A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 189

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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189.

98%

Just one more drop of Magi and it would spill over—a perilously unstable threshold.
I had witnessed the numbers skyrocket exponentially as a precursor to rampage before, but never had I seen them remain frozen at such a state.
‘He surely cannot be in his right mind.’
Black blood should be flowing from every orifice in his body, and he should be screaming in agony, delirious and senseless.
Yet Ethan remained perfectly still, his head bowed low.
Dylan’s words about administering a sedative belatedly echoed in my mind.
Human sedatives would be useless on him, so they must have pumped massive quantities of tranquilizers meant for large beasts and magical creatures into his system.
And yet, until recently, he had been the Duke’s Household heir and had risen to Knight Commander through his merits.
The sight of Ethan being treated worse than a beast for no reason other than the precursor to rampage struck me anew with shocking force.
“Why do you look like that?”
Serge asked irritably, sensing something amiss in my expression.
“What, feeling sorry for your brother? Does your heart ache for him?”
“…That’s not it.”
I simply never imagined that someone I once believed to be the male lead would fall into such a pitiful state.
Moreover, I couldn’t help but feel uneasy knowing that I had contributed, to some degree, to his current condition.
“It’s just… I said before that I wouldn’t purify him even if he died, and that’s been bothering me.”
“You said that? How admirable.”
Serge laughed mockingly, as if he hadn’t truly heard a word I said.
“Don’t concern yourself. It’s all of his own making. The fool couldn’t even control himself, yet he recklessly fought monsters trying to protect some commoner woman.”
I had heard in passing that Ruellin had been discovered in a village below the Caspian Mountains.
The Gorge, which was said to be Sephiroth’s stronghold, swarmed with monsters, so naturally she couldn’t have navigated it alone.
‘He came out wanting to speak with me one last time before being dragged away….’
In essence, he had merely been playing escort to Ruellin.
Whether because of Serge’s words or not, a measure of guilt lifted from me.
Instead, I gazed at the cage holding Ethan with a hint of contempt.
Serge, misinterpreting something, continued muttering to himself.
“Have you already forgotten how insufferably he treated you on Equinox Island? He’s not worth your sympathy.”
“….”
“And come to think of it, there was that time he left you at the Gate and you nearly died.”
“….”
“Such an ungrateful, treacherous dog!”
Suddenly he shot to his feet and pointed accusingly at the cage.
I panicked, floundering about, and when he seemed about to stride toward it, I desperately grabbed his sleeve.
“Why, why are you doing this!”
“Even a mongrel dog recognizes its master, yet you dare bite the hand that raised you?!”
“Please, just sit down…!”
Madman. Embarrassing.
I felt every eye in the hall snap toward us in an instant.
I wanted to slip away and pretend I hadn’t seen anything, but doing so would only invite disaster.
I practically dragged Serge by his collar before he finally sat down, albeit reluctantly.
Whatever had set him off, he continued to grumble and shout loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Don’t you dare think of purifying her, Princess. Pray that she simply drops dead as she is.”
“Ha….”
“Why aren’t you saying anything?”
My head throbbed.
I was gazing toward the distant mountains, ignoring his pestering demands, when—
“Kyaaah, Ethan―!”
A piercing scream cut through the hall.
I turned in alarm and finally saw today’s protagonist make her entrance.
She was clinging to the cage where Ethan was confined, tears streaming down her face.
“Ethan! Are you alright? It’s me, Ruellin! Can you recognize me?”
“….”
“Sob, Ethan! Ethan, how did this….”
“Miss Ruellin, please step back. It’s dangerous.”
Marquis Clonella tried to restrain her with an awkward expression.
But she shook off his hand and shrieked.
“Dangerous?! Ethan couldn’t possibly be dangerous! He’s not some beast! What is all this?! Why is Ethan in such a state…!”
“Sir Ethan has been isolated due to signs of a rampage.”
“Then why aren’t you purifying him immediately! Edith―!”
She suddenly turned her blazing gaze toward me, abandoning her argument with the Marquis.
“Edith Blake! Where are you? Come out this instant! Come out and purify Ethan! Do your duty!”
Fortunately, thanks to the crowd gathered around, her line of sight didn’t quite reach my corner.
Yet her shrill voice calling my name like a madwoman made me frown involuntarily.
