For the Young Villain’s Happy Ending - Chapter 41

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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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Chapter 41

“No, Keri.”

On the day I became a Fourth Circle mage, Raina Hart stroked my head—the head of one she was certain was a monster—and spoke those words.
From that day forward, the voice in Kevenriak’s mind gradually lost its persuasive power.

‘You are a monster.’
‘No, I am not.’
‘What if Raina was mistaken?’

Even if Raina had been mistaken.
Even if I truly was a monster.
Kevenriak could be certain of one thing.

‘As long as Raina exists, I am not a monster.’
“Fourth Prince, you are a monster.”

Now, even hearing such words left my mind perfectly silent.
The Third Prince, his limbs bound by vines.
Kevenriak rubbed the tips of his fingers.
Blood had dried there—blood that had transferred when he wiped Raina’s lips moments before.

“Your Majesty the Empress, I… I have done wrong…”

He let drops of blood from the Third Prince’s mouth fall upon his lips.
It was far too precious to hand over to another, but there was something that needed to be revealed.
Who was the true orchestrator of this affair.

“I… am…”

Focus began to return to the Third Prince’s eyes as he consumed Raina Hart’s blood.
His face still appeared confused.
Yet he now gazed directly at Kevenriak with clarity returning.

“…Fourth Prince.”
‘You’ve regained your senses, haven’t you?’

Zikhard was startled by the sight of the Third Prince and jumped back in alarm.

‘How did a human consumed by dark magic toxin awaken? Kevenriak didn’t use any magic, did he?’

※ Dark Magic Toxin Consumption (96%)

Even reviewing the Third Prince’s information revealed no solution.
Zikhard whined for an explanation, but the Grimoire of Magic’s voice, blocked by a silence spell, could never reach Kevenriak.
Meanwhile, the conversation between Kevenriak and the Third Prince continued.

“Who orchestrated this?”
“Are you curious about who orchestrated this?”

The frightened expression on the boy’s face had vanished entirely.
The Third Prince, bound within the vines, turned the question back to Kevenriak with an untroubled countenance.
His composure even after regaining consciousness seemed to stem from the fact that he had been observing everything that transpired from the periphery of his awareness.

“I’m curious.”
….

Instead of answering, the Third Prince shifted his body, constrained by the vines.
He strained as though attempting to break free, but the tighter he struggled, the more forcefully the vines constricted around him.
After several futile attempts, he realized the futility and went limp.
The toxin spread throughout his entire body.
His life was burning away meaninglessly.

“I had wanted to take you as a companion on the journey to the afterlife.”

Even now, reduced to this state, I could not bring myself to harm the Fourth Prince.
What a pathetic end to the nightmare I had endured for eight years.
My approaching demise—the Third Prince accepted his fate and spoke to Kevenriak.

“That woman is targeting Heteroven.”

With those words spoken like a warning, the Third Prince closed his eyes and bowed his head.
And then.

Thud.
Footsteps echoed from the cave entrance.

“Ah.”

Kevenriak smiled brightly at her.

***

“…The Third Prince is also deeply afflicted by the poison.”

I gazed at the Third Prince, who lay unconscious within the vines.
After finishing my search of the opposite forest and returning to where Kevenriak was.

“…Hart! …Give…!”

A faint voice calling out my name drifted from afar. I searched briefly for its source and discovered a cave nearby where someone could hide.
Upon finding what lay within, I stepped inside immediately, and now.
The Third Prince was still breathing faintly.

‘If he regains consciousness, perhaps I can extract some information.’

I couldn’t save him the way I had the Empress Consort, but I might discover who orchestrated this.
I drew out the self-defense dagger I had pried from Person earlier. I intended to feed him my blood.

“Raina.”

A pleasant fragrance drifted from behind me.
Kevenriak wrapped his arms around me from behind, placing his hands over the backs of mine.
I froze in place.

‘This is dangerous.’

Any slight movement and my disciple’s hands would be cut by the dagger.

“Keri, if you hold me like this, it’s dangerous.”
“….”
“Keri?”

I called out to Kevenriak, who didn’t respond.
Beyond the fact that he was holding my hand that gripped the sword, there was something else that troubled me.

“Raina Hart.”

Had my disciple not just called me Raina Hart?
Ever since adolescence truly arrived a few years ago, Kevenriak Heteroven had never once addressed her by name.
As though drawing a line between Raina Hart and himself.

‘But why? What could be the matter?’

As Raina Hart pondered gravely, my disciple whispered near her ear.

“I’m hungry.”

Thud, thud, thud.
The dagger fell limply from Raina Hart’s hand. Kevenriak Heteroven’s heel kicked the falling blade far away.
But Raina Hart had no mind to pay attention to that.

“You’re… hungry…?”

Her silver eyes trembled as she tilted her head to look up at Kevenriak Heteroven.
Kevenriak Heteroven rubbed his head lightly against her shoulder in a petulant manner.

“Yes. Couldn’t we take the Third Prince back to the Imperial Palace quickly and then go home?”

My heart sank.
My boy was hungry.

‘Damn that Emperor.’

He made him work without even feeding him.

***

The Audience Chamber of the Imperial Palace.

“Raina Hart.”

