Chapter 112 The Villain And The Villainess

"Oh~~isn't that dear Edward?" Layla's voice rang behind me just when I planned to escape.

"Go ahead, I will join you later." I said to Milleia and Lyra.

Lyra didn't even nod to me and left.

She must hate me to the core or maybe her mind is elsewhere?

"Y-Yes. Lady Layla." Milleia greeted Layla before leaving with Lyra.

"Surrounded by two beautiful girls? You must be hated by every man, dear Edward." Layla giggled.

"What's up Villainess? I thought you would be more upset though?" I retorted with a smile.

"Not all Eddy."

Who is Eddy?!

"I'm progressing a lot and I can state confidently that His Highness will fall soon for me." Layla puffed out her chest.

That blazer uniform was really enhancing her assets a lot if I may say.

"Hey! Where are you looking?!" Layla let out a high pitched voice and covered her breasts with a 'scared' expression. "M-My body only belongs to His Highness! Only he can feast on my bod-"

"I don't want any more details!" I stopped Layla from further getting into details.

My reputation was slowly changing in a good way and I didn't want her joking words to spread in the Academy.

Speaking of her uniform…

"Hey, I already told you to change to the other pinafore uniform, right? Why did you not?"

"Why should I?" Layla tilted her head. "His Highness needs to see my-"

"He doesn't need to see anything!" I cut her off before she speaks again indecent words. "Listen." I took a deep breath and continued. "Alfred likes innocent and reserved girls so if you put on that uniform which will hide your body well, and act like before innocently, he will be without doubt charmed. You look better with the pinafore uniform, believe me and I'm sure Alfred will think the same."

"Hm? What about your girlfriend, Milleia? She is wearing the same uniform and His Highness is…"

Layla's red eyes started to show a dangerous gleam so I quickly spoke. "Milleia is apart. She doesn't need to add something that is etched to her."

With Seraphina and Maria, Milleia was among the pure girls. Maybe Alfred would have liked Seraphina or Maria if they had met before and the latter were older?

Wait.

"Anyway, how many times do I have to repeat it? Milleia ain't my girlfriend. Don't say that in front of her, Layla." I said for the umpteenth time to Layla that I wasn't Milleia's lover but the latter kept repeating it, probably to irritate me. She is smart enough to understand others' feelings so she was doing it only to annoy me.

"Of course!" Layla nodded but that amused of her smile wasn't convincing at all.

"Whatever. When are you going to tell me about the guys with strange behavior you noticed?" I shifted the topic.

"I told you that I would only if you won against Ronny though?" Layla said with her finger on her chin.

"Yeah, yeah but you were there right. You know that assh*le of Loid intervened otherwise I would have won." I scoffed and continued. "Moreover over the course of two months, I helped you a lot with Alfred, tell me as a compensation for having to deal with both of you."

"Hmmmm." Layla, seemingly weighing the pros and cons, fell in thoughts.

Was that hard for you?!

"Fine. I will tell you," she finally replied.

"Then?" I crossed my arms and waited for the names.

Until now, I tried to find the identity of the person who sent me that message but I couldn't really be certain. Layla's view on that might help me.

"The first one coming to my mind would be Eric," Layla said.

"Eric?"

Eric Scarlett was a [Pretender] and was the son of Duke Scarlett.

He was also in my list of suspects since his behavior was strange compared to the one I witnessed in the game. I mean he was a pretender but until now he approached none of the Heroines but as I didn't play all the scenarios possible, I wasn't sure.

"Yeah, next?"

"The next…" Layla thought again before speaking. "Louisa? I feel like she is acting strangely recently."

"Yeah, right." I nodded.

Louisa was also in my short list because of her strange behavior during and after my fight against Ronald.

I don't know…the Louisa I knew was really a model of a student. Even if Ronald was her younger brother...the Louisa I had seen in the Game would have definitely intervened. At first, I thought it was because she loved her brother but no. Anyway, it was just an assumption.

"That's all?" I asked Layla who was silent.

"No," Layla shook her head and sighed. "The last one would…"

Layla didn't finish her words creating suspense.

"My brother."

"Huh?"

Layla nodded to herself and repeated. "My brother, John."

