[{"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-19":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},1506344,1956,"Chapter 19: Teacher?","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-19",19,"\u003Cp>The sun hung low when classes ended, painting the academy’s stone courtyard in amber light. Students poured out in groups — laughing, chatting, waving goodbye as the day came to a close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And among them, standing quietly by the academy’s gate, was Ariana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her hands were clasped in front of her, head slightly bowed. Her long bangs veiled her expression, and the faint breeze played with the loose strands of her silver hair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Every few seconds, she peeked toward the main path — only to look away again when she caught someone’s eye.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cadets passing by gave her curious glances.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Isn’t that the Solmere girl?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Who’s she waiting for?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"She never waits for anyone...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whispers trailed after her like leaves in the wind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But she didn’t move. She simply waited — quietly, patiently — until a familiar voice cut through the noise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I hope I didn’t make the lady wait too long,\" I said, hands tucked in my pockets, grinning faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her head snapped up, eyes widening. \"N-No! I-I just arrived!\" she stammered, flustered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, the way her body jolted betrayed that lie instantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I chuckled. \"Sure you did.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She puffed her cheeks — just a little — and fell into step behind me as I turned away from the academy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let’s go.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a few minutes, we walked in silence. The streets beyond the academy were lively — stalls clattering, vendors shouting, the smell of bread and roasted meat hanging in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana, walking half a step behind, finally gathered her courage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"U-Um... where are we going?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where else?\" I said. \"The market, of course. We need ingredients for cooking, don’t we?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the wordcooking, her eyes practically lit up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The nervousness in her steps melted into excitement.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are we going to make today?\" she asked softly, her tone rising just enough to show her anticipation. \"H-Hamburgers again? Or maybe tacos?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Neither.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She blinked, tilting her head. \"N-None?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yep,\" I said, smirking. \"Today, as a commemoration of you becoming my student, we’ll make something sweet.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Sweet...?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yeah. Good things should always start with something sweet, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a moment, she froze. Then her eyes softened — not just with excitement, but with something deeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That simple statement hit her like a wave she didn’t expect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sweetness... kindness... warmth — all things she rarely tasted in her life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her throat tightened. \"Y-Yes, teacher,\" she said, bowing instinctively at a perfect ninety degrees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Teacher?\" I blinked, then laughed. \"Ha! I like the sound of that. But refrain from calling me that in public — I have a reputation to maintain, you know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Y-Yes, teacher,\" she repeated obediently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sighed, shaking my head. \"You’re doing that on purpose now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>*****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The streets grew busier as we reached the market. The air buzzed with energy — merchants calling out prices, the scent of spice and mana-rich herbs filling every corner.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brightly colored crystals and glowing fruits shimmered under the golden light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And there it was — my target.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ingredients for the day’s experiment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheesecake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The universal weakness of women, no matter the world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I could recreate it here, Ariana would be hooked for life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not that I was scheming or anything.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Well... maybe a little.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But first came the hard part.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no cheese in this world. At least, not the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth kind. So I’d have to make that from scratch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We stopped at a dairy stall run by a plump woman vendor selling fresh milk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"One jug of your best milk,\" I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The woman grinned, handing over a heavy bottle that shimmered faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana followed quietly beside me, clutching a small pouch in her hands. When we moved to the next stall, she tugged at my sleeve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"P-Please let me pay for this,\" she said earnestly. \"It’s the least I can do, since you’re teaching me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I frowned. \"I can’t let a lady pay for my groceries.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It’s f-fine,\" she insisted, shaking her head. \"I-I want to. It’s my way of thanking you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I hesitated, the wordsas a man, I have dignityhanging on the tip of my tongue — before I remembered my precarious situation. My wallet quietly screamed from inside my coat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even though I still had around three hundred-plus gold left, my spending rate looked suicidal. And not to mention I had no income source.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>My pride fought valiantly for five seconds... and then died in silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...Fine,\" I muttered. \"But just this once.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her face lit up in a shy smile as she handed the vendor the coins.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>’Damn it,’ I thought bitterly, ’I’m being sponsored by my own student.’\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>****\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>We moved from stall to stall — collecting eggs, flour, and sugar that glittered faintly like frost. Ariana followed behind, carrying half the bags, her steps light and cheerful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching her like that — smiling faintly, humming softly under her breath — I couldn’t help but think that the timid, gloomy girl from a few days ago was slowly fading away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maybe it was the food.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or maybe... she just needed someone to remind her she wasn’t useless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Either way, it was working.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright,\" he said, adjusting the bags in his hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ariana nodded eagerly, her silver hair swaying as she followed him down the street — her heart quietly beating faster than usual.\u003C\u002Fp>",886,"2026-06-06T04:52:01.856Z",1,"novelbin.me","4d433ec6d4d42066d4101fd6648e352b546fb0548d1efa5b311ec3854aa08e38","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-20","i-am-a-villain-so-what-chapter-18",230,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fi-am-a-villain-so-what-cover.jpg"]