The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 30
“New student council? Does that even make sense?”
The middle-aged man smacked the table and rose to his feet in a sharp motion.
He believed that there should not be a new research society named the new student council while a legitimate student council existed.
“What on earth is Professor Louisa thinking?! Allowing such a dubious group to be formed! And the president of that new student council, isn’t he that troublemaker from the entrance ceremony? He should have been stopped!”
He bellowed, pointing at Louisa.
The surrounding people tried to calm him down and persuade him to sit down, but he seemed not to listen.
Louisa rolled her eyes and started.
“… the naming of the study group is the students’ right. The professor has the authority to approve its establishment, but essentially, judging whether the purpose of the study group is appropriate is all they do. I…”
“Ridiculous! Are you saying that the existence of this so-called <new student council> is legitimate?!”
Louisa found it extremely irritating to have her statement cut off in the middle. Under the circumstances, she made an effort to suppress her frustration, but her brow furrowed slightly.
“It’s their title. Their claim to the significance of the new student council is personal development. They promised to receive regular reports and assessments of their progress, and if they show results in accordance with their purpose, what can I say…”
“But what they write in those reports is nothing more than a cover! What if they’re secretly plotting to overthrow the legitimate student council? Are you going to take responsibility then, Professor Louisa?!”
“If they were secretly plotting to do so, isn’t that something other study groups are involved in? And if they really had that intention, it would be unreasonable to think they would have chosen such a conspicuous name.”
“Have you forgotten the incident at the entrance ceremony? Is your mind in the right place? Viewing this matter from a normal perspective is flawed.”
“Well, that’s true. I also suffered from his temperament when I stayed at his estate.”
Paula, who sat beside Louisa, nodded and agreed, only to sense the sharp gaze of her old friend.
She turned pale.
“Oh, I mean… I just thought that a brilliant student wouldn’t reveal his intentions so openly… that’s what I meant, Louisa! Calm down!”
“I’ll deal with you later.”
Paula was distressed and clung to Louisa, but the middle-aged man was still furious.
Louisa’s temperature began to rise, approaching a boiling point.
“I’ll never tolerate the existence of that scoundrel. Principal, disbanding that study group is the right course for Academia—”
“Oh, you’re really getting on my nerves.”
Louisa’s comment interrupted his rant, and he turned to glare at her, an expression that seemed to ask, “What is this insane woman saying?”
“P-Professor Luisa. What did you just say?!”
She ran one hand through her hair and began to let out the anger she had been holding in.
“Wouldn’t I feel bad if you cut me off mid-sentence and only push back on what I’m saying? Aren’t you ashamed as an adult?”
“Professor Louisa, what are you saying in an official setting? Please think before you speak!”
Her words fueled his fury even more.
Louisa’s glare was venomous, like she was looking at a sworn enemy.
“You sit there and moan that you’re afraid something bad might happen to your student council. It’s difficult to keep quiet when you’re bad-mouthing one of mine.”
Jiiing-!!
A wave of mana poured out of Louisa as her magic burned fiercely. Those with lower resistance felt as if they were being crushed by the power.
Dark blue flames began to engulf Louisa’s body.
“Hey, hey, hey! Calm down! If you do this, you too will be put on probation like me!
Whoo, whoo!
Paula blew air to put out the flames, but they showed no sign of calming down.
She was now sweating nervously, trying to quench Louisa’s mana, but Louisa’s magic continued to burn unabated. Then, someone’s voice cut through the tension.
“Your opinions are noted. Let’s sit down for now.”
It was a voice that sounded old and frail, but held a depth and strength that far surpassed the frailty in the tone.
In Paula’s words, he was someone who she wouldn’t be surprised by if he devoted himself to magic for another 100 years.
The principal of Academia, a wise old man and also her teacher, had spoken.
Everyone turned their attention to him, and those who were standing up and arguing obediently took their seats.
The principal chuckled, his demeanor calm and gentle like an old man you could see everywhere.
“This old man believes that this matter isn’t one that the professors need to intervene in.”
He stroked his long, white beard.
His voice was leisurely and kind, yet there was a strength behind it that could not be overlooked.
“What does the student council president think about this? Since he has a close relationship with the president of the new study group, I’d like to hear his thoughts.”
