7 - How Could the Villainous Young Master Be a Saintess?

**Chapter 7: A Sudden Surge of Diligence in Aesphyra** "Goodness, that bully Carmel again tormenting the girls, truly despicable. A grown man harassing young girls, isn't he ashamed?" "What else? Who else could he bully? That coward only picks on the defenseless. Would he dare mess with harder targets? I don’t see him picking on someone like Ishtiya or Aesphyra." "It's truly wrong, making such a sweet girl cry. That jerk is unforgivable!" Wait a minute! Is that all you superficial people care about—looks? Was it not someone blocking his way into the classroom first? Why is defending himself counted as bullying? Is he supposed to silently endure others messing with him? What is it that he owes them?! And as for not daring to provoke Ishtiya and Aesphyra—should he? Would you dare provoke them? Easy to talk, how about trying it yourself? Wenny had come to understand it clearly: without good looks, everything he did is perceived as wrong. His mistake was simply not being a pretty girl. "Enough already! All of you, zip it!" Wenny couldn't take it anymore; he turned around, giving the chattering crowd behind him a thumbs-up, then rotated it 180 degrees, thumb pointing down. "Who do you think you are to judge what this young master does?" Wenny cocked his head, lips curled in a scornful sneer, exuding the full air of a villain as he pointed at the crowd. “I’m only choosing not to stoop to your level. Do you really think I’m that easy to bully? Silent as a mouse, huh?” "Getting back at insults and defending oneself is only right; didn’t your basic upbringing teach you that, or were you not taught the basics at all? I owe you nothing, and I do not have to cater to your opinions, get it?" His fierce tirade left everyone around, who kept gossiping, speechless. “As for what you think of me, why would I care? Don’t pretend to whisper when you deliberately want me to hear. It’s meaningless. I don’t want to hear what you think of me, nor do I care." Most students attending here, nobility educated to the highest levels, had never encountered such fierce verbal onslaught. Wenny’s fiery words left them all stunned. Unperturbed, Wenny gave a disdainful huff and swaggered into the classroom under their speechless stares. "This guy is truly disgraceful; no one taught him how to talk?" After Wenny entered the classroom, the other students whispered again. Not only did other class students watch this spectacle, but Wenny’s classmates also saw it all, including Aesphyra and Ishtiya. Ishtiya remained as silent and indifferent as ever, but Aesphyra’s gaze held a hint of inscrutability as she watched Wenny. Class was about to start, and the teacher would arrive soon. Anyone who didn’t get into the classroom would be marked late. “Wenny, um?” Once seated, Shikondell quietly slid into the seat next to Wenny, glancing at him with concern. “What could be wrong with me? Do you think I’m as fragile as you, easily upset?” Wenny shot Shikondell a sidelong glance. Honestly, with his previous life spent in intense online arguments, these noble heirs and heiresses couldn’t lay a scratch on him. Avoid them? Please. “Are you sure it’s okay to keep sitting with me?” Wenny shifted his gaze away. “Be careful you don’t get trouble from others.” “I’m not afraid, and besides, Wenny, you're truly a good person! It’s just that everyone misunderstands you,” Shikondell insisted. Him? A good person? Ha, this naive little elf is too innocent, still defending him despite being used to boost his reputation. Wenny, the infamous villain of Carmel, had nothing in common with being a good guy. Ah, these kids, so naive. “Hmph!” Noticing Shikondell sitting with Wenny again, Mirexia almost overflowed with jealousy, sourly walking past them with a deliberate “hmph.” She wanted to pick on Wenny but hesitated with Shikondell there, not wanting to tarnish her image in her eyes, and had to move on. What a petty little golden elf. Pulling out his textbook, Wenny prepared for the day’s lesson. The first subject today was history. Their history teacher had an air of antiquity about him, resembling a living relic of an ancient empire, an elegant old gentleman like a freshly unearthed fossil from last week. His teaching style was rigorous and precise, yet lacking excitement, making listening to his lectures a lullaby for Wenny. “Before the establishment of the ancient empire, the sky was chaotic, the earth crumbling, with order lost. The [Twilight Deity] Metylia and her demonic kin wreaked havoc, endangering human civilization. It was then that the [Dawn Goddess] was born, leading her followers to form the Dawn Church, steering humanity to vanquish and seal the [Twilight Deity] Metylia and her demonic adherents in the deepest abyss.” Today’s lesson seemed to focus on the battle between the Dawn Goddess and the Twilight Deity. Several students glanced at the only current descendant of the Fasyris clan at the back of the class, only to see Wenny nearly nodding off at his desk. This drew the history teacher's attention to Wenny. “Wenny,” the history teacher tapped on his podium. But Wenny didn’t respond. “Wenny!” The elderly gentleman raised his voice. “…? Uh, is class over?” It wasn’t until Shikondell nudged him with her elbow that Wenny snapped awake, standing in confusion. This earned amused laughter from peers observing the scene. “Wenny, were you paying any attention to what I just taught?” The history teacher’s mustache tilted in irritation. "Oh, still in class?" Wenny scratched his head, surprised that time hadn’t flown by since he dozed off. “Wenny,” the old teacher’s mustache curled in anger. “Repeat back to me what I just covered.” “When? Uh, where did you leave off?” Wenny was at a loss, nearly falling asleep himself, having no clue where the lesson had drifted. “I’m asking you,” the history teacher raised a brow. Stealthily, Shikondell nudged Wenny with her finger, guiding him