[Favorability points: -85 ]
Sitting in the back of the cafeteria, Mathieu stared at the negative points hovering over Celine Rochefort's head.
His vision had returned, but the scars hadn't healed. Shades made the scarring more noticeable, so he continued to wear a thin cloth around his eyes.
Celine Rochefort was sitting beside the Crown Prince at the top table, acting as if she were the only woman in the room.
He could see the hatred in her eyes when she looked at the pink-haired girl at the bottom of the table, who was trying to keep a low profile.
The fierce expression on Celine's face made it hard for one to linger on her features for too long. She looked as scary as she acted, yet there was something attractive about her, a dangerous charm, maybe?
She probably felt his stare because she glanced at him.
Mathieu stiffened.
Her expression twisted before she turned away like she'd seen something unpleasant.
[Favorability points: -86 ]
Mathieu choked on his food and coughed, grabbing a napkin to cover his mouth, 'WHAT DID I EVEN DO?!'
"Cousin? Are you alright?" Adeline asked, her hand patting his back.
Mathieu turned to see his female cousin, a noble lady who was also attending the Academy.
Her favorability points showed 78, a sign of her strong affection for him.
"Yes, I'm fine. Just something in my throat," Mathieu put down his fork.
As an ex-mercenary turned noble, Mathieu was trying his best to fit into this world, and the favorability system was a huge help.
He could see who liked him, and who didn't, who he could and couldn't trust, then adjust his behavior accordingly.
He remembered playing the villainess route in his past life, being Celine's sidekick, and bullying the heroine with her to gain her favor.
The lore had many adaptations, a novel, a comic, and even a musical. The game itself was built for both male and female players, so the players could choose their love interests.
Mathieu had chosen to pursue the villainess, and the game route had ended with him getting his head chopped off most of the time.
He couldn't obtain Celine Rochefort by trying to change her for the better, or by being loyal to her.
He bet the developers made her unattainable on purpose, to make players want to buy the new updates and expansions, hoping for a different outcome.
Even when he took on the Crown Prince's role, expecting Celine to be head over heels for him, she would only end up using him for his status.
The most brutal route was her romance with the second male lead. Every option he chose as a second male lead, and every action he took, led to torture, abuse, and a very tragic ending.
The repetitive trauma she inflicted on the characters he played raised the difficulty level to almost impossible. She would gradually leave the characters he played with fewer and worse choices.
A masochistic player might enjoy it, but not Mathieu.
He was not into that kind of thing, and he was determined to avoid her at all costs. He just wanted to live a peaceful life in this world, and not get involved in any drama.
But the problem was, the villainess had a huge influence on the game's plot, and if she was not dealt with properly, the whole story would collapse.
He couldn't let her destroy the Academy, the Kingdom, and the world, just because she was a spoiled, arrogant brat who didn't get her way.
He had to find a way to stop her, and maybe even turn her to his side. But how?
"Cousin? Are you listening to me?" Adeline asked, frowning at Lady Rochefort's table.
Mathieu realized he had been staring at the villainess again and quickly looked away. "Sorry, I was just...thinking."
"About what?" Adeline asked, cold eyes returning to Mathieu, "Lady Celine, perhaps? Are you interested in her?"
"No, no, nothing like that," Mathieu shook his head, trying to sound casual. "I was just wondering if there is a way to...get along with her. She seems to hate me, for some reason."
Adeline's frown deepened, "Why would you want to get along with someone like her? She doesn't deserve your kindness."
"I know, but..." Mathieu hesitated, not sure how to explain his reasoning without sounding crazy.
The truth was, he wanted to reduce the negative favorability points between them. He hoped that if they became friends, or at least neutral, the villainess would not cause too much trouble for him or the others.
He had learned from his experience during the game that the lower the points, the more likely they would become his enemies, and the more likely they would try to harm him or the people he cared about.
That's why he made sure to keep his favorability points with Adeline high, by being nice, and spending time with her.
"Have you tried talking to the new teacher? Mr. Arclight?" Mathieu remembered Adeline having a crush on the second male lead, who was able to brighten her day with a simple smile, according to the game's lore.
"I don't know him that well," Adeline said disinterestedly.
"He's really handsome," Mathieu tried again, feeling like a matchmaker instead of a villain, "And smart, and nice. He's also very popular among the ladies. Maybe you should try to get to know him better."
Adeline looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Why? Do you like him?"
"What? No! I mean, I like women, not men. I just think he's a good person, and you could be happy with him." Mathieu said, trying to convince her.
He didn't want her to be alone, especially since she had a sad backstory of being neglected by her family.
Adeline looked away, "Cousin should worry about his own marriage prospects, rather than mine."
"I'm third in line, I don't need to worry about that yet," Mathieu replied. He should be engaged to a foreign princess as per the lore, but he hadn't met her yet.
"Besides, he is a commoner. It would be a disgrace for a noble lady like me to marry someone like that." Adeline added, taking a sip of her tea, "I prefer someone who would match my own status…and bloodline."
Mathieu was not sure if he should be relieved or disappointed. "Well, you know what they say, love knows no boundaries."
Adeline listened carefully for any hint of teasing in his tone, but only found a kind sincerity, making her face soften, "Maybe."
Mathieu smiled, hoping he had planted a seed of interest in her heart, "I'll help you, if you want."
"You'll...help me?" Adeline raised her eyebrow.
"Yeah, I can talk to him, and find out what he likes, and what he's looking for in a partner. Then I can tell you, and you can use that to your advantage."
"What do you look for in a partner?" Adeline asked instead.