The principal had given his support to the president’s decision, who had remained silent.
This meant that the principal would essentially give his full support to the president.
Everyone’s attention turned to the student council president. His decision would determine the fate of this situation.
“I….”
With his black hair and sharp eyes, he resembled someone.
The eldest son of the Schugenhartz family, Rheincarven Troa Schugenhartz, slowly voiced his opinion.
***
“Meeting me? I thought you would never come. Tomorrow the sun will rise from the east.”
“I didn’t come here by choice… besides, the sun always rises from the east.”
“I knew that.”
He seemed to have expected it. Vargan led her into the lab with a faint smile.
Erica stood still, as if refusing to follow Vargan’s lead.
“… how could you know?”
“It must have been the student council president. If it’s him, this behavior is entirely expected.”
“Tch. You can’t change your blood, can you?”
Erica clicked her tongue, displeased that her actions had been anticipated.
Vargan teasingly offered.
“Wouldn’t it be better to join this study group, rather than being the student council president’s dog?”
“Both are dreadful, but I’d rather stay with the student council.”
“I don’t want to see my fiancée follow the eldest son… but it seems inevitable.”
Shrugging, Vargan stepped aside, and Erica entered the lab to fulfill her assigned task.
She shuffled through the list she brought with her and began inspecting the lab’s interior.
“The research club name is <New Student Council>… even seeing it again, it’s unbelievable that this name passed. The members are a total of five. Hm? There’s only two of you here?”
“Had other business to attend to. Right now, they should be out rolling in the dirt, covered in mud.”
Present in the lab were three people, including Erica. The rest of the members must have been assigned to other tasks by Vargan.
Erica eyed Vargan suspiciously as she approached.
“Hmph. So, you left the other members behind and stayed here alone with this female servant, is that what you’re saying? Now I understand why you created a research club that doesn’t even fit in with you.”
When approaching the big-statured Vargan, Erica appeared even smaller. If it weren’t for her fierce expression and aura, she might have been overlooked.
“No need to be jealous. Nothing is happening between Alicia and me, nor will it.”
“Jealous? Don’t be ridiculous. And it’s impossible to know everything about men and women.”
Erica dismissed Vargan’s comment, passing him to continue inspecting the lab.
She searched around meticulously, as if expecting to find something unusual.
“You won’t find anything, no matter how much you look.”
“Just mind your own business. Keep studying, training your mana, sexual intercourse, or doing whatever else you wish. I don’t care.”
“… yes?!”
The white-haired girl sitting quietly, reading a magic book, was startled by Erica’s harsh words.
She quickly covered her mouth and bowed her head, pretending as if nothing had happened, but it was clear she was flustered.
Her cheeks were red, and her eyes darted everywhere.
Ignoring the girl, Vargan leaned back in his chair and then mentioned something, eyes focused on Erica.
“Oh, that’s right. Erica. I’m sorry, but I’ll need to reschedule our appointment for next week.”
“Appointment? What…?”
“The lunch meeting on Wednesday next week. I might be busy at that time. Since we share a class on Wednesday mornings, I’ll notify you about a different time.”
“….”
Erica hesitated for a moment, unlike her usual habit of refusing.
He thought she was going to say what was the point of postponing an appointment that hadn’t even been scheduled, but no.
She stared at Vargan for a long time before glancing at the white-haired girl who had been listening to their conversation.
“….”
She looked away again and for some reason, she didn’t feel like it.
So, she said the unexpected words.
“… I’ll think about it.”
***
Three days after Erica visited the lab.
It was a late night after dusk.
I was reviewing the student list when I heard a knock on the door.
At this hour, someone waking up to knock on my door was unusual.
I brought my senses to their original state and sensed the mana of the person outside.
This…
What was she doing here?
I opened the door and saw her familiar figure standing in the corridor.
In her nightclothes, she stepped into my room without a word.
“Master Vargan….”
“….”
Her bright, white hair wrapped around me as she walked into my arms.
The door closed behind us, and she remained glued to my side, her face buried against my chest.
“What are you doing?”
I broke the silence.
She lifted her head and looked at me with a mournful gaze before she began to speak.