I CHOSE to be a VILLAIN, not a THIRD-RATE EXTRA!!-Chapter 229: The Time Where the Villain Shines(1)

By the time the small stream of water had twisted and curled into a perfect circle above her outstretched palm, Althea was drenched in sweat, each bead tracing a slow path down her temples.

The sheer delicacy of control she demanded from her own body and mind was exhausting, every tiny movement of the water requiring focus sharper than a razor's edge.

Around her, everyone was silent, save for the faint whisper of the circulating water. At her age, no one else could even hope to coax the liquid into such precise form even in the entire class; she alone carried this rare mastery.

Even Isolde, sitting a short distance away, couldn't mask the flicker of astonishment in her eyes.

Shift of water into vague shapes to a certain degree, swirl it into harmless patterns, or bend it slightly to their will was something acceptable, but nothing approached this level—this delicate, deliberate choreography of liquid responding as if it had a mind of its own.

'There is a reason she is called the reincarnation of the Arc Mage', Isolde thought, her competitive fire quietly igniting.

Isolde hands itched to challenge Althea to a duel right then and there to compete against her own bloodline magic, her heart pounding with the thrill of challenge.

But the effort was taking its toll. Althea's mind, drained from the demonstration she had just endured, wavered slightly, and for the first time, her control faltered.

The small sphere of water began to lose its perfect form, trembling and sagging as if exhausted itself.

Slowly, gravity claimed the droplets, and they began their silent descent toward the polished floor below.

Yet, not a single drop ever touched the ground. In an instant, the serpent that coiled like a shadow around her neck struck. Its body arched gracefully, head darting beneath the falling water with lightning speed.

A thin, radiant layer of fire flared across the snake's open jaws, hovering just above its scales. Each droplet kissed the fire and hissed violently, vapor rising in spirals of scalding steam that curled around Althea's trembling hand. The sizzling sound echoed faintly in the class.

The faint, hot steam rising from the sizzling droplets drifted upward, brushing against the back of Althea's hand. She recoiled instantly, snapping her hand backward and shaking it slightly, the sting of heat lingering.

Her fingers trembled for a moment, and the skin along her knuckles flushed a soft pink.

Isolde couldn't help but let out a soft giggle, the sound light and teasing, as she watched Althea gently blowing on her reddened hand, trying to soothe the sudden sting.

The sight was almost charming in its vulnerability, a brief human pause amidst the display of skill and strength.

Ashok's gaze lingered in resigned amusement. 'Ah! Such happy moments make me almost feel… unnecessary here,' after all sweet moments really didn't get along with his personality.

His eyes flicked toward Frederick, who now watched Althea with an unmistakable wide smile, his approval shining brighter than the afternoon sunlight spilling through the windows.

"Marvellous!" Frederick's voice rang out, rich and warm, carrying across the quiet classroom.

"Though you did lose a bit of control near the end, it is truly commendable that you have achieved such a level of Mana Control at such a young age." His eyes sparkled with genuine delight, and a rare note of pride threaded through his tone.

The statement hung in the air like a fragrant bloom; it was the first time anyone in the class had heard Frederick offer such direct praise.

His usual demeanor leaned toward critique, especially with Adlet, though he was one whom everyone had seen talking the most at the end of the day it was bickering not praising, were words flying sharper than arrows.

But here, with Althea, his admiration was sincere and unreserved. Only Ashok seemed to grasp the weight behind the moment knowing full well that even in the game Frederick's praise was not given lightly, and this recognition was something truly significant.

'It would not be surprising if this old man took her as his disciple right after class,' Ashok thought bitterly. This was exactly the outcome he dreaded most.

Every subtle glance Frederick cast toward Althea, every sparkle of delight in his eyes, felt like a warning bell ringing for his own future ambitions.

And indeed, Frederick himself was entertaining the very thought of the worst possibility imagined by Ashok, though with a far more measured and calculating mind.

'To think such talent would emerge only after I left the Tower…' Frederick mused inwardly, a shadow of nostalgia mixing with faint regret.

At her age, Althea's raw skill surpassed even what he had managed in his youth which was more than enough proof of her talent together with natural four affinities.

