Episode 2: True Villain (10)

Astraea Winterfall was the villain of this otome game I barely knew. I think the visual novel has the word <Blight> in the title, but I couldn’t quite remember. I wasn’t a fan of games and light novels in general, so it was a wonder why I was thrown into such an unfamiliar world.

Astraea’s villainess title told you that she was to become an obstacle to the playable main character, Lowe, on her journey to basically seduce all the big shots in the academy. 

I knew about the general concept, but the plot was lost on me. I mean, I used to be a gym rat, not a gamer.

From what I’ve observed, Astraea wasn’t the evil villianess stereotype as portrayed by the game. She seemed that way only when you consider her personality without taking into account her inner intentions.

In my previous life, encounters with her were few and far in between. 

But I’ll never forget the day she saved me from death. 

It was apparently an early death flag scenario during the first semester’s practical exam. I was in a helpless situation, forced to play the villain even though I didn’t wish for it. Thrown into this mysterious world for the first time, no allies or backing to depend on, the first few months since possessing Kairen’s body were some of my darkest times.

Those around me were devious and witty. I had no power, no resources, and no knowledge to counter their schemes. I feared for death every day, unable to break free from the chain of toxic relationships that bound me.

So when the crime I plotted to fail was uprooted during the exam, I thought I was as good as dead.

But the worst they did was blacklist me from the academy. My life was spared… and come to find later it was because of what she told the school.

And so for it, I had always been grateful to her. 

I never had the chance to tell her about it… and it wasn’t like she would understand it if I mentioned it now.

After all, the Astraea of before the regression wasn’t the same person.

I was unconscious for three days, meaning that I had missed three days of class. 

Having settled the aftermath of my family destruction, I finally had the chance to get back to class the next day.

When I walked through the entrance, the number of curious eyes that stuck me was a little scary. I thought that later during homeroom maybe, I should explain to the professor what had happened. 

Covered in plaster and bandages, I made my way up to my seat.

And then my gaze accidentally met her’s. 

A veil of deceit and lies laid beneath the surface of her coldness. Contempt and disgust filled her violet eyes as she looked down, seated high above.

It was a familiar sight.

I was almost tempted to ask about Reene, but I found myself unable to approach her.

‘What did she think of me?’

Does she assume I had abandoned my sister?

‘Did Reene tell her anything?’

I don’t know.

The life of high nobility wasn’t something I’ve experienced in the past.

I swallowed back the regret and took my seat.

⌌✧ ⫺⪼▫◆▫⪻⫹ ✧⌍

I decided to put Lowe’s issue aside for now and focus on recovering.

The clanging bells marked the start of lunch break. Observing Lowe’s behaviour in class with Isodor and Glenn, I figured that there was nothing I could really do to pull them apart as of the time.

I headed to the cafeteria to get something to eat. 

The sticky gazes on me did not disappear even there. I found it odd. 

While queuing, I read the board hung up high which wrote today’s menu, 

Suddenly someone knocked into me from behind, piping hot soup poured over my clothes.

“A-Ah?!”

The female student fell onto the ground. 

“P-Pervert!” She shouted.

‘What…? I was just standing here.’

She ran away. My eyes followed her out of the cafeteria, somewhat taken aback.

‘This…’

I looked down at the tray of spilled food. The plates and blows completely shattered, making a mess of the ground.

Then I raised my head.

Contempt. Disgust.

Hostile gazes which one should never wish to experience were directed my way.

⌌✧ ⫺⪼▫◆▫⪻⫹ ✧⌍

Class was over. I left the hall to put my books back into my locker… only to realise it had been completely vandalised.

I stared at my textbook, scattered all over the ground. 

‘Who the hell…’

I heard laughter and jeers from the students around me. Snapping my gaze at them, they turned away and acted as if nothing happened.

‘...Don’t tell me…’

I tried to fix the handle the best I could and crudely arranged the books back inside.

Then I hurried my way to the baking club.

“I’m sorry, but… you’ve been blacklisted.” The club president said, averting my gaze.

“What…? Why?” I don’t understand. 

“T-That… I’m sorry. Please leave.” Her voice trembled, fearing me.

“This… is unreasonable. What did I do?” I tried to maintain composure and speak rationally.

“I-I’m sorry.” The club president shrunk.

I bit my lips. “President, tell me what’s going on. I need an explanation to this.” Bullying? Why? What caused this? Why now? Why me? I don’t remember experiencing this.

“That… I’m sorry. Please just leave.” She pleaded.

Looking inside the clubroom, I notice Lowe and Glenn who stood behind. They were looking at me with a wary… no, it was disgust.

Lowe took a step forward and asked. “Why did you do that?”

“What…?” 

Do ‘what’ exactly? 

“Do you really not care about your family?” Her amber eyes glazed over, looking like she was about to cry.

