The Survival of the Third-rate Villain

Raye and Jerusha stayed in the library for hours, just reading and talking to each other.

’Hmm, weird.’

And this surprised Raye himself.

Because normally...

He wouldn’t have said a word while studying except when he was asking a question!

But now...

"Zephyrus got fat, huh."

"Yeah, he really likes the Old Man’s cooking."

The two of them are talking about the most random things from time to time!

Though...

’This is nice.’

Raye didn’t hate it. He was liking it, in fact.

And just like that...

The two of them stayed in the library for a few more hours.

*****

Around 7 PM...

"Hmm, it’s getting dark. We should leave."

Raye said that, looking around and noticing that almost everyone had left.

"Yeah, we probably should."

Jerusha replied to him.

She was reluctant saying that, but she knew that it was getting late.

And so, with that...

"Hup."

Raye stood up and started returning the books that they had borrowed to the right shelves.

"Ah, let me help you..."

Jerusha muttered.

But without even looking at her...

"Nah, I’m good. You can rest for a moment while I return our books."

Raye said that.

Though...

"Well, I want to help."

Jerusha still insisted on helping him.

"..."

Raye looked at Jerusha and saw her smiling at him.

"Is that so."

He said.

Then, getting back to returning the books...

"Okay."

Raye simply replied to her.

"Hehe..."

Jerusha laughed a little, and then she started returning some of the books to the shelves too.

"That’s the wrong shelf."

Raye mumbled.

*****

After they were done with that...

Tap—

Raye and Jerusha left the library. They now stood at the entrance of it.

"Well, see you later."

Jerusha said, smiling at Raye.

"..."

Raye just looked at her in silence.

Then, after pondering for a while...

"What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

He asked that.

"Hm?"

Jerusha was not expecting such a question from Raye at the moment.

But opening her mouth...

"Nothing really. I’m just going to pass the time, eat dinner later, then sleep."

Jerusha answered casually.

"Mhm."

Raye nodded his head, hearing her.

Swish—

Then, looking away and awkwardly scratching his cheek...

"Want to eat dinner with us then?"

Raye shyly asked that!

"..."

Jerusha was silent after hearing his words.

Her eyes opened wide in shock. It was Raye’s first time inviting her for dinner.

’Normally, it was Mister or Zephyrus that would ask me.’

Jerusha thought.

Anyway...

"..."

Raye just waited for her answer.

And realizing that he’s waiting...

"I’ll be more than happy to."

Jerusha responded to him with a smile.

"Phew..."

Raye let out a sigh of relived after that.

...

*****

After that short conversation...

Jerusha and Raye went to the cabin.

And there...

"Let’s eat."

-These smell good!

-Meep!

They had dinner with Old Man Rey, Zephyrus, and Pyro!

Raye cooked the meals, by the way.

He just roasted some wild boar meat and made deer stew.

But still...

"These are good, hehe..."

Jerusha liked them.

"That’s right, you really improved."

Old Man Rey liked it too!

-Shoo gooshd!

-Meeep!

Zephyrus and Pyro started eating faster.

And seeing their reactions...

"..."

A small smile appeared on Raye’s face.

"I’m glad you guys liked it."

He said.

And with that...

Nom—

They all ate peacefully.

Raye and Jerusha told Old Man Rey and the others about Devin’s match earlier while they were eating.

...

After having dinner...

Raye went out and started experimenting a bit with spirit magic with Zephyrus and Pyro.

And because she had nothing else to do...

"Hmm, you mean something like this?"

Swooosh—

Jerusha helped him.

She just made a spirit that she was contracted with grow smaller in size.

"Yeah, how do you do that?"

Raye asked, amazed.

And with a clear voice...

"Size is just a matter of form—will it to be smaller, and the spirit will compress itself accordingly. But be careful, force it too much, and you might distort their mana, hurting them too."

Jerusha explained that.

-She’s right.

Zephyrus followed.

-meep!

Pyro didn’t really know what was happening, but he was cheering for Raye nevertheless.

"Okay, I’ll try it now."

Raye said after listening to Jerusha.

Then, after him...

-Try it on me.

Zephyrus declared that, volunteering to be the experiment subject!

"Huh?"

Raye was surprised by his words.

And before he could even say anything...

-Pyro is just a kid, unlike me. You could hurt him. So try it on me... I can handle a few stings, don’t worry.

Zephyrus added that!

He was looking out for Pyro!

Because of how long they’ve been together, Zephyrus now thought of Pyro as some kind of little brother that he needs to protect!

