I Am The Game's Villain

There really were too many weirdos in this world. That was something I had come to understand all too well.

Anyway, I found myself wandering through the long corridors of the castle. It seemed like everyone had already gathered somewhere—probably in the banquet hall for the grand feast that had been prepared for the elite of Sancta Vedelia.

The problem was I had no idea where that hall actually was.

After wandering aimlessly for a few minutes and almost opening what I assume was someone's private quarters, I finally stopped a passing knight and asked for directions. The man, without a word, gestured for me to follow and led me straight to the hall like some kind of overqualified tour guide.

I didn't even need to open the doors to know I was in the right place—the noise leaking through the thick wood was ridiculous.

Was this the Elite of Sancta Vedelia I was hearing? Or a troop of hyperactive monkeys?

I pushed open the door, and the chaos only escalated.

"YEAH!!"

"Beat his ass, Troy!"

"No way, Deric's got this in the bag!"

The scene inside was… something. A large crowd—my classmates, some second-years, maybe more—had formed a loose ring in the middle of the massive feast hall. Right in the center of it, two shirtless guys were grappling like professional wrestlers, all muscles and adrenaline.

Werewolves.

They definitely weren't students from the academy—I'd remember guys like them. Judging by the light brown hair and the way they moved, I figured they were from Rodolf's family. Locals, probably. They looked a year or two older than us—Troy was the bulkier one while Deric was leaner, quicker on his feet.

But seriously… what the hell were they doing here? This was a royal castle, not a back-alley brawling ring.

"Enough! Both of you!" A sharp voice cut through the cheers.

Rodolf stepped into the makeshift ring, throwing a glare at the brawling cousins. "You're disturbing the guests. Aren't you at least a little ashamed of acting like animals in front of everyone?"

"...."

For a second, the entire hall went dead quiet, save for the faint echo of a dropped fork somewhere in the background. All eyes turned to Rodolf, and the look they gave him was 'Are you really the one saying that?' look.

Clearly, he was trying to impress someone—Cylien, most likely. She stood near him, wide-eyed and seemingly dazzled by his noble display. Marlene. Of course, she fell for it.

Troy, grinning, was the first to break the silence. "What's with the cowardly stance, Rodolf? You scared now?"

Rodolf scoffed. "Scared? Of what? We're guests here—and you're dragging our family name through the mud."

Deric, still shirtless and sweating, burst into laughter. "Come on, cousin. We were just trying to show these lovely ladies what real men look like."

He smirked as his gaze swept across our class, making a point to sneer at the guys.

If John hadn't been so utterly lost in Amelia's presence—sitting directly across from her at the table, hanging onto every word she spoke between bites of food—he probably would've had a sharp comeback ready for Deric. But right now? He was completely gone, head over heels and blissfully distracted.

Victor wasn't any better. He was tucked away at a different table, calm and composed on the surface, though Selene had practically glued herself to his side. She was clinging to his arm like a koala, whispering something only he could hear. The guy didn't even flinch. It was like both couples had entered a completely different dimension.

"Real men?" Someone chose to intervene finally it seems.

It was Earth.

"I don't think real men go around half-naked trying to prove their masculinity," he said, laughing.

The comment drew loud chuckles and applause from several others nearby—especially the guys who had clearly had enough of the werewolf testosterone parade.

Deric's eyes gleamed with amusement as he turned to Rodolf. "Who's the blondie, cousin? Got some bite to him."

"That's Earth," Rodolf replied, clearly not thrilled with Deric's antics. "Elizabeth's brother."

That got Troy's attention. He lit up like someone had just told him there was free beer. "Elizabeth?! She's here? Where?"

Rodolf gave a dry laugh, waving a hand vaguely. "Yeah, yeah. But I'd seriously advise against bothering her. She's not exactly in the best mood these days, if you catch my drift."

Elizabeth…

My eyes instinctively scanned the room, but she was nowhere to be seen. Strange. If she had been here, she'd left without a word. I needed to talk to her too, though.

Then, my gaze shifted—and landed on Celeste.

She sat quietly at the far end of the long table, isolated, a plate in front of her barely touched. Her eyes were downcast, fixed on her food. There was none of the usual spark in her—no radiant smile, no confident air. Just silence and stillness.

It hit me hard. She looked so… small.

And it was because of me.

I stared at her for a long moment, an ache building in my chest. Every part of me wanted to walk over, to talk to her, to just—fix things. Take back the pain. Mend what I'd broken.

But my hands trembled at my sides, and I clenched them tightly.

No. Not now.

I couldn't even be honest with the woman I loved. I couldn't risk opening myself up—couldn't afford to get weak right now. Too much was at stake.

