[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-i-am-a-villain-so-what":3,"chapter-i-am-a-villain-so-what-i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-124":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","I Am a Villain, So What?",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1506399,1956,"Chapter 124: I don’t like being spied on","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-124",124,"\u003Cp>I felt a burning gaze from across the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alicia was sitting there, gripping her fork and knife vertically like dual-wielded daggers. Her red eyes were locked onto the serving platter in Lily’s hands with the intensity of a starving direwolf. If she had a tail, the wind pressure from its wagging would have shattered the windows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I could almost hear a phantom [Woof!] echoing in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alicia,\" I sighed, picking up my napkin. \"Don’t stare so hard. You’ll melt the cheese with your eyes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am not staring, Boss,\" she said, drool practically forming at the corner of her mouth. \"I am strategically analyzing the nutritional distribution and thermal decay of the protein.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Right.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lily laughed, a bright sound that filled the room, and placed a massive plate in front of the crimson-eyed maid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Here is your portion, Alicia. Extra meat, just like you asked.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Lily!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clatter. Chomp.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Alicia attacked her food with terrifying speed. It was less ’eating’ and more ’tactical consumption.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gazed at the scene. The peaceful clinking of silverware, the rich smell of coffee, the morning sun hitting the polished wood table. It was such a stark contrast to the blood-soaked valley of yesterday’s simulation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Feeling my stare, Lily turned from the coffee station and smiled warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Eat, Master. The hollandaise will separate if it gets cold.\" She glanced at the clock on the wall. \"Besides, you have to leave early for the Academy, right? The Post-Tournament Ceremony is mandatory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lifted my spoon, breaking the yolk of the poached egg. It ran like liquid gold over the crispy potatoes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I took a bite. The rich, savory flavor exploded in my mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I’m not going.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lily froze mid-pour. Alicia stopped chewing, a piece of brisket hanging from her lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh...? What? Are you sick, Master?\" Lily blinked, rushing over to check my forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I leaned back in my chair, swirling my coffee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nah. I just feel like it. Yesterday was very hectic. I need some rest.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But... your reputation? The Prince?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let them wait,\" I said lazily. \"The protagonist needs the spotlight. The villain needs a nap.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lily stared at me for a moment, then her expression softened into a gentle smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is that so? Then I will make sure no one disturbs you, Master. I’ll hang the ’Closed’ sign on the diner too.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thank you, Lily.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Afternoon]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After breakfast, I tried to sleep. I really did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lay flat. Then prone. Then sideways.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This isn’t it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Idleness made me restless. My body, now tuned for high-speed combat and mana circulation, found the silence of the bedroom suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giving up on the nap, I decided to take a stroll.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I threw on a casual coat, pulled a cap low over my eyes, and headed to the Commercial District.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The capital had everything. From high-end magic shops to street food stalls. Browsing often yielded surprises.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped in front of a boutique accessory shop.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...This and that, please.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Two for 15 silvers.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt overcharged, but the craftsmanship was decent. I bought a pearl hair clip and a red ribbon brooch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They reminded me of Lily and Alicia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Hope they like them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a small gift for their efforts. Lily managed the household and Kitchen 21 almost single-handedly, and Alicia... well, she hadn’t burned the house down yet. That deserved a reward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Refreshed by the retail therapy, I bought a cup of chilled lemon juice and turned to head home.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I would’ve made it, too, if [Detection] hadn’t pinged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>ZING.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A red radar blip appeared in my peripheral vision.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...That’s?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I stopped, blending into the shadow of an awning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Across the street, two figures in hooded cloaks were hurrying through the crowd. But even with the hoods, I recognized their mana signatures.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elisha Ravencroft and Mariella Arlon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are they doing here?\" I muttered, narrowing my eyes. \"They’re top students. They aren’t the type to cut class the day after a major event.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Curiosity piqued; I tossed the empty juice cup into a bin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Let’s follow them.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I trailed them into the labyrinthine back alleys of the Lower Market. The deeper they went, the seedier the atmosphere became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, they stopped in front of a nondescript door with a symbol of a ’Closed Eye’ carved into the wood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It looked like a cheap tavern, but I knew better. It was an Information Guild.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Did they really come here? To buy secrets?’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I couldn’t follow them inside without alerting the guards. I leaned against a wall across the alley, closed my eyes, and focused mana into my auditory canals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Skill Active: [Detection (Lv. 8) - Auditory Focus]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sounds of the street faded—the shouting merchants, the carriage wheels—leaving only the voices inside the building.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bzzzt...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Voice of Broker]: \"...I’m requesting information on Lucien Ashborne.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My eyes snapped open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Voice of Elisha]: \"Since it’s information sought by the House of Ignis, I expect accuracy. I want everything.