The limousine pulled up to the Fairfax estate, a sprawling mansion set back from the road by perfectly manicured lawns and an iron gate that opened automatically upon inspection from the guard outside.
Sebastian stepped out, nodding to the driver who would park the car.
The front entrance was illuminated by elegant sconces, spreading warm light on the marble steps. Sebastian pushed open the heavy oak door and entered the foyer, where a chandelier glittered overhead.
He could hear voices from the dining room.
Walking down the hallway, Sebastian found his parents seated at the long mahogany table, clearly in the middle of dinner.
His father, Richard Fairfax, sat at the head of the table. He was a tall, broad-shouldered man in his early fifties with steel-grey hair and sharp features. Even at home, he wore a crisp dress shirt with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His presence made you respect him involuntarily, he was the kind of man who'd built an empire through shrewd business decisions and unwavering discipline.
His mother, Catherine Fairfax, sat to Richard's right. She was elegant and refined, with kind eyes and soft features that contrasted with her husband's severity. Her dark hair was pulled back gracefully, and she wore a simple but expensive cashmere sweater.
"Sebastian. Darling, you're home late. I was getting worried."" Catherine's face lit up immediately.
"Sorry, Mother, something came up." Sebastian said, moving to his usual seat.
Richard's eyes tracked Sebastian's movement, assessing. "Where were you?"
"At the hospital," Sebastian replied simply, accepting a plate from the waiting staff member.
Catherine's hand flew to her chest. "The hospital? Are you alright? Are you hurt?"
"I'm fine, a classmate's father was in an accident. I drove her there." Sebastian assured her.
Richard's eyebrow raised slightly. "A classmate."
"Her name is Isabelle Tian," Sebastian said, cutting into the perfectly prepared steak on his plate. "Her father was hit by a car. I happened to be nearby."
Catherine's expression softened with sympathy. "Oh, that poor family. Is he alright?"
"He will be."
Richard studied his son for a long moment, then returned to his own meal. "You stayed the entire time?"
"Yes."
"Good." Richard's tone was approving, though his expression remained stern.
Catherine reached over and squeezed Sebastian's hand. "I'm proud of you, darling. That was very kind."
They ate in relative silence for a few minutes, the only sound the clink of silverware.
Sebastian finished most of his meal before speaking again.
"Father, I need to thirty thousand dollars for the week."
Richard paused, his fork halfway to his mouth. He set it down deliberately and looked at his son.
"Thirty thousand." His voice was neutral, but his eyes were sharp. "What for?"
"Personal expenses," Sebastian replied evenly, meeting his father's gaze without flinching.
The two Fairfax men stared at each other across the table.
Catherine looked between them nervously, her hand still holding her wine glass.
"That's more than your usual allowance," Richard noted.
"I'm aware."
"Care to elaborate on these 'personal expenses'?"
Sebastian considered his words carefully. "I covered some costs today. Medical bills. I'd like to replenish my available funds."
Understanding flickered in Richard's eyes. "For the girl's father."
"Yes."
Another long moment of silence.
Then Richard picked up his phone from beside his plate, tapped a few buttons, and set it back down.
"Done. It'll be in your account within the hour."
Catherine beamed. "That was a wonderful thing to do, Sebastian."
Catherine reached over and patted Sebastian's cheek affectionately. "My sweet boy. Always so thoughtful. Are you eating enough? You look tired."
"I'm fine, Mother."
"You work too hard at school. And now staying at hospitals..." She shook her head fondly. "At least let me have the cook prepare something special for you tomorrow. What would you like?"
"Whatever you choose is fine," Sebastian said with a slight smile.
They finished dinner with light conversation—Catherine asking about school, Richard occasionally interjecting with questions about Sebastian's grades or upcoming exams.
When the meal concluded, Sebastian stood. "If you'll excuse me, I have some work to finish."
"Don't stay up too late," Catherine called after him. "You need your rest."
"Goodnight, Mother. Father."
Richard nodded curtly, already turning his attention to his tablet and work emails.
