I Enrolled as the Villain

I sat on the edge of the bed, groggy.

"Didn't I say I'd go back to the academy today…?" I muttered, frowning.

A soft knock came.

"You're awake, Lord Kael," a servant said, stepping inside.

I rubbed the back of my neck. "What time is it?"

"A little past nine."

I blinked, still piecing things together.

The servant cleared their throat.

"Today is a rest day, my lord. Classes resume in three days for Founding Week."

"I see…"

Three days off. Good. That means I don't have to pretend to know how to act around everyone yet.

I let the silence sit for a moment.

Then stared at the folds in the blanket, then around the room clean and organized,

But

It didn't feel like I lived here.

"Oh… so what's your, uh—"

The maid cleaning my room didn't respond.

I cleared my throat and spoke louder.

"So—"

The maid glanced up.

"Yes, Lord Kael?"

"What's your name?"

She paused, barely a beat.

"Elira, my lord."

I nodded. "Right. Elina. Got it."

Silence.

She dipped her head politely.

"Yes, my lord."

I walked past, scratching the back of my neck.

"Weird name," I muttered.

She stood still until kael turned the corner.

Only then did she exhale, slow and quiet, and whisper to no one:

"…It was Elira."

As i walked through the hallway

Another servant come up to me

"Please let us guide you to your breakfast sir kael"

"..Hm..alright then"

When i entered the dining hall, i found a large round table every seat perfectly arranged yet i was the only one present.

"Where is Evelyne?"

"She eat in her room my lord"

"I see..."

The breakfast looked straight out of a comic book a feast fit for twenty, all prepared just for me.

There were also a decoration food that look more like a display than food

So this is what Kael eat everyday

I will have to request to reduce this portion later

As i prepare to eat my breakfast

A maid come up to me

"Good morning lord-"

"Kael"

"Sir Kael, my apologies. Today, I'm here to brief you on your schedule. Would you prefer I explain it now, or send it directly to Vice Lord Evara?"

So even Kael have scheduled huh

"Brief me," I said, chewing.

She raised an eyebrow but continued.

"Then I will begin," she said, her voice professional and unreadable.

"You are expected to review and sign documents regarding the new Public academy being built at the Valery compound."

I blinked. Public academy? I didn't remember authorizing that from Kael memory. Hell, I barely remembered what his own academy looked like.

She continued without pause, "After that, you are scheduled to visit the construction site for inspection accompanied by Vice Lord Evara."

I raised a brow. "That's… a lot."

She bowed slightly. "These matters are usually forwarded to Vice Lord Evara, but since you are awake and present, the staff assumed you might want to resume your responsibilities."

Ah, They expected me to skip it all again.

I leaned back in the chair. Then asked

"…How long has Evara been handling these?"

She hesitated then. "Since the day after your father left this world, my lord."

"I see…I'll go," I said softly. "Tell Evara I'll be there."

She gave a nod tight, professional, but her eyes lingered on me for a moment longer than usual. Like she wasn't sure if this was just another passing whim.

The maid adjusted the tablet in her hands. "One more thing, my lord."

I didn't look up. "Let me guess—more paperwork?"

"No, sir. A meeting. Tonight."

I glanced up.

She continued, careful with her tone now. "The Elder Council has called for an emergency session in the emergency Chamber. All key factions will be present… They expect you to attend."

I set down my fork.

"Why?"

"The heir succession issue," she said, almost in a whisper. "Your request to give up heirship to Evelyne its destabilized the current balance. The council is—"

"Panicking," i finished it for her.

She didn't deny it.

I leaned back, staring at the chandelier above the empty table.

I wasn't ready for the politics and its weight but neither was I willing to hand it off anymore.

"…Tell them I'll be there."

"Yes, my lord."

She bowed and turned to leave.

I picked up the fork, poked half heartedly at the decorated platter in front of me.

"So this is what Kael eat every day, huh?"

No one answered.

As i eat i idly clicked the silver button on the table.

A hologram flickered to life above my plate in midair. Most were reports. Boring. Bureaucratic.I swiped through them lazily.

Then something odd.

A video of a public square.

And in the center, a man stood on a crate — glasses, short hair, sleeves rolled up, shouting.

"I don't have a Ketsugan! I don't have a Lumigan! But you know what I do have?"

He pointed a dramatic finger to the crowd.

"Guts! And a twenty year plan to transition this empire into a constitutional democracy!"

I blinked, chewing slowly. "…What?"

"The Tier System is a lie! A rigged machine for monarchies and nobles! Vote for me Erian Malks your next president!"

