Back in his room, Vinny took out the blue scarf Malric had shoved into his pocket. There was a peculiar pattern embroidered onto it: a golden sheep.
A sheep, embroidered onto the blue scarf handed out to members of his so-called “alliance.”
Now that was interesting.
It all but confirmed one thing—Malric, that bastard, definitely wasn’t up to anything good.
He must have had some kind of ulterior motive right from the beginning, back when he first approached Vinny.
What other reason could there be for someone to cozy up to a reviled villain with a trash-tier reputation?
No sane person would try that.
Only someone as clueless as Vinny himself would be dumb enough to think someone actually admired him.
Vinny stuffed the blue scarf into a drawer.
He wasn’t the paranoid type. He knew there were people scheming against him, but for the life of him, he couldn’t figure out why.
The Varelis family had been thoroughly dismantled by the Church. Their treasures had been plundered, their bloodline destroyed.
All that remained was a dried-up root.
Anyone could see that without some divine miracle, the House of Varelis was as good as buried forever.
So then—why the hell were people still this wary of him?
What more did they think he could possibly do?
Or maybe... the people after him this time weren’t the same bunch as before?
Vinny couldn’t make sense of it.
He racked his brain, but he hadn’t pissed off anyone lately. So why did someone always seem to be plotting to take him down?
He wasn’t the protagonist, so why were all the DEBUFFs landing on him?
Was this world’s system just out to get him?
His head throbbed.
Just imagining the idea of multiple factions gunning for him during the Dungeon Assessment gave him a migraine.
His odds of promotion were already in the gutter. Now they were sinking into the Mariana Trench.
If he didn’t want to get eliminated, he’d have to push himself harder. Which meant...
...he might even have to consider summoning Vanessa.
After dinner, Vinny collapsed onto his bed like a dead fly.
Even thinking about all this crap was probably melting his brain. Better to just stop, clear his mind, and sleep.
It was already dusk by the time he drowsily rolled out of bed.
The hallway outside was eerily quiet.
That’s when he remembered—before the Dungeon Assessment, there was a cultural written test, a glorified bonus round for noble brats.
That explained the ghost town vibe. Everyone was holed up, cramming.
Even noble kids couldn’t party every day. Eventually, they had to hit the books too.
And no matter how small a portion of the overall score the written test counted for, every single point mattered.
What if it was the one point that made the cut?
Vinny didn’t have that kind of pressure.
He was never nervous about tests.
The reason was simple:
He didn’t know how to take them.
But still, seeing this test-prep atmosphere—it reminded him uncomfortably of his old world.
That headache came crawling back, same as ever.
Damn it. I crossed worlds, and I still have to study?
After dinner at the dining hall, Vinny wandered the corridors aimlessly, stepping outside to clear his head. He stared out into the golden sea of wheat fields beyond the carriage.
Thousands of dandelions drifted into the air, scattered by the wind.
Each one eventually found a home.
“...Where’s my home?” Vinny muttered under his breath.
“Oh? Lord Vinny’s feeling sentimental?”
“I—” Vinny instinctively started to reply, then froze. He recognized the soft, melodious voice.
He turned.
Of course. That face, that enigmatic smile.
He jolted backward like he’d been jolted with electricity, putting space between them.
“Woman, what are you doing here? Didn’t I tell you I’m not into your type? Quit hovering around me already.”
It won’t rain forever, but it does keep raining.
It was a scripted line.
But at this point, Vinny had said it so many times it came out reflexively every time he saw Aesphyra.
“Lord Vinny’s too self-conscious. This is a public space. Anyone can stand here, can’t they?”
Aesphyra tucked a silver strand behind her ear and turned her gaze out the window, not even bothering to look at him.
The golden wind of the wheat field played with her long silver hair, tossing it gently into the air. Her profile against the dusk light was practically divine.
...Why isn’t this girl reviewing?
The moment the thought passed, Vinny wanted to slap himself.
The one standing here wasn’t some background noble.
She was Aesphyra, the heroine—flawless in mind, body, soul, and beauty.
She’d already memorized every textbook in her past life. Why would she need to study?
Obviously not.
“...What, are you here to fish for another confession?” Vinny pouted.
“Forget it. I already have someone I like. You don’t stand a chance.”
“I know, I know. Lord Vinny’s heart belongs to Princess Mirecia, right?”
“Hah. You don’t know a damn thing, do you?”
“Oh? Isn’t that true?”
Aesphyra finally turned her head to look at him, eyes glimmering with mischief.
“Tch. Whatever. I don’t owe you an explanation.”
