A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 134

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

134.

“…!”
Ethan’s eyes widened in an instant.
For some reason, he simply stared at me with a vacant expression.
“…Brother?”
Seeing his peculiar demeanor, I erased the smile that had spread across my face and called out to him with a puzzled tone.
“…Ah.”
Only then did he flinch and respond.
In an instant, his expression returned to its usual coldness as he slowly opened his mouth.
“You said you were trying to come see me?”
“Yes. It seems you came looking for me as well….”
I swept my gaze over him standing before my chamber door from head to toe, then stepped aside with a gentle smile.
“Would you like to come in?”
A tremor ran through me.
At those words, his lake-blue eyes wavered faintly.
“…Then, if you’ll excuse me.”
Soon after, he passed by me with a stiffened expression and entered the chamber.
‘What’s wrong with him now?’
I pouted slightly before following obediently.
Creeeeak―
The door closed.
‘Are you watching, Ruellin?’
The curtain was about to rise on the performance.

***

*Pour.*
I poured tea into his cup with my own hands using the teapot Nancy had brought, and was just about to take my seat.
“…Is something pleasant on your mind?”
Ethan asked suddenly.
I shrugged my shoulders and answered casually.
“No, not particularly.”
“…You’ve been smiling this entire time.”
“Oh.”
Only then did I realize it, and I awkwardly touched the corners of my mouth.
My lips were indeed curved in a faint smile.
Truth be told, my mood had felt strangely buoyant since earlier.
‘My reality has fallen apart, yet I’m in good spirits…’
When I think about it, there’s nothing to laugh about, and I don’t understand why I’m like this either.
Not only has Yu Ji-han fallen into a coma, but I’ve also lost my abilities?
Or perhaps I’ve finally found an opportunity to strike back at the body thief?
Either way, this was a moment to appease Ethan.
So I hastily composed myself and spoke politely.
“My apologies. It’s just that the weather is particularly fine today…”
“Don’t apologize.”
But before I could even finish, Ethan hurriedly denied it.
“Whenever you see me, you’ve always seemed stiff, as if your mood had soured.”
He had seen through all of it.
My chest ached slightly.
At my flustered expression, Ethan smiled faintly like a thread and added,
“It suits you.”
“…”
“It’s as if you’ve returned to who you were before.”
He gazed distantly into empty space as if recalling the distant past.
It seemed the Edith Blake of old would growl at Ethan yet smile readily for him.
‘Tsk. How shallow.’
I clicked my tongue, and he soon looked me over with concerned eyes.
“Are you feeling alright? Your body, I mean?”
“Yes.”
I answered curtly as usual, then hastily added,
“Thank you for your concern, brother.”
At that, Ethan’s pupils trembled once more.
I thought his condition seemed particularly strange today and continued,
“But what brings you to my room?”
“I have something to tell you.”
Ethan broached the subject as if he’d been waiting for this moment.
“The Imperial Palace will soon hold a banquet to introduce you as the new Purifier to everyone.”
“A banquet… really?”
“Yes. They plan to award you a medal in recognition of your achievements in purifying Acarna.”
Ethan explained his true meaning to me as I stood bewildered.
“They’re probably trying to strengthen the Imperial Family’s prestige by drawing you in and putting you on display.”
I could instantly understand that they were attempting to follow in Ruellin’s footsteps.
‘…Well. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, is it?’
The more I solidified my position as the Purifier, the more Ruellin would feel herself being forgotten.
If she were adapting well to the modern world and living happily, that would be one thing—but in a situation as dire as this, it would only be worse.
A world and people who had been endlessly kind to her.
Mental manipulation abilities that had worked so effortlessly, and a life of unbroken triumph without a single hardship or adversity….
‘But wouldn’t she feel quite anxious and afraid if she realized even that place was shrinking away from her?’
That’s simply how human psychology works.
Only after losing everything does one realize what one was holding, and then despair and regret follow.
And she would desperately search for some way to restore it all.
‘I was at a loss for how to bring her back here….’
Thanks to her foolish self-destruction born from protagonist syndrome, things were progressing far more smoothly than I’d anticipated.
That was when it happened.
“The Crown Prince will deliberately try to entangle himself with you. Be careful with your conduct so you don’t get caught up in it.”
“….”
“And Grand Duke Belnac as well.”
“….”
“I’m grateful he saved you last time, but he’s a man whose true intentions are unknowable. Don’t grow too close to him.”
Ethan suddenly blurted this out like a bucket of cold water on my pleasant reverie.
Perhaps every uncomfortable expression I’d worn before him was entirely due to that man’s loose tongue.

“He’s just standing at the entrance to the Gate, shifting his weight from foot to foot, unable to decide whether to go in.”

Suddenly, the words Serge had spoken inside the Acarna Gate brushed past my ears.
At the time, I’d been too frantic to dwell on them deeply.
Comparing him to Serge, who had rushed into the Gate without hesitation, the man before me now seemed almost laughable.
‘Who does he think he is, lecturing me?’
I barely managed to suppress the frown threatening to crease my brow.
Normally, I would have snapped back that I could handle things myself, but now wasn’t the time for that.
“…Yes, I understand.”
Clenching my teeth, I answered obediently, and Ethan’s expression shifted to surprise.
He hadn’t expected me to nod along without protest.
After studying me for a moment, he spoke again.
“…You.”
“Yes?”
“Why did you want to see me?”
“…Oh.”
Right—I had said that.
I felt a bit flustered.
Truth be told, if Ethan hadn’t been standing in front of the door, I wouldn’t have wanted to meet him at all.
“…Back in Acarna.”
After a brief hesitation, I hastily grabbed at any excuse.
“I’m sorry for purifying you without listening to your advice.”
“What…?”
“You were only saying it because you were worried about me, but at the time, I thought it was the best choice.”
Words poured out of my mouth with such hollow emptiness that even I was startled.
Speaking words I didn’t mean felt like swallowing thorns, like I might retch at any moment.
But if I could make Ruellin’s eyes roll back the way I had…
If I could return to my own body…
I could manufacture as many meaningless apologies and forced smiles as needed.
“…Please, would you forgive me?”
It was as I forced out those final words, suppressing my revulsion.
Despite my worry that the lack of sincerity would be obvious, Ethan stared at me again with that vacant expression from before.
His lips slightly parted as if sighing, his ears flushed a deep crimson.
‘…Did he catch a cold?’
He hadn’t looked well since earlier.
I tilted my head and tried to snap him out of it.
“Brother, are you feeling unwell?”
At that moment, his shoulders trembled as he came back to himself.
“…Y-yes.”
“…”
“Thank you… for saying that.”
With ragged breathing, he whispered those words softly, then suddenly rose to his feet.
“I should be heading back now.”
Creak!
As if suddenly remembering an urgent matter, he hurried from the room.
‘Not yet!’
My performance for Ruellin wasn’t finished—I couldn’t let him leave like this.
“Oh, brother!”
I desperately caught at Ethan’s sleeve.
Thwack—!
He startled violently and shook my hand away.
Then, visibly flustered, he quickly grasped my suspended hand again.
“I’m, I’m sorry. Are you hurt anywhere?”
The warmth passing between us as he caressed the back of my hand felt unfamiliar.
‘Come to think of it… this is the first time Ethan and I have touched like this.’
Watching him examine my hand with such care stirred something peculiar within me.
“No, it’s fine. Rather than that…”
I gently overlapped my hand with his, the one holding mine.
Stiff.
At that same moment, I felt Ethan’s body go rigid as stone.
I paid no mind and proceeded with my original plan, closing my eyes softly as I spoke.
“Would you like to be purified…?”

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————