A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 8

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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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08.

Patter, patter.
A thin stream of blood trickled silently from one nostril, then began to drip steadily.
“Ah…”
Eston hastily pinched her nose with one hand.
White light began to emanate from her palm—she was attempting to use her healing ability.
I watched the mana churning beneath her jaw and offered a warning.
“You’d do well not to use your ability for a while.”
“That’s none of your concern.”
Yet despite my warning, Eston stopped her nosebleed in an instant.
Then, irritably, she withdrew a handkerchief from her pocket and wiped away the blood.
“More importantly, how did you know about my condition? Is the Duke’s Household monitoring me or something?”
“Monitoring? Ha. What good would monitoring you do me?”
I scoffed and added,
“Besides, even if I were, I have no reason to be forthright with you about it.”
“…Miss Ruellin.”
“Consider yourself treated. Now get out.”
As I gestured toward the door, Eston bit her lip firmly.
My words clearly displeased her, but she wasn’t willing to swallow her pride and press further.
“…”
After a tense standoff, she abruptly turned and left the chamber without so much as a farewell.
‘Has she not suffered enough at Idith’s hands? Her attitude is truly insufferable.’
I frowned and muttered in displeasure before making my way to the bed and flopping down.
“Ugh, forget it. I’ve done what I could.”
Deep down, her anxiety was likely why she reacted that way.
Typically, the early signs of a rampage resembled symptoms of accumulated fatigue, making it easy for Awakened ones to overlook.
Of course, even so, cases that progressed to actual rampage were exceedingly rare.
Sensitive Awakened ones like the male leads could sense their accumulated mana themselves, and the state also managed them thoroughly.
In the modern era I came from, such individuals would be sent to an Isolation Facility where drugs suppressed their abilities, or in severe cases, euthanasia was administered.
But I had no idea how this world handled it.
The novel barely mentioned anything about rampages anyway…
“Well, the heroine will figure it out on her own.”
Right. There was supposedly a great Purifier somewhere, so why should I worry?
What mattered more was my current predicament—I couldn’t leave this place.
“Hmm. What to do…”
I fell into contemplation.
The reason I wanted to venture outside was that I had something I needed to test.
Whether I could use my original ability here as well.
‘After all, the soul is still mine.’
Of course, I knew it was nearly impossible.
This body had awakened and gained a different ability….
If another person with purification abilities appeared in a world that already had a Purifier, wouldn’t the situation become rather absurd?
“Then does that mean I could become a heroine too?”
The moment those words left my lips, I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity.
The reason I’d felt uneasy when I first read this novel, wondering if it was a threat sent by a rival company.
It was precisely because my ability could be considered the same as the heroine Ruellin’s ability.
‘Purification.’
Unfortunately, I was nowhere near as remarkable an ability user as Ruellin, who was revered as a Purifier.
I could barely manage to purify an area the size of my palm, and even that left me exhausted after struggling for a long time.
‘I’m probably around D-rank at best.’
I’d never had my rank officially measured, but my ability was so pathetically weak it was embarrassing to even mention awakening anywhere.
However, rather than despair over that fact, I’d actually used myself as a test subject to develop cure-1.
Even if I was useless as an awakened individual, my education and career as a scientist weren’t worthless, were they?
‘I’d finally reached the final stages of development.’
Success was right within reach, and here I was doing this. Damn it….
“…Come to think of it, I could have tested it on Eston.”
As I continued my thoughts, I suddenly realized there was a way to test it without leaving, and I clicked my tongue in regret.
Thanks to this body’s peculiar ability to see rampage levels, I could immediately confirm whether purification would work.
“I should have just said I’d receive treatment instead of asking to be released.”
It was unfortunate, but well. There would be another opportunity to meet Eston.
That was when it happened. Knock knock.
“Miss. It’s me, Nancy.”
Nancy entered suddenly with the knock.
“Did the treatment go well?”
“Yes, well… but what’s the matter?”
“The Butler asked me to bring this to you.”
Nancy carefully set the plate she’d brought onto the nightstand beside the bed.
I lifted my head slightly to check the contents and felt puzzled.
