Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 0

Chapter 0

The Frog in the Well (1)

I was born and raised in a small village on the outskirts.

Our village was truly the countryside among countrysides, located several days’ drive from the capital.

The air within the village was always stuffy and heavy, probably due to the barricades set up to prevent the intrusion of monsters and vagabonds.

The village’s amenities were at best an old film theater and a small grocery store. The only school in the village had less than a few dozen students in total.
Th i s w a s c o pi ed f r o m k i n gm t l . o r g

There wasn’t even a hospital, and most of the villagers relied on a quack healer for medical care.

Naturally, the children longed to leave this poor village. Whenever a wandering truck merchant came by, the square would always be bustling with such children.

The merchant, gathered the people and spent the entire day unraveling tales of heroes from the outside.

For instance, the story of three wanderers who stopped a massive overflow of monsters in the east,

Or the tale of an old veteran who, beyond the northern barriers, single-handedly slaughtered evil demons.

With every spit and tell, the children’s eyes sparkled even more. They would even stand up in the middle of the story to split into groups and play roles.

By dusk, when mothers came to look for their children, the merchant’s main sales strategy was to recommend trinkets or protective items, and this had never failed once.

However, I had no such envy. Oddly enough, what I wanted was the life of the frog in the well that I read about in a fairy tale as a child.

At the end of the story, the frog gave up leaving the well. While friends mocked the frog for refusing the vast world and called it stupid, I felt the opposite sentiment. The frog was just aware of its own capacity and was content with it.

To me, that well was our village. This narrow village was my entire world. Whether the environment was good or bad wasn’t even a consideration.

I had no idea how I came to hold such values. Perhaps, I had just given up on the expectation of a highly unlikely fantasy and conformed to reality.

One thing was for sure, as a child, I firmly believed that growing old here was the destiny given to me.

However, in the year I turned 13, during a late summer when the monsoon had just ended, rare ripples began to disturb the calm daily life of our village.

Th i s w a s co pi ed fr om k i n g m t l . o r g
Near our house, there was an old mansion that had been empty for a long time, but suddenly, workers from outside flooded in and began repairs on the mansion.

The clattering noise continued even at night, and the house quickly regained its original neatness.

Naturally, people were curious about the new owner of the mansion. Some speculated that it must be someone high and noble coming to our village, judging by the grim look on the face of the usually sullen captain of the guard.

The debate over the identity of the occupant continued for days. There was no better topic of conversation for the always bored villagers.

Only after a few days did this curiosity get satisfied. Early in the morning, following the strict signals from the captain of the guard, the village’s main gate opened.

Soon, a luxury vehicle, shining in deep black, entered the village roads. The car stopped in front of the repaired mansion.

A moment later, a stern-looking woman got out of the driver’s seat and rushed to the rear seat to open the door.

After a brief pause, what appeared was the figure of a girl.

***

Although debates about the girl’s identity heated the village, they soon began to fade.

The only person who seemed to know something, the captain of the guard, kept his mouth shut, leaving no room for further speculation.

By this point, adults, realizing there was nothing to gain from their interest, gradually quieted down.

Usually, children are insensitive to such adult matters, but this time was no different.

There was only one school in the village, and the girl began attending it not long after moving.

When the girl first appeared at the classroom door, all the students let out a small gasp.

Hair as black as the night sky.

Skin as pale as ivory, contrasting with her hair.

A face so small it seemed it could be held in one hand.

T h i s w a s cop ied fr o m k i n g m t l . or g
Large, bright eyes with long, elegantly extended lashes.

Lips tinted red like the berries of a mountain ash tree.

And shadowed by all this freshness, a strange sorrow and gloom.

The girl’s unique mystique and dignified demeanor had a magnetic pull, so the students, regardless of gender, flocked to her, showing interest.

T h i s w as c o pie d f r o m k i ngm tl . o r g
But it didn’t take long for the illusion to shatter.

The girl consistently behaved arrogantly and haughtily towards all the students who approached her.

