I Am The Game's Villain

"Oh no," I muttered under my breath as I noticed Victor's gaze shift toward me. He offered a faint smile and chose the seat next to me.

"How are you, Amael?" He inquired as he set his bag down.

"Fine, thanks," I replied.

Victor seemed to hesitate for a moment before continuing, "I hope nothing unpleasant happened when you were summoned by my father yesterday, Amael."

"Oh, no. Don't worry," I quickly shook my head, nearly forgetting that James Raven was Victor's father.

Victor seemed visibly relieved. "After all, you didn't do anything."

"Right," I agreed, grateful that he didn't associate me with John's actions. "I was just eating."

"Merely eating, yes," Victor muttered, a slight grimace on his face that was quickly replaced by a smile. "I didn't realize you had a friend. Is he also in our class?"

"Yeah, he's in the Gold Class," I confirmed.

"Um... I heard you're from the Celesta Kingdom," Victor asked, his expression curious and kind.

Victor was always attentive to others' feelings.

"Yes, just like John," I confirmed, deciding not to mention anything about the Games.

"Oh! Is there anything different there?" Victor's curiosity seemed to spark.

Oh dear.

Truthfully, there wasn't much good about Celesta apart from the fact that third-rate nobles were drawn to it like here.

"Well, I guess people there are less arrogant, annoying, and... cringy," the words slipped out before I could stop them.

The room fell into an awkward silence, all three girls sharing identical stunned expressions.

"Also, maybe the training is more challenging, and there's less oversight," I hastily added, ignoring the incredulous stares from the girls.

I was quite certain about that. In Celesta, without the blessing of the Holy Tree or a superior constitution, we had to train diligently every day.

"Oh," Victor nodded, looking impressed, before his attention shifted to my cuffs. "Aren't you angry that they've taken away all your strength?"

Taken away all my strength? Not really. I mean, I can easily work around it by using the mana in the surroundings.

[<For them, you're a criminal from Celesta. They don't think you can master surroundings mana like them in just a few days.>]

Ah, I see...

So that's why they're so bold in picking fights with me and John. They believe we're powerless due to the Anti-Mana cuffs.

It's wonderful.

There is no better feeling than beating up arrogant nobles taking you for a weakling.

[<What about maintaining the image of a model student?>]

'I'm a model student.'

"I-" I began to respond, but before I could continue, footsteps echoed in the classroom. The attention of the entire class turned toward the entrance as two stunning women walked in. One was unmistakably my sister, and following closely behind her was a stunning woman with luxurious, curly black hair tied behind her. She looked really young.

"Most of you already know me, but I'll give a quick introduction," the woman announced, her crimson eyes sweeping over the room. "I'm Priscilla Tepes. Tepes indeed. So any so-called 'Great Nobles' here can forget about their status as far as I'm concerned."

Nice.

I already love her.

That bastard cringe elf Jiren won't open his mouth here.

The Tepes House was renowned for being the strongest among the Eight Great Noble Houses. It was pretty understandable, considering the head of the Tepes House was a Demigod. But beyond that, they had a long history of strength and power.

Priscilla's gaze shifted, and she exchanged a smile with Selene before turning her attention to Christina. "This lovely girl is my assistant. You'll be seeing her often with me from now on. She'll be here to help you out, so don't hesitate to ask her any questions. And don't be shy; she was in the top five of last year's ranking before she graduated."

The classroom was filled with gasps of amazement at Christina's accomplishments.

Christina stepped forward, her smile radiant. "I'm Christina Olphean. I'm more than happy to help all of you, so feel free to approach me with any questions!" She added a playful wink.

"Don't get them too worked up, Christina. These boys are still in their teens," Priscilla teased with a smile.

I couldn't agree more.

Never trust those hungry beasts.

Also, she should probably adjust her skirt slightly.

[<She didn't even look your way, Amael.>]

Don't say it so bluntly. It's making me feel even more disheartened.

