I play the role of the Villain in order to be my own Hero.

Eva was sitting at the table in the restaurant, taking in the sights around her. The restaurant was beautifully decorated with an open view of the sea on one side and a cozy atmosphere that invited the guests to sit back and relax. The ambiance was pleasant enough to soothe her mind, and the aromatic scent of food filled her nose as she took in the view of the ocean outside the window.

Eva also noted how there weren't that many customers in the restaurant. They all seemed to be faculty or scientist who were chatting amongst themselves, probably discussing work-related topics. She noticed some of them were looking at her, probably because she was the first upcoming student they'd seen. But she ignored them, too tired to care.

"My apologies for the wait," A voice cut through the air as a young waitress approached their table. "Are you ready to order?"

Eva shrugged, feeling a bit out of her element. She really wasn't hungry and wasn't sure what to order. "Um... I'll have the grilled fish with a side of salad, please," She answered, figuring it'd be best not to get something too heavy on her stomach.

"I'll take the same thing, but with the teriyaki sauce instead," Ryuji added.

"Very well. And what would you like to drink?" The waitress asked politely.

"Just water, please," Ryuji ordered.

"Me too," Eva quickly replied.

The waitress bowed and walked away, leaving Eva and Ryuji to talk for a while. "So, what do you want to do after this, miss?" Ryuji asked curiously

Eva shrugged, "Nothing special, really. I don't know anything about this place, and I don't feel like exploring right now. I just want to go back to my room and rest for a bit."

"I see. I heard from the mister that you still hadn't decided on where to stay during your time here," Ryuji noted. "He said you had an interest in the residence, so I figured you'd like to see it first."

Eva thought it over, "Maybe tomorrow. I'm just too tired to deal with anything right now."

"That's fine, too," Ryuji replied with a nod.

After a while, their food came, and they ate. It was surprisingly good much to Eva surprise. But after that, she felt the fatigue in her body slowly creeping in as the food filled her stomach. "It's getting late, Ryuji," Eva said tiredly.

She was feeling okay a while ago, but for some reason, she started feeling drained of energy. Maybe because it's been a long day, and she's tired. Or maybe it's a sign she was sick.

Ryuji noticed how Eva was suddenly starting to get pale and looked a bit sluggish. "Miss Eva?" He asked worriedly, noticing her sudden exhaustion.

"I'm fine, Ryuji. Just... let's go back," Eva answered, leaning her head back on the chair and closing her eyes. "I think I'm going to be sick..." She whispered as she held her hand to her stomach, feeling like she was about to throw up.

"Okay, let me take care of the bill," Ryuji replied, getting up from his seat and walking over to the counter to pay the bill.

***

Ryuji took Eva back to the hotel, her arm slung over his shoulder for support. It was dark out now, and he was glad the hotel wasn't too far from the restaurant. It took a while, but eventually, he got Eva back to her room.

"Are you sure you don't need help, miss?" Ryuji asked, his face full of concern.

"No, I'm fine. You should go back and rest," Eva reassured him, her voice hoarse and weak.

"But-" Ryuji started to protest, but Eva cut him off.

"Goodnight," She muttered, then slammed the door behind her.

Ryuji stood there, staring at the closed door. He didn't know what to make of this. Ryuji sighed as he walked back to his room. Maybe he should get a doctor to check on Eva, but for now, he should let her rest.

There was still time before curfew, so he decided to take a walk to clear his head. He wandered around, exploring the hotel as he made his way toward the ocean.

"It was a nice view," He thought as he took in the view. The water was calm and quiet, and he could hear the sound of seagulls flying over the waves. It was a nice change from the city, with its pollution, loud noises, and endless crowds.

He kept walking until he came across a small park on the edge of the island. There were benches all around, with a flower garden and a pond in the center. He sat on one of the benches, lost in thought as he stared at the flowers.

His life has changed drastically even since he meets his young lady. He's free from his old life and his past. He was given a new purpose, a reason to live, and a new family to love. It made him feel warm inside, knowing that there were people who cared about him.

"That's why I want to protect them," Ryuji whispered to himself as he stared at the flower garden, remembering his own promise. "I want to help them, and I want them to be happy. They're my new family now."

It was not only for Eva who dragged him out of the dark. It was also for the mister and madam who took him under their wing and offered him a chance at a better life. He owes it to them for what they've done for him.