Sometimes, she even heaped scornful abuse on the more persistent children.

And then, as if ordering servants, she would command the children to wait on her, so it was only natural that people gradually started to distance themselves.

Before long, no one approached the seat at the back of the classroom by the window where the girl sat, and she would quietly sit there all day, repeating the cycle of attending and leaving school.

Honestly, by this point, it was unclear why she was even coming to school.

Despite the girl having transferred quite some time ago, we didn’t know a single letter of her name.

***

T h i s w a s c o p i e d f r o m k i n g m t l .o r g
“I heard from Hajin earlier. He saw the captain of the guard fawning over that stern-looking maid who came from that house.”

“That’s nonsense.”

T h is w a s c o p i ed f r o m k i n gm t l . o r g
“He swore on his mother it was true. Does it make sense? The idea of that pig bowing down to anyone is absurd, let alone to a maid?”
Thi s w a s co p i e d f r o m k ing mt l .o r g

On the way back to the residential area after school, Jinho’s mouth didn’t stop moving. His face was full of indignation.

Jinho was one of the victims who had suffered harsh verbal abuse from the girl.

“The adults were right. She must be a young lady from a good family. A very high and noble one at that. Maybe even a magician. That’s why the pig bowed down to her maid.”

“Stop talking nonsense. Why would a lady from such a household come to our village? Would you want to come here?”

“How should I know? But it’s certain.”

Despite Ina’s scolding, Jinho continued his confident assertion.

“That’s why the homeroom teacher can’t do anything either. Think about it? A student acts like that and Joohee just lets it go… it doesn’t make any sense…”

“Hey. What’s with calling the teacher Joohee? I’m going to tell her everything tomorrow. Saying her name for no reason.”

“So what? It’s not like she’s here to hear it. Even you were going crazy when Joohee confiscated your tint…ugh!”

“Hey! I told you to forget about that!”

Ina yelled and kicked Jinho’s shin.

“Hey, Hyun. Say something.”

“What should I say?”

After struggling with the pain, Jinho nudged my shoulder.

“What else? You heard what she said earlier.”

“Why would anyone talk to her? Should have just avoided her like me.”

“But you’re curious, right? And no matter how annoying it is, how can she talk to someone like that? It’s not like I did anything wrong. Because she was raised preciously?”

“That’s because it’s you.”

Ina smirked with contempt. Jinho persisted in his point.

“If it was just the way she spoke, I really wouldn’t have said anything. You should have seen her eyes. It was like she was treating me like a monster.”

“Of course, she would look at you that way if you talked to her…”

“Hey, Hyun. Seriously, not all pretty girls are nice. I swear, I’ve never seen someone more venomous than this Ina…”

“Hey! Kang Jinho! I’m really going to kill you!”

“Anyway, I’ve said my piece! I’m off! See you tomorrow!”

Ina lunged at him like she was about to devour him, but Jinho dodged the attack with ease and dashed off beyond the alley.

Ina furiously chased after him, and just like that, I was left alone.

I trudged through the alley, mulling over the events since the girl had transferred.

Truthfully, my situation wasn’t so different from the girl’s. The reason was my constitution.

Before entering school, during the physical examination, I was diagnosed as a complete non-responder, meaning I couldn’t use magic at all. I remember the dispatched doctor being surprised, opening his eyes wide.

He said that every person has at least a slight sensitivity. Even if one has no talent, with decades of effort, anyone can perform basic magic, like floating a small fruit in the air.

But a constitution entirely lacking sensitivity, like mine, was so rare that you might not find even one in a hundred thousand, no, a million people.

The doctor wanted to take me to a higher city for research. He even offered a huge reward.

However, his dream was blocked by my mother’s vehement opposition, and he eventually left the village with a face full of regret.

Anyway, my constitution was just the right material for the thoughtless teasing of children.

Not even magicians themselves, these mischievous children persistently made fun of me. And as I remained passive, their teasing gradually worsened.

