Just Let Me Graduate Quietly

My sister was reading a novel called Quietly Graduate Only, or something like that. A romance story about a prince and a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠duke's daughter?

Since I'd just come back from the military on leave and was bored out of my mind, I picked it up on her recommendation.

"This is ridiculous. What's so fun about this crap?"

"What?"

"It doesn't make any sense. Why the hell would this prince guy ignore a busty, powerful, gorgeous duke's daughter and fall for some commoner girl?"

"That's why men are such tsk tsk. That's the fun part. If you don't like it, give it back."

"Tch. I just don't get it."

Yeah, I really didn't get it.

A prince falling head over heels for a commoner girl while ignoring a busty, rich, powerful duke's daughter.

And...

"Fuck, is this a dream?"

That was my situation—getting transmigrated into the body of the black villain from that romance fantasy novel.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

I'd fallen asleep reading that trash romance fantasy my sister recommended.

Then I opened my eyes, and bam!

What the hell is this?

I'd woken up as the black villain who gets executed by the protagonist within the first 10 chapters.

No surprise like this one.

Did my sister set this up to prank her little brother home on leave after so long?

"Like hell. No way."

I sighed and stared at the full-length mirror in the room.

Black hair grown just long enough to cover my forehead a bit.

Height around 180cm.

A lean, athletic build without an ounce of fat.

Okay, fine up to here.

I could buy that.

But the moment I saw the eye color, I had to admit this wasn't a dream.

"Golden eyes? Suddenly I'm a foreigner."

The typical Korean dark brown eyes were gone.

Replaced by these golden ones.

Maybe color contacts? I stuck my finger in my eye to check—stupid move.

Just ended up bawling my eyes out.

"If this isn't a dream, what the hell do I do now?"

I wiped my tears and sank into thought.

Let's think calmly.

This body's original owner: Cain Ashubalt.

The idiot who falls instantly for the duke's daughter at the academy—the prince's love interest and the final boss.

A poisoned chalice.

A rose covered in thorns.

Elisicia Androsen, the duke's daughter who brings nothing but misery if you get too close.

This moron falls for her and tries to kidnap her, brainwash her into depravity, make her obsess over him alone.

But his sleazy plan fails miserably thanks to the novel's protagonist, and Cain gets his head chopped off right there.

Oh, and that incident skyrockets the flirting between Elisicia and the protagonist—but that's none of my business.

What matters to me is one thing.

"If I follow the original plot, I'm dead for sure."

So what do I do?

The answer was surprisingly simple.

"Do nothing."

Yeah, live like a church mouse, stay quiet, and just graduate.

Vacation was over.

Time to board the train back to the academy.

The problem? End-of-break season meant reservations were impossible—every 2-person or 4-person room sold out.

But I wasn't worried.

My family had booked a 2-person room for me in advance.

"Rich families are the best."

Honestly, I just wanted to hole up at home and live off the family forever.

But no dice.

"What kind of society doesn't ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠treat you like a person unless you graduate the academy?"

For nobles, attending the academy is a given.

Fail to graduate, and you lose inheritance rights—not to mention your noble status.

Simple: no diploma, and I'm kicked out penniless, a homeless bum.

"Just gotta keep my head down and graduate anyway."

Graduate the academy.

Inherit the family.

Live quietly off it.

Perfect plan.

The announcement blared, and the platform packed with students rushed aboard.

I blended into the crowd, boarded, and walked the corridor looking for my room.

"Room 7. Room 7."

Second from the end of the car.

I grabbed the handle and opened the door.

And instantly regretted it.

"For real?"

"Hm? What did you say?"

The woman already seated turned to look at me.

Dazzling silver long hair, and below it—watermelons or tits? Whatever it was stole my gaze.

My eyes locked on her chest naturally, but I snapped out of it and looked up.

Then I nearly choked.

She's fucking gorgeous.

No wonder that prince prick is an idiot.

Turning down a busty, insanely beautiful duke's daughter for a commoner? Unless the commoner has a hypnosis app, it makes zero sense.

"Your stare is quite blatant."

