The Savior of the Villainess in a Romance Novel

2 – A Macho Man in a Fantasy

I couldn’t think straight.

Right as I wondered what was going on, memories of the character I possessed started coming to me.

‘I expected this to some extent but…’

It seems I’ve entered a story. And not some famous masterpiece, or a story overflowing with dreams and hope, but the one where the latest chapter views were at 1 because of me – “Surviving in a Romance Fantasy Ruled by Villainesses.”

How did I know?

Because I had the memory of Estrada Academy, the beginning and main setting of the work, hammered into my mind.

“Phew…”

A sigh escaped at the uncertain future ahead.

While it’s true I said I wanted to see the villainesses and wished for possession, this wasn’t how I wished for it. Since the character was an unimportant extra with no presence or name in the story.

If you’re going to let me possess someone, make it a powerful figure like a duke or prince…

Anyway, the character I possessed is…

Name: Hound Egil

Gender: Male

Age: 16

Despite being a commoner, I’m set to enter Estrada Academy’s entrance ceremony as a special admission student in a month when I turn 17. That’s why I had this memory.

How I got special admission is…

I seem to have an innate talent for swordsmanship and auras inherited from my father who was a famous adventurer.

But that’s not the issue.

A commoner admitted to an academy attended by nobles. And innate talent. However much the academy claims to not care about status, this has the cliché of bullying attached.

Additionally, because “Surviving in a Romance Fantasy Ruled by Villainesses” is told in the protagonist’s first-person view, the perspective was narrow.

So I had no way of knowing in the story what happened to the character Hound or if he was even alive.

But was there a setting about being a special admission student?

“……”

And the messages floating in the air, as if someone considered the possessed person and provided a [Special Privilege Shop].

When I tapped Special Privilege Shop to check, it was structured like a mobile game shop with various packages. The number of products was so large, I couldn’t see the end no matter how much I scrolled down.

The problem here is…

The currency used in the shop is coins. Those coins are the 1000 coins I donated to the story.

That’s my entire fortune right now. Well, it’s better than nothing.

If the author had just delayed the discontinuation by a month, I could have started with a total of 6000 coins.

“……”

No use worrying about what’s done. Worrying about the past will only hurt me.

I went into the Special Privilege Shop and scrolled down in detail to see what products there were.

[Swordsman’s Path Package 500 Coins]

[Archmage’s Path Package 500 Coins]

[Dark Mage’s Path Package 500 Coins]

[Grand Archer’s Path Package 500 Coins]

[Lancer’s Path Package 500 Coins]

And many more.

Crazy expensive.

I only have 1000 coins total, but most products cost half my entire fortune. They surely aren’t bad products.

Just looking at the names, Swordsman, Archmage level. Buying those packages, I’d have no issues living in this world.

But.

Did I want to enter this story just to live?

No.

It was to make the villainesses I picked out mine.

Even if I became an Archmage or Swordsman, could I make them mine? Maybe so, but the answer I reached is ‘no.’

Why, when I’m an Archmage or Swordsman?

The reason is simple.

While I’m training and building up achievements and getting a noble title, who might snatch those women away?

Stealing them back isn’t a bad choice but… unfortunately that’s not my taste.

So I need to start by being outstanding at the academy and build fame so I catch their eyes.

My goal is set.

I have to find a package I can feel the effects of immediately.

I rapidly scrolled through the Special Privilege Shop checking what products there were.

Who knew this nimble scrolling and text checking trained by reading web novels would be helpful now…

The product I found after scrolling for a while was:

[500% Skill Improvement Package 300 Coins]

A package with crazy cost-performance and insane effects. I don’t know what the creator of this shop was thinking setting this package at this price, but they are clearly a huge pushover.

Well, good for me.

With no hesitation I purchased the package. Now I would have a tremendous growth speed regardless of field.

Isn’t it freaking awesome?

Now I have 700 coins left.

Since the protagonist I possessed has talent in swordsmanship, I should pass on Swordsman. What caught my eye was Archmage’s Path and Battlemage.

But…

Not knowing what may happen ahead, I decided to save it. Life always has times when you go Aha!

***

The house where Hound, who I possessed, lived seemed pretty well-off as expected of a famous adventurer’s home.

Even though I lived in a cramped studio apartment when I was in the modern world, Hound’s house was a whole 2-story building, nothing for nobles to look down on.

When I went downstairs, Hound’s mother Roselle smiled and greeted me in the morning.

“Hound, you’re up? Come eat breakfast.”

“Yes, mother.”

“Why is your speech so stiff?”

“I’ll be entering the academy soon, so I need to mature.”

“What’s with you thinking like that? Funny.”

Hound’s father, Fenrir, laughed loudly.

“Ha! Boys change overnight, you just don’t know.”

It did change overnight…

But I can’t say the person inside is different.

“Fenrir? Stop the nonsense and sit down first.”

“Ahem.”

The menu was…

Creamy meat and vegetable soup, salad, and soft bread.

‘This will cause muscle loss.’

But I can’t make demands for chicken breast or complain about the side dishes.

There’s no chocolate flavored supplements or minced chicken breasts here after all.

Now that I’m a resident of this world, I have to adapt.

“Thank you for the food.”

And so the cozy family breakfast began.

I always ate alone, so I didn’t know meals taste better when eating with someone. For some reason my chest felt tight.

After living alone in a studio apartment for so long, just this was making me tear up. Loneliness had always worn away at me.

I hurriedly finished the meal in the awkward mood.

