The Villains Must Win

Chapter 356: Alistair Cain 16

Without another word, Alistair turned and left, his footsteps echoing down the corridor.

Selene remained standing, watching his retreating back.

For a brief moment, she wondered—had he truly returned only because he forgot the pins? Or was it something else?

The morning sun filtered through tall stained-glass windows, but it was artificial—crafted magic rather than true daylight.

The academy existed under an enchanted sky that never fully burned the creatures of the night.

The Coven of Midnight still obeyed the ancient laws of day and night, yet here, night lingered longer than anywhere else.

Darkness stretched lazily across the hours, a mercy to vampires and nocturnal beings alike. Humans also lived within these walls—mages, scholars, arcane wielders who bent light and shadow alike.

This place was neither fully day nor fully night.

It existed in between.

Selene slipped the pin onto her dress, admiring how it gleamed.

"Looks expensive," she muttered.

Caroline adjusted hers carefully. "Everything he owns is expensive."

They exchanged glances, then parted ways.

Selene headed toward the shopping district—a winding stretch of enchanted shops tucked inside the academy walls.

Crystal windows glowed with soft light. Potions shimmered in glass bottles. Cloaks floated on their own hangers. A bakery scented the air with honey and spice.

Meanwhile, Caroline went the opposite direction, toward the grand library. Towering spires rose above it like skeletal fingers, and inside waited countless forbidden tomes, histories written in blood, and grimoires sealed with chains.

They were different in every way.

And yet bound by the same fate.

Alistair had given them allowance.

A generous one.

Selene nearly choked when she counted the coins inside the small velvet pouch. Gold glimmered like captured sunlight.

"He’s absurd," she muttered. "No one needs this much money."

But Alistair was filthy rich.

Centuries of influence. Ancient estates. Businesses run by loyal thralls. Artifacts worth kingdoms.

Money was nothing to him.

Selene wandered through the shops, touching fabrics, sampling strange sweets, listening to merchants call out their wares. For the first time since arriving at the Coven, she felt almost normal.

Almost.

Still, she could feel eyes on her.

Not hostile.

Cautious.

The emblem pin worked—creatures of the night looked at the emblem in her chest as she passed, some with reluctant respect, others with thinly veiled resentment.

"So this is what it feels like to be untouchable," Selene murmured.

But she knew better.

She wasn’t untouchable.

She was protected.

And there was a difference.

Selene eventually grew restless.

The academy’s towering iron gates loomed in the distance, black and severe, carved with sigils she couldn’t yet decipher.

Students passed through them freely, their laughter echoing against ancient stone walls, but she remained outside, rooted to the plaza like an uninvited ghost.

Technically, she was allowed inside—but there were so many creatures of the night in there, and he didn’t want to cause trouble for Alistair in her first day of freedom.

She wasn’t about to risk her freedom over curiosity. Not yet.

With a sigh, she adjusted her coat and turned away from the entrance. If she couldn’t enter the school grounds, she would explore the outskirts instead.

After all, this was supposed to be a visual novel world. Something had to happen if she wandered long enough.

Plot progression was inevitable, right?

So far, her mental notes were pitifully short.

Female lead: Yuki Snow.

Species: Unshifted werewolf.

Personality: Stoic, distant, secretly tragic.

Male lead: Roger Bloodhowl.

Alpha heir. Golden boy. Study addict, surprisingly.

Potential villains: Joker and Alistair.

Both reeked of chaos, arrogance, and future betrayal arcs.

That was it.

Hardly groundbreaking.

If this were a real game, she’d still be stuck in the prologue, clicking dialogue boxes and waiting for the first dramatic event to trigger.

"Maybe if I wander around," Selene muttered, "I’ll unlock a side quest or something."

She strolled across the wide stone plaza, her boots clicking rhythmically.

The weather was cool, clouds hovering low like bruised velvet. The air smelled faintly of old rain and ink.

That’s when she noticed the library.

It was a grand structure of stained glass and carved gargoyles perched like watchful sentinels. The massive doors stood open, and warm golden light spilled out—an inviting contrast to the academy’s cold austerity.

Caroline.

Selene slowed, curiosity tugging at her. She hadn’t seen much of the girl yet, but something about her unsettled Selene.

Caroline always seemed... detached. Like she existed on a slightly different plane than everyone else. Quiet. Withdrawn. Her eyes always looked like they were searching for something no one else could see.

Selene peeked inside.

She blinked.

The library was packed.

Rows of students occupied tables, books stacked high, whispers floating through the air like dust motes. Some scribbled furiously, others argued over notes, and a few dozed off with quills still in hand.

"So many people?" Selene whispered.

Maybe some students only had classes in the afternoon. Or maybe a big exam was coming up on the first week of school. Or maybe this school was filled with freaks who actually liked studying.

She was about to leave when she spotted a familiar head of red hair.

Roger.

He sat with his clique—several broad-shouldered werewolves, their postures intimidating despite the textbooks spread before them.

Selene almost laughed out loud.

The male lead.

Future alpha.

Romantic hero.

And here he was... arguing about alchemical equations.

She pressed her hand to her mouth, stifling her grin.

"So werewolves can behave like civilized beings," she murmured.

No underground fights. No brooding in shadows. No bullying the weak. No fighting among themselves because of overdose manliness pheromones. No mate, mate, mate. Just... homework.

Unexpectedly wholesome.

She was turning away when she noticed someone else near their table.

Caroline.

She sat alone, slightly apart, a book open before her. But she wasn’t reading.

Her eyes were unfocused, staring through the pages. Her fingers tapped lightly against the desk, a nervous habit.

She looked... bored. As if she’d rather be anywhere else in the world.

Selene shook her head.

"That boring woman," she muttered under her breath.

She shrugged and turned away. Whatever Caroline was thinking, it wasn’t her business. She had better things to do—like triggering some kind of plot.