BJ Villainess Chapter 173

23. You Have to Die to Survive

Knock, knock.

 

The hands that were filling the paper with a new magic design while being deeply immersed stopped abruptly at the knock. This place was a private reading room in the first-floor library.

 

“Lady Theresa, it’s time to close the library.”

 

Did the time pass by like that? At the librarian’s voice, I stretched my stiff body and replied, “Okay, I’ll be out.”

 

I threw everything into my inventory as if dumping it and left the reading room, seeing other students preparing to leave as they had been studying too. This reminded me that I hadn’t seen Clyde all day. Not seeing the demon Clyde felt like a mischievous puppy was hiding somewhere, giving me an uneasy feeling.

 

Where could he have gone?

 

Even though there was an <Attribute Magic> exam, he was nowhere to be seen. Of course, what exam would a demon care about? Now, I even started to worry if Clyde was being held back due to the changes I caused in the scenario.

 

“Surely not…”

 

While narrowing my eyebrows and walking, I suddenly felt a gaze and turned around, only to see the eyes that were fixed on me scatter busily.

 

They must have been looking at the butterfly wings. I thought it was a natural reaction and didn’t mind. It was rather strange that no one directly asked me about my butterfly wings. Ah, except for Clybe.

 

Anyway, today’s test results were all good. Especially the <Attribute Magic> exam, which was similar to what Ilya trained me in the heavenly realm, secured me an A grade.

 

I’ll go back to the dormitory, briefly review the exam scope, and work on developing magic to link my inventory to subspace.

 

Thud. While reading a magic book and walking to the dormitory, my forehead bumped into something. Looking up, I saw Damian standing in front of me, blocking me with his hand.

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Romance Pass’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[Finally, this channel started to live up to the romance genre.]

 

My forehead didn’t hurt where it hit his palm, but as I rubbed it unnecessarily. Damian laughed softly.

 

“I told you it’s dangerous to walk like that.” Genuine concern seeped through his voice as he gently chided me.

 

Feeling weird, I looked around the empty road and said, “But there was no one.”

 

“Still. Someone might suddenly appear, like me.”

 

That’s because you’re an assassin who knows how to completely hide your presence.

 

I casually acknowledged and tried to pass by Damian. But his appearance in front of me wasn’t just a coincidence, as he stepped in the same direction I was trying to pass, intentionally blocking my way.

 

“Do you have something to tell me?”

 

“Do you want to have lunch with me tomorrow?”

 

I was a bit startled by his question. Didn’t he find me bothersome until this morning? But the look in Damian’s eyes that was looking at me didn’t feel distant. I wasn’t sure if this was a good change or not. And I couldn’t exactly figure out what his intention was in asking me to have lunch together. Plus, I had already agreed to have lunch with Libby tomorrow.

 

If he’s trying to approach Libby by asking me to have lunch together, that would be troublesome.

 

Damian knew that Libby had awakened the healing ability of a white butterfly.

 

It’s one thing if it’s just the two of us, but I can’t put Libby in a dangerous situation.

 

As soon as I finished calculating, I refused. “Sorry. I already have a prior engagement for lunch tomorrow.”

 

Damian’s smile quickly turned cold. “Is it Professor Ilya?”

 

“Huh?”

 

“The one you have a prior engagement for lunch with.”

 

“…No?”

 

“Then, Clyde?”

 

I ended up hastily explaining myself to his questioning. “It’s not that. I’m going to have lunch with Libby.”

 

“Ah, Libby.”

 

Damian’s expression softened instantly, and I could see his ears turning red.

 

Was he… jealous? His awkward reaction made me feel embarrassed too.

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Damian, Stop Being Handsome’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[So cute. I think I’m going to get dizzy.]

 

Damian, seemingly embarrassed, covered his face as if wanting to hide it and apologized. “Sorry. I was too harsh, wasn’t I?”

 

“Ah, no. It’s okay. It’s exam period, after all—”

 

As I clumsily provided him with excuses, Damian smiled faintly. “I was just jealous.”

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Son-in-law Damian’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[Oh, this is it!!!!!!]

