Becoming The Villain Is My Dream-Chapter 39: Weapon Store

"Yes," Derek said matter-of-factly. "In this kind of place, they sell both food and bodies. You just have to make the call."

Alex frowned in disgust. He hadn’t realized how filthy this world could get.

"There’s a lot you still don’t know," Derek continued, his tone light. "But don’t rush. You’ve got time."

Before Alex could respond, the golden-haired girl returned, balancing a tray with practiced grace. She set the dishes before them — one by one — but when her eyes met Alex’s, she froze mid-motion. Her breath hitched, and for a heartbeat, she just stared.

Derek cleared his throat loudly, breaking the silence.

"That will be all," he said curtly.

She blinked, bowed quickly, and walked away — though she kept glancing over her shoulder at Alex as she went.

Raphael leaned closer, whispering, "What’s with her? She hasn’t stopped staring at you."

"I know," Alex murmured. "It’s... unsettling."

Derek smirked, taking a sip of his wine. "You could always ask her why. Buy her service for the night — she might tell you more than you expect."

Raphael’s eyes widened. "What kind of teacher says that? You’re seriously encouraging him to have an affair with a stranger?"

"I don’t see anything wrong with it," Derek replied with a shrug.

"You—" Raphael began, his temper flaring, but Alex raised a hand.

"Let it go. Don’t ruin the mood," he said quietly.

"But—"

"No buts. Eat your food."

Raphael clenched his jaw but obeyed, stabbing at his meal in silence. Derek chuckled quietly, amused by the tension at the table.

When they finished eating, Derek paid and went to the counter to book rooms.

"How many rooms?" asked the young woman behind the counter.

"Two," Derek replied.

The girl nodded and bent down to retrieve the keys. Her skirt was short — far too short — and the movement exposed a flash of pink fabric. Derek looked away quickly, clearing his throat. The boys exchanged awkward glances.

"Here you go, sir," she said sweetly, handing over the keys.

"Thanks."

As Derek turned to leave, the girl hurried from behind the counter. "Sir, let me show you to your rooms," she offered.

He gestured for them to follow. Down the narrow hallway, dim lanterns flickered against the cracked walls. When they reached the rooms, she stopped. "This is yours, sir."

"Appreciate it," Derek said, taking one key and handing the other to Alex.

"Do you want room service?" she asked boldly, her voice soft and suggestive.

Derek gave her a long, slow look before smirking. "Sure, why not?"

He pulled her gently into the room and shut the door behind them.

Alex and Raphael stood silently in the hallway for a few seconds before exchanging tired looks.

"Derek is something else," Raphael muttered.

"It’s normal," Alex said as he walked into their own room.

"Sleeping with strangers is normal?" Raphael asked, incredulous. "Are you hearing yourself?"

"Of course," Alex replied calmly. "Sometimes, you need to forget your worries. Have fun while you can — as long as you don’t lose sight of your goal."

"I’d rather not indulge in things that could make me lose focus," Raphael mumbled.

"You’re scared because you lack confidence," Alex said bluntly, lying down. "Good night."

Raphael sighed. "Yeah, night..."

---

Morning came harsh and early.

The inn was noisy — footsteps, shouting, the thud of something heavy falling downstairs. Alex stirred, half-asleep, until a series of sharp knocks echoed against their door.

He sat up instantly, instincts on alert. "Raphael," he whispered, shaking him.

"What is it?" Raphael grumbled, rubbing his eyes. He’d barely slept, his mind troubled by the previous night’s talk.

"Someone’s at the door," Alex said.

"Then go get it. Why wake me up?" Raphael muttered, turning over.

"You’re the senior. You go," Alex said dryly.

"I’m only a month older!"

"Still counts," Alex replied. "Come on."

"No chance," Raphael said firmly, burying his head in the pillow.

"Tsk," Alex hissed, climbing out of bed. The knocking continued — rapid, desperate. "Who is it?" he called, but there was no answer. He threw Raphael a glance. "Fine. Let’s do this."

He unlatched the door — and in an instant, two trembling arms grabbed him and shoved him backward. The door slammed shut behind them.

It was the golden-haired girl.

