Young Master's PoV: Woke Up As A Villain In A Game One Day

Chapter 416: Creating Future Headaches

I was pleasantly surprised to see how much Ivan had grown, mentally as well as physically.

Gone was the short, scrawny, trembling boy who used to splutter and stutter nervously, fidgeting and falling over his own feet just to stay out of the way.

No, standing before me — well, sitting before me and currently demolishing a strawberry shortcake — was a young man with a straight back and calm demeanor that exuded some well-earned confidence.

I could see the subtle shape of lean muscles rolling under his tactical vest, and while he still looked far from an athletic jock, he was definitely in good shape.

Coupled with his dark eyes, housing pupils with a faint tint of blue around them — a trait exclusive to all Frostborns, the people of the North — his gaze carried an edge that had definitely seen the worst of violence.

I don’t know why, but it kind of made me melancholic as much as it made me proud.

He was clearly taking extreme missions as a way to punish himself, to push his body and soul and mind to the brink of what he could bear, all so he could break down and rebuild himself. He was going through a personal hell so that he could grow.

And the growth was evident as a result. He had ascended. Not only that, but he felt strong too.

After you gain enough battle experience in actual life-or-death combat situations, you become able to tell how strong someone around your level is by noticing fine clues in their posture — the way they distribute their weight, the precise manner in which they move, and so much more.

Upon compiling all that data, you could create a simulated combat encounter inside your head before the first blow was even struck.

My internal simulation of Ivan was miles ahead of the boy who seemed too anxious to even approach me when we first met.

I had yet to see what he could do in a fight with my own eyes, but I didn’t need a formal duel to know he’d become a weapon.

So, yeah, I was thoroughly impressed.

I was also very glad he had survived the massacre. Originally, since he was just a background character in the story, I had prepared myself to accept his death.

It felt good to be proven wrong every once in a while.

However, we weren’t talking about all that right now.

Instead, he told me about the current state of the Academy and all the things that had happened ever since we got stuck in the Noctveil Wilds.

It was nothing I hadn’t already guessed.

Eventually, I got him to agree to do me a favor.

At first, I was going to look around for someone reliable.

But now that I had a Top 25 ranker sitting right in front of me, it would’ve been a crime against my own laziness not to use him.

As for what the favor was?

I rubbed my chin, watching him polish off the last of the shortcake. "I need you to be my spy in my sister’s forces."

"...Huh?" Ivan stopped and looked up, blinking cluelessly at me.

"The mock war," I explained. "When it starts, I want you to join Thalia’s faction. You’ll act as my eyes and ears."

The poor boy scanned my face with his sleep-deprived eyes, seemingly confused. "Samael, they’re holding a tournament for the Ace title. It’s already underway with 24/7 matches. They must have already entered the knockout stage."

...Oh, right. I remembered he, or anyone else for that matter, hadn’t been briefed on the chaos I’d survived in Vereshia’s office. It was going to remain a secret until the very end.

I steepled my fingers and gave him the kind of grin that usually meant someone’s bank account or ego was about to be liquidated. "The tournament will go on as planned. But for the final round? Lady Vereshia and the administration just agreed to a little modification. Instead of a standard bracket, every Cadet in the first-year will have a chance to fight either for the new Ace, which is going to be my sister... or me."

Ivan’s face lit up like he understood something unsaid.

Since only I knew about this, I had the luxury to prepare and make the first move.

Was it fair? Not entirely. But in a war, fairness is just a concept designed by people who are about to lose.

Besides, as much as I’d hate to admit it, Thalia was a strategic genius. And with Princess Alice by her side — because she’d definitely be by her side — they would be a nuisance to deal with.

I have no shame in admitting I wasn’t as tactically smart as either of them. My brand of genius was creating controlled chaos so I’d get a chance to commit impulsive brilliance.

I didn’t have the foresight or patience to do the meticulous planning.

So if I went into this blind, my sister and Alice would have me boxed in within no time. I needed to create variables. I needed to create chaos.

That would give me (Juli) time to come up with a winning strategy, ending the mock war in our (my) favor.

Ivan sighed, massaging his forehead. "To sum it up... you’re asking me to spy on a girl. Again."

I tsk’d. "Spy is such an ugly word, Ivan. I want you to be—"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," he waved dismissively. "You want me to be an admirer or whatever."

I gasped, taken aback. "Wh-What?! No! Ew! She’s my sister, dude! Don’t be disgusting!"

Ivan’s eyes were blown wide in panic as he raised his hands up in defense. "N-No! That’s not what I meant! It’s what you said when you asked me to spy on Juliana!"

I grabbed my head. "Y-You were eyeing my Juli too?! What kind of freak are you?!"

"No! I— What?! I was following your orders!" Ivan hissed, his face flushing a humiliated red as he looked around the café to make sure no one was listening. "You told me to follow her because she was—" then he suddenly stopped and raised a suspicious eyebrow. "Wait a second... your Juli?"

Then it was my turn to panic.

The conversation only derailed from there.

•••

After our early breakfast was over, Ivan went home saying he desperately needed some sleep. I refused his offer to pay. He protested a little but agreed by the end of it.

I didn’t do it out of the goodness of my heart. I just needed to order some more takeout to bring back to the villa.

And no... it wasn’t because I was still hungry.

It was because I needed a new Key of Order.

"I’d take specials 2, 4, and 7. Oh, and pack three of those cream puffs. Extra cream. If they aren’t oozing, I’m coming back for a refund."

The barista, who looked like he’d aged five years in the last hour, suddenly had color rush back to his face. His gaze shot up, latching onto me intently.

He looked like he was having trouble deciding something.

Then, as if to confirm something incredulous, he leaned over the counter and asked me to repeat my order slowly. "I’m sorry, Lord Samael. I didn’t quite catch that. Can you say that again?"

I acted totally normal, if a little irritated. "Specials 2, 4, and 7 on the go. And three cream puffs. Extra cream. Is your hearing failing you along with your kitchen’s punctuality?"

The barista didn’t flinch at my rude remark this time. He reached under the counter, taking out some of the sweets on display, then went into the kitchen to pack a few other stuff.

When he came back, he was holding their shop’s signature eco-tote, but he didn’t hand it over immediately. Instead, he produced a small, nondescript white envelope from his pocket and placed it inside.

I pretended to frown at him.

He just smiled one of those smiles a vendor gives to his customer. "Specials 2, 4, and 7, Lord Samael. Hope you enjoy. And, oh, it’s all on the house. Consider it a little reward for our most... demanding patron."

I grabbed the bag and gave him a curt nod before heading toward the exit.

Honestly, I didn’t want to do this.

This was always going to be my last resort, since I knew I had now caught the attention of the Order of Twelve.

But I had no other choice.

Once outside and a safe distance from the café, I took out the white envelope and opened it. Inside it were two objects.

One was a digital picture of what looked like an empty conference room with a large round table.

On the back of that photograph, cursive writing read: ’You are chosen by us, Cadet. The Order of Twelve welcomes you. Unlock a door using the Key while imagining this room in your mind, and you will achieve greatness.’

I sighed, crumpled that photo in my fist, and threw it on the side of the road like I was discarding trash.

Yeah, I was a litterer. Sue me.

Anyway, the other object was a bronze key with intricate engravings etched all over it. It was heavy in my palm and unnaturally cold to the touch.

It was the Key of Order.

Despite the future headaches I knew this little bronze souvenir would cause me, I was immensely satisfied.

Because now I could move forward with my next plan, the target of which would be none other than... Instructor Selene Valkyrn.