How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 56

Therefore, I had a premonition that if my plan went awry this time and I regressed, maybe I wouldn’t regress with her.

 

It would most likely be…

 

‘Most likely Nanna, God of Space and Time.’

 

Although I don’t know the exact purpose of the regression, I could make a rough guess based on the game I was playing.

 

My first hypothesis, based on the game’s romance genre, was that Nanna might be trying to marry Selene to the Crown Prince.

 

The happy endings of each of the targets were enough to confirm this.

 

With the exception of the hidden character Xenon Route, the epilogue for all the targets ended with them getting married and having a child.

‘A side speculation that stems from this is that maybe, just maybe, Selene’s regression is the ending.’

 

Well, it doesn’t matter to me whether it’s right or wrong.

 

Anyway, if this assumption were true, I would be a very annoying distraction in Nanna’s eyes.

 

The original Laura would be fine, but the Laura with the god’s mark would steal the spotlight from Selene.

 

The same goes for Yves, who followed me into the Holy Realm.

 

So if I could go back in time, I would want to remove myself as a distraction to the purpose.

 

In hindsight, when I first regressed with Selene, no one but Yves knew that I had the mark of the gods.

 

Maybe Nana didn’t know either, which explains why I’ve regressed to the same point in time several times.

 

So if I were to regress this time, I would most likely go back in time to the original Laura, not the Laura with the divine mark.

 

Of course, I have no way of knowing if this would be possible or not.

 

Even if I had the divine mark, I was still just a human.

 

That’s why I’ve come all the way to Dilbat. I wanted to see the end result of my choices.

 

‘I wonder what will happen.’ 

 

I prayed, looking up at the blue sky. To the nameless god who had favored me.

 

‘Please, let me spend tomorrow, my day, without regret.’

 

💫

 

“Everyone, are you ready?”

 

“Yes! 

 

There were more people in the room than there had been at yesterday’s meeting, as Syris and her family had also volunteered to help with the evacuation.

 

“Miss Syris, are you sure you’re going to be okay?”

 

“Of course! Besides, I’m in charge of the inside of the temple anyway, and with Enheduane here, I’m sure we’ll be safe.”

 

She seemed to have a lot of confidence in Enheduane.

 

It was understandable, since she was the High Priestess in charge of one of the seven temples of the Holy Realm, the highest of all the temples.

‘Though more often than not, she’s too friendly for her position.’ 

 

Still, I listened to her speech, admiring her for being so highly placed and willing to take on such a tough job.

 

“That’s all I have to say, I’m sure you’ll all do well, and I’ll see you all alive!”

 

“Yes!”

 

The meeting ended, and we quickly dispersed to our respective places.

 

As the sun set, I headed out of the temple as well.

 

At first, everyone except for the younger people, like Syris, decided to go around and give evacuation instructions.

 

“You seemed scared yesterday, are you sure you’re okay?”

 

Originally, I was supposed to wait in the temple with Syris and come out after dark, but this morning I asked Enheduane to let me join the group.

 

“Yves will protect you.”

 

It wasn’t a major change of heart, but I couldn’t help but think that this might be my last day.

 

‘Something will happen.’ 

 

As I prayed to the gods yesterday, I just want to have a day without regrets.

A bell rang loudly from the temple bell tower. Syris must be striking it hard.

 

‘Perhaps I will try my hand at it.’

 

💫

 

“Wow, that’s cool.”

 

“It is. I never thought I’d get to witness something like this in my lifetime.”

 

The area near the temple was crowded with people.

 

They were watching the sky. It was a marvelous and terrifying sight: countless giant fireballs raining down.

 

As the fireballs hit the buildings, they shattered, scattering debris everywhere.

 

“My goodness, how long has it been since I bought a house, and the gods have given me such a trial…”

 

“Father, but life comes first, and this is the work of dragons, not gods.”

 

“Those mean bastards!”

 

“Grandma, is this also a Thanksgiving festival?”

 

“Mmm, yeah. Let’s just call it that.”

 

Outside the window, the buildings were crumbling with a tremendous noise, but the people gathered inside the temple remained calm.

 

“Well, I’m glad to hear it went off without a hitch.”

 

“Yeah, it was so… smooth, it’s almost scary.”

 

Despite their worries, people obeyed the evacuation orders.

 

A few people fled the city, but they were so few and far between that it was decided to leave them alone.

 

‘The most shocking thing is the population.’

 

Honestly, it’s not a big city, but it’s bigger than a small town, so I was pretty nervous.

 

I was worried about whether the temple on the outskirts would be able to accommodate all the people in the city.

 

However, even though it was called a city, the population was surprisingly small.

