[{"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-162":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},571615,820,"Chapter 162 - 164: He’s Way Too Good at Flirting","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-162",162,"\u003Cp>\"My… birthday?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen looked at the elegant Viktor in front of her, her whole body frozen in place.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cello music around them shifted from its originally gentle rhythm to something light and cheerful, and the lights throughout the restaurant reflected more brightly from the crystals overhead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone's gaze was focused entirely on the two of them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if everyone present tonight was here solely to celebrate her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen had never experienced a feeling like this before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because of her childhood, no one had ever celebrated for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only when Kefra was at home would that sister who loved her most secretly prepare two cakes for her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as Kefra grew up and left home, that small surprise was stripped away from Gwen's life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over time, even she herself forgot this day, this special day that was special to her every year.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Gwen seemed to understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why Liya had tirelessly helped her put on makeup and design such an exquisite dress.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why Viktor had suddenly invited her to dinner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it turned out that from the very beginning, they had already been preparing this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An indescribable emotion slowly rose from the depths of Gwen's heart, quietly brewing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She remembered now.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Today was her birthday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A day she herself had almost completely forgotten, yet it was Viktor who reminded her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This person she had once hated the most.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen stood there stiffly, feeling as if a huge stone were hanging over her heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to say thank you, to thank Viktor standing in front of her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her throat felt like it was blocked by something, and she couldn't say a single word.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She stood there, but her heart grew anxious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, countless eyes were watching her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If she didn't respond at all, wouldn't that make Viktor awkward?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Move, Gwen.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It's just one sentence. Is it really that hard?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Please…'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hm?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor smiled at her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That smile was an expression Gwen had never seen on Viktor's face before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Was he… happy?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Just because of me?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'For someone like me?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as she remained silent, his gaze stayed gentle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a bright moonlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guiding her, illuminating her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You don't like it?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"N-no… that's not it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen shook her head and hurriedly spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But her voice sounded a little hoarse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen felt nervous, and a bit regretful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Regretful that she had spoken at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How could her voice sound this bad?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor would definitely be laughed at by others.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps noticing her slight embarrassment, Viktor leaned forward a little, in a gentlemanly manner, and slowly took her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The touch of his broad palm came through the gloves.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A warm sensation brushed against her palm, making her feel a tingling numbness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was holding her hand again, yet this time felt completely different from before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her heart felt itchy somehow, yet there was also a strange sense of reassurance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if someone had built a steel fortress around her, protecting her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor's voice slowly sounded beside Gwen's ear, \"Then, it's time for us to dine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miss Gwen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment his words fell, flames surged up from the floor of the restaurant, shooting straight toward the sky.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ground, the released verdant greenery quietly ignited, and the slender tree trunks were wrapped in flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Leaf buds burned, and at the instant they were engulfed by fire, clusters of crimson flowers burst into bloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like epiphyllums blooming, bringing beauty to everyone for a brief instant before being devoured by flames, carrying an even more exquisite brilliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The temperature gradually rose, yet the surroundings only became pleasantly warm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like sitting beside a fireplace, quiet and cozy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, the expanding flames gradually enveloped Gwen and Viktor together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The massive restaurant opened its dome, and a castle of fire slowly took shape from within.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under everyone's stunned gazes, the plants that sparkled with embers gradually turned to ash, drifting through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sheet of flame suddenly roared up, fluttering for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two figures within the flames seemed to turn into ashes after the fire dispersed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a streak of light ignited in the air, quietly departing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And after they left, the huge cake on the table was sliced automatically, as if by a blue magical dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Uniform slices of cake were divided onto countless plates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They slowly floated through the air, as if lifted by invisible hands, and were placed steadily in front of everyone watching.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nobles stared at the cake before them, recalling Viktor's wondrous magic, feeling a bit at a loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who would have thought, they just came out to eat, and ended up getting cake too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps… Viktor wasn't as cold and unapproachable as others claimed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In any case, this time, Viktor's extremely high-profile celebration of Gwen's birthday would soon spread throughout the entire royal capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen slowly descended to the ground and gradually opened her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What greeted her was an enormous and luxurious private dining room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Candlelight lined the walls above, countless points of light stretching toward the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The floor beneath her feet was incredibly soft. When Gwen looked down, she saw that red wool carpets covered the entire room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massive crimson, silk-like curtains hung ten meters down to the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Transparent windows surrounded the room. Looking out from inside, they were in the highest rooftop private room of the entire restaurant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Through the windows, every movement of the crowd below could be seen clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendants inside the room stood neatly on both sides, their movements elegant, every one of them extremely respectful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before them was a very long dining table. On the white tablecloth were golden plates of varying sizes, filled with delicacies, extravagant beyond measure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn't this… a bit too wasteful?