I Am The Game's Villain

Night had settled over the Zestella encampment, cloaking the desolate battlefield in a heavy shroud of darkness.

The mood among the Zestella Knights and their allies from Sancta Vedelia was oppressive. What little camaraderie the soldiers clung to was overshadowed by despair. The losses they had suffered today were staggering, their ranks decimated by the overwhelming power of Kendel Teraquin.

His strength was undeniable, and the ferocity with which he led his troops was demoralizing. The Zestella forces, already weary, could barely hold their ground against the reinvigorated Teraquin warriors.

As if his arrival wasn't catastrophic enough, a second, even more menacing figure appeared—one of the four Executives of Behemoth.

Now, the camp lay in somber disarray. The injured huddled together, faces etched with pain and despair. Makeshift bandages and hastily applied splints bore witness to their desperate attempts to treat wounds. Some knights nursed what little strength they had left, clinging to tokens from loved ones—a pendant, a ribbon, or a scrap of cloth—to remind them of home.

Farther away, the royal tent stood, housing Celeste, Alicia, and two additional guests who had joined them this evening.

***

I sat on a weathered wooden bench near a campfire, idly poking at the burning logs with a branch. The flames crackled and danced, their reddish-orange hues reflected in my amber eyes. I found myself mesmerized by the fire's beauty—a fleeting, destructive force that could both illuminate and consume.

"It was reckless."

The stern voice jolted me from my thoughts. I looked up and no, it was my mom scolding but instead, I met the disapproving gaze of a twelve-year-old looking girl.

Levina stood there, arms crossed.

When I had arrived at Zestella, I'd acted on impulse. Using Samara's ability, I propelled myself across the vast expanse of battlefields at high speed, determined to reach the frontlines where the main conflict raged. The journey had been grueling, burning through most of my mana reserves as I pushed myself to the brink. For thirty exhausting minutes, I poured every ounce of mana into sustaining my velocity.

But I had arrived—barely. The timing had been critical, and though my body ached and my mana was depleted, I had made it. It had been worth the cost.

Navas Dolphis was there. Celeste was laying drained on the ground while Alicia barely managed to stay on her feet, her blade trembling in her grasp.

When I locked eyes with Navas, my first instinct had been to aim for his head as I prepared Trinity Nihil, but a sense of foreboding screamed at me, urging caution. It wasn't fear—it was survival. I felt like going greedily for his head would spell death for me. So, I redirected my attack, aiming for his arm instead.

Even then, the bastard shifted just enough to mitigate the blow. In the end, I severed only his hand—a far cry from the decisive strike I had hoped for.

"Everything ended well in the end," I said with a faint smile, attempting to downplay the situation as I met Levina's gaze.

"You could have died," but Levina retorted unwilling to let it go.

We had spent quite time traveling together on the sea trip to Sancta Vedelia that we had grown closer, perhaps more than I realized.

"Fortunately, I didn't," I replied with a shrug, attempting to ease the conversation.

Levina, however, wasn't convinced. Her small fingers curled into fists against her crossed arms. After a moment, she turned on her heel and walked away without another word.

"Vina." I sighed, calling after her, but she ignored me, her petite form disappearing into the distance.

"Who is she, Your Highness?" A voice rang behind me.

I turned to find Lera, Celeste's maid, approaching with a delicate cup of tea in hand.

"She's… my friend," I said after a pause, accepting the tea with a nod of thanks.

Lera's brow furrowed slightly. "She seems very young. Is this a suitable place for her?"

"Definitely not," I admitted, my gaze drifting toward Levina's retreating figure. "But it feels like she's seen worse—or maybe she's just used to it."

The truth was, I didn't like having her here either. The battlefield was no place for her—or anyone, for that matter. But Levina was stubborn, insisting on staying close. She claimed it was to ensure I wouldn't forget my promise to her, but I was certain there was more to it than that.

"Could you prepare something for her as well?" I asked Lera.

