I Will Not Fall For the Villain’s Flirtations - Chapter 1 Part 2

But despite my overflowing enthusiasm, it was difficult to strike up a conversation. He was kind, but his reserved nature was a far cry from being glib, and I, too, was not the outgoing type who behaved cheerfully even with people I had just met.

As a result, we maintained a calm silence throughout the walk. Upon entering the main building, a young priest guided us to a large room inside the temple.

I wonder if I’ll have the opportunity to do this kind of guiding later on?

The empty thoughts scattered as soon as the door opened on both sides. This was because a gigantic magic circle was visible in the center of the floor. As someone who was a loser in my previous life, I could only admire the intricate geometric pattern that I couldn’t understand.

“Sir Peidos, um, I came hastily because you visited, but…”

But when he placed the luggage on the magic circle, a priest hurriedly entered the room. His wrinkled face seemed filled with trouble.

As he opened his mouth, he glanced at me and immediately fell silent.

Ah, do I need to leave tactfully?

Stammering, I asked, “Should I move aside?” He pondered for a moment before responding.

“No, please go first. If you continue standing in the center, the magic will activate.”

“Just me?”

“When you arrive at the temple, grab any priest and explain the situation, they will help you.”

He seemed to be strangely in a rush. It seemed that it was because of that priest who entered, expressing his anxiety through his trembling feet and tense body.

“Ah, okay. Thank you.”

It was rather obvious that I should leave, so I decided to take my leave at this point. It was my first time boarding a magic circle, so I was nervous in many ways, but since I just had to stay still, it didn’t seem difficult.

“Well then, take care.”

And with that, my future groom left so unceremoniously. A sense of emptiness rushed in, like the sudden silence that filled the room.

I was happy for a brief moment, Sir Knight.

“Let’s see, the center is…”

I cleared my mind from distractions and stood straight, looking towards the center. Thinking that the magic would activate soon, my hands began sweating involuntarily.

I swallowed dryly and unknowingly clenched my handbag tightly. Suddenly, a group of lights appeared before my eyes.

My eyes tightly closed under the bright light, and when I slowly opened them, a man I had not seen before reflected on my eyelids. I blinked my eyelids several times, wondering if I was having a hallucination, but the black figure standing at the door showed no sign of disappearing.

“Who…”

With a large hood flipped backward, only the lower part of his face barely appeared.

The corners of the man’s mouth turned up suddenly.

“Ah!”

A man rushed towards me at an invisible speed and embraced me as if enveloping my body. At the same time, the magic circle activated, and I was sucked into an unknown force.

It was a completely different kind of dizziness that I had never experienced before. It felt like riding a roller coaster, spinning in all directions in a place without gravity. At that moment, I completely forgot that I was nestled in the arms of an unknown man.

The realization came back only when the magic, which seemed like it would last forever, ended. When the light disappeared from the circle and the scenery in front of me changed, I finally had the time to assess the situation.

“…Who are you!”

“Shh.”

The suspicious man put his index finger on his lips and smiled mischievously. I was once again captivated by his face when he finally took off his hood.

What kind of day is it today?

Never did I expect to see such a rare beauty again.

But for a moment, the worried thought crossed my mind that he might be a dangerous person. Good looks don’t guarantee my safety.

Without letting my guard down, I cautiously asked,

“Um… Who are you?”

“I came because I have something to discuss.”

He responded nonchalantly, as if it were no big deal. I almost replied, ‘Oh, I see,’ but managed to catch myself.

“But why didn’t you use the normal route…?”

The man had been absentmindedly gazing at a small magic bead in his hand without paying attention to me.

Even though I was considering leaving quietly, I was anxious because I couldn’t predict what he would do the moment I turned around.

“May I leave?”

It was certain that he was suspicious, but there was nothing I could do immediately. I just had to quickly leave this place and inform the other priests, which was the best course of action.

I expected him to casually say, ‘Sure, go ahead, since he seemed so absorbed in the bead. But he crushed that expectation ruthlessly and stared at me.

“I guess I’m not curious anymore.”

It was a childish, mocking remark.

Is he kidding right now?

“We’ve met for the second time now, don’t you remember? Perhaps you were too drunk.”

“… What? No way…”

Through the blur of memories, I recall a man with black hair. The memory of his facial features vanished like fog along with the hangover, but upon reflection, his voice seemed familiar.

“By any chance, yesterday…”

“That’s right. I was planning to come to the temple too, so I thought it was fate when I heard you were coming here.”

“….”

Yesterday, I could have shrugged it off as a Handsome Man 1 with whom I almost made history with, but not now. No matter how you looked at it, the man was a dangerous intruder who had illegally entered the temple through an unauthorized route.

