I Am The Game's Villain

Zestel, the capital city of the Kingdom of the Zestellas, had a rich history dating back centuries. It had thrived under the rule of the first holder of the Goddess' Bloodline, blossoming into a magnificent kingdom. The city itself was a testament to this prosperity.

After Professor James Raven's lengthy speech in the Garden, we were transported to Zestel via a mana circle. Such mana circles were a rarity due to their potential dangers, but the most prestigious academy in Sancta Vedelia had them for the education of elite students. The sight of Zestel left many of my classmates in awe, as it was their first visit to the capital city. However, a significant portion of our class consisted of high-ranking nobles who had already visited the capital cities of Sancta Vedelia on special occasions or vacations.

I, too, had glimpsed this city before, but only through the Game and in a few select locations.

"Lady Melfina Zestella has graciously allowed us to use the Palace for our accommodations," Professor James announced. "We will all be staying there during the exam. However, there are some important guidelines to follow. Firstly, you are not to venture beyond the southern wing of the Palace, which is the area designated for our use. Secondly, the knights and staff are not your servants. You are responsible for your own rooms, and they have no obligation to cater to your needs. Any inappropriate behavior towards them may result in expulsion from the Academy, and I assure you, I can make that happen."

Coming from James Raven, this warning carried considerable weight. Although it was unlikely that most students would misbehave, Alvara and her group were exceptions to watch out for.

[<I hope you've included yourself in that list.>]

'I would never misbehave in a foreign kingdom, Cleenah. Come on.'

"You are expected to show respect to those who have graciously hosted you for the duration of the exam. I ask you to conduct yourselves accordingly, as this exam holds significant weight in your academic results," James added.

While it might have seemed like a special occasion, it wasn't uncommon for students of the Trinity Eden Academy to travel to other kingdoms for their practical exams. I was fairly certain that first and second-year students had embarked on similar trips for their own exams.

"Over there is the city's most renowned restaurant. I'm sure you'll all enjoy the food, girls!" 

From a distance, I could see Celeste excitedly talking to Amelia and Cylien, enthusiastically extolling the virtues of her kingdom. She had always been immensely proud of her homeland and held a deep affection for it, likely influenced by her mother's sentiments.

"We'll definitely eat there, don't worry. The owner knows me very well, and he'll offer us plenty of discounts," Celeste boasted, puffing out her chest.

Given that Celeste was the Princess of the Kingdom, it was no surprise that the restaurant owner knew her well.

"We're here for an exam, Celeste," Cylien reminded her with an exasperated smile.

"How about after the exam, then?" Amelia chimed in, sharing Celeste's eagerness for a meal at the renowned restaurant.

After receiving a few more instructions, we were transported to the immense Palace located at the city's center, thanks to Professor James Raven's efficient handling of security. We entered the Palace without needing to interact with the Kingdom's residents.

The girls and boys were separated, much to the disappointment of some of the boys who had hoped to share rooms with the girls. However, we learned that we would be sharing rooms with our classmates, which was somewhat annoying. The only silver lining was that we could choose our roommates.

"What are you doing?" I questioned John, who had suddenly appeared beside me.

John responded with a nonchalant look. "This is an important event. We should stick together."

"We don't have to share a room," I retorted.

"You'd rather room with those third-rate nobles?" John gestured towards a group of obnoxious and cringe-worthy nobles.

"Right," I agreed, knowing that sharing a room with Jiren-like individuals would be unbearable.

"Hey, Amael!" Sirius waved at me.

"What's up?" I asked, noticing Sirius with a hesitant expression.

"I don't really have male friends. It's embarrassing, but can I join you guys?" Sirius inquired, scratching his cheek.

"Of course," I replied with a smile. It made sense to fill the remaining spaces in our room before any odd characters were assigned to it.

Sirius beamed and nodded. "You got it! By the way, I'm Sirius," he introduced himself to John.

"John." John replied with his usual tsundere expression.

"He's a tsundere. A good guy inside but a crap outward," I said with a laugh.

"Oh, I see," Sirius laughed amused.

"As for him, he seems like a good guy outwardly but inwardly, he's a twisted psycho, you should be careful around him" John added an unnecessary comment.

[<He isn't lying though?>]

'Is that how you see me, Cleenah?'

[<Indeed.>]

'Yet you are still sticking to me, right?'

[<Well, I'm a weird Goddess with weird tastes.>]

'I can't agree more.'

"Ahaha, you guys sure are close," Sirius brushed off John's candid observation. "I rarely see Amael like that around us."

John shot me an disgusted look. "This is getting weird."

This guy.

"I'm just his brother-in-law," John quickly clarified, seemingly traumatized by the misunderstanding between Elizabeth and Amelia in the cafeteria.

I glared at John, but he seemed unfazed.

Sirius was left dumbfounded. "Huh?! B-Brother-in-law?!"

"Yeah, he tricked my sister into marrying him," John replied, deadpan.

I gave John a sharp look, but he didn't pay me any mind.

I shrugged at Sirius. "It's a long story."

"Hey guys..." Another familiar face interrupted us, and it was none other than Victor.

"Victor?" Sirius quickly recovered, looking at his half-brother.

"Ah, right..." Victor had an awkward expression upon seeing Sirius. "I just wanted to ask Amael to share a room... but, well, forget it..."

"Wait," I stopped Victor and turned to Sirius. "Do you dislike the idea? We still have a spot for him."

Sirius shook his head with a smile. "No... actually, not at all. Rather, come, Victor."

Although there was still some lingering awkwardness.

"Are you sure...? I don't want to bother you guys... It's just that I only have girl friends, so..." Victor laughed weakly, clearly embarrassed.

He could easily make new friends, but I supposed he preferred his 'harem'.

"We don't have any problem," I assured Victor.

"Thanks guys..."

"I can clearly see through you, Edward," John whispered to me.

"Even if it's just for a short while, I want to see how he'll behave during this event, don't you?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, you're right. Celeste should fall for him during this event, if things go correctly," John nodded in agreement.

After all, this event was primarily focused on Celeste.