The Villain Bought the Female Lead - Ch. 50
“What’s going on?”
The door to the student council room, which had been enveloped in silence, opened.
Rheincarven, the student council president of Academia and the eldest son of the Schugenhartz family, looked at the visitor with cynical eyes.
“I’m here about the selection of new members for the research group.”
Vargan entered the room, closing the door behind him.
As the door closed, the noise from outside was shut out, and the flow of air became something only the two of them shared.
Vargan was the first to speak.
“We’ve finished the first round of document screening and need to rent a place for the second-round interviews.”
Rheincarven continued to maintain his silence, showing no particular reaction, his intelligent eyes lightly scanning Vargan.
Vargan, as if already prepared for what Rheincarven wanted, confidently produced an envelope of documents.
“I’ve noted the rental rooms and times. I confirmed they were available before writing it, so there should be no mistakes.”
He placed the envelope on the executive desk made of fine wood and showed a slight smile that didn’t disrupt the mood. It was courteous but somehow left a sense of unease.
Two pairs of sharp eyes, similar yet different, met precisely.
“Thanks to you, the matter of naming the research group proceeded smoothly. As a brother of the family, and further as a member of Academia, I express my gratitude.”
“……”
Rheincarven closed his eyes tightly, making it hard to tell if he was contemplating or just tired. Other than his closed eyelids, his posture remained the same as before Vargan entered.
He still showed no reaction.
Indeed, as the eldest, Rheincarven was a remarkably rigid person.
Feeling this, Vargan wiped the smile off his face and turned around. Their conversation ended there. Having delivered what was necessary, there was no reason to stay in the stifling room any longer.
Vargan stretched out his long legs and began to walk away.
“Vargan.”
A firm voice.
Just calling his name, but as if to say this was what it meant to be a noble, it was low and unmistakable, stopping Vargan in his tracks.
Vargan turned lightly, a small smile playing on his lips.
It was a gesture implying, “What more could we have to say to each other?”
Rheincarven opened his eyes again, directly meeting Vargan’s black pupils. It wasn’t a power struggle, but neither of them averted their gaze, as if trying to gauge each other.
“I doubt you called me just to have a staring contest like when we were kids. What’s the matter?”
“Arbol Frutal.”
It was the research group Vargan had established, which had garnered attention by borrowing the prestige of the student council. Rheincarven slowly continued, recalling Vargan’s recent odd behavior.
“Are you trying to create a guild?”
Not everyone became a hero after graduating from Academia. Some nobles returned to their territories, while commoners often took on the role of hunters, tackling dungeons and subduing monsters.
The members Vargan gathered for his research group varied widely in talent, level, and social status. It wasn’t about forming an elite group to gain power within Academia or about socializing with the nobility.
Considering the <remarkable statement> Vargan made a month ago, it was highly likely that what he sought through the research group was a guild business to train hunters.
Understanding Rheincarven’s intent, Vargan pretended to ponder, rolling his downcast eyes. He also didn’t forget to let out a small sigh.
After this brief act, he answered.
“Wouldn’t it be a waste to mix Academia’s talents with external elements already? At least, these are saplings that have met the admission criteria of Academia.”
As Rheincarven showed no significant reaction and remained silent, Vargan continued naturally, as if he had expected this.
“Well, there may be some impurities that are hard to understand from your perspective, but who knows.”
Vargan’s expression suggested he believed that, like pearls hidden in shells that seemed like trash, there might be real talent among the seemingly worthless individuals.
Rheincarven remained impassive, his stoic face betraying no hint of his thoughts.
“You seem confident.”
“It’s my principle to act boldly in everything. Besides, with you as an ally, what is there to fear?”
“……”
“There won’t be a speck of falsehood in what I’ve said… then, if you’ll excuse me.”
Creak⎯
With that, Vargan left the student council room.
And.
The brief disruption of silence returned.
With the sunlight streaming in from the window, it felt as if even the sound of the dust dancing in the air could be heard.
“……”
Left alone, Rheincarven pulled out a sheet of paper from the drawer of his executive desk.
The handwriting was neat and somehow exuded a sense of elegance.
If it resembled Vargan’s personality, it seemed like it would be wild, but oddly, he meticulously observed such propriety.
Rustle.
Although it had been a month since he received this paper from Vargan, Rheincarven still scrutinized it deeply each time. To check if any special magic was involved, or if any fallacies were hidden.
He had examined it so often his eyes grew tired from staring, but he continued his reexamination. Yet.
‘Nothing.’
No tricks were visible.
If Vargan had prepared something, Rheincarven would have noticed. Having checked it with magic s well and finding no signs, this writing was unmistakably Vargan’s unadulterated intention.
“……”
Vargan had written it himself.
At the end was the seal of the family crest.
Rheincarven read the document.
“I, Vargan Troa Schugenhartz, renounce the right to succeed the headship of the Schugenhartz family.”
The content was simple yet profound, a sentence not to be taken lightly.
It carried more weight than any long-winded paragraph.
***
Upon exiting the student council room, someone who had been waiting for me was there.
A woman with fierce eyes and a small frame.
“It seems like I see you often these days, Erica.”
“……”
Erika’s fierce eyes only glared at me.
Normally, she would have told me not to act like I knew her or to stop talking to her, grumbling all the while. But now, she only spoke with her eyes.
It seemed she wanted to enter the student council room but didn’t because I was there.
Thinking so, I lightly passed by her, but her expression changed.
She still didn’t speak, but her mouth opened slightly, clearly wanting to tell me something.
