How a Villain Defies Destiny – Chapter 35

Author: Nikss

“It’s too scary.”

The ladies and the younger children merely chorused in agreement, as if stunned by the word wizard.

I, on the other hand.

‘Wow, this is crazy!’

I was genuinely impressed.

Not to Selene, who was trying to frame me as a wizard, but to Yves, who must have calculated and planned all of this.

‘I heard there’s a higher flying one than the one that runs…’

It is the way of the world that where there exists good, there also exists evil.

However, in this world, some gods symbolize good, but there are no demons or devils.

Instead, a sorcerer stood in opposition to the gods.

‘I only found out about this after I possessed.’

Because the game just described it as a time of decline for magic.

So when I was playing the game, I thought it was just a lighthearted way to differentiate the fantasy world from other universes and emphasize the specialness of the heroine, who happens to be a Saint.

However, when I took over Laura’s body and started looking through her memories, I made a shocking discovery.

Over 100 years ago.

The oracle had come down, ‘The wizards will bring disaster to the world.’

This led to the current decline of magic and the scarcity of wizards.

‘This reminded me that history is similar everywhere.’

Just like the medieval witch hunts in my previous life, if you were found to be a wizard in this world, you were immediately executed.

And this was such basic common knowledge to the people here that even the uneducated Laura knew it.

‘Though I never realized it because the original story doesn’t mention any other oracles before the Saint’s birth.’

Anyway.

In this world, if you were labeled a wizard, the guillotine was a sure thing.

Yet, Yves seemed to have sensed Selene’s plan early on.

‘That’s probably why Enheduane and I only met yesterday.’

To make it appear that my meeting with Enheduane was ostensibly to confirm that I was a wizard.

However, Yves had used her plan to his advantage.

It didn’t take me long to realize that Selene’s movements were also meant to conceal her intentions entirely from me.

‘Here, I need to surprise Selene and Endymion like a guilty villain to catch them off guard.’

I’m sure he’s taking into account my inability to control my expression.

Suddenly, I understood why he had readily agreed to my request to go to the monastery.

There was no way a wizard would go to a monastery full of priests.

‘You’re thinking a few steps too far.’

Truly, it was a tongue-in-cheek plan.

Or maybe not.

“Now, Laura Laurus. Do you still deny your sins?”

Endymion, looking visibly perked up, demanded, his voice full of authority.

‘Is this the time for Enheduane to interject?’

I glanced over at her, hoping to see if she was about to intervene, but for some reason, she hadn’t.

She must have something else in mind. The problem was, I didn’t know what it was.

‘Well, I’m sure she’s already figured out what I’m going to do and has a game plan in place.’

I improvised an answer to Endymion’s question, knowing I had a lot of faith in him.

“I have nothing to do with wizards, it’s just the way of the world that I don’t mind swearing an oath.”

“…Are you claiming that because you are innocent, you are not branded?”

“Yes.”

“Tsk, I see you intend to fight to the bitter end.”

Endymion’s brow furrowed in disapproval.

Shifting his gaze, he changed the subject of his question.

“High Priestess Enheduane, I understand you had a meeting with Laura Laurus yesterday. Is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“How did it go?”

Her soft smile narrowed at Endymion’s blunt question.

“It was very unexpected.”

At the same time, I had a hunch. That the time to strike back had finally arrived.

“Tell me more.”

“But first, let me swear to tell you the truth.”

All eyes in the courtroom turned to her.

“Miss Laura was a Saint, surprisingly enough.”

There were gasps here and there at Enheduane’s shocking statement.

Several people turned to their companions to confirm what they had heard in disbelief.

The most vocal of these was Endymion, standing atop the podium.

His regal bearing was gone, and his grotesquely distorted face resembled that of a wild animal.

Alone in the midst of the chaos, he was as still as the eye of the storm.

‘Ah, how exhilarating and satisfying.’

Inwardly, I am amused as I watch my attackers flounder in confusion.

“I repeat my question.”

Endymion, unable to contain the anger that had been spilling out of him, repeated.

“You said you sensed an otherworldly aura around Laura Laurus, is that correct?”

“Yes.”

“Then why do you say Laura Laurus is a saint?”

“Because the holy object responded to it. The energy I felt was the divine power of the divine mark.”

