I Enrolled as the Villain

"The strong… are always kind."

As the words left my mouth, Liora's eyes widened. Then, slowly, she looked down at the floor, her lips parting slightly but no words came.

I offered her a faint smile.

Then I stepped behind her wheelchair, gently placing my hands on the handles.

She didn't stop me.

Even though we both knew I wasn't supposed to be the one pushing it, she didn't resist.

As if, somehow… she already understood who I was now.

As we moved through the quiet corridor, the sound of the chant began to grow louder.

Distant at first then rising, like a tide crashing forward.

Voices filled the air.

Laughter.

Victory.

Home.

And then—

I saw them.

As soon as I came into their field of vision, the noise softened.

Then, all at once, the students quieted, voices fading, arms lowering, and Cendric and Silas gently set down from their celebratory perch.

Silence filled the hall.

…Why are they suddenly so quiet?

A thought crossed my mind.

Ah. Right.

They probably don't want to look stupid in front of the "myth"… or their so-called leader.

I sighed inwardly.

So, as soon as I reached them, I raised my voice and said sharp and clear—

"Who beat the Red Line?"

There was a pause hesitant, unsure but then a few voices answered, a little quieter than before:

"…It's Tricky Cendric and Strong Silas."

I smiled.

Then I shouted, louder letting it ring through the hall like a battle cry.

"WHO BEAT THE RED LINE?!"

This time, the response shook the walls.

"IT'S TRICKY CENDRIC AND STRONG SILAS!"

The chant returned, fierce and proud.

There was no more hesitation, no more silence. The voices rose in unison, loud and alive laughing, cheering, reclaiming something that had been missing for too long: joy.

And in the center of it all, Cendric and Silas stood once more not placed above the rest, not lifted as symbols

But surrounded.

Celebrated.

Home.

Suddenly, the lights dimmed.

Then—music dropped.

Not gently. Not quietly.

It hit like a blast of light and sound, bright and polished, with a melody that clung to your mind like it wanted to be remembered.

A spotlight snapped on in the middle of the hall.

A hologram flickered to life.

Five girls stood in formation, dressed in sleek violet and silver, Velvet crests glowing on their chests. Their moves were sharp, smooth like this wasn't just a performance, but a statement.

Then the center girl stepped forward.

Tall. Elegant. Her presence pulled the eye before the spotlight did. Long pink hair flowed behind her like a silken curtain, catching the holographic light with every step. Her skin shimmered under the projection's glow clear, flawless, almost too perfect.

But it was her eyes that made everything stop.

The Ketsugan glowed in her gaze clear as glass, bright like fire. Framed by long lashes, calm and steady, they didn't just shine.

They drew you in.

And when her lips parted to sing—

"When I see you in the hologram…"

The other four girls twirled behind her in sync, then pointed dramatically toward the screen.

"Oh, where is he?"

The center girl stepped forward again, her voice rising with emotion half love song, half anthem.

"Oh Kael… when will you see me?"

Wait. What the hell?

Is this what Riva was talking about?

No there's no way they just used my actual name.

My eye twitched as the chorus echoed across the hall. I stood frozen in place, silently panicking.

Then Marlen stepped up beside me, arms crossed.

"Tell me this isn't about me," I muttered.

"It's you."

I turned slowly. "That's… illegal, right? Or at least disrespectful? You can't just use a Valery mythrigan bearer name in a song. People have been executed for mocking the Eyes."

Marlen didn't blink. "She's Valery blood."

I stared at her.

She pointed to the tall girl in the center of the hologram. "All of them are."

"Then why did they do this?" I asked, still staring at the hologram.

Marlen shrugged slightly. "They were all born in Valery compounds… but they grew up in the Elaron Federation."

She paused, eyes on the center girl as the music swelled again.

"So honestly, it's no surprise."

"So… did the Valery sue them?"

"They can't," Marlen said. "The group's legally registered in the Elaron Federation, and—"

She exhaled, almost bored.

"In interviews, they claim it's not about you. They say it's based on 'Kael Zanic,' some obscure Keshar war relic they rebranded."

I blinked. "That's not even subtle."

Marlen glanced at the fading hologram. "It's not meant to be. Everyone knows who it's about."

I was quiet for a beat. "So they're just… getting away with it?"

She tilted her head slightly. "Well. Technically—" her voice dipped into a murmur, "all of the girls in the group have a crush on you."

My eyes snapped to her.

Marlen didn't blink. Her smirk curved just enough to be dangerous. "Especially the lead singer. Her name is Tessara Valeris a Ketsugan user. Raised in Elaron, but her bloodline traces back to Valery. She's been following your story for years. Apparently, your… coldness is her type."

I stared at the stage.

The hologram flickered once, then vanished.

"So," Marlen said, arms folded, "what will you do, Leader?"

I opened my mouth.

Then paused.

"…It doesn't matter. As long as they stay out of my future vision, it's not my concern."

Marlen snorted. "That's your official stance?"

"Ha," I muttered, turning away, "no comment."

As I turned away, I caught sight of Marlen approaching Liora, Cendric and Silas walking beside her. The four of them quickly fell into an easy conversation, their voices overlapping with laughter and bright gestures.

For a moment, it felt… normal.

I made my way toward one of the nearby refreshment tables, someone had just conjured a new batch of drinks. I picked up a chilled soda, still fizzing.

I took a sip.

Nice soda, I thought, letting the cool sweetness settle on my tongue.

Then—

I took another sip.

The fizz lingered on my tongue but something else prickled at the edge of my senses.

Still.

Too still.

My gaze drifted upward.

Beyond the celebration, above the lights and music, beyond the ceiling of reinforced alloy and stone there it was.

A weight pressing down from the sky itself.

It wasn't mana. It wasn't magic.

It was presence.

Watching.

Tracking.

Her.

She didn't need to announce herself. Not to me.

Even through layers of shielding and steel, I could feel it that sharp, absolute stillness that only came from killers who moved rarely… and never missed.

I lowered the soda slowly, my expression unreadable.

No one else noticed. Marlen was laughing beside Silas. Liora was smiling softly. The crowd buzzed with music and joy.

But somewhere above us, the Red Cosmos stood.

Silent.

Waiting.

I didn't know what she wanted.

But I knew this wasn't over.

Then, without a word… I shrank.

body condensing into particles, weightless and silent. Rejection pushed me upward, not as flight or teleportation, but like slipping past space itself.

No one noticed as I passed overhead.

Then

I reformed in one motion, landing softly.

My white cap fluttered in the cold rooftop wind.

And there she was.

Azaila.

Her red robe spilled across the stone like blood made silk, so long it blanketed nearly the entire rooftop. She stood at the edge, hands folded behind her back, staring up at the stars like she was waiting for something only she could see.

I moved closer, each step slow, deliberate.

"You're disqualified," I said, my voice calm but sharp. "If you came here for revenge… then take it. On me."

My mythrigan spiraling. Preparing for an attack.

"True, my faction lost… but I haven't been removed yet."

She glanced over her shoulder, calm and unbothered.

"By rule, I remain until the final timer expires. A god doesn't leave just because mortals fall early."

Her gaze shifted to me lingering first on my left eye, then trailing down the length of my form like she was weighing something invisible.

"You look smaller than I remember," she said casually. "Strange, considering you've got a god in your skull."