The Villain Purchased the Heroine

"I don't want to."

I conveyed my thoughts clear and crisp without any fluff. It couldn't be distorted, right?

"It'll only take a minute… In fact, you feel the need to have a conversation with me too, don't you?"

"To ignore such a straightforward statement… Is this bravery or foolishness?"

"This is important."

He tries to act strong, but I can sense an underlying anxiety in Liam's tone, as if he's desperately trying to hold on.

This guy.

It seems he still hasn't recovered his wits.

I stared down at the commoner who was trying to crawl up from where he was standing.

"No matter how generous I might be, I can't tolerate rudeness beyond this point. You might think of this as a commoner's boldness in a new world, but let go of my shoulder with that filthy hand of yours."

Man, I'm something else. I could have just severed his arm, but here I am, talking him down.

Well, to be honest, I just really didn't want to touch Liam's unclean body with my hands.

My resolve didn't change, making his eyebrows twitch slightly.

But he quietly exhaled the air held in his lungs and then steadied himself again.

"I don't want to cause a scene. I'll go wherever you choose. Just a bit?"

"Let go of my hand."

"…!"

Oh ho, look at this guy.

The moment I uttered a sentence infused with magic, Liam momentarily loosened his grip but quickly regained his senses.

I could feel the tremors of mana wriggling within Liam's body. He was thinking of resisting with mana. He must've weakened it, thinking this bug could endure such a trivial thing.

Liam reached out once more.

The moment his strengthened hand was aimed at me—

⎯⎯!

A whirlwind erupted.

Someone who could not overlook this unleashed a powerful gust that obstructed him.

Most of the people couldn't see clearly due to the wind that was tormenting their eyes, but I saw it clearly. This was also true for Liam, who was supplying mana to his whole body.

"Why are you…!"

Liam wore an expression of utter disbelief, unable to comprehend what was happening to him. It was a look more shocked than any he'd shown before.

'The True Nation.'

"What the hell did you do, Vargan?!"

As hostility radiated from Liam so strongly it was almost visible, Alicia bore an intensity of intent to kill even greater than when fighting against the golem.

Killer intent surged.

With her sword poised, she was ready to sever Liam's neck at any moment, blocking his movements.

Silently, she pressed him.

⎯If you extend your magically charged body any further, I will cut this neck off.

Her intense will was palpable, even through her back, crawling across my skin. Liam likely felt it even more keenly.

"Enough, Alicia. This is sufficient."

As if she were about to execute him at any second, she slowly lowered her blade when my words fell. Her gaze was sharp, intent on catching even the slightest of Liam's actions.

At this point, Liam couldn't back down any further. He looked like someone who had lost all will. Yet, there was a base of confusion and anger simmering within him.

He released his mana and took a step back.

"Liam! Are you okay?! Are you hurt?"

Emily rushed over to check on the weakened Liam. She searched quickly, focusing particularly on the neck Alicia had aimed for.

Once she confirmed there were no injuries, she exhaled a breath she didn't realize she had been holding.

That wave of relief soon washed away, revealing other emotions.

Her childhood friend was unharmed. Thank goodness. …What happened while they were gone, she didn't know.

However, feelings of discontent surged within her towards the one who threatened her precious person and radiated killer intent with confidence.

'As if I wouldn't know the thought process behind that.'

Emily emanated a powerful energy, wrapping around Liam, refusing to be overshadowed by Alicia.

There was no faulting Emily. Even if her connection with Alicia could be called a bond, it had only been a short while since they had become a team. Naturally, she would cherish someone with whom she had romantic feelings all the more.

"Is the hierarchy battle over?"

The supervising professor, Louisa, who had been watching the situation, stretched and spoke. She showed a relaxed demeanor, even yawning.

"Yawn⎯. I thought it might lead to a brawl with the arrival of lovers, but I see that's not the case."

Louisa stood from her seated position.

As she rose, her larger-than-average frame drew everyone's attention.

"If you want to fight, just say the word. I understand it's that age, and there are official matches called ranking battles at the Academia. However…."

This time, the situation was a bit different.

"Eek!"

Emily was the first to scream. She collapsed to the floor, writhing in pain from the sudden change.

"Ugh. Professor, this…."

Liam tried to resist the immense force pressing down on him, kneeling on one knee. It felt like gravity had multiplied several times over. His body felt heavy. The air. Everything felt impossibly heavy.

"Are… are you alright, my lord?"

Alicia, desperately trying to keep herself upright while propping her sword against the ground, asked in a worried tone.

Even while struggling to steady herself, thinking of her master first is something I'll commend later.

"Is this what it means to be the top student? This gravity field doesn't seem to bother you at all."

Louisa smiled with a curious look in her eyes.

I stretched my arms out and shrugged my shoulders.

"I'm flattered. Just managing to stand is about all I can do."

"Such a brat."

Though her words were aggressive, Louisa didn't seem inclined to exert any more pressure on the students.

Louisa, who never loses her sense of humor, apparently has no intention of putting pressure on the students any longer.

Thud.

As she stomps on the ground, gravity, which was bearing down on us, returns to normal. They say she's a gladiator who knocks opponents down while maintaining a gravity field—gravity magic flows from her as naturally as breathing.

