I Will Fulfill the Role of the Villain

Chapter 14

“I wonder if he received the reward properly.”

Stretching his stiff body, Luke stepped outside. He had just submitted the paperwork confirming his suspension to the administrative office and was heading off to complete the necessary procedures. From a distance, a figure approached him, brimming with hostility.

“Luke!”

It was none other than Myles, who stormed up to him, his anger palpable. The cool breeze sweeping past them only intensified the tension in the air.

“What’s your angle?” Myles demanded.

“What do you mean?”@@@@

“Your sudden confession, your ridiculous excuse to dodge the charges—it all doesn’t add up!”

“Ah, I see. From your perspective, it must’ve been quite the shock. You went to all that trouble, manipulating a powerless subordinate to frame me, and it didn’t work out the way you planned.”

“How did you...?”

Myles’ face twisted with frustration, his lips twitching as if searching for a retort. Though Luke had been formally punished with a suspension, it was clear who the real loser was. Myles’ grand scheme to ruin Luke had backfired spectacularly, turning him into the hero who had exposed the Harnus family’s corruption.

“Did Fale spill everything?”

“You’re being awfully disrespectful about my subordinate,” Luke replied coolly.

“Then why? If you knew everything, why did you still confess?”

“Why should I bother explaining it to you now that it’s all over?”

“Don’t tell me... you did it for your subordinate...” Myles’ brows furrowed deeply, echoing the same confusion Fale had expressed earlier.

“Oh, Myles. Just the man I wanted to see.”

Luke’s expression abruptly shifted into a bright smile as he raised his fist. Around it, shards of ice began to form, glinting ominously in the light. Without warning, he drove his icy fist toward Myles.

Boom!

“What the—are you insane?!” Myles barely managed to dodge the blow, collapsing onto the dirt. The spot where Luke’s fist had struck the ground was now a deep crater, a testament to the sheer force behind the attack.

“Hey,” Luke said, crouching down to meet Myles’ eyes.

“Let’s settle this nicely, shall we? I’m willing to let this little stunt of yours slide—the part where you used Fale to orchestrate this farce—if you keep quiet.”

Luke’s gaze darkened, his normally playful expression replaced by a cold, menacing glare. Myles felt a chill run down his spine as the air between them grew heavy with unspoken threats.

“So you’d better stay quiet too. Don’t go blabbing about Fale’s involvement, or anything else for that matter.”

Luke raised his hand, making Myles flinch as shadows crept over his face. But instead of striking him again, Luke simply patted Myles on the shoulder. The gesture wasn’t one of comfort—it was a warning. A signal to let this case and its deeper truths sink into the depths, never to resurface.

After his food arrived, Luke focused solely on eating. But then, the sound of footsteps caught his attention. Someone was approaching, their steps drawing closer. Before Luke could react, a shadow fell over him. Looking up, he saw Theo standing there, staring down at him before unceremoniously sitting across from him.

“...I didn’t invite you to sit.”

“Then I apologize. May I sit?”

“If I say no, will you leave?”

“No.”

What’s with this guy? Luke thought, eyeing the incongruous presence in the dormitory café. Something about Theo felt completely out of place here.

“Your hair... it’s down.”

“Why does my hair matter? Why are you here?”

“I was looking for you. Some soldiers said they saw you here.”

“Sorry to disappoint, Commander Theo, but I’m suspended.”

Theo’s eyebrow twitched slightly at Luke’s sarcastic tone.

“I know.”

Luke set his fork down with a bit more force than necessary.

“Judging by your expression, it seems you haven’t heard the news yet.”

“What news?”

“During your suspension, a monitor will be assigned to you.”

“What?”

At Luke’s incredulous response, Theo elaborated. While Luke’s actions—embezzling supplies—had been justified to some extent, the act itself wasn’t without legal implications. The higher-ups had decided that assigning a monitor was necessary to maintain appearances.

“Without my consent?”

“Did you seek permission before acting independently on your little operation?”

Luke clamped his mouth shut, unable to argue.

“Fine, whatever. Who’s the monitor?”

Resigned, Luke picked up his utensils again, figuring it didn’t matter who it was.

“It’s me.”

At Theo’s casual reply, Luke’s hand slipped, sending his utensils clattering loudly onto the table.