A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 7

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

07.

Everyone’s gaze shifted toward the source of the sound.
A healing-type Awakener I’d seen yesterday was entering through the open doorway.
“Eston, what are you doing here…?”
“What else? I came to treat our distinguished patient.”
The woman shot me a sidelong glance.
The Butler seemed even more startled than I was and pressed for answers.
“Treat? You said yesterday everything was fine.”
“Yes. But the young master asked me to.”
“What…?”
“He said to help the young lady recover her memories quickly. Though I’m not sure what else he expects me to do.”
The woman shrugged with an aggrieved expression.
Her attitude radiated undisguised hostility.
‘She really seems to hate Edit.’
Come to think of it, she’d been oddly antagonistic yesterday too.
‘Am I being too obvious about the memory loss?’
Given how poorly she concealed her emotions, she didn’t seem very old.
Perhaps around Nancy’s age—eighteen?
Maybe the world still seemed amusing to her because she’d only recently Awakened.
If the real Edit were here, she’d already be clicking her tongue in disapproval, but suddenly the woman approached me.
“You experienced it yesterday, so you know, right? I’ll need to examine you again today, young lady?”
Without waiting for permission, she reached out her hand, so I jerked my body backward.
“What are you doing…?”
“What does it mean to be quack-treated?”
At my sudden question, Eston’s brow furrowed.
“…You’re not seriously asking because you don’t know, are you?”
“I’m asking because I don’t know.”
“Ah, right. You have amnesia.”
She continued with a sneer laced with mockery.
“The world is truly unfair.”
“…”
“Some people attempt murder and just claim they don’t remember, and that’s the end of it. Meanwhile, others abandon their dying families to treat that very person.”
“Eston! What kind of outrageous nonsense is that!”
The Butler’s voice erupted at her irreverent words.
Yet Eston didn’t hold her tongue.
“And what crime did the young master commit, rushing off to handle a potential uprising? Isn’t that right?”
“Eston Kenderson! Close that mouth of yours this instant!”
I can’t just keep my mouth shut.
I asked deliberately because I was curious.
The Butler’s constant attempts to obstruct me were beginning to irritate me.
“Butler. I’m fine, so you can leave now.”
I told him to go, but he shook his head stubbornly.
“Miss, there’s no need to heed such unnecessary talk.”
“Still, wouldn’t it be better to know what I’m missing?”
Eston chimed in annoyingly.
“That’s right. If you want to recover your memories quickly, shouldn’t you know what you need to know, Butler?”
“Enough! Eston, come with me right now…!”
The Butler could no longer contain himself and seized her arm, attempting to drag her out forcefully.
I finally let out a deep sigh.
“…Sigh. Butler, didn’t you hear me tell you to leave?”
“Miss Ruellin, truly this is something you need not know…!”
“That’s for me to decide.”
At the chill that had crept into my voice, the Butler froze and turned to face me.
‘I was trying to be a good Ruellin now that I’ve lost my memory, so why won’t he listen to me?’
I reached out and grasped one of the larger perfume bottles sitting on the vanity.
It was hefty, and the grip felt quite satisfying.
“It’s strange. I was fine just a moment ago, but now that the Butler won’t listen, I keep wanting to throw this at him.”
“M-Miss Ruellin….”
“Why is that, I wonder?”
I tilted my head as if genuinely confused, and the Butler flinched visibly.
Eston, who had been sneering even as she was dragged away, also changed her expression.
I gently swayed the perfume bottle before them.
“Last chance. Will you leave, Butler?”
“Y-yes, I shall wait just outside the door.”
Fortunately, he understood this time.
The Butler released his grip on Eston and bowed to me.
“Should anything happen, please call for me at once.”
“Nancy, you leave too.”
“Y-yes!”
The quick-witted Maid departed silently and made straight for the door.
Click.
At last, silence descended upon the chamber.
“Now then. Let’s have a proper conversation, Eston.”
I carefully set down the perfume bottle and smiled at her.
“This attempted murder you mentioned—surely you’re talking about me?”
“That….”
Like the Butler before her, Eston trembled visibly.
She stared at me as though I were mad, her body rigid until she finally managed a response.
“…Then who would it be?”
“I said it twice already—I don’t know, so I’m asking.”
The moment I wiped the smile from my face and fixed her with a cold gaze, Eston flinched visibly.
But only for a moment; she soon lifted her chin defiantly, her eyes blazing with defiance.
“Who was I trying to kill? That Purifier your father mentioned yesterday? Are you close with them?”
“…No.”
“Then is it because your family is dying from the Gate’s emergence, and you’re blaming me for it?”
Eston suddenly hurled her words at me, her voice trembling with emotion.
“If the Lady hadn’t put the Purifier in danger, that entire area would have been fine!”
“…”
“Everyone exposed to the Magi would have been properly purified too.”
“Now I understand what you’re going on about…”
I let out a hollow laugh, genuinely bewildered.
“So the Purifier didn’t properly purify the area after the Gate closed?”
“Why would the Purifier want to stay there after nearly dying because of the Lady?”
This was the first I’d heard of this.
The novel never included such behind-the-scenes details.
‘Right. The story says she collapsed right after being rescued by the male leads and was immediately taken to the Capital. There wouldn’t have been time to purify anything.’
A novel’s narrative couldn’t possibly cover every minor detail.
Just as the villain’s reason for kidnapping the heroine was never explained.
Unfortunately, the protagonist was far too busy to concern herself with the deaths of mere extras.
But that was beside the point.
‘If you have a problem, go confront Ruellin directly. Why are you taking it out on me?’
Did she think the Lady was an easy target?
Just because I’ve lost my memory, she thinks she can pin every crime on me?
Now that I understood the circumstances behind the “stone-throwing,” I spoke with irritation.
“There are many ways to vent frustration. Don’t you care that I nearly died?”
“That wouldn’t have happened in the first place if the Lady hadn’t harbored ill intent and kidnapped the Purifier…”
“Who said I kidnapped them with ill intent?”
“…What?”
Eston’s expression went blank for a moment.
‘No, that’s not it.’
This episode simply ends with the villain dying miserably.
In other words, there’s no evidence that Edith kidnapped Ruellin with intent to kill.
“I might have asked for purification just as desperately as you do. I hear Ezennia is precious to me as well.”
“Well, that’s…”
“Surely you didn’t just listen to one side’s claims and arbitrarily brand me a criminal.”
My brazen and confident demeanor clearly flustered Eston.
She answered in a voice that had lost its edge.
“…You never liked the Purifier anyway! Everyone in the territory thinks the same way. Because of you, people exposed to Magi never got the chance to be purified…”
“The world is truly unfair. Some survive with their teeth marks still in a monster’s jaws, yet are treated as scapegoats. Others abandon their duties without a scratch on them, yet receive sympathy.”
I threw her own words back at her, and Eston’s pupils trembled violently.
“Instead of wasting time blaming the wrong person, why don’t you go volunteer somewhere?”
“Don’t speak carelessly about things you don’t understand! While she’s being treated so generously here…!”
Eston, who had been protesting fiercely at my words, suddenly fell silent.
“…Ah. Never mind.”
It seemed our conversation had drained her considerably, for she wiped her face with a weary expression.
Then she bowed her head to me.
“I was presumptuous and disrespectful to you without knowing my place. I beg your forgiveness with an open heart.”
“…”
“Then I shall begin the treatment.”
That was when it happened.
An ominous aura suddenly erupted from Eston’s body as she approached me.
And then.

