The designer story: I was reincarnated as a villain in a game

Chapter 9: Exter Academy 3

Ethan Calmon’s Point of View

I had always wished for a chance to join the academy... and to live the normal life that I had been deprived of throughout my entire life.

And here I am, inside Exeter Academy, holding the first rank... the strongest first-year student.

But I never expected to feel this bored in the place I had always dreamed of reaching.

Well... this is the life I’ll be living for the next three years.

And honestly, I wasn’t sure whether I’d be able to endure all that time.

... How am I supposed to adapt to this, after the kind of life I was used to?

I walked slowly through the academy’s luxurious hallways, occasionally feeling the gazes of the students I passed by.

Seriously... I wish they would stop treating me like some rare artifact displayed inside an expensive museum.

But I can’t blame them entirely.

After all... I’m the most handsome person I’ve ever seen in my life.

Yawn.

I was heading toward the environmental simulation hall, which we would be using for the first time since the beginning of the school year.

Honestly, I was a little excited to see it after hearing Aris and Rafian talk about it over and over.

In fact, most of their conversations revolved around it.

And speaking of them...

They were my first real friends here.

I met them during the entrance exam.

When one of the groups had set an annoying trap for me...

They were the ones who lent me a hand, even though they didn’t know me at the time.

And that alone was enough to make me feel some familiarity toward them.

"Oh." freёweɓnovel.com

I spotted them standing near the corner of the hallway, as though they were waiting for someone.

And who else could it be besides me?

As I approached, I pulled my hand out of my pocket and waved lightly at them.

The two immediately noticed me, then headed toward me, and when the distance between us shortened, I asked:

"Hey, what were you two doing here?"

"And what else would we be doing besides waiting for you?" Rafian replied, lightly hitting my shoulder before stepping back half a step and letting out a short whistle.

"Honestly... every time I see you, I feel like life is unfair."

I raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Unfair?"

"Yeah, how are we supposed to compete with you when you have everything?" Rafian said while counting on his fingers. "Strength, talent... and a face that makes girls forget their own names."

"And even some boys."

Aris added coldly, nodding her head toward a group of students who were staring at me from afar with strange looks.

"..."

I let out a short sigh. "Do you two realize that you’re extremely annoying?"

"Anyway, you’re late." Aris said as she crossed her arms. "Do you do that on purpose?"

"No, I was training a little."

"Training...?" Rafian repeated in a tired voice before pointing at himself in annoyance. "After that hell? Look at me, I look like someone who’s about to die."

And honestly... he wasn’t wrong.

So I just stayed silent as we continued walking side by side.

After a brief moment of silence, Aris suddenly spoke while glancing at me from the corner of her eye:

"Tell me... why did you join the academy again?"

I had trouble answering.

Honestly... it was an annoying question.

I didn’t enter the academy for ordinary reasons. I had my own circumstances, things I couldn’t talk about.

Not even to them. Even though they were my friends. So I thought for a moment before answering:

"To become stronger. I’m still... just an insect."

I wasn’t lying.

In the end, one of the reasons I entered the academy was to become stronger.

Much stronger.

Because compared to what I seek to reach... I am still pitifully weak.

"I wonder what others would think if they knew that the person ranked first thinks that way." Aris said, a hint of amusement slipping into her tone.

Meanwhile, Rafian added, placing a hand on his chest in exaggerated emotion:

"She’s right... even I received a painful blow to my pride."

"..."

I suddenly stopped walking, then stared at them for a moment.

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Impossible." Rafian said quickly, raising his hands. "How could we do that?"

Then he smiled a broad smile and added:

"You said it yourself that you’re an insect... so if you’re an insect, then what are we supposed to be? Pebbles on the side of the road?"

I couldn’t respond to that.

So... I had no choice but to change the subject quickly.

"What was the environmental simulation again?"

The two of them gave me a suspicious look.

Before Aris shook her head and said:

"Well... nice dodge. I’ll give you a point for that, honestly."

"As for the simulation, I don’t know more than what we already told you before. All we know is that the academy spent an enormous fortune building it... and that it can simulate almost any environment."

Honestly... I already knew that beforehand.

But I kept pretending as if it were new information to me.

"If it’s that amazing, then why do the two of you look like you’re heading to war?"

"Because it’s the first practical class." Rafian answered immediately. "And that only means one thing..."

"Competition." Aris completed, while a faint smile formed on her face.

I sighed quietly as I continued walking.

Here we go again.

Ever since I entered the academy, everyone had been looking at me as an opponent they had to surpass... or as a wall they wanted to break down to prove themselves.

Annoying.

Honestly, I felt genuinely irritated by that.

I mean, if they spent their time training instead of thinking about defeating me all the time... they would be in a much better position.

When we arrived at the environmental simulation room, I noticed that the tension was obvious on the faces of most students.

Some were swallowing their saliva with difficulty. Others were silently observing the place.

Even so, not everyone looked nervous. There were those who seemed suspiciously calm.

I chuckled lightly.

Looks like I’m not the only one who isn’t taking this seriously.

"Alright, I’d like everyone to pay attention here."

A calm yet firm voice came from the front of the hall.

It was Professor Alyssa, the person in charge of this class, standing steadily before us.

Her long black hair was tied in a ponytail that fell behind her back, while her dark eyes—mixed with black and a slight faint light shade—gave her a cold presence that was difficult to ignore.

Her mere appearance was enough to make some students let out quiet gasps of admiration.

Even I... almost felt for a moment that my self-confidence had been insulted.

I thought I was the most handsome person I had ever seen in my life.

But compared to her?

I looked annoyingly ordinary. She was beautiful... in a way that was difficult to describe.

Whooosh—

The hall door suddenly burst open violently.

"Haaah... haaah..."

Everyone turned toward the door.

There was someone breathing heavily, one hand placed over his knee while slowly raising his head.

I recognized him immediately.

Isn’t this the same guy who was late to history class today as well?

What did Rafian say his name was again...?

"Ah... Neron... the Stateless."