Chapter 29
Chapter 29
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Plan (3)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
'It's been a while.'
The face of the new recruit Lucy was introducing looked familiar to me.
I'd killed this demon countless times in the game.
Felix.
The insane demon who'd fallen head over heels for Lucy at first sight and snuck into Victoria Academy.
You might think he's some pure-hearted romantic surprisingly enough, but this bastard's goal isn't love—it's rape and murder. He's a hopeless piece of trash obsessed with violating Lucy and killing her.
I'd initially planned to take him out as quickly as possible, but then a better idea hit me.
'I'll use this bastard in my strategy.'
In the game, the moment Lucy gets kidnapped is a bad end.
There was no event to rescue her once she was in danger.
The protagonist's only option was to expose Felix as a demon before the incident happened—right around when Lucy had gotten somewhat close to him.
But this is reality now, and I can control the flow of events sufficiently.
"Oh, right! I was gonna ask your opinion since we're recruiting him as a new member. What do you think? He seems nice, doesn't he?"
Seeing Lucy's bright face, it looked like they weren't total strangers—they seemed to have gotten somewhat friendly already.
Perfect. That makes things even easier.
Time for the bad boy Lee Ho-yeon that Lucy likes to make his entrance.
"Nah, pass."
The clubroom fell silent the moment I locked eyes with Felix, smiled, and dropped those words.
Lucy and Lumi especially blinked in confusion, clearly caught off guard by my sudden outburst and unsure how to react.
I followed up with a serious expression.
"You look like you're after Lucy or Lumi. Get lost while I'm being nice."
Lucy and Lumi might not have noticed, but I'd been watching Felix without looking away since he entered the clubroom.
Felix's expression stiffened for a brief moment at my words before returning to normal.
'How's he gonna play this?'
Felix hesitated for a bit, then shot to his feet and said,
"S-Sorry... I didn't know you'd hate it this much. I was waiting around without a clue... I'll head out now!"
Crash!
Felix bolted out of the clubroom with a huge racket.
I watched the whole scene impassively.
'He sure can act.'
Running off with tears welling up in his eyes—it was the picture of someone genuinely hurt.
Anyone who didn't know better would totally fall for that performance.
"What the hell was that?!"
Just like Lucy right now.
Lucy had watched the situation unfold quietly, but once Felix stormed out, she snapped back to reality and laid into me.
"Why'd you do that? Do you really think that kid was targeting us? Even if you hated him, you could've said it nicely. Why..."
Lucy poured out words like she just couldn't comprehend it.
Well, objectively speaking, I did look like the asshole chasing away an innocent kid.
Even accounting for that, though, Lucy's reaction was way more intense than I'd expected.
I glanced around the room.
My Mana Sensitivity was reacting.
There was a spot pulsing with alien mana.
A vase on the desk.
Filthy, depraved demon mana was leaking from it.
'He must've cast some weak spell on it.'
Anything stronger and even Lucy or Lumi might sense it, so he'd gone with something subtle to stir up emotions.
At their level, they wouldn't detect magic that minor.
But yanking the vase out of there suddenly would look suspicious, and honestly, the more Lucy got pissed at me and picked a fight, the better for my plan.
I decided to ignore it and continued naturally.
"What are you talking about? Can't you tell just by looking? He's obviously after you or Lumi."
I couldn't let the demon get the upper hand, so I put everything into acting frustrated.
"You're the one... Ugh, don't tell me that's it? Worried some other guy joining the club might mess up your game?"
"...?"
What the hell kind of nonsense is that?
I didn't know the details, but Felix had clearly laid some solid groundwork.
In the original story, he'd spread rumors, lie about getting hit, and badmouth the protagonist in all sorts of ways.
This time, he'd spread word that I was a playboy or something?
...Sharp eyes on this one.
"No clue what weird crap you're spouting. I just chased off a creepy perv."
"You, seriously to the end...! Lumi, you think so too?"
