episode_0191

I unconsciously scanned Roxana’s entire body.

Her decadent and mature features, long wavy lavender hair, and deep blue eyes shining as if they held the abyss.

Her appearance was such that users complained about why Roxana wasn’t a heroine.

And what about her figure?

Her voluminous breasts, too large to fit in one hand, a slender waist, and the wide curve of her hips immediately caught my eye.

Gulp!

My mouth watered spontaneously.

Lost in admiring Roxana’s figure, I barely managed to calm myself and asked.

“A-Are you serious? You’ll replace Deborah?”

“Yes. I think I’d be a better partner than Deborah.”

“That… that might be true, but are you really okay with it? You’d have to have sex with me, you know?”

“…Sex?”

“Yes. Sex.”

Roxana, who had initially frowned as if she didn’t understand, her face twisted in a scowl when I gave her a definitive answer.

Her impossibly pale skin gradually began to flush red.

Soon, she exploded.

“Why would I have sex with you? You pervert!”

“Huh? But when it’s dangerous, there’s no choice but to….”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying! Even with me here, what would you do in a dangerous situation? Would raping me make you stronger than me? Huh?”

Roxana fumed, looking incredulous.

Listening to her, it seemed I hadn’t been able to think calmly because shocking situations had kept coming one after another.

Certainly, with Roxana here, there wouldn’t be any need for me to step in.

“Ah! I hadn’t thought of that.”

“You didn’t even think of that? Hmph! You’re just itching to rape me, aren’t you?”

“That’s not it.”

“Not true?”

Roxana stepped closer.

As she stood nearby, perhaps due to the height difference, her deep cleavage naturally came into view.

I quickly averted my gaze.

“Why are you looking away? So it *was* a lie, wasn’t it?”

“I truly never thought such a thing.”

“Oh really? Then why don’t you look at me? If you keep doing that, I’ll assume I was right.”

“Haa…”

Her firm voice, as if she wouldn’t back down, made me brace myself and face Roxana.

And my eyes fixed on her cleavage.

‘No way?’

I had clearly intended to look at her face, but my gaze plunged into that alluring cleavage as if drawn into a black hole.

Noticing my blatant stare, Roxana looked down at her own chest, then, after a brief moment of embarrassment, wrapped her arms around herself.

Startled, she took a step back.

“You, you! So you *were* thinking strange things!”

“No. I really wasn’t.”

“Then why are you looking at my chest? Huh?”

“Because I can see it, of course! Isn’t it Lady Roxana’s fault for wearing clothes that show cleavage? What would you do if I took out my penis here and asked why you were looking?!”

“What? Pe-penis… Is there nothing you won’t say? You pervert!”

Roxana’s face flushed so red its original color was unrecognizable.

That was quite unexpected.

Just looking at her appearance, she seemed like someone who’d change men as easily as eating and always hold the upper hand in relationships, but her actual behavior was like a virgin who’d never been in a relationship.

‘No way?’

As that thought suddenly occurred to me and I observed her more closely, Roxana hunched her shoulders.

“Why are you looking at me like that? Could you look away?”

“…Lady Roxana. Have you ever been in a relationship?”

“W-what!? Why are you curious about that? More importantly, how did the conversation even get sidetracked like this? Ruan Friuli! From now on, I will cooperate with you, so stop working with Deborah. Do you understand?”

As if hit where it hurt, Roxana hastily changed the subject, feigning nonchalance.

She really must be a virgin who’s never been in a relationship.

‘How strange.’

With that level of appearance and figure, even if she wanted to be left alone, men wouldn’t have left her be. It seems she has an unusually strict sense of chastity.

That’s why she’s so angry about Deborah giving herself to me.

“I understand what Lady Roxana means. To put it bluntly, you’re telling me not to violate Deborah under the pretense of danger, aren’t you?”

“Yes. I don’t know what that child is thinking, but I can’t let her be with a dangerous person like you.”

Roxana treated Deborah like a child left by the water’s edge, as if she had forgotten that Deborah was an adult fully capable of living independently.

“Is that because I’m a possessor? Or because I’m a rapist?”

“It’s obvious it’s both. There’s nothing good to come from being involved with either.”

“Then what about Lady Roxana? Is Lady Roxana okay?”

“It doesn’t matter to me. I wouldn’t leave a trace in the first place, and more importantly, even if I were caught, the Empire wouldn’t be able to give up on a talent like me.”

Immense confidence radiated from Roxana.

Her arrogant yet natural demeanor further heightened the tension that had been loosened by the banter.

I nodded in understanding.

“I suppose so. Then, from now on, I will request cooperation from Lady Roxana instead of Deborah. Is that acceptable?”

“No, there’s one condition.”

“A condition?”

“Yes. From now on, I want you to keep your distance from Deborah. Not just stopping cooperation, but don’t even go near her at all.”

“……”

A surge of irritation instantly welled up inside me.

Deborah was like a ray of light in this world, where enemies were everywhere, the only one who understood me. Being told not to even go near her inevitably sparked a feeling of defiance.

However, precisely because she was such a person, I couldn’t refuse Roxana’s condition.

Because I had realized it clearly this time.

‘My surroundings are dangerous.’

It was fortunate that my exact personal information hadn’t been revealed yet; the moment my identity came to light, Deborah’s safety would undoubtedly be jeopardized.

Ethan Gloucester, if he’s truly that madman, he would surely scheme unimaginable things.

I didn’t even want to imagine the harm Deborah would suffer in that process.

“I’ll accept the condition. However, I’d like you to give me some time.”

“Time?”

