I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

"Is that your house? Damn, that's huge. You rich folks really have it made," James whistled, clearly impressed, as he stepped into the grand Starlight Estate.

The sprawling garden surrounding the mansion was like something out of a painting, with sculptures and vibrant flowers arranged in perfect harmony.

Cattleya shot James a glare, wondering if he was being deliberately obnoxious. Knowing him, it wasn't out of the question.

From what she remembered, James had stumbled upon a treasure hoard in an underground cave—a dragon's trove of gold and rare artifacts—after slaying a horde of demons. With that kind of fortune, he could easily afford a mansion just as grand as hers, if not grander.

But James being James, he hadn't spent a single coin of it. Sure, he loved gold, but not to spend it like a normal person. No, he treated his treasure more like a dragon might: as a thing to hoard. If he could, he'd probably build an entire castle out of gold bricks just so he could wake up every morning surrounded by his shiny obsession.

In truth, he wasn't completely stingy—he'd spend his gold if absolutely necessary—but if there was a way to get what he wanted without opening his purse, he'd take it. James was the very definition of a gold-hoarding rat.

As they moved deeper into the estate, the maids and workers began to notice them. Their reactions were filled with surprise. Naturally, they greeted Cattleya warmly—it wasn't every day the young lady of the house returned this soon—but their eyes lingered on James. With his unconventional clothes and easy swagger, he stood out like a sore thumb in the elegant surroundings.

Cattleya tried her best to stay composed. The situation was awkward enough already. She, Cattleya Starlight, a noble and prodigious talent hailed as the finest flower of the aristocracy, was bringing a man who looked like he'd just walked in off the street into her family's home.

This was the perfect recipe for unnecessary rumors, but there was no point addressing it now. She'd talk directly to her parents and sort everything out later.

As they stepped inside, James made a beeline for the main hall—without taking off his boots.

"Hey, take your boots off!" Cattleya snapped.

She had been raised to leave outdoor shoes at the door, swapping them for clean indoor slippers. The memory of her parents gently scolding her for forgetting this rule as a child still stuck with her. Besides, it wasn't just about tradition—it was disrespectful to the staff who worked tirelessly to keep the estate clean.

"Don't worry, it's not like I walked through mud. My boots are as clean as the ground," James said casually, his gaze wandering toward the grand staircase that spiraled elegantly to the upper floor.

"They're still dirty!" Cattleya snapped, hurriedly removing her heels.

"Where's your room, by the way? Upstairs, I'm guessing," James asked, not waiting for an answer before heading up the stairs.

"H–Hey!" Cattleya yelled after him, abandoning her indoor shoes in her rush to chase him barefoot. There was no way she'd let anyone, let alone the most irritating man she'd ever met—a pirate, no less—barge into her private sanctuary!

But James was nothing if not unpredictable. He vaulted like a monkey once again, skipping the stairs entirely, and landed on the upper floor. His abrupt appearance startled a maid who had been carrying a bowl of water. With a small yelp, she dropped it—but James caught it smoothly with his left hand before it could hit the floor.

"You guys sure like living on the edge in this house," he said with a grin, handing the bowl back to her.

"Ah... th-thank you," the maid mumbled, her cheeks reddening as her gaze flicked to James's red eyes.

James wasn't done with his theatrics. He placed a hand on the wall, leaning casually beside the maid. "Where's Cattleya Starlight's room?" He asked with a whisper.

The maid, entirely flustered, pointed wordlessly to the uppermost floor, where the room was located.

"Thanks," James said before leaping again, his hand catching the upper stair rail as he swung himself to the next floor in a single motion.

When he landed, his eyes quickly zeroed in on a pristine white door adorned with delicate pink carvings. It was refined and elegant—definitely hers.

"Must be your room," James said with a smirk, strolling toward it.

"S–Stop!" Cattleya's voice rang out as she darted past him, skidding to a halt in front of the door. Arms outstretched, she planted herself firmly between James and the entrance, her face flushed and her chest rising and falling from the exertion.

"Why?" James asked, raising a brow.

"You dare to ask why?!" She spluttered with a fierce glare. "This is my personal room, you miscreant!"

"And?" James replied, tilting his head nonchalantly. "I'm just here to collect my five hundred gold coins. You've got them in there, right?"

