A World Where You All Are The Villains - Chapter 80

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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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80.

‘…Why on earth is the heroine here?’
Her appearance was so utterly unexpected.
My mind went blank, and my thoughts refused to function properly.
‘Didn’t they say the Sephiroth Sect had abducted her?’
I reflexively turned my head to look at Serge.
He was staring intently at Ruellin, much as I had moments before.
When his smile faded, the chillingly inorganic true face of the male lead revealed itself.
His expression alone gave nothing away about what he was thinking.
Yet I couldn’t explain why my heart suddenly sank.
I hastily shifted my gaze to look at Ethan instead.
Unlike Serge, he had gone rigid as a statue.
The sudden appearance of his partner, from whom he’d heard nothing all this time, seemed to strike him with profound shock and bewilderment.
Seeing that expression, I could naturally picture the faces of those behind him without even looking.
“Thank you so much for the invitation. I hope everyone is having a wonderful time.”
Ruellin gave a slight bow and sat down with a radiant smile.
The nobility erupted in applause, celebrating The Purifier’s return.
“Goodness, she looks perfectly fine? It must have been nothing but a rumor after all.”
“If anything, she seems even more beautiful….”
“Still, thank goodness The Purifier is here. The suppression campaign is coming soon, and who knows what misfortune might occur….”
Their scattered remarks struck my ears with perfect clarity.
And true to their words, Ruellin was beautiful.
So much so that it felt natural to think she was indeed worthy of being the heroine of a novel.
‘…She really is the heroine.’
Even though I’d already seen her once through Edith Blake’s dream, witnessing her in person struck me anew with shock.
“As The Purifier says, I hope you all enjoy a night of revelry.”
The Crown Prince’s mood seemed to have improved with the warm reception, and he smiled with a cunning that belied his age.
The music that had paused resumed, and the banquet truly began in earnest.
Several couples took to the dance floor, pairing off.
Serge’s table was once again surrounded by sycophants, while Ethan remained motionless as stone, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on Ruellin.
But that too was short-lived.
“Commander, might we discuss the suppression operation for a moment?”
An Awakener approached and spoke to Ethan.
Unable to neglect his duties even with the woman he’d been desperately seeking right before his eyes, he rose with a darkened expression.
Shortly after, Vincent appeared without a sound, lingering at the base of the staircase.
Fidgeting like a restless dog, it was obvious he was waiting for an opportunity to approach Ruellin.
Surprisingly, Dylan was nowhere to be seen.
He was also a Knight Order commander like Ethan, so perhaps he was setting aside personal grievances for now and focusing on the subjugation campaign meeting.
And me?
I remained seated in my spot, staring blankly ahead.
Dinner was finished, and I had no one close enough to have a meaningful conversation with.
‘Would it be acceptable to stay until midnight like this?’
The heroine who was supposedly kidnapped had suddenly appeared, which was somewhat disconcerting.
Yet it was ultimately a good thing.
How desperately I had longed for her return so she could quickly deal with those male leads.
But…
‘Why does my mood feel so strange?’
My chest felt oddly hollow.
I was struggling with emotions I could scarcely comprehend myself.
“Why do you have that expression?”
A familiar voice suddenly pulled me from my thoughts.
I flinched and turned my head, only to meet eyes as dark as the night sky.
It seemed he had driven away all the flatterers—his table was now completely empty.
Mine was the same, of course.
Two outcasts sitting side by side, yet strangely, something akin to relief welled up within me.
“Does The Purifier’s appearance displease you?”
Serge asked flatly while scooping up fig sorbet served as dessert.
“…Is there a reason it should?”
I responded a beat late.
“It’s just… somewhat shocking. Clearly…”
“She was kidnapped, yet somehow crawled her way here.”
Serge accurately finished the words I hadn’t spoken.
He held a toy-like spoon in his large hand, rummaging through his bowl, then paused as if deliberating before speaking.
“Hmm… why not ask her directly?”
“Me?”
“Or should I?”
He glared at me.
I immediately backed down.
“Surely the Grand Duke is more familiar with her than I am?”
“Why would you think that?”
Because you’re the male lead…
I couldn’t say that, so I hedged carefully.
“…Haven’t you received purification from Ruellin several times?”
“Me?”
Serge wore an unfamiliar expression, as though hearing this for the first time.
“That never happened.”
“What?”
“I’ve never received purification.”
“That’s… what do you mean?”
“I only happened to cross paths with The Purifier once in the Northern Region by chance. And he was the one who approached me first.”
Otherwise, I wouldn’t have even known who he was.