Eventually, someone crossed the line by mentioning my parents, and I couldn’t hold back any longer, beating the bullies severely.

I wasn’t particularly concerned about my constitution. Would a frog become something special if it could perform a bit of magic? Rather, it was because I kept thinking about my mother, who kept apologizing for something that wasn’t even her fault.

Unable to handle several people alone, I resorted to using every tool at hand, like stones or wood, and ended up breaking the bones of a few of the leading teasers.

Among them was a girl. Some adults complained to my mother about how I could hit a girl so hard.

But I refused to apologize until the end. It was impossible to hit someone less hard just because they were a girl after committing the same mistake.
T h i s wa s co pi e d f r o m k ing m t l . o r g

Jinho and Ina had taken my side during that ordeal, which is how we became friends.

However, because quite a few children had participated in the bullying, I still maintained a rather detached relationship with the rest of my classmates.

Of course, I didn’t feel any camaraderie with the girl or any desire to get closer. Who could like someone who responds with verbal abuse to anyone seeking friendship?

Moreover, after such experiences, I became more sensitive to verbal than physical bullying.

If I lingered around and heard harsh words, I couldn’t predict how I would react.

Unlike other kids who tried to speak to her, I instead increased my distance.

This had not changed even now.

***

“Hey, you there.”

It was one of those days. I had forgotten my pencil case, so I returned to school, and upon opening the classroom door, I found myself face to face with the girl who had stayed behind alone.

Having always left school early, I never expected to encounter her alone like this.

Taken aback by the sudden meeting, I was a bit flustered, but the girl, uncaring of my state, arrogantly gestured towards the classroom door with her chin.

“Go fetch some water.”

“…What?”

It was only after hearing her unreasonable request that I managed to calm down a bit.

At the same time, a strange defiance began to rise within me.

What made her think she could order me around after just seeing me?

Jinho’s words from the alley rang true.
T h i s w a s c o p i e d f ro m ki n g m tl . o r g

Watching me ponder, the girl hurried me again. Her face was full of arrogance.

“Really, these commoners never understand the first time. Can’t you hear? I’m thirsty, so hurry up and fetch some water…”

“I don’t want to.”

“…What?”

As if she had never expected a refusal, the girl’s face contorted.

“I said no. If you’re thirsty, you can go get it yourself. Why order someone else around? And it’s not even a request. I’m going home.”

I just wanted to go home as quickly as possible rather than engage in a pointless conversation.

But as I turned to leave the classroom after leaving those words of refusal, a sharp voice from behind stopped me in my tracks.

“How dare a worthless non-responder refuse someone like me. You really inherited lowly blood…”

The girl’s clear voice, incongruously mixed with strange and harsh language, spilled out.

T h i s w a s co p i e d f ro m kin g m t l . o r g
Hearing those words, my blood ran cold.

No matter how I interpreted her words, she was insulting my mother, and it was exactly the kind of thing I hated hearing the most.

After I had beaten up the bullies, no one dared to speak those words openly, but I knew they were still whispered behind my back.

Perhaps the girl had overheard such talk and learned about my circumstances.

But how she came to know was irrelevant. What mattered was that this impudent lady had uttered the words I despised most, and I felt a strong urge to shut her mouth for good.

“…? What are you doing…”

I turned around and walked towards the girl.

Sensing something was off, the girl frowned and attempted to speak.

But I no longer wanted to hear her voice.

I raised my right hand. Before her words could finish, I put strength into my arm and struck down.

-Slap!

“Uh…?”

My right hand landed squarely on the girl’s left cheek. Her pale skin instantly turned red. The girl, unable to comprehend what had happened to her, let out a dumbfounded noise.

But my retribution wasn’t over yet.

I raised my right hand again, this time clenching it into a fist.

With all my might, I aimed for the girl’s stomach and thrust forward.

-Thud!

“Ugh…ack…ugh…”

“Don’t insult my mom.”

The girl, who had been exuding pride, was now writhing in pain at my feet.