Suddenly, Ryuji felt a presence behind him, making him tense up as he whipped around. He then noticed a figure in the distance, a person shrouded in the shadows of the night. "Who's there?" He called out, but there was no reply. The person just stood there, as still as a statue. "Is someone there?" Ryuji called out again, but there was no response. He took a step forward and flashed his phone. But there was nothing there...

"Weird..." Ryuji thought as he stood there. He could have sworn someone was standing there a minute ago.

Ryuji shook his head, dismissing the thought. "Probably just my imagination," He told himself as he sat back on the bench. "Maybe I'm just tired."

***

After Ryuji left, Eva took an immune shot and collapsed on her bed. She didn't even take off her clothes or get under the blankets. She just collapsed, not caring about anything. She was feeling too tired to deal with it.

Eva didn't know how long she was out. But when she finally woke up, she could see the sunlight streaming in through the window and the birds chirping outside. "I slept too much..."

She doesn't feel sick or like she is going to throw up anymore. Her body was a little sore, but she could deal with it. Today medicine was a wonder, a small mercy from the heavens above.

Eva sat up, stretching her arms as she yawned. She then heard her phone ring, so she checked it. It was a message from Ryuji, asking if she was okay. Eva sighed and replied that she was fine.

Then another message from him came through. "Do you need help getting up?" The message read.

"No. Just wait for me at the elevator for breakfast," Eva replied before putting down her phone.

Eva got up and got dressed. She washed her face and brushed her teeth before leaving the room. Once she got to the elevator, Ryuji was already there waiting for her.

"What's the plan for today, miss?" Ryuji asked.

"We're going to the residence area after breakfast," Eva said as she hit the elevator button. "I want to see the facilities there and decide where I want to stay."

"Sounds good," Ryuji replied.

"What about you? Are you staying at the hotel or going to the dormitory?" Eva asked curiously.

Ryuji shrugged, "Well, it depends on you, miss, if you are going to live in the dormitory. Then there was no reason for me to stay at the hotel."

"Is that so... Well, that's too bad," Eva replied.

***

After they finished breakfast, they went straight to the residence area. They had to use automatic public transportation to get there since the residence area was quite far from the hotel if they walked. But the journey wasn't bad, and it gave Eva a chance to admire the scenery around her.

Soon, they got to the residence area, and Eva was in awe at what she saw. The dormitory was beautiful and modern, just like everything else on the island. The building was tall, with a spacious courtyard in front. The architecture was perfect and elegant, with its smooth stone walls and stylish pillars. There were also statues around the garden and benches.

"This somehow looks far better than the five-star hotel we're staying at," Eva remarked as she stared up at the dormitory.

"It really is," Ryuji added. "How much budget do they have for this place, I wonder..."

The two of them stepped into the lobby. There were not many people in here, as expected, since the new students wouldn't start arriving for another two days. But there was a girl at the desk. She was probably around the same age as them.

"Excuse me," Eva said as she walked up to the front desk. "I would like to tour the girl dormitory. Is there someone available who can show me around?"

The girl at the front desk nodded, "Sure, I can take you there," She replied. "Just a moment, please." The girl picked up her phone and dialed a number. She spoke into the receiver for a few minutes, then hung up. "I'm going to be in charge of your tour, miss. My name is Suzui, Suzui Takumi."

"I see. Nice to meet you," Eva greeted her with a smile. "Eva, Eva Lawrence."

Suzui smiled, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lawrence. Please, come this way." She turned to face Ryuji, "Is this man coming with us?"

"Well... I guess he can't enter the girl's dormitory, so..." Eva thought out loud.

"Don't worry, I'll wait for you here, miss," Ryuji reassured her.

"Okay, be sure to wait for me. I'll be back soon," Eva told him before following Suzui to the elevators.

The girl was a good guide. She took her around the whole place, explaining the rules and showing her what amenities were available to them. The room was single-occupant, and she was free to decorate it however she wanted. It's a bit small, but she could deal with it.

There is also a common area that will be shared between the male and female dormitories, like a cafeteria, study rooms, gym, and recreation center. All of them have the latest equipment and facilities.

"Thank you, Miss Takumi. I appreciate the tour," Eva said with a smile.

Suzui dismissed the formality with a smile. "No need for such politeness. Just call me Suzui. That's what my friends call me, anyway."

