The Villain Purchased the Heroine

An area of 110 square kilometers.

In South Korea's standards, it's about the size of Yeongjongdo Island.

This island belongs to Academia, and entry from outsiders is strictly prohibited.

It's not just because it's a violation of property, but because it's far too dangerous for regular folks to enter.

Every year, this place becomes the venue for the Class Battle and is where various experiments take place; unless you're in a safe zone, stepping foot here means your end.

Swarming monsters and perilous traps.

If a regular person were to enter, they would immediately find themselves with a severed limb or become a cold corpse, feeding the crows.

This island was artificially created solely for heroes, a brutal arena prepared to cultivate the saviors of the world.

That was Eccentric Island.

The events of the Class Battle change every year, ranging from siege defense against monster hordes to survival challenges.

This year's event is "Find the Hidden King."

It's a simple rule: touch the hidden king's back to win.

Each class can designate one person as the king, and if they haven't chosen within 10 minutes of the game's start, they're automatically disqualified.

Each class has designated starting points, located near the edge of the island, in their small castle, referred to as a "base."

The base is quite important.

While at the base, students receive buffs such as low-level healing magic, increased mana capacity, and increased power.

These effects extend up to 500 meters, and if they secure even one of the two intermediate bases on the island, the effects stack.

Additionally, those stacked effects still apply at the intermediate bases, so the bases can be seen as a variable for this event.

It's a straightforward basic framework.

The prohibitions are also simple.

The only restricted actions are violent acts that incapacitate someone, such as amputation or murder.

This means that all other actions are allowed.

*

"Plum, get ready with the video magic. Don't worry about the mana. I'll replenish it for you, so just output at your maximum. Serena, as the defense team, hurry up and prepare to move out."

Right after arriving on the island and the curtain lifted.

The surroundings were bustling.

I coordinated the members according to the roles I had assigned earlier, and they followed my orders busily without any complaints.

Each of them was too preoccupied with their assigned tasks to let feelings of anxiety or dissatisfaction linger in their hearts.

Without a hint of negative power like anxiety or dissatisfaction lingering around, I keep my body busy with movement.

In the midst of all this, a man approaches me to strike up a conversation. I contemplate ignoring him, but since it's something I need to address, I listen.

"What's wrong with you, Liam? You're like a puppy desperate to go outside. If you have nothing to say, step aside."

I shoot back abruptly, but whether Liam is unfazed or simply used to it, he stubbornly reveals his thoughts.

I get the gist of what he's about to say. If he intends to share, I hope he does it quickly.

"Put me in the defense team."

Just as I expected.

"Got it. And while you're at it, take the lead of the defense team."

"What…?"

"I don't have time for your questions. I was planning to assign you to the defense team from the start. If there's nothing else, I've written down the list of remaining members for Serena, so gather them and set off right away."

"Uh, okay… You mean the point we expect to use as the intermediate base, right? I'll get ready right away."

It's amusing that he hedges by saying "expected point." It emphasizes his lack of knowledge about that location.

For me, who knows how this story will unfold, it felt ridiculous.

"Oh, before you go, let me ask you one thing."

"I'm busy, so make it quick."

"Is Alicia part of the defense team?"

"Honestly, you're obsessed with women."

"It's not like that…!"

"Check the list yourself when you get there. There won't be any changes."

While he called me obsessed with women, my inquiry about whether Alicia is with Liam was for a reasonable purpose.

The location where Liam and Alicia first showcased their talents to the readers and countless spectators was the intermediate base near Class 1.

Liam might think of it as Alicia's solo performance, but for me, it's different.

Together, they showcased their proud growth, aided by the base's effects. I had read that scene myself.

"Alright. Since you're the leader now, I'll follow you. But, if Alicia isn't involved, reconsider it. It'll surely be beneficial for you as well."

With those words, Liam left.

What a frustrating character till the end. Who was it that led Alicia's growth down the wrong path in the original story, yet he has the gall to spout nonsense like that?

I'm still boiling over the mistake where Liam changed Alicia's job midway.

But he's also someone I can't just discard, which makes things even more troublesome.

"…Um, the video magic is all set. What should we do now?"

A scruffy-haired man fidgeted with his eyes downcast. His combat skills are woefully lacking, barely holding up against Finn, but his expertise in video magic is superb.

"Good job. Unlike that trash running off over there, you're actually helpful."

"Eh? Who… Oh, you mean Liam…?"

"We're starting right away. Cast the video magic."

"Ah, yes! Right away!"

Plum conjures a round orb that floats up and glows with a tiny light right in front of my face.

The video magic is about to begin.

"Ah, ah."

I take a moment to relax my mouth.

I'm not nervous about this, but preparation is always necessary for any action.

I hope the main characters move as I envision.

I hope the main characters move around well.

I can already picture our flustered fiancée.

*

⎯Erica, can you hear my voice? We're sharing vision, right?

A voice from Diphelia echoes through the little bird perched on Erica's shoulder. Currently, if you expand the senses, you can see two perspectives, as if viewing two monitors.

One is Erica's own perspective.

The other is the perspective of another familiar shared by Diphelia.