“Thank you for the food.”

“Oh, you’re done already?”

“I want to hurry and train swordsmanship.”

“I see, work hard…”

Was she worried about her changed son right before entering school?

From noble mtl dot com

Roselle’s eyes were full of tender concern.

I pretended not to see that look and hurried out to the yard.

Swish. The sword I received as an academy entrance gift from my father Fenrir.

The hilt was quite worn and damaged, but the blade was extremely sharp.

‘But I don’t know how to use a sword.’

The only blade I’ve used is a box cutter in school…

But with the thought I’d temper the steel, I recklessly swung the sword up and down.

Whoosh! It felt heavy. The feeling was awkward yet familiar.

‘Is my body remembering?’

It was easy to wield, as if the sword and my body were one.

And…

The exercise effect of swinging this heavy sword was truly tremendous.

The muscles in both arms swinging the sword.

The core muscles in my waist keeping my posture centered.

The leg muscles supporting it all.

I felt my whole body tearing. A familiar sensation.

It was a ‘full body ripper.’

I hadn’t exercised intensively lately, so this swordsmanship training was optimal for me.

While I was swinging the sword for a while,

[Swordsmanship skill has increased by 1]

A message window popped up.

“What?”

My swordsmanship skill increased and I hadn’t even been training for an hour.

‘Is this the power of the 500% skill improvement bonus?’

My dream of dominating the academy and wooing villainesses was close! I was fired up.

‘No rest, keep going.’

And so my sword training continued without pause, lasting until nightfall.

***

Thud

I flopped down spread eagle on the floor.

“Phew, that was tiring.”

Seeing my swordsmanship skill rise in real time, I unconsciously trained until night without realizing.

Overwork. But I’m not worried.

Since this world has the concept of aura.

It wasn’t in the novel but…

Checking Hound’s memories, his father had taught him an aura training method.

Gathering the energy flowing through your body and the floating mana in the air, making a core in your heart.

That’s aura.

I returned to my room, washed off the sweat, and sat cross-legged.

“……”

Based on the memories, I tried the method of gathering aura but…

As expected, it didn’t work well.

Well, I didn’t expect it to work right away in the first place.

But don’t I have the 500% skill improvement from the shop?

It’s too early to give up because it’s not gathering.

I have to ace it at the academy.

Until I fell asleep, I made an effort to feel the mana and flow of my own body.

But…

I didn’t feel it.

Damn it, should I just buy the Swordsman’s Path?

No, no need to rush. There’s still a month left right?

I’ll make my own path of the sword.

For now, I’ll save the remaining coins for later…

And so the first day of possession ended.

…

Second day since possessing.

As always I’m swinging the sword.

The continuously accumulating skill and feeling my whole body tear.

I couldn’t stand it.

Tempering my muscles and filling my sword skill.

This is totally killing two birds with one stone.

While I was swinging the sword tirelessly, my father Fenrir spoke to me.

“Working hard?”

“I’ll be entering the academy soon.”

“Hmm…”

Fenrir watched me for a few minutes then frowned and opened his mouth.

“Did something happen to you?”

“Huh?”

What is it? Did he notice?

“Your sword swings are very straight. How about a match, it’s been awhile?”

I thought he noticed his son was different again. I panicked a bit.

“Good idea, I’ll learn a thing or two.”

As Fenrir picked up a wooden sword, his sharp gaze changed to that of a beast eyeing prey.

Thwack!

Fenrir charged forward and swung the wooden sword.

“Oof!”

I barely dodged it. Either my body’s reflexes and vision speed are unbelievable or I just got lucky. I managed to avoid the strike but Fenrir gave me no time to rest.

Taking advantage of my unbalanced stance, he immediately swung down with his sword.

Clang! Despite being off-balance, I displayed incredible dexterity and blocked the downward swing.

‘What the hell?’

Fenrir’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Where did you learn to do that?”

“Huh?”

“That move you just did was unbelievable.”

“My body just reacted.”

“Hmm…”

It was certainly surprising to me too. Do defensive techniques improve naturally as swordsmanship proficiency increases?

Fenrir lowered his sword and spoke.

“You’ve got crazy talent.”

“I’m your son after all…”

“hahahaha, that’s right!”

Fenrir came over and ruffled my hair.

“The bigger the goal the better. You know I always say that right?”

Fenrir’s constant saying. It was deeply ingrained in Hound’s mind so I knew it too.

“Aim high. Humans can only reach about 80% of their goals so…”

“I know it well. I’ll train hard then.”

Fenrir went back inside. I felt even more motivated for some reason.

So physical ability improves along with swordsmanship proficiency? Or is it because I used a sword? Not swordsmanship proficiency but sword proficiency.

Training swordsmanship during the day and aura at night, time passed quickly as the academy entrance ceremony approached.

***

“You got all your stuff packed right? Didn’t leave anything behind?”

“Yes, I checked everything.”

“You’ll send a letter as soon as you arrive right? Okay?”

It was the day before entering the academy. I was headed towards the capital. Roselle was filled with anxiety and worry.

“Don’t worry. I’ll come back with good results.”

“Oh, be careful!”

Roselle’s eyes moistened. As I awkwardly smiled and tried to leave, Fenrir grabbed my shoulder and said,

“Listen. No matter what those nobles say, never be discouraged. Who’s son are you?”

“Adventurer Fenrir’s son.”

“That’s right, remember that. Travel safely.”

“I’ll be back.”

And so I boarded the carriage headed to the capital.