VILLAIN'S HAREM IN OTOME GAME

Chapter 2: Second male lead syndrome

[Alert! New Quest Updated!]

[Quest:- Survive Wrath Of Second Lead Without Dying.]

[Reward:-?]

Eric stared at that panel as if it were personally assigned to get rid of him.

’Survive? Mother fucker, I just woke up and you want me to die?’

He wanted to yell out loud, but he couldn’t risk being branded as manic.

Reinhardt looked at Eren (Eric), who was staring blankly into the empty air. He dramatically raised his sword, his blue hair fluttering with nonexistent wind. What a perfect second lead syndrome.

"What’s wrong, Eren Volsver?" Reinhardt shouted out loud, voice full of irritation. "Finally realizing the weight of your sins? Today you will pay for everything you’ve done to the Saintess!"

The entire arena roared with his dramatic dialogue, cheering his manliness.

Eric raised both hands like calming down a wild boar.

"Can’t we sit and talk this out like civilized people? Maybe some tea for you to cool down?" He responded with a forced grin that didn’t suit his face.

But people were surprised at his audacity—truly audacity.

"YOU BASTAR—!"

Reinhardt launched off like a rocket, sword aimed at him with terrific force.

"Oh—"

BOOM!

The ground shattered where Eric was standing earlier. Eric dodged at the last moment thanks to his training from his previous life.

"Are you fuking insane? I wanna talk this out—"

Reinhardt hasn’t spared time for him to finish. He closed the distance in a second, trying to slash him from the side. Eric reacted quickly and blocked the attack seconds before a possible disaster. But the impact sent him skidding across the arena for meters, tumbling and bouncing uncontrollably.

He was stopped at the edge of the ground, coughing up as he tried to get up.

’Shit, the game wasn’t exaggerating about his stats.’ Eric muttered, wiping off blood from his cheek, and looked at Reinhardt smirking at his miserable state while people loudly cheered him. Again, truly second male lead syndrome.

The issue is, Eren Volsver is destined to die in this very scenario because Reinhardt couldn’t control his strength. Eric would already be six feet under if he weren’t careful.

’I don’t wanna die here, not again.’

"If you don’t wanna listen, then I have no choice but to use that," he muttered under his breath, stepping forward to the ground centre.

"What did you say?" Reinhardt yelled, gripping his sword hard.

"Hey, Mr. Wimpy hero," he called out loudly, loud enough that the entire arena could hear. Reinhardt’s anger flared again and he charged towards him.

"Are you sure you have the right to punish me? If I have to say, you’re worse than me."

Reinhardt paused mid charge, eyes widened. The whole arena went silent again, throwing confused glances at both Reinhardt and Eren Volsver.

"I mean, what’s my crime? Stalking the saintess? Harrassing her? I admit my wrongdoings and deserve some punishment. But you? You really enjoy playing the righteous knight while continuously betraying your fiancée who loves you as much as her life, don’t you?"

"What do you mean—" Reinhardt whispered in confusion.

Eric smirked even as his body screamed with pain, like a real villain. He lifted his head to the stands, spotting the lady sitting with a concerned look, Aria Redding.

Well, she’s concerned about a guy trying to kill him.

She’s the only daughter of Duke Redding and this guy’s fiancée who had done everything to earn even a scrap of her betrothed’s attention.

Eric got frustrated while playing this. Why does Reinhardt get a hero title and love from everyone just because he chases after the heroine, while his girl is trying to chase after him, trying to get his attention and love, only to get the label "the villainess"?

Although she’s not a major villainess like the person he admires, she’s just a broken girl who wants love and some reality check.

And Eric decided to give that reality check.

He once thought all were just some fictional characters in fictional scenarios, but looking at him directly now wants him to say everything out loud.

"Let me tell you about some girl I know... She was born in a powerful ducal house. From the moment she could walk, everyone kept telling her the same thing over and over again—’You are the future wife of Reinhardt Mason.’ So she believed it—no, actually loved her to be husband."

Reinhardt’s expression slowly darkened.

"She studied etiquette until midnight while other kids played outside. Learned swordsmanship even when her hands bled. Learned how to smile properly. How to speak properly. How to sit properly. How to become the perfect noble lady. Just to be his perfect wife.

He paused, letting everyone guess the point. Aria sat silent, gripping her armchair tightly, her violet eyes shifting from her fiancé to Eric back and forth.

"...Only to her fiancé simping for Alice like a dog in heat, fighting some idiot for her, and ignoring his fiancés love. She’s been fighting for your love while you treat her like furniture. And when she eventually breaks... when she finally falls into darkness because the man she loves never once looked at her properly... everyone will call her villainess."

Reinhardt stood silent, staring at the ground like his head had become heavy with new thoughts, his grip around the sword trembling.

"No, I didn’t abandon her... I did after she showed her true colours," he mumbled, trying to justify his pathetic behaviour. "It’s true, I didn’t do anything—"

"Oh really?" Eric cut him off with a cruel grin as he approached the simp second lead. "If I were you, I would have loved her so damn much that she would never need to show those so-called ’true colors.’"

Eric already knew Reinhardt’s personality. He wasn’t panicking because of guilt, because people were listening. He loved him public image soo much that Eric has to use it as a tactic to avoid death.

The arena which went silent a moment ago started its usual work—whispers.

"Did he just...?" "He’s talking about Lady Aria..."

"No way... Reinhardt really neglects his fiancée? And courting another girl?"

"I always thought Aria hated him and was jealous of Alice..."

Aria’s violet eyes glistened with years of unshed tears, realising how truly pathetic she was. She got up from her seat.

"I feel unwell, I need to get rest," she said with barely contained voice as she walked away from the stands. People around started whispering as soon as she left, it was her first time leaving while Reinhardt was fighting in the arena.

"Aria..." A girl whispered worriedly as she followed her to exit.

Eric noticed her walking away.

’Ah, she got a reality check at last.’ he sighed as he tossed away his sword lazily. ’Too bad I couldn’t see my villainess today, too busy to watch a mere child’s duel.’

"I am forfeiting," he announced out loud, further shocking the audience who were already confused about what was happening. He looked back at Reinhardt who was just standing idly with his thoughts. "I will apologize for all my wrongdoings to Alice and will maintain my distance."

He just wants a peaceful life, admiring Villainess from afar without getting into foolish events like this.

"Can’t wait to see her~," he hummed with happiness as he started walking away.

BOOM!

Before he could step out of the ring, a terrifying aura erupted behind him.

Eric turned around immediately and—

Reinhardt was already in the air with his sword aiming down at him.

"Ohh shit..."