Lera's lips curled into a warm smile. "Of course, Your Highness." She bowed deeply before turning to leave, but not without one final remark. "I thank Your Highness deeply for saving the Princesses."

[<You're saving princesses left and right now, Edward. A typical behavior for a harem protagonist.>]

Again, I should have never explained the concept of a harem protagonist to her.

As I sat there, mulling over whether it was really worth teaching Cleenah random Japanese cultural terms—someone quietly approached.

I looked up, and there she was: Alicia.

Silent as ever.

She slipped into the wooden bench across from me without so much as a word.

"How are you, Junior?" I greeted her with a smile, though my eyes couldn't help but drift to the pendant hanging around her neck. A small, amber-colored gem dangled from a delicate chain, catching the light just enough to confirm what I already suspected.

The Seed of Eden.

Her mother must've given it to her, probably as some kind of protective charm though she must have known what it was. Sweet gesture, sure, but now it left me with a thorny dilemma: how the hell was I going to get it from her?

Could I just ask?

No way.

She'd never give it up willingly, not something that personal. Even if she didn't understand its importance, it was still a gift from her mother.

Stealing it, then?

Ugh.

What was happening to me?

Was this war turning me into a true scumbag.

Damn.

I needed to get a grip.

"Everyone thought you were dead," Alicia said suddenly, her voice breaking through my tangled thoughts. She didn't even bother acknowledging my earlier question.

"Well, as you can see, I'm alive and well," I replied, trying to keep my tone light.

She stared at me, her expression unreadable. The silence stretched, and it was starting to feel heavy.

"Something wrong, Junior?" I asked, raising a brow.

"Where were you all this time, Senior?" She asked though her eyes held a flicker of something—curiosity? Suspicion?

"Recovering," I lied smoothly.

Her gaze sharpened, but she didn't call me out. Instead, she reached for her rapier, pulling it from its sheath. She started cleaning the blade with a cloth.

"I have to admit, I'm surprised to see you here," I said, feigning surprise. "I didn't think Cyril—or your crazy grandpa, for that matter—would let you anywhere near a battlefield."

"They did," she said flatly, her focus remaining on her blade.

"Are you lying to me?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

She paused, meeting my gaze with a steely look. "I could ask you the same thing."

Ah.

"Are you sulking, Junior?" I asked with a teasing grin.

My bad I couldn't help myself.

"Why would I be sulking?" She shot back, her cold stare only daring me to push further.

"I don't know. I just thought maybe my Junior didn't appreciate her Senior lying to her?" I chuckled.

Her grip on the rapier tightened, and I had a brief moment of panic.

Was she seriously considering slashing me for that?

"I just don't like people lying to me," she said.

Who are you? Freyja?

Well, it wasn't an uncommon sentiment—nobody liked being lied to—but it cut a little deeper when it came from someone you trusted, even just a little.

Did Alicia trust me?

Probably not much. But I had helped her out before, and that sort of thing had a way of creating these unspoken ties. Maybe she didn't trust me, but she likely felt she owed me.

And that only made me feel worse about what I was considering.

I have to steal her pendant.

"I didn't lie. I really needed to recover," I said as I undid the top buttons of my shirt. The fabric parted, revealing a jagged scar that ran from my chest, across my neck, and up to the side of my jaw. Only the scar on my jaw was usually visible, but even that small glimpse tended to draw attention. Now, with more exposed, it was even clearer—raw and unsightly.

Alicia's eyes flickered to the scar, and for a moment, her expression broke. She grimaced despite herself, her stoic mask slipping.

I couldn't blame her. It wasn't a pretty sight.

Without saying more, I turned back to the campfire, absently poking at the glowing embers with a branch. The wood crackled softly, little sparks dancing into the air, filling the silence between us.

"A—Amael..."

I looked up, startled.

At the entrance of her tent stood Celeste, leaning against one of the supporting rods. She was dressed simply in a loose tunic. She had bandages wrapped around her arms and forehead making her look fragile.