I struggled to lift the trembling corners of my mouth.

“Um, are you perhaps a dangerous person?”

As I cautiously asked, wearing an awkward smile, he responded with a dazzling smile that could rival any extreme beauty in the world.

“Do I seem dangerous to you?”

Yes. Quite. Very much.

However, what came out of my mouth was completely different.

“…Uh, no?”

“You’re very discerning. I’m not a dangerous person. So, could you refrain from letting others know that I’m here?”

“…….”

It was a nonsensical story that even a seven-year-old wouldn’t believe. After a moment of panic at the ridiculousness of his demand, he approached me with a grin.

One step, then another. I was about to slowly take a step back when he closed the gap between us.

“If I tell you, you understand, right?”

His violet eyes gleamed dangerously. His voice, now lower, menacingly reached my ears, causing my legs to weaken.

“Why do you keep trying to fall?”

He gently held onto me as I was about to collapse.

I tried to gather my confused thoughts, puzzled by the unfamiliar tenderness. Then, I slowly pushed his arms, which were wrapped around my waist, away.

Snap out of it. They say that even if I end up captured by a dragon, as long as I stay focused, I can handle it.

I asked firmly, with a determined expression.

“Are you threatening me right now?”

“Why would I do such a thing? If you grant my request, then I will do you a favor in return.”

“In return?”

He distanced himself from me for a moment and then smiled slyly.

“I’ll buy you something delicious. Actually, I wanted to buy it for you yesterday, but you were too drunk, so I couldn’t.”

“…….”

“After that, we can even do what we couldn’t before.”

“…….”

His words, which were whispered in a subtle tone, filled me with confusion. How can he suddenly resort to manipulation when it hasn’t been that long since he threatened me?

In the end, I could only stare at him dumbfoundedly, unable to find the right words to respond.

What is wrong with this guy?

Setting aside the fact that each of his words sounds insincere, they are all implicitly threatening. After much deliberation, I awkwardly nodded my head. At the moment, getting over the situation is the most urgent priority.

“You’re kind.”

He laid his hand on my head as if praising a child.

What is this? Is he really trying to pat me?

Surprised, I lifted my gaze.

His long finger slowly descended along my cheek. It was an intimate gesture, like that of a lover, and as it slid down, he suddenly pressed hard on the inside of my ear.

“Ouch.”

He simply pressed with his finger, but it felt like a sharp needle piercing me. Tears welled up as I glared at the culprit, and he smiled slyly, saying,

“You shouldn’t lie and ask for something delicious.”

“…….”

“Do you have something in mind that you want to eat?”

After uttering those words, the man vanished gracefully. Watching the cluster of bright lights that appeared and disappeared just like before, I belatedly slumped down, overwhelmed.

* * *

After barely regaining my senses and getting up, a considerable amount of time had passed. I still had no presence of mind, but it wasn’t appropriate for me to stay here any longer. To be honest, I didn’t want to sit on the cold marble floor anymore.

The place seemed quite dim with the lights turned off, as it was not commonly used. Thinking of trying to go outside, I dragged my luggage and reached the door.

But before I could grab the doorknob, the door swung open on its own.

“Huh.”

“Huh?”

The priest who discovered me widened his eyes. Surprisingly, it was I who was startled by his face, he looked as if he had seen a ghost.

“Who are you?”

He even formed a large magic barrier with his power. Startled by his overly aggressive stance, I instinctively raised my hands.

“Father, it’s not what you think!”

“Reveal your identity!”

“That, I’m a Stella, who is scheduled to join as a novitiate this year….”

“How dare you use the holy vessel that only high-ranking priests can use!”

Wow, the knight was even a high priest? Such a powerful position at such a young age.

Suppressing the urge to bow for the third time, I made an effort to calm the priest down in front of me.

“The holy vessel in the temple was broken, and coincidentally, I met a holy knight. Please wait. I will show you my identification certificate and status emblem….”

The long string of explanations abruptly came to a halt. Realizing something, I began to frantically look around.

Where did my reticule go?

The precious sheepskin handbag that I received as a birthday present once again vanished without a trace.

“Uh, that….”

If I had spilled it on this empty floor, it would have been obvious at a glance. But the fact that I couldn’t find it means only one thing.

I must have spilled it at the shrine of Liche. When that man suddenly hugged me, it must have slipped out of my hand.

“I swear it’s in my bag, the problem is that the bag is in the temple where I came from…”

“You scoundrel! You’re definitely suspicious!”

No, the suspicious person is not me, but that man from earlier!