A Regressed Villain: Heroines, Villainesses and Me?

thump thump

"I..." Aria, seated and enveloped in the tight embrace of Professor Aven, felt her heart race.

No matter how much she struggled, his grip was firm enough to keep her from moving, compelling her to lean against his shoulder, nuzzling her face into his neck.

'He smells nice.' Wearied by both physical and mental exhaustion, her mind sought even a hint of warmth.

In that moment, she found solace in the warmth radiating from professor Aven's body and the enticing scent that surrounded him.

'A scammer?' Meanwhile, Avendial, absorbed in details on his phone, came across a significant piece of information.

Leo, whom he had awakened just the day before, turned out to be connected to the same company that had fallen victim to a scam orchestrated by Amrita's brother.

This detail could potentially be wielded to his advantage.

'Hm?' Avendial suddenly caught sight of Aria sniffing his neck, a playful smirk creeping across his face.

It reminded him of the woman known as Baroness Margaret Grafia—the one behind the captivating perfume he wore.

Of course, he wasn't merely admiring the fragrance.

His thoughts drifted to his second target, a necessary step after dealing with Aria.

In his previous life, when the Tower first arrived, everyone had rapidly teleported into a tutorial phase.

It felt as if they were all cast onto an alien planet—because, in truth, that's precisely what happened.

Towers served as gateways to various worlds, each inhabited by natives who welcomed newcomers as either guests or intruders, depending on the native's demeanor.

And naturally for someone in a barren foreign land, the most important thing is—namely, resources.

But even more pressing than gathering resources was the need to transport them.

Transporting resources from one location to another—whether from Earth to the tower or between the different floors of the tower—required substantial manpower.

To tackle this challenge, certain Awakeners possessed space-type abilities, granting them access to inventory space or other dimensional storage.

Thus, Avendial's next target, after securing essential resources, was to align himself with an Awakener who held these coveted space-type abilities.

Not wanting to dwell too deeply on these thoughts, he set them aside, realizing that his immediate priority was to ensure Aria's loyalty.

He turned his attention back to her, silenced his phone, and leaned in, resting his head near her neck nape and planting a gentle kiss.

'!'

"W-wait?!" Aria flinched at the sudden, cold touch near her neck when she realized she had just received a kiss.

Her heart raced as she instinctively pulled back, causing her to stumble backward onto the floor.

'Not yet?' Avendial's gaze turned cold, having hoped to use this moment to provide her with a double awakening and secure her.

The way she had flinched and quickly distanced herself made him recognize her strong mental fortitude, evident in her reaction.

It was impressive how she could yank her hand back from even the warmth amid the chilling night.

"I-I mean, we don't even know each other," Aria stammered, supporting herself with her hand. She glanced at Professor Avendial, whose eyes widened slightly in surprise.

'!'

She felt a surge of anxiety as she realized her outburst might have made him uncomfortable. "N-no, I mean—"

"It's fine, don't force yourself," Avendial replied, standing up and dusting off his clothes. He extended his hand to help her up, maintaining an impassive expression that betrayed neither disappointment nor satisfaction in her actions.

Deep down, he wanted her to feel a sense of guilt for what had just transpired.

Having encountered many different types of people, Avendial understood that those with strong mental fortitude are often able to grasp the perspectives of others.

To put it simply, they tend to judge situations by considering the viewpoints of everyone involved.

For instance, if someone committed an evil act, such individuals might wonder why that person acted as they did and remain strong against the justifications offered.

This was particularly true for Aria, who, despite her villainess title, never blamed Amrita, unlike her friends.

Avendial had taken note of this, recognizing her mature side and her ability to empathize with Amrita's situation, likely pondering how Amrita had been forced into her actions.

This insight led Avendial to offer Aria support in that critical moment when she found herself surrounded by nothing but cold, yet comforted by the warmth of a gentle flame.

However, her unexpected reaction compelled him to intentionally express his dissatisfaction.

He wanted her to reflect on his perspective and consider how her gesture might have hurt him, even though he had been kind.

Human psychology is complex, yet it's not impossible to decipher when one closely observes a person's personality.

Each individual is unique, but ultimately, certain traits and combinations of personalities reveal predictable patterns of behavior based on established psychological principles.

Just as a kind and religious person often embodies optimism, the reverse isn't necessarily true. Someone may exhibit kindness solely to maintain a favorable image in society, and those same principles might be applied to their religious convictions.

Thus, psychology is a complicated field, not universally applicable to everyone.

Ultimately, it is still defined as the study of the mind, not the science of the mind.

"I am sorry…." Aria heard those words from Professor Aven, and they triggered a wave of guilt within her.

Though she had tried to read his expression, he remained silent about her earlier actions, which only made her look downward, embarrassed.

'This is the right moment,' Avendial thought as he sensed an opportunity to inquire about the title she had seen regarding Aecilia.

He noticed Aria's guilty demeanor, which seemed to rob her of the courage to ask about the woman he was going to mention. Instead, he gently asked, "Did you see her title?"

'!?'

A shockwave hit Aria at those words, and she felt her heart constrict.

The sensation she had experienced that day flooded back, assaulting her mind with the force of vivid recollections.

Slowly, she nodded, acknowledging with a sinking feeling that yes, she had indeed seen it.

It was a response that seemed ordinary, yet within her, it unleashed an emotional torrent.

It felt as though she were staring into the eyes of a predator, something infinitely more formidable than herself, tightening its grip around her throat.

"Y-yes…," she managed to reply, a tremor in her voice. Her hand instinctively flew to her forehead as painful memories swelled, intensifying the ache there.

The fear surged within her, a visceral understanding that no one else could comprehend—the fear of being killed.

Avendial observed Aria's trembling state, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the remnants of her fear.

It was alarming; he could sense how such a feeling might evolve into a long-standing trauma.

However, understanding the urgency of the matter at hand, he pressed on, disregarding her visible distress. "What did you see?"

This was an opportune moment. Aria, ensnared in a haze of painful memories, lacked the clarity to question why he seemed to be ignorant of that woman's title, even though he hailed from the future.

His inquiry was prompted not by mere curiosity but rather by a pressing need to understand, while Aria remained lost within her blank state, consumed by recollections of fear.

"...." Aria looked downward, her pupils trembling as she tightly shut her eyes, her mind recalling the screen above that woman's head. She replied, "It was...

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ㅤㅤㅤSOVEREIGN HEROINE

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"Huh? Which heroine did you say?"