How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 140

The warmth contained in the silver eyes that had looked up at me with worry cooled in an instant.

 

It seemed my suggestion was not very much to his liking.

 

“…Even if the news that Lord Huluppu has regained consciousness has reached His Holiness the Pope’s ears, that doesn’t mean he will immediately grant permission for a visit.”

 

As expected, an indirect refusal came from his mouth.

 

Of course, that didn’t mean I had any intention of giving up, so instead of persuading him, I offered another option.

 

“Still, wouldn’t it be fine to at least ask the Pope once?”

 

Conflict passed over Yves’ face.

 

It seemed he was debating whether to say there was no need to bother asking since the outcome was obvious, or to pass the decision on to the Pope.

 

“If the Pope says no, then I’ll quietly wait until the trial is over.”

 

“…Understood.”

 

Perhaps judging that the chance of refusal was high, he accepted my proposal.

 

And a short while later, my expectation was proven correct. The Pope had readily issued the visitation permit.

 

“See? I was right, wasn’t I?”

 

I spoke triumphantly to Yves.

 

In contrast, his expression crumpled completely.

 

Yves, who had been moving his lips as if he had a lot to say, let out a faint sigh and asked,

 

“Why were you so certain that His Holiness would grant permission?”

 

“Because back then he personally told us that he believed in us.”

 

“…Is that all?”

 

“Yes.”

 

It was the truth.

 

On the day I visited Pope Atharaxis, accompanied by Fenrir and Endymion, I hadn’t sensed any falsehood in her words or demeanor.

 

She genuinely seemed to believe in Selene’s innocence, and the reason she hadn’t approved visitation appeared to be solely because of her position as Pope.

 

So I had thought that if she heard Huluppu had awakened, she would at least extend this much courtesy even before the trial verdict came out.

 

‘Things are going according to plan, so I feel pretty good.’

 

It wasn’t like we had made any particular bet, but I still felt like I’d won somehow, so I started humming a little tune, only to feel a stinging gaze on me.

 

“Why are you looking at me like that? Is something wrong?”

 

When I carefully met his eyes as he stared intently at me and asked, Yves let out a sound like air escaping a tire, laughed softly, and shook his head.

 

“It’s nothing.”

 

But because it was a smile tinged with a strange, uncharacteristic resignation unlike his usual self, I couldn’t just brush it off lightly.

 

“Be honest. You clearly had a lot you wanted to say, but your face was screaming that you weren’t going to say it.”

 

“…Is it that obvious?”

 

Yves’s eyebrows drooped downward.

 

He seemed bothered that his inner thoughts had been seen through so precisely.

 

“I’ve been trying to be extra careful lately because I feel like I’ve been bad at managing my expressions…”

 

Muttering in a forlorn voice, Yves let out a deep sigh and trailed off.

 

The situation was unfolding differently from what he had intended, so I hurriedly spoke up.

 

“You don’t have to worry about that. Most people probably wouldn’t even notice that your expression changed.”

 

“But Laura read exactly what I was thinking just by looking at my face.”

 

I grabbed both of Yves’s cheeks firmly. To keep his gaze from dropping to the floor.

 

“I’m not like Lord Fenrir, who can read someone’s true feelings. How could I know everything? I just sensed that there was something you wanted to say but were holding back.”

 

I laid out my thoughts in detail so that he wouldn’t secretly blame himself or build up misunderstandings.

 

“For your information, the only reason I can tell your expressions apart is that I like you, so I’ve been paying very close attention.”

 

“…”

 

“So don’t worry too much just because your emotions show on your face. Got it?”

 

“…”

 

“You have to answer.”

 

“…Yes.”

 

When I pressed him again while locking eyes with him, Yves, his pale skin now flushed pink, reluctantly nodded in agreement.

 

‘Phew, good thing I stopped him before he started digging himself into a hole.’

 

I let go of Yves’s soft cheeks and steered the conversation back on track.

 

“Ah, but the thing you were about to say earlier, but held back, was it that people shouldn’t trust others too easily?”

 

It was something I’d heard from him a lot lately while being frequently involved with Selene, and also because right after I mentioned believing Atharaxis’s words so purely, his expression had taken on complicated emotions, so I asked just in case.

 

“That’s right.”

 

Yves readily admitted it.

 

“But I also meant it when I said it was nothing.”

 

The words that followed immediately were unexpected.

 

“My view that people shouldn’t be trusted too easily hasn’t changed, but all of a sudden I also thought… that part of you is so like you.”