The hologram zoomed in on his passionate face.

He was sweating. A lot.

"The empire has too many eyes! Ketsugan! Mythrigan! Lumigan!"

He held up a crude poster with crossed-out eyeballs.

"But what about vision from here?"

(He dramatically tapped his forehead. Then his heart. Then both. No one seemed sure what he meant.)

I stared blankly at the projection.

"…He's definitely going to get himself arrested," I muttered, picking up my spoon.

In the corner of the screen, a tiny caption appeared:

"Erian Malks Independent. Tierless. Disruptor Party. Approval rating: 3.7% (mostly outer sectors and meme forums)."

As i finished my breakfast i stood up a group of servants immediately entered the dinning hall cleaning up and picking up the feast

One of the maid step forward to me and try to clean me up but i backed away and call the head maid that brief me earlier

"Reduce the portion only to me no need for this feast"

"...As you wish"

As i walk through the mansion lost in thought. Maid walks past by me.

Then she Suddenly backflip.

thud

Kael blinked. "Did you just—"

Elira quickly straightened, brushing her skirt. "Stretching, my lord."

"…Right. Of course."

She bowed, expression unreadable, and left.

I scratched my head. "What kind of maid backflips down a hallway…?"

I sighed and looked around. "Aren't I supposed to review some paperwork? Where is it my office?"

A voice answered behind me calm and composed. "It's in the Lord's study, Sir Kael. Allow me to lead you there."

My head turned.

It was her again. The same headmaid that brief me earlier.

a little thrown. "Did you follow me?" I asked

She only dipped her head in response.

My eye glimmered faintly Mythrigan activating without conscious intent.

In that instant, a translucent afterimage shimmered beside me: The headmaid, walking a step behind, soundless as a shadow, her presence woven into the hallway.

"…Huh," I murmured. "That's not unsettling at all."

As I stepped into the office my office the silence hit first.

Spacious and Immaculate.

Luxury dripped from every inch of the room marble inlays, polished wood panels, books arranged by color. Like a showroom for an heir who never really used it.

I walked to the chair behind the desk and sat down.

It didn't feel like mine.

The head maid stepped forward with practiced ease, placing a neat stack of folders on the desk.

"Please review and sign these, Sir Kael," she said, bowing slightly.

I stared at the papers for a second too long.

I flipped through the stack project approvals, budget revisions, internal surveillance logs

Then paused.

A line in sharp black font, stamped with council seal:

Authorization for Elrian Malks Removal

Reason: Direct provocation and public endangerment regarding the Mythrigan and the house names.

Status: Approved. Signed by Elder Council and Vice Lord Evara.

"An assassination?" My voice was low.

The headmaid turned slightly. "Yes, my lord?"

I reached for the disapproval seal, the heavy black one with my crest.

Pressed it against the paper.

"As the current heir," I said, "any attempt that endangers Elrian Mark will be blocked. Swiftly."

A pause.

The headmaid's eyes flicked to the seal, then back to me. She didn't speak. Just nodded slow, unreadable.

Then carefully gathered the document and stepped back.

I changed into the formal attire laid out near the wardrobe deep black with silver trim.

A five-star insignia gleamed on both shoulders polished and impossible to miss. Across the right shoulder looped a golden braid, ceremonial in design, like something borrowed from an old naval officer's uniform.

No medals or ribbons.

And covering my left eye is a thin veil of black fabric

⸻

As I stepped outside the Valery mansion, the estate guards straightened instantly.

They stood in perfect formation, lining both sides of the path. Each soldier wore a sleek grey uniform, paired with tall, rigid hats reminiscent of old parade regiments.

What stood out most were the dark goggles. Designed not for intimidation, but necessity. Every soldier under Valery house bore a unique ocular gift some Ketsugan and other different and the goggles shielded both their vision and others from their gaze.

Ahead, a sleek smooth and futuristic black car waited at the end of the stairs a shadow of modern luxury.

Standing beside it was a tall woman in a fitted grey coat, arms folded. A scar cut down her right eye, clean and brutal.

Vice Lord Evara.

She didn't smile. Didn't salute. She only nodded once.

"My lord."

I gave a short nod back, adjusted the braid on my shoulder, and stepped into the car.

A moment later, the door on my right opened.

Evara stepped in without a word, her presence sharp as ever. She didn't need to speak. She just sat with straight eye.

The door clicked shut behind her.

Silence settled between us

She didn't look at me as she spoke.

"If you weren't the bearer of mythrigan Lord Kael….We would've already replaced you—

..this House doesn't forgive twice."