THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 4 4: Goat Egg

-Frey Starlight POV -

"In what way can you triumph when the person you face is a flawless version of yourself?"

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"By winning the Victoriad, I gain the right to ask the System Architect a single question, and he will be compelled to provide an answer..."

I held my breath, fighting to maintain my composure.

"Claiming victory at the Victoriad… It carries the same weight as winning the World Cup."

It was a massive tournament, televised to every human territory to instill hope and highlight the young geniuses destined to lead humanity. It was an event designed to be conquered by Snow, the protagonist of this tale.

Snow was the quintessential hero. An orphan raised in a shelter that was decimated by demons, he was a man consumed by the need for vengeance.

Despite his stereotypical origins, his power was undeniable... he was immensely strong.

To overcome a rival like him, I would essentially have to kill my old self—quite literally.

"I must stay calm... First, a strategy is required. Yes, let's start with that."

I needed a path forward. A place to begin.

To start, I had to evaluate the true depth of Frey’s power.

I promptly opened my status screen. Understanding my attributes and skills was vital to determining my next move.

A translucent window appeared, showing:

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Host Name : Frey Starlight (dual soul)

Class: Swordsman

Talent: A

Current Level: F-

Strength: F

Speed: F-

Agility: G+

Stamina: G

Aura: SSS

Magic: G-

[Swordsmanship - Lv. 1](Due to host's lack of innate talent, swordsmanship cannot exceed Lv. 3.)

Talents: None

Combat Style: None

Skills:

seduction (F-Class) :

Triggers sexual desire in the target. The effect is amplified against the opposite sex, weakened if the target is two ranks higher than the host, and could fail entirely.

Abilities: None

System Note: You're weak! Extremely weak! It is strongly recommended that you grow stronger before you perish!

I stood there, lost for words. Frey's statistics were an absolute disaster for a scion of the Starlight family… but that wasn't the source of my shock.

Aura: SSS

I rubbed my eyes, questioning my own vision, then checked the text once more.

Did Frey really possess an SSS-tier Aura capacity?!

A flood of questions hit me. How was this possible? Why? Since when?!

This was an Aura reserve that exceeded the most powerful human currently alive! It was a level the protagonist wasn't supposed to reach until the end of the story—yet Frey possessed it from the very beginning? It made no sense.

"This must be linked to my reincarnation..."

The mechanics eluded me for now, but wasn't this incredible?

With such power, defeating the protagonist would be simple... Had my luck finally turned around?

With my heart racing, I stood up and hurried to the center of the chamber.

"I have to test this..."

Drawing upon Frey’s memories and my own understanding, I tried to manifest Aura from my body.

"Come forth, SSS-Class power…"

Perspiration formed on my brow as I exerted myself.

Eventually, I succeeded.

However, I could only scowl in disappointment...

I had managed to circulate the Aura around my skin, but it was so thin and pathetic that I couldn't even gather it above my palm.

Veins throbbed on my forehead as a dark thought occurred to me: *Is the system playing a joke on me?*

"Where is my SSS-rank aura?!"

This pathetic output… Never mind F-rank, it didn't even qualify as G+!

While I was spiraling into frustration, the door to my room was kicked open, followed by a piercing shout:

***"Frey! Wake up, you bastard!"***

Recognizing the girl who had invaded my privacy, I could only curse under my breath:

"Damn it…"

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Earlier..

A magnificent carriage pulled to a stop before the main gates of the Starlight family estate. The doors opened, and a slender leg emerged, dressed in long black stockings that reached the mid-thigh, finished with sophisticated high heels.

Servants and maids immediately converged at the entrance, lining up to offer a perfect 90-degree bow to the prestigious arrival.

"Welcome home, Lady Ada."

The staff greeted a striking beauty with hair as white as snow and eyes like obsidian. Her sharp gaze exuded a sense of maturity, showing she had long outgrown her youth—a trait that only made her more captivating.

She was breathtaking. Many would give anything for just a moment of her attention.

Ignoring the bowing staff entirely, Ada walked forward with an air of indifference, heading straight for the senior head maid at the front of the line.

"Frederica," she stated, and the elderly maid met her with a kind expression.

"My lady."

Ada didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Where is he?"

Frederica seemed to have expected the inquiry, as she immediately pointed toward the house's interior.

"The young master is still confined to his quarters."

At those words, Ada clicked her tongue in sheer annoyance.

"That good-for-nothing idiot..."

Without pausing, she stormed into the manor, making a beeline for Frey's room. Reaching the door, she threw it open while shouting at the top of her lungs.

"Frey! Wake up, you bastard!"

Inside, she found Frey standing in a ridiculous stance, staring at her—a sight that only fueled her rage.

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Present..

…Which leads us back to this moment. Ada Starlight—Frey’s older sister and one of the few people with the courage to scold the notorious "Villain Frey"—was looking at me with pure disgust.

She had been visiting every day for the past week. I had ignored her every single time… until now.

Forcing a polite smile, I met her angry eyes and spoke calmly.

"To what do I owe this visit, Ada?"

"'Visit?'" Her fury flared up again, her voice sharp enough to cut through metal.

"The only reason I am here is because I am burdened with a miserable brother who rots away like a corpse all day!"

