I Am The Game's Villain

"Are you okay, Sir Nyrel?" Milleia asked, noticing my bad humor.

I looked at her. The fire crackling from the campfire illuminated her tired yet beautiful face.

"I\'m fine." I said shortly.

Milleia nodded and as if thinking about something took several boxes from her space ring. The boxes were filled with dishes of all sorts.

"Here, Sir Nyrel." Milleia handed me a box. 

" … " 

" U-Um… " Milleia became nervous at my lack of empathy. I was behaving like a complete asocial person so someone always enthusiastic like her felt awkward with the current me.

Whatever, I was hungry anyway. 

I took the box and opened the lid and a really pleasant smell invaded my nostrils immediately. The content was meat and rice. I also picked the fork Milleia handed out to me and took a first spoon. 

I tried to keep my eyes from widening as it was damn good!

I rarely ate something good in both lives. 

Was she the one who cooked that?

" Do you like it, Sir Nyrel? " Milleia asked, eager for my answer. " I prepared a lot of food for this trip as I wasn\'t sure when I would come back so I might have hurried a little too much… "

No, even if you were in hurry, when you did that, it\'s really good.

" It\'s good. " I said, simply.

[<You could have put more emotions in your words. You are nearly scaring her.>]

Hm?

She is perfectly alright.

Maybe.

" Sir Nyrel, can I ask you a question? " Suddenly Milleia asked, her voice even more nervous.

" What? " I asked while wolfing down the meat with my fork. It\'s so good!

Better than the food from the cafeteria!

Should I ask her from now on to cook for me?

Knowing her, she wouldn\'t even hesitate and would do it for me. Her personality was like that after all.

" It\'s about…five months ago…you saved the children and helped us to beat the bandits…why did you help us, Sir Nyrel? " Her question really caught me off guard. For someone like her, helping others in danger, and children on top of that was something obvious…so why? Why did she ask me that?

" Do I need any reason to help children? " I told a half truth since it was not the only reason. I honestly couldn\'t remain calm when saying that the carriage was burning with children inside but there was also Milleia and Jayden. They were fighting well but…I was a little scared that things might turn wrong at the end. 

You can\'t blame me. I mean I was really nervous since it was the starting of the novel and if any of them died, I was doomed.

Milleia was surprised at first but then a big smile appeared on her face. " I knew it! Sir Nyrel is someone worthy to be a Hero. "

" Pfff cough! " I coughed out the water I was drinking because of Milleia\'s words.

" S-Sir Nyrel, are you okay? " Milleia stood up and patted my back.

Looking at her worried expression, I really wondered if this girl was for real.

She was too kind…

Why the hell am I feeling like a scum each time I speak with her?!

[Because you are a scu-]

Shaddap!

By the way, how can she think for a second that I am a \'Hero\'?

First, it\'s cringe and second, I was the last guy in this world who could be considered as a Hero.

If she knew what I would have done without my memories of Earth, she would have…

I don\'t know but.

Those eyes…

I could strangely see Milleia\'s angry eyes glaring at me in Sancta Vedelia after I burned alive most of the inhabitants of the island there. It was the first time Milleia had gotten this angry.

The more days are passing and the more I feel my existence overlapping with Edward of the Game. We were now two different entities…then why do I have those strange realistic flashes in my mind.

….

….

….

The night fell, revealing the beautiful moon looming over us. As I slumped on the grass, I couldn\'t help but admire that moon which was just like the moon from Earth. 

I could remember me and Ephera admiring the moon some days at night. 

I really wonder if Ephera had really been reincarnated…

If yes, does she have memories of me?

I mean, it\'s the common plot of making the reincarnated Heroine without memories of her past life. If it was the case…what do I have to do?

She would be nothing more than a stranger to me.

"Hm?" As I wandered in my thoughts, I felt a weight on my stomach. glanced and saw a small white horse. 

It was the same size as my forearm.

The horse\'s blue eyes looked at me curiously.

