I Got Reincarnated as a Villainous Noble, and When I Tried to Create an All-Male Academy to Avoid a Bad Ending, for Some Reason the Gender Ratio Reversed?

Chapter 19: The Gender Ratio’s Getting Even Weirder

Lately I’ve been thinking about something.

Well, to be exact, I’ve kinda noticed this weird feeling for a while now, but I kept telling myself nah, no way that’s actually happening, it’s probably just a coincidence, and basically tried to ignore reality.

But come on, at this point I can’t pretend anymore.

“…They’re not here.”

I walk all around the academy, searching. Just searching nonstop.

But no matter where I look, they’re nowhere.

—Yeah, guys are missing.

The hallways, the classrooms, the courtyard.

All I see are female students. Like, seriously, it feels like guys have gone extinct or something with how rarely I spot one.

—This is messed up.

First-years might be whatever, but upperclassmen were supposed to have a normal amount of male students, right? Yet it feels way too few now.

Did they all drop out or something?

Love and romance were supposed to be allowed now, so if anything, shouldn’t there be more guys sticking around? It’s super weird that the number of male students is actually dropping instead.

There’s gotta be some other reason, but unfortunately I got zero clues.

“……”

I’m seriously starting to get anxious about whether this is really okay.

I mean, right from enrollment, almost none of the original story’s main characters were here anyway.

The clumsy airhead heroine, the arrogant rich-girl heroine, the protagonist’s best friend character—none of them.

Pretty much just Lucina and Alenaria are around.

So basically, the core cast from the original story got completely wiped out.

Is this really fine?

While I’m stressing over a question that has no answer, I overhear a few upperclassmen chatting in the courtyard.

Finally, some guys! I stop walking without thinking and decide to eavesdrop a little.

“I’m quitting the academy.”

“For real?”

“I’m gonna become an adventurer. I heard the pay and treatment are pretty good lately.”

“No no no, even so, dude.”

That was not something I could just ignore.

Quitting the academy to become an adventurer?

And from the way they talk, they’re nobles too. A noble deciding to become an adventurer? That just doesn’t happen in normal society.

“Isn’t that way too risky?”

“It’s fine. Word is the guild and the church are suddenly rolling in cash, and there’s even a dorm just for newbie adventurers now. I figured maybe it’s time to stand on my own.”

“Nah, staying at the academy is way easier, trust me.”

“You’re a second son so maybe it’s no big deal for you. But I’m the fifth son—either way I’m getting kicked out of the house eventually. Might as well do it now while things are good.”

This is 100% because of the policies I pushed.

The newbie adventurer support measures I rolled out to help the protagonist… I never imagined they’d spread this far.

“Also, y’know that crazy strong guy lately?”

The senior who’s planning to quit says.

“He’s a total rookie adventurer but he’s already racking up insane achievements and climbing the ranks like mad.”

“Oh yeah, I heard about him. The next-generation hero, right?”

“Yeah yeah. Apparently he’s actually one year below us? And instead of coming to the academy, he went straight adventurer and is already killing it. It’s inspiring, man. Makes me feel like I can’t just sit around anymore.”

“Totally get it. Soloing a minotaur is straight-up insane.”

“Huh?”

I accidentally let out a sound.

For a second I panicked thinking they noticed me, but looks like they still haven’t spotted me.

Anyway… soloing a minotaur? Damn, that’s impressive.

In the original story, minotaurs were mid-game strong enemies. Even a veteran adventurer party would struggle, and the rule was: if you meet one alone, run. No question.

A newbie adventurer who can solo something like that? There’s only one person it could be.

The protagonist, Vista.

—Wait, isn’t he stronger than in the original?

In the original story he definitely couldn’t take down a minotaur at this point yet.

Pretty sure it was much later—like at least second-year second semester before he could even put up a fight.

And yet now he’s soloing them already? That’s… understatedly way too strong.

The reforms I made to the academy, plus improving the adventurer environment… who knew it’d have this kind of positive ripple effect.

Well, thinking about it calmly—the original was a school rom-com after all.

If he threw away every bit of rom-com protagonist glory and poured everything into adventurer work instead… yeah, of course he’d get this strong.

—I really hope he takes down the witch early.

With this level of power, it’s actually possible. He could just preemptively crush her before she even revives. That would seriously be the ideal scenario.

Go for it, protagonist.

※

【Side Vista】

Lately it seems like way more people are becoming adventurers.

I’m already a proper senior adventurer now.

A lot of the new guys apparently quit the academy to join, though—what happened over there?

Eh, whatever. More importantly, I’ve been growing a ton lately, even I can tell.

The dorm beds are super soft so I sleep great, and treatment costs are dirt cheap so I can spend more on food.

I’ve been eating tons of meat so my muscles are finally coming in nicely.

And thanks to Grandma beating fighting spirit techniques into me, I can handle ki way better now too. Feels like I’m on fire, y’know?

Alright—after the minotaur, next up’s a wyvern.

I’m gonna get that Dragon Slayer title, hell yeah!