I'm a Villain in My Own Game?

[Raul PoV]

A few days passed, and the qualifying round for the third-year class had finally wrapped up. Every student had also just finished their year-end exams the day before.

Now, all that remained was the year-end main tournament.

Today, nobles and various military officials would be arriving at the academy to watch the tournament unfold.

If the Emperor wasn't too busy, he'd sometimes show up himself, to see the potential of the academy's younger generation firsthand.

Let me take a moment to analyze and predict which participants stood the best chance of winning this tournament. Honestly, I wasn't entirely confident about winning, given the draft drawing I'd already handed over to Instructor Tevaz earlier.

Not unless I was willing to make full use of my Nature Mana and Profound Codexes, of course.

This tournament involved direct one-on-one duels between students. I could probably beat a hundred opponents if I had free rein to exploit environmental conditions and choose the battlefield myself, the way I had during the first-stage survival exam.

What I'd pulled off during that first-stage exam had essentially been a guerrilla tactic—the kind used when your side is vastly outnumbered by the enemy.

That's exactly how I'd managed to defeat an alliance of nearly 150 students, whittling them down to only a handful by the time the exam ended.

But a tournament duel was different entirely—no hiding, no fleeing, no environment to exploit in a fight.

Based on the drawing table I'd handed the instructor, I'd most likely end up facing either Valeria or Vlad, Elena, or Alisha.

Against Valeria, I could probably still hold my own, assuming the green-haired woman hadn't picked up any new spells since the survival exam.

Against Vlad, his blood-manipulation magic would obviously prove troublesome. A single mistake, and it'd be over facing that psychopathic prince.

Elena would be the toughest challenge on the left bracket, where I sat. She was the only one capable of matching me in close-quarters combat. Right now, I had no real counter against her, aside from memorizing her attack patterns.

As for Princess Alisha... I'd almost certainly lose if I didn't rely on my Nature Mana. She was essentially Elena's mage-class counterpart. I still didn't have a counter to beat her in direct combat either.

My only real edge over any of them was my knowledge of their abilities.

Right now, I was standing not far from the academy's main gate. Hundreds of students had gathered here to welcome the arriving nobles and military officials.

Before long, the gate began to open, revealing a line of carriages rolling into the academy grounds. Several carriages bore noble family crests, marking which family rode inside each one.

"Isn't that the Jimena family crest? The most powerful noble house in the southern Empire!?"

"Look, look, isn't that General Fran de Cataluna? The knight known as the Wyvern Slayer!?"

The students grew increasingly excited seeing these prominent nobles arrive. It was a clear sign this tournament would serve as a major opportunity for participants to catch these nobles' attention, hoping to be recruited by them someday.

Still, among all the nobles arriving, there was no sign the Emperor himself would be attending this time. It seemed he was still tied up with the matters discussed with his children a few days earlier.

Once the nobles had rested from their travels, a welcoming banquet would be held in the academy's main hall that evening, followed by the official opening ceremony and the match drawing scheduled for the next day.

.

.

.

That evening, we gathered in the academy's main hall to celebrate the welcome banquet for the nobles and military officials in attendance.

Several tournament participants were already chatting with their families, like Scarlett and Geralt, currently with their father.

Senior Emilia, who would be my opponent, was also visible chatting with her father in a corner of the hall.

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Dance music began filling the room, and the nobles, accompanied by their wives, started making their way to the center of the hall to dance and enjoy the festivities.

Academy students weren't left out either, seeking out partners to dance with at this once-a-year event.

Including a pair—a blonde woman and a black-haired man—currently walking side by side toward the center of the hall.

The people gathered here looked utterly captivated, watching the beauty of this nation's princess alongside the handsome foreign prince. Together, they looked as perfectly matched as a stunning work of art.

Princess Elena held onto the prince's arm as he led her forward, every bit the gentleman.

Once they reached the center of the hall, they began dancing, their movements relaxed yet elegant.

"..."

Suddenly, Prince Vlad glanced over at me while dancing with Elena.

Our eyes met. He gave me a mocking smile, then pulled his body closer to Elena's, resting his hand against her waist.

The princess looked visibly startled and uncomfortable at Vlad's strange behavior, but she didn't make an issue of it, trying to maintain her composure as a princess of the Empire in front of the public.

I struggled to hold back my laughter, watching Prince Vlad's childish attempt to provoke me.

I suppose he assumed I harbored romantic feelings for Elena. It seemed he genuinely intended to pursue her, hoping to gain influence within the Empire.