“Yes. If I suddenly push her away, she’ll think it’s strange. I’ll distance myself little by little. Will that be acceptable?”

“…Of course. The deal is done. If you need help, contact me with the communicator I gave you before. Now, you may leave.”

“Yes. I’ll see you next time.”

Bowing my head in greeting, I followed the waiting mage out of the magic tower.

I looked up at the magic tower.

The top floor, where I had just been speaking with Roxana, was so high that it was barely visible even if I strained my neck to its limit.

It was as if it was telling me the difference between Deborah and myself.

“What a shame.”

I had finally received Deborah’s ‘free rape pass,’ but I couldn’t even use it once.

Should I have asked Roxana to stand in for her instead?

After a moment of foolish deliberation, I shook my head.

“If I had, I would have died.”

Or even if she didn’t kill me, she might have subjected me to horrific torture so I could never lift my head again.

Neither option was good.

“Then, shall I go back now?”

Shaking off even a shred of lingering attachment, I turned my back and walked toward the academy.

I wondered what had happened after I disappeared.

And Alisa’s condition.

*

At that time, inside the arena, the Crown Prince, who had fruitlessly lost Eunrang, was erupting in fury.

“This damn dog! To lose that bastard!”

He continuously spewed rough curses.

The mask he usually wore as Crown Prince had long since shattered into pieces.

The events of today had left a significant wound on his self-esteem.

His anger even spilled over to Isis.

“Isis! We lost him because of you! Do you know what you’ve done?!”

“Your Highness. I…”

“How will you take responsibility for this? Huh?”

“……”

Under the Crown Prince’s badgering, Isis merely remained silent with her head bowed.

There was no way she had anything to say.

She had used the pretext that Remian was a clue to catching the Dark Cult, but in truth, she had intentionally interfered to save Ruan.

If she were to be discovered, it would truly be a matter punishable as treason.

Just then, Isis suddenly felt a piercing gaze and raised her head.

It was the Crown Prince’s gaze.

His golden eyes were thoroughly scanning Isis’s body, encased in her Valkyrie suit.

Isis, creeped out by his persistent gaze especially between her breasts and crotch, subtly moved her arms to cover herself.

Only then did the Crown Prince’s eyes return to her face.

“What is that armor? Seeing as it even sprouts wings, it doesn’t seem ordinary.”

“…It’s an armor I happened to acquire.”

“Is that so? It suits you well.”

“Thank you.”

In truth, she wasn’t thankful at all.

She wished he’d just remove his disgusting eyes instead of offering compliments.

However, Isis wasn’t so naive as to tell the Crown Prince that directly.

Only after the Crown Prince’s attention shifted to Remian could she finally breathe a sigh of relief.

The Crown Prince approached Remian, who had her modesty covered with a cloak.

“Remian. You understand that your sins are deep, don’t you?”

“……”

“If you’re taken to prison, you’ll likely endure torture until you spit out all information. Of course, even if you do, you’ll eventually be executed. But if you tell me everything here, I’ll at least let you live in prison.”

At the Crown Prince’s words, Remian lifted her head.

She was smiling unnaturally.

Her lips stretched into a wide, dry smile, as if she had lost her mind.

“Haha… Do you think I would fear such a thing, Your Highness?”

“Then you intend to remain silent? What is your reason for hiding the Dark Cult’s information so thoroughly?”

The Crown Prince frowned, as if he couldn’t understand Remian.

And Remian, knowing that the Crown Prince would never understand her, and had no intention of doing so in the first place, burst into maniacal laughter.

“Heh! Hahaha! Ahahahaha! As expected, Your Highness knows nothing. Loyalty to the Dark Cult? There’s no way such a thing exists!”

“Then why?”

“…Because I found out.”

“Found out what?”

“That I hold no value to you. That I am merely a fleeting amusement. I realized I was nothing more than a trash can for your filthy desires!!”

The scream of one who had already given up everything.

That intense emotion momentarily left even the Crown Prince speechless.

Remian grinned, looking at his face.

“Ahahahaha! Your Highness. Are you afraid?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Are you going to pretend you don’t know? It won’t do you any good anyway. You’re afraid the world will know your true nature, aren’t you? Are you afraid *that woman*, Isis Friuli, whom you love so dearly, will learn of your filthy intentions?”

“Shut up!”

Splat!

Unable to bear Remian’s words any longer, the Crown Prince violently slapped her cheek.

Her pale cheek swelled red.

“Do you think that since everything’s over now, you can cling to me? So that was the Dark Cult’s scheme, then. But I won’t be swayed any longer. Guards! What are you waiting for?! Take her away immediately!”

The Crown Prince, who had been fuming, seemed to regain his composure belatedly and quickly brought the situation under control.

Thus, Remian was led away helplessly by the guards, disappearing into the darkness.

The Crown Prince glanced at Isis, pondered what he wanted to say, then turned to the Vice Dean.

“Vice Dean. How did the pursuit go?”

“…I apologize, but we found no trace. It seems a mage of higher mastery than myself intervened.”

“Higher mastery than the Vice Dean, you say? This is serious. For a possessor to enter the body of such a powerful individual.”

The Crown Prince never imagined that the intervener might not be a possessor.

Because someone who had reached that level of mastery would have no reason or need to cooperate with possessors.

“Yes. It seems we’ll have to raise the threat level for possessors even higher.”

“We’ll do that. I will report to His Imperial Majesty. You’ve worked hard.”

“Not at all. Please go ahead. I will handle things here.”

“I’ll leave it to you.”

The Crown Prince gave Isis’s entire body one last lingering look, then disappeared.

And so, the festival came to an end.