The Strongest Villain, Who Had Secluded Himself Deep in the Mountains To Avoid the Destruction Flag, Is Forced Onto the Main Stage by the Heroine He Helped

Alba has changed quite a lot.

The one who sensed this change the most isn’t the miscellaneous people around him, but Alba’s childhood friend, Ireina.

‘I wonder what could have happened during the time we were separated?’

The current time was several days after the duel incident.

Despite the turmoil that had occurred, peaceful days followed. Ireina found herself thinking about such matters. In the end, regardless of what anyone said, Alba’s victory in the duel was undeniable.

In the blink of an eye, the man who challenged him was blown away, and Alba demonstrated a swift motion that was unpredictable and struck his challenger in a spot which made him lose consciousness without facing any major injuries.

She still remembered the distinct bluish-white light that enveloped his whole body.

The spoils of victory were untouchable. The event had concluded with a message to not interfere further with him or his daily life, and thus, peaceful days continued.

‘Was Alba really that strong?’

Even when she was studying in the class, not a single bit of the content managed to enter her mind.

No matter what, the image of Alba enveloped in that bluish-white light persisted in her thoughts.

Those who had witnessed the duel were probably just surprised by the fact that the ‘good-for-nothing son of the duke’ could be so strong. However, Ireina was different—because she had been childhood friends with Alba, his newfound strength both made sense and felt strange to her.

‘He had potential from the start. I knew that from the times we practiced together. But he wasn’t the type to train seriously.’

He leaned towards indulgence over effort. Doing what he pleased and manipulating his surroundings as he wished were Alba’s ways to deal with things.

He despised training and wasted his talent to a degree that was a shame.

Yet, the present Alba was different—his relentless efforts were evident from the determined posture she had witnessed.

‘Did he truly feel like dying? Was there a change in his mindset before he left home?’

Certainly, there must have been a change in his mindset.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have even considered leaving the affluent and immensely privileged Duke’s household.

A change in mindset wasn’t just about effort. According to hearsay, he had saved the Saintess, Sheria.

The Alba who would usually say he didn’t care about what happened to strangers suddenly engaging in a rescue mission was quite unexpected.

‘Normally, I wouldn’t believe it, but when I see how close the Saintess is with him…’

Ireina shifted her gaze to the side.

There, she saw Alba, fast asleep, and Sheria, gently tapping his cheeks in a futile attempt to wake him up.

Sheria’s attachment was abnormal. It was clear that she had feelings for Alba.

Initially, Ireina had doubted this, but observing Sheria’s actions made it hard not to believe.

‘Well, he did help that girl from the carriage incident too, so maybe he has genuinely become more inclined to helping people.’

She could feel the change in him through their interactions.

In the past, they wouldn’t have even considered having a proper conversation.

He would hurl unjustified insults, throw baseless accusations, and even neglect her while indulging in womanizing.

A chasm that was inconceivable for their childhood selves existed between the Alba and Ireina of that time.

However, there was a feeling of nostalgia now—almost as if their relationship had returned to how it used to be when they were children.

“…..”

What should she do from now on?

Should she continue being with Alba? While being with the current Alba was enjoyable, the memories from the past and her position as a Duke’s daughter held her back.

Although she had agreed to help him, initially, she had only intended to do so when she could lend a hand without drawing attention.

Considering the rumors and speculations, being with Alba undoubtedly came with disadvantages. Emotionally as well, there were many parts she couldn’t forgive.

But, if she were to list the advantages… it would be her own unexpectedly enjoyable feelings and the acquisition of such a valuable asset—one with such remarkable skills.

‘…This situation is really troublesome.’

Even during class, Ireina found herself staring at the ceiling as she was lost in her thoughts.

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Several days had passed, but there had been no encounters with any capture targets or the protagonist.

That was indeed wonderful. Even though his true identity was revealed right at the beginning, this start was just near perfect.

Alba immersed himself in such emotions, quietly devouring a homemade bento on the rooftop, where no one’s eyes could reach.

‘If time just keeps passing like this, it’ll be great.’

There are a total of five capture targets in this game.

Sheria, the saint, and Ireina, the daughter of a duke. Add to that a commoner girl referred to as the sage’s disciple, a princess of this country who’s a year above him, and finally, a childhood friend from the same village as the protagonist, a commoner girl.

It’s inevitable that he has already met two of them. However, neither the protagonist nor the remaining three capture targets have been encountered by him even after attending several days at the academy.

Furthermore, perhaps due to avoiding retaliation after the duel incident, there was no interference from the surroundings, and peaceful days continued.

‘Truly wonderful.’ The bento he made himself tasted even better than usual.

‘Sheria had said that she’d go make new friends and isn’t here right now, and Ireina is eating with her entourage, so it’s a rare solo meal… but it’s too yummy~.’

He felt a little lonely, but it had been a while since he had a meal alone like this.

When he had escaped from the Duke’s house, he had always been alone.

Because Alba, at his core, was a boy who liked being alone, having a quiet meal while feeling the wind blow was not uncomfortable at all.

‘If these days continue, life here at the academy might not be so bad after all…’

He was thinking all this when it happened…

With a clatter, the rooftop door opened.

The stone pavement was terribly uncomfortable to sit on. Despite having the school cafeteria food prepared by a chef, there was a habit of bringing a lunch box. It was unusual for the students of the academy, many of whom were nobles, to come to the rooftop during lunch break.

Thinking such things, his gaze unconsciously turned toward the door that had opened on its own.

And then—

“Ah!”

A girl appeared in his field of vision, letting out a loud scream.

Glossy silver hair resembling mithril. In her hands, she held something like a small lunch box and a large book.

‘She looks somehow familiar?’ Alba tilted his head for a moment.

Then, whether because the memory was fresh or not—he immediately recognized the girl who was in his field of vision.

“The other day, when the carriage incident happened… thank you very much for saving me!”

“Oh, so you are the carriage girl!”

It was an event that happened before they were entering the academy.

The girl Alba had helped right before meeting his older brother and Ireina had suddenly appeared before him.

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