“No need, Lord Vinny. Anyone would fall for someone like Princess Mirecia. It’s human nature.”
Wow. Just dropping the act like that now, huh?
“Oh, so you like someone too?” Vinny cocked an eyebrow, already knowing the answer, but asking anyway.
Aesphyra smiled faintly.
She didn’t respond—but the answer was obvious.
“Lord Vinny, care to make a bet?”
“What kind of bet?”
“A bet on who Mirecia will choose in the end.”
Vinny snorted.
Hah. Bold of you to assume you’d win.
“No thanks. I’m a virtuous young man. I don’t gamble.” He waved his hand with mock innocence.
“Afraid, are you? No confidence in your charm? Or maybe your feelings for Princess Mirecia aren’t that deep?”
Oh, this woman.
She was already laying the trap. And when the time came, she’d twist the dagger.
Too bad for her—Vinny wasn’t the same idiot she knew in the past.
“Say whatever you want. But Miss Aesphyra, do you really have those kinds of feelings for Her Highness Mirecia? Tsk tsk... so you’re into girls? Bold of you to admit that.”
“What’s there to admit? If you like someone, you like them. I like pretty girls. Simple as that.”
“So anyone pretty enough would do for you?”
“Exactly.”
Aesphyra smiled without hesitation.
“That’s the base requirement. Then there are bonus traits. The more, the better.”
“Like what?”
“Virtuous, gentle, considerate, elegant, ideally a noble lady with top-tier manners. Looks matching my own wouldn’t hurt. And I love contrast—a perfect lady on the surface with a playful, wicked streak underneath? That’d be ideal.”
“Whose standards are those?” Vinny raised a brow.
Honestly, expecting someone to match Aesphyra in beauty was already laughable.
Sure, her figure wasn’t bad, but... did any girl in this world actually match up?
Not to mention she was picky about personality too.
...Wait.
Had he met someone who did check all those boxes before?
Vinny frowned. The thought slipped away before he could catch it.
“Well, those are just ideals. Not all of them are must-haves,” Aesphyra added nonchalantly.
“So usually, you just go for whoever’s pretty? Tsk tsk. Promiscuous,” Vinny sneered.
Must be nice being the heroine.
Your standards for romance are as wide as the continent.
“Promiscuous? That’s not it. I just want to get close to every cute and pretty girl. Is that so wrong?”
Aesphyra tilted her head with a disarming smile, playful and unreadable.
But Vinny knew better.
The truth always came out in her jokes. And this one was dead serious.
“So the prettier she is, the better your chances? That your type?”
“Hmm~ I’ve said so much already. Shouldn’t Lord Vinny share his type too?”
She batted her lashes at him, mock-innocent.
“Me? I’m not as picky as you,” Vinny muttered, lips curling in a pout.
“As long as she genuinely likes me, that’s enough for me.”
“Eh? That’s it? That’s your only condition?”
Aesphyra arched an eyebrow.
“What can I say? My standards are what they are. I can’t afford to be too picky.”
Not everyone gets born as the protagonist, after all.
“Pfft. That condition makes it sound like you’re easy prey.”
“What do you mean?”
“If you were a girl, Lord Vinny, I might’ve considered you~”
“Don’t flatter yourself. Even if I were a woman, I’d never fall for someone as shamelessly promiscuous as you,” Vinny shot back without hesitation, knowing full well she was trying to bait him.
“My standards might not be sky-high, but they’re still way too good for you,” he added, tilting his chin upward in mock arrogance.
“Oh? Lord Vinny, are you saying you don’t feel anything for me at all?”
Aesphyra took a step forward—just one—her long, graceful legs moving like silk.
It was mostly teasing. She’d never initiate physical contact with a man.
Still, the floral-sweet scent of her hair hit him like a trap, and Vinny instinctively backed off, reestablishing a safe perimeter.
“But now that I think about it... Lord Vinny does seem to have a lot of friends.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Vinny blinked, then scoffed.
“Friends? That’s something only weaklings like you need. I don’t.”
“Really? But I recall Lord Vinny mentioning you learned bandaging skills from a friend,” Aesphyra said with a sly smile.
“Would you care to introduce this ‘friend’ to me?”
“How presumptuous. Do we even have that kind of relationship? This has nothing to do with you.”
“Don’t say that. What if I happen to know your friend? Maybe we’d even get along famously,” she teased, voice light and casual—but Vinny knew better.
“No chance. You wouldn’t know her, and even if you did, there’s zero possibility of you hitting it off.”
“Are you that sure?” Aesphyra narrowed her eyes.
