Transmigrated as the Villain Between the Heroine and the Villainess

Two days had passed since the battle in the forest. Two days of somber quiet at the Ashveil mansion.

They had held a small, private ceremony for Sebastian.

Celestria had given a eulogy, her voice cold and steady, but her eyes had been a storm of unshed tears.

They did the same for Headmaster Theron, a more public affair at the academy's grand hall, a place now draped in black banners.

As for Marius, Celestria had taken his body, wrapped in a simple white shroud, and left.

She had gone to meet with the other great families, to discuss the demon's invasion and his strange, obsessive focus on her brother.

Azrael knew he couldn't live a quiet life anymore.

He was a piece in a game far larger than he had ever imagined.

He was currently back at the academy, sitting in his usual spot in the lecture hall.

A new professor stood at the front, a stern-looking man with a graying beard who had taken Theron's place.

The academy mourned its loss, but the curriculum had to go on.

"Class," the professor began, his voice a low rumble. "Today we will be discussing the upcoming Assessment Mission, a program designed by the late Headmaster Theron himself."

A murmur of interest went through the room.

"Students from all years will be formed into teams and sent to various locations to assist the Adventurer's Guild with their missions. This program will serve as a practical application of your skills, benefiting both the people of the kingdom and your own personal growth."

The professor unrolled a large scroll. "The list of teams will be attached to the main board at the end of the day. Be aware, teams have been made based on your official rankings. The higher the ranking, the harder the mission."

He then looked out at the class, his eyes landing on Azrael. "Ah, and speaking of rankings. As Azrael Ashveil has now returned to us, we can remove the temporary ace of the second year and officially declare the new one."

The professor looked at Seraphina. She nodded, her expression unreadable.

She stood up and walked to the front of the class. She untied a simple, black-and-silver band from her arm and handed it to the professor.

"Azrael Ashveil," the professor called out.

He stood up and walked to the front, the eyes of every student following him. The professor handed him the band. He tied it around his bicep. It was the ace's band.

'Ah, I totally forgot about the ranking battle,' he thought, looking at the smooth fabric. 'So, from the second year, I got first position, while Seraphina would be second.'

He did a quick calculation. His forty points from kills, plus the hundred-point bonus for being on the winning team, put him at one hundred and forty.

Seraphina's thirty points, plus the bonus, put her at one hundred and thirty.

'Selvara was definitely first from the third year,' he concluded. 'And Isolde would be the ace from the first.'

After the class, he was lost in thought. The Assessment Mission. It was new. It wasn't in the book. He knew a single change could alter the entire plot, and the death of Theron had clearly caused a huge turn.

A test that was never mentioned, a test that was completely new.

His thoughts were broken by a soft voice. "Azrael? Are you okay?"

It was Elvara. She had come to his classroom and was standing by his seat.

It was break time, and most of the other students had already left. Before he could answer, he saw a familiar figure standing behind her, leaning against the doorframe.

Isolde.

'I told Elvara to stay away from her,' he thought with a surge of annoyance. 'Now she will be in another mess for sure.' His gaze then drifted over to Kaelen and Seraphina, who were still at their desks, pretending to talk but their ears were clearly pointed in his direction.

He sighed. "What would happen to me? Have you forgotten? I am the trouble."

"But I heard you were abducted by demon followers," she said, her green eyes full of worry.

He almost laughed. "Demon followers? And who spread that bullshit rumor?" 'I know rumors are useless,' he thought, 'but followers? I was fucking abducted by a real one, and one that was too powerful.'

"Isolde told me," she said quietly.

"Forget it," he said, waving a dismissive hand. "It wasn't like you think. Just forget it, like I did. It was a bad omen for me."

"Yes, I know," she said, her expression turning sympathetic. "It must be hard, losing someone you grew up with."

She sat in the empty seat beside him. "I know what it feels like when the one you loved leaves you. Leaves you forever."

He knew she was talking about her mother. 'But what does that have to do with me and Sebastian? I never had that kind of bond with him. He was just someone who used me as a training doll.'

But then a different thought surfaced. 'Still… he died protecting us. Not just him, but Theron too. Not to mention Marius was also dead because of the anomaly that is me. It feels weird.'

Seeing the sorrow on his face, Elvara leaned in a little closer. "Sebastian once said to me that Master Azrael was the cutest child he had ever met. He even said he wanted a child like you."

She saw the confusion in his eyes and continued. "He saw the hate in my eyes for you. He told me that the boy he knew used to be the sun of this house. He shined so brightly that he eradicated every worry for Sebastian, the servants, and of course, his sister."

"He never had the noble ego," she said, her voice a soft whisper as she recounted the butler's words. "I still remember when he would sneak out of the house to find friends, to eat, to play. Every day, it was my duty to have eyes on him. It was an order from his father."

"Wherever he went, he brought smiles to people's faces. And then one day, he was not the same young master I knew. A complete turn."

Elvara looked at him, her own eyes full of a deep curiosity. "I asked him what happened to you."

"Sebastian said he didn't know," she finished. "He said it was way before the incident with the girl who rejected you. He said that neither he nor Lady Ashveil knew what happened. He told me, 'I need to see that old young master again. We need to.'"

Her voice dropped even lower. "'Young lady,' he said to me, 'so I want you to bring him back. And please, don't hate him.'"

After hearing that, Azrael's mind was a storm of questions. 'The real Azrael? Something changed him way before the rejection? What just happened? Am I missing something?'

And why the hell was she bringing this up now? 'I thought she was giving condolences, but she is just putting salt on my wounds.'

Before he could think more, Isolde's cheerful voice cut through the air. "Look how lovey-dovey you both look. Maybe you should consider patching up. You are a perfect couple."

Elvara blushed a deep red, shot up from her seat, and practically ran out of the classroom.

Azrael turned his cold gaze on Isolde. "Maybe you should consider patching up with your brother first."

Her smile didn't falter. She just changed the topic. "Well, senior, I have got some insights for the Assessment Test."

"I won't be surprised," he said flatly. "People like you will always have that nepotism."

"Oh, come on, senior," she said with a little pout. "Don't say that. I am a princess. My father would never allow me to go anywhere dangerous like that."

"Yeah, yeah," he said, not buying it for a second. "So why are you telling me?"

She leaned in, her smile turning sly. "Because I will be in your care."

"What?"

-x--x--x--x--x--x--x-

The next lecture passed in a blur. Azrael's mind was still reeling from everything that had just happened. He had a very bad feeling about this Assessment Mission.

When the class was finally over, a student council member came in and stuck a large piece of parchment on the notice board.

The list of teams. A crowd of students immediately swarmed it.

Azrael stayed in his seat, waiting for the crowd to go. He could see Kaelen at the edge of the group, his eyes scanning the list.

Then, Kaelen's head snapped up, his gaze locking onto Azrael.

He let out a low hiss of pure frustration before turning and storming out of the room.

'Shit,' Azrael thought. 'Why am I having such a bad feeling?'

After a few more minutes, the crowd finally thinned. He stood up and walked to the board.

His eyes scanned the neatly written names, looking for his own.

He found it. And then he understood Kaelen's anger. He understood his own terrible feeling.

He muttered a single, perfect word that summed up his entire situation.

"Fuck my luck."