I Am The Game's Villain

After parting ways with James, Raven, and Bryelle, I made my way straight toward the Tower.

What a long, exhausting day.

Sure, war had built up my resilience—both mental and physical—but I wasn’t some kind of masochist. The sooner this whole conflict ended, the better.

By the time I reached the Utopian Tower, night had already draped the city in darkness. The streets were quieter, the usual hustle subdued by the weight of the ongoing war. But as I stepped inside the grand structure, the atmosphere was anything but calm.

Knights and nobles alike were dashing back and forth in a frenzied panic, their armor clanking against the marble floors, their hurried footsteps echoing through the vast hallways. Others stood frozen in place, their faces pale with shock.

A sudden unease settled in my chest.

Don’t tell me something happened to Alvara?

Without wasting another second, I reached out and grabbed a knight mid-sprint, gripping his arm to stop him. His face was flustered, beads of sweat forming at his temple as he turned to me.

"What’s going on?" I asked.

The knight froze, as if only now realizing who I was. "L–Lady Loki!" He stuttered."We just received urgent news from Central Vedelia!"

I frowned. "Huh?"

Central Vedelia?

A chilling thought struck me.

Don’t tell me Bakarel reached the Holy Tree?!

If that bastard had managed to get his hands on it, we were screwed. Completely, utterly doomed.

The knight’s next words, however, were the last thing I expected to hear.

"King Bakarel has been defeated!"

My grip on his arm slackened as my eyes widened.

"…What?"

Bakarel—the Dark Elf King, the walking tank—was defeated?

"How?" I asked, my curiosity overpowering my initial shock. That monster was a force to be reckoned with. There weren’t many beings in this world capable of taking him down.

The knight clenched his fists in anger. "It was the Apostle of Nihil! He appeared and struck down King Bakarel!"

For a moment, I simply stared at him.

Then, slowly, a smirk curled at my lips.

"So Victor finally became the Apostle of Nihil, huh?" I mumbled under my breath.

It all made sense now. Victor was always meant for that role. It was as if fate itself had carved out the perfect path for him. Now that he had fully ascended, he had likely reached an entirely different level of power.

I let out a quiet chuckle.

This changes everything.

With Bakarel gone, the Holy Tree was safe—at least for now.

And with both Elashor and Bakarel out of the picture, that left only Durathiel.

The last remaining pillar of Utopia’s resistance.

If I took him down, the war would be over. Utopia would crumble, and there would be no choice but to accept the inevitable.

The thought sent a rush of exhilaration through me.

Still smirking, I released the knight and turned toward the elevator. As the doors slid open, I stepped inside and pressed the button for Alvara’s floor.

As soon as the elevator doors slid open, I stepped onto Alvara’s floor and made my way toward her room. Two guards stood stationed outside—ones I recognized from before.

The moment they saw me, they wordlessly stepped aside, granting me entry.

Not wasting a second, I slipped inside and shut the door behind me.

The silence that greeted me felt…strange.

I frowned slightly, my steps quiet as I advanced further into the room.

Don’t tell me that bastard recovered already…

The first thought that came to mind was Lykhor. If he had regained his strength and the first thing he did was harass Alvara again—

Tch.

I peeked inside cautiously, only for a wave of relief to wash over me. Lykhor was nowhere in sight.

Instead, Alvara sat on her bed, completely absorbed in something. So much so that she hadn’t even noticed my entrance.

My gaze lowered, following the delicate movement of her fingers.

The umbrella.

The one I had made. It rested on her lap, her fingertips lightly tracing its patterns.

She was smiling.

Not the usual cold, mocking smirk she wore in front of others. Not the calculated, or cold expression of a woman constantly on guard.

No.

This smile was different.

Soft. Quiet. Genuine.

For a brief moment, I found myself mesmerized.

It was… beautiful.

Easily one of the most breathtaking smiles I had ever seen. It made her seem so human, so alive—and so elf-like

She should smile like this more often.

But barging in now would be awkward.

So, instead, I lightly tapped my knuckles against the wall, just loud enough to make my presence known.

"...!"

Alvara reacted instantly, startled. In a flash, she threw the umbrella onto the floor and flopped backward onto the bed, feigning indifference.

Oi. @@novelbin@@

If she knew I had seen that moment, she’d probably kill me out of sheer embarrassment.

Letting the moment pass, I finally stepped forward.

"I found Bryelle," I said.

Alvara’s eyes widened as she immediately sat up. "Where is she?"

"She’s safe. We’re leaving right now," I told her. "Get ready."

Alvara hesitated for a brief second before narrowing her eyes. "Where?"

She wasn’t wrong to be skeptical. The Utopian Tower was crawling with guards. Surveillance was everywhere—except in Alvara’s quarters—but that wouldn’t make our escape any less difficult. Everyone knew who she was. Slipping past them unnoticed was going to be a challenge.

"Elyen Kiora," I answered. "Your sister is there as well. Once we get there, I’ll save my mother first. Then, we’ll join Bryelle, and you’ll escape on a boat I’ve already prepared."

For a moment, her expression softened.

Just slightly.

The relief was there—it flickered across her face, too quick for most to catch—but I saw it.

She quickly masked it, though, trying to appear as composed and unshaken as ever.

But at this point, it was useless.

She had already shown me her vulnerabilities. Her fragile moments. The cracks beneath the hardened exterior.

She could pretend all she wanted, but I had already seen enough of her…

Whatever.

