[{"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-53":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},571512,820,"Chapter 53: Huh?","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-53",53,"\u003Cp>The appearance of the demon brought extremely heavy losses to the royal capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in the end, it was still humanity's side that won.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The impact of this incident was immense. It spread mouth to mouth throughout the capital, without the need for any embellishment from the media.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, many people had personally witnessed the demon's appearance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The demon's terrifying strength struck fear into everyone's hearts; its frenzied tentacles covering the sky and earth shattered the sanity of all who saw them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether it was the demon's madness within the academy or its cruelty back in the mountain, both were enough to make anyone tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That doomsday-like terror became an indelible shadow in everyone's memory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And because of this event, Viktor's image, and his terrifying magical power, was deeply branded into everyone's mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The empire's youngest Fourth-Rank mage. This news quietly spread across the empire…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>———\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Three Days Later]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor sat at his desk, still holding that same profound magic book he never tired of reading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega had once mocked him for it, asking why he always kept that book in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Does that book contain some kind of profound magic even you have to keep studying nonstop?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Viktor never gave it the answer it wanted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The loss report from the capital is in.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At some point, Liya pushed open the door and placed a paper covered in writing on Viktor's desk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By now, Viktor was long used to Liya entering his study without knocking or greeting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He closed the book, lifted his head, and took the paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It clearly listed all the damages in the capital.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shops, streets, statues at landmarks…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The most serious loss was the academy, it had been completely razed to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the second day after the demon was destroyed, old Raschel finally rushed back from the City of Magic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The academy he had devoted his life to was gone without a trace. Looking at the empty land and the massive crater, he merely sighed softly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one knew what kind of complicated emotions this great mage, who had given his entire life to the academy, felt at that moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although everyone knew it was Viktor who destroyed the academy, no one blamed him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the battle against the demon, the destruction of the academy had been inevitable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor's intervention merely sped up that outcome, allowing the demon to be eliminated quickly, ensuring that the losses wouldn't grow worse and minimizing casualties as much as possible.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consequently, Devon Lesser's crimes were also fully confirmed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Someone found Devon Lesser's corpse outside the city gates, along with several dead knights.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"From the looks of it, those knights probably found him while he was fleeing, but he still had some strength left to resist.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In their battle, he injured many knights, and in the end, they perished together.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya waved the newspaper in her hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, that's what it says.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor's heart remained calm. To him, whether Devon Lesser lived or died didn't matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was already half-dead anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He asked calmly, \"And the punishment for the Lesser family?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There is one,\" Liya said, continuing her orderly report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Lesser family volunteered to cover all of the capital's losses, and His Majesty added further punishment.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They must also compensate every mage and knight who participated in the battle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Of course, since you count as one of the mages, you're also included in that compensation.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But I figured you wouldn't need it, so I gave your share to Henny.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya said matter-of-factly, and Viktor wasn't surprised at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya was a normal woman, only business had forced her to become ruthless and cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter what kind of identity she hid behind the scenes, or how cruel or heartless she appeared, that was merely a disguise, necessary sacrifices for the sake of her family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In reality, she was a sentimental person.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That day, after the battle, Viktor had left early and placed the unconscious Henny at home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He explained everything to Liya, including what Henny had gone through.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya had been deeply saddened and promised Viktor she would take good care of that poor girl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, Liya squinted slightly, speaking with a knowing tone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tsk tsk, the Lesser family really is rich, huh?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"There were so many people in that battle, just within the academy there were over a thousand mages.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Paying everyone individually… that's a massive sum of money!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor picked the book back up again, as if not wanting to waste a second of reading time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He replied simply, \"Losing money to ward off disaster.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're right,\" Liya said with a smirk. \"Then how do we ward off our disaster?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor paused for a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A financial crisis?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did you hear that, Vega? From now on, no more meat for you, you'll have to eat grains.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raven on the desk looked up, glaring at Viktor in clear protest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Relax, I'm joking,\" Viktor said offhandedly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya seemed quite pleased with his reaction. She had been wanting to knock Viktor down a peg for a while now, he'd been getting a little too cocky lately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The item shop reopened,\" she said cheerfully. \"After that battle with the demon, our reputation skyrocketed.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Our daily stock gets cleaned out by those mages.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Some even asked if we could sell more per day!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of it made Liya laugh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Potions that cost almost nothing to make could sell for a thousand Geo each.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With fifty thousand Geo coming in daily, that's one and a half million a month!