Chapter 89: Stanley Dame’s Envy
Stanley Dame, the so-called main character of The Hero's Wonderful Wives, did so many other cringe things in the game that Damien couldn't even begin to count them all.
Every single scene with him was filled with unnecessary dramatics and lines that could make anyone curl up from embarrassment.
The worst part was that, in the game, every time Stanley did one of those ridiculous things, he was always endlessly praised by his wives — all of them smiling sweetly and calling him "brave" or "amazing" as though he'd just performed some divine act instead of saying something painfully corny.
Stanley slowly lowered his sword, the radiant golden light that surrounded him beginning to fade away.
His glowing aura dimmed until it eventually vanished, his blade returning back to normal.
The moment it disappeared, Stanley smirked proudly, raising his chin slightly in that annoyingly self-satisfied manner that Damien remembered all too well from the game.
Then, with deliberate flair, he sheathed the blade in one smooth motion. The sound of metal sliding back into its scabbard echoed faintly in the air.
He began walking forward, the crowd instinctively parting for him as though he were some divine figure.
But as he passed Damien, he suddenly stopped.
His steps froze mid-stride.
For a moment, Stanley stood completely still, his body rigid, and then, he slowly turned his head around.
Their gazes met.
The instant their eyes locked, Stanley's expression shifted from his usual confident smirk to one of complete and utter shock.
His pupils trembled violently, and it was like he had just seen a ghost.
He staggered backwards, his lips parting in disbelief.
Then, with a trembling hand, he reached up and touched his own cheek, his eyes darting rapidly between Damien's face and his own.
"You…" he muttered, pointing a finger at Damien, his arm shaking slightly.
Damien's eyes narrowed at the strange reaction.
He didn't understand why the so-called "hero" was suddenly acting like that.
Based on what he knew, he was supposed to just walk into the academy after his dramatic speech, basking in the praises of those around.
However, he already knew he couldn't rely on his knowledge from the game, since this was real life.
Besides, Damien Cross was never part of the academy arc in the eroge.
He was a minor character who never awakened and whose life ended in a completely different storyline.
His presence here meant things were already diverging from the original timeline—drastically.
Meanwhile, Stanley was still frozen in place, his heart pounding wildly in disbelief as he continued staring at Damien's face.
'He's… so handsome…' he thought. 'Even more handsome than I am…'
His expression twisted slightly, disbelief turning into faint irritation.
It didn't make sense.
And yet standing right in front of him was someone whose face looked like it had been sculpted by the gods themselves — sharp jawline, calm eyes, and that quietly confident aura that seemed to draw attention effortlessly.
There was no contest.
Damien's appearance had already been attractive before, but with his increased Charm stat, his features had transcended beyond ordinary handsomeness.
Stanley's face twitched visibly as his mind refused to accept it.
'How… how is that possible?!' he thought in disbelief, grinding his teeth as his eyes burned with envy.
Stanley had always thought of himself as the most handsome man in the world.
In every mirror he looked into, in every reflection that caught his eye, he saw perfection. His flowing blue hair, his chiseled features, the confident smirk he always wore — to him, there was no one that could compare. Not even close.
But the moment his gaze met Damien's face, that belief shattered into a thousand tiny pieces.
Stanley took a slow step forward, his brows furrowed in disbelief and envy. His pride refused to accept what his eyes were seeing.
"Who… are you?" he asked.
As he spoke, his hand rose slowly, almost instinctively, reaching out toward Damien's face — as though touching it might somehow make sense of what he was seeing.
But before his fingers could get close, Damien's frown deepened sharply. His brows knitted together, and in one swift motion, he smacked Stanley's hand away.
A sharp slap echoed faintly.
Stanley's hand recoiled instantly, his expression shifting from shock to anger. His eyes flared, and his voice hardened as he stepped forward again.
"I only asked a question," he said, his tone filled with irritation. "How dare you smack my hand away?"
Damien's gaze stayed cold and unbothered.
"Keep your hands to yourself, you creep," he said, his tone laced with disdain.
For a brief second, Stanley's face froze in disbelief, as if he couldn't comprehend that someone had just spoken to him that way.
Damien simply scoffed under his breath, dismissing the conversation entirely, and walked past him without another word.
Stanley stared at his back, his jaw tightening as anger twisted his expression.
'You think you're so special, huh…?' he thought bitterly, his eyes narrowing.
No one had ever brushed him off so easily before, and the fact that Damien treated him like he was air deeply hurt his oride.
'I'll make sure you learn your place in this academy,' he thought, slowly clenching his fists.
His eyes flashed with a faint, sinister glint, and a slow, forced smirk curled onto his lips as he watched Damien walk away.
Around them, several students had already begun to whisper, having noticed the brief tension between the two.
"Did you see that?"
"Who was that guy who just ignored Stanley like that?"
"I can't believe someone actually talked to him like that…"
The murmurs spread quickly, and soon enough, all eyes turned toward the pair — though most of the attention was now fixed entirely on Damien.
A few of the girls nearby couldn't hide the faint blush on their cheeks as they looked at him.
His calm confidence, his unbothered demeanor, and that unintentional charm he carried made it impossible to look away.
Compared to Stanley's exaggerated bravado, Damien's quiet composure felt effortlessly magnetic.
Even the way the sunlight reflected off his hair seemed perfect.
Stanley noticed this and each one was like a needle piercing his pride.
'I should be the one getting all that attention… not you!' he thought.
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