In his seat, Sebastian felt a surge of satisfaction from amassing these points, but he didn't actually know what they could do.
'System, what is the use of these villain points?' he asked mentally.
[The villain points can be used in the 'Exchange Mall', which is currently locked, to gain advantages that will help you against the protagonist. Things like skills, items and opportunities can be purchased there.]
'Hmm, that would be really useful,' Sebastian thought. A shop system—classic protagonist tool. Except this time, he had access to it.
'So, how do I unlock this mall?' He asked the obvious question.
[You need to have 300 Villain Halo to unlock this mall. You are currently still below one hundred.]
Sebastian's eye twitched. 'Aren't I at a massive disadvantage then?'
[Yes, you are, Host. But it is your own fault that you are such a terrible villain. The original Sebastian Fairfax made many foolish decisions.]
Sebastian cursed inwardly.
The rest of the class passed uneventfully, but Sebastian could feel Ethan's hostility radiating from the back of the room like heat from a furnace.
When the bell rang, Sebastian stood up and gathered his things slowly, deliberately taking his time to match Isabelle's pace.
Ethan was at Isabelle's desk in seconds.
"Hey, Isabelle. Want to grab lunch together?" Ethan asked, his tone friendly but his eyes flicking toward Sebastian with a clear challenge.
Before Isabelle could answer, Sebastian spoke up.
"Actually, Isabelle and I were just about to head to the cafeteria together. Right, Isabelle?"
Isabelle blinked. "We were?"
"Of course." Sebastian smiled at her. "You said you wanted to discuss the chemistry homework for tonight."
"I... did?" Isabelle looked confused.
Ethan's expression darkened. "She didn't say that."
"Didn't she?" Sebastian tilted his head innocently. "I must have misheard. My apologies."
He turned to Isabelle. "So? Lunch?"
Isabelle looked between the two of them, clearly uncomfortable with the tension crackling in the air.
"I..." she hesitated, biting her lower lip.
[Ding! New Quest Detected!]
[Quest: Lunch Date
Description: Secure Isabelle Monroe's company for lunch. Prevent the protagonist from joining.
Reward: 150 Villain Points, +3 Villain Halo, Isabelle's affection towards you will increase by 5 points.
Failure Penalty: -5 Villain Halo, Isabelle's affection toward Ethan will increase by 15 points.]
Sebastian's smile didn't waver, but inside, he was already planning his next move.
Isabelle looked at both of them, then sighed. "Why don't we all just sit together?"
She couldn't just reject Sebastian after he'd helped her so much in class. And she didn't want to hurt Ethan's feelings either.
"No," both said at the exact same time.
Both of them stared at each other, the temperature in the room seeming to drop several degrees.
Isabelle opened her mouth to say something, but Sebastian didn't give her the chance.
He reached out and gently but firmly took her hand.
"Come on," he said smoothly, already turning toward the door. "We're going to be late for lunch. There are going to be lots of people in the queue."
"Wait, Sebastian, I—" Isabelle's protest died in her throat as Sebastian led her forward with confident, unhurried steps.
His grip wasn't rough or forceful; it was just... assured. Like he knew exactly what he was doing and expected her to follow.
Ethan stepped forward. "Hey, you can't just—"
But he hesitated. His hand half-raised, his mouth open, but no words came out.
He was new to this.
For all his protagonist aura and sudden power-up, Ethan Cole was still just a former scholarship student who'd spent years keeping his head down.
He didn't have the natural dominance that came with Sebastian's wealth and authority.
Isabelle glanced back at Ethan, then down at her hand in Sebastian's.
Her cheeks were flushed, partly from frustration, partly from something else.
This was exactly like one of her favourite TV shows. The confident, wealthy male lead taking the female lead's hand and pulls her away from the second male lead with absolute certainty.
She should be annoyed. She should pull her hand away and tell Sebastian off for being so presumptuous.
But...
"Sebastian, this is really—" she started weakly.
"Really what?" Sebastian glanced back at her with a slight smile. "You need help with chemistry, right? I'm just being a good classmate."
His tone was innocent, but his eyes told a different story.
Isabelle bit her lip, her face growing warmer.
'Why am I not stopping him?' she thought, but her feet kept moving forward.
Behind them, Ethan stood frozen in the middle of the classroom, watching them leave.
His hands clenched into fists at his sides.
Several students whispered to each other, glancing between Ethan and the doorway where Sebastian and Isabelle had just disappeared.
"Did Sebastian just..."
"He totally just stole Isabelle from Ethan."
"That was so smooth though."
"Poor Ethan. He looked like he wanted to do something but just... couldn't."
The whispers reached Ethan's ears, making his jaw tighten even more.
In the hallway, Sebastian finally slowed his pace but didn't let go of Isabelle's hand.
"You can let go now," Isabelle said, though her voice lacked conviction.
"Can I?" Sebastian glanced at her, his smile widening slightly. "What if you run back to him?"
"I'm not a child," Isabelle protested, but she didn't pull her hand away.
"I know." Sebastian's voice dropped lower. "That's exactly why I'm not letting go."
Isabelle's heart skipped a beat.
She looked away quickly, trying to hide her expression. "You're impossible."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it keeps being true."
Sebastian chuckled softly as they walked toward the cafeteria.
Behind them, still standing in the classroom doorway, Ethan watched them disappear around the corner.
[Ding! Quest Failed!]
[Quest: Lunch with the Heroine - Failed
Penalty: -10 Protagonist Halo, Heroine's affection toward you decreased]
Ethan stared at the notification, his expression dark.
'Sebastian Fairfax,' he thought coldly. 'What the hell is going on with you?'
—
[Ding! Quest Complete!]
[Quest: Lunch Date - Successfully secured Isabelle Monroe's company for lunch]
[Reward: 150 Villain Points, +3 Villain Halo, +5 points of affection]
Sebastian felt the warm sensation again as the notification appeared in his vision.
Isabelle's Affection: 50 (Status: A close classmate)
===Status===
Host: Sebastian Fairfax
Combat Power: 67 (Average human: 100)
Villain Points: 500
Villain Halo: 100
Luck: E
Charm: E+
→ Skills: None
======
Finally, he'd broken through to 100.
'Only 200 more Villain Halo points until the Exchange Mall unlocks,' Sebastian thought as he led Isabelle through the cafeteria entrance.
This was going better than he'd expected.
And judging by the way Isabelle's hand was still in his, trembling slightly but not pulling away… He was definitely on the right track.