"I can hear you well. I can see clearly too. You're waving your hand in front, right?"

⎯Great. It looks good from here. Thankfully, the bases of Class 4 and Class 5 are close by.

Diphelia, the leader of Class 5 and a saint, can communicate with plants and animals through familiars.

Her exceptional ability to connect with flora and fauna comes from being part of the Darek Union and her inherent nature.

The bird sitting on Erica's shoulder is also one of Diphelia's familiars.

It can share perspectives and sounds with other birds of the same type, and if it's touching someone else, that person can share those senses too.

⎯But… I know it's an alliance formed by mutual consent, but it feels a bit off. It seems sneaky.

"Diphelia, an alliance isn't against the rules. We'll use every strategy and tactic available to survive until the end. That's what a class battle is."

⎯You're right. Sorry for being weak, Erica.

Erica, belonging to the student council, had some familiarity with Diphelia. Though it wasn't a deep relationship since Erica wasn't the type to easily mingle with others, they had a general understanding of each other's personalities.

Once the class battle schedule was set, Erica approached Diphelia with a proposal for an alliance.

The reason Erica wanted to ally with Class 5 was singular: Schugenharz Troa Vargan.

⎯So the saint's magical power is effective against Vargan, right?

"It is effective. No matter how powerful the saint's abilities are, a mediocre spell wouldn't even leave a scratch, but Diphelia can use high rank magic, right?"

Diphelia accepted Erica's proposal partly because she trusted that Erica wouldn't betray her, but also because she had a lot of information on the most threatening individual, Vargan.

Moreover, with Erica's rare magic available, there was no reason for her to refuse the alliance.

⎯To think a saint is vulnerable. Erica's fiancé is quite the… unique character.

"You're wondering if he's a ghost or a devil, aren't you? It's fine. You can ask."

Of course, Vargan wasn't inherently weak against holy powers.

It's not like he would melt when touching holy water or burn up in sunlight.

"His familiars mostly possess dark attributes. That shadow that protects him is particularly troublesome."

While familiars themselves aren't rare, dark attributes are scarce, and each ability they possess is threatening. Moreover, they're incredibly hard to bond with, making dark attribute familiars less likely to follow orders.

Vargan is adorned with those tricky and dangerous kinds of beings.

For instance, if we assume Vargan swung a sword.

Even without any precautions, strange things would leap out from Vargan's shadow to block most attacks. That defense can withstand elemental magic, making it quite a nuisance.

That bizarre thing that pops out blocks most attacks. Its defense is so high that elemental magic can't even touch it, which is quite bothersome.

However, if we borrow Diphelia's strength? The story changes. Holes will open in that ironclad barrier, and clearly, the attacks will hit.

For Erica, Diphelia was almost the only person who could confront Vargan.

"Aterion must have definitely refused."

⎯That guy… well, he doesn't really engage in conversations much, and it didn't seem like he was in the mood to form an alliance.

Even though they belonged to the same student council, she couldn't propose teaming up with Aterion.

Erica didn't enjoy building relationships with others either, but it seemed he didn't want to connect with people more than she did.

In fact, he radiated a vibe of avoidance.

"Still… Aterion seems to be keeping an eye on Schugenharz. Maybe he'll act independently without us stepping in…."

⎯Huh? Erica! Wait a second. What is that?!

At Diphelia's words, Erica lifted her head from her thoughts. She soon realized she wasn't with her anymore, but her head didn't drop back down.

"W-What is that…."

Instead of lowering, it seems to rise even more.

Erica hears the voice of a specific male.

No, it's not just her. This noise echoes across the stage where the Class Battle is taking place.

"Is everyone off to a smooth start? It feels nostalgic to speak like this."

The video magic is enormous, transforming the surrounding environment into a miniature version.

His voice and appearance evoke memories of the dreadful entrance ceremony. The source of the video magic was emitting a strong light, clearly asserting its position to everyone.

"That guy… again…!"

This class battle's event is "Catch the Hidden King."

Each class selects one king, and the way to win is to protect their own king while capturing the kings of other classes.

Naturally, the identity and location of the king are the top-secret matters to keep hidden, and if discovered, they must flee immediately.

The locations of the classes were announced only when the leaders gathered, so at that time, only the leaders knew their respective class's positions.

"Since everyone knows who I am, I'll skip the introduction. My current location is exactly what you see. It's not only mine but our Class 1's base as well."

What Vargan is thinking, who knows, but that must be a strategy to hide the king.

The king, or the student who broke the orb containing magic provided by Academia, is positioned elsewhere, drawing attention away while ensuring the king's safety…

⎯Erica, that thing he's holding… it's the orb, right…?

"…!!"

"Don't worry, it's not a fake. It has the proper seal on it."

He brought the orb closer for everyone to see, then soon infused it with mana and shattered it.

As the orb broke, a pattern appeared on the designated area of his hand.

It could be a performance through a fake. However, his expertise in illusions couldn't be conveyed through video, so what's going on?

Then he struck a decisive blow to the bewildered Erica.

"I am the 'king' of Class 1, Vargan."