I Am The Game's Villain

The hushed anticipation in the stadium was palpable as the clash between Lykhor and Sephira reached its conclusion.

As the dust and debris settled, Sephira lay sprawled on the arena floor, unconscious. Standing tall, unscathed, and cruelly triumphant was Lykhor, who had effortlessly sidestepped Sephira's desperate assault and incapacitated her from multiple angles.

Lykhor's cruel laughter broke the silence. "She's weak," he jeered, addressing the onlookers. "Is she truly part of your esteemed family, Alvara?" His words dripped with disdain.

Alvara, seated calmly with her legs crossed in the highest tier of the stadium, cast a disinterested glance toward her fallen cousin. "Boring," she muttered with indifference.

"Right? Let's make it more interesting then!" Lykhor seized the opportunity to add further insult, ruthlessly kicking Sephira's limp form. 

Celesta couldn't remain silent any longer and yelled, "Enough! She's defenseless!"

Lykhor sneered at Celesta's outburst. "You do have keen eyes, Celes," he quipped, "but this isn't over. Her bracers can still take a beating!" With renewed vigor, he lunged at Sephira, gripped her by the shirt, and flung her forcefully against the arena wall.

Sephira's coughing fit ended with a mouthful of blood as she slumped to the ground, her condition clearly dire even though she was protected by the bracers.

"Professor!" Desperation filled his voice as Cylien turned to Professor Gamir Teraquin. However, the professor remained eerily indifferent to his foster daughter's plight, a coldness in his gaze that sent shivers through the crowd.

"That's it, Lykhor!" Allen's laughter broke the tension in the air. He seemed rather amused by the spectacle of his older cousin getting battered.

The audience's reactions were as diverse as they were disturbing. Compassion mixed with indifference, and a sick enjoyment seemed to taint some spectators' faces as they relished in Sephira's suffering due to her Half-blood heritage.

As I observed this cruel drama unfold, I couldn't help but ponder the twisted nature of our society. It became increasingly evident that strength was the currency that truly mattered here, and Sephira had no one but herself to blame for her perceived weakness.

Just as Lykhor prepared for another brutal strike, a sudden, unexpected savior descended from above. Sirius leaped to Sephira's defense, shielding her from further harm. 

"Why are you interfering in a match? This is against the rules, Sirius," Lykhor, a sinister smile curling his lips, questioned Sirius's interference.

But Sirius wouldn't have any of it. "Shut it," he retorted, glaring fiercely at Lykhor as he gently lifted the battered Sephira to safety.

"Where are you going?" Lykhor asked, raising his leg, poised to deliver a vicious kick. Just before he could land it, another figure intervened.

"Victor…" Sirius glanced over his shoulder and saw Victor, coldly gripping Lykhor's leg.

"Won't you help your brothers, Cyril?" The voice belonged to Rodolf, who leaned back casually with his arms folded behind his head, grinning at Cyril. 

Cyril, in stark contrast, appeared apathetic, showing no sign of concern for his two brothers' predicament. My curiosity led me to steal a glance at Alicia, who wore an inscrutable expression.

"Go ahead, Sirius. She needs treatment," Victor directed his half-brother, his voice resonating with a sense of duty.

"Thanks…" Sirius's face bore a conflicted expression as he nodded to Victor, acknowledging his help.

Lykhor, sensing Victor's determination in his grip on his leg, taunted him further. "Wanna fight, Victor?" With a mocking laugh, Lykhor deftly extricated himself from Victor's hold and sprang back with an agile leap.

"This was unnecessary and untoward, cousin," Cylien walked past Lykhor, her expression heavy with disapproval, as he approached Sirius and the fallen Sephira.

Lykhor, on the other hand, seemed nonchalant about the whole affair. He offered a shrug and a smirk in response. "I just wanted to make the fight a little more interesting, like Alvara said, it was boring."

Cylien, however, didn't rise to the provocation but instead turned his gaze to Alvara. She looked down at the unfolding drama with an air of amusement, seemingly regarding it as nothing more than an entertaining spectacle. His voice laced with conviction, Cylien warned Lykhor and indirectly Alvara, "Every one of your actions will be returned to you in a backlash. I assure you."

Tension hung thick in the air until Gamir finally spoke, putting an end to the disturbing scene. "That's all for today's session. You may leave."

"Victor…." As Lykhor sauntered away with his typical air of smugness, Celeste grabbed Victor's sleeve, concerned. 