"Uh, umm?"
"I'm asking if you think Felix was a perv too."
"Hmm, well...?"
Lumi rolled her eyes slightly and glanced my way.
I got a bad vibe. Continuing this chat was risky.
Lumi's affection was sky-high right now.
If she sided with me here, it'd ruin the setup I'd carefully built.
I made a snap decision and cut in before Lumi could speak.
"Ugh, I'm doing this for you guys, and this is how you react? Kinda hurt."
"What? Hurt? You think you're in any position to say that? No one joins the club because of you, and now even the one decent kid who showed up..."
"Whatever. I'm out."
I grabbed my stuff, acting as pissed off as possible, slammed the clubroom door open, and stormed out.
Lucy was yelling something behind me, but I ignored it and kept walking.
But what was that about no one joining because of me?
More investigating to do. My head was throbbing.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ "Haa, that was exhausting."
Acting like a bad boy is tough work.
Still, things were going according to plan.
The core was Lucy getting kidnapped by Felix, and me swooping in to save her at that moment.
But the details had to be perfect.
A scenario where neither Lucy nor I suspected Felix, so we both got caught off guard when he kidnapped her and I came to rescue her...
Versus one where I suspected him, but Lucy took his side, we fought, and I still came to save her anyway—that was worlds apart.
"This that suspension bridge effect or whatever, right?"
Suspension bridge or not, it was about time for Lumi to message me...
💬 MESSAGE 💬 Lumi Ho-yeon... Lucy's causing a huge fuss about kicking you out of the club and bringing Felix in... Please come quick and make up. ㅠㅠ (crying cat emoticon) Me Calm down. For now, side with Lucy and wait it out. Lumi ...Is that okay? Me Yeah. I've got a plan, so it'll be fine. Lucy's reaction was right on script. Same for Lumi.
She couldn't actually kick me out anyway.
Before heading to the dorms, I'd checked with the central club office about any issues with ours, and that student council president prick had messed with us again.
We weren't even on the club list, and our EveryDay promo post was missing.
That bastard—Soo-rin noona said she'd cut him loose, so why's he still around?
Whatever, I'd deal with that later.
For now, I'd created the conflict with Lucy. Next up: meet Felix.
I had to sync with him to know when he'd make his move.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ The next morning.
Today was Friday. Just theory classes in the morning, then the afternoon off.
My morning routine was second nature now.
I woke to the unpleasant morning sunlight.
I showered before bed, so I just quickly washed my hair and face.
Grabbed the cadet uniform from the hanger.
📦 ITEM: HANGER 📦 ▶ Grade: Low ▶ Description: Embedded with a processed magic stone infused with Clean magic. ▶ Effect: Hanging clothes on it automatically cleans them. This stupidly fancy hanger handled ironing, laundry, and dust removal just by hanging stuff up.
I slipped on the crisp cadet uniform and left the dorm.
Had to wrap up theory class quick and head to B-Class. Felix was in B-Class.
Didn't run into Kim Young-han on the way, so I entered A-Class alone.
Lucy and Lumi should've been in our usual seats...
'They're not here?'
Looking around, I spotted them in the corner of the classroom, the only two seats left.
This was expected, so no helping it.
Sucks not sitting with the cute girls for class, but as a backup, I found Kim Young-han and plopped down next to him.
"Morning."
"Oh? Morning. Not with Lucy and Lumi?"
"No rule saying we have to sit together every day. We just did it sometimes."
"You two fought, huh?"
This blond delinquent punk. Sharp when it doesn't matter.
"Lucy's the prideful type, so go apologize first. She'll forgive you quick. Start getting prideful with her kind, and it'll never end."
What was this, actually good advice?
"Thanks for the tip."
Coming from an insider like him, it had to be spot on.
Which meant doing the opposite would make things worse with Lucy.
Lucy was chatting with a friend nearby, and when she sensed my gaze, she looked over.
