How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 149

“I never thought Yves was weak. I was just considering the worst-case scenario.”

 

I hurriedly explained.

 

At that moment, Endymion, who was standing beside me, also chimed in.

 

“I shared the same opinion as Laura. If it were you, you would have given Laura some kind of notice even if you were only stepping away for a short while.”

 

“That’s right. That’s exactly why I was worried.”

 

I responded to Endymion’s timely help and earnestly explained so that Yves wouldn’t misunderstand.

 

However, for some reason, the more I talked, the more Yves’s expression gradually hardened.

 

It was as if something displeased him.

 

‘Why is he reacting like that?’

 

I carefully replayed the recent conversation in my mind, but I couldn’t figure out what had struck a nerve with him.

 

I tilted my head in confusion at Yves’s inexplicable reaction when my eyes happened to meet Endymion’s.

 

He seemed to be thinking something similar and subtly gave me a glance.

 

It was as if he were telling me to do something to lighten the mood.

 

‘I don’t even know why Sir Yves’s mood suddenly dropped, so what does he expect me to do?’

 

I shrugged my shoulders slightly toward Endymion, conveying that I had no idea what to do. Then Endymion suddenly moved his lips.

 

‘Ex… pla… na… tion…? No. Practical advice?’

 

It looked like he was offering some opinion to break through the situation, but no matter how carefully I watched his mouth, it was hard to understand what he was saying.

 

Moreover, while Endymion and I were exchanging glances, the uncomfortable silence continued, and the air grew heavier by the second. 

 

I couldn’t drag it out any longer.

 

‘I can’t do this. This isn’t even a silent scream. What the hell are we doing?’

 

Staring intently at Endymion, I gave up trying to figure out what he was saying and decided to just ask Yves honestly.

 

“Sir Yves…”

 

“You two…”

 

Unfortunately, my voice overlapped with Yves’s at the exact same time. The moment we both paused, Fenrir took control of the conversation.

 

[As expected, I knew it was nothing.]

 

Completely ignoring the flow of the air, Fenrir chattered on as if he were simply happy that his guess had been correct.

 

[I told you it was all unnecessary fuss!]

 

Fenrir’s triumphant voice continued in my head as he boasted to Endymion and me, but I ignored it and asked Yves.

 

“Sir Yves, weren’t you about to say something just now?”

 

“Why did Laura call me instead?”

 

Yves seemed unwilling to let me speak first and turned the question back on me instead. His attitude was difficult to read it felt like he was hiding something, or perhaps being wary.

 

‘Whatever it is, asking directly should clear up the doubts.’

 

Yves’s behavior was a bit strange, but I thought that if we talked openly and honestly, at least there wouldn’t be any misunderstandings, so I continued what I had been trying to say.

 

“I couldn’t guess why your mood suddenly became so bad, Sir Yves. I was trying to ask if I had done something to upset you.”

 

“Ah…”

 

“If you have something you want to say, please feel free to say it without holding back.”

 

I added those words while looking at Yves, who had let out a low sigh.

 

“…It’s nothing.”

 

However, Yves, who was faintly frowning, avoided answering in a slow tone.

 

‘He clearly has a lot on his mind.’

 

It was obvious to anyone that he had something to say, but I didn’t press him.

 

I knew Yves’s personality well; once he closed his mouth on a topic, he rarely brought it up again.

 

‘I’ll ask him privately later when we’re alone.’

 

With that thought in mind, I tried to change the subject so the atmosphere wouldn’t become awkward, but unexpectedly, Yves spoke first.

 

“By the way, what brings you here, brother? Did you come because of the trial of the Saint’s Young Lady the day after tomorrow?”

 

The problem was that he had brought up the topic that Endymion most likely did not want to mention right now.

 

“…”

 

Endymion’s complexion darkened instantly, as if he had been struck in a vital spot without warning.

 

“Or did something else happen?”

 

Meanwhile, Yves’s voice grew even sharper.

 

When Endymion couldn’t answer right away, Yves seemed to find him even more suspicious and became more guarded.

 

‘Come to think of it, something like this happened before.’

 

A memory suddenly surfaced; it was from a few days ago, right after I had regained consciousness.

