A Guy Who Thinks He’s a Villain in a World Where Gender Ratios Are Broken - Chapter 09: Reincarnated as a Villain, But What’s Going On?! (Not Really)

Chapter 09: Reincarnated as a Villain, But What’s Going On?! (Not Really)

After climbing a gentle slope, the car slowed down and came to a stop by the roadside.

From the driver’s seat, Kyoko turned to look back at me.

“—We’ve arrived. This is the academy where you will be attending, Young Master.”

“Ah, thank you, Kyoko. So, this is the academy, huh?”

I gazed through the car window, taking in the view outside.

The grounds were massive, yet everything was meticulously maintained. At the center stood a grand and beautiful school building, towering with pride.

Yeah, this place definitely has that vibe.

It’s the kind of academy where you’d expect a lot of students.

And not just any students—more like refined young ladies and gentlemen, people who seem handpicked to be here. Even the name, Sotei Academy, sounds like it carries a lot of prestige.

The school was big, elegant, and brimming with class.

Well, that’s just my impression anyway.

You know, because it’s called Sotei Academy?

Hah, what a lame joke.

No point in wasting time with dumb thoughts—I want to get a closer look at this place.

“Kyoko, can we take a walk around the academy? Just the area around it for now.”

“…Understood.”

For a moment, Kyoko widened her eyes in surprise. But she quickly regained her usual composed expression and answered in her calm tone.

After parking the car in a nearby lot, Kyoko and I began walking around the academy grounds.

“Sorry for dragging you along, Kyoko. Thanks for coming with me.”

“It’s no problem…”

“Still, you seem to know the roads around here really well. Do you come here often?”

“…Well, yes, sort of. Also…”

After a brief pause, Kyoko quietly added,

“This academy is my alma mater.”

“Wait, your alma mater?!”

Her unexpected reply made me raise my voice without thinking.

If she went to this academy, then maybe I could ask her about upcoming events or what usually happens here. That might help me avoid any doom flags!

Yeah, Kyoko really is a key figure in this world.

But instead of bombarding her with questions, I wanted to have a simple conversation with her for now.

“Did you enjoy your time at the academy?”

“Yes. I’d say I had a good time.”

“That’s good to hear. How about your current job as a maid? Do you like it?”

At that, Kyoko froze, her lips staying tightly shut.

“Ah, sorry. That was a mean question to ask.”

I decided not to push her any further.

Kyoko was dedicated to her work, but when asked something so directly, it seemed like she couldn’t hide her true feelings.

I actually liked that about her—how honest she was.

“As for me…”

“?”

Kyoko tilted her head slightly, and I decided it was time to share my honest feelings too.

“I want to make sure I enjoy my time at this academy. And more than that, I want you to find joy in your work as a maid, Kyoko. That’s why I’ll do my best.”

“…”

Kyoko’s eyes widened, and her lips parted slightly as if she wanted to say something.

But in the end, she stayed silent.

Well, whether I’ll hear her thoughts depends on how hard I try from here on out.

“Alright, it’s getting cold. Let’s head back.”

“…Okay.”

Kyoko and I started walking back toward the parking area where we had left the car.

It was as we stood at the crosswalk near the academy, waiting for the traffic light to change.

“I-I told you, I’m not interested in you!”

―A loud voice from a girl caught my attention.

Looking around for the source, I noticed a small crowd gathered a bit ahead of the crosswalk.

The first thing that stood out was a girl with soft, flaxen hair that seemed to float gently around her. Her skin was pale and almost translucent, her large, sparkling eyes were captivating, and her figure was so perfect it could make anyone stop and stare.

If she smiled, it would probably be breathtaking. But right now, she looked distressed.

Standing in front of her was a slim man with blond hair, wearing a leather jacket and jeans.

At first glance, it looked like one of those cliché scenes from a story where a shady guy is trying to pick up a cute girl.

But something felt off.

The blond man wasn’t alone—there were four other girls around him.

And not just any girls—they were all stunningly beautiful. The scene resembled the classic harem setup of a light novel protagonist.

He was probably one of those “oh well” types constantly doted on by girls, living his life without a care.

So why was he pestering another girl? It didn’t make sense.

“Come on, you’d be better off becoming mine now. I mean, out of the few men around, I’ve got a good face, my family’s rich, I’m kind, and marrying me would guarantee a life of luxury. Right? Isn’t that right, ladies?”

I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but the blond guy definitely looked like he was trying to hit on the girl.

