How a Villain Defies Destiny – Chapter 32

Author: Nikss

Comparing it to the original, it was easy to understand.

It didn’t take me long to realize that my life had also become more precarious.

‘More followers for Selene meant more people who want to kill me.’

I could also vaguely recognize what Yves was worried about.

“Do you think they’ll try to assassinate me?”

“I can’t be sure, but it’s very likely.”

It was a mountain out of a stone.

‘Even as a candidate for sainthood, there’s no peace of mind.’

As I pondered the difficulties of life, as if nothing were easy, I heard Yves’s voice.

“I have a question.”

I looked at him, daring him to speak, and he stammered.

“Is the reason Lady Selene wants you dead to eliminate a candidate for sainthood?”

It’s a question that instantly turns the genre into a smear tactic.

‘That’s pure crap reasoning.’

On the other hand, it’s easy to see how it could be wrong.

On the face of it, there was no good reason for Selene, the original, to have framed me and set me up for execution.

It was a mistake that would have been easy for someone in his position who didn’t know what was happening.

After a moment to collect my thoughts, I corrected his misconception.

“That’s not true, I don’t think anyone would have expected me to have a divine mark.”

“Then why would Lady Selene want to trap you and kill you?”

Oh, I hadn’t thought of that yet.

‘What am I going to do, just say I don’t know?’

As I pondered how to deflect the situation because I couldn’t think of a good excuse, a question popped into my head.

“Before we get to that, I have a question of my own.”

“Are you changing the subject on purpose?”

I didn’t deny it outright, as I had half a mind to be able to pass the buck.

“…I can’t say I have any intention of doing so, but I feel it’s something I need to address before I can answer your question.”

A little impure intent, but not a lie, anyway!

Yves’s eyes widened, and he gave a hesitant but encouraging gesture with his chin.

“The Count was convinced from the beginning that I had been framed, and why was that?”

At the time, I hadn’t realized it, gripped by the horror of being forced by fate to die, but in retrospect, it was a pretty obvious point.

The charges are only called procedural because they are not subject to summary judgment unless they are felonies involving royalty.

The butler and knights of Baron Laurus had all testified in Selene’s favor, so everyone was already treating me like a criminal.

The unexpected visitor, on the other hand, acted as if there was no doubt in their minds that I hadn’t harmed Selene in the first place.

The rationale was that although she’d made a casual accusation, she never pursued it further.

‘I realize it’s a little late to bring this up now.’

I thought it was an important question, but Yves snorted.

As if he didn’t know what I was talking about.

I didn’t bother to call him out on his attitude, but pressed on.

“Don’t just stare at me, answer me.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were asking like you knew everything.”

The sarcasm was uncharacteristic of Yves.

‘I’ve seen it often enough, especially when you’ve been so rejecting of Laura.’

The difference now was that instead of a prickly attack of deep-seated disgust, it seemed more like someone who was just out to make fun of me.

Or maybe not.

The corners of his mouth curled upward, and he spoke back in his brightest tone of the day.

“Because I can see right through you.”

“What?”

“I’ve pointed out to you many times, that your face shows your emotions, and you’ve been carrying a fan because of that, haven’t you?” said Yves.

“Is that all you can tell me?”

“Do you need something more?”

“…”

When I was dumbfounded, Yves had the nerve to ask. It was so confident that it left me speechless.

I regained my composure and retorted, “Of course, it’s not enough! There are multiple witnesses and the circumstances fit perfectly, but, strangely, they decided to accuse me based on my facial expression.”

“Because sometimes a heartfelt appeal proves the truth more than hard evidence.”

It seemed like a nice line, but it was just emotional reasoning.

‘I thought Yves was supposed to be more cold and objective…’

Although I knew in my head that the butterfly effect of the game’s twists and turns had changed the characters’ personalities, the disparity was even more pronounced when I experienced it firsthand.

Yves must have sensed that I was getting nervous, because he added, “Moreover, the witnesses said that they heard the glass break, and a moment later they heard Lady Selene’s screams and cries for help, and they rushed in, startled, but they did not see the decisive moment when you attacked her.”

“That’s right!”

It was the part I wanted to argue the most.

But the Royal Knights threw me into prison without giving me a chance to swear an oath or argue my case.

They told me that I wasn’t worth listening to, and left me with the words, ‘The rest will be heard by the Court!’

As she recalls being treated like a criminal and mocked by the knights, Yves’ voice continues.

“And from what I’ve seen of you, albeit briefly, you may not say what you don’t want to say, but you don’t lie.”

Scary. It was a creepily keen observation.

‘I must never lie to Yves.’

Despite my resolve, the breaking point came quickly.

“Is that the answer you were hoping for?”

“Yes.”

“Then it’s your turn to answer my question, Lady Laurus.”

I recalled the question I had forgotten.

“Ah… was it a question about why Lady Selene framed me?”

“Yes.”

Somehow I could feel the palm of my hand on Yves’, but I still couldn’t say anything about regression or possession.

Maybe, I thought, perhaps Yves would believe the implausible story… but I didn’t.

But my jaw was still clenched.

In the end, I chose to tell only part of the truth, as before.

“I don’t know exactly what the purpose is, but she wants me to stand on the guillotine.”

Later that day, when Selene and I were alone, and I had completely left out anything related to regression or possession, Yves told me a surprising story.

“A few days ago, on my way back from seeing you, I ran into her, and she told me she could see things.”

“Precognition?”

I was surprised to hear myself say it, but I wasn’t sure why she’d told Yves.

“Yes. At first, she grabbed me and asked if you were okay.”

The more he told me about his encounter with Selene, the more questions I had.

“Then she asked me if I had killed you.”

Could Selene be wary of Endymion or Yves poisoning me, I wondered?

It was certainly a possibility.

After all, her goal was to meet with Xenon.

“So, what happened?”

“…”

Curious to see what would happen next, I pressed him, but he pursed his lips. He seemed to be choosing his words.

“Count?”

“…I was distracted there for a moment, giving her an unpleasant look, and she confessed to having precognitive abilities.”

“What? That’s a bit of an omission, isn’t it?”

I asked for an elaboration, not sure what the connection was between Yves’ frown and Selene’s confession that she had precognition, but Yves wrinkled his brows deeply, ignored my question, and told me the next part of the story.

“Then my brother showed up, and the conversation was cut short.”

“You’re not going to unravel it further, are you?”

“…”

“Alright, well, I guess we’ll just have to keep in mind that Lady Selene can foresee things.”

“Can you too?”

“What?”

“Lady Laurus has told me time and time again that another saint will appear, do you see it too?”

Without warning, Yves cut to the chase.

‘Well, not technically a premonition, but maybe it’s better to admit it now?’

After all, Selene had said she could see it, so why not?

It was also much more intuitive than rarities or possessions, so it was an easy ability for the average person to understand.

After much deliberation, I spoke cautiously, “I don’t know if it’s the same as Lady Selene’s, but I can actually see different possibilities for the future.”

“So just because you see it doesn’t mean it’s the future that will happen?”

“Yes.”

“Well, Lady Selene spoke with conviction… maybe that makes a difference.”

Accepting this without question, Yves remained silent, stroking his chin with his index finger in thought.

‘Perhaps I should tell him about Selene’s purpose?’

Stopping the regression had been my guess, but meeting Xenon was the exact purpose she had stated.

It would be better to tell Yves, so that we could predict her next move together.

Having made my decision, I turned to Yves, who was lost in thought.

“Lady Selene told me that there is someone she must meet.”

“Do you know who that is?”

“She says she can only meet him if I go to the guillotine.”

“I see.”