How a Villain Defies Destiny Chapter 74

It was Xenon who asked for my name.

 

At the same time, I instinctively tensed.

 

He had traveled all the way to the Divine Realm to make Selene a Saint like the other targets, and I knew he couldn’t be approaching me with good intentions.

 

‘What does he have up his sleeve?’

 

I couldn’t figure out exactly what he was up to, so I gave him a wary glance but opened my mouth to agree with him for now.

 

“I told you once before, this is Miss Laura, another candidate for sainthood.”

 

Selene, who I hadn’t even realized she was approaching, answered instead.

 

‘What is this… this situation… did you two set it up?’

 

Her timing was so exquisite, I had a feeling it was intentional.

 

‘But do you have something against me?’ 

 

Everyone already knows I have no intention of becoming a saint, so I don’t think it’s any of your business.

 

‘What could Selene possibly want to take from me in the first place… No way, Yves.’ 

 

Just as I was about to think that there was nothing, I realized that Yves was standing by my side.

 

Of course, my relationship with him hasn’t progressed to the point where I could claim him as my own.

 

‘Oh well, that’s not the point.’

 

I shook the nagging thoughts from my head, and recalled the image of Selene that had changed slightly from my conversation with Endymion a few days earlier.

 

‘She still loves him, but I thought she was doing something special to stop the cycle of regression…’

 

I had a suspicion that maybe it was just my delusion and that what she was really after was a reverse harem ending, as I had initially assumed.

 

Unnerved, I clutched the end of Yves’ sleeve tightly and watched the two of them warily.

 

Then, unexpectedly, Xenon broached an uncomfortable subject.

 

“I thought you said you were a noble of the Euphrates Kingdom, but do you have a family name?”

 

Selene’s face stiffened, as if the question had been discussed beforehand.

 

The surprise didn’t end there.

 

“…”

 

Having played the innocent girl who never batted an eye at most things and knew nothing about them, she made no excuses.

 

‘Has her conscience finally been pricked?’ 

 

Or maybe she’s hiding something from Xenon, and doesn’t want to answer.

 

But when she fell silent, so did the others.

 

Even Endymion, Adhad, and Riqueia, stuck to Selene like a stick of gum.

 

‘Why isn’t anyone saying anything.’ 

 

Everyone in this room had been in the trial, except Xenon.

 

None of the others seemed willing to join the conversation, and Xenon didn’t look like he was going to leave until his questions were answered.

 

‘What is it, is it not a conspiracy?’

 

Sensing that the atmosphere had become strangely odd, I scanned the group and realized something in hindsight.

 

I don’t know what’s going on between Selene and Xenon right now, or if this was even intentional, but I realize that the longer I stay still, the longer the uncomfortable silence lengthens.

 

Desperate to get out of this more than anyone else, I finally gave in and spoke up.

 

“It doesn’t matter, because status doesn’t matter in the Divine Realm.”

 

It was an offhand remark that had nothing to do with the trial.

 

But Xenon shrugged it off, as if he too was curious about the details of the trial.

 

“You’re right, then I’ll just call you names. You may call me by my first name.”

 

It was a pretty unassuming comment for a noble.

 

‘Come to think of it, Xenon was an unusual character in the game, a nobleman who didn’t care much about his status.’

 

It’s not a particularly memorable story, and I’d forgotten about it, but it’s one of the reasons why he worked so well with Selene in the original.

 

Their free-spirited nature, not being bound by things like status, was a good match, and they traveled together a lot.

 

After a few moments of reminiscing about the Hidden Route, Xenon reiterated his earlier question.

 

“Anyway, Laura, why are you so opposed to becoming a saint?”

 

Catching the stream of consciousness that had threatened to take a different path, I glanced at Selene, who remained stiff, and explained carefully.

 

“As I explained to her eminence Atharaxis earlier, I truly believe that Se-Lady Selene is more worthy of the title of saint.”

 

I almost called her Selene again, this time without meaning to, but I corrected myself more smoothly than before and added a last word before Xenon could open his mouth.

 

“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I still have class.”

