I Enrolled as the Villain

"…This house doesn't forgive twice."

Silence.

Is she threatening me?

Right now?

She's the strongest figure in this house.

Should I apologize? No what do I even say? Damn it…

Kael straightened, keeping his voice even:

"This eye doesn't forget either, Evara.

Destruction or not… it sees everything."

He paused just long enough to let it land.

"And forgiveness isn't something I came back for."

I let the silence settle in the car.

Neither of them spoke as the city passed by glass towers, moving walkways, and distant sky-rails humming overhead.

Then, as they neared the construction site, something shifted.

Without a word, Evara suddenly stood.

And vanished.

"…What—?"

I blinked, glancing toward the window.

Outside, i caught a glimpse of her coat flaring behind her as she moved ahead, leaping off the ground and landing atop a half-finished support beam.

She was already scanning the perimeter.

Making sure there were no threats.

—

After completing her sweep, Evara pulled out her wristwatch and tapped it once.

Immediately, the car slowed to a stop at the entrance of the construction site.

Waiting there was a line of people the lead engineer, a few site managers, and several workers in uniform, standing stiffly in formation.

Evara stood at the center, arms crossed once again, gaze sharp.

High above, a handful of drones hovered in silence, red lights blinking media reporters ready to broadcast whatever speech or moment came next.

I sighed under my breath.

"…This again."

I let myself breathe for a few seconds.

I didn't expect this much attention just for visiting a construction site.

How do presidents usually act in these situations…?

Right. Walk confidently. Nod at everything. Pretend I know what I'm looking at.

I adjusted my collar and tried to look composed like someone who wasn't debating whether to fake a cough and go home.

"…Okay. Just nod. That's all."

The car door opened.

I stepped out like I'd done this a hundred times.

Which, of course, I hadn't.

A line of engineers, foremen, and suited officials stood at attention near the construction entrance. Reporters hovered nearby, drones buzzing overhead like flies drawn to status.

Evara stood at the front, arms folded. Her coat barely fluttered despite the wind.

She gave me a nod and stepped aside, letting me take the center.

I nodded back.

Then nodded again.

A little too many nods.

Stop nodding.

Someone clapped.

Others joined in.

I cleared my throat and walked forward, scanning the half-built structure. Steel beams, scaffolding, dust. I had no idea what I was supposed to be looking at, so I squinted like I saw something important.

"Mm," I muttered, pointing vaguely at a beam. "Reinforcement looks,solid."

The engineer next to me blinked. "Yes, my lord. It's a support column."

—

As they led me deeper into the construction site, one of the engineers a tall man with neatly combed hair and an eagerness walked beside me, gesturing toward the structure ahead.

"And here, my lord, we have the completed classroom wing. Designed with sleek, modern layouts intuitive spacing, seamless holographic integration, ergonomic chairs, and natural light filters. It's built for comfort and focus. Ideal for Valery's future minds."

I peered through the glass panel of one of the finished rooms.

It did look impressive like a small lecture hall ripped from a high-budget university. Polished chrome, white matte surfaces, and floating interface desks lined in perfect symmetry.

"Hm. I see," I said, nodding. "That's… good."

Good? That's the best I could come up with?

The engineer beamed anyway, like I'd given him a royal blessing.

We moved on.

Next, they opened the sliding door to a reinforced chamber, humming faintly. Inside were rows of glossy black pods, each lit with soft blue strips. Some were still being calibrated, with technicians hunched over screens.

"And this, my lord," the engineer continued, "is our most expensive investment the SimChamber. A full suite of cognitive-immersion pods with 99.84% fidelity in virtual rendering. We've matched it to the Tier-1 and Tier-2 simulation standards of the academy you'll be attending."

He said that last part with pride, clearly expecting praise.

I stepped inside, eyes scanning the pods.

Faint memories stirred hazy images of Kael's academy days. He'd seen these before. Fought inside them. Failed exams inside them.

I nodded again, slowly this time.

"Interesting. I can see some resemblance to the ones at the academy," I said. "That's a good sign."

Behind me, Evara crossed her arms.

The engineers and journalists looked like they wanted to write my sentence down.

But All I could think was:

Please don't ask me how they work.

—

They led me into a wide room cleaner, quieter where a dozen boys and girls stood in formation, each wearing crisp red uniforms.

They looked about my age.

The lead engineer stepped forward, gesturing proudly toward them.

"Here, my lord, are the first students admitted to the academy. Each has been selected for their exceptional potential Ketsugan and korigan bearers, all of them."

I scanned the line.

Some stood tall, their postures stiff with pride. Others looked nervous, trying to hide their glances in my direction.

They were powerful. Or at least, would be.

And yet…

I stepped forward.

The room shifted.

A subtle tension rippled through the air.

The students held their breath.

The engineers stiffened. Evara's brow twitched not alarmed, just… alert.

And above us, I was sure one of the media drones zoomed in.

I approached the line slowly, then stopped in front of one of the boys tall, dark hair, avoiding my eyes like he didn't want to be seen shaking.

I extended my hand.

He blinked.

The others froze.

Even the cameras went quiet.

Then, hesitantly, the boy took my hand.

A firm shake.

No words. Just contact.

I gave a slight nod, and moved down the line.