Wait.

I lifted the horse with both hands and scanned it.

I know this horse.

I have already seen it plenty of times while playing the First Game.

It was Ceatha.

Milleia\'s Familiar.

I was a little surprised since Ceatha was rather capricious Familiar and Milleia would go through hard time to completely bond to Ceatha.

" Hmmm… " Milleia, who was sleeping a few feet next to me, opened her groggy eyes slightly. She saw me lifting Ceatha and smiled before closing her eyes to sleep again…

Pretty sure, she thought it was a hallucination.

" Niaaaaa… " Ceatha let out weird sound like a yawn and this time, it woke up Milleia. She opened her eyes wide at that shocking sight.

Oh, yes Ceatha usually doesn\'t like other people expect Milleia…and after a year Jayden as well, in the Game.

Now that I think about it, why the hell did Ceatha approach me and not run away from me?

" C-Ceatha! " Milleia stood up and rushed to my side. " I-I\'m sorry, Sir Nyrel! I should have been more careful… " She apologized and knelt to take Ceatha back gently.

"It\'s nothing," I shrugged and put my arms behind my head as a pillow.

"I can\'t believe Ceatha approached someone other than me… " Milleia patted Ceatha with a confused look. " She even avoids me most of the time but…Sir Nyrel must be amazing, aren\'t you? " 

I was sure overrated by her.

" It\'s your familiar? How did you get it? " I asked curiously since I really didn\'t know how she found Ceatha and became partner with her. In the game, there were cinematic about that but I skipped them since it was too long and it wouldn\'t add anything to the Game.

Milleia\'s smile widened at my question. "It was back in my hometown…my father died when I was young, I was at my lowest despite my mother\'s presence.\'\' She said in a sad tone. "But one day, Ceatha appeared in my room. I was sleeping and it landed out of nowhere magically on me. I…was confused at first but slowly I became attached to Ceatha even though she is avoiding me most of the time." She sulked a little as she looked at Ceatha on her arms.

Man…she is really blessed by Eden in person.

I have never heard of such a powerful Familiar appearing out of nowhere except for a few rare ones, including Jayden. Yeah, for him, it was even more amazing as the Familiar saved him and his brother when they were attacked by [Caishen]. 

As for me…I, like 99,999% of people, I bought eggs from the nearby shop. 

I hope they will help a little at least. I bought them to take part in the Familiar Club but if they could support me, I will be even more satisfied.

" Sir Nyrel…I have another question, if you don\'t mind… " Milleia asked again while hugging Ceatha. It was a killing move.

" … " I signaled her that it was alright.

" I-It\'s about what you said earlier…you said that I was strong…and I am grateful that you said such kind words toward me at that time. I felt really relieved to hear that but… " Milleia\'s expression contorted to a worried one. " Did you really mean your words…? I-I, of course not meaning that you are lying! I-It\'s just that I am weaker than Sir Nyrel so…I don\'t think that I…am strong like you. "

" … "

How can she be this pessimist about her strength?

It was a stark contrast compared to her jovial personality, the one always wearing a smile. 

Is she okay showing me this side of her? 

She didn\'t even speak of such things to Lyra, Jayden or me but here she was confessing her worries to a random guy like me.

[<You saved her twice, don\'t forget, Amael.>]

Right…but is that enough?

Maybe it\'s because I\'m a stranger that she feels free to talk about her worries?

"You said that I am strong but I don\'t have that. "I pointed to Ceatha." A Familiar willingly chose you, I don\'t think you need a stronger proof of your capabilities."

" … " Milleia\'s eyes opened wide at my words before she stuttered. "T-Thanks! "

"You\'re welcome but can you step away a bit? " I said as her face was only a few inches from mine.

Milleia\'s face turned crimson as expected and she drew back her head. "I-I am- "

"You are sorry, I know." I cut her off.

" … " Milleia stared at me wordlessly with her flushed face so I decided to turn my body on other side.