Page 294 of The Villainess Whom I Had Served for 13 Years Has Fallen

[Academy Senior Director - Histania Malik]

Malik sat behind a desk with a neat nameplate, staring at the professor who was glaring back at him.

"I’ve already received the president's approval."

At Malik’s unilateral notification, the Healing Department professor raised his hand and spoke.

"This is a one-sided notice! You should hold a meeting with the faculty and...!" "My decision is final. Professor Elenore of the Healing Department." "Hey! Histania Malik! Are you doing this because I gave you a harsh grade back when you were a student?" "Address me as Senior Director, professor."

Malik smiled slightly as he restated his position to the Healing Department professor. It seemed like the professor hadn’t understood.

"I plan to teach self-defense to the students of the Healing Department starting this afternoon." "Do you really think you're qualified to teach without any knowledge of healing magic?" "Is healing magic that great?"

Malik spoke, conjuring a green magical aura in one hand.

"Even students in the Swordsmanship Department learn basic first-aid magic before they start. What’s so impressive about it?" "..." "Healers are needed for major injuries. When it's just minor wounds, healing magic is practically useless. What’s so special about that?" "How can you say that? Healing magic saves lives!" "Exactly. That’s why I’m saying I’ll teach basic self-defense to the Healing Department students."

The elderly professor clutched his throbbing forehead and spoke to Malik.

"Do you think this makes sense? Healers should stay in the rear and provide support...!" "Who said that?" "What?" "I asked, who told you that healers should just sit in the back sucking their thumbs on the battlefield?"

Malik scoffed as he spoke to the professor.

"Is that what a previous professor told you? Or is that just your personal judgment?" "..." "Where did you hear such nonsense? As Senior Director, I find it hard to just listen to this." "Hey! Senior Director! Aren't you being too harsh? I've been to more battlefields than you and saved more people!" "And yet, you haven’t tried to improve the biggest flaw in healing magic? Ridiculous."

Malik’s expression turned cold as he spoke.

"At the very least, they should have the strength to run away. I don’t think someone who can't even protect themselves can save anyone." "Ugh..." "I’ve already received approval, so it would be best if Professor Elenore cleared her schedule." "..." "If you can’t accept this, I’ll have no choice but to make a decision as the Academy’s Senior Director to provide better education for the students."

Malik opened a drawer with a click and placed a white envelope on the desk, glaring at the professor. A warning—leave if you can't accept it.

"There's plenty of talent out there." "..." "And only limited positions."

Professor Elenore nodded, realizing things weren’t going her way.

Three weeks ago.

Malik had been discussing some issues with Ricardo when, intrigued by the intelligent young man, he decided to ask for advice.

"Hey, Ricardo." "Yes, boss?" "Not 'boss.' It's Malik." "Then, sir." "Sigh... fine. There's something I want to ask you. What do you think about this Academy?" "All of a sudden?" "It's something I’ve been pondering for a while. I feel like there’s something lacking in what we teach at the Academy." "Hmm..." "I don't know if 'lacking' is the right word, but despite all the royal support and top-notch faculty, the results seem underwhelming." "Maybe it's because you've lived a tough life, sir." "Hmm... you may not be wrong about that." "You don't deny it?" "While others were drinking, I was swinging a sword. At your age, I was out hunting elite orcs on my own." "Impressive." "You're too kind. But even so, something’s still missing. We should be producing at least one person like you..." Ricardo chuckled dryly and shook his head.

"I’m an outlier. And so are you, sir." "...Hard to argue with that." "But this year, we have a lot of talent. There's Hannah, Mikhail, and Yuria. I’d say it’s a good year." "...Still, it’s not enough." "Hmm... Then..."

That day, Ricardo asked Malik if he wanted to improve the whole picture, not just focus on the exceptional few.

Malik had eagerly nodded. Ricardo had hit the nail on the head—he wanted to raise the level of ordinary students, not just nurture the elite. Since he'd taken on the position of Senior Director, Malik wanted tangible results. So he listened intently to Ricardo’s suggestions.

"Why not try raising the level of those who are neglected at the Academy?" "Neglected? Is there such discrimination here?" "No, no. I mean, let's think about the long-term future."

Ricardo placed three pens on the table, moving them one by one as he spoke.

"The Swordsmanship Department goes to the knights."

-Creak.

"The Magic Department to the Tower."

-Creak.

"And the Healing Department..."

Ricardo smiled awkwardly as he looked at Malik.

