Chap 7-The Villainess with a Story?

 

Blood dripped from my fingertip, seeped into the damp soil.

All the hallucinations that had tormented me were gone, my wounds were already healed, and my Unique Ability was deactivated, leaving my mind unusually clear.

It was a relief.

Two months, considering the hell I went through with that damn self-harm prohibition magic…

The fact that I couldn’t even suffer when I wanted to made me feel even worse.

But it was my karma.

“What are you doing here?”

A sharp voice.

Clang

The sound of metal rang out from behind me.

I slowly raised my head.

Despite the gloomy weather, the silver blade was excessively shiny.

“Big-boobed Senior?”

‘Bella Staren?’

“Ah.”

The words came out the opposite of what I was thinking.

She already had a pretty fierce expression…

Now it had turned downright vicious as she glared at me.

“Are you performing some kind of evil ritual?”

Huh?

An evil ritual?

Ah?

An evil villain bleeding in front of a grave.

Hmm.

Yeah…

‘It does look like a scene ripe for misunderstanding… haha…’

“Would you believe me if I said no?”

She shook her head with a stiff expression and replied,

“Not at all.”

At the same time, the tip of the blade drew closer.

A cold sensation brushed against my neck.

‘She’s resolute.’

I was used to this kind of treatment.

But…

This sword.

It would feel so good to have it pierce my neck…

The sharp blade slicing through my soft skin, and then my carotid artery…

Squirt!

Ah, the fountain of blood gushing out like in movies or anime is a bit of an exaggeration… more like a water pistol?

The despair of the brain being immediately damaged due to lack of blood supply.

The hot pressure constricting my neck.

The tinnitus gnawing at my eardrums.

The sense of alienation as I drifted away from reality.

Thoughts blurring, and the insanely euphoric sensation felt at the moment when life, the most precious thing to a living being, is severed.

Slide

Unable to suppress my desire, I slowly, very slowly, tilted my neck towards the blade.

“What are you doing! You crazy bitch!”

Startled, Bella gasped and quickly withdrew her sword.

I chuckled and tilted my head.

“What? Weren’t you going to kill me?”

With a playful smile on my lips, I whispered softly.

“Heung. Our Seonbae~ is more of a coward than I thought?”

Anyway, this body won’t die from a cut to the carotid artery.

I’ve already tried it several times. Hehe.

So, just a little… just a little more…

With that sword, my neck—

“I’m not a murderer.”

She didn’t let her guard down, sheathed her sword quietly, and continued,

“My sword doesn’t exist to cut people.”

“Unexpected? So you treat me like a person?”

Humans associated with Contamination are mostly given the death penalty.

My case is just an exception; it’s more natural not to be treated like a person.

Especially those who served on the front lines had to suffer not only from monsters but also from Contamination worshippers, so despite the difference in status, most people didn’t hide their hatred for me.

Thud

Suddenly, her hand gently landed on my head.

“If you want to be treated like a person, don’t touch Contamination anymore. If you fulfill your duties as an academy student and as a Lady… even if the past can’t be erased, there will be people who will acknowledge you.”

“Yes, yes~ I’m sure they will.”

I wondered what she was going to say, but it turned out to be a boring story.

I was going to provoke her a little more, but…

It didn’t seem like she would give me what I wanted…

So I decided to just stop.

How boring.

“And if you’re going to pay respects, do it properly.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Bella gripped her sword tightly with both hands without drawing it from its scabbard.

And slowly raised it to her chest.

A simple gesture created to mourn the dead on the battlefield where people died every day.

It was nothing special.

But it was clear that she was sincerely mourning them.

I’m grateful, but…

I don’t think I can repay it.

I looked down at the grave and scoffed.

“Ha, why should I mourn these guys?”

I pointed at the grave with my chin and sneered.

“Then what are those?”

Bella looked at me, pointing at the white wildflowers placed in front of the grave.

“I guess they’re materials needed for an evil ritual, as you said.”

This is annoying.

Duke Bennet used the media to spread my infamy far and wide, so the faith of evil was being supplied without any problems.

The problem is the Contamination worshippers who are searching for the seal of the evil god with their eyes burning.

I don’t think she’s related to them, but you never know.

“I don’t know what your story is, but setting up thorns for others like that won’t do you any good. The release procedure is complete, let’s stop by the village and go to the academy with me.”

“Huh? Suddenly? Do you have something to gain from me? How admirable, but this is a safe zone, so I don’t think I need a guard.”

“Ha. I’m not so desperate that I need to look good to a Lady like you. I just have business at the academy as well. The warden asked me to watch over you.”

‘Haa, I prefer being alone.’

“You’re quite arrogant for the daughter of a Baron.”

I frowned and glared at Bella.

