through the encirclement, the wolf monsters waiting behind me would tear me limb from limb.

More than anything, there was no strength or will left in me to fight back.

Was I to be grotesquely bound by those rings and injected with drugs to be sold somewhere?

I was left feeling nothing but anger and sadness.

If only I had had the strength, I wouldn’t have to end my life so helplessly.

I could have protected my village, my mom, and my friends.

…I wouldn’t have disappointed or let go of Yeon.

Bang!

“Eh?”

I was about to accept my fate when the warlock, who had been pretending to be calm, suddenly let out a stupid groan. At the sound, I instinctively lifted my head.

The fiery rings that had been flying toward me disappeared without a trace. What I saw were small, sparkling red particles gradually fading away.

*

“What the…?”

“Rang. There’s no time to joke around. If we get caught on patrol…”

A scolding voice from a colleague came from beside me. The warlock named Rang, who had been absentminded for a moment, finally regained his senses.

“Ahem, what is…?”

Rang cleared his throat and waved his hand toward the air again.

Once more, the five blazing rings were recreated, and as he pulled back his hand, the rings advanced again.

The target was the young boy who was now seated just ahead.

Bang!

But once again, as soon as the rings reached the same point, they vanished.

The magic that composed the rings flickered darkly like fireflies and scattered into the air.

“…What’s going on? Did he set up a barrier? But the magic works completely differently. And according to the info, he’s definitely a powerless one…”

Rang muttered in disbelief, his expression flabbergasted. Two consecutive failures should not have happened.

At first, he thought the boy might have erected a barrier, but barriers simply repel magic; they don’t annihilate targets.

Not in modern magic nor in dark magic had he ever heard of defensive magic that completely erased objects.

Moreover, based on the prior information, the boy was supposed to be an ordinary person who couldn’t wield any magic. The conclusion he had drawn after observing the boy for several hours was the same.

An unsettling feeling began to creep in, but Rang soon steadied himself.

Opportunities to make a big score don’t come often. Right now, wrapping things up quickly and getting out of here was the priority.

With that conclusion, Rang charged the binding rings toward the boy again.

“This fucking…”

But despite multiple attempts, the result did not change. Any magic that came within a certain range of the boy simply scattered.

Enraged, Rang’s face twisted with fury. This time, he consumed a significant amount of magic to invoke a large-scale spell. Giant red spikes floated in front of him.

“Hey! What are you doing! If that hits, you’ll…”

“Shut your mouth!”

Other warlocks gasped in shock and shouted. But Rang ignored them and threw the spikes at the boy.

The spikes raced toward the boy at a speed that was incomparably faster than before.

Bang!

But once again, the magic simply scattered.

Due to the considerable amount of magic it contained, the backlash was equally intense.

Thousands of red lights burst into the air. The specks of particles decorated the surrounding sky like falling petals.

“Hey. You all try it.”

“Huh?”

“Do it quick! That little bastard is up to something…”

Rang urged his unwilling colleagues in frustration. Under that pressure, the other two hesitantly cast their spells.

Before long, their faces mirrored Rang’s earlier shock.

“This doesn’t make any sense… What the…?”

“…Something’s off. It seems we were wrong to want to kill him. If magic doesn’t work…”

The plot to secretly abduct the pretty boy had long since fallen apart. Earning substantial profits by selling him on the black market was also off the table.

Rang glared at the boy with a freshly-angered expression and pulled a small dagger from his pocket.

The jovial atmosphere from before was now nowhere to be found. Rang stood in a tense posture, not taking his eyes off the boy.

The boy continued to gaze into the darkness, staring blankly, as if he had not the slightest intention of resisting.

Growl…! Howl! Howl!!

Just as Rang was about to approach the boy, the wolf monsters began barking fiercely at the ruins behind the warlocks, their expressions dangerous.

Another warlock, noticing the reaction, looked over the ruins. It seemed he had found something, and he shouted to his colleagues.

“Damn it! Quick! Set up a barrier! Someone’s here…!”

But his words were never completed. Something flashed outside of his line of sight, and soon a massive fireball flew in, cleanly taking his head off.

He couldn’t even let out a death cry. The body, now headless, fell to the ground with a thump.

“What’s going on!”

“Something’s coming from behind!”

As if the fireball had been a signal, magic began to pour in from all directions. The warlocks, who had been surrounding the boy just a moment ago, were now the ones being hunted.

Bang! Boom!

Yelp!! Yack!

Thanks to the makeshift barrier they managed to erect, they avoided direct hits, but that was all. The wolf monsters were riddled with bloody holes and perished.

The warlocks found themselves in a position where they couldn’t move a single step.

Hugh!

“Ugh…!”

A strike that penetrated the corner of the barrier pierced Rang’s side. Being able to adjust the point of impact even in darkness was no ordinary skill.

I wasn’t sure if those assailants were connected to the boy, but I could certainly guarantee they weren’t the kind of amateurs who act as vigilantes.

“Fuck…! Fuck!”

Rang cursed in regret, wishing he hadn’t taken the commission for this job. He had thought it was a considerable reward to ask an ordinary person, yet here he was.

“No wonder I had a bad omen! I told you not to take it! I’m outta here!”

One of his comrades, who was also enduring the bombardment, seized a momentary gap and attempted to escape. It was absurd hearing him speak such words when he had been the most enthusiastic about taking the job.

“Hey! You fucking bastard…!”

Slash!

“Gyaah!”

Just as Rang was about to unleash a tirade at the fleeing comrade, a figure emerged from the darkness, and light flashed.

His companion screamed as if Mount Halla was collapsing, rolling on the ground.

Thud!

Suddenly, a monstrous object flew towards Rang’s feet. He quickly realized what it was.

Just moments ago, the arm that belonged to its owner was flailing around, spewing blood.

“W-What is this…?”

“Hey. Lower your hand. If you don’t want to end up like your friend.”

Just as he was about to say something, Rang realized a sharp blade was pointed menacingly at his neck.

The figure who had severed his comrade’s arm stood right behind him. The blade was wielded by a tall, fierce-looking man.

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