subtly to glance at a passage in his textbook. “Oh, you were talking about the war between the Dawn Goddess and the Twilight Deity.” Wenny caught a glimpse of the section, casually summarizing what little he recalled. “Sit down. Pay attention, and stop daydreaming. The lesson concerns your ancestor, yet you’re not interested?” “Right, I get it.” Wenny awkwardly sat back down, offering Shikondell a grateful smile. “Thanks, Shikon. I owe you one; cakes are on me tonight.” "Nothing much," Shikondell replied, her cheeks tinged with a soft red. The morning classes swiftly came to a close, leading into an afternoon of elective sessions. After lunch and a brief rest, Wenny made his way to the alchemy classroom. With half a semester of alchemy study under his belt, Wenny had grasped some very basic potion brewing techniques. However, his talent in this area was quite mediocre, and his skills were limited. The potions he crafted varied in effect, often with too weak or chaotic powers, accompanied by potential side effects, rendering their value less than the cost of materials. To be fair, it wasn’t for a lack of trying. Wenny took alchemy seriously, but sometimes talent outweighs effort. Despite pouring all he could into it, he remained at the lower end of class rankings. The main hurdle was his minimal affinity with fire elements—crucial in alchemy. It also demanded affinity with water and other elements, though his strongest affinity with ice elements was nearly useless in this field. In stark contrast stood Aesphyra, the destined heroine. Armed with memories of a past life, she'd spontaneously mastered several lost alchemical recipes, practically starting out with the competence to teach. Her overwhelming affinity with fire elements and destiny's favor made her alchemical prowess nothing short of extraordinary—an unprecedented high, attested even by Teacher Sif. It was evident to anyone that with Aesphyra, Cariliman Academy would groom an extraordinary ascendant. Many teachers held her in high regard. Ah, a protagonist's life. Wenny sighed, reminded countless times of the insurmountable gap between himself and Aesphyra. By normal standards, bridging this gap was beyond any ordinary NPC like him. Without his intended dark path from a past life, the likelihood of him and Aesphyra intersecting was slim. A rising star destined for the continent's peak like her would never entwine with someone ordinary like him. As alchemy class ended, students began packing up their books and apparatus to head for dinner. While tidying up, Wenny noticed Aesphyra wasn’t heading home as usual but was headed to a private alchemy chamber reserved for top students. These were usually allotted to a handful of the most outstanding learners in a class, and Aesphyra deservedly had access due to her advanced skills surpassing many older students. However... Recently, Wenny had often noticed Aesphyra staying behind after classes to go to the alchemy room, which puzzled him. Aesphyra had never been one to labor over studies. With talent as alarming and spectacular as hers, diligence was often redundant. Thus, she never engaged in extra practice after school to hone her alchemical craft, a pursuit she deemed unnecessary. But lately, she was behaving out of character, habitually spending time in the alchemy room after lessons. Could she be developing a new alchemical concoction? It's possible. With her level of expertise, she was entirely capable. But why choose this particular time? Wenny pondered this, subconsciously following her until he found himself at the entrance of the student alchemy area. Access required a student card, and Wenny didn’t have entry privileges, so he could only linger outside. Why was he even this concerned? He ought to be focusing more on himself. With that thought, Wenny resolved to turn away. "Having come all this way, leaving without coming inside?" A teasing voice called out from the room. It was Aesphyra. Wenny’s steps halted immediately, a trace of embarrassment at being caught sneaking in the expression on his face. So she had noticed him long ago? He couldn't believe his actions might be mistaken for the zealous behavior of a fan or stalker. "Uh, no, I was just curious why someone who never took extra post-class effort would act so out of character today." Wenny stepped back. "Besides, I don’t have the qualification to enter." “It’s fine, Wenny. I’m allowing you to come in and observe, maybe learn a bit about managing heat control.” Aesphyra’s voice teased from within. “You’d let me do that?” Wenny was skeptical. “While you’re at it, could you bring me an ingredient? I realized mid-brew I’m missing something crucial.” “I knew it—just recruiting me as your errand boy, huh?” Wenny rolled his eyes. “How could you say that? I won’t have you help for nothing. I'll show my gratitude afterward, Wenny~” Her voice intentionally carried a flirtatious note, full of playful innuendo. “And how do you intend to thank me?” Wenny inquired. “I’ll treat you to dinner, how about that?” “Oh? Deal.” The prospect of a dinner invitation brought a sparkle to Wenny’s eyes. Running an errand for Aesphyra in exchange for a meal sounded like a fair trade to him. “What material do you need?” “Rulon Whiskers.” Rulon Whiskers?? If he remembered correctly, they were used to balance potion properties, though its specific contribution to Aesphyra’s formula remained a mystery. Wenny hurriedly made his way to the materials room, where he ran into Teacher Sif on their way out. “Wenny, hitting the books and seeking wisdom after class?” Teacher Sif teased upon seeing him. “Uh, teacher, though I do study hard usually, that’s not the case today. I’m off to fetch some materials.” “Oh? So Wenny plans to brew potions?” Sif engaged him in conversation. “No, no, I’m running an errand. You’re aware I’m not eligible to use the alchemy lab. It's for Aesphyra.” “Ah, so it’s Aesphyra brewing potions.” Sif chuckled, understandingly.