Transmigrated as a Fat villain: All heroines are after me

Chapter 115 - 151 - So, Why are you wearing girl’s uniform?

’Now, Who is She!? ’

Zeph’s golden pupil reflected the image of a girl with brown hair, anxiously looking at him.

He couldn’t place her among any character he had encountered in the novel.

’Why does she resemble that witch?’ Zeph pondered, recalling Mei’s features resembling one of the witches in the novel—Yue.

This similarity left him bewildered, «Heroes Counterattack» had four witches considered as Villainesses. Among them were Estelle Collins and Yue.

Despite Mei’s hair color being different, Zeph found it perplexing that she resembled the woman standing beside her.

His confusion about Mei was justified as, according to the original plot, she had succumbed to death after a week of the current time in the story.

Mei’s death had shattered Yue’s cheerful persona, driving her towards the path of a villainess with a singular goal: the destruction of the kingdom that had taken her sister and family away.

The novel’s lack of background information on minor characters and villainesses left Zeph unaware of Mei’s existence.

"Y-young master," she stammered, observing Zeph’s blank expression, feeling a mix of confusion and anxiety, fearing his usual outburst.

"Sorry, who are you guys again?" Those words snapped him out of his thoughts. He pretended ignorance, hesitant to engage with a villainess—Estelle was manageable, but her...

Zeph had familiarity with Estelle’s powers, finding her easier to deal with than Yue.

Estelle’s abilities, based on the water element, had limitations, giving Zeph confidence in handling her.

However, Yue posed an entirely different challenge, and Zeph wasn’t prepared.

Although he possessed a physically enhanced body infused with Mana, making it possible in dealing physical damage to Yue.

Yet, the problem lay in Yue’s influence on her surroundings, gradually nullifying the Mana around her body.

Zeph struggled with Mana control, and any disturbance from another variable like her abilities could disrupt his focus and potentially malfunction Zendal.

"Young Master, we are your—" Mei attempted an explanation but was interrupted by Thalia.

"Stop it. Everyone’s watching. Let’s take our seats first," Thalia interjected, preferring a composed approach to avoid drawing attention, especially considering the sudden interest these two women showed in Zeph.

Thalia trusted her intuition, sensing these two individuals could be advantageous in the long run. Leaving them alone might result in a loss, so she aimed to bring them onto her side.

"F-forgive us, Madam," Mei apologized, bowing her head.

Thalia’s eyes widened for being referred as such, then shifted to Zeph, who was scanning the area for Diana and others.

’At least they’re not here,’ he muttered, ignoring the duo in front of him and heading to his seat beside Valeriana Hedrian.

Valeriana was engrossed in preparing for upcoming classes, paying no attention to the boy beside her, deeply focused on her books.

"Come sit beside me," Thalia invited both women to join her.

She saw it as an opportunity for conversation and gossip, also seeking distance from Danny Reinguard, who usually sat beside her.

"Um, yes," Yue responded, following Thalia as she moved to her seat, leaving Mei behind.

She couldn’t understand how Zeph could forget about them, her gaze fixed on him in disbelief.

’You can’t be serious’, she muttered through clenched teeth, clutching her dress, feeling like everything was a cruel joke.

’Heh, you’re saying you don’t recognize us,’ her mind churned with turmoil, recalling the torment they had endured—from beatings to being deprived of food.

Every hardship they faced surged through her thoughts.

She looked downward, biting her lip as anger boiled inside her. Previously, her physique rendered her helpless, but now, ’I want you dead, Zephyr Liander.’

"Mei, come faster!" Yue called out to her sister who was in a trance, after settling beside her future master Thalia Crimwell, whom Yue had already accepted and chosen to serve as a sidekick.

"Coming," Mei hastened to her seat beside her sister, contemplating the situation.

Even the person who had tormented her and shattered their childhood memories refused to acknowledge his mistake or recognize them, She could never forget it.

Unaware of the commotion around him, Zeph remained deep in thought, pondering solutions for Diana’s situation.

With two months ahead, he had time to resolve things, yet mastering mana control within this period posed the greatest challenge.

While already attuned to the Mana flow, he lacked confidence in fully harnessing it without Zendal’s assistance.

Lost in his thoughts, Zeph’s attention was drawn to the figure entering the classroom.

’Finally, he’s here.’ The newcomer was none other than Alex, the son of Amrantha Tenebri, and the person Zeph had been eagerly awaiting.