Her breathing was ragged, her pink eyes wild with fear.

"What are you doing here?" Alex demanded.

"They’re here!" she gasped, clutching his arm.

He instinctively stepped back, and she stumbled, falling to the floor.

"Who’s here?" he asked sharply.

"The human eaters!" she cried. "They’re here! We have to hide!"

Alex froze. The words didn’t make sense — not at first. But before he could question her further, the door burst open.

Derek stood there, his usual composure gone, his face grim.

"Alex! Raphael! We’re leaving — now!"

"What’s happening, Derek?" Alex demanded as the trio sprinted through the hallway, their footsteps echoing off the walls.

"I don’t know," Derek replied sharply, his voice tense. "But something’s coming. I can feel it!"

"Over here! Follow me!" shouted the girl who had gone with Derek earlier, her voice cutting through the chaos. She darted out from the opposite corridor, waving for them to follow.

Without hesitation, they ran after her as she led them to a trapdoor at the far end of the hall. "Quick, get in! We can hide here for the night!" she urged, lifting it open and motioning them inside.

The chamber beneath was dimly lit and smelled of dust and old wood. A handful of people—mostly the inn’s other girls and a few terrified customers—were already huddled together in silence.

Derek scanned the frightened faces before turning to the girl. "Now tell me—what exactly is going on here?"

"They’re here," she whispered, trembling. "The human-eaters."

"Human-eating men?" Derek repeated, frowning. "What kind of nonsense is that? I’ve never heard of such creatures."

"They only appeared recently," she said as she took a small device from one of the other girls. "It’s no wonder no one outside this town knows of them. Here—look."

She switched the device on and handed it to Derek. Alex and Raphael stepped closer, curiosity etched across their faces. The video that played was short—but horrifying. Hulking figures, vaguely human, were shown ripping through helpless victims, devouring them with savage hunger.

Alex’s eyes widened, his stomach twisting. Derek’s expression darkened, while Raphael turned away, unable to keep watching. When the clip ended, Derek silently handed the device back.

"They look human," he muttered grimly, "but they’re not."

The girl nodded. "Every night, they come out—killing, eating, destroying. By sunrise, they vanish without a trace. We’ve lost so many... the streets are almost empty now."

Derek clenched his jaw. "We can’t let this continue. The town will be wiped out if nothing’s done." He looked to Alex and Raphael. "We’ll have to—"

"I’ll stop you there," Alex cut in coldly. "I’m not fighting without a weapon."

"Same here," Raphael added quickly. "Teacher, rushing into a fight we know nothing about is reckless. Let’s get armed first."

Derek thought for a moment, then nodded. "Fair enough." Turning to the girl, he said, "You heard them. We’ll deal with this tomorrow."

"I didn’t expect outsiders to help us," the girl admitted softly. "Every night, we hide down here until morning. It’s safe, I promise."

"Good," Derek murmured, surveying the room. It was large enough for everyone to fit comfortably. He walked toward the wall and leaned against it, weary from the tension. Alex and Raphael took places on either side of him.

Alex broke the silence first. "So," he began dryly, "how was your night with her? Fun?"

Derek turned to stare at him, unamused. "We didn’t get to do anything," he replied, sighing. He caught Alex’s brief smirk—so fleeting he wondered if he’d imagined it.

"That’s unfortunate," Alex said under his breath.

"It’s their fault," Derek muttered darkly. "Those things will pay for it." He glanced toward the girl, who was quietly tending to the frightened guests. Their eyes met for a brief, awkward second. "I only managed to kiss her," he confessed quietly.

Alex shrugged. "Could be worse. She seems to like you, though."

Derek frowned. "You think so?"

"It’s obvious," Alex replied, tilting his head slightly. "She keeps sneaking glances at you."

"Don’t involve me," Raphael said quickly, refusing to look up.

"Tsk," Alex scoffed. "Fine, but I’m telling you—she’s into you," he said to Derek with a teasing grin.

Derek exhaled heavily, conflicted. What kind of teacher encourages his students to talk about things like this? Before he could speak, Alex leaned closer and whispered, "Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone."

"You better not," Derek muttered, earning a quiet chuckle from Alex.