89%

The same number I’d seen above Ethan’s head yesterday appeared above Eston’s.
A low, rumbling sound echoed.
Black smoke surged from her feet, swiftly rising to her neck.
‘89%?!’
I was horrified at such a critical rampage index.
‘I can’t use my ability any further.’
With that thought, I hastily knocked away her outstretched hand as she reached toward me to use her healing power.
A sharp crack rang out.
“Ah…!”
“That’s enough.”
“My lady!”
At my sudden refusal, Eston’s eyes widened sharply.
But there was nothing she could do.
“It seems you’re the one who needs treatment, not me.”
“What do you mean…? I’m perfectly fine!”
No, you’re not fine at all.
Though I didn’t know all the details, if the Duke’s Household employed her, Eston’s awakening rank must be quite high.
And didn’t she mention having a dying family member?
‘She’s been continuously exposed to Magi and overusing her abilities.’
I wanted to tell her to go see the Purifier immediately.
But to do that, I would have to reveal my ability.
After a moment of deliberation, I finally opened my mouth with a heavy sigh.
“Have someone else examine your condition as soon as possible.”
“But! I’m a healer myself—what are you talking about?”
“Haven’t you lost consciousness while standing recently? Your head aches frequently, and you’ve had nosebleeds several times, haven’t you?”
At my words, she froze rigid.
“How did you… know that…?”
“You’re bleeding from your nose right now.”

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