The Emperor seated upon the throne regarded the Third Prince that Raina Hart and Kevenriak Heteroven had brought with a satisfied smile.
To capture the Third Prince in less than three hours. Truly, she was Raina Hart.

‘He’s completely recovered already.’

Standing before the Emperor, I glanced around the surroundings.
The Imperial Palace had somehow been restored to its former state, as though mages had been ground through the reconstruction effort—it bore little sign of the chaos that had erupted.
Though that wasn’t the pressing concern at the moment.

“Should we stop by somewhere nearby and grab a bite before we leave? There must be something around here. …Zikhard.”
“Puh-ha, I can breathe again! M-Master! Kevenriak Heteroven cast a Silence spell on me-!”
“Search for restaurants. Somewhere that serves good food.”
“Kyeek! Are you treating me like a restaurant guidebook right now?! This is an abuse of a grimoire!”
“My child is hungry.”
“…It’s fine, Master. We can visit the Imperial Palace first. I can wait.”

His face looked noticeably gaunt compared to this morning.
The problem was that the Emperor had summoned the nobles at this late hour.
Those very nobles had been called away from their conference to the Audience Chamber.
Moreover, the High Priest had remained in the Imperial Palace, standing watch without departing.

‘This looks like it’s going to drag on.’

I clicked my tongue inwardly and fixed my gaze on the dais where the Imperial Throne sat.
The system window that should have appeared by now never manifested once throughout the entire day.

‘Has the tyrant awakening episode already concluded?’

I felt an indescribable sense of satisfaction wash over me at the realization.
There was still the matter of discovering who had been manipulating the Empress Consort and the Third Prince from behind the scenes.
But the fact that Kevenriak Heteroven had not become a tyrant—that alone was enough for now.

“Twelve years ago, I failed to properly commend you, a war hero who had defeated the Tunterra Empire.”
“….”

You knew that all along.
I swallowed the words I wanted to say.
If it were just the Emperor and me, it would be different, but there were many eyes watching.
His retainers, his knights, and even the High Priest.

‘I don’t want Keri’s master to appear undignified.’

Directly beneath the Emperor’s rank, Person stood in a white uniform, and another badge had been added to his chest.
A gold badge signifying the Commander of the Imperial First Knights.
So Dresherd had died.

“Raina Hart, I bestow upon you the title of Countess.”

The Emperor’s words sent a ripple through the chamber.
To ascend from Baroness to Countess in a single leap.
Those who recalled that before she was a Grand Mage, she was an orphan of unknown birth, wore expressions of astonishment.
It was an extraordinary appointment. Yet what emerged from Raina Hart’s lips was—

“Thank you.”

A flat, emotionless expression of gratitude.

That’s it?
Question marks floated in the minds of those who heard Raina’s response.
At this level, one would typically shed tears of joy, pledge loyalty to the Imperial Palace, or offer some such words.
But the Grand Mage’s sentiment was far too brief and concise.

“Your Majesty.”

Her words continued. People nodded inwardly.
Of course. “Thank you” could not be the entirety of her thoughts upon receiving a countess’s title.
No matter how composed Raina Hart was, she could not help but marvel at the Emperor’s extraordinary magnanimity.
The Emperor, thinking the same, gestured for her to speak.
The Grand Mage spoke with her characteristic expressionless face.

“Might I be permitted to withdraw now?”

The Audience Chamber fell silent as if cold water had been poured over it.
The Audience Chamber fell silent as if cold water had been poured over it.

“I apologize, but I’ve done so much since early this morning that fatigue is catching up with me.”

She had been worked to exhaustion—surely anyone with a conscience would see fit to release her now.
It was already growing late into the night.
It was already late at night.

“I’m exhausted.”

Raina Hart’s words came out like a wedge being driven home.
Since she had resolved the Third Prince’s entire rebellion together with the Fourth Prince, there was nothing anyone could say against her claim.
Cheinols nodded with a reluctant expression.

“…Yes, indeed.”

The Emperor had secretly hoped the Grand Mage would express her gratitude with an excited face.
But then again, Raina Hart had always been this way.
She possessed neither ambition for honor nor desire for wealth.
When he had granted her the title of Baroness, she had been much the same. Though she hadn’t immediately spoken of leaving as she did now.
The Emperor’s eyes met those of the High Priest standing to the right below the throne.
The High Priest nodded in acknowledgment.
They had just discussed the matter of summoning Kevenriak back to the Imperial Palace.

“And—”
“Thank you.”

But before the Emperor could finish speaking, Raina and the Fourth Prince vanished in an instant.

“…”

The gazes of the Emperor, the High Priest, and everyone present turned toward the spot where the two had disappeared.
To teleport the moment permission to leave was granted.
She must have been utterly exhausted.

***

“Shall we eat here?”

The two had teleported to a plaza in an unfamiliar neighborhood outside of Jenia.
Since it was drawing close to midnight, they had intended to eat outside and return, out of consideration for the Head Chef who would otherwise be roused from sleep.
But most of the restaurants were closed.
They had found one establishment with its lights still on, but it was nearly closing time. When told they couldn’t serve a meal, they had purchased sandwiches to go and settled themselves in the plaza.

“I’m sorry, Keri. I should have bought you something better.”

At Raina’s words, Kevenriak smiled softly.

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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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