How a Villain Defies Destiny – Chapter 62

Author: Nikss

‘Honestly, as long as it doesn’t directly harm me, I don’t care.’

If Selene’s real goal was to target Yves, and she was currently plotting something out of my sight to do so. I could not help but be bothered by her absence, as I was likely to be caught in the middle of it.

‘I’d love it if she was back in the Euphrates, but…’

Based on her behavior so far, I don’t think I’d be able to tell. I mean, she’s not going to give up as long as she’s got her sights set on her goal.

Unlike in-game, I couldn’t intuitively see the favorability numbers, but it was clear that Yves didn’t have much interest in Selene at the moment.

‘She’s probably planning something to get to him.’

Since she hadn’t even approached him yet, she might be planning something big.

As I was walking back to my room, anxious about Selene’s disappearance, I heard a commotion in the distance.

“I’ve told you many times, that you can’t go inside.”

The first thing I saw was a head of flaming red hair.

“I’m not harming anyone, I’m just checking out Selene’s room, what’s your problem!”

The cocky tone and familiar voice made me even more uneasy.

“If you’re here as a guest, you’re welcome to enter the public areas, but Miss Selene’s room is private, and you have no right to enter.”

“And if I did have access, would I be allowed in?”

The tone was much calmer than the previous one, but still demanding.

It came from the black-haired man, his voice unrelenting and blunt.

“It is His Highness Enheduane’s authority, and I will obey it.”

“What’s the matter with you? It’s not like I’m going to sleep here, I’m just checking to see if Selene’s in the room, and then I’m leaving. Do I have to meet with the High Priestess over this?”

“As I already told you, Miss Selene is not here.”

Riqueia and Adhad looked for Selene.

‘She’s not even in her room.’

“So I’m going to see it with my own eyes!”

Seeing Riqueia yelling at the top of his lungs made me not want to go through there.

‘But why does he have to be in there?’

The temple of Nanna is where Eve, Selene, and I are staying. But it’s not just one building.

The Temple of Nanna was divided into a main building that handled all the religious business and several smaller buildings where the priests lived.

‘Like a university.’

The main building, of course, had everything from Enheduane’s office to private prayer rooms and places to hold rituals, and the priests’ quarters had their own welfare areas.

And where Riqueia and Adhad were standing now was in front of a dormitory, a female dormitory.

‘If it wasn’t for the entrance to the dormitory, I would have avoided it at all costs.’

Although I didn’t know Adhad, Riqueia, who didn’t like me, might have tried to argue with me.

But it was already late in the evening.

Most of the common areas, including the library, were closed, and I had nowhere else to go but my quarters.

‘Might as well get in while they’re still fighting the priest.’

The entrance wasn’t exactly wide, but the priest seemed preoccupied with the man who had stopped him, so it might be possible to slip through unnoticed.

However, as expected, as soon as she passed Riqueia’s side, she was stopped.

“Wait, the Prince of the Euphrates is trying to get in, why aren’t you stopping him?”

It was Yves, not me.

‘He’s going in alone.’

I’d overlooked his presence.

A wave of regret washed over me, but the water had already been spilled. All eyes were on Yves, and they naturally turned to me.

“Oh! You’re that wretch?”

“…”

Riqueia pointed his index finger at me with precision.

‘I don’t have to respond, so let’s run.’

Deciding that ignoring was the answer, I quickly made my way through the entrance and into the dormitory.

If only Riqueia hadn’t blocked the way with his body.

Just then, Yves squeezed between Riqueia and me.

“Move over.”

“More importantly, why are you with her?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“What? Are you…”

“I heard a rumor that you renounced your title and went to the Holy Realm. Are you with another candidate for Saint?”

Adhad, who had been watching, interrupted Riqueia, who was about to rant.

Riqueia seemed more surprised at the news than at being cut off.

“You gave up your title, just for this thing? Why?”

His reading comprehension was terrible.

