A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 34

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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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34.

“What… does this even make sense?”
I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of it all.
No matter how many times I said the story was deviating from the novel, the heroine being kidnapped and disappearing was beyond the pale.
In any other novel, perhaps—but in 【How to Save an Abandoned World】, such a thing was impossible.
The villains in this novel, excluding one-off extras, were essentially Edith Blake and no one else as the final boss.
The kidnapping of the heroine, dragging her to the Gate’s origin and putting her in danger—all of it was Edith Blake’s doing.
That’s why she met such a tragic and miserable end, abandoned by those she once cherished and left to die.
‘Ah. There’s one more thing.’
Suddenly remembering that there was another person besides Edith Blake who kidnapped the heroine, I laughed hollowly.
It was the fourth male lead.

「After encountering Ruellin dramatically at the Imperial Palace Ballroom, Serge remained in the Capital for some time, continuing to meet with her.
However, there were many others who desired Ruellin as well.
As Serge periodically met with other men and she purified them for him, he gradually developed obsession and possessiveness toward her.

Then one day, upon seeing Ruellin return after staying two days at Ethan’s Villa, he became enraged and kidnapped her, taking her to his Territory.
And….」

“…Insane.”
As I recalled the novel’s contents, I made a face of utter disgust.
What I wanted to know wasn’t about the kidnapped heroine spending her nights… doing whatever!
‘Who? When? Why?’
I calmly tried to gauge which character had the capacity and motivation to kidnap the heroine.
Then suddenly, the events in Tollen came to mind.

— I thought The Purifier wouldn’t come back, so I ran away with my younger sibling.
— You’ve come at just the right time. While you’re here, could you take a look at our son too? I’ve already melted him down quite a bit!

