I'm a Villain in My Own Game?

[Raul PoV]

The survival exam had come to an end, and the students were now on a ten-day break. Some went home to their hometowns, while others stayed behind since their homes were too far from the capital.

Right now, I was heading to the Student Council Building to meet with the President.

The paths around the academy grounds were nearly empty, usually bustling with students. I figured the ones still around preferred spending their time outside rather than staying cooped up here.

Arriving at the Student Council Building, I made my way straight to the President's office.

—Knock! Knock! Knock!

After knocking on the office door, I waited a moment for permission to enter.

"Come in."

Opening the door, I saw a blonde woman sitting there, reading through a report. Her beautiful blue eyes were like a clear midday sky.

"President, what did you need me for?" I asked her.

"Sit down first, Raul."

I stepped closer and took the seat across from her desk.

"Sorry for interrupting your break," President Elena said. "I need a partner to attend a meeting that's going to be held at the palace."

A meeting, huh? This must be important if it required every one of the Emperor's children to attend. Could this have some bearing on the succession later on?

"Partner? Wouldn't 'guard' be more accurate?" I said, correcting her wording.

Every prince and princess of the Empire was entitled to bring one attendant or guard into the meeting room. But Elena had never brought anyone along before, since the only noble supporting her—Count Raymond de Chatelon—was always busy fulfilling his duties as one of the Seven Grand Espada.

Grand Espada was the title given to the seven strongest knights in the Empire. The more Grand Espada who sided with a given candidate, the greater their chances of winning the succession.

Each Grand Espada carried their own nickname. Count Raymond de Chatelon's was "The White Knight," earned for his pure swordsmanship style that relied solely on physical technique and physical-enhancement magic.

"Let's not argue over titles, okay?" President Elena said, pouting slightly.

"So, won't the others grow suspicious of me acting as your guard?" I asked, wanting to be sure. "What if rumors spread that my family's backing you in the succession?"

"Don't worry about that," she answered casually. "They'd never believe that you—a worthless noble—escorting me to a meeting is proof that Duke Alvaro supports me in the succession."

Hearing such a beautiful woman insult me so casually left me a little irritated.

"What's wrong? Want to argue?" Elena asked, smiling mischievously.

"No. I happen to live by the principle that 'a lion does not concern itself with the opinion of sheep.'"

"You have such odd views sometimes, Raul," the President said, sounding resigned. "Let's hurry to the front gate—a palace carriage will be picking us up there."

We left the Student Council Building and headed toward the academy's main gate.

I wondered what exactly this meeting would cover. In the game, there were only a handful of scenes showing an imperial council session—like when Emperor Philip declared war on the Republic of Venetia.

Arriving at the main gate, I saw a luxurious carriage already parked, along with several knights assigned as escorts.

One of the knights stepped forward toward the President and bowed. "Your Highness, we've been assigned to escort you to the imperial palace."

"Hmm... isn't this a bit much? It's not even that far from here," Elena said, clearly unimpressed.

"Our apologies for the inconvenience, Your Highness. But this is standard protocol for protecting the imperial family," the knight said, bowing again.

"Don't worry about it too much," the President said, walking up to the carriage. A servant opened the door for her. "Raul, come on, get in."

I followed the President into the carriage. The interior was fairly spacious, almost like the inside of a limousine.

The servant shut the door, and shortly after, the carriage began to move.

"What do you think we'll be discussing today?" President Elena asked. "As the noble backing me, you should be offering me some advice, shouldn't you?"

Hmm... let me think this through for a moment.

The major national-scale event coming up should logically be the war with the Republic of Venetia after graduation. But that felt too soon, given there hadn't been any word yet about what would actually trigger the conflict between the two nations.

Yesterday, I'd stopped by the entertainment establishment I'd built earlier. Karl Johnson and Mai Khalissa had already begun gathering intelligence, placing their agents across various regions of the Empire.

Three particular issues had caught my attention yesterday.

The first was the growing circulation of illegal drugs in the northern regions of the Empire.

The second concerned the surge of immigrants from the Kuwalid Kingdom. The Empire didn't have enough soldiers to properly guard the border in that scorching heat region. The influx of immigrants was bound to spark conflicts between social groups, rising crime rates, and the growth of slums built by immigrants who had nowhere else to live.

The third concerned the forced laborers from the Tyal tribe, who had rebelled against the Empire several years earlier. A significant number of deaths this year had reduced their numbers to just 3,000, down from 3,500 the year before.

If left unchecked, the death toll would only keep rising, and other Noors tribes would start harboring dangerous sentiments seeing their kin treated like animals.