"John? John Tarmias?" I asked again since I couldn't believe it.

"Indeed." Layla confirmed and there was not a hint of joking in her tone.

"Wait…John? I don't see anything wrong with him though? He is as usual stalking you and threatening all the men talking to you, right?" I was puzzled as until now I was sure it wasn't John.

Layla's smile widened charmingly when I spoke. "I know…but I know my brother and something is amiss, you see. He is like even more protective of me now…"

"Even more protective?" I frowned at her words.

"Yes! I told him that I wanted to ask His Highness out on a date and he said that he wanted to 'meet' His Highness and left." Layla said and sighed. "Thankfully I reached His Highness before him."

You bet you are thankful!

I didn't want to imagine what that creepy sis-con brother would have done to Alfred!

"There is nothing wrong with that Villainess. Your creepy brother is just-"

Before I could finish, Layla grabbed my shirt and pulled me closer. "Is that me or…" She whispered near my ear. "Did you become more handsome, Edward?"

"S-Stop that!" I immediately stepped back with burning ears.

That girl is really the personification of a succubus!

[<You became her teasing bag.>]

Shaddap!

"Stop what, Edward?" Layla tilted her head cutely, making her black wavy hair fall sideways.

Look at her acting innocent now…

"You are really a Villainess," I scoffed. "Don't forget my instructions to seduce the idiot prince." I added and turned away.

"!"

But I soon stopped as I met a pair of piercing red eyes.

It was John Tarmias.

I have never talked to him since the start of the year and even before we wouldn't really talk with each other because of John's cold personality and immeasurable love for his sister and distrust toward the others.

"..."

"..."

He was staring at me wordless so I stared at him as well.

"If Layla is the Villainess, what are you then? Edward Falkrona," John asked without even moving an eyelid.

I smiled at his words. "Isn't that obvious, John? I'm the Villain of course."

"..."

John didn't react at my words and walked past me.

"Layla."

"Brother? What is it?" Layla asked, amused by our calm altercation.

"Where is Alfred? I have to talk to him."

Do you really want to just talk to him though?

"Brother! I already told you to leave His Highness A-AAAAlfred alone! He is my future husband and thus your brother-in-law!" As expected Layla stuttered when she spoke about Alfred.

"Alfred is not good for you, Layla and I just want to talk to him."

No one is believing you John.

"Hmpf! He left for the fourth building." Layla lied without batting an eye.

John, as always blind when it comes to his younger sister, nodded and left without even doubting his sister's words.

"He is really lucky to have you as a sister," I said.

"Indeed, Mr. Villain," Layla giggled.

Did I just shoot a bullet in the foot by saying 'Villain'? Don't tell me she found another nickname for me?

"..."

I chose to keep silent, keeping my expression from twitching and turned around to leave but just at that moment-

"Brother!"

"Wow!" Something flashed in grey and hugged me tightly.

I already knew who it was. "Elona, what the heck was that?"

Elona looked. "I'm just hugging my big brother."

"Did you regress as well?"

"I did not!"

"Oh~Since when did the Falkrona siblings become this close?" Layla put her hand over her mouth exaggeratedly.

"Layla?" Elona, still hugging me, tilted her head to see Layla behind me.

"How are you, Elona? It's a pleasure to see you smiling brightly again with Eddy."

"I'm fine Layla! But who is Eddy?" Elona asked curiously.

"It's nobody," I replied quickly and forcefully tore away Elona from me before glaring at Layla.

Layla, without minding my glare, tried to look for someone. "Where is the last sibling?"

"Simon? He is with Lyra and Milleia." Elona replied.

"What is he doing again?" I took the right corner and indeed saw Simon speaking to Lyra. It was like they were in an argument?

Milleia tried to talk but both Lyra and Simon said something to Milleia and the latter slumped her shoulders before heading toward us!

Shit!

I hid back behind the corner and saw Layla and Elona who were also peeking and spying on them!

"Hya! E-Edward?" Milleia let out a cute cry when she met me just when she turned on the corner. "Lady Layla and Elona? What are you doing?"

I quickly took the lead. "Nothing, just talking about the exams."

"We were spying on Lyra and Simon, Milleia!"

"Indeed."

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