Reborn As The Minor Villain In A Romance Fantasy Novel

Lucius massaged his head as he woke up, staring at a familiar ceiling that seemed to spin slightly above him.

'I'm home,' he thought, letting out a small groan.

His mouth was dry, his throat sore, and his stomach rolled with the aftertaste of last night's drinks.

After the council cut the cake, the celebration had dragged on into endless rounds of wine and strong liquor, each toast more insistent than the last.

He hadn't even noticed when his limit slipped past.

'The last time I got this drunk was in 2025,' he thought, dragging a hand down his sweaty forehead.

His hair clung to his skin, damp from the heat of the alcohol still working its way out of his system.

He didn't even remember how much he hated this feeling… having a heavy heavy head, sluggish body, the nagging urge to stay in bed for hours.

'Should I stay in today?' The thought tempted him.

A whole day wasted in bed sounded better than dragging himself across the city.

But when he reached for his phone on the bedside table, the screen lit up with so many notifications that his hangover was forgotten.

He blinked.

The Stitch app was flooded.

[@Esmeralda344: The location for the venue is Grand Aurora Cineplex. It starts at 10am]

[@Esmeralda344: Hey, you coming?]

[@Esmeralda344: Haven't gotten ready yet, just texting you to know where you are?]

[@Esmeralda344: Don't tell me you're ditching…]

[@Esmeralda344: Gotten there]

[@Esmeralda344: …]

Lucius grinned despite the headache pressing at his temples.

'Overdramatic girl,' he thought, shaking his head.

He'd have to cancel his lazy plans and drag himself out.

Not because he particularly cared about the movie, but because Esmeralda clearly did.

And she wasn't exactly subtle about it.

Just then, his door creaked open.

"Ah, my lord," Villy said, bowing slightly as he stepped inside.

Lucius raised a brow.

"Where's Vanessa?" He wondered if she was already dealing with yesterday's negotiations.

The council wasn't known for wasting time, especially when gifts or new privileges were involved.

"She was called to the council building an hour before you woke, my lord," Villy explained politely. "It seems you're preparing for an outing… shall I prepare some clothes?"

Lucius let out a small sigh, brushing back his messy hair.

"Yes, thank you, Villy. Make them good."

Villy bowed again before retreating.

…

Esmeralda sighed deeply as she waited outside the cinema, fidgeting with the phone in her hands.

'I did everything Tinny told me to do,' she thought anxiously.

After last night, she had spent hours reading guides and articles about relationships, trying to distinguish between friends and boyfriends.

It was confusing, almost absurd.

Boyfriends kissed their girlfriends, held their hands, and did… "naughty" things, while friends simply talked or hung out casually.

So Lucius was a friend… or was he? Did she want to do naughty things with him?

But right now she was alone, and the vast entrance of the cineplex only made her feel smaller.

'Keeping a friend is harder than I thought,' she admitted silently.

Irael had been her only companion before Lucius, and even then, things had ended strangely.

Now she feared she'd mess up again.

'Did I annoy him by sending too many messages?' She bit her lip.

Some guides said men didn't like being spammed.

But this was her first actual friend after Irael.

She wanted to keep Lucius around for a long time.

Just as she considered giving up hope, a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.

"Are we going to keep standing here, or will we see the movie?"

Her head snapped to the side, and her eyes widened.

Lucius stood there, dressed sharply in a tailored wool coat and trousers that made him look more like he was headed to a diplomatic meeting than a movie date.

His messy hair from earlier was now perfectly styled, and despite the slight shadow of fatigue under his eyes, he looked annoyingly handsome.

"I thought you wouldn't come," Esmeralda admitted softly, her relief hidden behind a faint pout as she moved toward the entrance.

"Why wouldn't I?" Lucius smirked. "We're movie buddies, remember?"

He secretly hoped the System would acknowledge this as some kind of contribution.

At least then, all this wouldn't feel like wasted effort.

He glanced around the empty theater. "Wait… why are we the only ones here?"

Esme's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Did I forget to mention that I bought out the entire place? Just for the both of us."

Lucius stopped mid-step, blinking at her. "You… what?"

Before he could protest, she grabbed his sleeve and pulled him inside.

The cineplex was cavernous, with dozens of theaters branching off into glowing hallways.

But Esmeralda didn't hesitate, dragging him into one of the premier rooms reserved for high-paying clients.

The plush reclining seats, massive curved screen, and ceiling lit with constellations made it clear she hadn't just booked a regular room… this was top-tier luxury.

'This girl really doesn't know the meaning of subtle,' Lucius thought, but he allowed himself to be pulled along.

…

Meanwhile, far across the city, Vanessa adjusted her black suit for the third time as she sat outside the council office.

Her posture was perfect, her expression calm, but the knot in her stomach refused to loosen.

You weren't summoned to the council building unless the matter was urgent or unless you were being entrusted with something important.

Both possibilities made her uneasy.

"Miss Vanessa," a receptionist called softly. "Please proceed."

Vanessa stood smoothly, her polished heels clicking against the marble floor as she walked toward the massive sliding doors.

They opened with a low hiss, revealing the semi-circle of five council board members.

Their robes marked them as men and women of immense authority.

She bowed respectfully. "Councilors."

The President waved dismissively. "Enough formalities. Sit."

Vanessa obeyed.

The President slid a file across the table toward her. "Sir Lucius requested a new building for GRIMMAW. We called you today to ask where you want it."

Vanessa blinked, stunned, but quickly covered it with a composed nod.

She placed her hand on the folder to stop its slide, pulling it closer to examine.

"I didn't know if you'd prefer a high-rise in the business district," the President continued, "or something more discreet, like a fortified complex near the outskirts."

Vanessa took a slow breath.

'When… how… why… He could have asked for something for himself.' She thought and complained, 'I'll just ask him later.'

Then she pointed at the one that she liked the most.