“See? I’d be terrified and run away too. But even madness should be elegant, tsk.”
Meanwhile, Serge circled his temple with his index finger and clicked his tongue.
Strangely, his carefree attitude put me at ease.
It felt as though he would effortlessly handle any unexpected situation that arose.
“Edith Blake―!”
“Enough. Stand before the artifact for your rank assessment.”
Surprisingly, it was Dylan who stepped in to stop Ruellin’s rampage.
“Move aside, Sir Dylan! This isn’t the time for such things…!”
“Ruellin, you are currently under suspicion as a disqualified candidate. I will not tolerate any further recklessness.”
Dylan warned her with a piercing gaze.
At his cold and chilling demeanor, Ruellin, who had been thrashing about wildly, froze.
Her face drained of color, shock written across every feature.
“D-Dylan. How could you say such a thing to me….”
“Miss Ruellin, the Crown Prince is present as well. Please compose yourself for now.”
As the delay continued, the Marquis stepped in to settle the matter.
“Let us discuss Ethan’s treatment after the rank assessment.”
“B-but…!”
“Once Ethan’s ability is sealed, you won’t be able to use the artifact for some time. Wasn’t it you who requested the rank assessment first, Miss Ruellin?”
The Marquis turned away without hesitation, as if to say she could abandon this if she wished, and Ruellin bit her lip.
“I understand. I-I’ll do it….”
Finally subdued, she took her place on the platform where the artifact awaited.
“Everyone, please be quiet and return to your seats.”
The Marquis drove back the spectators crowding forward.
Those surrounding Ethan’s cage shuffled backward toward their chairs.
Though they said the chairs had been prepared for me, precious few people actually sat down.
The Marquis then gestured, and an artifact handler I’d seen once before came running to remove the curtain and glass cage.
“Shall I explain the measurement method once more?”
“No need.”
Ruellin turned her head away sharply with a sullen expression.
Yet she still hesitated without using her ability.
“Please begin, Miss Ruellin.”
“…Wait a moment.”
She swept her wavering gaze across the assembly, dragging out the time once more.
‘So meeting with Sephiroth yielded nothing after all.’
Clearly, she couldn’t use her ability.
Yet out of sheer pride, she was making a fuss and demanding the rank assessment.
A scoff escaped my lips, and in that same instant, our eyes met.
Her eyes widened, then her expression turned resolute as she spoke.
“Before the measurement, I have something to say to everyone.”
“Can’t you say it after?”
The Marquis’s patience had worn thin, his brow furrowing.
“It’s urgent.”
“…Keep it brief.”
The Marquis relented once more, showing mercy.
Ruellin’s eyes left me and swept across the assembly.
Though she had been glaring at me fiercely moments before, her green eyes—glistening with moisture—now softened with deceptive gentleness.
“I truly… truly tried my best to protect all of you. So much so that I even faked my death to escape.”
“….”
“I cared for and respected every person here to that extent.”
‘She’s performing.’
Instead of wasting time on such words, she should be begging for forgiveness right now.
Her transparent attempt to garner sympathy only served to dissolve my tension, replacing it with creeping boredom.
“I truly didn’t want to do this. But this is different….”
“….”
“It’s all because of Edith Blake.”
She continued speaking through trembling sobs, then suddenly pointed an accusatory finger at me.
“Ha.”
I was utterly speechless.
I had been sitting quietly—so why was she suddenly turning on me like this?
I blinked in bewilderment.
“If Edith hadn’t carelessly slandered me by claiming I had no abilities, I would have protected all of you from Sephiroth. The world wouldn’t have fallen to ruin either….”
“….”
“So, if you’re going to resent anyone, resent Edith Blake.”
In that instant, Ruellin swiftly withdrew something from her bosom and hurled it.
Crash—!
A black sphere resembling a crystal orb shattered into fragments before I could even properly identify it.
Simultaneously, thick plumes of pitch-black smoke erupted forth, shrouding the chamber in murky darkness.
The oppressive, damp aura felt disturbingly familiar.
‘…The Magi?’
The moment I recognized the nature of the smoke billowing from the shattered sphere.
Rumble—rumble—rumble—!
An ominous tremor emanated from beneath the floor.
It wasn’t my imagination—the building was genuinely shaking.
Screech—!
“Princess!”
As the chair scraped violently across the ground, Serge quickly extended his hand and caught me.
Rumble—rumble—rumble….
Boom—!
“Shriek—!”
A deafening explosion followed, accompanied by a horrific wail that seemed to tear through my eardrums.
“M-Monsters!”

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