How to Redeem a Trashy Side Villain

Chapter 90: Polar Opposites

I had somewhat expected Diana to sit in her original seat from the novel because our friendship was still a thing we'd been keeping a secret.

So I was somewhat surprised when she sat down next to me.

I guess it's no longer a secret then.

...Whatever. What's done is done. More things like this will happen in the future. I'll just have to adapt.

After getting them to agree to stop this fake "friendly" conversation they were having, I shook my head and told them, "Thank you."

Despite occasional evil gazes and snarky remarks, they mostly kept their word and stopped bickering.

Diana and Ichiko were polar opposites. One, a lava-spitting samurai, the other an ice-wielding vampire. They were bound by nature to not mesh but still, I couldn't believe how much they clashed.

Excusing myself in the middle of class, I entered the bathroom, about to unzip my pants when I felt a presence suddenly appear behind me.

"What the..."

I turned around, and there stood Maya.

Jesus Christ!

She didn't appear the least bit uncomfortable, as though this were just another peculiar place on her long list of unconventional locales. It wasn't surprising, considering she was the type of person who'd go to any lengths to uncover a story, even if it meant spending time inside a grimy garbage truck.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice trembling from the shock. "Why are you here?"

"Firstly, I wanted to thank you for helping me out with the baron. Since I don't have your number or anything, I can only do it at school."

"You... you couldn't have done this later? Preferably when I'm not in the bathroom?" I stammered.

Her eyes widened as if she just realized her mistake.

"...Sorry about that. It didn't seem like that Ichiko girl was going to leave you alone, and I didn't exactly want someone else to discover my secret. This was the only place I thought I'd get to talk to you."

"Okay. You're welcome. Could you... like, get out now?" I pleaded.

I just want to pee.

She shook her head.

"Not until I ask you another question," she said, her voice steady.

"What is it?" I asked, feeling uneasy because anything this person was involved in was bound to be annoying or dangerous.

"I may or may not have read the notebook you and Ichiko were passing between the two of you."

Letting out a heavy sigh, I asked her, "How long have you been invisible and watching me?"

"Since you arrived at school," she answered.

"And you wonder why I keep calling you a stalker."

She clicked her tongue, rolled her eyes, and said, "Whatever. So there's a murder or two on the bridge. Right?"

"Yeah."

There was a pause as she locked her gaze onto mine, attempting to decipher my thoughts.

Whatever it is you're doing, it's not working.

I sighed. "Hurry up and ask your question. Or is that all you want to know?"

She shook her head. "No, I wanted to ask if you know anything else about it."

"Why would you assume that I know?" I countered.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe because you seem to know more than you let on. You're two-faced, just like me. You've also been involved in a lot of stuff."

"So, you're assuming I have information about a murder that happened miles away from here based on... just that?" I asked skeptically.

She hesitated, then admitted, "Well, when you put it that way, my logic does sound a bit far-fetched. But still, do you know? It doesn't hurt to ask."

Her face told me that she was expecting a certain answer from me.

What should I do? Even if I tell her, it's not like much of the original story will change.

She also couldn't tell anyone about what I told her because of the oath that she had made.

I might as well get her to trust me more by providing her with the information she desires. I could use her help in the future.

"Yes," I finally conceded. "I do know some things."

Her eyes widened with anticipation.

"But not everything. So don't expect too much."

"That's fine. Just please, tell me," she urged, her curiosity, nosy investigator trait, getting the better of her, even if it meant entering the bathroom with me.

"It's the work of a demon," I confessed.

"...A what?" she gasped.

"A demon. You know, the race that lives in the demon realm, servants of the demon king."

"I know what a demon is," she clicked her tongue. "Just what did you just say?"

She couldn't believe her ears. The revelation was too much for her to handle.

"A demon was responsible for the deaths of the mother and daughter."

"Wh-what? Why would a demon be out in the middle of the street?" she asked, her bafflement evident.

"I don't know. With the return of the demon king, these occurrences might become more frequent," I explained.

Her suspicion grew. "How do you know this?"

Because I read the novel.

I smirked, giving her a cryptic answer. "Because I'm an Agnus. Duh." It was a cop-out answer that explained nothing and everything simultaneously.

"Do you know what the demon is planning?" she asked, her voice trembling with fear.

I shook my head. "I only know what I've been told."

She began to chew on her nails, deep in thought.

"If you're done, could you please leave the bathroom now? I'm about to burst."