She had collapsed from exhaustion after we escaped, her body giving out from the sheer strain. Lera had been the one to treat her until now. Healing vials were effective, sure, but overuse came with risks. For a body that was drained to its limit, rest and traditional care were often the better choice.

"You're finally awake," I muttered.

Celeste didn't respond right away. She just stood there, her teal-blue eyes fixed on me, trembling slightly. Her lips quivered, but instead of speaking, she bit down hard, her expression shifting from uncertainty to something fiercer.

And then, without warning, she stormed toward me.

"Wait—!"

-Thud!

She shoved me back, catching me completely off guard. I hit the ground, my head lightly bumping against the ground. Before I could process what was happening, she was glaring down at me.

"You idiot!"

I barely had time to react before she started pounding her fists against my chest. The strikes weren't particularly strong—she was still recovering, after all—but the emotion behind them was enough to make me grimace.

"H–How dare you leave like that! And then…then just show up out of nowhere?! As fi nothing had happened!!"

"Calm down—" I tried, but she cut me off, her next blow landing squarely against my chest.

"You didn't even give a single clue after your disappearance! You're just—a bastard!"

I didn't try to stop her until she raised a hand, aiming for my cheek. Reflexively, I caught her wrist, holding it gently.

"Celeste, stop," I said softly.

She froze, her hand trembling in my grip. Warm, quiet tears began falling, splashing against my face as she leaned over me. Her anger gave way to quiet sobs.

She wasn't yelling anymore, just crying, her shoulders shaking as she let out everything she'd been holding in.

"Celeste..." I murmured, not knowing what else to say.

I let her cry for a moment but feeling Alicia's gaze I started feeling awkward.

"Well, I am sorry..." I said in the end.

Wrong answer as Celeste was glaring at me.

"W–Who cares if you die!" She snapped, her voice trembling with anger. She rose abruptly, her movements jerky and unsteady, but before she could storm off, I reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her back down toward me.

"I'm sorry, Celes," I said again, this time softer, more sincere. A bitter smile tugged at my lips as I looked up at her.

Her anger seemed to falter for a moment, her expression shifting to something more uncertain. Her gaze drifted to the scar running along my jaw and neck. Her trembling hand reached out hesitantly, her cold fingers brushing against my skin. The touch sent a brief chill through me, but I stayed still, letting her take it in.

"This..." She whispered, her voice trailing off as her fingertips lingered on the scar.

"A scar," I replied simply.

"F—From that time, isn't it?"

She didn't need to specify; we both knew she meant my fight against Durathiel. A single tear slid down her cheek, and she quickly brushed it away, but I could see the guilt pooling in her eyes.

"It's not your fault," I said sighing."I just plunged in like an idiot."

But did I really have a choice?

That fight had been inevitable. I had to stop him—Durathiel—from taking Celeste. In the game, Victor had lost his first battle against Durathiel too, but the stakes had been different then. The Prophetess wasn't present with him if I remember.

"Because of me..." Celeste mumbled as she clenched her fists against my chest.

"You're overestimating yourself," I replied lightly trying to ease the atmosphere but it didn't work.

"J–Just die!" Celeste snapped again, raising her fist and landing a solid punch to my stomach.

I grimaced as the impact jolted through me.

Okay, I probably deserved that, but still—ouch.

"Come on, I was just trying to lighten the mood," I muttered, half to myself.

Before I could say more, a voice cut through the moment.

"Seniors... Have you finished?"

Both Celeste and I turned toward Alicia, who was standing a few feet away, watching us with an awkward expression. She looked like she wanted to be anywhere else but here.

It didn't help that Celeste was still on top of me, her position leaving little to the imagination.

"Ah... yes." Celeste scrambled off me quickly, her movements hurried and a bit clumsy. Her face flushed a deep shade of red, and she avoided meeting Alicia's gaze.