A Guy Who Thinks He’s a Villain in a World Where Gender Ratios Are Broken - Chapter 28: I May Be the Villain, But I Want to Do Things Myself (Or Not?)

Act 3: A Strange Way to Spend a Day Off?

Chapter 28: I May Be the Villain, But I Want to Do Things Myself (Or Not?)

A weekend morning.

Right after waking up,

I spent about an hour working up a sweat in the training room.

After finishing my shower in my room, I stood there, shirtless, drying my wet hair—

And casually muttered something that had been on my mind for a while.

“Hmm… I really want a smartphone.”

That’s right.

I, a modern student, don’t own a smartphone.

Back in my previous life, my parents only got me one after I entered high school, so not having one now isn’t that strange…

But still—

“Smartphones are so convenient. More than anything, they’re packed with information. And besides… this room doesn’t even have a TV.”

I looked around my room.

A spacious room filled with luxurious furniture, tasteful decorations, a private shower room—

And even a personal maid.

Saying it had everything one could ever need wouldn’t be an exaggeration.

But there were still things missing from this mansion.

That was… Smartphones, televisions, and computers—anything related to information technology.

Considering how extravagant this place was, it definitely wasn’t a matter of money.

If anything, this place was so well-equipped that things like smartphones, TVs, and computers weren’t even necessary.

There was no need to bother with the outside world. 

That’s just how comfortable this environment was.

But even though I could live without a TV, I still wanted a smartphone.

Not just as a way to communicate, but to gather information about this world.

That said, this world wasn’t some fantasy setting; it felt more like the stage of a modern rom-com.

From what I had seen—including the cityscape, the school life, and the overwhelming number of women—it wasn’t all that different from my original world.

But still, I didn’t fully understand this world yet. If I wanted to grasp the bigger picture, I needed solid information.

“I mean, sure, raising favorability and playing along with the whole heroine-and-protagonist dynamic is fine and all… But for once, let’s take a step back and focus on gathering intel!”

Just as I was thinking that, I heard a knock at the door.

“Reito-sama, may I come in?”

“Ah, yeah, go ahead.”

“Excuse me, Reito-sama. Breakfast is rea—… fweh!?”

The one who entered was Nako.

As always, she looked great in her maid uniform.

“Good morning, Nako.”

“…”

I greeted her gently, but… she froze in place near the door, completely motionless.

“Hm? Nako? What’s wrong? Nako?”

I raised my voice slightly, and Nako suddenly snapped back to reality.

But her face turned bright red as she quickly averted her gaze from me.

“R-Reito-sama!”

“Hm?”

“W-Why… are you shirtless?!”

“? Oh, right. My bad—I just got out of the shower.”

Ah, that’s right.

I had been drying my hair with a towel, lost in thought, and had completely forgotten to put on a shirt.

“I’ll get dressed now, so just wait a second. Let’s see… where’s my T-shirt…?”

“…”

◆◆

After Breakfast.

Kyoko came to my room.

Behind her, Nako was stealing glances at me, her eyes darting away whenever I noticed.

“Young Master. There’s something I need to make clear—”

Kyoko let out a deep sigh, then continued in a cold, firm tone.

“From now on, if I ever see you dressed like that after a shower again—You will be banned from using the training room.”

“Whaaat!?”

I couldn’t help but cry out in protest.

What did I even do wrong!?

Sure, I was shirtless, but it’s not like I looked bad!

I work out! My body is toned and athletic, okay!?

If I get banned from the training room, my Villain Route will spiral straight into “Pathetic Fatty Route”!

And besides, every self-respecting villain knows that maintaining a fit body is essential for keeping high favorability scores.

It’s not about immediate results—it’s about consistency!

“Young Master. Do I make myself clear?”

Even though I hadn’t said anything out loud, Kyoko somehow read my mind and hit me with an intense aura of pressure.

In the end, I had no choice but to nod in defeat.

But wait—

That means Nako told her.

So she really did go and snitch…

Does she still not trust me?

“I’ve thought this for a while now, but… Young Master, you are far too careless.”

“C-Careless? Me?”

I glanced at Nako.

“…”

She silently nodded.

Wait… seriously?

Am I really that careless?

And what exactly does she mean by that…?

“Uh, I’ll be more careful from now on!”

“”…””

Even though I said it with confidence, Kyoko and Nako remained completely silent.

Yep. Neither of them trusts me at all.

Alright then—time to work on raising their favorability!

“Kyoko. Changing the subject—I need to contact Mom.”

“Understood. Shall I relay your request as usual?”

“No, I want to speak to her directly. Could you lend me your phone?”

“Understood.”

Kyoko tapped on her phone for a moment, then handed it to me.

Looking at the screen, I saw that it was already set to call Mom’s number.

I pressed the call button, and before the first ring even finished, the call connected instantly.

A familiar voice rang out from the other end.

“Hello? Kyoko-chan? Did something happen to Rei-kun!?”

Oh. So she just assumed something had happened to me.

Guess the original Reito must have really given her a lot of reasons to worry.

“No, it’s me, Mom. Sorry for calling when you’re busy—do you have a moment?”

“Eh—R-Rei-kun!? I-I’m really talking to Rei-kun right now!?”

“Well… yeah.”

Mom’s excitement practically radiated through the phone. 

But if I let things go on like this, she’d completely take over the conversation, just like before. 

Sorry, Mom. But this time, I wouldn’t let her set the pace.

“Mom, I want a smartphone…” I was about to say, but I shut my mouth before the words could escape. 

No, that would be the wrong approach—that’s exactly what old Reito would have done, asking for whatever he wanted using his parents’ money without a second thought. 

But I’m different.

“Mom, I—”

“Mhm, mhm! What is it, Rei-kun?”

“I’d like to get a part-time job. Is that okay?”

“―”

In that instant, I felt the entire atmosphere on the other end shift. 

The line went completely silent. 

I heard nothing, not even breathing.

“Huh? Did the call drop?”

I looked up, only to find Kyoko and Nako staring at me, their faces frozen in complete shock.

Huh? What’s with them?

Well, whatever. Mom comes first.

“Mom? Mooom?”

“Hah! Y-Yeah, Mama’s still here! Maybe the signal cut out for a second…? But, um… I feel like I just heard something outrageous come out of your mouth. So, um… could you say that again?”

Ah, so it was a signal issue?

Alright then.

This time, I’ll make sure to say it loud and clear!

“There’s something I want, so I’d like to get a part-time job to buy it. That’s okay, right?”

“No, it’s NOT okay! Absolutely NOT okay! I’m coming home right now, so wait for me!”

“Huh!? Wait, Mom—!?”

The call abruptly cut off. 

I stared at the phone, blinking.

“She’s… coming here?.”

“Young Master…”

“Ahaha…”

Kyoko looked exasperated, while Nako let out a dry chuckle.

Wait… Did I just mess up somehow?