How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 106

So, even though I briefly wondered, ‘How should I react to this?’

 

I first responded with a lighthearted thank-you. Though his words were practically a curse, if you looked only at the conclusion, they were genuinely meant out of concern for me.  

 

As I had just decided, I let Fenrir’s harsh insults go in one ear and out the other, choosing only to acknowledge the care behind them.  

 

At that, Fenrir let out an awkward, unnecessary cough—as if embarrassed—and replied in a gruff tone.  

 

[Ahem, hm, well. You’re the first human I’ve ever shown this much goodwill to, so you better stay grateful.]  

 

Despite his grumpy voice, his tail was wagging excitedly behind him.  

 

‘Somehow, I get it.’  

 

Seeing Fenrir, who couldn’t hide his emotions with that tail of his, made me feel a faint sense of kinship—his transparency overlapped with my own inability to control my expressions.  

 

Of course, his tail, which only showed basic likes and dislikes, was still far better than my face, which betrayed nearly every thought.  

 

While I was lost in those musings, Huluppu’s calm voice flowed into my mind, cutting through the noise.  

 

[Anyway, Laura, no matter where you are, I’ll be watching over you. Whatever choices you make, I’ll support you as much as I can, so if you ever have worries, you can always talk to me.]  

 

Huluppu, with her clear smile, reassured me with her words.  

 

[Moreover, as long as we’re connected by divine power, the god who granted you their blessing will always be watching over you. So no matter what trials come, you don’t have to worry too much.]  

 

But ironically, that only made me more uneasy.

  

‘Being watched over means being monitored. Come to think of it, how much do the gods actually know?’  

 

A sudden fear washed over me.  

 

From Selene’s endless cycles of regression to the fact that I was possessing this body.  

 

An ominous thought crept in—perhaps, bound by the covenant and unable to descend directly to the mortal world, the bored gods were observing us as a form of entertainment.  

 

To the gods, humans were no different from mere insects.  

 

‘Even now, it’s hard to guess what circumstances Selene might be in…’

 

It seemed certain that I was being watched by Nanna, but it was hard to tell whether she was on my side or merely a human powerless to defy the will of the gods. Forced into this role against her will.  

 

‘If it’s the latter, I’d want to help her.’  

 

Selene had framed me more than once before, but if she had only done so under Nanna’s coercion, I could forgive her without hesitation.  

 

Just as I was about to sink into my own thoughts, Huluppu once again pulled me back to reality.  

 

[So, nothing else?]  

 

“Huh?”  

 

[Aside from the oracle, if there’s anything else you’re curious about, feel free to ask more.]  

 

“Um… no. It’s fine.”  

 

Hesitating, I carefully declined, my words trailing off.  

 

Huluppu seemed to think I had given up on asking something due to other concerns.  

 

[If it’s about time, don’t worry. Not much would have passed in the real world.]  

 

“It’s not that… It’s just that what I’ve learned so far is already so complicated that my head feels overloaded. I think it’s better not to ask anything else for now.”  

 

It was close to the truth, with little falsehood mixed in.  

 

‘Every piece of information I heard today was hard to digest.’  

 

There were so many things I needed to think over once I returned to my room.  

 

In particular, I’d have to deeply consider the relationship between Goddess Nanna and Selene.  

 

The reason I hesitated, though, was that for a moment, doubts about the god who had granted me divine protection resurfaced.  

 

‘Who is the god that brought me to this world, and what was their purpose? Why did they show me this world in the form of a game?’

 

…Questions like these flooded my mind, but since Huluppu had already refused to answer them when we first met, I gave up on asking again.  

 

‘Besides, the more I learn about this world, the more I feel like I can’t grasp what to do next. At this point, I’m almost afraid to ask anything else.’  

 

Truthfully, my current position was quite precarious.  

 

Back when I thought of myself as nothing more than a minor villain doomed to die early in the game, my only focus had been avoiding death.  