"You are free to fight to the death anytime. Go ahead and fight until your blood bursts and your bones break. But that only applies within the rules approved by the Academia."

Louisa announced to her entire class, her voice booming with authority. It was a warning from Louisa, but also an act of kindness.

"Listen up everyone. If you dare to engage in an unauthorized fight, your opponent will not be the one you were throwing insults at, but me."

Her powerful, bold voice conjured images of a strong woman. That confidence is not just for show.

"If anyone wants to have a bloodbath with me, feel free to fight. I'll give you a firsthand lesson on what it feels like to die."

Consistent training and strength honed in actual combat—Louisa, who ranked 12th among the heroes during her active days at the Church, can afford to say such things.

"..."

As Louisa finished speaking, Liam stood up from his pitiful stance and attempted to leave the waiting room. Emily followed close behind.

Of course, they hadn't been granted permission to leave.

"Where do you think you're going? There are still tasks left to complete."

At Louisa's question, Liam and Emily exchanged glances. Their expressions seemed to ask, 'Didn't we think we could return if our group was finished?'

That assumption wasn't wrong. Most of the people here were staying to gauge their classmates' abilities, even though they knew better.

However, Liam and Emily had forgotten about the variable.

Louisa smiled widely, showing her teeth.

"You need to write a reflection paper. Where do you think you're sneaking off to?"

*

A reflection paper, huh.

It's something I've never even written once in the real world. Even after reincarnating…

Even if I've become the great Vargan, I couldn't escape this. After comparing the consequences of whether to write it or not, the conclusion was that it's far better to just write it.

"I'm sorry, Young Master… It's my fault for jumping in that you're being treated this way…"

Alicia, on the verge of tears—or rather, she was basically crying—walked with her head bowed low.

Currently, she and I were on our way back to the dormitory after submitting our reflection papers, but this fragile thing kept being a nuisance.

"You know I don't enjoy repeating myself, yet here you are, whining on and on."

Since she started writing the reflection paper, her eyes had been glistening with tears as she composed it.

She was so distracting that I even ordered her to stop crying, but as you can see, that didn't really work. …Is this really the best I could ask for?

"I'm so sorry. But… every time I think about how I tarnished your reputation, I…"

Sigh.

What am I supposed to do with this frustrating situation?

So what if she got scolded a bit and has to write a reflection paper?

She acts all weak when she feels like she's grown up a bit, then collapses the moment she thinks she's gotten stronger. It's like dealing with a child. How can I possibly stand by and coddle someone acting like this, just because she's a heroine?

Right after collapsing, it's not like she's a kid or anything, but her hands are all over the place. To think she has to wrap her arms around this kind of nonsense while pretending to be the heroine.

I stopped in my tracks and flicked Alicia hard on the forehead. I hit her pretty hard—could be the most painful one yet.

But Alicia barely paid any attention to her bright red forehead, just kept repeating the same thing.

"…I'm sorry."

"Are we done with the painful act now?"

"...."

I said it to her, unable to lift her head. Sometimes you need to give a carrot, not just a whip.

"Good job, you."

"...."

Seeing her unresponsive, it seems Alicia doesn't even know what she heard. Or maybe she understood it in the opposite way.

This is troublesome.

I wasn't planning to give this much of a carrot.

"I'm praising your actions. Alicia."

Only then did she lift her head.

Just looking into her eyes, it was clear what she was thinking, like a monitor.

"There's nothing strange about looking at me like that. It's exactly what you heard."

If I praised Alicia, I had no reason to scold her.

If anything, it's this weak side of her I want to criticize.

"You just did your duty. It's understandable you'd be distracted by your status as a student, but how can I blame you for not forgetting your true essence?"

When Liam began to draw in potentially threatening mana, Alicia charged in without a moment of hesitation.

That Alicia.

The delicate, caring heroine who hates bothering others to an extreme.

"…Are you being serious?"

For the villain, Vargan.

"Why would I lie about that?"

At that moment, Alicia was a far cry from her current self, overflowing with intent to kill. She threatened others. That was…

"The exact picture I was hoping for. Keep it up in the future."

"…!"

Alicia's pupils widened. I could see her breath quicken and a mass of emotions starting to gather.

As if to erase the thought, 'I hope I don't cause any misfortunes that keep me here,' Alicia wiped her tears away with her hands.

As she strained her eyes, they sharpened like edges. Her mouth was in a vague state that could be either crying or smiling. Was she holding back tears?

"If you shed even a single drop of tear, I'll double the training for today."

"I'll endure until the end…!"

Alicia became even more desperate.

Having survived that wave, she finally seemed to have a moment to catch her breath, showing a bit of stability. Now it seemed we could finally continue on our way.

"Let's go if you're calmed down. They said there's a welcoming party tonight, so we won't be able to train then."

"A welcoming party…! You're right. This isn't the time to be like this. I must go and practice my magic!"

Hearing the words "welcoming party," Alicia's expression brightened. At times like this, she really seems to have a simple way of thinking.

"Today, I will master the secret technique you're teaching me, Young Master."

"You really are exaggerating, aren't you?"

Our path to the dormitory was rather noisy.