"Has nowhere to go."

Malik argued against Ricardo's opinion, saying he was thinking too narrowly.

"Even the Healing Department produces graduates with high enough grades to be scouted by various places. The Royal Knights, the Tower, even more. In some ways, they have more options than other departments." Ricardo laughed awkwardly and replied.

"Does the Healing Department really have that many positions available?" "..." "Sure, there aren’t many with talent in healing, but are small families hiring healers in large numbers?"

Ricardo asked with a dry expression.

"You're more familiar with this than anyone, sir. You know how to manage people efficiently to avoid unnecessary expenses." "..." "It's better to have a wizard who can cast basic healing spells than a healer who has to run into range while the vanguard is dying."

Ricardo was right.

Hiring one or two skilled healers would indeed avoid unnecessary expenditures.

"Healers today are too passive." "..." "It’s strategic to protect them first, but honestly?" "..." "If it were up to me, I’d spend that money on potions rather than hire a healer."

Ricardo clapped his hands as he spoke.

"So, by training the Healing Department students properly, we’ll give the other departments a wake-up call." "..." "They won’t rest on their laurels, thinking, 'This is good enough,' when they realize they’re being surpassed by students who just sit at their desks all day."

And thus, the idea for today's lesson was born: 'Creating Healers Who Don’t Die in Ambushes.'

And.

-Oh, and be wary of the Healing Department professor. -Hm? You mean Professor Elenore? -Yes, that one seems suspicious.

Malik mentally noted down the person he needed to get rid of.

"Ahem."

Standing in front of a dust-covered training ground, Malik held a wooden sword. Before him were students from the Healing Department, a group that was not particularly well-regarded within the Academy.

Their efficiency was inferior to the combat departments. Most wizards knew basic healing magic anyway. Despite being nobles, these students received poor treatment.

Healing Department kids tended to be difficult as well.

Standing in the dusty training ground, watching the irritated students, Malik took a deep breath and announced the start of the lesson in a booming voice.

"Greetings. I’m Senior Director of the Academy and, starting today, your self-defense instructor, Histania Malik."

"""Ugh..."""

Negative murmurs flowed from the Healing Department students. They didn’t understand why they needed to learn self-defense, and they wondered when the lesson would be over.

-What’s this... -Self-defense? -Why do we have to learn this? -The vanguard can handle everything.

Malik smiled as he observed the grumbling students. If he could tire them out, sales at the convenience store would naturally increase.

"...If you’re hungry, the second-floor conven... ahem."

Not yet. It wasn’t time for promotion. Malik held back, waiting for the right moment.

"Today, we’ll start with how to use the dagger in your hands."

Malik motioned to the students.

"Whoever can stab me will get a dormitory rank upgrade." ""...What?!"" "I ? Nоvеlιght ? (Read the full story) have the president’s permission, so make sure you participate actively." ""This is crazy...""

Malik smiled at the murmuring students.

He believed he was addressing the biggest flaw of healers.

When new healers first joined the knights, the hardest part was building basic physical strength.

Their pitiful hand-to-hand combat skills. Their inability to see their blind spots. Their habit of staying too relaxed, unaware that enemies were surrounding them.

So.

He planned to train them thoroughly.

As a senior in life.

"Excuse me..."

Malik turned his head to see a determined female student raising her hand. He had already decided that if she said no, he’d ensure gender equality by giving her the first shot.

"What is it, the student with the pink hair?"

Yuria nervously fidgeted with her fingers before speaking.

"Can I fight bare-handed? And instead of a dormitory rank upgrade, could I get financial support for dormitory fees...?" "Ah."

Malik nodded, as this was something he could easily arrange.

"I’ll offer you a thousand gold." "Pardon...?" "If you can land a single hit on me, I’ll provide a thousand gold and cover your dormitory fees for a year. Also..."

Malik pulled out a ticket as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I’ll give you a week-long pass to the Academy convenience store and a meal voucher for 'Friends of the Forest.'"

The students’ reactions varied as they heard the shocking offer.

"Wait... Friends of the Forest?" "Wow... it’s real." "I can take my boyfriend there."

Yuria clenched her fists with determination.

'I'll go with Ricardo...!'

Malik smiled and nodded, thinking to himself.

'This is what the Academy should feel like.'

He made a mental note to invite Ricardo as a guest instructor later on and signaled the start of the lesson.

"Let’s begin."

And then—

-Screeeaaam!

The unrelenting cries began to echo through the training ground.