“What’s troubling you so much?”
I stopped walking and faced Erica.
Her small mouth moved as if trying to spit out something she didn’t want to say.
Her blue eyes, like those of a small predator, showed an emotion similar to what I saw after the class competition: shame.
Hmm… judging by her reaction, it must be something significant… ah.
I realized.
Come to think of it, it was almost the anniversary of my engagement to Erica. There was still a week left, so I had put it off, but it seemed she received a letter about it.
“I’m sorry, but if you have no business, don’t hold me up. I’m quite busy right now.”
“Wait a minute… Schugenhartz!”
But I pretended not to notice.
Why, you asked?
There was no grand reason. I was simply curious about how Erica would handle the current crisis.
Useful people were raised to be strong. It was the same with Alicia, and my principle hadn’t changed.
Erica, who had grabbed me impulsively, quickly withdrew her hand as if she had touched something dirty and coughed awkwardly.
Her briefly softened expression quickly turned cold again.
Her eyes, like beautifully crafted blue jewels, looked at me.
“I’ll give you a chance.”
Erica displayed an arrogant demeanor, as if she were showing mercy to the poor.
She spoke with her arms crossed.
“What kind of chance are you talking about?”
“The lunch or dinner invitation you proposed.”
The meal invitation was bait to lure the stalker clinging to Erica.
“And what about it?”
“So, I’m giving you another chance.”
“Erica, if you don’t make it clear, I won’t wait.”
“No, it’s just that, um… wait a minute!”
I warned her one last time that I would leave if she didn’t speak up and paused my steps.
Erica’s face began to blush as she struggled to maintain her composure.
Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, like a baby bird waiting to be fed by its mother.
Then, as if realizing something, she muttered to herself and took small steps towards me.
“… yes, on second thought, there’s no reason to hesitate. I’m just relaying what my mother told me.”
“Then go ahead.”
“Your attitude… anyway, listen carefully because I’ll only say this once.”
Standing close enough to touch, Erica, still slightly blushing, tried to appear confident.
“Next week, on this day. Keep your evening free. There’s somewhere we need to go together.”
***
The reason Erica didn’t ignore her mother’s letter was due to her obedient nature and the surveillance.
There would be someone assigned to confirm our presence at the venue that day. It was certain, especially since they handed us tickets. There had been similar cases before.
Anyway, after my altercation with Erica, I returned to my room and immediately began regulating the mana within my body.
My statement to Erica about being busy was sincere.
In preparation for the great trial coming in the next few months.
‘First, I need to increase my total mana capacity.’
Since possessing Vargan, I’d never skipped a day of expanding my internal mana.
Even if I skipped other things, I must not skip this. Vargan’s techniques, which required high mana consumption, depended on my absolute mana capacity.
Curses and familiars consumed mana rapidly when used collectively. For Vargan, the total mana capacity was essential.
To move on to the next stage, I needed to increase the amount of mana I could supply stably.
I sat on the floor in a cross-legged position and focused.
It was not necessary to sit cross-legged, but I found it the most comfortable position to activate mana.
I assessed my total internal mana.
As expected, progress was on track. If things continued at this pace, I wouldn’t be late for my target date, but the sooner, the better.
“……”
Next, I closed my eyes and focused all my nerves on my mana.
Magic power flowed through my body like blood. Although it lacked a tangible form, it certainly existed and functioned.
Without a separate heart, I forcefully pumped the magic to accelerate its flow, ensuring it reached every cell, even to the fingertips.
At the same time, I visualized the core within my body.
Vibrant and vast, like the source of life.
An endless horizon…
… after spending a little over three hours expanding my total mana capacity, I opened my eyes.
My whole body was sticky with sweat.
The room had heated up, and if I hadn’t opened the window beforehand, it would have turned into a sauna.
Phew.
I exhaled lightly and composed myself. Since this training involved mana control, I couldn’t use magic, so I wiped my body with prepared cold water and a towel.
The cold towel quickly warmed up from the heat.
‘The unique spell I need to create for graduation. The conditions are not easy.’
One of the graduation requirements for the Academia’s magic department was to complete one’s unique spell. Since there were still four years left, most weren’t deeply concerned yet, but I couldn’t afford to be indifferent.
Vargan Troa Schugenhartz.
The villain who tormented the protagonists in Academia.
I had three years left until my exit from the novel.
The original Vargan died without completing his unique spell. However, at the end, a partially completed unique spell briefly appeared.
The final moments of the villain Vargan.
His last chapter.
Vargan, with his incomplete large-scale unique spell, overwhelmed many students, professors, and even heroes in chaos.
The then-crazed Vargan.
The one who strayed far from the Vargan I cherished.
He disappeared into history, reveling in the carnage and chaos with blood spurting everywhere.
“……”
Normally, his madness drew the attention from others, but the unique spell of his was noteworthy.
A unique spell completed only halfway.
Vargan, with that incomplete spell, overpowered everyone.
Naturally, a question arose.
What if the spell had been completed?
What if Vargan had overcome his laziness, gathered all the necessary materials, and polished it over time?
‘Hypotheticals may be meaningless in history, but my situation is different.’
Perhaps.
The story might have ended there.
No, the reason Vargan’s unique spell was left incomplete was to set an appropriate difficulty level for Liam’s story to continue.
‘Do you think I will just stand by and watch?’
Vargan’s death.
The unique spell that wasn’t completed until the end.
“I will definitely complete it.”
I guaranteed.
Once the unique spell was complete, the one to decide the ending of this story would be.
It would be me.