"Hmm... I think they'll focus on the issue of the Tyal tribe's forced laborers, President," I answered seriously. "Specifically, what steps to take that would best serve the Empire's interests."

Hearing my explanation, the President touched her chin, as if deep in thought. "Isn't that something Brother Felix has been handling?" she asked.

"Exactly. The First Prince has been overseeing the rebellion issue from five years ago and the ongoing punishment of the Tyal tribe ever since," I answered, explaining further.

We spent the rest of the ride discussing these three issues to prepare for the meeting ahead.

Before long, the carriage came to a stop. The door opened, revealing the same servant from before.

"Your Highness, we've arrived."

We stepped out, and I saw several magnificent buildings surrounded by beautifully arranged gardens.

The imperial palace complex was enormous—almost resembling a small city in its own right. Beyond the Emperor's residence and his family's quarters, there were numerous other buildings here, including several important ministry offices for trade, security, and finance.

"Please follow me, Your Highness," the servant said, offering to guide us.

We began walking through this vast castle complex. The knights we passed straightened their stance and stood at perfect attention to salute the President.

Becoming a palace guard knight was no easy feat—their loyalty and courage had to be proven thoroughly in the field.

Before long, we arrived at a large gate guarded by several knights.

This was the entrance to the Inner Palace, accessible only to those with proper business there.

Seeing the President approach, the knights opened the gate. The President nodded in a gesture of thanks, and the knights responded by snapping their feet together in perfect formal salute.

We entered through the Inner Palace gate, and I saw a breathtaking, massive palace decorated with beautiful gardens. The architecture followed an early 18th-century Victorian style.

We were then escorted inside the palace. There were countless staircases leading to different areas within. We followed the servant, who took a staircase leading directly up to the third floor.

"Master Raul, this is your room," the servant said, opening the door for me. "The meeting will begin tomorrow at 9 a.m."

The President then approached me. "Come to my room tomorrow morning. We'll head into the meeting room together," she whispered.

I simply nodded in response. The President and the servant then left me here.

Stepping into the room, the interior was far more luxurious than my dormitory room back at the academy.

Lying down on the bed, I tried to rest and close my eyes so I'd look presentable for tomorrow's meeting.

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—Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Master Raul, Princess Elena is asking for you to come to her room."

I woke up to the sound of knocking and a servant's voice. Checking my pocket watch, it was already six in the morning.

"Alright, give me a moment. Let me freshen up first," I told them.

"If you'd like, there are maids available to help you get ready," the servant said from behind the door.

"That's alright, I can manage on my own."

Speaking of maids, I hadn't recruited a single one since Sephira's death. Did I actually need one?

Thinking about it more, it really was annoying coming home exhausted after a long day only to find your room still a mess.

I figured I should ask Mai Khalissa to find someone suitable for me sometime soon.

After freshening up and changing into formal attire, I left my room and was escorted by the servant toward the President's chambers.

Before long, we arrived in front of a large door. Several maids sat nearby, tasked with attending to all the needs of the imperial family. I supposed they were the equivalent of what my original world called "Ladies-in-Waiting" during the medieval period.

"Master Raul de Garcia has been summoned by Princess Elena," the servant escorting me announced.

"Understood, I'll inform Her Highness."

The maid opened the door and stepped into the President's room. Before long, she returned to us.

"Master Raul, you may enter now," she said, granting me permission. "Please have a seat in the waiting area inside first."

I nodded and stepped into the President's chambers.

A refreshing scent filled the air the moment I entered. I saw a table and chairs set up in the room. It seemed the President's chambers were divided into several separate rooms.

I sat down in one of the chairs, taking in the luxurious interior of the space.

"Hey."

Hearing someone call out, I turned to the side.

A woman with shimmering blonde hair stood there, her blue eyes like a beautiful summer sea, her captivating smile no doubt capable of bringing every man in the Empire to his knees in obedience.

"How do I look?"

Seeing the President dressed in something other than an academy uniform was an entirely new experience for me. She rarely wore anything besides her military or academy uniform in the game.

"You look absolutely beautiful and stunning, President," I answered, complimenting her.

"Hey, isn't it about time you dropped the formal title when it's just the two of us?" the President said, walking closer.

"Understood, Princess Elena," I answered, addressing her properly this time.

She looked like she was pouting. Had I said it wrong somehow? That didn't seem to be the issue, though.

"..."

She grabbed my tie, forcing me to stand.

Our faces ended up close together, her sparkling blue eyes, like precious jewels, unmistakably clear at this distance.

Her red lips brought back memories of the erotic encounter we'd shared during the first-stage exam. She'd pinned me down, and I could still recall the softness of her body against mine, her tongue dancing inside my mouth, and how we'd ended up exchanging saliva as she retrieved the crystal from inside my mouth.