A smile forming on his face as Alex calmly took a seat behind the first row.

Zeph’s expression brightened due to Alex’s unique style of combat, something Zeph was eager to learn.

Unlike his parents who wielded Divine or demonic energy, Alex utilized Internal Energy—an unconventional power in this world.

Though Internal Energy felt commonplace in Zeph’s world, frequent in novels, witnessing it here felt different.

The coexistence of this alternate energy alongside Mana seems puzzling, although deep down, both energies didn’t seem vastly different from each other.

Internal energy is associated with the physical body, whereas Mana can be considered as relating to the spirit form.

Internal energy governs the physical and chemical processes within a body, while Mana could influence or be influenced by a person’s state of being, emotions, or consciousness.

The internal energy of a living organism could serve as a conduit or interface for channeling or manipulating Mana, providing another option for individuals.

However, confusion arose regarding why one would rely on an energy solely dependent on physique instead of Mana, which could strengthen oneself.

The answer was—Dormiantrise.

In a world fraught with danger, how could a non-Awakened individual survive without any means to retaliate?

This is where Internal energy came into play.

Though such non-Awakened individuals were rare, Zeph knew a group of people who used it, despite its lack of popularity.

His interest in this Energy stemmed solely from the presence of Anti-Mana, a form of energy found within Oblivionists like Yue.

Yue possessed the ability to nullify Mana.

Thus, even if Zeph attempted to battle her in the long run, the Mana infused in his muscles would gradually diminish, inevitably leading to his defeat.

And even if he managed to deal with her, what about the Hidden Realm?

His knowledge extended far beyond the three volumes covering the Academy’s three years; it reached the final Chapter where he witnessed the world’s end, making him already acquainted with what this world deemed unique but was a common trend in the Hidden Realm, inhabited by Illusionists, Oblivionists and so on.

His foreknowledge allowed him to act calmly when necessary and ruthlessly when urgency demanded.

Zeph had been prepared for this from the beginning, understanding the potential significance of saving Lily and how crucial her role could be in dealing with Alex.

This foresight led him to entrust Lily to Kassidy instead of his father, who could have cared for her better.

Zeph didn’t want Lily to grow attached to his father, knowing his warm and kind nature could influence her.

His sole intention was to manipulate Lily Tenebri’s mind, a task that had to be done while being restricted within the confines of the Academy.

Hence, he sought help from Kassidy Liander, the most suitable ally for his plan.

Anticipating the behavior of Duchess Kassidy Liander, whose desire was to control everything according to her wishes, Zeph was certain she would manipulate Lily, fostering an attachment that would indirectly allow her to exert control over him as well— a foolproof strategy.

Unbeknownst to Kassidy, Zeph always stayed several steps ahead.

He meticulously planned each move, whether it was fostering Lily’s bond through Kassidy, or divulging Lily’s whereabouts to Amarantha, ensuring everything unfolded according to his design.

With the pieces in place, Zeph aimed to learn about Internal energy from Alex by exploiting his weakness: Lily Tenebri.

"Zeph, what’s wrong?" Thalia’s words interrupted his thoughts, her expression conveying confusion, prompting a smile from Zeph as he replied, "Nothing much, just remembering about last night."

His teasing smile caused Thalia’s face to flush, diverting her gaze toward the board.

Unnoticed by them, Mei and Yue observed their interaction, each experiencing different emotions.

Yue felt Thalia’s bold inquiry validated her decision to work under her, while Mei, witnessing Zeph’s smile, felt her anger resurface.

She couldn’t comprehend how he could laugh in their presence, Not even feeling a shred of regret for the suffering they endured because of him.

Her gaze dropped, memories flooding back—the agony of pleading for her sister’s life while enduring Zeph’s beatings, and the horror of him nearly drowning nine-year-old Yue.

"Can I sit here?" A soft voice broke Mei’s reverie; turning, she saw a boy with sapphire eyes looking at her.

"Oh, of course, please take a seat," Mei responded, signaling her approval as the boy settled beside her.

Sitting together, Diana reached into her bag to retrieve some books.

"So, what’s the reason for you wearing a boy’s uniform?" Mei’s sudden question caused Diana to pause mid-action, slowly turning toward her with widened sapphire eyes. "S-sorry?"

Observing Diana’s reaction, Mei tilted her head in confusion and repeated herself.

"I mean, why, as a girl, do you choose to dress like a boy?"