The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 35
The ticking clock hands told the current time.
1:49 AM.
I didn’t fall asleep early.
Since my possession, I slept for about two hours, so I didn’t spend much time lying in bed.
Yet now I was lying in bed with my eyes closed. Leaning on something while thinking was my habit — usually, I’d sit on a chair, but today I was tired.
I would probably fall asleep while lost in thought.
Let’s organize the story.
I had done everything I needed to before entering the Academia.
After entering, I gave Liam a sense of urgency.
Two days ago, I unexpectedly gained a stalker from the Goddess Church who stuck to Erica, providing a connection to the church.
What was the story progression from here in the original?
In the original, the first notable episode after entering Academia was the class competition.
New students, who were starting to adapt to Academia, struggled to prove their worth.
This was the same for all characters, both main and supporting. Everyone gave their best.
Why were they so eager?
Was it because of the Cattia given according to class performance?
Because their young blood boiled, wanting to show off their abilities?
No. The correct answer was clear.
⎯ To catch the eye of the warriors dispatched from the church.
The warriors observed the freshmen from a distance or through large screens.
And if they found someone they liked, they’d mark them and then later make contact.
The reason they contacted the freshmen was to establish a mentor-mentee relationship.
Academia was a learning ground full of potential warriors. Not all, but a significant number will become warriors, as they have the potential.
Active warriors on the battlefield helped these seedlings grow well ⎯ this tradition had continued to this day.
However, the warriors were not free enough to personally help the seedlings grow. They lacked manpower rather than having an abundance.
Thus, every year, the number of warriors who visited the Academia to watch the class competition was limited to ten.
They selected two individuals each.
They helped the growth of two freshmen and watched them until the second semester started, then chose one as their official mentee.
In other words, during this class competition, [20] freshmen will be contacted. Among them, only 10 would be selected as official mentees to receive benefits.
Receiving these benefits was akin to following an elite course in Academia.
It was natural because.
The right to participate as supporters in their mentor’s fieldwork during vacations.
One-on-one education from the mentor.
Building a network with active warriors.
Special gifts from the church.
This was why everyone was eager to stand out.
It was the same reason I warned Louisa not to act recklessly, as she might get eliminated.
‘But. Thanks to Louisa’s atmosphere, I could easily take the leader position.’
Being a leader in each class meant that it was easier to catch the warriors’ eyes than others.
There were, of course, factions dissatisfied with me becoming the leader, but they couldn’t express it in front of me and soon gave up.
I won’t explain why. It was too obvious.
Well, I didn’t become a leader to get the warriors’ contact.
In the original, five warriors contacted Vargan. Vargan chose one, and the remaining four moved on to other students.
The reason they coveted a talented person like Vargan was to choose someone with potential.
The warrior who became Vargan’s mentor in the novel was… that gloomy guy, who was also skilled in controlling familiars like me.
Ideally, it would be someone in the top 10 of the current warrior rankings, but given the schedule, such warriors wouldn’t come.
Then, the chicken instead of pheasant was fine.
At least that gloomy warrior with decent familiar training skills would help. It wouldn’t be bad if it proceeded that way.
‘It’s also related to Alicia’s growth.’
The protagonists of this episode were Liam and Alicia, not me. It was best to let them take the spotlight as per the established flow.
The class competition was the first stage where the two, starting later than the others, could fully demonstrate their potential and remarkable growth rate.
They also gained the chance to catch the warriors’ eyes and grow further.
While Liam was secondary, Alicia’s growth opportunity must not be crushed.
It was fine to let things flow without meddling this time.
Unless something unusual happened, the existing warriors would form relationships with the existing students. A stable choice indeed.
Yes, <unless things change>.
***
“What? Why are you so stiff?”
Emily asked why I looked so tense.
What a fool.
Who wouldn’t be tense seeing this?
As I sat in my seat, I blinked several times, flipped the paper, and even infused it with magic, unable to believe the words written on it.
It might’ve been a typo.
Even though it was an official document from the church to Academia and it was written to inform the students, a typo would’ve made more sense.
“Master, what’s suddenly the matter?”
Alicia, with her usual round eyes, was puzzled.
What I felt was a mix of excitement and confusion, utter chaos.
It was undoubtedly good news, but it was too significant to simply celebrate.
“Alicia. How would you feel if a divine being like an angel appeared before you?”
“I would… immediately kneel and pay my respects, but wouldn’t I be very surprised first?”
“It’s that surprising.”
I straightened the fluttering paper and showed it to her, precisely pointing at one name with my finger.
[Helion]
“Hmm… oh, it’s a very… splendid name.”
“I’m not asking for a review of the name.”
Even showing her directly, she didn’t seem to get it.
I guess I had to explain it verbally. Just as I was about to speak, Finn, who had been tilting his head, beat me to it.
“It’s the current 7th ranked warrior! Isn’t he incredibly famous?”