Her repetition of her statement left the audience aghast again.

“This is ridiculous.”

“I hope my ears are wrong.”

“My goodness.”

“I can’t believe Lady Laurus is a saint…”

All the onlookers, young and old, muttered to themselves in dismay.

But my attention was elsewhere.

‘Divine power? Did she say divine power wrong? Or is that what they call divine power, which is higher than holy power?’

The question came to mind, but I was in no mood to ask, so I decided to keep quiet.

“Is it true?”

Enheduane grimaced at the question’s constant repetition.

“The oaths of the gods and the holy relics are absolute, and any denial beyond this will be considered an insult to Nanna.”

Her smile wiped away, her face sharpened like a well-honed blade.

Sensing that the conversation had taken a turn for the worse, the chattering spectators fell silent, one by one.

A heavy silence descended upon the courtroom.

‘She’s best when her eyes are expressionless.’

I, who had no sense of urgency, fixed my gaze on Enheduane’s face, lost in thought.

“Hmm.”

A hollow cough came from somewhere. I didn’t make eye contact, but I immediately realized it was a signal from Yves.

‘Oh, is this the time to tell them I’m going to the monastery?’

I paused to catch my breath.

Trying to figure out what to say to someone with a brain freeze that would elicit an effective response.

But just as I was about to open my mouth.

“Wait a minute. Honestly, I don’t believe it until I see it with my own two eyes.”

“I’m of the same opinion. If you do possess the Relic, would you mind showing it to us here?”

Riqueia and Adhad, who were standing on either side of Selene, took the position.

“I’m begging you, too. I have no intention of disgracing Nanna, but I simply don’t believe it.”

Endymion chimed in, and the stoic Enheduane sighed softly.

“…But if you continue to deny it, even after the Relic has responded, I will not stand for it any longer.”

“Very well.”

“Understood.”

“Thank you.”

As the three Princes agreed, Enheduane took the Relic from her arms.

Placing the silver sphere on the table, she beckoned to me.

“Miss Laura, I need you to do the same thing you did yesterday.”

“Yes.”

It wasn’t too difficult, so I walked up to her without much hesitation.

As I stood in front of the holy object, I could see the inside of the tribunal.

Selene, in particular, was looking pale and frightened. I smiled, one corner of my mouth lifting faintly so only she could see it.

‘I don’t know what they’re after, but I’m not going to stand idly by.’

Still, I had no intention of taking revenge on her, but I wasn’t about to submit to fate either.

Yesterday, when I placed my hand on the holy relic, an intense light burst forth from it.

A brilliant radiance colored the room, and everyone froze as if time had stopped for a moment.

Enheduane’s bright voice echoed through the silence, not even the slightest breathing could be heard.

“And so, it is hereby proven that Miss Laura is not a wizard, but a saint, recognized by the Holy Relic.”

She drove the final wedge.

With the implication that no other refutation was possible.

Despite this, the targets, except for Yves, still looked in denial.

‘They’re keeping quiet because they don’t want to mess with the Holy Kingdom.’

To disagree with the outcome of the divine artifact would mean rebelling against the divine will.

“I have one question.”

Adhad, the most composed of the shocked, raised his hand.

Enheduane’s eyes hardened.

“You’re not objecting, are you?”

“No, I’m just asking because I don’t understand something about the current situation.”

When Enheduane nodded for him to continue, Adhad added an afterthought.

“You didn’t mention that there are two saints in the oracle, so I’m wondering if that means they’re both saints, or if only one of them will become a saint.”

“Well, that’s something I’m not sure that I can answer clearly.”

She explained that she would have to report this to the Holy Kingdom and go through an internal meeting.

“So for now, I’m arbitrarily considering you two as candidates for sainthood.”

“Such a…!”

Riqueia was about to protest, but then realized that he shouldn’t.

In case something went wrong, he might be labeled as having defied the gods.

Enheduane’s cold mauve eyes turned to Riqueia.

“You don’t recognize the consequences of the holy artifact?”

“No, of course not.”

Perhaps pressed by the momentum, Riqueia shifted his stance faster than light.

Adhad sighed softly, then spoke up, “So you’re not sure how we’re going to solve the problem with the saint, or how much longer it will take.”

“That’s right.”