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the wealthiest half-year for the Clavenna family barely reached five million, mages really were loaded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I actually feel like thanking that demon. Oh heavens, I should be ashamed of myself for thinking that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya excitedly waved her hands, her eyes shining with the light of money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor just sat there quietly, saying nothing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya didn't mind his puppet-like silence; she was used to it. She continued speaking, \"Oh, and don't forget, I did a lot of work for this too. If you don't give me some kind of reward, that'd be unfair.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She said it cheerfully, and indeed, as she claimed, when it came to convicting Devon Lesser, she had played a crucial role.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Those reporters waiting outside the academy for the first-hand scoop, that had been Liya's doing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She'd used public pressure to force the Lesser family to confess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though they had disowned Devon early, under the weight of massive public outrage, the royal family had no choice but to issue harsh punishment against them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the end, everyone was happy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Except the Lesser family.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor still didn't lift his head, calmly nodding before saying, \"Then, what do you want?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Half!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya raised her hand, holding up five fingers in front of him and waving them playfully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Half the shop's monthly profits, you have to give me at least that much!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor, \"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He closed his book, looking at her with a slight headache.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eighty percent.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya froze, blinking in confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I can give you eighty percent of the profits,\" Viktor said. \"I need a bit of money for myself, but if it weren't for that, the shop's entire income could be yours, it's our family's business anyway.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya was stunned. She stood there staring at the indifferent Viktor, opening her mouth but unable to speak.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You… you're serious?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He wasn't lying. He did need some money, to study higher-tier Fourth-Rank spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But there was no need to explain that to her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, the position of head of the Clavenna family would eventually go to Liya anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And if he ever ran out of money later?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could just ask her for some.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, it was their family's money.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't look at me like you've never seen the world before,\" Viktor said flatly. \"You're the one managing Clavenna territory, after all.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya didn't catch the deeper meaning in his words. She lowered her head slightly, her tone softening, even showing a bit of shyness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've been wanting to ask you something before, but…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, forget it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She took a deep breath, as if calming herself, and soon her usual confident demeanor returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eighty percent, it's your offer, don't regret it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here, this is for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya tossed him a money pouch from her chest pocket. Viktor caught it easily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He weighed it, it was still warm from her body. Inside, coins clinked against each other, the sound of wealth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This money is?\" Viktor asked in mild surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya replied casually, \"Kefra suddenly went crazy and gave Gwen a big bag of money, told her to pass it to you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That much? Don't tell me you blackmailed her?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor was speechless at her suspicion, but he pocketed the money anyway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he said to Vega beside him, \"All right, your meat money's secured.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liya didn't get a real answer out of him and muttered under her breath, \"If you hadn't said I get eighty percent, I'd have kept that money for myself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But now, I don't need that little bit.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Saying that, she turned gracefully and walked toward the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before leaving, she said casually, \"By the way, that poor little girl still hasn't woken up. I'm a bit worried. If you've got time, don't forget to check on her.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With a bang, the study door shut behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega's expression turned strangely human, it looked annoyed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Viktor, what do you mean by that? Out of money, so you're cutting my food budget?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I thought you didn't care about such things.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor took out the book again and resumed reading.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I've been wondering,\" Vega said, \"why do you keep reading that same damn book over and over? If you've got questions, can't you just ask me?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It didn't understand why Viktor was pushing himself like he was racing against time, unwilling to rest for even a moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm already a Fourth-Rank mage now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That seemingly meaningless statement confused Vega.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'So what if you are? Even if you leveled up a few more times, I could still answer your questions.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, Vega didn't understand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a player, Viktor could directly spend Geo to learn spells.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant that while he had become a Fourth-Rank mage, aside from the one Fourth-Rank fire spell he'd comprehended on his own, he didn't actually know any others yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the cost of learning Fourth-Rank spells was very high. So…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Reading for 100 hours grants the skill \"Heart of the Sage.\"]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the voice echoed in his mind, Viktor closed the book and said calmly, \"All right, no need to keep reading.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Vega, \"?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor glanced at his skill menu, there was a new passive line added,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Heart of the Sage Lv1, Reduces material and Geo costs for learning skills by 50%.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That's right, Viktor had been grinding for skills.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent so long reading like that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's go check on Henny,\" Viktor said, standing up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The raven quickly fluttered onto his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Viktor sighed almost regretfully, saying, \"To have knowledge but be unable to learn magic, what a strange constitution.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At those words, Vega gave Viktor a startled look.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Honestly, I thought you already knew that.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now Viktor was the one who looked surprised. He turned toward Vega, showing rare confusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Vega spoke,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Henny's a succubus.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"…Huh?\"\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>",1904,"2026-05-30T15:48:18.711Z","2026-06-01T04:31:37.164Z",1,"novelbin.me","902b76f67eb3933614fc28c42594651d2644910d04a5c0c7155c69d889166dcc","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-54","am-i-the-villain-or-not-chapter-52",393,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fam-i-the-villain-or-not-cover.jpg"]