Which was exactly why he'd pulled that little psychological-warfare stunt just now—declaring war, essentially, that he intended to wrest Elena away from my influence.

Hah! Go ahead, enjoy yourself for now, before I crush you in the arena later.

It's like a death-row inmate being served the world's finest meal right before his execution.

If I remember correctly, that's actually a real practice in some country back on Earth.

"Why are you laughing to yourself like that?"

I suddenly heard a woman's voice, along with footsteps approaching from my right.

Turning toward the voice, I saw a beautiful gray-haired woman, looking every bit like Snow White from a fairy tale, walking toward me.

"Ah, Princess Alisha. I'm just enjoying the calm before the storm," I answered her, my words carrying more than one meaning. "Tomorrow, the students will be fighting in the year-end main tournament."

"Are you confident in your own abilities?" Princess Alisha asked me.

"I think I can at least make it to the quarterfinals of this tournament," I answered her, half-joking. "Want to make a bet?"

Hearing my words, Princess Alisha smiled at me, her expression full of charm.

"Hee~ I love betting, and I never lose, you know," she answered, laughing softly. "What's the wager?"

"Whichever of us gets eliminated first has to treat the winner to a day exploring the capital, once the break arrives," I proposed to her. "Think you're up for it?"

At my challenge, Princess Alisha laughed mischievously again. "Fufufu~ You're quite the smooth talker, aren't you, Raul? Is this some kind of ploy to ask your future wife out on a date?"

I'm sure every man in this world would consider himself incredibly fortunate to go on a date with a woman as beautiful as Alisha. But my real goal was simply to grow closer to her, hoping to dig up more information about the agreement between Duke Alvaro and the Tsardom of Slavia.

Nothing romantic about it at all.

I was also well aware that Princess Alisha and her personal attendant, Leon, were clearly in love with each other. So there was no room whatsoever for me in Princess Alisha's heart.

"Alright, I accept your challenge," she answered, sounding excited. "I'm curious to see how Raul de Garcia, famous for treating night entertainers so kindly, would actually treat me on a date."

Ughhh... she still hadn't let go of that whole incident from the first time we met.

"Princess Alisha, why do you sound so confident you'll win?" I asked her.

She then broke into a wide smile and said, "Because I happen to be very strong."

[Emilia PoV]

Who was that woman talking with him?

Right now, I was watching the man I desperately wanted to defeat in this tournament.

If I could beat him, the Student Council would rescind their decision to cut the Lancer Club's budget, the club I led. But if I lost, we wouldn't be allowed to protest or challenge the decision at all.

"Hey, Emilia, why are you spacing out like that?"

I heard a familiar voice beside me.

Turning to the side, I saw a middle-aged man with the same hair color as mine.

That was my father—Marquis Fran de Cataluna, general of the Aragon imperial military.

"Nothing, Father, there's just someone I really want to defeat," I answered him.

"Hoo~ So you're quite motivated, are you?" he said, looking pleased. "Alright, I'll be watching your match tomorrow, Emilia."

—Dong!

While Father and I were talking, we heard the loud sound of a gong ring out through the hall. Before long, the dance music stopped, and an elderly man walked up to the podium at the front of the main hall.

"My apologies for interrupting your evening, everyone," he said politely. "As Headmaster of this academy, I extend my deepest gratitude to the nobles and military officials who've joined us for this year's tournament."

The nobles in attendance rose to their feet as the Headmaster began his address.

"In tomorrow's tournament, we'll witness the very best this academy has to offer, fighting to showcase their abilities before all of you," the Headmaster announced, his voice carrying across the hall. "We'll see the strength and potential of our younger generation firsthand. And so, as Headmaster of Grunbelt Academy, I hereby declare the year-end main tournament officially open!"

Applause erupted from the crowd as the Headmaster finished his address.

"Let us now proceed with the participant drawing, to determine the matchups for tomorrow's first round!" the Headmaster announced.

Before long, someone brought forward a sheet of paper and handed it to the Headmaster.

"The first match will be Renald de Girona versus Femto Dacia!"

The Headmaster began reading off each participant's opponent for the first round.

"Valeria de Artagnan versus Prince Vlad mel Dracus!"

Valeria... she'd prove to be an extremely tough opponent for the prince. Still, the outcome remained genuinely unpredictable, since none of us knew a thing about the prince's true abilities.

"Raul de Garcia versus Emilia de Cataluna!"

Hearing the Headmaster's announcement, my heart filled with overwhelming joy. I'd get to face that man directly, right in the very first round.

I'll defeat him and make him regret ever looking down on us—the members of the Lancer Club!

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