The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 47
Louisa was in a very good mood.
So much so that she couldn’t control the corners of her mouth from rising.
“Cheer up, you bitch. On such a great day.”
“Bell… Bell… why on earth did you entrust the kingship to Leon… why… why…!!”
In contrast to Louisa, who felt like flying with satisfaction and was drawn to drink, Paula beside her was desperate for a drink due to excessive stress.
Although it was a bet started by Paula picking a fight, thanks to it, Louisa no longer had to worry about her drinks for a month.
“Ah, Louisa! Stop hitting me! It really hurts! Just!”
“Oh, sorry, sorry. I just got so proud seeing our class win as the supervising professor.”
“Ugh…! Leon… Leon…!!”
Just as they had declared through the video magic.
The combined forces of Class 4 and Class 5 were shattered by Class 1, who charged right into them.
The familiars of Vargan, which had been held back and reserved for this moment, appeared en masse and didn’t take long to destroy the castle.
Although Diphelia and Erica, realizing the full situation too late, tried to join forces again, it was already long past the point of no return.
Once the momentum shifted, it didn’t come back.
Louisa watched the video of the winning class.
Vargan and his party were walking.
They probably wanted to throw themselves onto their beds in exhaustion, but their eyes and mouths beamed with a sense of achievement.
“You punk. Not showing any sign of excitement even when you’re about to die.”
It was a remark aimed at Vargan.
While others were putting their arms around each other’s shoulders and celebrating, he maintained an attitude of <lowly beings, getting this excited over such a thing>.
It was a characteristic attitude of his.
Louisa unfolded the paper she was holding.
It was a parchment Vargan had handed her before the class battle began.
It was written in a long, elegant script.
To sum it up, it was about changing the name of the study group.
From <New Student Council>.
To <Arbol Frutal>.
It seemed like they had seen all there was to see with the name <New Student Council>. Thinking about the troubles she had gone through because of that name, Louisa had felt like smashing Vargan’s head with a liquor bottle, but now she no longer had such urges.
Since they so easily agreed to change it.
There would be no more controversy, so it was good news for Louisa as well.
“Finally, something I like, Chief.”
Louisa began to laugh heartily, as if she had forgotten her surroundings.
The troublesome chief’s study group name had changed. They had won the class battle with flying colors.
It was a moment when all the accumulated stress was completely relieved.
“Cheer up, Paula!”
“Oh, come on! I said it hurts!! You musclehead!”
As Louisa’s mood rose.
Paula’s back grew redder.
***
“Give it back.”
“Suddenly, what do you mean?”
“My familiar. Give it back.”
“When you abandon it… Erica. A familiar is…”
“Shut up! Just give me my familiar back!”
The imposing aura that once defined the villainous lady, Erica, was gone, replaced by a tantrum-throwing child who stamped her small feet on the ground.
Outside, she seemed to try to act as mature as possible, but she eventually gave up.
“Farewell, Kkamag. It was a short time, but it was fun.”
⎯Caw….
The black-feathered crow Kkamag spread its wings wide and cried mournfully before moving to Erica’s shoulder.
I hoped you stayed well and healthy there too.
Sincerely.
“Erica. Second place is still a great result.”
“… be quiet.”
It wasn’t the saint who managed to resist until the end but Erica.
Diphelia, seeing it was too hard to watch her classmates suffer any more, had declared surrender.
In the end, the last ones standing were Class 4, led by Erica. She resisted desperately until all her mana was depleted.
“… there won’t be another day as humiliating as this.”
Erica bit her lip hard. Her hands, clenched into fists, were trembling.
It seemed best for the current Erica to return to her room and calm down.
Otherwise, she might not be able to control her emotions and create a bunch of dark memories. As a fellow noble and fiancé, I couldn’t just stand by and watch.
As I tried to speak to Erica again, an uninvited guest intervened.
A male student from her class, Bantlo.
He greeted me with a light bow.
“The classmates are waiting for Erica. If it’s not too much trouble, may I take her?”
“… Bantlo, I…”
“Don’t worry, Erica. You did your best. There are many who are grateful for you standing up and fighting until the end in the worst situation.”
“……”
It was a mess.
They were all lovey-dovey, making such a fuss.
I felt like reprimanding them for acting like this in front of me, her fiancé.
“Erica.”
But I left it alone.
It wasn’t something for me to interfere with.
Besides, Bantlo was someone Erica needed right now.
Let’s overlook his somewhat impertinent behavior.
“Your attendant is here to escort you, so I’ll take my leave.”
“Bantlo is not an attendant. Don’t insult him, Schugenhartz.”
“Yes, yes. Take care, Kkamag.”
⎯Caw! Caw!
“Why does this guy like you so much…?”
And so, I moved away from them.
It was just as well.