I looked away from her face, trying to push away those inappropriate thoughts.

"I understand, Elena."

"Good, glad to hear it," she said, releasing me. She then straightened my tie and patted my chest. "Alright, let's head to the meeting room. It starts in about an hour."

Elena walked ahead of me, and I followed close behind.

Watching her figure from this angle probably wasn't the best idea. I quickly caught up and walked right beside her instead. This reminded me of something—whoever ended up marrying Elena would truly be an incredibly lucky man.

If I remembered correctly, in the game, Elena would end up engaged to Prince Vlad of the Kingdom of Draconia. The Draconia Kingdom was ruled by the Dracus dynasty, known for their unique blood-manipulation magic.

Legend had it that the Dracus dynasty descended from a union between vampires and humans.

Before long, we arrived at the meeting room. Two knights stood guard at the entrance. They opened the doors for us.

Stepping inside, several people had already arrived.

Among them was the Third Prince, Terantio de Aragon, with long blond hair tied back—he'd only recently graduated from the academy at the start of last year. His accompanying guard, if I remembered correctly, was Marquis Velocio, an imperial general responsible for the northern region.

The second was Princess Annabella, currently serving as a Senior Wizard at Castille Tower of Magic. Her guard was one of the Grand Espada, and the youngest among them—Danilo de Asturias, son of Count Ferrel de Asturias.

"Good morning, everyone. How have you all been?" Elena asked as she took her seat, while I stood directly behind her.

"Hmm... Elena, who's this guard of yours?" Princess Annabella asked. "I don't think I've ever seen his face before."

Princess Annabella had a remarkably sharp memory, which meant Raul truly hadn't been worth remembering at all in her eyes. Knowing that fact left me somewhat irritated.

"This is Raul de Garcia, son of Duke Alvaro," Elena answered, introducing me, even though she'd technically done so before, back in our first year.

"Ah, the son of that Snake Duke, is it?" she said, nodding along. "No wonder I don't remember him! That family's always operating in the shadows."

That was simply how Princess Annabella was—blunt and outspoken regardless of who she was speaking to.

"Where did that old man go, Elena? I want a rematch to avenge my last loss!" Prince Terantio asked Elena.

"I believe Count Raymond is currently up in the Roundabout Mountains hunting a Wyvern that's been troubling the local villagers," Elena answered casually.

They continued chatting while waiting for the others to arrive. Before long, Prince Ramon entered, along with his female guard.

He took his seat and greeted his siblings.

"Brother Ramon, I told you to have your guard dressed appropriately for the palace, didn't I?" Elena remarked, commenting on the outfit worn by Prince Ramon's guard.

It was true—the outfit Ramon's guard wore left little covered, revealing every curve of her body. If I recalled correctly, this woman was an assassin from a clan renowned for exactly that kind of attire.

"Isn't this a good thing, Elena? Everyone wearing the same thing gets boring, doesn't it?" the prince shot back.

As usual, this particular prince seemed to have a few screws loose. In the game, he was the one who ultimately won the succession. But in truth, he was nothing more than a puppet, controlled by someone operating behind the scenes.

I'd have to face him eventually. Because to Prince Ramon, death was preferable to disappointing the person pulling his strings.

The door opened again, and this time, Prince Felix entered, accompanied by a female guard in military uniform. He sat down without so much as greeting his siblings.

I then turned my attention to the prince's guard.

Brown hair tied back, a ready expression, and a sharp, piercing gaze. There was no mistaking it—this was Judas Viktariot, also known as Tyra, the woman who would kill Prince Felix after graduation.

All the chaos about to unfold across the Empire would trace back to her. No matter what it took, I had to prevent that chaos from happening in the future.

"His Majesty the Emperor has arrived!"

We heard a knight announce the Emperor's arrival. Every prince and princess present immediately stood. Before long, a middle-aged man in his early fifties entered the room.

This was the ruler of the strongest nation in this world—Emperor Philip de Aragon.

Once he took his seat, the Emperor gestured for everyone else to sit as well.

"Let's not waste time and get this meeting underway," the Emperor said. "I don't have much time, so let's get right to it—Guilford," he ordered his guard standing beside him.

"Yes, Your Majesty." The man named Guilford stepped forward and pulled out a sheet of paper. "The presence of the princes and princesses here today is to discuss several issues that will affect our national stability."

Guilford then began explaining the same three issues I'd outlined to Elena the day before. It seemed the Emperor believed these three issues needed to be resolved by the Empire as quickly as possible.

"Alright, what are your thoughts on the situation with the Tyal tribe's forced laborers? How should we address this problem? A week ago, the Minister of Civil Affairs and Security brought this matter to my attention," the Emperor said, addressing the princes and princesses.