Sebastian made his way up the grand staircase to the second floor, walking down the hallway past family portraits and expensive artwork until he reached his room.
Sebastian closed his bedroom door behind him and leaned against it for a moment, letting out a long breath.
His room was exactly what you'd expect from the son of a multi-millionaire—spacious, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the estate grounds, a king-sized bed with expensive linens, a desk with a high-end computer setup, and shelves lined with books and a few academic awards.
He tossed his jacket onto a chair and pulled out his phone, intending to check the system status again.
===Status===
Host: Sebastian Fairfax
Combat Power: 67 (Average human: 100)
Villain Points: 1,000
Villain Halo: 160
Luck: E
Charm: E+
→ Skills: None
→ Inventory: Empty
Before he could examine it further, his phone buzzed with a message.
Derek: Boss, I've found out a few things about Ethan.
Sebastian's eyebrow raised. He'd asked Derek to dig into the protagonist's background earlier that day, mostly out of curiosity.
Derek: He has an ill sister at home that he cares for. Her name is Savana, she's 12 years old. Some kind of chronic condition that needs regular medication.
Hearing that, Sebastian frowned for a moment. Ethan had brought that Ginseng to save Isabelle's father, but he didn't use it for his sister? It seemed like the system had given him a quest, and the reward was quite high for him to ignore his sister for the time being. He failed that quest, so Ethan had probably left early to feed it to his sister.
Derek: His father is currently in prison. Got caught stealing from a neighbouring supermarket—multiple incidents over several months. The total came to nearly $3,000 worth of food and supplies. He claimed he was trying to feed his two children, Ethan and Savana.
Derek: He was sentenced to 18 months in county prison for repeated petty theft and violation of probation from a prior offense. He's been in for about 14 months now. Should be out in the next few months with good behavior.
Derek: Ethan's been living alone with his sister, working part-time jobs to pay rent and buy her medicine. That's why he got the scholarship to our school—he's actually pretty smart when he tries.
Sebastian read through the messages twice, absorbing the information.
"Interesting..." he muttered aloud.
So the protagonist had the classic tragic background. Imprisoned father, sick sister, struggling to make ends meet while maintaining good grades. The perfect setup for a underdog story.
No wonder Ethan had a 550 Protagonist Halo. The narrative practically wrote itself.
Sebastian typed a quick response.
Sebastian: Good work, Derek. Very thorough.
He opened his banking app and transferred $500 to Derek's account.
The response came almost immediately.
Derek: BOSS! Thank you so much! You're too generous! I don't deserve this!
Derek: If you need anything else, ANYTHING at all, just let me know! I'll dig up whatever you need! You're the best boss anyone could ask for! I'm honoured to serve you!
Sebastian rolled his eyes at the excessive bootlicking but didn't respond further.
He set his phone down on his desk and walked to the window, looking out at the moonlit grounds.
So Ethan had a sick sister and an imprisoned father. That explained the sudden power-up—whatever system or opportunity Ethan had received was probably his "reward" for enduring such hardship.
Classic protagonist origin story.
But it also meant Ethan was vulnerable.
Sebastian's mind began working through possibilities.
The sister's medical bills. The father's imprisonment. Ethan's part-time jobs. These were all pressure points that could be exploited if needed.
Whilst he was a villain, he wasn't going to steep low enough to hurt his little sister. He wasn't that kind of villain. But there were other ways.
Sebastian smiled coldly at his reflection in the window.
"Let's see how strong your protagonist halo really is, Ethan Cole," he murmured. "When I'm done, you'll wish you'd never crossed paths with me."
His phone buzzed again. Another message from Derek.
Derek: Boss, should I keep digging? I can find out more if you want!
Sebastian considered for a moment, then typed back.
Sebastian: Yes. I want to know everywhere Ethan goes after school. Every part-time job. Every routine. Be discreet. I want a scandal, any type, just find one.
Derek: On it, Boss! You can count on me!
Sebastian set the phone down again and moved to his bed, lying back and staring at the ceiling.
Tomorrow would be interesting.