‘You’re interpreting Adhad’s words in your own way.’

Firstly, there was nothing to criticize in what Adhad said.

It was right for Yves to give up his title and come to the Holy Realm, and it was also correct for him to be with me, another candidate for Saint.

But the reason that Yves had given up the title was to get away from the confrontation with Endymion. Not just because of me.

‘Giving up that title is the surest way to prove that he have no intention whatsoever of taking the throne.’

However, giving up the claim to the throne and the title of Count does not change the fact that Yves descends from the royal family of the Euphrates.

In other words, his mere existence could be the focal point of Endymion’s opposition.

‘That’s why he moved to the Holy Realm to avoid getting involved in unwanted political fights.’

Of course, I don’t know the details, so I could be wrong.

Riqueia’s interpretation of Adhad’s words was a blunt one, and he hadn’t even bothered to check the facts.

Like he liked me so much that he gave up his title to follow me.

“I am not obligated to answer.”

For a moment, I wondered if Yves was offended by Riqueia’s strange misunderstanding, but he didn’t change his expression.

Instead, he appeared to just want to move on, not wanting to be bothered.

“Well, we’ll leave you to it then.”

“I’m not done talking!”

Riqueia, on the other hand, was not backing down so easily.

“If me and Adhad can’t go in, how come you can? And this is a girls’ dormitory!”

“…”

Yves’s brow faintly creased. It was obvious that he was annoyed by Rikaia’s persistence.

However, he figured that confronting him would only make things more annoying, not less, so he didn’t say anything in response.

“Answer me.”

But Riqueia didn’t give up.

Even when Yves turned, he followed closely behind, blocking his path.

‘Riqueia would lose if he fought with strength. He’s not muscular like Adhad, so why would he think he could match him?’

Though unremarkable on the outside, Yves was strong enough to serve as the head of the paladins at the Temple of Astarte.

Adhad, obsessed with strength, or Endymion, who trained in swordsmanship to become the perfect king, would be no match for the seemingly unathletic Riqueia.

“Step aside.”

“Answer me, and I’ll let you go.”

“You seem to be relying on your status as Crown Prince, but all trials in the Holy Realm are fair before God, so judgment is given regardless. Do you realize that?”

Riqueia hesitated, as if he’d been hit on the head.

“That’s what happens when you commit a sin.”

“It’s also a sin when you challenge someone who is standing still.”

“I, I’m not arguing, I’m just confused. I can’t go in, but you can… I’m just trying to understand why.”

Doesn’t this sound like someone confessing that they fought because they were frustrated that they were left out?

‘It’s weird, all the people they targeted were all adults…’

As I stared at Riqueia, who was grumbling and beating around the bush, I suddenly realized that the air had turned chilly.

Not surprisingly, even Adhad, who had come with him, was giving a cold stare.

“Yves, is Miss Laura’s guardian knight, so he has the approval of His Highness Enheduane.”

Unable to endure the uncomfortable silence, the priest stepped forward and explained the situation.

“What, a guardian knight?”

“You have heard the reason, and I will leave.”

Sensing the weariness in Riqueia’s tone, Adhad made a quick exit.

‘That’s good.’

He turned away without a moment’s hesitation, as if to say that they had come together for the same purpose, but that he had no intention of agreeing with him.

“…”

Riqueia looked despondent.

Apparently, Adhad was on his side.

“Shall we go now?”

After watching for a while, I didn’t miss my chance and whispered to Yves.

“…!”

Startled by my sudden whisper, Yves flinched and took a step backward, and even Riqueia, who was at his side, took a few steps backward.

Riqueia’s gaze snapped back to us, looking in the direction Adhad had disappeared. His pink eyes, soulless and dazed, returned to focus.

“…Have you two been harassing Selene while you’ve been here?”

It was awful.

‘Everything should be in moderation.’

He began to use a strange tone of voice, as if he was going to lose if he backed down.