I Became the Savior of the Academy’s Villains

In the complete darkness, Milia lay asleep.

This space, completely cut off from the outside world, had been created with Milia's divine artifact, the 'Dimension Core'.

Here, she was completely safe.

However, because it was completely cut off from the outside, she could not know what the situation would be once she left this space.

"Mmm... hya-aam~."

Precisely waking at the set time thanks to the built-in time magic, Milia stretched and yawned, then snapped her fingers.

Snap! Whoosh!

As the darkness parted, what appeared was a room filled with blood and flesh, and standing resolutely among it all was Lysel Pandriga.
When Milia appeared on the bed, she slowly bowed her head.

"Did you cough, Your Highness?"

"From today, it's just Milia, remember? Good morning, 'Isella'."

"I apologize, lady Milia."

After exchanging greetings with 'Isella', Milia casually walked out, deftly avoiding the corpses and blood – a scene she must have experienced countless times.

"Oh my, today there are quite a lot."

"I'm sorry. I should have disposed of them before you woke."

"It's fine. It can't be helped."

Outside the bedroom, it was even more horrifying.
Corpses were piled up like a carpet.
Isella had done some cleaning up, so there was just enough space to pass, but there was no avoiding getting one's feet wet with blood.

Squelch, squelch.

Milia muttered as she walked the blood-soaked path with indifference.

"They had to send assassins even on a day like this? How disappointing."

"The ones sending assassins probably don't know that we're going to Havok today."

"Hehe, I know, Isella. I'm just venting."

"I apologize! Your Highness!"

"It's Milia, I said."

"I apologize! Lady Milia."

Watching Isella, who was still awkward with her words, Milia gave a faint smile.
Anyone who saw her smiling while walking through blood might have found it a little unsettling.

Whoosh!

Milia and Isella washed the blood off with flowing water.
Though Milia held imperial princess status, she could not keep attendants.
Too many assassins came, and none of her servants survived long.

One might say, "Can that really happen to an imperial princess?"

But no one at the imperial palace treated her as such.

She was viewed as the imperial family's disgrace—a child born out of wedlock.

Clink.

"......"

Milia looked at the tetrahedral jewel hanging around her neck.
Its name was the Dimension Core. She had been chosen by it.

—No, impossible! The artifact of the royal family chose a low-born girl whose origins are unclear?!
—Watch your words! Being chosen by a divine artifact is proof of royal blood! From now on, she holds imperial succession rights as a princess!
—Damn it, why did the artifact choose someone like her!

There had been many twists and turns, but with the artifact, she became an official princess.
She was given the name "Brid Seteg Hernan" and acquired Lysel Pandriga, a member of the Night.

But the succession contest was already between the First and Third Princes—a bloody rivalry.
She had no room to step in.
In fact, she was an obstacle.

—If things stay as they are, the side supported by the Fourth Princess with the artifact will have a high chance of taking the throne.
—But the other side is thinking precisely the same.
—If you can't have her, it's much easier to simply kill her.

Coincidentally, the First and Third Princes thought the same way.
Their decision: a defenseless Fourth Princess without a supporter could be disposed of in an instant.

Normally, it was unthinkable to assassinate rivals in the imperial succession battle.
If they fought openly, both sides would bleed and weaken.

But the Fourth Princess had no power base.
So, they could send assassins with impunity.

"At first, it was really terrifying."

"What do you mean, lady?"

"Oh, I was just thinking about the past."

When she was even younger, the first time assassins came,
She had vomited watching Isella slice them down.
More than the assassins themselves, it was Isella's cold-blooded killing that frightened her the most.

—I apologize, Your Highness. I should have disposed of them before your bedroom was defiled.

But seeing Isella—covered in blood and flesh—apologize to her, Milia realized something.
She had truly set foot in this filthy power struggle.

—I must survive.

It was then that she learned to use the Dimension Core, sought a guardian, and struggled to join the succession fight.
She even managed to build a small faction, though nothing significant publicly.

While repeated assassination attempts continued, thanks to the Dimension Core and Isella's help, she survived tenaciously.
Those who knew the rough story started calling her the 'undying princess'.

Once life became somewhat stable, she suddenly thought,

—Am I to live like this forever?

She lived in constant fear while eating.
Every night, she could only sleep with the help of the Dimension Core and Isella. Despite being a princess, she wasn't treated well at all.
Was she really supposed to live such a hard life?

At some point, she wanted to drop everything and run away.

—You seem troubled. You're fighting well in your own way, but you're still just a young girl—it's not strange that you'd feel this way.
—... Is that how it seems to you?

When her worries weighed heavily, her guardian spoke.

—Then why not try what your father once did?
—You mean His Majesty, the Emperor?
—Hehe, yes. That fool also went through a period of wandering, just like you.

Her guardian whispered,

—I'll put in a word at the academy. Try living under a different name, not as 'Brid Seteg Hernan'.
—At the academy...?
—Right. At least there, as long as everyone is in their right mind, the other princes' assassins won't be able to attack you.
—And what should I do at the academy?
—Do you take me for your nanny?
—...

