The Villain Purchased the Heroine

The ticking clock informs the current time.

1:49 AM.

I don't go to bed early.

Having only been in this new body for about two hours, my time in bed is relatively short.

Yet here I am, lying in bed with my eyes closed. Normally, I would be sitting in a chair deep in thought, but today I'm feeling a bit worn out.

I'll probably drift off into sleep while lost in my thoughts.

Let's organize the story.

I've finished all the tasks I needed to complete before entering the Academia.

After enrolling, I made sure to instill a sense of urgency in Liam.

And two days ago, I unexpectedly snagged a stalker from the Goddess Church who had latched onto Erica, gaining a bridge to connect with the church.

What was the plot of the original story that would unfold next?

In the original, the first real episode after entering the Academia begins with the Class Battle.

New students, starting to adapt to the Academia, fight to prove their worth right there.

Every character, whether a lead or supporting role, does their best.

What's fueling their excitement?

Is it the Cattia distributed based on the class's performance?

Or perhaps the young blood boiling over, eager to show off their abilities?

No, the real answer is clear.

⎯To catch the eye of the Heroes dispatched by the Church.

The Heroes keep a distant eye on the new students, either from afar or through footage on large screens.

If they find someone appealing, they make a kind of mental note and reach out separately.

The reason they contact the new students is to establish a mentor-mentee relationship.

The Academia is a learning ground filled with sprouts that might become Heroes. Not everyone, but a significant number hold the potential to become one.

Heroes currently fighting on the frontline help foster the growth of these newcomers. ⎯This tradition has continued to this day.

However, the Heroes are not so free that they can personally assist every new sprout. If anything, there's a shortage of personnel on the ground.

That's why every year, the number of Heroes visiting the Academia to watch the Class Battle is capped at ten.

They select two candidates each.

They observe the growth of these two new students and, when the second semester begins, officially choose one as their mentee.

In other words, during this Class Battle, "20 students" will get contacted, and out of these, only 10 will be officially chosen as mentees, receiving various benefits.

Receiving these benefits is akin to taking the elite course at Academia.

And it's only natural.

They gain the right to participate as supporters in the mentor's field during the vacation period.

Authority to participate as a supporter on the scene.

One-on-One training from the mentor.

Building a network with current heroes.

Even a special gift from the church.

That's quite a lot.

Since it's this much.

Everyone is eager to shine and make their mark.

The reason why Louisa was warned about getting eliminated if she acted recklessly before is because they know she'll try to stand out in the Class Battle.

'But, I was able to easily take on the role of leader, swept away by Louisa's atmosphere.'

Taking on the role of leader in each class means you can stand out more easily in front of the heroes.

There was naturally some discontent when I became the leader, but they couldn't express it in front of me, and that soon fizzled out.

I won't reveal the reason. It's too obvious.

Well, the reason I agreed to be the leader wasn't to get in contact with the heroes.

In the original story, there were five heroes trying to contact Vargan. Vargan chose one, and the other four left to contact another student.

The reason for wanting to recruit a capable talent like Vargan is the intention to choose someone with potential to nurture.

The hero who became Vargan's mentor… that gloomy guy. Just like me, he specializes in familiars.

It would be nice if he were someone who's currently ranked in the top 10 of the hero ranking, but given the circumstances, such a hero can't come.

So, instead of a pheasant, a chicken.

Not particularly appealing, but that gloomy hero's familiar training skills are quite impressive. It should be helpful. It's acceptable to proceed this way.

'Besides, it's also related to Alicia's growth.'

The protagonists of this episode are not me, but Liam and Alicia. It makes sense to allow them to shine in the flow of events.

For the two who started from a late starting line, this Class Battle is a stage where they can properly showcase their potential and remarkable growth.

They'll also have the chance to catch the heroes' attention and grow further.

While Liam is secondary, I can't miss the opportunity for Alicia to grow.

This time, it's fine to let things flow without making arbitrary changes.

Unless a sudden special event changes the situation, the existing heroes will connect with the existing students. It's truly a stable choice.

Yes, "unless it doesn't change."

*

"What's up? Why do you look so stiff?"

Emily asks why I'm wearing such an inappropriate expression.

What a foolish thing.

How can I not be stiff watching this?

Sitting in my chair, I blink a few times at the letters written on the paper in front of me, flip it over, and even try to infuse it with mana.

Could it be a typo?

Even if it's a formal document sent from the church to the Academia, and from the Academia to the students, that would be more realistic.

"Young Master, why are you suddenly like this?"

Alicia is looking at me with her usual round eyes.

The emotion I'm feeling right now is a chaotic mix of excitement and confusion.

Certainly, it's a celebration, but the weight of it is considerable to simply rejoice.

"Alicia, what would happen if a holy being like an angel appeared right before your eyes?"

"Well, I… would immediately kneel and show my respect, but I would be quite surprised beforehand, wouldn't I?"

"It's that surprising."

I straightened out the fluttering paper and showed it to her. My finger precisely pointed at the name of a person.

「Helion」

"Um… Ah, it seems like a very… wonderful name."

"That's not what I asked for—a review of your name."

It seems showing it directly isn't enough for their lack of insight.

Just as I was about to explain verbally, Finn, who had been tilting his head, jumped in.

"Isn't that the current 7th ranked hero!? Such a famous person, and you really don't know?!"