As I moved, one student whispered, "He's taller than I thought…" Another muttered, "Don't mess this up." I didn't stop, but I let a faint smirk slip. "I can hear you," I said. A nervous laugh rippled down the line.

The next student a girl this time met my hand without hesitation.

Behind me, I could hear hushed murmurs from the engineers.

One of them whispered,

"He's acknowledging them?"

I didn't say anything.

As I walked past each student, I briefly rested my hand on their shoulders one by one.

Then I reached the last.

A young man with stark white hair.

My eyes faintly glimmered. I paused, glancing at him.

"So your potential tier is… 4," I said softly.

"Path of the Veiled Warden. Your Korigan eye has promise. Keep walking."

A beat of silence followed.

Gasps.

All around me media, staff, and nobles faces turned in shock.

How did I know that?

Gasps echoed through the chamber.

The media murmured. Engineers exchanged uncertain glances. Even Evara's eyes narrowed.

That was impossible without a machine.

The students had only just been scanned. The results weren't public. Not even the council had seen the finalized tier lists.

And yet

He was correct.

Tier 4.

Korigan.

The boy's file confirmed it moments later.

A hush fell over the room, heavier than before. Eyes shifted away from the student, and toward me.

"So that's… the power of the Mythrigan."

I said nothing.

And simply turned and walked on.

As I walked around, touring and inspecting the academy grounds, my eyes caught sight of a large sign.

I stared at the large sign propped against a half-built gate. The letters were freshly carved, bold and proud

"Kael Valery Ultimate Academy for Excellence and Ascension."

"..Are you joking?" I muttered.

Evara didn't blink. "The name was approved last year. You signed the draft."

"I was probably concussed."

"Possibly. But the paperwork was immaculate."

I pinched the bridge of my nose.

"We're renaming this. Immediately."

"The nobles already printed banners."

"Burn them."

Ahead, the sprawling green field stretched wide beneath the open sky. In its center stood a raised platform polished wood gleaming faintly in the sunlight. A lone microphone rose from its surface, waiting silently.

Clusters of students, officials, and engineers gathered nearby. The murmur of voices dulled to a hush as heads turned, all eyes slowly shifting toward me.

I can feel the media drone camera zooming and the news reporters and journalists looking at me attentively

I took a deep breath, feeling every gaze like a current against my skin.

Stepping onto the platform, I straightened, the microphone's cold metal cool against my palm.

"…Right. Uh."

I looked at the people in front of me. Engineers. Security personnel. A few young cadets from the Valery estate, watching with hesitant pride.

"This place," Kael began slowly, "was originally… not in my plans."

A few polite smiles. Someone coughed.

"But when I saw what it could become… I thought it might be worth doing anyway."

I glanced back at the incomplete academy walls steel bones waiting for skin.

"This academy isn't about legacy. It's not even about strength. At least… not just strength."

I paused, then added, quieter:

"It's about not ending up like me."

That one earned a few looks.

"I don't know how to teach. Or build schools. Or give speeches. But I do know what it's like to grow up afraid of the wrong people. And I'm hoping this place makes fewer of those."

Another pause.

He cleared his throat, then stepped back. "That's all."

Silence.

Then, applause. Not thunderous. But steady. Enough.

The applause faded and The speeches ended.

I stepped into the car without a word.

⸻

Far from the construction site, deep within House Valery, Evelyne sat alone in her study.

The hologram feed hovered quietly before her paused on a single frame.

Kael, standing beneath the sunlight, surrounded by students in red.

"The Lord of House Valery made a rare public appearance today," the hologram announcer intoned, voice laced with awe. "Kael Valery bearer of the Mythrigan, shadow of the late Lord of Silence was seen personally inspecting the site of the soon-to be Valery Academy, a gesture already sparking waves across noble and academic circles alike."

The screen flickered through carefully selected clips: Kael stepping from the black car, nodding at engineers, drones circling above.

Then came the real show.

One clip slowed dramatically Kael extending a hand to a student in red uniform, the boy visibly trembling as their palms met.

"In an unprecedented moment," the announcer continued,

"Lord Kael engaged directly with the academy's earliest inductees each bearing powerful ocular gifts. And then this:"

The feed zoomed in.

Kael's voice echoed faintly

"Tier 4. Path of the Veiled Warden. Your Korigan eye has promise. Keep walking."

There was a pause long enough to let the audience feel it.

"Sources confirm the student's classification was accurate," the reporter said. "How Lord Kael knew remains… unexplained."

Then the reporter's voice softened with intrigue:

"But behind the spectacle, a storm may be brewing. Internal sources from the Valery compound report heightened activity within the estate closed-door meetings, movement among key council members, and last-minute schedule changes involving high-level figures."

A dramatic pause.

"While no official statement has been made, some speculate that these shifts may signal an internal power rebalancing though to what end, none can yet say."

Another shot Kael turning away from the crowd.

"One thing is clear: the heir of House Valery is moving again. And where he walks…"

A slow zoom on his Mythrigan eye, half-lidded, gleaming faintly.

"…the world watches."

The final shot: Kael walking down the student line, his black suit trailing like a shadow, eyes half-lidded with calm inevitability.

"House Valery," the announcer whispered, "has awakened."