Eva mirrored her smile. "Understood, Suzui. Then you can also just call me Eva."

"Okay then, Eva," Suzui said with a smile.

Suzui outward appearance would lead you to believe she's very calm and feminine with her beautiful, flowing hair and delicate features. Yet, her voice carried an air of firmness. Her dignified speech patterns bore a resonance fitting for her, perfectly complementing her confident demeanor.

Eva was pretty happy with the room. She already liked this place. Living in a dormitory would also probably increase her freedom since Ryuji couldn't keep an eye on her while she was in the girl's area. After chatting for a while, she found out that Suzui was also an upcoming student just like her. She just happened to work as a part-timer and live here.

She thanked Suzui again before heading back to the lobby with her, where Ryuji was still waiting for her. "Well?" Ryuji asked.

"I'll stay here," Eva replied with a nod.

Ryuji was a bit surprised. "I see... But are you sure, miss? That means I can't help you out if you get into trouble."

"It'll be fine, I'm sure I'll make some friends eventually," Eva reassured him. "Also, did I tell you to stop trying to babysit me too much while we are here?"

Ryuji scratched his cheek nervously, "Yeah... You did say that. But I'm worried that you're not used to this environment, so it's best if I'm around."

"I can take care of myself, Ryuji," Eva said with a smile. "I'm not helpless, and I can be mature. I know how to take care of myself."

Ryuji sighed, "Okay... Fine. But if you need help, just call me."

Turning her attention, Eva addressed Suzui. "And with that, Suzui, I'd like to register here. Here is my Student ID card," Eva said as she handed over her ID to Suzui.

Suzui scanned it before handing it back. "Very well. Please take the form and fill it out." Suzui handed her a piece of paper with the details of the room, along with a pen.

***

On the other side of the world. An underground camp filled with nothing but the poor who have lost everything to the AGA. Haruto Izayaki, the leader of the rebel group the Initiator, is working tirelessly to make sure they survive. People with families who were hunted by the AGA found sanctum in Izayaki camp.

People found their way here for many reasons, deserters, lab rats, and many forced labor workers. Many of them were sent to a secret concentration camp before they escaped and joined Izayaki. Fear, hatred, anger, despair, they all mixed together in this place. They tried to bring the truth of the AGA to the public. They had been plotting for decades now, trying to show the AGA's true colors to the world, but all attempts failed. The world only saw the AGA's lies and never saw the truth.

The media are always quick on the scene, spreading lies and calling anyone who tries to speak the truth a criminal, terrorist, or straight-up crazy. Food is scarce for them, and because of the many AGA surveillance, it was hard for them to obtain any food in the first place without being caught or followed. It would be too suspicious to bring a large amount of food at once and bring it all at once because of the intense surveillance, so most people only got to eat once a day.

Some groups disguise themself in the city and try to find or bought food regularly on a small scale, but that is all. The AGA's forces were very vigilant, and they had been suspecting their hiding place for quite a while now, so they were in constant fear of the AGA forces showing up at their doorsteps.

However, this camp was hidden using Astral Power of concealment by their second in command, Iori Harakata. Every entry and exit is concealed, undetected by the naked eyes or even the most powerful of machines. All they can see is dirt.

The AGA had no way of knowing where the camp was with their technology unless they actually knew the exact location and touched the concealed entry. Dirt with the texture of wood would be a giveaway if they had known the exact spot after all.

"So Haruto... did you manage to track Moonlight whereabouts?" The one who spoke up was Iori, her long hair that flowed down her back and short stature, wearing a black uniform.

"No... Matsuka is only able to roughly locate her. His foresight can't see things so far. It's hard for him to pinpoint anything." Haruto was currently busy writing something on a piece of paper when he stopped and replied to her question.

"I know that, but that's fine, right? We just sent a search team to investigate like usual."

"Aren't you being a little careless? We don't know what Moonlight is planning." Haruto finally finished writing on the piece of paper and stood up, looking at Iori face as he replied. "And we can't exactly send anyone to investigate the place since she was hiding on Seria Tokyo Island."

Now that surprised Iori, "Seria Tokyo Island? Why?"

"I've been wondering the same thing. I don't know what her plan is either. She didn't say anything when she rescued me either. It would be best if we could establish contact with her, but..." Haruto's words trailed off as he thought of the mysterious woman who had rescued him and then disappeared. "I doubt she will be so friendly next time we meet..."