The Villain Bought the Heroine

Chapter 3

The Duke of Schugenhartz’s mansion remains peaceful today.

“Remake it.”

“Young master…?”

“Didn’t you hear me?”

To the servant who didn’t understand my words, I reiterated clearly.

“I said to remake this dish because it tastes bad.”

“But…”

“You’re the one making the food, right? Isn’t it the chef who does it anyway? Or are you too stupid to even say a simple thing like, ‘Since today’s dish seems like it came straight from the trash, the honored young master would like a different meal.’?”

“I-I’ll bring a new dish right away!”

The servant hastily leaves. I and the other servants watch the new servant closely.

Alicia, the heroine with the most weight in this novel.

Originally, she would have been at her home, enduring the abuse from the woman called ‘mother’ while being mistreated as a bad servant, but now she works as a full-time servant in our mansion.

One might ask if we are tormenting her too much. Yes, that could be the case. However, even this is for her own good.

Alicia is inherently naive. Too kind and vulnerable. With such a weak personality, she cannot survive in this harsh world.

So, I am helping her. Investing my time and effort to ensure she can live well at the academia.

The reborn Alicia will surely bloom her talents with a strong heart.

“I brought a new dish. You will surely… like it.”

“Remake it.”

“Y-Young master? Can’t you at least taste it a bit?”

“The smell is not good.”

“I’ll be back. Please wait a moment.”

Yes, this is all for her.

***

It’s been a week since I entered this novel, and two more days have passed.

Before the possession, I was a talented actor who entered the Department of Theater and Film as the top student, with good looks… But enough about me. It seems necessary to talk about this place.

I know about something called ‘possession stories’.

More precisely, I read such novels.

The title was ＜Possessed as a Supporting Character in an Academy Story?!＞, not even funny. Aside from the worm-like ending, the content was somewhat interesting, but the title was too childish. It would have been better without the question mark and exclamation mark at the end.

Anyway, the important thing is that I was possessed as the third son of the villainous author in that novel. It may seem insane to be possessed within a possession story, but upon further thought, it seems to have a connection compared to being possessed in a different genre.

To briefly describe the content I read, the male protagonist, who was a commoner in the novel he read, gains confidence to overcome the body of a criminal and later enrolls in the Heroic Officer Academy, Academia, where various incidents unfold.

Fortunately, the novel the protagonist read was not a possession story. In the novel the protagonist read, the third prince of the enemy country struggles to become a king, and there are typical elements like a heroine, Alicia, who enters Academia with her abilities as a commoner and fights against the villains to welcome her as the queen.

By the way, I am included in both of their shared villains.

So, from my perspective.

The commoner protagonist in the novel I read is the ‘real protagonist,’ and the prince protagonist in the novel the real protagonist read is the ‘fake protagonist.’

Complicated, isn’t it?

Well, let me tell you the important part.

I was possessed in a possession story as the third son of the villainous author. I liked the role, status, appearance, and everything about being the villain. I resolved to live well here for my own sake.

The ‘real protagonist’ in the novel I read tried to escape the novel, but I can’t fathom his thinking at all. Why would he want to escape from this novel world?

Perhaps someone will ask.

‘Why do you want to live in there?’

I am a descendant of a prestigious author. I can live comfortably. Here, I can do whatever I want while living well. Why would I return to such a harsh reality? I, on the contrary, would like to ask.

‘Why do I have to leave?’

Why should I go back?

Here, all I have to do is reach out towards a brilliant future. A future that is guaranteed. Where could there be something better than that?

– Well, of course, issues need to be resolved.

As life often goes, being a villain is not just about thriving. Naturally, as a villain, I initially torment the protagonists, but in the end, I am pushed aside and face a miserable end, drained of strength.

That is the future that awaits me, Barugan.

So, should I cling to the protagonists and overcome crises together? Should I submit to them or join a group that I don’t fit in with to share in the glory?

No, I will not do that.

I will live as the protagonist of this new life. I dislike clinging pathetically to other protagonists, and above all, their way of thinking does not align with mine.

Even when reading this novel, I liked the character of Barugan, the villain. Isn’t he impressive? Being so confident while living as he pleases. It’s like my alter ego. So, I must show a figure that suits him.

I will overcome all crises while doing as I please.

I dare to speak arrogantly because I know information that the real and fake protagonists are unaware of.

“…Ugh. Sir, may I ask how much longer we need to do this?”

“Shut up and focus. If the mana disperses, all the time we’ve spent will become meaningless.”

“…Yes. …Ugh.”

In a dark space, a purple magic circle envelops Alicia, who is standing there struggling. It is manipulating mana, forcibly awakening the flow dormant within Alicia, causing physical and mental strain from moving for an extended period.

