I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

"Are you possessed?"

Angel crouched down in front of Ivan, her knees pressed together. Her hands rested lightly on them as she leaned forward, her eyes locked onto his with quite intensity. It was as if she were trying to peer directly into his soul.

"..."

Ivan's face remained impassive, his only reaction a flicker of irritation.

"What are you doing?" He asked calmly.

"Why don't you answer my question first?" Angel countered, with sharpened eyes that would have made anyone else look away. But not Ivan. He met her stare head-on, without showing any discomfort.

"Do I look like I'm possessed?"

"No." Angel immediately shook her head.

Ivan was now genuinely puzzled by her line of questioning. "Then why are you asking me that?"

She blinked slowly, as if the answer were the simplest thing in the world. "I don't know."

"..."

Was she toying with him?

Testing him?

Or was this some strange attempt at psychoanalysis? He couldn't quite put his finger on her intentions, and that only irritated him further.

"You must be either overconfident or just plain stupid to ask something like that," he finally said.

"And why is that?" Angel tilted her head, still crouched like a curious cat.

"If I were truly possessed, you wouldn't still have your pretty little head attached to your shoulders," Ivan replied coldly as he looked down at her.

"..."

For a moment, Angel was silent. Then, much to his surprise, her lips curved into a faint smile.

"What's your name?" She asked.

Ivan's eyes narrowed. "And why should I tell you my name after you just accused me of being possessed?"

"Because I'm an Elysphira," she said, straightening up ever so slightly/ "And I'm your senior by three years."

There was no shame, no hesitation as she wielded her family name like a weapon. But that only made Ivan's smile turn colder.

"Ah, the noble card. Must be nice, throwing your house name around when it suits you, only to discard it the rest of the time."

Angel's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of surprise breaking through her composed facade. Then, with a measured movement, she pointed a delicate finger at him. "How do you know I despise my family?"

"I read it on your face,"Ivan lied without batting an eye.

"You're lying."

He shrugged, unbothered. "I am. So, what are you going to do about it? Run to mommy and daddy? Or maybe call in some favors?"

"You're either incredibly brave or incredibly foolish to speak to me that way," she mumbled a bit admirative.

Ivan leaned in closer, his voice a low whisper only she could hear. "Or maybe I just don't care who you are."

"I saw you staring at me the other day," she said.

Ivan was genuinely taken aback. He hadn't expected her to recognize him, especially from such a distance. Now that he thought about it, she had been sitting on this very same bench during that encounter.

"Leon Cromwell."

The name slipped from his lips almost begrudgingly, a tactical retreat rather than a full surrender. He was in no mood for this conversation, one that seemed to be spiraling into pointless territory.

Angel gave a small nod, a gesture that conveyed a semblance of satisfaction, though her expression remained as impassive as ever. Without a word, she stood up, dusting off her skirt, only to settle back down on the adjacent bench next to her woven basket.

For a moment, Ivan thought she was about to leave. But as the seconds stretched on, it became clear that she had no intention of departing just yet.

Realizing that she was not going to offer him an easy exit, Ivan chose to make one himself. He turned on his heel, walking away with long strides. To his relief, Angel made no attempt to call him back.

He couldn't quite gauge if she was being sincere or merely playing with him. But whatever her intentions were, acting on mere suspicions would be reckless. Killing her on a whim would inevitably provoke the wrath of the Elysphira family. That would mean impossible to avoid a slaughter.

Not that it would be impossible to wipe out her entire lineage for him. But going on a massacre for no solid reason was hardly the kind of trouble he wanted to invite upon himself.

Just as he was about to leave the garden altogether, a voice rang out.

"Ah, excuse me!"

The words were followed by the impact of a body colliding with his. Startled, Ivan turned around to see a familiar face staring back at him, eyes wide with terror.

"You—You!" The young man stuttered, recognition and horror flickering in his gaze. "You're that guy! You tried to kill m—mmph!"

Before the freshman could finish his sentence, Ivan closed the distance between them in an instant, clamping a hand over the boy's mouth. It was the same student who had seen him in his true form in the restroom.

The freshman struggled desperately, but he might as well have been fighting against solid rock. Ivan's grip was impossible to escape, his fingers digging into the boy's face like a vice. His eyes darted around the secluded pathway. They were alone for the moment, though he could see silhouettes of others moving along nearby paths. Angel was nowhere in sight, but it was only a matter of time before someone wandered too close.

Ivan's expression darkened.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Damn it," he cursed under his breath and didn't hesitate.

-Crack!

With a swift motion, he twisted the freshman's neck, a sickening crack echoing through the air as the life drained from the boy's eyes. The body went limp in his grasp, and Ivan dragged it swiftly behind a dense bush. Crouching low, he concealed himself and the corpse within the undergrowth just as a group of students rounded the corner.

Ivan remained perfectly still, his heart a steady drumbeat in his chest. But then, something gleaming on the ground caught his attention, and his eyes widened in realization.

The E-Watch.

It had slipped off the freshman's wrist during their struggle, now lying exposed on the gravel path like a damning beacon. If anyone noticed it, questions would follow, questions he was not prepared to answer and would only lead to more troubles.

It was prohibited of have it out of the wrist inside the Academy after all. If they found it here they will soon understand something happened to him in this place and Angel if questioned he will quickly put him in the suspects list. She was already somewhat suspicious of him so he didn't need another problem.

'I can't leave that behind.'

"I've told you before, Lady Irisdina, you're getting far too involved in matters that don't concern you."

"I can't just stand by when I see someone being bullied, can I?"

"I am deeply honored by your compassion."

Irisdina merely chuckled at Luke's response, brushing it off with the ease of someone used to his terse demeanor. But just as she took her next step, the unexpected happened. Her foot landed on something, causing her to lose her balance. Her elegant composure shattered in an instant as she flailed, arms reaching out in a futile attempt to steady herself.

But before she could hit the ground, a dark blur swept in like a gust of wind. In the blink of an eye, an arm slipped around her waist, pulling her firmly yet gently back to her feet.

"Are you alright?"

Irisdina blinked, her wide vermilion-orange eyes locking onto Ivan's intense dark brown gaze. For a moment, it was as if time itself had stopped.

Behind her, Agatha and Luke, her friends, stood frozen in shock. Neither of them had sensed Ivan's approach; he had appeared so suddenly, so silently, as if he had materialized out of thin air.