“Since you’ve returned to the academy, I’m also your senior at the academy.”

“Hmph.”

Students attending the academy must respect their seniors, regardless of their status.

It was one of the rules created by our old-fashioned President, so no one dared to object.

“Come along quietly. Let’s go to the village and find a carriage.”

The Bastille Prison area was blocked from teleportation magic due to possible escapees.

Therefore, to use the teleportation gate, you have to walk to another city.

“Do as you please.”

It seemed like I would have to be with this annoying woman until the academy.

It’s a relief that her appearance is to my liking, at least.

I shook my head and walked past her, heading towards the village.

If it’s a village near Bastille Prison, there’s a good way.

She seems to be thinking of me as some kind of villainess with a story.

I’ll have to betray that expectation properly, right?

…

I’ve seen it countless times on the battlefield.

People with eyes that have no attachment to life.

Those people usually meet two ends before long.

Either they take their own lives, or they fight monsters recklessly and die.

And now, those eyes…

I found them in a mere 16-year-old child.

It was unpleasant.

Yeon Bennet, who currently represents the image of incompetent and trashy nobles.

When she was bleeding in front of the grave, I couldn’t even think of looking around for a moment, and my hand went out first.

She thrust her neck at the sword without any hesitation.

Eyes that were lifeless and empty.

At that moment, Bella looked at Yeon Bennet without prejudice for the first time.

The wildflowers placed one by one in front of the grave.

She was kneeling in the muddy field in the rain, staring blankly at the grave.

That child was just mourning the dead.

According to rumors, she was a villainess who laughed and mocked the people who died because of her without any guilt.

It was difficult to tell what was true.

She’s just a young student who has finished her first semester of the first grade at the academy…

Maybe she still has a chance.

‘That’s what I thought until 2 hours ago.’

It was definitely a smooth journey at first.

She didn’t cause any problems until she arrived at the village, and Bella was relieved and arrived at the entrance of the village.

The village guards approached, armed.

The man who appeared to be the leader looked at them with wary eyes.

Bella stepped forward and said,

“I’m Bella Staren.”

After speaking, she showed her status window to the leader for identification.

When the name Staren came out, the attitude of the guards softened a little.

This was a remote village not far from the Staren territory.

The leader nodded and replied.

“Confirmed. But, who is that person…?”

Their eyes turned to Yeon Bennet.

Yeon replied briefly with a look of annoyance.

“Yeon Bennet.”

At that moment, it felt like the entire village’s atmosphere froze.

The guards’ expressions hardened instantly.

In fact, Bella was mostly at fault for this situation.

Yeon Bennet was already famous as a villainess in a quiet rural village due to the media.

Of course, she overlooked the fact that the village where such a tragedy had occurred nearby would know more about her.

Still, the older guard, who appeared to be the village security captain, greeted her politely with a slightly awkward expression.

“Welcome, Lady Bennet. I will guide you to the village right away.”

The problem was just one person.

A young guard who openly distorted his expression when he saw Yeon.

As is typical of villainous young ladies, Yeon Bennet is also bad at academics and incompetent, but she’s like a ghost when it comes to recognizing when someone is ignoring her…

“You slum-dwelling bug, how dare you!”

Looking at the troublemaker who was roughly shaking the guard by the collar with mana in her hand, Bella suppressed the urge to bury her head in her hands.

“Haa… that crazy bitch.”

“Do you want to die?”

A cold and low voice.

Even the air froze at that one word.

“Put that hand down right now.”

Bella looked down at her with cold eyes and warned in a low voice.

Yeon slowly turned her head and looked at Bella.

Bella didn’t avoid it.

A tense silence flowed for a while.

And then, Yeon chuckled and released the hand gripping the collar.

Thud!

The guard collapsed to the floor.

‘This is not just a troublemaker, but a disaster.’

She had to resolve this situation.

It would be quite difficult if she continued to cause problems on the journey ahead.

“Yeon Bennet.”

Bella called her in a quiet but firm voice.

“Duke Bennet agreed to impose all the crimes you have committed so far in one go if you cause trouble one more time, as a condition for your release.”

Yeon’s expression twisted slightly.

“This is your last chance.”

Bella took a step closer, looking straight into her eyes.

“If you don’t want your past to be dragged out and locked up in prison for the rest of your life because of a trivial incident like this.”

Yeon’s eyes wavered.

Did she finally realize that this situation was not a joke?

Bella added one last word, hoping she wouldn’t take it lightly.

“For god’s sake, control that temper.”

The villagers’ cold gazes turned to Yeon.

Originally, Bella’s plan was to prepare various supplies and leave after resting for one night, but…

‘I have to get a carriage and leave the village no matter what.’

Author’s Note:

Thank you for reading!