'Heavens are not fair', he continued silently, the corner of his lips twitching in a small, private smile.

'And what kind of fortune must that snake-like bastard of mine have had to claim such a prodigy as his own, cloaking her gifts under the title of the Reincarnation of the First Mage to increase his own fame and pockets?' Frederick's mind wandered to the thought of confronting that old schemer.

How would he react if I were to take her as my disciple instead? The thought alone brought a quiet thrill to him, a mischievous glimmer of old rivalry rekindled.

In the recesses of his mind, Frederick began sketching plans.

Should he decide to bring Althea under his wing, he would extract her from the Tower, train her in ways no one else in the Tower could, and eventually call that bastard—reminding him of all the years past.

But his gaze shifted, lingering briefly on Adlet, and the intricate web of strategy in his mind paused.

There were still questions to answer, confirmations to seek about this brat before he could make any decision about taking in a disciple.

Ashok met Frederick's piercing gaze as the old man's voice sliced through the room, dismissive and sharp: "I nearly forgot. There is one last. Go on—get it over with. Don't waste too much of my time."

At the command, the snake lunged with fluid precision, curling itself around Adlet's neck in a smooth, predatory motion.

Althea and Isolde turned their heads, eyes filled with anticipation, silently wondering what this lunatic would say in response to such a provocative setup.

'This old pervert switched sides the instant he saw some talent', Ashok seethed inwardly, his fists tightening.

The casual, almost mocking tone of Frederick's words was like a gauntlet thrown, and Ashok knew better than to let it slide.

He would give an answer that would unsettle the old man—but not before making him squirm just a little.

Ashok had always trusted in human nature, or at least in his own interpretation of it. There was a saying he held close to heart: If someone tells you not to do something, then it becomes absolutely compulsory to do it.

It was not mere rebellion; it was, in his mind, the unshakable law of human behavior.

So, when Frederick had brusquely ordered him not to waste time, Ashok felt no hesitation. On the contrary, he resolved that he would waste time, and waste it thoroughly.

BECAUSE HE WAS A HUMAN AND HE WOULD FOLLOW HUMAN NATURE.

Adlet stared at the snake's circling form for a few seconds, pretending as if measuring his next move threading carefully.

Then, deliberately, he raised his head and met Frederick's unyielding stare. In that brief instant, the classroom felt suspended, all eyes drawn into the silent tension of the moment.

Frederick meet Adlet eyes as they kept staring into each other's eye.

Adlet: STARE!

Frederick: STARE!

Adlet: (ㆆ_ㆆ)

Frederick: (≖_≖ )

Althea and Isolde blinked repeatedly, their mouths opening slightly as if to speak, then closing again, utterly baffled: ( ô ‸ ō )…???

The staring contest stretched on for an entire minute, each second drawn out until it felt like hours. Frederick's sharp eyes never wavered, scanning Adlet's face for the slightest sign of a word, an expression, any hint that the boy would break the silence.

Adlet, for his part, remained perfectly still, his gaze locked unwaveringly on the old man, refusing to yield even an inch. His mouth would sometime twitch indicating that he was about to speak only to end up remaining silent afterwards.

Althea and Isolde shifted their glances back and forth, baffled by the absurdity of it all. They whispered no words, but their wide eyes betrayed their confusion.

Why was he silent?

Why did he continue to stare as if the world outside this duel of eyes no longer existed?

Did he forget that this was a surprise test?

And if he didn't forget then when in the hell will he answer? Or has he just started thinking now under the pretext of twitching his mouth?

Each glance between the girls carried a question mark, a shared wonder at what strange resolve Adlet possessed to make every situation even this simple into something absurd as if he had some kind of personal issue whenever he was under attention.

This kind of absurdity lasted for an entirety of three minutes.

At last, Frederick's patience began to fray as he finally started to understand that this brat had started to once again playing some sort of trick to purposefully waste time. The snake coiling tightly around Adlet's neck constricted slightly, and tiny streaks of lightning-like currents began to crackle along its scales, the faint hum of electricity filling the tense air.

The subtle thundering made even the classroom's silence feel charged, a warning that the old master's composure was nearing its limit.

'It is finally time to speak', Ashok thought