Anyway, moving on...

"..."

Raye was silent after this.

But then, slightly bowing his head...

"Thank you."

He muttered that to Zephyrus, who was flying in front of his face.

-Meh, it’s no biggie.

Zephyrus casually replied.

"..."

Jerusha sweetly smiled, seeing them like this.

And with that...

"I’ll start now."

-Okay.

Raye started his training, experimenting with the form of spirits!

...

*****

Around 10 PM...

"I guess that’s enough for today."

Raye mumbled that. He was now kind of low on mana.

"Yeah, it’s getting late."

Jerusha replied to him.

Then, looking up at the sky...

"I should probably go too."

She said that.

"Oh, yeah..."

Raye muttered.

He was unsure of what to do or say...

Then, he looked at Pyro and Zephyrus on the ground...

-Mhm...

-meeep...

Zephyrus was sitting with his eyes closed, and Pyro was resting on him. They were both obviously sleepy.

Just then...

"Bye, Raye—Zephyrus and Pyro too!"

Jerusha said her goodbye.

-Take care...

-meep.

Zephyrus and Pyro responded to her.

Though...

"..."

Raye just remained silent. It seemed like he was thinking of something.

"...?"

Jerusha just stood there, looking at him all confused.

And then, after a while...

"Mhm, yeah..."

Raye just whispered that to himself.

And looking back at the barely conscious Zephyrus and Pyro...

"You two go to bed first. I’ll follow later."

He declared that!

-Got it.

-Meeep...

Zephyrus and Pyro were too tired to even ask him questions.

Swoosh—

They both flew into the cabin—straight to Raye’s room to rest.

"What are you gonna do?"

Jerusha asked Raye as soon as the two left.

And looking at her...

"I’ll accompany you back to your dorm."

Raye stated that like it was so obvious!

"?!"

Jerusha’s eyes widened.

"You don’t want to?"

Raye asked her.

And immediately...

"No, I’d really like that."

Jerusha answered while violently shaking her head!

’Phew, I’m glad.’

Raye thought.

Then, opening his mouth...

"Let’s go?"

He mumbled that.

"Let’s go."

Jerusha replied.

And after that...

Tap- tap- tap—

The two of them started walking.

Tap... Tap... Tap...

They both walked very slowly intentionally.

"Today was a nice day."

Jerusha said.

"Yeah, it’s a nice day."

Then Raye replied with a smile.

...

...

*****

The next day...

"Haaa..."

Raye yawned as he woke up. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"Hmm?"

He was feeling more energetic than usual.

’That’s weird.’

He thought.

"Meh."

But he didn’t pay much attention to it.

"Hup."

Raye immediately stood up and started fixing his bed.

He just let Zephyrus and Pyro sleep more.

And with that...

Tap— tap— tap—

Raye left the cabin.

And outside...

"Hmm hmm hmm."

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He started humming while preparing breakfast for everyone!

He just reheated some leftover roasted boar meat from last night, so it didn’t take him long.

Then, after that...

Nom—

He started eating!

While he was eating though...

"..."

Raye paused for a moment.

Then, looking up at the sky...

’They’re out, huh.’

He said that in his head.

Who is he talking about?

He’s talking about Ace, Christian, and Elias!

The monster hunt of [Set B] is now done, and every participant is now out of the Northern Forest!

’They all came out around 5 AM.’

Raye thought.

It’s about 7 AM now.

Then, that means...

"The three must’ve met their classmates by now from Set A and heard what happened on the second day."

Raye mumbled.

Nom—

And then he took another bite of his roasted boar meat.

"They probably met Ignis too and heard what I did directly from him."

Raye said nonchalantly.

And with a mischievous smile on his face...

’I wonder what their faces look like right now?’

Raye asked that to himself.

Though, he quickly lost interest about them and just continued on eating.

*****

Meanwhile...

Elias Alvah was in his dorm room.

And also—Ignis, Christian, and Ace!

The four of them were currently having a meeting!

"That’s what happened on the second day."

Ignis had just told them what happened in [Set A]. He had an annoyed expression on his face.

Ignis especially highlighted Raye’s actions and performance in his story, by the way.

And hearing that...

"..."

Ace, Christian, and Elias fell silent.

Ace and Christian were frowning really hard.

Though, the one who’s more surprised than anyone else...

"..."

Was Elias Alvah!

He was lost for words and couldn’t believe Ignis’ story just now!

He was really confused at the moment!

And unconsciously opening his mouth...

"Raye now uses a sword?"

Elias muttered that in disbelief!