"Father, five hundred deaths in a single year is already far too many," Prince Terantio said. "It's as if someone's deliberately ensuring they all die before their sentences even end."

Hearing his younger brother's words, Prince Felix looked visibly irritated. It was true—the nobles responsible for overseeing the laborers' living conditions and work projects belonged to Prince Felix's faction, most of whom held ultranationalist views similar to the prince himself.

"Terantio, if you'd bother to see for yourself, those laborers have been given adequate food and shelter by those in charge there," Prince Felix said, trying to deflect. "It's not the fault of those responsible if they still end up dying despite having their basic needs met."

"Brother, this isn't about whether we've done our job well enough or about assigning blame for what happened to them," Elena said, countering Prince Felix's argument. "The issue is that their deaths are being watched by other minority peoples living within the Empire. What do you think they conclude, watching another minority group left to die while serving out a punishment? They might very well start believing the Empire has never considered them equal to us, the majority."

"What are you talking about, Elena? We and they are simply not the same! We are the victorious—it's only natural we stand above them," Prince Felix shot back. "Besides, the Tyal tribe were rebels against the state! They should be grateful they were even given the chance to live."

I watched Judas's expression as Prince Felix said those words. Her body trembled slightly, and her fingers curled into tight fists, as if struggling to contain her emotions.

"Elena's right, Felix," the Emperor said, speaking up again. "I've received reports from Duke Alvaro that minority populations across the Empire have been talking a great deal lately about what's happening to these laborers."

That much was true—in the game, a massive demonstration broke out among the minority populations, demanding justice. That movement was what eventually sparked the civil war that would later engulf the Empire.

Could this very issue be what triggered that movement?

"So then, how do we calm these voices down while still preserving the Empire's stability?" the Emperor asked again.

"We should have addressed this the moment the death toll became abnormal, back in the first year," Elena offered her opinion. "Besides, punishing Tyal tribe members who were never actually proven to have participated in the rebellion strikes me as unjust. Just because some of them defied the Empire doesn't mean every other member should bear that same punishment."

"But Elena, they were proven to have harbored those rebels," Prince Felix said, disagreeing with Elena's stance. "If they were truly loyal and faithful to the Empire, they would have driven those rebels out and refused to shelter them!" he argued.

Hearing this, the Emperor sighed and said, "What's done is done. It's time we focus on finding a solution to this problem."

"We handled this issue improperly, and inhumanely. When their numbers were still large and deaths were already occurring, no one cared to pay attention," Elena said, her voice growing more passionate. "But now that their numbers have dwindled down to so few, suddenly everyone cares about them, like some endangered species on the brink of extinction. We've treated them like animals, not like human beings."

This was exactly why I'd chosen Elena as the next candidate for Emperor. She could understand the feelings of every citizen across the Empire, regardless of background. She always acted with fairness and honesty in everything she did. This was precisely what would keep the Empire stable for the long term.

"I propose we reduce the remaining duration of their sentence, as compensation for what's happened to these forced laborers," Elena finally offered a solution. "We should also issue a public apology for what's happened to them."

—Bam!

Prince Felix slammed his hand down on the table.

"That will never happen! Our nation's pride would collapse if we apologized publicly!" Prince Felix shouted. "How would the international community view us then? They'd think we're a weak nation!"

"Elena, Father agrees to reducing their sentence," the Emperor said. "However, a public apology would damage our credibility as the ones responsible for protecting our people's safety. What would others think of our family if word of this got out?"

"If we lose our credibility simply by apologizing for a mistake, then we never had any real credibility to begin with," Elena said firmly.

In the end, the Emperor agreed to Elena's proposal—reducing the Tyal tribe's sentence and issuing a private apology to them instead.

I figured that, for now, what the Emperor had agreed to would be enough to calm the growing discontent among the minority populations.

The meeting continued on until evening, working out detailed plans to address the issues discussed. These plans would later be reviewed further with the relevant ministries before being implemented.

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That night, I found myself standing on a balcony of the imperial palace, gazing up at the stars scattered across the sky.

The meeting, and the appearance of all the candidates, reminded me of the succession war still to come. That war would weaken the Empire, and the demons would seize the opportunity to begin their assault.

It really was a terrifying future to dwell on.

How could I prevent this looming catastrophe? How could I ensure the innocent people caught in the middle of it all could escape the madness that was coming?

I didn't know...

What I did know was that I'd do everything within my power to save as many people as I could, by whatever means necessary. Doing so would inevitably mean staining my own hands with the blood of the innocent as well. But it was something that had to be done, if it meant sparing the many who had no part in any of this.

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