The heroine and Ethan had left Tollen without purifying it, leaving the magi erosion entities frozen in place.
While waiting for The Purifier, could there truly have been no one who harbored the same suspicions as Eston?
As I considered the possibility that the residents of Tollen and those who hadn’t received purification from the heroine might have harbored resentment and orchestrated a kidnapping, I immediately shook my head.
‘There’s no way ordinary people could breach the Imperial Palace’s security.’
Even if they were Awakened, it would be impossible to avoid the magical stones unless they possessed monstrous abilities like the male lead’s fourth counterpart.
‘Then who on earth…’
That was when it happened.
Tap, tap—
A faint sound of footsteps echoed from somewhere distant.
“…!”
Startled, I quickly suppressed my presence and focused all my attention on my ears.
‘The heroine? Or perhaps a noble staying in another chamber? Wait, now that I think about it…’
As my mind raced with tension, another possibility suddenly struck me like a flash of lightning.
‘That’s it—a thief!’
Why had I assumed kidnapping from the start?
With so many nobles staying here for the Ballroom event, it would be the perfect time for pickpockets to make their move!
‘I should check the dressing room as well.’
The moment I considered it might not be a kidnapping, hope bloomed within me.
Thus, I waited for the footsteps to cease with a relatively composed heart.
But then.
Tap, tap, tap.
For some reason, the footsteps showed no sign of stopping.
Worse still, they were drawing steadily closer to my location!
‘…Could they be heading this way?’
My budding hope evaporated as my heart began to race with anxiety.
Unless the person was staying in the adjacent chamber, the footsteps should have ceased by now.
I stared at the door with trembling eyes.
‘What if it’s the heroine?’
At this moment, there was nothing worse than being discovered by the room’s owner.
Not only had I snuck in, but the room was in complete disarray!
Especially with rumors already spreading that I had attempted to harm The Purifier.
If I were caught hiding in her chamber and mistaken for a thief, the Duke and Ethan would surely kill me.
Tap, tap.
Meanwhile, the footsteps continued their steady approach.
The sound was now so clear I could believe they had reached the adjacent chamber.
‘This won’t do. I need to hide first!’
Whoosh!
I hastily blew out the candle I was holding.
I placed it carelessly on a nearby table, then rushed toward the side of the bed.
Given the room’s layout, which would be fully visible if lit, the wardrobe was the only place to hide.
I carefully opened the wardrobe door, taking pains to make no sound.
Fortunately, it contained only spare blankets and pillows. There was ample space to hide if I curled up tightly enough.
Without hesitation, I squeezed my body inside.
Thud—
The moment I hastily shut the wardrobe door, the footsteps abruptly ceased.
And then.
Click.
Along with the sound of a doorknob turning, a deep masculine voice resonated through the chamber.
“…Y-Your Grace the Duke. The door is open.”
At the sound of a man’s voice from beyond the threshold, I barely managed to suppress my trembling body.
‘The Duke…?’
There was only one duke in this novel.
The one who had hurled monster corpses about the Ballroom earlier like a madman.
“How peculiar. The room’s owner isn’t even here, so why would the door be open?”
Male Lead Four, Serge Belnak.
Along with that familiar voice,
Creeeeak…
The sinister sound of the chamber door opening followed.
“…!”
I froze rigid, holding my breath.
Awakened ones possessed physical abilities several times superior to ordinary people.
Moreover, Male Lead Four was a monster with such refined control over his power that he could avoid triggering detection stones—a being of terrifying ability.
A single squeak would make it child’s play for him to sense someone was inside.
‘Damn it. Why him of all people…! You claim to be the host? Then why did you abandon that nonsense and skip the entire gathering?!’
I gnashed my teeth and cursed the heavens—no, this insane novel’s progression.
I had thought being discovered by the room’s owner would be the worst possible outcome.
But this situation unfolding was infinitely more catastrophic!
“Wait, the room is…!”
“A burglar perhaps? The situation is developing quite entertainingly.”
“I shall investigate first!”
A man who appeared to be the Duke’s subordinate entered and began moving about, his footsteps audible.
Thump, thump.
Each time bright lamplight passed through the wardrobe’s door crack, my heart seemed to shrivel.
By sheer grace, the Duke’s subordinate did not inspect inside the wardrobe.
“No one is here, Your Grace the Duke.”
“Didn’t you report that The Purifier was confirmed to be in this chamber until this afternoon?”
“Yes. According to the handmaidens’ testimony, the Imperial Physician visited around 3 o’clock this afternoon, and assisted with bathing around 6 o’clock. No one has entered or left the chamber since then.”
“Then she’s been missing for only a few hours.”
Rendering his earlier mention of a burglar moot, Serge immediately concluded ‘abduction’.
“What of the Emperor’s and Crown Prince’s movements?”
“You seem to have no idea what’s happening.”
Footstep, footstep.
Another set of footsteps entered the chamber.
It was obvious without looking—this was Male Lead Number Four.
He circled the bedroom slowly, muttering to himself.
“Hmm. The culprit naturally would have smashed through the balcony door to get in… but what are the odds the handmaidens simply forgot to close it by mistake?”
“That is…”
“Or perhaps there’s a guest still here.”
In that instant, my heart plummeted into my stomach.
Even if it was mere speculation, hearing him mention a ‘guest’ made me tremble uncontrollably…
“Yes? B-but the guards confirmed that no one entered or left except the staff.”
“The candle wax hasn’t fully hardened. It looks like someone was here just moments ago.”
Damning evidence, no less.
‘Damn it. I should have just taken the candlestick with me…’
To notice that after merely circling the room once.
His observational skills were extraordinary.
“…I shall bring the search party.”
“Never mind. If they were going to escape, they’d have done it already.”
“Still, they likely haven’t left the Imperial Palace yet.”
“Then you take them and search the grounds once more.”
“Yes! I obey your command!”
Their deductions were so precise that my vision darkened.
I feared they would soon discover not only my hiding place, but also that I was trembling uncontrollably inside the wardrobe.
Tap-tap-tap!
Then came the urgent sound of footsteps hurrying out of the chamber.
But there was only one set.
‘Damn it, why isn’t he leaving!’
Male Lead Number Four remained in the chamber.
I couldn’t fathom what business he could possibly have in an empty room.
“Hmm, hmm…”
Footstep, footstep.
He leisurely hummed a tune as he strolled through the chamber again.
‘Please. Please just leave, I’m begging you…’
I was biting my lower lip, desperately wishing to someone—I knew not whom—when it happened.
“Hide well, hide well, don’t let your hair show…”
Suddenly he began reciting a nursery rhyme aloud.
“Hide well, hide well… are you hiding in the bathroom?”
“…”
“…Nothing there?”
His voice grew distant as he actually checked the bathroom.
‘Tch, this lunatic…’
Male Lead Four, who hummed that suffocation song while searching for me, was nothing more—and nothing less—than a madman.
Terror seized me.
Frozen with eyes wide open, I slowly raised both hands to cover my mouth.
“Hide, hide well… Did you hide in the dressing room?”
“…”
“Not here either.”
Otherwise, I feared I would scream aloud.
“Hide, hide well, don’t let your hair show…”
Thump, thump.
The distant footsteps drew near again.
Lamplight flickered through the crack in the wardrobe door.
Thud.
Suddenly, footsteps halted directly in front of me.
Silence followed.
‘I’m terrified…!’
Reflexively, I squeezed my eyes shut.
Tears began to spill.
I had only come to confirm whether the heroine had truly vanished…
I couldn’t fathom why I felt as though I’d stepped into a scene from a horror film.
“Then under the bed!”
Whoosh!
The bed sheets were yanked back roughly.
Flinch.
My shoulders trembled involuntarily despite my resistance.
“Ha, this is fun.”
“…”
“Then only one place remains.”
No. There’s nowhere left.
Inwardly, I desperately denied his words.
Thump.
Yet reality was the sound of footsteps just before my nose.
‘Should I open the door and leave now? If I just act brazenly…’
In that fleeting moment, countless thoughts raced through my mind.
But recalling how he smiled ominously in the Ballroom, I found no courage whatsoever.
‘He already suspects me of kidnapping the heroine—what if he kills me on sight…!’
It was in that instant.
I realized the world outside had fallen silent.
“…?”
Bewildered, I slowly opened the eyes I had kept shut.
And through the silently opened door, my gaze met a pair of dark eyes gazing down at me.
“…Found you.”

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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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