"You should get ready," I said, shifting my gaze to the umbrella still lying on the floor. "If you don’t want it, I’ll take it—"

"No."

She cut me off before I could even finish.

I raised an eyebrow. Explore more stories with NovelBin.Côm

"I might as well use it as a weapon," she said, feigning nonchalance.

Oh? So that’s the excuse she’s going with?

Instead of just admitting she liked it, she’d rather make up some ridiculous justification. Classic.

"Sure..." I smirked, shaking my head before turning around and leaving her to prepare.

I closed the door behind me and made my way to the living room, settling onto one of the chairs as I mulled over our escape.

James’ disguise pendant was an option. It could alter appearances, but that alone wouldn’t be enough. The problem wasn’t just the guards standing outside her room—it was the entire damn security system.

Guards switched shifts regularly. If we took them out, their absence would be noticed before long. Even if they weren’t, the cameras in the corridors would eventually catch us.

Alvara’s quarters were definitely being monitored. They wouldn’t risk her slipping away unnoticed.

My gaze shifted toward the windows.

Maybe there’s another way…

Jumping down wasn’t an option. We were on the highest floor, and I wasn’t about to test my luck with gravity. But that didn’t mean there weren’t alternatives.

I started forming a plan.

And then… she took forever.

Ten minutes passed.

Still no sign of her.

Frowning, I leaned against the door and pressed my ear against it.

The faint sound of running water reached me.

I pulled back, my expression twitching.

She’s… taking a shower?

Does she think she’s getting ready for a party?!

Suppressing a groan, I resigned myself to waiting.

Ten more minutes dragged on before she finally emerged, fresh from her bath, her damp hair cascading over her shoulders. She had changed into a clean dress, and the subtle scent of soap and shampoo clung to her.

She smelled…good.

Not that I’d ever admit that.

Without a word, I tossed James’ pendant to her. "Here. Wear that."

Alvara caught it, immediately recognizing what it was. She slipped it over her head, and in seconds, her appearance shifted.

Her vibrant green hair dulled into a blonde, while her eyes became a deep shade of green. Her facial structure, however, remained almost the same.

I frowned.

Was it because the pendant was originally meant for James? Or maybe it just wasn’t strong enough to completely alter someone’s features?

Bryelle’s pendant seemed better.

Whatever.

Without wasting time, I walked back into her room, closing the door behind me. Then, I moved the bed, pushing it up against the door.

If the guards checked in, they wouldn’t immediately panic. They’d probably assume she was asleep and I was with her.

And that small delay was all we needed.

I strode toward the window, pressing my palm against the glass.

It was reinforced—heavily.

More than ten layers of mana circles protected it, ensuring that even the strongest spells wouldn’t be able to shatter it. The barrier was designed to prevent both escape and infiltration.

But I had Wrath.

Closing my eyes, I focused, channeling Wrath. A familiar heat surged through my veins as Wrath awakened, flooding me with raw destructive energy.

A sharp, draining sensation struck me immediately.

"Ugh..." I exhaled through gritted teeth. My stamina was depleting fast—much faster than I had anticipated. Even with Wrath, breaking through this level of protection wasn’t easy.

Well, I supposed there was a reason Utopia’s tower had never been breached before.

But slowly… cracks began to form.

Alvara’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She had likely tried to break the window before her mana was sealed, but to no avail. Now, she was watching something she had thought impossible happen before her very eyes.

After nearly a minute of concentrated effort, the barrier finally shattered.

With a light punch, I widened the cracks just enough for us to slip through.

"Stay close," I said before moving first.

I slipped out through the opening, my fingers gripping the frame as I dangled in open air, hundreds of meters above the ground.

One wrong move, and I was dead.

Ignoring the sheer drop below, I reached for the window on the floor beneath us.

Hanging in midair, I once again activated Wrath, pressing my palm against the glass.

This was even riskier than before. My entire body weight depended on my grip, and my stamina was already draining at an alarming rate.

But I had no choice.

After a few excruciating seconds, the cracks finally formed.

I kicked down and lunged through.

The moment I landed inside, I swept my gaze across the dimly lit room.

It was a bedroom. Occupied—but currently empty.

Perfect.

Peeking out, I glanced up at Alvara. "It’s safe."

She hesitated only for a moment before mirroring my movements, slipping out of the upper window and preparing to drop down.

But unlike me… she was wearing a dress.

The moment she stepped forward, her foot got caught on the fabric.

She lost her balance.

And she dragged me down with her.

—Thud!

"Ugh!" I groaned as the back of my head collided with the bedframe.

Alvara landed on top of me, her body pressing dangerously close.

And that was when I noticed it.

The scent.

It wasn’t just the lingering fragrance of soap and shampoo—it was… her.

Her warmth. Her presence. The faint trace of something uniquely Alvara.

"…!"

Alvara stiffened, her entire body tensing before she scrambled to her feet, quickly smoothing down her dress in an attempt to regain her composure.

I let out a pained groan as I sat up, rubbing the sore spot on my head. "How about a ’sorry’?"

She shot me a cold stare in answer.

"Let’s go. Bryelle is waiting."

I sighed. "I said my mother comes first," I reminded her as I followed her toward the door.

Without another word, we exited the room—casually.

Because of Alvara’s disguise, no one recognized her.

And since we had emerged from a completely different floor, no one suspected a thing.

We reached the elevator, stepping in as the doors closed smoothly behind us.

By the time we exited the tower, I couldn’t help but smirk.

Damn.

I might just be a genius.