Hmph.
'Her lips definitely mouthed 'hmph'...'.
She turned away obviously, so she was annoyed, but not terribly so.
Apologizing would smooth it over easily.
Advice checks out.
But that wasn't enough. She needed to be properly mad at me.
That way, the rescue would hit even harder emotionally, right?
Well, once I tracked down Felix, it'd probably rile her up more.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ After class ended.
I headed straight to B-Class without sparing Lucy or Lumi a glance.
B-Class was just wrapping up too—students tidying up.
I approached the petite platinum blond boy who stood out.
"Hey. Felix."
"...?"
"Come with me for a sec."
"Wh-Why? I don't have anything to say..."
Felix deliberately raised his voice to draw eyes.
A few people looked our way at the noise.
Smart bastard.
'But this is what I wanted too.'
The more witnesses, the faster word would reach Lucy. Even better if it sounded like I dragged him off by force.
That'd make her side with Felix and hate me more.
For now, I needed to get him alone, so I leaned in close to his ear quietly.
"I know you're a demon. Come on, or I'll expose you right here."
"...!"
Felix's eyes went wide.
"Not planning to spread it around. Don't overthink—just follow quietly."
Felix clamped his mouth shut, face set like it was all over if he was busted anyway, and stood.
I smiled quietly and left the classroom.
The walkway behind the first-year classroom building.
No one around right now.
I slipped off the path into the bushes alongside.
Rustle rustle.
Felix following behind.
I stopped in a clearing with some width and turned.
"What's your angle...?"
Felix eyed his surroundings warily as he spoke to me.
Makes sense he'd be rattled. Me knowing he was a demon and still trying to talk one-on-one like this.
"Whoa, easy. Relax."
I channeled mana from my hand.
Not pure, clean mana—but filthy, depraved demon-style mana control.
After seeing the spell on that water bottle in the clubroom once, it was easy to mimic.
Destructive, impulsive mana flow. Perfect for a demon.
"No way... You're one too?"
"Yeah, more like, Lucy was my target first, and you butted in."
"...But I won't yield Lucy no matter what."
Felix bristled with hostility, drawing up his magic power.
This prick thinks he's some knight guarding a princess.
"Whoa, calm down. Not here to fight. Just got one favor to ask."
"...What favor?"
At "favor," Felix eased off his magic power.
"I'm saying I'll help with your plan. In return, second pick is fine by me. Deal? Let's play nice."
I hadn't planned to lie about being a demon originally, but this felt like the better play.
He had to out himself as one to cooperate on the kidnapping, and a human suggesting that would be too suspicious.
Trash understands trash.
Felix mulled over my words.
Weighing if accepting me was better or killing me here.
"You were gonna enjoy her and bolt anyway, right? I'll keep watch while you do, buy you time to escape after. No downside for you."
"Sounds good if I take your word. But how do I trust you? No guarantee you won't betray me."
"Then handle me after. Not confident?"
"Hmph..."
Honestly, facing him one-on-one surprised me a bit.
This bastard was way stronger than in the original game.
I had no idea what changes happened, but a straight fight might not go my way.
"Fine. I can toss you the leftovers after I'm done."
Luckily, that power gap worked in my favor—he accepted.
"I'll judge the timing and execute at the optimal moment. I'll give you the comms link—use that to find the spot."
Thud.
A round orb-like magic tool dropped at my feet.
"Catch you later."
Felix scanned around and headed back to the walkway.
Left alone, I pocketed the tool and tamped down my anger.
Pretending to be a fellow demon had lowered his guard a ton—he even gave me this communicator.
Things were going smoothly. But...
The way Felix called Lucy "plaything."
He hadn't even done anything—just words—and I was this pissed. What the hell.
Anyone'd think I was already dating her.
Whatever. Pathetic's my charm.
"You piece of shit. I'll kill you myself."
I had to figure out how to off Felix over the weekend.