“What do you mean I never cared about my family… ah.” The periphery of the world seemed to crumble around me. I could feel it, the impending truth.

“Then why do you seem so relaxed? You knew this would happen, so why didn’t you protect her?” Lowe’s bitter words ached. “Even if your father did bad things, why did you abandon your sister? I heard it all from Her Grace… how could you let her suffer from that?”

“I never did…!” 

I wanted to scream.

Glenn held Lowe who looked like she was going to pass out from distress. “I’m sorry, please leave.” 

Rumours, gossip, manipulation.

Wasn’t it enough that I lost something dear to me? Why did you have to remind me? Why the hell does this story have to pile on more shit?

I ran away. I needed to cool my head.

Fleeing down the hall trying to recollect myself, I noticed a crowd gathering around the notice board.

I heard my name spoken repeatedly between their conversations. 

One of the saw me, and notified the rest. Like a chain reaction, some flinched, some paled, some ran away. The tough looking serious gave me a look of contempt.

I ignored those reactions and pushed through them so that I could read what the hell they were looking at. 

<Offences of the Copper Family Exposed!>

Thus it began listing out every damned thing my bastard of a father did in his business deals and personal life.

At the end of it, my name was highlighted.

… My sister was sold into slavery and I simply did nothing about it.

‘Is this supposed to be a joke?’

I tore the news article off the board and crumpled it in my hand.

‘Which motherfucker did this?’ 

First off the culprit had to be someone who had significant influence. Second, he or she had to hate me so badly that they were willing to put all of this effort just to make my life miserable. Third, he or she had to have a very good reason for going through all this trouble. Fourth, he or she knew about Reene… 

‘...No way.’

I wanted to deny it, but the bitter welling up inside me told me a truth I couldn’t deny.

‘Astraea?’

The son of a father drunk on money.

A house of whores and prostitutes.

The man who abandoned his sister.

If Reene had told her about the shitty life we had, and out of sheer rage Astraea couldn’t help but resent me…

‘...This… makes sense.’

I couldn’t stop trembling. Rather than indignation, what I felt was remorse—guilt. 

Damn it…

‘Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse… it did.’

⌌✧ ⫺⪼▫◆▫⪻⫹ ✧⌍

Day in, day out.

During classes, during breaks, even the lectures—the rumours had taken root everywhere I went.

I was constantly harassed in both small and big ways. People kept their distance. I was isolated in class projects. Treated as a nuisance in practical sessions and avoided during pairings.

Yet in response to this, I found myself simply accepting it all.

Guilt tripping? Gaslighting? Self-sabotage? Whatever it was, it felt better than being simply forgiven. An equivocal exchange of guilt, at least with this I could seek redemption. 

Compared to what Reene suffered through… this was nothing.

Weeks had passed since then. I sat in a daze while gazing up at the ceiling.

Class had ended, I was waiting for everyone to leave before going. It was a method of preventing trouble.

“You creep.” I heard a voice. 

I lowered my gaze and saw Astraea Winterfall.

She stood at the edge of the table, her signature fan tapping her chin. 

“Am I making it too light? It seems you still don’t seem bothered. Don’t worry, this is only the beginning of the hell you deserve.” She hissed. “I’ll never forgive you for what you’ve done.”

Even though she saved me once, ultimately the villainess was still a bitch, wasn’t she?

“Is she well?” I looked into her deeply indigo eyes, and asked.

She broke into a laugh, sarcasm laced in every gesture.“Hah! What audacity to ask me such a question.” 

“...” 

 “You asked if she was well? Fine, I shall tell you. She’s living a much better life now than when she was living with a cockroach like yourself.”

I acted as if I heard nothing and looked away.

If she had done and said as much, it should be enough proof that Reene was being well protected.

I heard Astraea click her tongue, it seemed my lack of a response repulsed her. Having made her point, she walked away.

I was the only one left in class. 

I clenched my fist.

‘Regardless what Reene thinks of me…’

‘If she comes to hate me.’

‘If she would never forgive me.’

‘Even though I couldn’t keep my promise…’

It knew it was fine.

‘It was fine so long as long as my sister’s life was safe and sound.’

Could it be that in the original game, Lowe faced this kind of bullying? 

Such a thought crossed my mind, but I dismissed it. If that were true, I would’ve noticed it last time.

I grabbed my bag, ready to head home.

Even during these turbulent times, I wasn’t without a plan. Exams were coming up, so I studied. And with the free time I had, I used it to research potential business opportunities I could take advantage of.

I was about half way down the aisle, thinking about what to cook for dinner, when someone else walked in.

“Kairen, we need to talk.” She said. I suppressed the turmoil churning in my heart. 

Professor Aturina looked at me with a forlorn expression. 

It was a look I never thought I would see from her so early on in this life.