“Yes, I’m embarrassed to admit it, but… does that mean such a famous person is taking time to visit Academia?”
“Huh?! Wait, Helion?! Is it really that Helion visiting?”
Seeing the name on the list, Emily snatched it from me and scrutinized it closely.
“A typo… isn’t it? No, it must be a typo! How could someone as busy as Helion come to Academia as a mentor?!”
This was the typical reaction.
Alicia seemed to need more education in common knowledge.
Anyway, to emphasize again, this was surprising.
This was different from the original history. Of course, I didn’t rule out changes. It was natural for the flow to change due to the chain reactions of my actions.
But still. I didn’t expect the dispatch of a warrior who was currently rewriting records and monopolizing public attention.
Helion.
Was it really that extraordinary warrior?
Helion’s strength was within the top five among humans.
Even in the final war between humans and Altife, his performance was remarkable.
He defeated not only the mindless, mass-produced weakest Altifes but also the intelligent ones who were even feared by warriors. Among the intelligent ones, he turned the higher-ranking ones to dust.
Of course, this happened a few years later. But even at his current level, he ranked within the top ten.
Such a man was coming to mentor a mere fledgling warrior.
Why?
It was the first time I’d felt this curious about someone else’s actions since Alicia. Frankly, I hadn’t anticipated this.
I had considered the possibility of another warrior coming. Since no top ten warriors would come, I thought it wouldn’t matter much.
But if it was the 7th ranked Helion, it was different.
If it was the Helion I knew, he wouldn’t just pass the task to someone else.
He took every task seriously.
Even if he was coming on the pope’s orders.
He would seriously help the mentee.
Following Helion in the field, receiving direct education, and forming relationships would be immensely beneficial.
Was this a crisis or an opportunity?
No, I was overthinking. I hadn’t done anything that would cause concern. Even if he was coming because of the small breeze I caused, the potential for harm was nearly zero.
Still, just in case.
While proceeding, I would assess the situation and adjust my plans, but that was part of the fun. How should I utilize this variable?
My heart started to race with unpredictability.
I had already listed what I could gain from Academia, but life always exceeded expectations. I had an unexpected gain recently, widening my path.
And now this huge event.
It was breaking away from the original mold. The board was changing. But there was no need to worry. It was rather enjoyable. The predetermined plot must change. That was the reason I had been moving busily before the main episode began.
Even if it was truly a crisis, it was fine. Turning crises into opportunities was also a skill. I would use all my knowledge and abilities to turn this event into an opportunity.
Otherwise, a happy ending in this novel was out of reach.
“Helion. The hero’s appearance, huh.”
If Helion was coming, that gloomy warrior who was Vargan’s mentor in the original would be nothing more than a passing crow’s droppings.
What? This episode’s protagonists were Liam and Alicia? No, absolutely not.
I’d let them shine to some extent, but I couldn’t give them the spotlight.
I’d revised my statement.
This episode’s protagonist was me.
‘Vargan Troa Schugenhartz.’
***
“Did I get on the wrong carriage to the Central Church?”
Asked the woman with a ponytail. She was inherently cheerful.
She sat next to a man without hesitation, scrutinizing his body here and there, even poked him with her finger.
Then, she realized her rudeness and withdrew her hand.
“Oh, forgive me. I got curious and touched without thinking. I’ve heard of it but never seen it in person… does it hurt?”
Though they met for the first time, the woman showed no shyness.
The man could’ve ignored her, but he wasn’t the type to reject someone’s goodwill.
“It’s fine. It looks rotten on the outside, but it’s not actually rotten.”
“I hope your arm returns to its original state as soon as possible. Then, you could help even more people than you do now.”
The man responded with a faint smile instead of words. His smile seemed to carry many untold stories.
Inside the carriage heading to Academia.
The two warriors occasionally continued their conversation to pass the time.
Although she was also a promising talent in her own right as a warrior, the man next to her was on a different level.
Even if one didn’t know their next-door neighbor’s name, everyone knew his name.
Why would such a person be going to the Academia to mentor?
The woman pondered deeply by herself and then looked at the man. He sensed her gaze and stopped looking out the window.
“Helion, why is someone like you doing this kind of work? Mentoring is a noble cause, but shouldn’t you be out there saving as many people as possible?”
There was no malice in her words. Helion knew this too. So, after a moment of contemplation, he responded. His answer was simple.
“I thought this way I could save more people.”
“Yes…?”
He didn’t provide any further explanation right away. It was as if he believed that in time, everything would be naturally understood and connected. He left it at that.
Helion looked out the window.
The carriage sped along, and everything outside quickly passed by.
Trees, rocks, people, houses, windmills.
They all looked different, but they passed by swiftly just the same. Everything flowed naturally.
“Things that are unnatural tend to stand out.”
Helion said this with a slight smile. The smile was not unsettling or awkward; it was peaceful, as if it belonged in the natural order of things.