"Yes, embarrassingly so. Uh… So you're saying such a famous person is taking time out of their schedule to come to the Academia?"

"Wait, wait?! Are you saying it's really Helion?! Like, the Helion?!"

Emily, who had just checked the name on the list, snatched it from me and brought her face close, twisting it around to look at it from every angle.

"Not a typo… right? No, could it be a typo? That a busy person like Helion would come to the Academia as a mentor? Isn't that just insane?!"

This kind of reaction isn't unusual.

It seems Alicia needs a bit more education in common sense.

Anyway, I can't stress enough that this is extraordinary.

It's different from the existing history. Of course, I hadn't overlooked the possibility that things could change. The things I've done up until now were bound to trigger a chain reaction that would shift the flow.

But still, I never expected that a hero, already on the rise and monopolizing the public's attention, would be dispatched.

Helion.

That person who stood out among heroes.

Among humanity, Helion's strength ranks among the top five.

His exploits in the final battle against the Altife, where both species waged total war, were also remarkable.

Even against the mindless beings that were the weakest of the Altife and produced in mass, it was the 'intelligent beings', particularly of the upper tier, who fell back to the soil at his hands.

Of course, that's a story for a few years down the line. Even at his current level, he's already among the top ten.

And now this man wants to become the mentor of a cute aspiring hero.

Why?

It's the first time I've questioned someone's actions since Alicia. Honestly, this is an unprecedented situation for me.

I had contemplated the possibility of another hero showing up. I figured it didn't matter who came since heroes ranked 10th or higher wouldn't drop by anyway.

But if it's Helion, the 7th ranked hero, that changes the narrative.

If Helion is anything like the person I know, he wouldn't come just to pass responsibilities to someone else.

He puts his heart into everything.

Even if he volunteered, or if this mission was assigned to him by the Pope.

He would sincerely help his mentee.

Getting to follow around Helion, receiving direct training, and even building relationships, that environment is created.

Is this a crisis or an opportunity?

No, perhaps I'm just overthinking. I haven't done anything to feel anxious about yet. Even if he did come because of some subtle disturbance I made, the chance of it causing harm is close to '0'.

But still, you never know.

I'll need to assess the situation and adjust my plans as things unfold, but isn't that part of the fun? How should I make use of this unexpected variable?

My heart starts to race in the face of the unforeseen.

I've already laid out what I can gain at the Academia, but life always goes beyond expectations. Just recently, I had unexpected gains and opened up new paths.

And now, this massive event unfolds out of nowhere.

A major incident is unfolding.

We're completely breaking free from the usual framework. The game is changing. But there's no need to worry. In fact, it's something enjoyable. The predetermined plot must change. Haven't I been busy moving around since before the main episode starts for that very reason?

Even if it truly is a crisis, it's okay. Turning a crisis into an opportunity is also a skill. I'm determined to turn this incident into a chance, utilizing all the knowledge and skills I have.

If I can't manage that, there's no hope for a happy ending in this story.

"Helion. Is the hero making an appearance?"

If Helion shows up, that gloomy hero who was Vargan's mentor in the original story will be nothing more than the droppings of a passing crow.

What? The protagonists of this episode are Liam and Alicia? No, no, that can't happen.

I'll let them have their share of the spotlight, but I absolutely cannot give them the spotlight.

Correction.

The protagonist of this episode is me.

'Schugenharz Troa Vargan.'

*

"Did I get on the wrong wagon to the Central Church?"

A woman with a ponytail asked. She had a smile that seemed to be etched on her face.

She casually sat next to a man and stared hard at him, poking at his body here and there with her fingers.

Then, with a look of surprise, she quickly withdrew her hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I couldn't help but reach out because I was so curious. I've only heard rumors; seeing it in person is a first for me… Does it hurt?"

Even though it was their first meeting, the woman approached without any shyness.

The man could have ignored her, but he wasn't the kind of person to rudely reject someone's goodwill or kindness.

"It's fine. I may look rotten on the outside, but I'm not actually rotten."

"I hope your arm returns to normal soon. Then you could be even more active and save even more people."

The man responded with a faint smile. His smile seemed to carry many stories within it.

Inside the wagon heading to Academia.

The two heroes were passing the time with sporadic conversations.

She, too, was a promising talent in her own right as a hero, but the man next to her was in a totally different league.

Even if neighbors might not know his name, everyone knew of his fame.

Why would such a person be going to mentor at Academia?

The woman was pondering alone when she turned to look at the man. He noticed her gaze and stopped staring out the window.

"Helion. Why would someone like you be doing this? While the intent of mentoring is admirable, shouldn't you be out saving even more people?"

It was a comment devoid of malice. Helion understood that. So, after a moment of thought, he offered his response. His answer was simple.

"I thought this way would save more people."

"Huh…?"

He didn't immediately provide further explanation. As if everything would connect and be understood naturally in the future. He pushed the answer aside.

Helion gazed out the window.

The wagon rushed forward, and everything around them flew by in an instant.

Trees, rocks, people, houses, windmills.

Though they all had different appearances, they passed quickly in the same way. Everything flowed naturally.

"Unnatural things are bound to stand out, right?"

Helion said this with a slight smile. That smile was not unsettling or awkward, but rather calm and fitting with the flow of things.