THE VILLAIN's APPRENTICE ✔

05 🗡 Meili, the Witch

Working as a student assistant in the library might seem boring, but it was certainly not. Different kinds of people also set foot in the library – strange people like the woman in red scarf sitting royally at the corner table.

At first glance, she looked like a typical young urban woman who was probably a company employee. But Ace had witnessed her odd behavior and had heard her strange way of speaking that he knew the word 'typical' was not applicable to the girl named Meili.

After eating dinner, Ace's part-time shift in the library started, which would last until closing time at midnight. It was a city library frequented by university students especially at night. Surprisingly, Meili also insisted on staying. He was beginning to wonder if the girl had a place to go to.

The night passed by without any incident, and people started leaving one by one. Minutes before the closing time, a tall guy with thick eyebrows and with chiseled facial features stepped into the library. Ace didn't have to raise his head from the counter to know that his unreliable friend just walked in because he could smell his desperation from miles away. His friend probably needed a favor from him again.

The tall guy wearing the same uniform as Ace rested his folded arms on top of the counter and stared at him with a pitiful expression. It was his friend, classmate and dormmate, named Oreo, who undoubtedly got himself into trouble again. It could range from trouble with girls who wanted to date him, trouble with boys who were hunting his ass for flirting with their girlfriends, or trouble with teachers and parents due to his unruly behavior.

Oreo and Ace were polar opposites. Ace was the smart and calm one, Oreo was the self-proclaimed genius and the pioneer of bad decisions.

"No," Ace stated before Oreo could even ask a favor from him. They were on the same morning class that day and Ace recalled how his friend haughtily declared that his topic for the Comprehensive Writing project would be about the controversial ancient book that was currently in the city library. That meant, his friend planned to use his position as a part-time worker in the library for his sinister goal.

"Oh, come on, brother!" Oreo groaned. "Please just let me read the mysterious ancient book at the restricted section. Just lend me the keycard of the room, and we'll pretend that nothing happened. I promise this will be the last time I ask you a favor."

"No. Only authorized people are allowed to enter that room."

"I'm authorized by the power vested in me by the almighty honor student." Oreo opened both his palms to point at him. He seriously wanted to drown his friend in the ocean sometimes.

"I will never authorize you for anything," Ace replied dismissively. "You're useless to me."

"You're hurting my feelings, do you know that?" his friend declared in a dramatic tone. "But I will forgive you. In fact, I have forgiven you the moment you sinned, because friends forgive and help each other. Now, give me the keycard to the oh-so-sacred room and help a friend out."

"No."

"Give me the keycard to the sacred room and I promise to tell you the secrets of the sacred art of sex."

"Piss off."

"Come on, bro! Give me the keycard! Ace! ACEEE!"

Ace shut his eyes firmly and massaged his temples. Migraine. It was fortunate that not many people were in the library tonight to witness the murder that he was about to commit. Years of being with Oreo was honestly sucking his soul.

His eyes instantly fluttered open when he heard his friend gasp in pain.

"Ouch! Ouch! Older Sister, what did I do?" Oreo's head was tilted on the side as Meili yanked his ear.