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I ordered one of every dish.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Viktor spoke, an attendant pulled out the chair in front of him and let him sit down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another attendant stepped forward to hand him a napkin, but Viktor waved his hand. A flame ignited out of thin air, transforming into a burning napkin that hovered in front of his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he casually snapped his fingers in the air, and the dishes around them floated up, rotating one after another in front of Gwen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It dazzled her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whatever she wanted to eat, with just a thought, the dish would float to her the very next second.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ever since getting to know Viktor, Gwen had always believed that magic was an incredibly wondrous and convenient power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The attendants stared in a daze. Watching Viktor's effortless actions, they felt rather unnecessary.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'You're this amazing, what do you even need us attendants for?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor nodded slightly to one side, and the attendants immediately understood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With keen awareness, they all turned around in unison and neatly exited the private room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the vast room, only Viktor and Gwen remained, sitting across from each other.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She lifted her head and glanced at Viktor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The man before her was calm and composed, holding his knife and fork, eating slowly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the way he chewed made Gwen feel it was incredibly elegant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She had only eaten with Viktor twice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And every time, she felt that Viktor's elegance wasn't something trained later in life, but a temperament ingrained deep in his bones.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He perfectly embodied the gentle elegance of nobility.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just watching him was a kind of enjoyment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen gradually relaxed, opened her mouth, and said gratefully, \"Thank you… for getting me out of that situation just now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In a situation like that, if Gwen hadn't said anything, both of them would only have been ridiculed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, being unable to say even a single sentence, was that the mindset a former Royal Knight Commander should have?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, Viktor had suddenly taken her away, quickly pulling her out of the crowd's gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was as if he had anticipated it all along, always ready to help her out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's fine.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor didn't lift his head and continued eating at an unhurried pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen lowered her head, her hands rubbing together restlessly at her waist, and nervously asked, \"Th-then… um.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did you know my birthday, and why… did you do all this?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Why are you being so good to me?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That sentence, Gwen didn't say out loud.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was afraid that he would simply reply that this was just basic courtesy as a noble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For some reason, she didn't want to hear those words come from Viktor's mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from Kefra, she couldn't think of a second person who had ever celebrated her birthday.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She wanted to quietly preserve this moment in her heart, even if this so-called kindness was nothing more than her own wishful thinking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor picked up his knife and fork, cut off a thick piece of steak, and speared it with the fork.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Open your mouth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen froze, her small mouth slightly opening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She was just about to say something, when Viktor had already stood up, reached out, and brought the piece of beef toward her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen leaned back slightly, staring at the steak, her face instantly flushing red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I-I… I didn't mean that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Open your mouth.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The calm words carried an unmistakable tone of refusal to be denied.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Viktor's gaze, Gwen's mind fell into chaos.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She couldn't help but close her eyes and slightly part her lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steaming piece of beef was placed into her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gwen chewed, feeling the juices burst across her mouth, warmth flowing over her tongue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was clearly just an ordinary steak, a normal taste.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet right now, it felt unbelievably delicious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gradually, Gwen began to sink into it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn't want to open her eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Didn't want to see Viktor disappear in front of her once she did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Better to just let it stay like this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soft rustling sounds came from beside her as Viktor sat back down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked up his knife and fork again, casually speared a piece of cake, and put it into his mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After chewing slowly and swallowing, Viktor's voice gently sounded by Gwen's ear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After we finish eating, don't go home yet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'll take you somewhere.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…!?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As if she had thought of something, Gwen's face flushed crimson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She suddenly opened her eyes, completely unable to stay calm anymore, hurriedly stood up, and waved a hand frantically in front of Viktor, loudly stopping him, \"N-no… no way!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That kind of thing should at least wait until after marriage…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor, \"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1744,"2026-05-30T15:48:18.711Z","2026-06-01T04:31:37.164Z",1,"novelbin.me","e33043da4db7c226402c1b784376730396bd4033a8efa0793df1381ee2854f2d","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-252","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-161",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fam-i-the-villain-or-not-cover.jpg"]