I forced myself to look away, to shake the thoughts from my head.

Later. When all of this was over, when things calmed down…and I survive the Prophecy, I'd speak to her. I'd make it right. I had to believe that.

"Hey, Amael."

At that moment, a voice called me behind.

"Sirius?"

He approached with a relaxed grin, but he wasn't alone. Beside him stood Sephira—wearing a surprisingly bright expression. It was a far cry from the first time I'd met her, when she looked like she was on the verge of depression.

"I see you two are officially together, huh?" I said with a laugh.

Sirius chuckled and gave Sephira a sidelong glance. She didn't deny it—just smiled faintly while blushing.

"Well, yeah," Sirius replied, scratching the back of his neck with a sheepish grin. "But… we might need a little help to actually make it official."

I raised an eyebrow, already sensing where this was going. "Help? From me? What kind of help are we talking about?"

He glanced at Sephira for a moment, then back at me with a slightly awkward expression. "Well, you've gotten pretty close to the Teraquins lately, haven't you?"

Ah. There it was.

Ever since that very public kiss from Alvara, it seemed all of Sancta Vedelia had developed an intense interest in my relationship with House Teraquin. Whispers, stares, assumptions—the whole noble gossip network was working overtime. And it wasn't just about Alvara anymore. My connection with their entire house had deepened in ways I hadn't anticipated.

And Sephira, well, she was a Teraquin too so of course he wanted my help.

"You're hoping I'll speak to them on your behalf, aren't you?" I said, half-smiling.

Sirius gave a shrug. "If it's not too much trouble."

"Don't worry. Once the exams are over, I'll bring it up," I said, already deciding I'd go to Alvara for this. Tanya might be too... complicated.

Sirius let out a visible sigh of relief. "Thanks, man. Really appreciate it."

As I watched him smile, a thought struck me. If he was asking for something personal, maybe I could too. This might be the right time.

"Sirius," I said, lowering my voice. "I need to talk to you. Just for a moment."

He blinked, a little caught off guard. "Yeah… sure?"

Sephira noticed the shift in tone immediately. With a nod, she excused herself, leaving the two of us standing off to the side.

Sirius looked at me, his expression curious but slightly cautious. "What's with the serious look all of a sudden?"

"It's about your grandfather," I said, getting straight to the point. "What do you know about him?"

At that, Sirius's face changed. A shadow passed over his features, followed by a dry, bitter smile on his lips.

"My grandfather, huh…" He sighed. "Not much to tell, honestly. He's never really been involved in my life. Cyril—my brother—he's always been the favorite. Grandfather… he's always kept his distance. The kind of man who prefers pulling strings in the dark, working behind the scenes. My father's the one who's been handling most of the Kingdom's affairs, not him."

"Yeah, I could see that just by watching the way your family moves," I nodded. "But Sirius… do you know what he's planning?"

He frowned slightly, confused. "Planning? He's been away a lot lately, but I don't really—what exactly are you getting at, Amael?"

I didn't bother sugarcoating it. He wasn't stupid.

"Come on, Sirius. You know your grandfather isn't just some grumpy old noble with outdated values. You're not naive enough to believe that. The man has agendas—ones that go way beyond Sancta Vedelia. He didn't lift a finger during the war, and his silence wasn't neutrality. It was strategy. He's clearly allied with Durathiel, or at least… playing a dangerous game."

Sirius's expression darkened again, but this time there was no bitterness—just quiet concern.

"Amael…" Sirius averted his gaze. "Where exactly are you going with this?"

"I'm telling you this not out of spite, Sirius. Yeah, I hate your grandfather—but he's truly dangerous. Not just to outsiders, but to his own family."

"..."

"I'm going to say the same thing to Victor. And honestly… I am certain Cyril is involved too. I don't know what they're planning, but something is going to happen, and it's not in your Kingdom's interest. So keep an eye on them. If you notice anything—anything at all, tell me."

I could understand why he was tense. It's never easy to hear that someone in your family might be a threat. But it needed to be said. Victor might take it more seriously coming from me.

Sirius let out a slow breath, then nodded. "Alright. I'll see what I can find."

"Good. That's all I—"

-BAM!

A deafening impact shook the floor, cutting me off.

Sirius's eyes shot behind me and he immediately leapt back.

I barely had time to turn before something—or someone—came crashing toward me. I threw my arm up to shield myself, but the force hit like a runaway beast, slamming into me and sending me flying backward.

I collided hard into a body—Deric's—knocking the wind out of both of us as we tumbled to the ground in a heap of limbs and curses.

Fight somewhere else, damn it!