[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-am-i-the-villain-or-not":3,"chapter-am-i-the-villain-or-not-am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-12":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Am I the Villain or Not?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},571421,820,"Chapter 12: Because I Can Make Money","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-12",12,"\u003Cp>\"Professor Viktor, I… I can't do it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny quickly shook her head, lowering it so she didn't have to meet Viktor's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Listen to me, Henny.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"These past few days, I let you sit in and observe my lectures. That was to help you learn how to properly teach a class.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor's hand rested on Henny's shoulder. He could clearly feel her small, delicate body tremble slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny raised her head, her eyes filled with unspeakable worry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor, I'm afraid I'll mess up… and it'll ruin your reputation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reputation?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had a reputation?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sounded a bit like self-mockery, but in truth, he really didn't care much about that kind of thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor lightly patted Henny's back, calming her trembling body a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once she had settled down, he spoke again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew that no matter how much he tried to persuade her, this timid little lamb would never agree.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Viktor chose to give an order instead of asking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny knew she couldn't refuse the professor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she did, he would be upset…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to push open the classroom door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The noisy room quickly went quiet, but when the students saw Henny standing at the podium, confusion filled their faces.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where was the professor?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why was his assistant standing up there?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling all those eyes wandering over her, Henny's pressure mounted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Um…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor has something to attend to today, so… I'll be giving the lecture instead…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice grew smaller and smaller until the last few words were barely audible, like the buzzing of a mosquito, so soft that even she could hardly hear herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she finished speaking, it was like someone had dropped a bomb into a calm pond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ripples exploded, and the \"fish\" started chattering noisily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No way…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She's just a teaching assistant, how can she replace the professor?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Even if the professor allowed it, does she have his skill?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We want Professor Viktor to teach us! If our grades drop, can you take responsibility?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Each line from the students hit Henny like a blow. Her head hung lower and lower, like a bullied child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her eyes darted around in panic, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into and disappear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Professor Viktor… I can't do it, I really can't…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Professor, please come back soon…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Um… I'm so sorr...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Quiet!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sudden command startled Henny. She looked up timidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, Erica, who sat in the front row, had stood up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Waves of magical energy surrounded her, and a delicate, intricate magic circle floated before her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny recognized that spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a Silencing Spell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the caster, no creature within its range could utter a sound.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Assistant Henny, please continue.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Uuu… Erica, thank you!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny felt deeply grateful for Erica's help, though guilt rose in her heart at the same time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She'd spoken badly about Erica the day the professor first arrived…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And now, this same girl had stepped in to save her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Next exam, I'll definitely tell you the test scope in advance!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny already knew how she'd repay her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad,\" Viktor murmured from outside the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could see and sense everything happening inside the classroom clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica's timely help surprised him but also pleased him greatly. Henny's fear, however, was within his expectations.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had originally hoped to use student pressure to help Henny grow quickly, but it seemed that might have backfired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Still, letting Henny teach today had been unavoidable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tomorrow, he had to leave the city with Gwen, possibly for half a month, at least a week.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what, if he wanted to keep his professor position, he couldn't abandon this class's lessons.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Viktor thought of Henny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, she was the one who prepared all his lesson materials. She was fully capable in that regard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only concern was her shyness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wanted her to overcome that herself, to realize she truly had the ability to teach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Erica's help, the classroom quieted down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny took a deep breath, adjusted her emotions, and finally mustered the courage to begin the lesson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She followed the content written in the lecture notes, things she had long since memorized by heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, she found her rhythm and began teaching with increasing ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor, secretly observing, nodded. When it came to lecturing, Henny clearly had a natural talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students' attitudes changed too, from doubt, to curiosity, to surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They realized that Henny's pacing was perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It almost felt like Professor Viktor himself was the one teaching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the end, everyone was fully absorbed in her class.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only Henny's voice and the soft scratching of pens on paper filled the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the middle of the lesson, Henny suddenly paused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This part required a magic demonstration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Second-tier magic, Shattered Stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since Professor Viktor was a powerful third-tier mage, she had written the teaching notes from his perspective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unexpectedly, she had set a trap for herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was only a magic apprentice, she knew the theory, but didn't have enough mana to cast it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though flustered, she quickly calmed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Erica, could you demonstrate this spell for everyone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was gambling, gambling that Erica would help her again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, she guessed right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica calmly walked up to the podium, took the magic book from Henny's hands, and glanced over the detailed notes on Shattered Stars.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The structure was so clear she barely had to think. A simple mental outline of the formation, and she could cast it with ease.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised one hand and tried it for the first time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shattered Stars!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A mysterious ripple spread out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the air, countless bright stars appeared one after another, like strokes of paint forming the pattern of a magic array.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, just as the spell was about to take shape, it vanished abruptly midair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The students were still wondering what happened when,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thud! Thud! Thud!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From nowhere, countless tiny spikes shot out, embedding themselves into the wooden training dummies around the classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the dummies riddled with holes, the students' hearts all skipped a beat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What a vicious attack spell!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with Erica's demonstration, their learning speed soared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, so that's how it works!