I needed to check the rewards and meet some people too.
⎯Was the familiar’s name Kkamag?
⎯No… that guy just named it on his own….
Ignoring the faint sounds of their conversation behind me, I sorted out the situation.
First, Cattia.
We won the class battle.
I was the leader.
I received the king’s emblem.
When you won the class battle, all members of the winning class received 20 Cattia.
The leader got 5 Cattia just for holding the position. Additionally, leading to victory earned another 5 Cattia.
Lastly, the king of the winning class received an additional 10 Cattia.
So, through this class battle, I gained a total of 40 Cattia.
Starting with the 20 from being the top student at entrance exam.
Giving 10 to Erica through the ranking battle.
Gaining 40 this time.
Currently, I had 50.
Erica, who held second place in the first-year Cattia ranking, would have 46, including this class battle.
With this, I managed to restore my temporarily dropped ranking.
Of course, it didn’t end there.
We could also advertise the rebranding of the <New Student Council> to <Arbol Frutal> extensively and conveyed my intention to a certain special <someone> who had been looking down on us.
I hoped they received it safely.
Since this matter was more important than Cattia or the image of the study group.
“Student Vargan. Do you have a moment?”
It was a somewhat mysterious voice.
His voice was low, like the morning mist.
Although it was the first time I’d heard it, I could be sure.
Finally, he had contacted me.
“Yes, I have time.”
I smiled at him.
Seeing how quickly he approached, he must be very curious.
Now, what kind of variable were you, and how would you entertain me?
“What is it, Mr. Helion?”
***
Helion and I, having boarded the airship, entered a private room to continue our conversation.
Although it was a small room, it was magically soundproofed to prevent any eavesdropping.
“Student Vargan, are you a Saint?”
Helion’s first words were quite direct.
“No, I can’t perform miracles or receive oracles.”
Helion nodded slightly as if he expected that response and continued speaking.
His peculiar eyes were fixed on me.
“Student Vargan, you seem unnatural.”
“Me?”
“Yes, even now. You knew I was going to speak to you, didn’t you?”
“How could I? I’m not a prophet. I’m still struggling to calm my startled heart.”
I mixed in some flattery while speaking playfully.
Helion showed no change in expression.
His gaze seemed to be on me, yet not on me.
“You’re very skilled at lying. It’s as natural as breathing.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It’s not an insult.”
It was also not a compliment.
He was merely stating facts.
He didn’t assign moral values to truth and lies.
Helion.
I had a rough understanding of his personality and speech patterns, but he was even more unpredictable than expected.
“I noticed your performance in the class battle. An up-and-coming warrior in curses and familiars. Your mana capacity is beyond that. Correct?”
Did he figure all that out just from watching a video?
Indeed, he had great insight—was what I’d like to say. This level of analysis was expected.
He was ranked 7th among current warriors. It was only natural.
“That’s correct.”
“You’re not lying this time? And no flattery, either.”
“You would have found out anyway.”
“True.”
The conversation didn’t flow smoothly.
Each section of dialogue stood on its own.
It must be due to his unique way of speaking.
“Is that why you called me?”
“I have many questions. That was just one of them.”
There was a moment of silence, but he didn’t avert his gaze.
His unfocused eyes quietly observed me.
If he didn’t continue, I would take the initiative.
Just as he had many questions, so did I.
I moistened my mouth with the prepared tea and spoke.
“I have some questions too.”
“Go ahead.”
“Why did you come to Academia?”
“I came to mentor.”
His answer was without hesitation. So was mine.
The conversation proceeded quickly.
“That’s not the answer I want. I believe you know that.”
“… you are indeed unnatural, Student Vargan.”
Although his expression didn’t change, his tone subtly conveyed interest.
I knew you were not supposed to be here based on the original story, so I wouldn’t want a vague answer.
Answer properly, Helion.
“Answering your question seems to lead to my question.”
After a brief moment of contemplation, he leaned slightly back in his chair before speaking again.
The words that came out of his mouth were so unexpected that my maintained poker face slightly cracked.
“You know the children Edel and Freesia, right?”
… what?
Why were they being mentioned now?
Rubid Village, where I stopped by to help Alicia overcome her trauma.
At first, they pointed at me calling me an evil sorcerer, but later they clung to me like glue, annoying me.
Of course, I remembered them.
“… yes, I know them.”
I restored my mask and acted nonchalantly. So, his presence in Academia was related to Rubid Village?
The village head said he hadn’t heard anything about Helion. That useless man…!
“I’m here because of those children, Student Vargan.”
For a moment, his eyes, which seemed devoid of any emotion, sparkled.
He placed his elbows on the table.
Though he wasn’t forceful or emitting magic, there was a clear pressure from him.
“To confirm the one who changed the future of Rubid Village, which should have perished.”