 

Is that a compliment?

 

The moment that question flashed through my mind, Yves’s gentle voice continued.

 

“Because the you that I like is exactly that kind of person.”

 

“…”

 

I couldn’t manage any reply and just hung my head low.

 

My mind had gone completely blank from the sudden heart attack Yves had launched without warning.

 

“Laura?”

 

When I, who had been walking briskly ahead, abruptly stopped in my tracks, Yves called out to me in a puzzled tone.

 

“Laura, are your legs hurting?”

 

He clearly had no idea that I’d frozen up from embarrassment after hearing what he said.

 

“Yves… you, um… say really embarrassing things way too casually.”

 

Since I’d scolded him to be honest earlier, I couldn’t very well lie to him now. 

 

So while fidgeting with my fingers and spilling my true feelings, for some reason, Yves protested as if he were the wronged party.

 

“Wait a second. That’s what I should be saying.”

 

“Huh? What did I do?”

 

We continued our silly back-and-forth as we headed down to the basement of the papal residence.

 

It was because the place where Selene was currently imprisoned, as well as the solitary cells where the priests were isolated before the trial, were located in the basement.

 

‘I was worried it might be a prison with iron bars.’

 

Seeing the basement corridor that looked almost no different from the upper floors, I realized that the excuse Yves had made up to reassure me wasn’t just something he’d fabricated on the spot.

 

“The prison for confining criminals is separate.”

 

As expected, the one who should have been worried about not managing their expressions wasn’t Yves; it was me.

 

‘Well, in my case, it’s not at the level where I can fix it just by trying to be careful.’

 

Shaking off the thoughts that came to mind, I quickened my steps.

 

Soon enough, we arrived at the end of the quiet corridor, in front of a room guarded by holy knights.

 

They readily opened the door after confirming the visitation permit.

 

The interior was plainer than the room I had stayed in before my trial in the Euphrates Kingdom.

 

‘In hindsight, I was still being treated like a noble.’

 

On the other hand, in the Theocracy, where the class system didn’t apply, a priest’s position mattered greatly. 

 

Since Selene was no longer a saint candidate, she was being treated like an apprentice priest and assigned to a small single room.

 

And in the middle of that small room, Selene was blankly staring at the wall with no windows.

 

“…!”

 

Eventually, when she noticed me, Selene’s eyes widened like saucers.

 

‘Is it that surprising that I came to see her?’

 

I met her sky-blue eyes, which were wavering aimlessly, and spoke.

 

“It’s been a while. How have you been?”

 

She looked disheveled and haggard, as if she hadn’t slept properly for a long time, but I asked after her out of courtesy anyway.

 

In response, Selene’s complexion grew even darker.

 

“Are you… all right?”

 

“Yes. As you can see, I’m perfectly fine.”

 

“That’s… a relief.”

 

She genuinely seemed relieved.

 

‘Well, I suppose it makes sense she’d be worried after I collapsed right in front of her.’

 

After exchanging light greetings with her, I brought up the main topic.

 

“There’s still a lot of unfinished conversation, so that’s why I came.”

 

“That’s good timing. Actually, there’s something I wanted to ask you too.”

 

It was unexpected.

 

This was the first time since the Laurus baron family incident that Selene had shown any willingness to speak with me first.

 

Since I couldn’t even guess what she might say, I cautiously asked back.

 

“What is it?”

 

But her gaze turned toward Yves, standing beside me.

 

“Before that, I’d like Yves to leave.”

 

“I refuse.”

 

As expected, Yves furrowed his brows deeply and rejected her outright.

 

“This isn’t a request. If Yves doesn’t leave, I won’t say a single word.”

 

Yet Selene responded just as firmly. The sky-blue eyes facing him even carried a resolute determination that she would absolutely not yield.

 

The problem was that Yves was in the exact same way.

 

Moreover, since Selene already had a history of this, he wasn’t likely to give in this time either.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

The two stared at each other in silence.

 

Amid the heavy stillness that had settled over the room, I forcibly swallowed the sigh that had risen all the way to my chin.

 

‘I wish I had one of Endymion’s magical tools right now.’

 

For some reason, his absence felt especially pronounced today.

 

It wasn’t just about the magical tool itself, more than that, I needed his ability to step in appropriately and mediate at times like this.

 

‘No, wait. Should I just call him right now?’

 

Since neither side was going to back down anyway, conversation was impossible like this.

 

Having made up my mind, I stepped in between the two of them.

 

“Um, then I’ll go get Endymion and come back.”