The duke's daughter—no, Elisicia Androsen's purple eyes turned icy as they glared at me.

I got why, but damn, I felt wronged.

Wearing clothes that show off your tits like that, then mad when I look? That's torture.

"Ahem. Sorry. You're so beautiful, I lost my wits."

"Pardon?"

Her eyes flickered slightly.

Am I fucked?

I'd just said it straight up honestly.

Did I piss off the bitchy duke's daughter?

"……."

"……."

Silence fell.

Rumble!

The train started moving, but the silence held.

A bit awkward, but honestly better for me.

Nothing good comes from tangling with Elisicia.

I was praying time would fly.

Then—

BOOOOOOM!!!!

The room flipped with the explosion.

What the fuck lightning bolt is this?

My body floated up.

Then I slammed into the floor like discarded trash.

And someone landed on top of me.

Thud!

"Urk!"

"……!"

Braced for pain, but it was surprisingly soft.

No fucking way?

Hoping against hope, I cracked my eyes open.

A faint fragrance tickled my nose.

Silver hair filled my vision.

Elisicia Androsen.

She'd fallen on top of me.

And...

Oh, God.

My hand had landed—pure coincidence!—right on Elisicia's massive watermelon.

Really, total accident!

"……."

"……."

Elisicia said nothing.

But her ears were beet red.

"Hand."

"This is an accident, you know? No way it was on purpose..."

"Remove it."

"Yes ma'am!"

I yanked my hand away like lightning.

Elisicia turned her head away wordlessly.

Even from the side, her ear to neck was flushed crimson.

She won't kill me, right?

The Elisicia I knew was villain enough to do it.

Unfair as hell.

Sure, it felt great! But I didn't grope on purpose!

"It was an accident."

"Shut up."

Trying to smooth it over just poured oil on the fire.

I really planned to just graduate quietly, but day one and this massive fuckup.

Felt like the world was screwing me over.

But what was that explosion?

Trains to the academy were mostly nobles—safety first.

An explosion like that? Only if someone deliberately attacked.

Attack it is.

So what's the target's goal?

Didn't take long to figure out.

My eyes drifted to Elisicia, still blushing.

The empire-propping duke family's pampered jewel.

Plenty reason to hit the academy train for her.

Should've taken a 4-person room.

Hell, shouldn't have taken the train at all.

Regret flooded in—should've gone by carriage.

Then—

Slide.

The room door flew open without warning.

Masked mystery assailants burst in.

"Found the duke's daughter!"

"What about the guy in the corner?"

"No witnesses. Kill them both."

Both of us, huh.

This is bad—we're really gonna die.

"Wait!"

I threw up my hands on reflex.

They glared at me.

I made the most pitiful face I could and said,

"I won't tell anyone, so can you let me live?"

The thugs glanced at each other.

Looked like What the fuck is this psycho? through the masks, but probably imagining it. I waited for their answer.

And it was—

"Kill him."

Fuck. Negotiation failed.

One option left: fight and win.

As transmigration perks go, I got one ability.

Super Acceleration.

Exactly what it sounds like: I get fucking fast.

Problem's the backlash.

One use, and I'm bedridden all day.

Body aches like the flu, splitting headache, can't eat, just collapse.

Really don't wanna use it.

Painful as hell after, hate using it unless desperate.

Then one thug flicked his wrist at Elisicia.

A sharp dagger sliced through the air toward her.

Fuck it.

I triggered Super Acceleration on reflex.

The world slowed.

The dagger hung frozen midair.

The masked goons stretched like taffy.

In this halted world, only I moved.

I snatched the dangling dagger.

Since I'm using it anyway, end this clean.

Spilled milk already.

If I'm doing it, do it right—that's my motto.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠grabbed one frozen thug by the nape and smashed him into the wall.

The other two? Yeeted them out the window.

Crash!

Glass shattered as they flew out.

The world snapped back ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to normal speed.

Heat crept up my body. Joints throbbed, head pounded.

Gonna die.

Felt like death, but I sensed eyes on me.

Turned—Elisicia was staring. Properly, for the first time.

"……."

"……."

Looks like I'm thoroughly marked now.