 

Even then, Yves had been wary of Endymion, who had visited without any prior contact. He thought Endymion might try to use me, now that I had been confirmed as the official Saint.

 

‘Because the Endymion from before the regression was more than capable of doing that.’

 

In the past, he would flip his attitude in an instant and act friendly if the person had value as a chess piece, no matter how bad their previous relationship had been.

 

Of course, the current Endymion was struggling so much that he couldn’t even handle his own love life.

 

“Why can’t you answer?”

 

Even while I was lost in thought, Yves’s questioning continued.

 

Unable to watch any longer, I stepped in.

 

“Sir Endymion came because he had a favor to ask of me.”

 

“Why is Laura answering for him?”

 

“Well…”

 

I hesitated, unsure whether I should honestly say that I had stepped in because bringing up Selene seemed to hurt Endymion mentally. I rolled my eyes and glanced at Endymion.

 

“It was a request that lacked dignity as an older brother, so I hesitated to reveal it to you.”

 

Letting out a deep sigh, he replied in a much calmer tone.

 

It seemed he didn’t want Yves to know that he had asked me for love advice.

 

I was thinking that I, too, should be careful not to say anything unnecessary about Selene and Endymion in front of Yves when…

 

“Is it a request so embarrassing that you have to hide it?”

 

Yves suddenly spat out an aggressive remark toward Endymion.

 

Upon hearing those words, Endymion’s face twisted violently as if he had received a fatal wound.

 

“…”

 

“They say silence is affirmation, so brother…”

 

“More importantly, why did the Pope call for you, Sir Yves?”

 

Yves was about to relentlessly press the speechless Endymion, but before the atmosphere could turn even worse, I jumped in between them.

 

“…”

 

Perhaps annoyed that I had cut him off, Yves’s eyes narrowed sharply in an instant.

 

For a second, I regretted stepping in, but Fenrir was watching the quarrel between Yves and Endymion with an amused, interested gaze and showed no sign of intervening. 

 

I rationalized that if I didn’t stop them, it would turn into a big fight, and continued speaking.

 

“If it’s confidential, you don’t have to tell me.”

 

I let out an awkward laugh, and Yves’s fierce momentum softened considerably.

 

His wariness toward Endymion remained, but he seemed to have noticed that I was trying to stop their fight and decided to yield.

 

He let out a light sigh as if he had no choice and answered.

 

“It wasn’t anything that needed to be hidden.”

 

The question had been thrown out meaninglessly just to change the subject, but what came out of Yves’s mouth was unexpected.

 

He had been offered the position of Commander of the Holy Kingdom’s Order of Holy Knights after they had highly evaluated the abilities he had shown in this incident.

 

“Wow, that’s incredible! Congratulations!”

 

I sincerely congratulated him.

 

The Holy Kingdom’s Order of Holy Knights was a more difficult and honorable order to join than the Empire’s Imperial Knights.

 

It evaluated people purely based on swordsmanship skill and faith, regardless of social status.

 

Moreover, even if someone became a holy knight in a temple of another country, they still had to pass a separate test to become one in the Holy Kingdom.

 

“I feel good that Laura is congratulating me, but I declined the offer.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Because I am your guardian knight. I don’t need any other position.”

 

“J-just for that reason? Don’t you think it’s a waste?”

 

“If I thought it was a waste, I wouldn’t have abandoned my status in the Euphrates Kingdom and crossed over to the Holy Kingdom.”

 

Yves was right.

 

‘I had forgotten, but when you think about it, Sir Yves was royalty.’

 

Although his right to the throne was second in line, if he had stayed in the Euphrates Kingdom, he could have lived peacefully with a high status and good treatment.

 

“The reason I went to see His Holiness the Pope without saying anything to Laura was that I thought the conversation would end quickly.”

 

However, the seven archbishops had clung on more persistently than expected, so it took longer.

 

“I knew Fenrir had been in Laura’s room since morning, so I judged that you wouldn’t come looking for me for a while.”

 

His added guess was accurate.

 

After all, I hadn’t even noticed his absence until it was almost lunchtime.

 

“I see.”

 

[ I also sensed this guy’s presence in the morning, so I didn’t find it particularly strange. ]