Victor, still staring at Lykhor's retreating figure, voiced his frustration. "Will they one day stop this farce? I'm not Connor. I can't stop them. I don't have his strength or his will. I-I just want to beat those guys until they regret everything they did…"

Celeste smiled and gave Victor's shoulder a gentle punch. "You can't be this defeatist! If you want to beat them, then do it in the next class!"

"Yeah, I will," Victor replied, managing a smile as he ruffled his hair.

"Are you finished?"

Both Victor and Celeste looked up in surprise as Selene appeared out of nowhere.

Silence hung between them briefly as Selene's crimson gaze shifted between Celeste and Victor. She finally broke the silence, her tone curt. "Let's go, Victor."

Victor nodded and followed Selene, leaving Celeste behind.

With a sigh of relief, Celeste muttered to herself before following them.

I watched this scene unfold for a moment before deciding to leave as well. John joined me, offering his own thoughts. "She was weak," he remarked.

I couldn't help but laugh at John's mindset. "You have the perfect mindset to be part of Alvara's class," I commented with a hint of admiration.

[<That's the pot calling the kettle black, Amael. You thought nothing much different few minutes ago. >]

'Cleenah, how about supporting my words even though they sound hypocritical?'

[<It would worsen your current arrogance.>]

He snorted at my words. "That's surprising coming from you."

I grimaced and shrugged. "Something like that was bound to happen anyway. This is just part of Sephira's route."

John suddenly turned more serious, his curiosity evident. "Then are you going to take that route?"

I couldn't help but feel annoyed by John's repeated questioning about my involvement with the Heroines. "You really are a pain in the *ss, John," I retorted. His persistence on this matter was becoming grating. "How many times have you already asked me whether I will intervene with the Heroines or not?"

John simply stared at me, his gaze mocking. "Knowing you, I don't think you will be able to hold yourself back from intervening with the plot. Whether for the Heroines or whether for your own self."

"..."

"Moreover, you have quite hung out with that group of yours along with Sephira."

I couldn't help but find the insinuation amusing. "Fuck you, John. You think I got sentimental just because I've known her for two weeks and talked a bit with her?"

John didn't seem impressed with my response as we made our way into the cafeteria. He retorted, "Who knows with you."

I decided to annoy him further, knowing it would get a reaction. "As far as I know, you are the most likely to spoil the plot though. Let's see how long you will keep yourself from raging around in Alvara's class."

He shot back, "As far as I know, you will snap before me. I can bet everything on it."

I couldn't resist escalating the bet. "How about betting your future affiliation on my daughter?"

John's response was immediate and vehement. "Leave her out of this!"

I pushed further. "I won't let you touch her if I win the bet."

John's retort was just as fierce. "Like hell! Then you won't touch her if I win!"

"She is my daughter, fucker!"

"So my niece, bastard!"

[<She isn't even born yet! Leave her alone!>]

Eventually, we both took our seats at a table in the cafeteria. John focused on his food, seemingly done with our argument. I was more than happy to drop the subject as well and began eating my meal.

Good.

Don't wanna talk to him anyway.

I thought so as I forked the meatball and ate it.

Elizabeth and Amelia approached our table with their trays, inquiring if they could join us. I was momentarily caught off guard by the request.

"Huh?" I blinked in surprise.

Elizabeth clarified the reason for their presence. "Actually, we would often eat with Sephira, but she's not here right now. She's with Sirius."

"And we don't want to eat with strangers," Amelia added.

Then, quite unintentionally, my tongue slipped, and I made a rather unexpected comment. "Are we perhaps best friends without my awareness?"

Elizabeth seemed taken aback by my words but managed a somewhat awkward smile. "I know you, Amael, like you know me."

"I don't know you, though,"John, on the other hand, was quick to dismiss any notion of friendship.

Amelia intervened with a smile. "But I know you, John."

John glanced at Amelia before shaking his head. "I don't know you." 

"We're in the same group!" Amelia retorted dumbfounded.

John's response was still the same. "I don't remember."

Amelia was shocked. "You what?! Just last week, you asked me for help with homework!"

"Pfft- Cough!" Suppressing a laugh, I coughed and took a sip of water. This unexpected revelation was too amusing as I pictured John begging for help for his homework.

Too weird...

"Leave it, Amelia. Let's find another table-" Elizabeth, exasperated, suggested they find another table, but I intervened, extending an invitation to them with a gentle smile. 

"It's okay. You can sit here. We aren't strangers, right?" I said purposefully ignoring John's disapproving glare.

Elizabeth, initially surprised by my offer, eventually smiled. "Thank you."

Amelia, determined not to let John's attitude get to her, chimed in with her own thanks. "Yes, thanks to you."