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Voice of Broker]: \"Regarding Lucien Ashborne... what should I focus on? His stock seems to have risen lately. Everyone is asking about him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Voice of Elisha]: \"I’ll pay whatever deposit you ask. Find out everything. His past dealings. His hidden assets. Where he goes, who he meets. His hourly location is the most important.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Voice of Broker]: \"Understood. Leave it to me. We will put a tail on him starting tonig—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I felt something boiling inside me. A surge of cold, sharp anger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’How dare they.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Investigating me? Behind my back? Trying to track my hourly location?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That crossed the line from curiosity to threat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I reached into my inventory. The Winchester materialized in my hands. I racked the lever.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Click-Clack.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Footsteps approached the door from the inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the heavy wooden door creaked open—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BANG!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I fired.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bullet tore through the air, grazing past Elisha’s ear by less than a centimeter, shattering the doorframe behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Kyaa!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Startled by the thunderous noise, Elisha stumbled, her high-heeled boots slipping on the cobblestones. She didn’t collapse, likely thanks to her [Movement] skills, but she looked terrified.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her two hidden escorts—mercenaries hired by the Ignis family—burst out of the shadows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lady Elisha!\" \"Sniper! Find the sniper!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No need to search.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I dropped from the wall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[Agility: 86]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I moved faster than they could track.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I landed in front of the first escort. Before he could draw his sword, I kicked his kneecap, shattering it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>CRACK.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Argh!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I spun the rifle, using the steel-reinforced buttstock to smash the second escort in the jaw. He crumpled instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third escort charged at me with a dagger.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn’t even look at him. I swept his leg, tripping him, and planted my boot on his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I aimed the barrel of the Winchester directly at Elisha’s forehead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The alley went deadly silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mariella was hiding behind Elisha, trembling like a frightened rabbit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You must be very curious about my information, Cadet Elisha.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My voice was low, distorted slightly by the mana I pushed into my vocal cords.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elisha, pale and shaking, looked up at the gun barrel, then at my face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Cadet Lucien.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just ask me directly,\" I said, my finger tightening on the trigger. \"I’m not kind enough to stay quiet after being spied on like a criminal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite her flustered expression, Elisha bit her lip. Ever the proud noble, she forced herself to meet my gaze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I... I apologize for using the Information Broker. But your performance yesterday... it didn’t make sense. I needed to know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She looked at her groaning escorts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Shall we move elsewhere? There are too many ears here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cancel the request first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I gestured with the rifle toward the open door, where the Information Broker was peeking out, sweating profusely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elisha turned to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You heard him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"U-Understood!\" The Broker squeaked, realizing who I was. \"I confirm the cancellation of the request regarding Young Master Ashborne! We saw nothing! We know nothing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Information Brokers thrived on trust, but they survived on fear. And right now, the man holding the gun was much scarier than the noble girl with the coin purse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Good.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I lowered the rifle, resting it on my shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s head to a hideout I know. Since you want to talk, let’s talk.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked at the groaning guards on the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Leave the trash here.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elisha swallowed hard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...You lot, return to the estate,\" she ordered the broken men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As her escorts limped away, Elisha looked at me with a mix of fear and awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I followed Elisha and Mariella to the safehouse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected of the Ravencroft Ducal Family, they didn’t just use a tavern room; they owned an entire discreet townhouse in the Merchant District, hidden behind a magic illusion ward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elisha placed her hand on the doorknob, glancing at me one last time as if to say,’Try anything, and I’ll burn you.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I just smirked, resting my rifle on my shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She opened the door.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Huh?\" \"Oh?\" \"....?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three of us stopped dead in the doorway.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside the dimly lit room, sitting at a table covered in maps and cheap coffee, was a familiar boy with messy black hair and a sword strapped to his back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael Ardyn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Protagonist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"K-Kael? Why are you here...?\" Mariella squeaked, peeking out from behind Elisha’s shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kael stood up, knocking his chair back in surprise. His eyes darted between Elisha, the trembling Mariella, and finally landed on me. His expression hardened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Elisha? Mariella? And... Cadet Lucien.\" Kael’s hand drifted toward his sword hilt. \"That’s what I’d like to ask. Why ishewith you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed internally. Of all the people to run into.\u003C\u002Fp>",1606,"2026-06-06T04:52:02.137Z",1,"novelbin.me","e13ac76be9537636d02c4f372f9f8876ad981163ec13ccf28000a83e01a8e742","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-125","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-123",230,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-a-villain-so-what-cover.jpg"]