Serge added with a shrug of his shoulders.
I stood there with my mouth hanging open, dumbfounded.
Meeting him in the Northern Region aligned with the novel’s plot development.
But everything after that was completely different.
“Why?”
The question tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it.
“Why what?”
“Why didn’t you receive purification?”
“Because I didn’t need to, so I didn’t.”
No, that’s not right. That shouldn’t be possible.
My mind spun into chaos in an instant.
Because.
According to what he said.
The novel’s plot had already diverged before I even possessed this body.
As I stared at the fourth male lead with wavering eyes.
He suddenly furrowed the bridge of his nose and smiled wickedly.
“What, are you jealous, Princess?”
“What kind of nonsense is that…?”
“Huh?”
My mind went blank, and my true feelings spilled out uncontrollably.
Then his hollow laugh snapped me back to reality.
“…I apologize. That was a slip of the tongue.”
“How fitting. Be grateful that the use of abilities is forbidden until the subjugation, Princess.”
He uttered something ominous.
A chill ran down my spine, and I hastily changed the subject.
“…So then, why did you search for me back then?”
“When?”
“At the Imperial Palace banquet!”
Recalling that moment, anger surged up within me.
But I couldn’t repeat my previous mistake, so I kept my voice as low as possible.
“You were strangling my neck and demanding to know where I was.”
“Oh, that? I told you already. It was urgent.”
“What was—”
“I was on the verge of going berserk. What else could I do but find you?”
Serge tapped his temple with his index finger.
He was referring to a rampage.
‘You knew you were on the verge of a rampage…?’
Of course, as an S-rank Awakener, he would have sensed it, but a chill ran down my spine for a different reason than with Dylan.
The fact that he’d recklessly wielded his abilities and thrown a tantrum despite knowing he was teetering on the edge of a rampage.
“Tsk, but when some rat is hiding in another person’s wardrobe, naturally I’d grow suspicious.”
He clicked his tongue, then burst into laughter.
He was clearly recalling my appearance from that moment.
While displeased, I regarded him with an ambiguous expression.
“…So. Are you feeling better now, Your Highness?”
“Are you worried about me?”
“If anything, I’m always concerned for my own life whenever I meet the Grand Duke.”
“I got through the crisis thanks to you. Perhaps I should be the one thanking you.”
It was strange how the conversation continued despite us saying entirely different things.
“The Princess’s lightning strike was quite effective. Or was it thanks to hitting me with the chair?”
“….”
“My head split open and the blood circulated, so when I woke up, I was perfectly fine?”
It was truly a conclusion lacking all sense.
Whether I should be pleased that he hadn’t even considered the 1% possibility that I’d purified him, or not….
Though I’d heard his answer, my questions weren’t entirely resolved.
“Then… why did you go there? Legion Street.”
“Ah, there?”
Serge answered casually.
“The Princess said she had something to tell me?”
“Yes? What do you….”
“I wondered how desperate you must be to hide in a wardrobe like that.”
He added with a slight grin.
“I went to compensate you for suspecting the Princess, and to get a look at that fellow Sephiroth’s face as well.”
“Compensate… me?”
“Yeah. Since I ended up not meeting him, I gave it to you instead.”
Following his gaze, I lowered my eyes.
I could see a dark crimson gemstone embedded in an ornate golden chain.
‘Is this… that compensation?’
Somehow, it seemed far too generous a gift to give simply for healing him.
Of course, I’d also purified him.
As I gazed down at the necklace, something felt strange.
It wasn’t the hollow feeling from before.
Rather….
“…I never dreamed Your Highness would think so reasonably.”
I murmured, deliberately suppressing the faint tickle blossoming in my chest.
“That said.”
Suddenly, he bared his teeth and grinned widely.
“Normally, the moment that unhinged maniac showed up, I should have thrown the Princess at him as bait and bolted. I have no idea why I didn’t.”
“But you already used her as bait once!”
“It didn’t work out, though, did it?”
The man spouted such infuriating nonsense with complete composure.
“Still… since you’ve said something halfway decent for once, why not try acting like a reasonable person one more time?”
“…?”
“Look ahead, Princess.”
In that instant, a scream suddenly pierced the air from the staircase above.
“Kyaaaah―!”
Startled, I whipped my head around to see a young lady in a white dress now completely drenched in crimson sauce, her face twisted in distress.
“The bowl must have slipped….”
Flustered and unsure what to do, she quickly scrambled to her feet and began ascending the staircase.
“What are you doing? Aren’t you going after her?”
Serge chuckled wickedly, gesturing toward her with his chin.
My vision went white with shock.
‘This madman… didn’t he say no using his powers until the subjugation operation?!’

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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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