On the other hand, I was doing the same thing as her, but there was no change. This was because I always controlled the flow of mana internally, allowing me to handle it as effortlessly as breathing.

“Endure the pain. You haven’t forgotten our agreement, have you?”

“I remember….”

After another hour passed, I informed her that she could take a break now. As soon as she got the permission, she stopped the flow of mana and weakly sat down.

Alicia, soaked in sweat all over her body, breathed heavily.

Approaching her with a white towel was a woman in a robe.

“Alicia, well done.”

“Oh, thank you. Master.”

“Ohoho, no, thank you. I am truly grateful. It’s enjoyable to teach not just unruly young lords but to instruct a lovely maiden like you.”

“…If that unruly young lord refers to me, I will twist your neck right away.”

“Oh, you stubborn young lord! That’s impossible! I’m talking about the other young lords, the ones I teach. hahahahaha.”

“….”

The owner of this ridiculous laughter is my private tutor, a talent in magic, particularly in spellcraft and elemental magic. She is also portrayed as the only tutor who can withstand the villain Vargan’s temperament.

“By the way, Alicia, you are so beautiful. It feels like I’m seeing my prime.”

“Oh, no. What…?”

Though her personality is irritable, and her laughter is unpleasant, she is an indispensable talent. Knowledge and talent in magic are things no one can ignore.

“Are you using some kind of potion? Or maybe doing exercises to improve your figure? Oh, right. Or…”

“Enough! Alicia, go wash yourself right now. Quickly, erase your presence in front of this chattering girl. I might go deaf.”

“Oh, understood, Master.”

One cannot ignore her.

Alicia, holding the towel she received, slowly left the room with trembling legs. Despite her distracted state, she didn’t forget to politely greet me.

“….”

After she disappeared, a moment later,

My private tutor, a slightly peculiar woman named Paula, without the earlier irritability, sharply remarked, her eyes matching her words.

“Master, you brought a monster.”

Monster.

That word refers to Alicia.

“Where did you find such talent? At the late age of 16, she mastered the use of mana today. When you first asked, I thought she was just another toy for you.”

“A toy. A toy…”

“But I realized I was wrong. Six whole hours. …Gosh, I can’t believe it. Six hours. I have dabbled in mana before, but today was the first time I performed it in earnest. This is… this is…”

“It’s unbelievable. I understand what you want to say. I empathize with your feelings. But do not deny reality. …What’s important is that she achieved the impossible. Isn’t that the case?”

Though my words may seem indifferent, I, too, am concealing my emotions.

Witnessing an unbelievable talent firsthand,

I felt a chilling sensation and an overwhelming sense of awe.

Typically, prodigies awaken mana at the age of 5, able to perform for an hour. Even in the elite lineage of barons, renowned for being prodigies, I, at most, could do it for 2 hours. My record of 2 hours was so exceptional that there were debates among other nobles about its authenticity.

However, look at her. She delved into mana at a late age and set an unprecedented record of 6 hours.

Given that I inherited Vargan’s memories and thoughts at the point of possession, I could fully appreciate the significance of this achievement.

The goosebumps on my body have yet to fade. Though I saw it with my own eyes, I can’t believe it. Is she truly a human like me?

At the same time, I am convinced that my judgment in bringing her to my side from the beginning of the story was not wrong. Thinking that such a talented individual might hinder my future, it feels more suffocating than facing a demon lord.

“Let’s enroll her in the Academy next year. She’s the same age as you, so she can enter next year, right?”

“That’s exactly what I had in mind.”

There, my loyal sword and shield will dedicate her talent for my sake.

“This is it, Won. Do you think a big wave will hit Academia?”

In the original work, Alicia and the two protagonists succeed in entering the academy this year.

Among those two protagonists, Alicia becomes aware of the existence of the ‘real protagonist,’ a commoner, and starts to care. She not only becomes classmates with someone of the same status and kind heart but also seeks to be friends with them.

As time passes, Alicia ends up in the group of girls around the ‘real protagonist.’ Although the protagonist knows their hearts, they coldly ignore someone who is not readily accepted. A pitiful jerk. He should have made the most advantageous choice…

But this time, it will be different.

Indeed, Alicia steps forward, putting the name of Duke Schugenharts at stake. Her status doesn’t change, but her position does.

To me, Alicia is no longer just a common peasant like that guy, but a person with a respectable background. She can no longer be a support for the two protagonists.

“We need to turn the tables.”

A predetermined ending. A predetermined development.

Twist everything. When everyone is in disarray, unable to regain their composure, the one who laughs at those foolish things.

Must be ‘me.’