"Oh, right. Sorry," she replied before turning invisible and slipping out of the bathroom.

Finally getting to relieve myself, I felt like a weight had been lifted.

After washing and drying my hands, I returned to the classroom.

"What's on the agenda?" I asked as I rejoined Ichiko and Diana who still had sparks flying between them.

They both spoke at the same time.

"The class is debating about historical controversies."

Then they shot icy glares at each other.

"I'll explain," said Ichiko.

"No, no, no. I wouldn't want you to exert yourself explaining it. I'll handle it," Diana chimed in.

How long are they going to continue this childish rivalry?

I let out an exasperated sigh.

After finishing the morning classes, it was time for lunch.

Diana was frustrated because, unlike Ichiko who got to copy my entire schedule, she only had one class with me, which was world history with Mrs. Fields.

I could feel her jealousy the entire time.

Typically, I ate with my friends during lunch, but today it was just Ichiko, Diana, and me.

A few of Diana's friends tried to join us, but sensing the tension, they quickly excused themselves.

All eyes in the lunchroom were on us to some degree.

I had never felt more like a spectacle, like a zoo animal.

Hundreds of new rumors were being formulated in people's minds and were starting to circulate around the academy.

Even the upperclassmen seemed intrigued by the commotion.

One bold student with a brave soul approached Ichiko, attempting to flirt with her, but a group of boys promptly intervened, escorting him away by force, presumably for a lecture or worse.

How does she already have a cult on her first day here?

Lunch ended, and the first course of the day, Advanced Swordsmanship for First Class students, awaited me.

Unfortunately, due to unforeseen circumstances, it would also be the last course of the day.

As we were in the middle of a lecture straight off the bat, not going over the syllabus or introducing ourselves, alarms suddenly started to blare.

Professor Judith raised her hand to calm the students who were about to begin panicking.

"Alright, kids, which one of you knows the way to the underground bunker?" she asked.

Several hands shot up.

"You," she pointed to a female student at the front, "lead the way. I'll have to step out to investigate or help."

The students nodded their heads and watched as she ran out of the room.

"What's happening?"

"Is it the demon king? Is he back again?"

A few students ran to the window and looked out to see if the giant eyeball was there again.

"Enough chatter. Let's head to the bunker before we're forced to find out," the appointed leader urged, guiding the students out.

Just like me, Arthurr had no intention of heading to the bunker room because he wanted to assist with the danger.

With his experience dealing with demonic monsters that had invaded his village once, he sensed and recognized their unique presence within the academy.

He was going to sneak around but that was unnecessary; an impending attack loomed over the entire group.

I turned to Ichiko and called her name, "Ichiko. I need you to do something for me."

She met my gaze. "What is it, Bell?"

Handing her a key, I explained, "Can you go to my locker and retrieve the box from there? The locker number is on the key."

Although she didn't understand my request entirely, she nodded, suppressing her presence and vanishing from the group.

A minute later, before we could reach the stairs leading to the underground floor of the academy, a wall to our right exploded, and a demonic monster rushed toward the girl at the front.

As everyone was a First Class student, they were all extremely talented and were some of the strongest students at the academy so she was able to react and turn her head but not before the sharp claws were an inch away from her eyes.

However, before the claws could strike her, a hand intercepted them and pushed them away. It was Arthurr.

With the monster still in motion due to the attack's momentum, he struck its chest with an elbow, sending it flying backward to its point of origin.

"Go, everyone! Go!" he shouted to his classmates, prepared to put his life on the line to protect them.

A few hesitated to leave him alone, including the harem members and a future male sidekick, but he convinced them that their courage should be used to protect the other students instead.

"You should go too, Bell," Arthurr suggested.

"No. I'll stay. You won't convince me otherwise."

Demonic monsters were emerging from around the corner behind us.

"Alright, you've got my back, and I've got yours," Arthurr declared.

He reached in front of him and his arm disappeared into his inventory. He pulled out two sabers.

"Do you need a weapon too?" he asked me.

I shook my head.

"Alright, brace yourself for what's coming next. It might look a little nasty to you," he said.

I watched as he began to split into two separate bodies and beings.

One had sleek, white, combed hair and a dark, stoic expression — the embodiment of an emo and edgy character.

The other sported wild orange hair and a beaming smile, the epitome of a carefree and optimistic main character.

Unsure of what kind of cliche main character to write, the shitty god went with both.