“Absolutely.”
“Hmm... let me guess. Your friend’s a girl? A healing nun, maybe?”
“Wrong on all counts, Miss Aesphyra.”
His tone was calm, but internally, he braced himself.
He could already guess where this was going.
She must’ve heard whispers—maybe about Vanessa from the orphanage. Her old suspicions were flaring up again.
“Really? Honestly, I’m quite intrigued by Lord Vinny’s mysterious friend. You’ve changed a lot since meeting her.”
Her eyes sparkled, gleaming with mischief.
“Tell me—she’s not on this carriage, is she?”
“Even if I knew the person you’re describing, as her friend, I wouldn’t let someone like you anywhere near her.”
“Oh?”
Aesphyra realized she wasn’t getting anything else out of him and dropped the topic—for now.
“Well then, see you in the Dungeon, Lord Vinny.”
“I’m sure we’ll have much to talk about when that time comes. We’ve got a long journey ahead.”
She shot him a final look, unreadable, and walked away.
See you?
Not if I can help ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) it.
Vinny rubbed his forehead. Great—now he had to deal with Aesphyra in the Dungeon, too.
He wasn’t looking forward to that reunion.
Tch. What a petty woman.
Just because he pointed out a few of her flaws, she had to go after Vanessa too?
So annoying.
After enjoying the corridor breeze a little longer, Vinny eventually returned to his room.
****
A week passed in a blur.
The carriage finally rolled to a stop at the trial location.
The test site was a transfer station between the kingdom and Cariliman Academy, complete with barracks, a few buildings, and some instructors.
While the carriage accommodations were decent, everyone was bored stiff after seven days of travel.
Touching solid ground again was a relief.
To ease their fatigue, the Academy gave students a day off to rest and mentally prepare for the written test.
While others reviewed frantically, Vinny wandered.
There were only two types of students not locked in their rooms:
Academic monsters like Aesphyra, already confident in their knowledge. Professional slackers like Vinny, who didn’t care either way.When people saw Vinny strolling around, they paused, wondering who could be so relaxed.
Then they realized it was him and immediately understood.
“Oh. That guy.”
“Yeah. Lost cause.”
No one expected much from him.
They were right.
As the written exam began, Vinny knew Aesphyra, with her insane intellect, would finish first—if nothing went wrong.
Too bad for her, he had a plan.
She wanted to hand in her paper first?
Not today.
He couldn’t beat her at answering questions, but he could beat her at handing in a paper.
Even if she blitzed through the questions, she still had to fill out answers.
He?
He just had to write his name.
As expected, the moment Vinny walked up and submitted a blank test, the entire room froze.
Even the laziest kids usually scribbled something down.
But Vinny?
He just handed it in like a boss.
“Student, wouldn’t it be better to at least try?”
The supervising instructor looked concerned.
“What if there were some you could actually solve?”
“Teacher, you don’t get it. These things kill brain cells. I’m conserving mine.”
Vinny yawned as he glanced over at Aesphyra.
‘See that? I win. You can’t beat me in speed. Got it?’
He strutted out of the room like a champion, while Aesphyra watched him with a look that mixed amusement and disbelief.
The rest of the students were baffled... until they remembered who it was.
“Oh, right. It’s Vinny.”
“Yeah, makes sense.”
“I mean... should we even bother targeting that guy in the Dungeon Assessment?”
A few students gathered after the exam, whispering behind the dorms.
“He’s hopeless.”
“Exactly. Just complete our tasks for the young master. We can earn our ranks through real work.”
“But it’s a big Dungeon. What if we don’t even run into him?”
“Don’t worry. I’ve already arranged for someone to steer that idiot. He’ll walk right into our trap.”
They laughed darkly.
“When the time comes, don’t break his token all at once. Beat him down. Let the young master vent.”
“With how many people in the capital hate him, it’s only natural he becomes the punching bag if anything happens in the Dungeon.”
With the written test done, it was time for the Dungeon Assessment.
Led by their instructors, candidates marched toward the assessment site—a vast, dense jungle.
It wasn’t crowded. Each region had its own entrance.
This was the kingdom’s gate, and only candidates from the kingdom stood here now.
But once inside?
All bets were off.
Candidates from the empire, the grand duchy, the tribes, and even non-human races would be roaming inside.
“You can earn points by killing monsters,” the instructor explained, “but that’s not the fastest method.”
“Eliminating other candidates and taking their points—regardless of their origin—is allowed.”
“Each candidate may carry two enchanted weapons, and no more than two. All enchanted items must be reported now.”