“The Villain’s Double Life as the Hero’s Mentor," “Demon Nobles Want to Live Too: A Hero-Raising Simulator for the Transmigrated Villain," “Just Because I’m a Villain Doesn’t Mean I Want the World to End!” Cyrus Calvide was the second son of an aristocratic lord; haughty, vain and power-hungry. One day, when his ancestral inheritance manifested, he discovered he was able to steal other’s powers and abilities using demonic magic. Taking this as a sign that he was destined to rule over others and become the new king of this land, he poisoned his father, killed his elder brother, and embarked on the path to greatness, taking advantage of a demonic invasion to consolidate power and harvest the abilities of others in a cruel and bloody fashion. Until he was summarily defeated by the Hero as a mid-game boss battle and executed for his crimes, of course. When a dedicated fan of the RPG “Next to Eden” awakened in the body of the cruelest future Count, four years before the beginning of the game, he pledged to live humbly. He would let his brother lead and support the Hero from the shadows to ensure the demon invasion would be defeated and he could enjoy life in peace. Rather, he would have, if he hadn’t gotten the Hero’s mentor killed in a freak monster attack before the Hero’s training could even begin. How was he supposed to live a life of peace and luxury if the Hero couldn’t stop the end of the world!? Donning a mask, Cyrus took up mentoring the Hero himself; how hard could it possibly be? . . . Four years later, the kind jack-of-all-trades hero Leon had become a twisted powerhouse: alienating his party members, clearing enemy encounters in a single magical blast, and coldly ignoring the affections of the girl whose love would have allowed him to clear the final boss. He seemed to have plastered himself to his Master’s side, instead. Cyrus bit back his despair while the hero reached out to grasp his hand. “Please stop ignoring the saint, Leon; you can't beat the Demon King by grinding stats! You need the power of love, remember?” “Don’t worry, Master,” Leon smiled as he traced the lines of Cyrus’s palm gently, almost reverently. “I have all the love I need.” VDL is two parts plot and worldbuilding, one part slow-build gay romance, starring a man far too proud to admit he's in over his head and the hero who loves him. Should be updating weekly.