I winced reflexively. After days of quiet, her screaming felt louder than anything I had ever heard.

Sighing, I sat on the edge of the mattress while Ada continued her relentless verbal assault.

"How much longer do you think I can cover for you, Master Frey? What kind of leader are you supposed to be?! I forced myself to endure you before, but I have reached my breaking point!"

"In the past, you at least *pretended* to do your job as Lord—hiding behind our name while you played around. But now?!"

~Hooof~

Ada took a sharp breath before resuming… "But now you do absolutely nothing! You just lie there without moving a muscle! Tell me, what is your goal? Do you want to ruin the family that our father and our ancestors bled for? Will the fourth head of House Starlight be the one to destroy it?"

"The other noble houses and the Empire are just waiting for a chance to tear us apart… I am doing everything possible to keep our family afloat, but my work can barely fix the messes you leave behind."

A tear escaped Ada’s eye as her voice cracked from the effort of yelling.

"I gave up my life—I even gave up my spot at the Temple—just to shield you. To be your pillar. Why? This isn't who you are... You aren't the little brother I remember..."

She pressed her hand over her mouth, her soft weeping filling the silence. Deep down, I felt a twinge of guilt watching this, but I quickly suppressed it. After all, these were merely characters I had invented.

Finally, Ada spoke her closing words, and I smiled the moment I heard them.

"You are unfit to lead this family…"

She turned to depart, expecting Frey to remain silent as he always did. But this time, I broke the pattern.

"You're right."

I gave a faint smile to Ada, who stopped dead in her tracks and turned back toward me.

"What did you say?"

Ada arched an eyebrow, her eyes still wet with tears as she stared at me.

"As I said… you are absolutely right."

I smiled once more, but Ada’s expression darkened, her brow furrowing. If glares could kill, I would have been buried already.

She ground her teeth and balled her hands into fists.

"Frey… are you making fun of me right now?"

Her anger didn't bother me. Actually, I could understand why she was reacting this way. Looking through the memories I got from Frey, I realized the reality of House Starlight—details I didn't even recall writing.

The source of Ada’s rage was simple: she was the person who should have been the family head.

At twenty, she was four years older than Frey. In a world where gender didn't matter for succession, the firstborn should have inherited. But everything was upended when Lord Abraham Starlight—our late father—left a final command specifically naming Frey as the successor.

It appeared the former lord had a deep affection for his son. And since he had been a terrifying SS+ rank powerhouse, even the Elders of House Starlight didn't dare challenge his will out of respect.

It’s no wonder this low-tier Frey had lasted this long.

I stood up from the bed and walked toward my desk.

"I'm not mocking you… Ada."

I tapped the keys and looked at my stats one more time.

"I am weak. I haven't studied governance or strategy. I've never sacrificed anything for this family. I lack the presence of a Lord, his intellect, and his willpower... But you?"

"You possess all of those things."

I gestured toward Ada, who stood there with her head tilted, looking at me with total confusion.

"Frey… what are you talking about? I don't—"

Before she could finish, I moved closer, putting on the most friendly smile I could manage. "I am going to surrender my title as Lord of House Starlight to you."

Silence filled the room. I watched the range of emotions flicker across Ada’s face—shock, doubt, and then a small, desperate hope.

Her jaw dropped, her face frozen in a look of pure disbelief.

And who could blame her? These were words she never expected to hear, even in her dreams.

She had been cheated out of her birthright, yet she had held back her anger for her father’s sake, her useless brother, and the family reputation. Even though the years had been cruel to her—all because of the bastard Frey.

But now, here I was, giving her a glimmer of hope… like a light at the end of a dark tunnel.

"Frey… What are you up to? I swear, if this is just another one of your cruel pranks—"

I cut her off. Instead, I dropped the next bombshell—the one that would end the debate.

"An Aura Contract."

Ada’s eyes went wide. "A what?!"

I grinned. "I'll sign an Aura Contract. Surely you can't question my honesty if I do that, right?"

She was visibly shaking, and I noticed every tremor.

The Aura Contract was a mechanic I had designed for my hero, Snow—a magical pact where both people swore an oath under the threat of death. If you broke the deal, the Aura in your Meridians would explode inside you, turning you into nothing but a bloody mess.

In this world, there was no better guarantee than that.

Ada’s trembling intensified as she whispered, "Frey… why would you do this? You're kidding, right? You're playing with me… Yes, that's it… You have no reason to give up your power. You get nothing from this…."

I replied steadily, "I said I would sign an Aura Contract. Does that sound like a joke? And who said I get nothing? There are a few things I want from you in return."

Her face clouded over, suspicion returning the moment I mentioned a price. But I was certain—she wouldn't turn me down.

Just as I would go to any length to escape this plot, she would sell her soul to take what belonged to her.

That was my ultimate advantage here: knowing every detail of the story I had created.

I checked my stats again… Weak. I was far too vulnerable.

Aside from the hidden SSS-rank aura that hadn't awakened yet… everything else was pathetic.

I had to increase my strength as quickly as possible, and the first stage began with Ada—she was the one who would help me.

Everything started here.

Between an uncertain Ada and a confident Frey, a new chapter was beginning—one filled with secrets that no one could yet imagine.