“…Chocolate?”
“Yes, the head chef just made it. It’s what you always ask for whenever you’re in a bad mood….”
It seemed they were terrified I might actually throw a tantrum like the real Idith.
‘So this is how they’ve been managing her all this time.’
A villainess whose anger melts away with sweets—how refreshingly simple.
I couldn’t help but smile at the absurdity, and Nancy quickly picked up a fork and offered me a piece of chocolate.
“Ah.”
I accepted it while lying back lazily and ate it.
The moment the soft ganache touched my tongue, it melted away smoothly.
I’d never been particularly fond of sweets, yet now that I’d tasted one, the tension coiled in my nerves seemed to unwind ever so slightly.
I eagerly accepted another chocolate as Nancy offered it, and posed my question.
“Nancy. Where exactly is the origin point of the Gate that appeared near Ezennia?”
“Ah, Tollen, miss?”
“So Eston must naturally hail from Tollen?”
“Yes, that’s right! How did you know?”
“The way he carries himself—as though I’d wronged him grievously.”
“Ah….”
Nancy laughed awkwardly at my response.
“Well… I don’t know all the details, but it seems Eston’s younger brother was exposed to mana corruption and has been suffering greatly. Perhaps that’s why he’s been so sensitive….”
“….”
“Of course, it was still wrong of him to speak so carelessly to you!”
Hearing Nancy’s account, the situation became clear enough.
Eston had likely poured his healing power excessively to save his younger brother.
Perhaps not just his brother, but all the injured people in that area.
And seeing me, perfectly restored to life, must have kindled resentment in him.
It was unfortunate, but healing power could only delay the body’s decay—it could not fundamentally reverse the Corrupted.
“How severe was the damage? Bad enough to spark riots?”
“Oh, no. It was resolved quickly enough, so I heard the damage was relatively minor compared to other incidents.”
Of course it would be.
Three S-rank Awakened had rushed to save Ruellin, after all.
I understood his mind wasn’t right because of his brother, but I still couldn’t shake the thought that Eston had taken out his frustrations on an innocent.
‘But Ethan went to handle the aftermath, didn’t he.’
Then a question suddenly occurred to me.
I asked Nancy directly.
“Then why did Ethan… my brother go down to Ezennia?”
“Perhaps he went out of a sense of duty on your behalf, miss? After all, Ezennia is part of the Duchy.”
Yet the doubt remained unresolved.
‘A week has passed since the Gate appeared, and now he’s going to calm public sentiment?’
To a village with a villa belonging to my despised stepbrother, no less?
It was far more convincing that he’d gone to silence people with money so the heroine wouldn’t be vilified.
The moment I thought that, I felt a twinge of injustice.
I’d done nothing wrong, yet I alone bore the blame.
‘If he was going anyway, he should have gone before I woke. Disagreeable fellow.’
As I grumbled in displeasure, something suddenly touched my lips.
Nancy, who’d been watching my mood, quickly presented another chocolate.
“Your family is safe, Nancy?”
“Yes. Though I did work in Ezennia, I’m originally from the west!”
“That’s a relief.”
“You’re as kind as always, miss.”
It was just a casual question, but a faint blush crept across Nancy’s cheeks.
I found that rather curious.
So there existed someone in this damnable novel who could regard the villain kindly.

***

With nowhere to go, I had little to occupy myself.
After lounging in bed all morning, noon arrived in a blink.
Having eaten the lunch Nancy brought, I pulled a random book from the shelf and settled before the expansive window.
I had just opened the pages when—
“Miss, it is I. The Butler.”
The Butler appeared without warning.
‘What, does he want praise for the chocolate?’
Bewildered, I admitted him into my chamber.
Perhaps because of what happened earlier, he approached with extraordinary caution and deference, bowing deeply.
“What is it?”
“A matter of some importance, miss. The Young Marquis Leandro has come to call.”
“Who is that?”
“Ah, your memory…”
I had asked out of genuine ignorance, yet the Butler regarded me with pitying eyes.
And for the sake of his mistress suffering from memory loss, he began haltingly to explain the visitor.
“The Young Marquis, miss, is a cherished childhood friend with whom you have maintained close relations since youth. His ability manifested at fourteen, and he is now an S-rank Awakened…”
“Wait.”
I raised my hand to stop him.
“Don’t tell me his name is Vincent or something?”
“Yes, precisely so!”
Damn it. Why are my ominous premonitions never wrong?
Vincent Leandro.
The second male lead.

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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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