I Was Reincarnated as the Villain Who Confines the Heroine in an Eroge World, But for Some Reason I'm the One Getting Confined by the Heroine Instead - Chapter 8: The Person Next Door in the Dormitory Was That Guy

Chapter 8: The Person Next Door in the Dormitory Was That Guy

“How did you know my name?”

In the end, that question went unanswered.

All she gave me was a vague mumble of “Because it’s fate,” and nothing more.

Just how much does she know, and how much does she not know?

I still couldn’t get a grip on it.

“Young lady. It is time.”

A man who looked like a well-trained knight appeared behind her. A sword hung at his waist, yet his bearing also reminded me of a butler.

Safira didn’t even spare him a glance and answered coldly.

“I still have something to do.”

“But His Grace the Duke has summoned you.”

The moment the word “Duke” left his mouth, Safira lowered her eyes for a single beat.

“…Understood. I’ll head there right away, so get ready.”

“As you wish.”

She replied in a calm voice and rose with graceful movements.

I was bewildered by the way she suddenly seemed like a completely different person. As she left, she leaned in close for just a second.

“Let’s continue this tomorrow, okay?”

She whispered in a sweet voice.

Then she immediately turned on her heel and left the library with her escort knight.

“Guess I’ll head back.”

After watching their retreating backs, I muttered to myself in the now-silent library.

The sun had long since set, and when I looked around, it seemed every other student had already gone home.

I stood up and surveyed the empty library.

Starting today, I’d be living in the student dormitory.

Originally I was supposed to move in yesterday, but I’d been delayed helping out at a nearby vineyard.

So this was my first time visiting the dorm. I vaguely knew of its existence from the original story, but since the details had never been described, I was really curious what my room would be like.

My first time living alone since coming to this world.

With both excitement and nerves swelling in my chest, I headed toward the dormitory with light steps.

※

The student dormitory of the Royal Hearts Academy stood on the academy grounds.

It was an old-fashioned stone building, its outer walls stained a muddy brown from years of weather.

Yet the inside was properly maintained for students, and magical lighting stones were lined up at even intervals along the corridors.

“It’s bright.”

In ordinary homes in this world, lighting cost a fortune, so people rarely used it unless they had no choice.

They woke with the sun and slept when it set.

Because I’d been living a lifestyle straight out of the Edo period, the dormitory lights actually felt dazzling.

It seemed a little wasteful, but both commoners and nobles lived here.

The place had clearly been built according to aristocratic tastes rather than commoner ones.

Thanks to that, every room was a single, each had its own toilet, and breakfast and dinner were provided—truly divine specs.

I might be the one benefiting the most from all this.

Thinking such things, I stepped inside the building and climbed the stairs toward my room.

“This must be it…”

My luggage, which I’d sent ahead, was waiting in front of the door, so I knew right away. There were about five rooms on the same floor, and mine was conveniently the corner room. Lucky.

“Phew…”

I stood in front of my door, reached out with a nervous hand, and felt my heart race.

Beyond this door lay the base of my new life starting today.

The moment I tried to open it, filled with anticipation—

“—!”

Clack.

The door to the neighboring room flew open with force.

I instinctively turned toward the sound, and there stood a face I definitely recognized.

Emerging from the room was Luxol, the protagonist of the original story.

Why here?

“……………………”

“……………………”

We stared at each other in stunned silence at the sudden encounter.

—No way. Luxol is my next-door neighbor?

I had considered the possibility, but to think it would actually happen left me shocked.

“…………………………”

He must have been thinking something similar.

A hint of disappointment colored Luxol’s face, and with every second our eyes met, his complexion grew paler.

“…It’s over.”

No, it wasn’t just disappointment—he looked outright despairing. He was already clutching his head.

In the original story, the protagonist was supposed to be a lot brighter and more easygoing. Why was his reaction so different? It was strange.

After a few seconds of silence,

“Um… so we’re neighbors, huh.”

“Yeah, looks that way.”

We couldn’t exactly stay mute forever, so we exchanged a few words. For some reason, Luxol flinched and his shoulders shook.

“W-well then, I’ll… be going…”

And just like that, he fled down the hallway.

“Why is he so on guard around me?”

This was literally our first conversation.

Sure, I’m the villain, so it’s only natural the protagonist would dislike me.

But running away the moment our eyes meet doesn’t feel very protagonist-like at all. If anything, that’s supposed to be my role.

Well, stealing someone else’s role is also part of what makes a protagonist a protagonist—taking a side character’s job and making it his own.

That’s just how protagonists roll.

In that case, could you hurry up and take that certain duke’s daughter off my hands?

She’s on sale right now. Her strength is way above the original specs, and her face alone is cute.

Her personality is a bit heavy, though. The kind of heavy you can’t just ignore.

So? Please?

As a bonus, I’ll even throw in my top three wine recommendations.