Correcting the Villainess of the Academy - Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Encounter (2)

Startled by the sudden voice, I reflexively turned around.

Standing behind me were the shadows of three people. They positioned themselves in a fan shape around me, as if to surround me.

Behind them, I could see two wolf-like demons circling around, sending threatening glances my way.

Drool dripped from their mouths, and they let out low, fierce howls.

“They were crying so pitifully, we thought we’d give them a last moment…”

T h is w a s c o pie d f r o m k i n g mt l . o r g
“Hey, didn’t I tell you? Just wanted to check first. What if we had just killed them?”

“…Indeed…”

The shadows chatted as if evaluating me.

As they mentioned, I was too immersed in my sorrow to notice their approach.

All of them wore suspicious-looking black robes.

Occasionally, the gleam of red eyes flashed through the air,

And with the skill to command fierce demons as if they were limbs,

I was able to immediately recall their identity thanks to these characteristics.

Warlocks.

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

Every detail about the shadows matched the stories I had heard about such malevolent groups.

“…What are you?”

“A pity about the scar under your eye. Still, you’re exquisite enough to be considered top-notch.”

“Right? How much should we get for this…?”

“What are you talking about!!”

I shouted back, filled with rage.

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

“Still full of energy. That’s the good thing about youth…”

“…Are you trying to kill me?”

“Hm? Is that what you’re curious about?”

“We intended to at first. But it’s such a waste of your looks. Must’ve never been short of women, huh? Envious, really envious.”

“What nonsense… Answer me…!”

“First, let’s give you some medicine. Don’t worry. It’s actually meant to help you.”

“Medicine…?”

“You’ll go through a lot, and it’s better to lose your senses than to be fully aware. Plus, it’ll keep you quiet…”

“What do you mean…”

“Ha… Looking at you again makes me drool. Who knew such a bonus would fall into our lap?”

“Check with those perverted old ladies ahead of time. I bet they’ll pay the most.”

The warlocks cackled amongst themselves, a ridiculous sight.

From their talk, it seemed they were planning to auction me off.

I had heard that warlocks, unable to integrate into society, lived in the shadows or engaged in looting, but I never imagined I would become their merchandise.

“…I’m going to kill you.”

“What?”

But fear wasn’t what filled my mind. Instead, injustice and anger surged to the forefront.

“…I’m going to kill you. You trash, and those beasts that did this to our village. I’ll tear you all apart and kill you painfully…”

I cursed them, letting out venomous words.

I had suffered too much sorrow and pain. Now, I couldn’t even properly mourn my family and was about to be sold off by these warlocks.

I don’t recall doing anything bad enough to deserve this kind of punishment.

“Phuhuhu! Looks can be deceiving; he’s got quite the spirit.”

“I had my days too. Youth is indeed wonderful…”

“Let’s wrap this up. Better bind him just in case. It’d hurt terribly if he gets hit in the wrong spot. Well, it’s none of our business though…”

However, the warlocks merely scoffed, laughing as if choking on their own breaths.

One stopped laughing and made a gesture as if wiping tears, then waved his fingers through the air as if drawing something.

Soon, five fiery rings appeared in front of him.

“It’s better to give up on useless resistance. If you get hit elsewhere by mistake, it’ll be terribly painful. Though, it doesn’t really matter to us…”

The warlock ceased his waving hand.

T h i s was c o p i e d f r o m k i n gm t l . o rg
The rings floating in the air began to fly towards me.

Their pace was slow, seemingly to taunt and frighten me until the very end.

But contrary to the curse I had just unleashed, there was no way for me to escape this situation.

Blocked by the still-standing walls behind me and surrounded by warlocks on the other sides,

Even if I managed to break through, I’d likely be torn apart by the waiting demons behind them.

Above all, I no longer had the strength or will to do anything.

Was I to be disgracefully bound by these rings, injected with some drug, and sold off somewhere?

Th i s w a s c op i e d fr o m k ing mt l .o rg
I was just angry and sad.

If only I had the strength, I wouldn’t be ending my life so helplessly.

I could have protected the village, my mother, and my friends.

…I wouldn’t have disappointed Seoyeon, nor would I have let her go.

-Boom!

“What?”

I was about to resign myself to my fate when the warlock, who had been acting leisurely, suddenly grunted stupidly. That sound made me reflexively lift my head.

The fire rings that had been approaching me were nowhere to be seen. What I saw were small, sparkling red particles gradually fading away.

***

“What’s going on…?”

“Rang. No time for games. If we’re unlucky enough to get caught by the patrol…”

The admonishing voice of his colleague came from beside. Rang, who had been momentarily lost, quickly regained his composure.

“Hmm, what…?”

Rang cleared his throat and gestured again in the air.

Five burning rings were recreated, and with a pulling motion, Rang sent the rings forward again.

Their target was the same young boy sitting ahead.