 

With that, I strode out of the office without giving anyone a chance to stop me.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

Taking off at a brisk pace until I was out of breath, I stopped only after Yves asked how I was doing.

 

“I, uh… huh… yeah.”

 

I struggled to catch my breath and replied as if I was fine.

 

Knowing it was definitely not okay, Yves pulled my wrist and headed for a nearby bench.

 

“No one’s coming after you, so let’s get some rest, and we don’t have any more classes today anyway.”

 

Clearly, Yves knew exactly what I wanted to do, which was lie down anywhere.

 

‘It’s always Yves.’

 

Arriving at the bench, I flopped down without a second thought.

 

If only Yves hadn’t grabbed my wrist and stopped me.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

“It’s winter, and I think it’s too cold to just sit.”

 

The answer left me dumbfounded.

 

‘No. You were the one who suggested we take a break!’ 

 

For a moment, I felt a pang of resentment, but then I noticed the faint upturn of the corner of his lips.

 

It was one of his occasional jokes.

 

‘I thought you were worried about me, out of breath.’

 

His teasing, while amusing, wasn’t unpleasant, so I sighed softly and replied bluntly.

 

“I’ll sit down with a handkerchief.”

 

“A thin handkerchief won’t keep out the chill.”

 

Normally, I would have accepted, but the nonstop, fast-paced pace from the highest floor of the pontifical palace had taken its toll.

 

All I could think about was wanting to sit down, so my tone was sharp.

 

“Then at least take off your robe, Yves, and lay it down.”

 

“There’s a better way.”

 

“Are you sure it’s a better way? That’s a sinister laugh.”

 

“If you don’t believe me, I’ll swear to God.”

 

“No, I’ll listen and then decide. 

 

“It’s probably faster to do it yourself than to listen.”

 

“What?”

 

A moment of puzzlement.

 

In an instant, my body was spinning, and turning, and my vision changed.

 

The next thing I knew, I realized I was sitting on something solid and warm.

 

At the same time, my body went stiff.

 

‘I must be crazy.’ 

 

And I was. I was now sitting on Yves’s lap.

 

“Now, wait, just a minute, what the…”

 

Unlike me, who was too stunned to speak, Yves was actually looking quite innocent.

 

“Is something wrong?”

 

He sounded so calm that I felt like I was the only one freaking out.

 

Still, there was definitely a point to be made, so I asked anyway.

 

“…Is the fact that I’m sitting on Yves’ lap not a problem?”

 

“It’s hard to keep the cold out in the middle of winter, even with a robe, so I thought it would be the most efficient way.”

 

The more I told him my thoughts, the more I felt like I was the only one who was weird.

 

‘I sound like a self-conscious person!’ Honestly, I was.

 

“No. But… it’s… other people will think it’s weird…”

 

“I don’t think anyone will think it’s weird.”

 

“What? Why?”

 

“Well, didn’t Miss Nishana or Miss Syris sit on your lap quite often, and they didn’t seem strange to me.”

 

“They’re children!”

 

“There’s no law that says only children can sit on one’s lap, so don’t worry about it.”

 

“But…”

 

When I tried to argue back, still unconvinced, Yves lowered her tone even further.

 

“Or is it that you don’t like being on my lap?”

 

“What?”

 

“If that’s what it is, then tell me honestly. Because right now I can’t tell what you’re… looking like.”

 

“I don’t hate it!”

 

I yelped, and my head whipped around.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

And then I immediately regretted it.

 

The distance between me and Yves’ face was too close.

 

We could feel each other’s breath. When the faint sound of the wind ceased, time seemed to stand still.

 

The surrounding scenery faded away, and it seemed like it was just me and Yves in this world.

 

As I sat on his leg, I don’t know how long I remained still, but I snapped out of it when I caught sight of my stupid face reflected in his clear silver eyes.

 

“…!”

 

Now that I’ve regained my senses, this situation seems so embarrassing.

 

‘I must be crazy.’ 

 

That was the thought I had only a few minutes ago, but if it had been Yves, this time it was me.

 

Or, more accurately, my heart, which had begun to beat uncontrollably fast.

 

‘Please calm down!’