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They began chattering excitedly, not even realizing the Silencing Spell had long since faded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny let out a long breath. She met Erica's eyes and both shared a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The class soon ended in a focused yet relaxed atmosphere. When the dismissal bell rang, not a single student looked dissatisfied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had all learned a lot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And they'd also gained new respect for Henny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No wonder she was Professor Viktor's assistant, most lecturers couldn't teach half as well as she just had.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor Viktor's assistant is really that amazing?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah, seriously!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny walked over to Erica, wanting to properly thank the girl who'd stepped up for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Erica.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If it weren't for you, I would've totally embarrassed myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica smiled softly and waved a hand. \"It was nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny leaned close and whispered, \"I still don't understand why the professor made me teach this class. It's his job after all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, Erica also looked puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But confusion alone wouldn't answer anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So Erica decided to visit Viktor's office after class to ask about it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that, Henny agreed, they'd go together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, in his office, Viktor sat on his desk, sipping coffee while flipping through a magic book.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He'd already seen that Henny had adjusted well, so he'd slipped back here to slack off a bit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fading daylight, the soft sound of turning pages, it was all very peaceful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But peaceful moments never lasted long.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His mage tower alerted him to two incoming teleportation permits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the residual glow of the spell faded, two young, beautiful girls appeared before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny's voice was still as timid as ever, as though he might eat her at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of pages turning didn't stop. Without looking up, Viktor spoke in an almost casual tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good job today.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did it feel?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny clutched her chest, exhaling a few times in relief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thanks to Erica, it went smoothly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If there's a next time, I definitely won't be so scared.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Erica, who was feeding Vega, looked up and exchanged a glance with Henny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That reminded Henny why she came here, she wasn't here for praise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor, why did you have me teach that class?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snap!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor closed his book and placed the finely bound volume on the desk. Looking at Henny, he answered calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm going away for a while. It'll take me some time to return.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, Henny didn't think much of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Erica, who was still feeding Vega, flinched. Birdseed scattered across the desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Hey! Girl! If you're gonna feed me, feed me properly!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega protested unhappily, but of course, Erica didn't hear a word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She ignored the bird's chatter, ears perking up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So I wanted to test whether you're capable of taking over as the class instructor.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Henny froze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor, you… were testing me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor gave a quiet \"Mm,\" and smiled faintly, so subtly it was barely visible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Not bad. I believe you'll make an excellent lecturer.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Professor, uu… uuuu!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Receiving such unexpected approval, Henny couldn't hold back her emotions any longer and burst into tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, Erica was still dazed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Huh? What? Viktor's leaving? How long will he be gone?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, hearing that Viktor would be away made her a little sad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>During these quiet twilights after class, she'd always learned so much from him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Viktor left…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then maybe she had no reason to come here anymore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though he wasn't leaving forever, just for a few days, she still felt oddly down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then, another voice in her head chimed in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Perfect! That jerk's finally leaving!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Good riddance! If I don't see him, I won't be annoyed!'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She quickly adjusted her mood and shrugged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even without Viktor's lessons, she was still a genius mage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor turned his head to look at Erica.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What problem did you bring today?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry and ask. Once I teach you, I can clock out.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He even remembered she came to ask questions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like, crack, a hairline fracture appeared in the psychological wall Erica had worked so hard to build.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Head down, she took out her prepared notes and walked toward Viktor… feeling oddly distracted for some reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, Liya walked into Viktor's study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The shop's been fully renovated.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These days, Liya had been staying in the capital to handle store matters, so she hadn't returned to the territory, just lived here instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She already had a room here anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor closed his book, ready to discuss pricing with her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya said, \"One thousand geo.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For consumables sold in the capital, that price wasn't cheap, but it was fair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The potion was worth every coin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If they could sell twenty bottles a day, that was twenty thousand geo straight in revenue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the cost? Just a Tree Fruit, rare, but no more than ten geo apiece.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was what you called pure profit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor nodded. The price was exactly what he'd expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Higher would be too much; lower wouldn't match the potion's miraculous effects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, and limit it, two bottles per person per day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya looked confused. The potion was already expensive; they might struggle to sell it at all. And now he wanted to limit purchases?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wasn't he afraid of stockpiling too much unsold inventory?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor explained, \"Early on, it's better to earn less and spread word of the potion's effects.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The more people know later, the more we'll earn.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing that, Liya's bright eyes lit up with admiration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tch. I'm starting to think you're more of a merchant than I am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was like she was meeting Viktor for the first time in over ten years.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yawning, she suddenly remembered something and asked casually, \"Oh right, you're really going with Gwen to that… volcano, or whatever?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah.\" Viktor nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Fine.\" Liya muttered and waved a hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't die out there. I don't wanna spend money collecting your corpse.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm going to bed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, she slapped her cheeks lightly and left the study.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she was gone, Vega lifted its head, its eyes once again glinting with a strangely human light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey, is your sister… worried about you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought you two didn't get along.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We don't,\" Viktor replied, tapping his desk. A bottle of blue potion appeared in his palm. He toyed with it idly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then why? How did you manage that?\" Vega asked, puzzled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor set the blue potion on the desk and answered simply, \"Because I can make money.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═❀═\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FXenosX\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>🥳Joining Patreon keeps me motivated and eager to work diligently, so please consider joining.🥰\u003C\u002Fp>",2134,"2026-05-30T15:48:18.313Z","2026-06-01T04:31:37.164Z",1,"novelbin.me","0b83497932fe3038214b5a59d4c475442f69133fefcef62ca997941b0afd86a0","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-13","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-11",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fam-i-the-villain-or-not-cover.jpg"]