-Boom!

Yet, the rings once again dissipated upon reaching the same spot.

The magical energy that made up the rings flickered out like fireflies and scattered into the air.

“…What the hell? A barrier? But it doesn’t seem like it. And he was supposed to be powerless…”

Rang muttered in confusion. Two consecutive failures were unheard of.

At first, he thought the boy might have erected a barrier, but barriers were just defensive magic that repelled magic, not something that could completely annihilate an object.

Not even in modern or dark magic had he heard of defensive magic that could obliterate a target.

Moreover, according to preliminary information, the boy was a non-magical civilian. Observations made while tracking him over the last few hours had led to the same conclusion.

A sense of unease began to seep in, but Rang quickly composed himself.

Opportunities for a big score didn’t come often. Now, the priority was to quickly finish the job and leave the scene.

Deciding on a course of action, Rang launched the binding rings at the boy again.

“Damn it…”

Yet, despite repeated attempts, the result remained unchanged. Whenever magic entered a certain range around the boy, it inevitably dissipated.

Frustrated, Rang suddenly wore a furious expression. This time, he expended a considerable amount of magical energy to cast a large-scale spell. Several floating, glowing spikes appeared in front of him.

“Hey! What are you doing! If that hits, drugs or whatever…”

“Shut up!”

His colleagues shouted in surprise, but Rang ignored them and hurled the spikes at the boy.

The spikes rushed towards the boy with incomparable speed to before.

-Boom!

But once again, the magic dissipated.

Given the significant amount of magical energy involved, the backlash was equally intense.

Thousands of red lights scattered into the air, the particles adorning the surrounding sky like falling petals.
T h i s w a s c op i e d f r o m k i ng m t l. o r g

“Hey. You guys try.”
Th i s wa s c o pi e d f r o m k i n g m t l. o r g

“What?”
T h i s w a s cop i ed f r o m ki n g m t l. o r g

“Hurry up! Something’s wrong with that kid…”
T hi s w as co p i e d fro m k i n g m t l . o r g

Rang snapped, urging his reluctant colleagues. Soon, their faces bore the same bewildered expression as Rang’s.
Thi s w a s c o p ie d f r o m k i ng m t l. o r g

“It can’t be… What’s this…”

“…Something’s off. If magic doesn’t work, then…”

The plot to secretly whisk away the delicate boy had long been abandoned. They had also given up on selling him on the black market for a tidy profit.

With a sinister look, Rang pulled a small dagger from his robe.

Gone were the laughter and chatter from before. Rang took a tense stance, not taking his eyes off the boy.

The boy still offered no resistance, staring blankly into the darkness beyond with an unfocused gaze.

-Growl! Bark! Bark!!

Just as Rang was about to approach the boy, the wolf demons suddenly started barking fiercely at the ruins behind the warlocks.

Noticing the reaction, another warlock scanned the ruins and, finding something, shouted to his colleagues.

“Quick, put up a barrier! Someone’s there…!”

But his words were cut short. Something flashed from beyond their field of vision, and a massive fireball flew in, decapitating him.

He didn’t even have time to scream. His headless body thudded to the ground.

“What?!”

“From behind!”

Whether the fireball was a signal or not, magic began pouring in from all directions towards them. The warlocks, who had been surrounding the boy, were now the prey.

-Boom! Bang!

-Scream!! Squeal!

Barely managed barriers saved them from direct hits, but that was all. The wolf demons were perforated and died on the spot.

The warlocks found themselves unable to move even a step in any direction.

-Thud!

“Argh…!”

A precise strike that slipped through the barriers’ angles pierced Rang’s flank. The attackers adjusted their positions even in the dark, showing exceptional skill.

Whether the attackers were related to the boy was unknown, but they were definitely not mere vigilantes.

“Damn it…! Damn it!”

Rang cursed, regretting taking on the job. He hadn’t expected this outcome when he took on what seemed like a lucrative job for a civilian.

“I knew the omens were bad! That’s why I said we shouldn’t take it! I’m out!”

One of his colleagues tried to escape, seizing a moment’s gap. Rang was incredulous at the cowardice of the one who had been most eager.
Th i s w as c o pi e d fr o m k i n g m tl . o r g

“Damn cowardly bastard…!”

-Screech!

“Argh!”

Just as he was about to curse the deserter, a figure emerged from the darkness, flashing brightly.

His colleague screamed in agony, rolling on the ground.

-Thud!
T hi s wa s c o p ie d f r o m ki n g mt l .org

Suddenly, a grotesque object flew at Rang’s feet. He quickly recognized it.

The arm that had been attached to its owner twitched, spewing the remaining blood.

“This… this is…”

“Hey. Drop the weapon. Unless you want to end up like your friend.”

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

The figure who had severed his colleague’s arm was now standing right behind him. The man holding the blade was tall and had a ferocious look.