"Y–You! Unbelievable!" Cattleya gawked, stunned that James had the audacity to trying to barge into her room just for the money she promised him. How could he be this impatient for cash?

"What? Did you lie?" James shot her a narrowed look. When it came to money—especially gold—his temper flared fast.

"I didn't lie!" Cattleya snapped, snatching her phone off the table and opening a payment app. "You want your money, right? Fine. Just give me your bank details, and I'll transfer fifty thousand Lux."

"Lux?" James raised a brow.

"Seriously? What century are you from?" Cattleya grumbled, exasperated. "In Arcadia, sure, commoners and middle-class folks might still use coins, but Lux is the real deal. It's modern, efficient, and way easier for transactions."

Arcadia wasn't some backward society still clinking coins in pouches. Both Coins and Lux—essentially the digital currency—existed, but nobles and the wealthy overwhelmingly preferred Lux. It was sleek, portable, and practical.

But of course, James, who'd grown up in a world where clunky coins ruled supreme, had no clue.

"Oh…" James nodded slowly, though the concept didn't seem to thrill him. "I get it, but honestly, I'd rather have gold coins. They're prettier to look at than random numbers on one of your weird devices."

Cattleya stared at him, utterly speechless.

Was this guy serious?

And then it clicked. James had a thing for gold. A whole fetish, apparently. It wasn't about the value—it was all about the shiny allure.

"I don't have that much gold lying around!" she groaned. "Just take the fifty thousand Lux—it's the same as five hundred gold coins, okay?"

James folded his arms, giving her an amused look. Without a word, he casually pulled out a phone. Not just any phone—it was a high-end model, the kind that screamed luxury, complete with a secure account under the alias Leon Cromwell.

It had been a gift from Patrick Cromwell, along with a hefty 5,000 Lux preloaded for personal use—roughly equivalent to five thousands euros in New Earth currency. Plenty to live on, but James seemed to prefer his wealth in shiny, stackable form.

James already had Cattleya's contact saved—it came with the phone used when he was taking Leon Cromwell's alias. Between that, Adam Crane, and Silver King, he was already juggling three separate phones. Adding another one just seemed like overkill, so he stuck to using Leon's phone for this.

Cattleya reached out to take his phone, but James held it tightly, keeping it out of her grasp.

"I'm pretty sure there's a way to transfer the money without you digging through my phone," he said with a sly smile. The last thing he wanted was for her to see the name of Cromwell tied to his account.

"Fine," Cattleya said, brushing off his defensiveness. She activated the tactile transfer function on her own phone, then pressed it lightly against his.

A soft chime confirmed the transaction, and within moments, the money was sent. No names were exchanged, just account numbers.

James glanced at his phone, and when he saw the balance jump by +50,000 Lux, a grin spread across his face. "Not as shiny as gold, but not bad at all."

"Are you happy now?" Cattleya asked crossing her arms.

"I'll be happy once you convince your parents to get me into your academy and retrieve my artifact, Cattleya Starlight," James said, slipping his phone into his pocket.

Cattleya clenched her teeth. He was milking this situation for all it was worth, all because he'd saved her from those demons. She was starting to wonder if her gratitude had been misplaced.

"C–Cattleya! Where are you?!"

A voice suddenly rang out, making her flinch. She leaned over the balcony rail, her stomach sinking when she spotted her mother, Lady Sina Starlight, standing below alongside her father, Lord Reynold Starlight. Both looked frazzled.

"Oh no…" Cattleya muttered, quickly trying to fix her slightly disheveled hair. She braced herself for what was about to come. Talking about James with them would be tricky, and she needed to play her cards just right.

"Here, Lady and Lord Starlight," James called out cheerfully, waving from beside her as if they were all good friends. A bright smile spread across his face, only adding to her growing irritation.

Both Sina and Reynold froze for a moment, clearly startled by James' presence. Their eyes darted from him to their daughter, their concern rapidly escalating. Without hesitation, they hurried up to the ground floor.

"Cattleya! What happened?!" Lady Sina immediately enveloped her daughter in a tight hug, scanning her for injuries. "You're not hurt, are you?"

"No, Mother, I'm fine," Cattleya replied, forcing a smile. Inwardly, though she was cursing James.

This was about to get a lot more complicated.