 

The divine mark appearing on me was an unexpected variable, but I had assumed that as long as I strayed from the original plot, I could live peacefully, separate from the protagonists.  

 

Yet the more I learned about this world, the more I began to worry—was it really okay for me to stay idle like this?  

 

‘After all, there’s no guarantee that Selene, who seems to have seen multiple endings, won’t reset everything again after witnessing the conclusion this time.’

 

Moreover, even now that divine power has bloomed, it remains unclear whether she will return alongside it.  

 

Therefore, I had to consider whether I should help her find a way to end the infinite regression. 

 

Whether I should devise a plan to safely live in this world without getting entangled with Selene, or whether I should set aside everything else for now and dig into what seems to be the cause of my possession—properly understanding why I came to this world and then forming a new plan based on the outcome.  

 

The more I sought answers, the more future worries piled up, tangling one after another, leaving my mind in chaos.  

 

‘If only there were a clear mission, it would’ve been a relief.’

 

If something like a quest window—common in game possession stories—had appeared, offering rewards for success or the threat of death upon failure, I could have clung to a single goal without any other distractions.  

 

‘And if Selene were clearly good or evil, I wouldn’t even have to think about it.’

 

I tried to sort through my jumbled thoughts and let out a deep sigh, but for some reason, an abrupt question slipped out.  

 

“What should I do?”  

 

I hadn’t meant to ask, but my frustration unconsciously pushed the words out.  

 

Fenrir blinked in confusion.  

 

[What are you talking about all of a sudden?]  

 

Apparently, throwing out a life-counseling question out of nowhere seemed odd.  

 

Since I couldn’t take back what I’d said, I averted my gaze to hide my expression and made up an excuse.  

 

“Well, I don’t plan on becoming a saintess, but… I thought there must be a reason I’ve gained divine favor. Maybe the gods have given me a purpose, and I just haven’t realized it yet. That worry must’ve made me say that without thinking.”  

 

Mixing truth with a plausible lie, Huluppu and Fenrir nodded understandingly.  

 

As for Yves Leblanc, who remained expressionless beside me, I couldn’t tell if my excuse worked.  

 

Just as I was relieved to have glossed over it, Fenrir unexpectedly spoke up.  

 

[Just live freely.]  

 

“Huh?”  

 

[There’s nothing in this world you absolutely have to do.]  

 

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine such words coming from Fenrir, who seemed more loyal to the gods than anyone.  

 

‘No absolute duties in this world… What kind of nonsense is that?’

 

Originally, I had intended to quickly move past the topic, but unable to tolerate his incomprehensible advice, I turned to him with a retort.  

 

“Humans have to work to survive. If you do nothing, you’ll die.”  

 

[So what? Even if you die, you’ll just be reborn, so it doesn’t matter, right? Just live as you please.]  

 

It was a way of thinking fundamentally different from that of a human.  

 

After all, even if you’re reborn, there’s no guarantee that it’ll still be you.  

 

‘Wait. But if the soul remains the same, is that person essentially still you?’

 

Though the body may change—nationality, race, social status—if the soul is identical, does that mean I’m still the same being? 

 

Just as I was about to dwell on this question, I reminded myself that this wasn’t the point.  

 

“Fenrir, you’re immortal, so it doesn’t matter to you. But humans usually lose their memories when they’re reborn after death. I was thinking about how to live my life *now*, in Laura Laurus’ body, rather than worrying about work after rebirth.”  

 

[Does that really make a difference? Either way, you’re still *you*.]  

 

Having no confidence in persuading Fenrir, whose thought process was entirely alien to mine, I decided to simply agree and move on.  

 

“I see. Thank you for the advice.”  

 

After all, dragging out this topic would only prolong what felt like a philosophy lecture.  

 

[Your expression is subtly different from before. Doesn’t seem like you’re all that grateful.]  

 

Just moments ago, he was oblivious to the mood and spouting tactless remarks, yet now, of all times, he was sharp.  

 

“It’s just that, being an ordinary human, Fenrir’s words don’t quite resonate with me.”