I Am a Villain, So What?

Chapter 240: Calm Before Storm [1]

The grandfather clock in the study ticked loudly. It echoed like a war drum in the suffocating silence of the room.

Lucien leaned back in his leather chair. He stared blankly at the ceiling.

A Demon King. An attack on the Imperial Academy. The entire Golden Generation wiped out in a single afternoon.

"Boss...?" Alicia’s trembling voice broke through his spiraling thoughts.

Lucien slowly lowered his gaze. She was still clutching her bloodstained tunic. Her crimson eyes were filled with a desperate, terrified plea.

"We can’t tell the Imperial Guard," Lucien stated. His voice was completely flat.

Alicia flinched. "But... the Academy—"

"Think about it, Alicia," Lucien interrupted. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the mahogany desk. "There is a massive chance they won’t even believe us. And even if they do, we are already too late. The Academy Exhibition starts tomorrow, few hours from now. Who can we inform in the middle of the night."

"So... we do nothing?" she whispered. A tear slipped down her cheek, hitting the plush carpet. "We let my brother die?"

"I didn’t say that."

Alicia snapped her head up. Her breath hitched.

"Your brother is an idiot," Lucien said bluntly. "He is a naive, brainwashed puppet. He is about to trigger an apocalypse because he thinks he’s playing king. But he is still your brother."

Lucien stood up. He let out a heavy, tired sigh.

"I will handle it. But you stay put," he commanded. "Do not take any rash actions. In fact, do not even step outside this estate. If they are using Leon as the core sacrifice, we can easily guess you are not out of danger either."

Alicia swallowed hard. She slowly nodded.

Lucien looked at her, his tone softening just a fraction. "Don’t worry. Your brother will be safe. Now go back to your room and rest."

Alicia offered a rigid bow. She turned and quietly slipped out of the study.

Lucien rubbed his temples, feeling a severe migraine forming. He turned off the lumen-lights and headed upstairs to his bedroom.

Ariana was still asleep, curled up beneath the blankets. She looked entirely carefree, a stark contrast to the apocalyptic weight now resting on his shoulders.

Lucien quietly lay down beside her. He stared at the dark ceiling and mentally called up his system interface.

A translucent blue screen materialized in the dark.

[Status Window]

Name: Lucien Ashborne

Age: 18

Race: Human

Stats: Strength: 25

Agility: 19

Endurance: 28

Intelligence: 27

Mana: 25

Holy Mana: 23 (+40)

Charm: 76

Skills: Mana Control Lv. 5

Marksmanship Lv. 7

Detection Lv. 8

Movement Arts Lv. 6

Culinary Creator (Passive)

Rune of Vitality (Passive)

Divine Domain (Passive)

Divine Judgement (Active)

Inventory: The Pilgrim’s Goblet (Supreme Relic)

Rosary of the Weeping Saintess (Supreme Relic)

Primordial Earth Crown (Mythic Artifact)

Lumeveil Enforcer (Mythic Firearm)

’Blackwood’ Winchester Rifle

’Reaver’ Shotgun

Points Remaining: 35,500

His point balance was massive. He had accumulated a vast number of points from his contributions at the Northern Borders.

But personal strength wasn’t enough anymore. He needed the people around him to be lethal.

Lucien scrolled through the System Shop. His eyes landed on a specific skill book.

[Phantom Swordsmanship Manual - 10,000 Points]

Lucien remembered the game’s lore. Nero wasn’t just a random street slave. The kid was destined to become the legendary Phantom Swordsman. That was the real reason Lucien had bought him from the Black Market.

He had originally wanted Nero to have a normal childhood. To just be a kid. But with a Demon King on the horizon, a normal childhood was a luxury they could no longer afford.

He tapped the screen.

[Purchase Confirmed. 10,000 Points deducted.]

The heavy, leather-bound manual materialized in his inventory.

Lucien spent another 5,000 points upgrading his Movement Arts and purchasing specialized, high-grade piercing bullets. He dismissed the system window and forced his eyes shut.

The next morning, the dining room was buzzing with its usual chaos.

Lucien sat at the head of the table. He took a sip of his tea and looked at the ten-year-old boy sitting quietly near the end.

"Nero," Lucien called out.

The boy immediately sat up straight. "Yes, Boss?"

"Are you liking this new place?" Lucien asked.

Nero nodded firmly. "Yes. Very much."

"What do you enjoy doing the most?"

Nero blinked, slightly confused by the question. "I like helping sister Lily in the kitchen. And sweeping."

"Sweeping is fine," Lucien said flatly. "But would you like to learn swordsmanship?"

The entire table went quiet.

Nero’s dark eyes instantly lit up. A bright, burning fire ignited behind them. In his mind, the logic was perfectly simple: if he learned to use a sword, he could become a great swordsman. He could protect the benefactor who had saved him.

"Yes, Boss!" Nero practically shouted, gripping the edge of the table. "I want to learn!"

Lucien smirked. He reached into his spatial bag and pulled out the thick Phantom Swordsmanship manual. He tossed it across the table.

It slid and stopped directly in front of Merle.

The old researcher choked on his coffee. "What’s this?"

"A training manual," Lucien said smoothly. "Old man, you know a bit of swordsmanship, don’t you?"

Merle frowned, wiping his mouth. "I only learned enough basic swordplay to keep thugs away from my pawn shop!"

"Great. That’s more than enough for the basics. It’s your job to teach him."

"Wait, what? But I’m busy reverse-engineering the mana-cartridge designs you asked for!"

"No buts," Lucien cut him off effortlessly. "Make time."

Merle groaned, burying his face in his hands. Nero was already looking at the old man with terrifying, unblinking dedication.

Breakfast ended. It was time to head to the Academy.

Ariana stood by the front door, adjusting her uniform. Lucien grabbed his coat and walked over to her. He slipped his hand into hers.

Before opening the door, Lucien paused. He looked back down the hallway.

Alicia was standing near the kitchen entrance. Her face was pale, the dark circles under her eyes prominent.

"Alicia," Lucien warned, his voice completely devoid of its usual casual tone. "Do not step outside this house today. Under any circumstances."

Alicia swallowed hard. She offered a rigid, mechanical bow. "Understood, Boss."

Satisfied, Lucien squeezed Ariana’s hand. Together, they walked out the door and headed toward the Academy.