"I think you went a bit far, Edward..."
Jayden shook his head, looking disappointed.
"Leave it," I said, leaning back against the cool marble wall of the corridor. "Those guys needed a reality check. Where's Milleia?"
Jayden leaned next to me, sighing heavily.
"She's comforting your sister."
Comforting?
A faint, involuntary smile tugged at the corner of my mouth.
Of course she is. That girl will never change. Even after being treated coldly, her first instinct is to help the person who was hurt. It's painfully on-brand for a Main Heroine.
"Ah, here she comes," Jayden said, pointing down the hall.
Milleia was walking toward us, her expression a mix of concern and mild disapproval.
"That was bad, Edward," she said softly as she reached us. "You made your sister cry."
"Don't worry about her," I said with a shrug. "She'll bounce back. Give it an hour and she'll be cursing my name again."
""...""
They both stared at me.
"What?" I asked, frowning.
"You seem… different from what I heard," Jayden admitted.
"Yes," Milleia nodded timidly. "I thought the same…"
That should be my line.
I played the game. I know the rumors. I know the lore. By all accounts, they should be treating me like a walking plague. The fact that they're still standing here talking to me is baffling.
"You guys have heard the stories about what I've done, and you're still hanging around?" I asked, my voice dropping to a serious tone. "You both have a few screws loose. You can find better friends, you know."
I meant it.
I didn't want any forced loyalty from them. Just interacting with them a few times was enough to dodge the worst death flags. They didn't need to actually like me.
"I don't care about rumors," Jayden said, delivering a line so cliché I almost rolled my eyes. "I only believe what I see."
"I think the same," Milleia added softly. "I was on guard at first, but… you don't seem like a bad person…"
"I literally just made my sister cry in public," I pointed out.
"W-Well…"
Milleia pouted, twirling a strand of her blue hair around her finger, unable to come up with a counterargument.
I looked away.
Damn it. If she keeps making faces like that, I'm going to fall for her one day.
[
Cleenah's voice interrupted my thoughts, surprisingly resentful.
'You are into girls.'
[]
I ignored her and glanced back at Jayden.
While I was busy averting my gaze to save my own sanity, Jayden was frozen in place, staring at Milleia with an expression of pure, unfiltered adoration.
Yeah.
That's the look.
I need to make sure he takes Milleia's route first. If they get together, Milleia will be happy, Jayden will be motivated, and the world has a better chance of not ending.
[
It was tempting. I mean, All the Heroines are charming in their own ways. But I couldn't. I didn't have the luxury. My survival, and the kingdom's survival—mattered way more than playing romance simulator.
The best-case scenario is Jayden building his harem and saving the world while I stay alive in the background. That's the golden ending I'm aiming for.
Besides…
'I don't know the future. I only know the possible future. There are millions of ways this can go wrong.'
"You two should go now," I told them, straightening up. "It might be hard to find the classroom if you wait too long."
"What about you?" Jayden asked.
"I have something else to do."
I waved a hand dismissively and turned to leave before they could offer to accompany me.
I could have hung out with them longer, but I didn't want to mess up the plot progression. They needed to face certain events alone to grow stronger. Plus, I needed a break from acting.
[
"Hm? What?"
[I agree. It is not good for your health.]
'What are you two talking about?'
[
I blinked, surprised by Cleenah's serious tone.
It was true that I never fully let my guard down around Milleia and Jayden. But that was normal. I was a Major Antagonist. One slip-up, one out-of-character moment, and I could trigger a death flag.
I was destined to die in the Second Game.
Hell, it was entirely possible I'd die in this game if I wasn't careful.
As someone who played the game obsessively, I knew exactly who to watch out for. And Jayden was high on that list.
Don't let his goofy smile and naïve attitude fool you. The guy is a monster in the making. In the beginning, he's weak. But by the Second Game, He would be powerful enough to hunt down the Antagonist so me without breaking a sweat.
You guys can't imagine how many times I've thought about killing Jayden and Milleia just to be safe. It would be easy. Cold-blooded, sure, but easy.
But I held back.
They need to be alive. For my sake. For the world's sake.
So I act like a normal guy. I play the friend. But deep down, it was all performance. Can you ever really be friends with people when you know their entire existence is just code and script written by a bored developer?
As for Miranda, Aurora, and Elona… they already hate me. That's actually easier. I don't have to pretend with them. I can just be the villain they expect.
"Thanks, guys," I said to both of them. "But as long as I can be myself with you two and Mary, that's enough for me."
The only people I felt genuinely close to were Aunt Belle, Mary, Cleenah, and Jarvis. They knew my secret. They knew me.
Strange as it sounds, the nightmares of being the 'Game Edward'—watching myself kill people through his eyes had started to fade. I suspected Cleenah was doing something to help clear my mind, even if she wouldn't admit it.
[
"I'm going to watch Milleia's and Alfred's meeting from afar."
[
"Yeah. The timing should be perfect."
I hadn't sent Jayden and Milleia off randomly.
In the game, they get lost looking for their classroom. And while they're wandering around, they stumble into a little… situation.
I took a different route, cutting through the connecting corridors to reach the [Dragon Class] area.
I ran.
Since the ceremony had just ended, the halls were mostly empty. I moved fast, my footsteps echoing on the marble.
Ten minutes. They should be there by now.
***
The first-year building was massive, with classrooms scattered in every corner. Most held about seventy students. But four rooms stood out, huge, tiered auditoriums designed for the main houses.
Phoenix. Dragon. Basilisk. Pegasus.
There wasn't a strict hierarchy between the classes, students were distributed equally to balance strength and talent. It was designed to foster competition.
On the eastern side of the building lay the auditorium for the [Dragon Class]. The double doors, engraved with a roaring dragon, were currently closed.
Inside, however, the class had already found its leader.
Not by vote. By sheer presence.
Alfred Owen Celesta.
The Crown Prince stood in the center of a group of students, arms crossed, radiating natural authority. His golden hair and sapphire eyes mirrored his sister's beauty, but his features were sharper, more masculine.
He was currently the center of attention for every girl in the room.
Flanking him were his two closest friends and allies. One had green hair and eyes. The other had darker, forest-green hair and striking tangerine eyes, a trait that instantly gave away his identity to anyone paying attention.
The trio spoke in low, serious tones, while their classmates buzzed around them.
For the guys, the main topic was, predictably, the hottest girls in the year.
For the girls, the conversation was split.
Topic number two was Alfred. Under normal circumstances, the Prince would be undisputed number one.
But today, there was a hotter topic.
A certain grey-haired boy with amber eyes.
Edward Falkrona.
It was hard not to notice him. The unique hair color of the Falkrona line combined with his foreign, amber eyes made him stand out instantly.
But it wasn't just his looks. It was the change.
Edward used to be chubby. He rarely left his mansion, and when he did, he was usually buried in layers of expensive clothes that hid his frame.
Now however...
He'd lost the weight. His features were sharp, blending delicate beauty with a cold, aristocratic edge. If not for the grey hair, he could have passed for a foreigner. He looked… incredible.
The girls were excitedly comparing Alfred and Edward.
Alfred was the dream prince.
Edward was the dangerous, scandalous bad boy.
And right now, the bad boy was winning the gossip war.
"What do you think, Thomas? Loid?"
Alfred asked his companions, ignoring the whispers around him.