 

My mind was already thinking in terms of the population of the city in my previous life.

 

‘Still, it’s not like it’s a lot.’

 

It certainly would have been difficult if Enheduane hadn’t brought a crystal-widening artifact.

 

“What are you thinking?”

 

“I was wondering if we should say there are fewer people or more.”

 

“…Is that something you need to think about?”

 

“I think so.”

 

“By the way, a real dragon… I honestly didn’t believe it when you said you had precognitive abilities.”

 

It caught me off guard. He’s been so eager to help, I thought he trusted my precognitive abilities to save as many people as possible, just like Enheduane.

 

“Thank you.”

 

“What is it?”

 

“You worked so hard to help me even though you didn’t believe in it, and this is my way of thanking you for that.”

 

“…”

 

A complicated, indescribably nuanced emotion flashed across Yves’s face, but I turned away.

 

To watch the fireballs falling from the sky.

 

‘At least they’re not hitting the temple.’ 

 

Thank goodness, because I was worried about what I would do if the dragons realized the building was unoccupied and attacked the temple.

 

Now I could breathe a little more easily.

 

‘What is the purpose of that dragon?’

 

If I ever meet Huluppu again, I wonder what he’d say.

 

‘Come to think of it, you didn’t bother to use this.’

 

The branch still hanging from my waist. For some reason, I thought, I’m glad it was over so quickly that I didn’t have to use it.

 

‘Now, tomorrow morning, everything will be decided.’

 

Whether Selene would wake up.

 

Or if time will go back.

 

In a way, tomorrow, not today, was the real test for me.

 

💫

 

“Laura, aren’t you sleeping?”

 

“I just can’t sleep. Is Miss Syris awake at this hour of the morning?”

 

“I just can’t sleep, either.”

 

The dragon’s attack was over, but since it was impossible to enter the ruined city, the evacuees decided to sleep in the temple.

 

As such, they had no choice but to sleep in a room together, and that’s probably why Syris was wandering around the temple.

 

“Sister Laura, thank you so much.”

 

“What? For what?”

 

“Because you’re the reason people in our city are safe, and when I grow up, I’ll make sure to support you!”

 

“No, you don’t. I’ll provide for myself, and you don’t have to worry about anything, Miss Syris.”

 

“But… she told me to pay you back twice as much if I ever owe a favor.”

 

“Who?”

 

“My mom!”

 

She must be passionate.

 

‘Well, I don’t recall seeing her mother in any of the families we met today.’

 

The question popped into my head, but I quickly brushed it aside.

 

After all, one shouldn’t pry into someone else’s home life so casually.

 

“She must be a wonderful woman.”

 

“Isn’t she? I’m definitely going to be a priest, I promised my mother.”

 

“I’m sure you could be, Miss Syris!”

 

“For some reason, when you say it, it makes me feel like it’s going to happen.”

 

I was about to ask her why she thought that, but I was interrupted.

 

“Laura, people are coming through the gate!”

 

It was Selene.

 

“…Yeah. 

 

That’s weird. They haven’t come in yet. Selene must have arrived the morning after the attack. Not before dawn like this.

 

“Shouldn’t we check to see who it is?”

 

“Oh, I’ll inform Enheduane, and Miss Syris can wait here.”

 

“Right. Okay!”

 

Leaving Syris on the bench, I headed for Enheduane’s chambers, where she had been given at random.

 

My heart raced as I walked, as did my steps.

 

The beings beside Selene made me nervous.

 

Having failed in attempting to enter through the Xenon route, I had expected to see Endymion.

 

‘Why is Selene taking the reverse harem route?’

 

If you fail the Xenon route in the first place, you’re only left with Yves and Endymion…

 

‘Is this even possible?’ 

 

As the questions pile up, I arrive in front of Enheduane’s room.

 

Knock, knock—

 

“It’s Laura.”

 

“Come in.”

 

When I entered her room, there were children from the local community scattered all over the floor.

 

Space was limited, and they had to share her room.

 

As I approached her, careful not to step on any of the children, Enheduane spoke first.

 

“What brings you here at this late hour?”

 

“…Well, I think we have reinforcements.”

 

Enheduane’s eyes widened.

 

“What do you mean? We haven’t sent out a call for reinforcements yet.”

 

“There’s a group of the Crown Princes, including Lady Selene, at the temple right now.”

 

Enheduane followed behind me, puzzled.

 

‘Strangely, they’re here at this hour, but why are they here at all if we haven’t even asked for their assistance?’

 

After so many regressions, Selene must have known that Dilbat would be destroyed.

 

‘I’m sure she’s tried everything.’

 

The problem was, that the game always showed that the temple was called in for backup.