[<A true sis-con.>]

Could it be that I have been infected by John?

"We're going to begin with the basics so I can assess where each of you stands. Turn to the third page in your books and replicate the circle you see there," Priscilla instructed.

I turned to the third page and was faced with a circle I hadn't encountered before. It looked fairly straightforward, but there was something about it that made me doubt my ability to reproduce it accurately.

"Mana Circles are of utmost importance because their complexity determines their effects," Priscilla continued, her voice carrying around the classroom as she moved between desks, checking our progress. "Before you even put pen to paper, you should have a clear image in your mind of the desired effect. And, of course, you can't expect a potent result if you can't control the exact amount of mana. Moreover, even then, failure is possible due to the fact that each of you possesses your own talent in manipulating mana and drawing from the surrounding environment."

I understood the concept, but that didn't seem to make the task in front of me any easier.

[<Don't stress too much, Amael. You'll get the hang of it.>]

Yeah, right. I can't help but feel the familiar dread of being humiliated by a professor when he'd eventually come to my desk and inquire about my progress. I'm not willing to be seen as the untalented one here.

"For centuries, our ancestors have had a natural gift for drawing pure mana from the environment, granted to us by the Holy Tree," Priscilla explained further. "Whereas the people from the outside channel mana from their body. "The classroom filled with laughter and scoffs, and I found myself at the center of amused glances.

Little did they know that I could wipe the floor with their faces even without directly channeling mana from my body.

[<Is that vanity?>]

'No, honesty.'

"Quiet, please. While it may sound odd to you, channeling mana directly from our bodies is a quicker method for both offense and defense. You can bypass the steps of imagining and drawing the circle, though it takes practice," Priscilla said.

Exactly. 

You can all sincerely go fuck yourselves now.

"But," Priscilla smiled meaningfully. "Mana Circles are way more efficient, strong and versatile."

It depends, I would say.

[<You can't bring yourself to accept the truth, Amael?>], Cleenah asked me teasingly.

Still, I can just knock them around and force their heads into their own circles before they could even cast a spell at me.

[<...>]

Anyway, I really can't help but feel sorry for John.

I'm already worn out and annoyed by the jeers and mockery directed at me, so I can't imagine what John must be enduring in his situation. Being in the racist class, and not even a Great Noble, he must be facing a tough time. I should check out his class and see how he's handling things.

[<He's probably ecstatic that his brother-in-law is planning to make an appearance to lighten things up for him.>]

I'd call it more of a curiosity.

[<It's the same thing, really! You're becoming just as insolent as Nevia.>]

"Where's your circle?" Priscilla's voice broke my thoughts.

"Um, I'm working on it, Professor," I replied, addressing Priscilla.

"Name."

"Amael Falkrona, Professor," I answered, which prompted Priscilla to briefly glance at Christina.

"You're from Celesta Kingdom, right? That would explain your unfamiliarity with Mana Circles," Priscilla inquired, and I could hear mocking laughter behind me. Priscilla's glare silenced them, though.

I love her.

[<Why not confess then?>]

I'd only get slapped if I do that.

"Let's try again," Priscilla suggested. I nodded and closed my eyes, visualizing the circle from the book in my mind.

I extended my hand and focused.

"Take your time, there's no rush."

I took a deep breath and focused even harder. This time, my attention lingered on each line and symbol of the circle I'd seen.

I furrowed my brows as I felt myself getting closer to the mark.

"There's no way someone like you could pull it off!" A mocking laugh came from behind me.

I clenched my fists, and the circle burst apart. Priscilla immediately shielded herself and Christina, but the residual condensed mana shot past me and struck the man who had been laughing.

"Ugh!" He was propelled backward and collided with the table behind him, emitting a groan.

"..."

Silence descended, everyone staring at me with dumbfounded expressions.

Priscilla gazed at me in disbelief. "You... did that on purpose...?"

"Did what, Professor?" I inquired, blinking, my expression feigning innocence.