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Damian is the Real Male Lead’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[Finally, he comes to his sensesㅠㅠ!!]

 

I almost hiccupped at Damian’s honesty.

 

Amidst the awkward atmosphere, a warm wind seemed to blow through us, causing my long hair to block my view. As I frowned and brushed it behind my ear, Damian’s hand was already on my head.

 

“There’s a leaf stuck.”

 

“Yes…?”

 

Why did the atmosphere suddenly change? Trying to shake off the awkwardness, I reached to remove the leaf, but Damian naturally intertwined his fingers with mine.

 

“Here.”

 

His hand, sliding through like a snake, brushed my palm. Then he handed me the leaf, and I strangely felt my whole body tense up. The scratchy texture of the leaf, his body temperature hotter than the June wind, and his gaze looking at me made my head spin.

 

“Lady?”

 

Then Eloise’s voice came from behind.

 

“Oh, ah!” Like being struck by lightning, I snapped back to reality and shook off Damian’s hand. The green leaf spun and fell to the ground.

 

“I should go.” I quickly bid him goodbye and almost ran to Eloise.

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Romance Pass’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[The atmosphere was so good.]

 

Eloise peeked at me curiously, glancing behind me. “Oh my, was that Lord Damian?”

 

“What are you doing all the way here?”

 

When I tried to change the subject, Eloise said, “Ah!” and pointed towards the side where the dormitory was.

 

“There was a problem with the door to the room you use, Lady. Suddenly, it wouldn’t open, so I couldn’t even tidy it up.”

 

“The door won’t open?”

 

“Yes. So, I called the manager, but he couldn’t open it either. That’s why I was on my way to the main building to tell you right away.”

 

“I see. Let’s go to the dormitory first, and I’ll check it out.”

 

I didn’t need to look back to know Damian hadn’t left his spot yet. The back of my head felt hot for no reason. So, I quickly led Eloise back to the dormitory and slammed the door as if blocking a monster’s invasion.

 

Eloise looked at me with a sly smile. “Lady, why were you so flustered? What were you doing…”

 

“I wasn’t doing anything! You said the bedroom door was locked, right? I’ll open it. There’s nothing magic can’t solve.”

 

“But you know love problems are something even magic can’t solve, right?”

 

“Isn’t it time for you to prepare dinner?”

 

“Yes~ Yes~” Eloise left for the cafeteria, humming a tune that made me feel very uncomfortable.

 

“A world obsessed with love.”

 

Everything has to be entangled just because!

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘The Ugly Side of 22 Years Old Theresa’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[And the person who created that world is you, right?]

 

Yes, I was the sinner.

 

I was already overwhelmed with Ilya’s affection maxing out and running wild, and now Damian’s proactive behavior was causing me a headache. I could understand Ilya, but Damian’s sudden change of heart was incomprehensible. Damian is a character who acts ambiguously until he decides to betray Stigmata.

 

Rubbing my temples, I went upstairs and stood in front of my bedroom. “I don’t know why the door suddenly broke.”

 

I was thinking about cutting off the doorknob with magic when. Click. As soon as I touched the doorknob, the door opened slightly as if it had been waiting.

 

“What’s this…?” I tilted my head and entered the bedroom.

 

“You’re late?” Clyde was lying on the bed, greeting me.

 

…Why is he here?

 

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Dopamine Addiction’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[I thought my world was crumbling after the heavenly realm episode, but then dopamine saved the day]

 

“What, you. Why are you here?”

 

As I asked in disbelief, Clyde rubbed his cheek against the pillow and replied, “I like it here.”

 

What is he doing in someone else’s bed?

 

“Get out now. What will happen if someone sees you entering a girls’ dormitory?”

 

I grabbed Clyde’s arm, which was hugging the pillow, but he didn’t budge. Watching me struggle, he smirked and pretended to give in, sitting up.

 

“Ouch.” Then, he carelessly complained of pain and collapsed into my arms. His gaze, full of mischief as he looked up at me with his head resting on me, asked, “Not letting go?”

 

“You’re the one holding onto me.”

 

What I’m holding is his arm, not the back of his head.