What was strange, though, was how the women around him seemed to be nodding along. Were they actually okay with him doing this?

Wait, what? The situation just kept getting weirder.

Why was he even hitting on someone when he was already surrounded by other women?

I couldn’t wrap my head around it.

But then…

“Even if you’re a man, I still have the right to refuse. So, I’m declining your offer.”

“Come on now, refusing shouldn’t even be an option. I’m one of the rare men around, and I’m telling you that I like you. You should be thrilled and answer immediately. Honestly, you should be crying tears of gratitude.”

“…! You men are always like this…”

The girl frowned deeply, her frustration clear.

If she couldn’t handle this on her own, I had to step in!

“Nako…!”

Kyoko noticed it too. Her expression was unusually tense, and her voice had dropped to a stern tone.

“Let’s go, Kyoko!”

“Y-Yes!”

As soon as the light turned green, Kyoko and I rushed toward the girl together.

“Excuse me, can I have a moment?”

“Huh? Who the hell are you?”

When I spoke up, the blond guy turned to me with an irritated glare.

Not that it scared me. No matter how he acted, I already knew what I had to do.

I started to turn toward the girl to speak to her, but—

“O-Onee-chan!”

Huh? Onee-chan?

The girl’s expression shifted to relief as she looked past me and called out to Kyoko, who was standing at my side.

Ah, I see. She’s pretending Kyoko is someone she knows.

It’s like one of those scenes in novels or manga where the protagonist swoops in with a line like, “She’s my girlfriend,” or “Sorry to keep you waiting.”

But realistically, it’s probably easier for her to talk to another woman like Kyoko than to me, a guy.

The girl quickly moved to stand next to Kyoko, and I took that as my cue to face the man head-on.

Although, to be fair, it wasn’t all of them causing trouble—just the blond guy.

And honestly…

“You’ve got such beautiful girls around you already, but you’re still trying to pick up more? That’s not right. Shouldn’t you focus on treating the ones with you with more care?”

I kept my tone calm and composed, almost villain-like, but spoke slowly to avoid provoking him.

“W-Wait… Did he just say we’re beautiful?”

“No way!”

“This is the first time a man’s ever said something like that to me…”

“I didn’t know there were men who would say things like that…”

The women around him started murmuring in response to my words.

I couldn’t catch everything they were saying, but judging by their expressions, they probably weren’t too happy with me stepping in and calling out the blond guy.

“Tch, you…!”

He seemed a bit taken aback by my remarks, but he quickly recovered, furrowing his brows and snapping back at me.

“I-I can do whatever I want! Even if you’re a guy too, this has nothing to do with you!”

“If you have the freedom to do what you want, doesn’t she have the freedom to say no? If she’s clearly not interested, you should back off. Being persistent will just make her dislike you even more.”

“L-Like I said, this is none of your business! Besides, we’re men! Why are you even siding with a woman?”

Hmm… this guy really wasn’t going to listen, was he?

His emotions were clearly running high, and now he was spouting nonsense. Being a man doesn’t automatically make you superior.

There’s no way someone like him could be the protagonist of this world… right?

Either way, I wasn’t about to let this slide.

“Whether you’re a man or a woman doesn’t matter when it comes to causing trouble for others! Being a man doesn’t give you a free pass!”

“Ugh…”

I stepped forward, meeting his gaze with a firm look.

“If you keep harassing her, then I’ll deal with you myself. But if you walk away now, no one has to get hurt. The choice is yours—what will it be?”

“Tch… Let’s go, ladies.”

With a click of his tongue, the blond guy turned and walked away, his group following behind him.

Phew… That went more smoothly than I expected. Glad it’s over.

“T-Thank you, Onee-chan! And also…”

The girl, still clinging to Kyoko, turned to look at me as she spoke.

Huh? The troublemaker is gone now, so why is she still pretending Kyoko is her “Onee-chan”?

I barely had time to wonder before Kyoko spoke up.

“Make sure you thank him properly.”

“Oh! T-Thank you so much!”

“Young Master, I would also like to thank you on behalf of my sister. Thank you for helping her this time.”

“Ah, no problem… Wait, your sister?!”

Kyoko has a sister? That’s news to me!

“W-Wait, this is the young master…?”

The girl’s reaction shifted to surprise as she looked at me.

Now, she was staring intently at me, her brows furrowing slightly with suspicion.

Her reaction, combined with the fact that she’s Kyoko’s sister…

It hit me like a bolt of lightning.

Oh no… She probably doesn’t like me already!