After agonizing for some days, Milia eventually accepted the suggestion.
Having faced more assassination attempts during those days, she figured building a new power base in a safer place wouldn't be a bad idea.

"At least at the academy, things like this will happen less, so you'll finally be able to rest a bit, too."

"I am blessed by the Night and don't need sleep, lady!"

Isella answered with conviction, but Milia could only manage a bitter smile.

Isella hadn't slept properly at night for years.
She protected Milia, tasted Milia's food to check for poison, and tended to their household after separating from the palace.
She had endured long years of overwork.

'Isella needs rest. And I need someone trustworthy besides Isella.'

One day, Milia read something in a novel someone gave her.

—The bonds made during youth become treasures for life, and the memories power you forward forever.

Whether that was true or not, she thought it was worth challenging at least once.

"Shall we leave now?"

"Yes, lady!"

Having completed all preparations, Milia and Isella stood at the front of their house.
After several years in this home since leaving the imperial palace, she felt unexpectedly wistful about departing.
Milia gazed at the house for a moment, then turned away.

"When I return, I hope it's with new friends."

With that hope in their hearts, they set out for Havok.

* * *

"An academy adventure? You want to explore here?"

"Yup!"

"What's there even to explore..."

Milia cheerfully answered Ottbo, who looked back at her incredulously.
Seeing Ottbo's sour expression, Isella furrowed her brow.

"Are you daring to question Lady Milia's words?"

"N-no, I'm not questioning her, I just..."

It was becoming normal for Ottbo and Isella to squabble like this, and Milia looked on warmly.
She then turned toward Luca, who wore a curious expression.

"What do you think? Doesn't exploring the academy sound fun?"

"Hmm..."

Luca sized her up for a moment, unreadable, then nodded.

"That's not a bad idea."

"Whaaat?! L-Luca?!"

"I knew you'd say that! Because I researched all the academy's legends! Look here!"

Saying that, Milia tapped the map.
Ottbo pretended not to notice and whispered to Luca,

"Lu-Luca, are you really staying at the academy over the weekend?"

"Since I am grounded, of course, I have to stay."

"B-but..."

Ottbo looked lost for words. Milia glanced at him with a glare and said,

"What's this, Ottbo? Were you planning to go out and leave Luca behind?"

"Of course not! It's just... uh..."

Ottbo appeared about to say something, hesitated, and then gave a resigned sigh, lowering his head.

"Fine... an academy adventure... I'm in..."

"Great choice! Now, according to the legend..."

As Milia excitedly chattered, Luca thought,

'No matter her motives, an academy adventure isn't bad for me. The Demon's lot won't approach easily while I'm with her, and with the protagonist's arrival, treasures that weren't here before might exist now.'

It was suspicious timing for such a good suggestion, but from Luca's perspective, it was favorable.

'I was planning to test the gift from god this weekend anyway—this makes things better.'

Luca would have explored the academy on his own anyway.
Of course, he would have had Bella accompany him for safety.
But now, instead of Bella, Isella would be at his side. That wasn't bad, either.

'It's a bit much to compare her to the secret weapon of the imperial family, though Bella's true strength is hard to gauge.'

Luca's exclusive maid, Bella.
A jack-of-all-trades, she had cared for him since childhood.

Her exact strength didn't appear in "Luca Traverse's" memories, but considering his status as a count's son—even if just the second son—the family's trust in Bella's power was clear: they allowed their precious child to attend the academy entrance exam with only a single maid, and no escort.

'I'm curious about Bella's true identity...but I'll have to wait till she speaks up on her own. For now, she does everything I ask perfectly.'

While Luca was organizing his thoughts, Milia narrowed her eyes at him.

"Luca. Are you listening?"

"Yes, you were talking about the legend of the statue in the Pia Forest."

"Oh, you really were listening."

Seeing her look oddly disappointed, Luca grinned.

"Anyway, except for the forbidden area, every part of the Pia Forest has already been explored, right? Surely you're not suggesting we go into the forbidden area?"

"That's exactly it."

Beaming, Milia nodded. Ottbo pressed his forehead, and Luca voiced what Ottbo couldn't bring himself to say.

"You're insane."

"What? It's not that dangerous! The forbidden area is right next to the academy, after all. Also, we have Isella with us."

"Just leave the protection to me, milady!"

Isella stuck out her chest confidently and made a fist.
Knowing her true identity, Luca could only nod, but Ottbo, who thought Isella was just an ordinary guard knight, was clearly desperate to escape this predicament.

"But if the teachers catch us, we're in real trouble!"

"It's fine. It's the first weekend, so most teachers are in Havok supervising students."

"B-but what if something goes wrong..."

Watching Ottbo fret, Milia grinned mischievously.

"Don't worry. Whatever happens, we'll be fine."

"......"

At last, Ottbo fell silent, giving up for good. Milia folded up the map and punched the air with her fist, shouting energetically.

"Alright! Tomorrow, let's embark on the First Academy Legends Expedition!"

And so, the academy expedition squad was formed. The members dispersed for the day and Luca returned to his dorm room, lay on his bed, and took out his phone.

– "Hint Fragment Collection Application is running."