I Will Not Fall For the Villain’s Flirtations - Chapter 64
The sliding door opened smoothly, wide enough for one person to pass through comfortably but too narrow for two. Fortunately, the limestone that had been growing uncontrollably stopped expanding as the door opened.
“We’re saved!”
Everyone sighed in relief and rejoiced, but then I heard a faint voice.
“You…”
Though it was a small voice, I could hear it because I was close. When I turned my head in the direction of the sound, I saw Peidos with a look as if he had seen a ghost.
His gaze was fixed on Keene. I realized that he had finally noticed the mysterious priest’s presence.
Not knowing how to react, I glanced at Keene out of the corner of my eye. Should I pretend to be surprised too? Or feign ignorance?
Did Peidos hear Keene give the answer? He might not have, being preoccupied with the expanding limestone.
As I bit my lip in confusion, Keene’s lips, visible under his hood, moved slightly. Seeing the corners of his lips lift, I wondered if he was smiling in this situation.
“Ugh!”
He suddenly pulled me towards him. His arm wrapped tightly around my neck in a move more akin to a classic hostage situation than a back hug.
No way, this guy…
“Everyone, freeze.”
His cold voice echoed in my ears. The priests, who had been rejoicing like children over the open door, froze upon seeing me being threatened.
The most dramatic reaction came from Mullion.
“M-Master!”
…Master? I blinked at the unfamiliar title, but the mage who had spoken it shook his head in disgust at himself.
“No, that’s not right. You scoundrel! How could you!”
While Mullion was fuming alone, Peidos swiftly and quietly drew his sword. Despite his pale face, his calm demeanor showed his experience as a seasoned knight commander.
However, Keene was not an easy opponent.
“Hand over the sword, Carmel.”
He extended his hand toward Peidos, demanding.
“If you don’t want your cute junior to get hurt.”
“……”
Peidos glared at the man behind me with sharper eyes than ever. Meanwhile, I, the hostage, was still in a state of confusion.
What is happening right now? Am I really being held hostage?
“Don’t do it! Never give that scoundrel the sword!”
Despite Mullion’s strong objection, Peidos slowly bent down. As the hilt touched the ground and he completely let go of the sword, Keene used magic to pull it into his hand.
What he did earlier, just holding me, was nothing. The sword was soon at my throat.
“You!”
As Peidos glared in disbelief, Mullion fanned the flames beside him.
“Didn’t I tell you not to give it to him? Trusting the Magic Tower Master, how foolish can you be!”
…Magic Tower Master?
I thought I misheard. His angry words were fast and his pronunciation unclear, so doubting my ears seemed reasonable. But I wasn’t the only one who heard it.
“Magic Tower Master? Are you saying this man is the Magic Tower Master?”
Ali asked, his face shocked. The mention of the Magic Tower Master caused everyone to stir.
“Bear with it a little longer, Du. I’ll release you soon.”
“……”
Keene whispered to me calmly, as if the conversation had nothing to do with him. But what struck me more than his lack of intent to harm me was the realization that he wasn’t just an ordinary spy.
The Magic Tower Master? The main villain of the novel, that Magic Tower Master?
“…I remember.”
Come to think of it, ‘Master’ was the title used to address the Tower Master in the Magic Tower. The realization made my legs tremble.
Just as I was about to collapse, Keene, who was holding me, tightened his grip and brought the sword closer to my skin. The chilling sensation of the blade on my skin was followed by a sharp pain in my neck.
“Duna!”
“Carmel. Step back with the priests. Quickly.”
“Absolutely not!”
Mullion shouted in opposition again, his voice booming.
“It’s unfortunate for the captured priest, but if we don’t capture that man with all our might now, the entire expedition will be sacrificed! The Magic Tower Master is capable of that and more!”
“Mullion.”
“……”
Mullion flinched at the mention of his name. The man holding me laughed lightly, and I felt a faint vibration above my head. He spoke casually, as if he was addressing an old friend.
“I’m feeling quite neglected. Do you have a grudge against me?”
“You… you shameless…”
“The shameless one is you, Mullion.”
Keene continued in a tone that had lost its humor.
“You were selling technology to Patria, yet you act as if you left because of me.”
“……”
“And seeing that you came to the Holy Kingdom instead of Patria, I guess they didn’t accept you?”
Mullion’s face hardened as if Keene had hit the mark. His face turned red and blue as he struggled to speak, then he turned sharply to Peidos.
“Commander! Attack with someone else’s weapon! It’s faster and closer than magic, so we have a chance!”
Of course, my safety as a hostage was not considered at all. Peidos frowned, sensing this.
“The hostage is in danger.”
“This is not the time to worry about one priest!”
Despite Mullion’s strong insistence, Peidos and the other priests hesitated, causing Mullion to grind his teeth and gather magic in his hands.
“Mullion!”
Peidos shouted his name, realizing the gravity of the situation, but the enraged mage seemed not to hear. He aimed a visibly threatening magic orb, sparking with electricity, at Keene, ignoring my presence.
But Keene was faster. He gathered magic in his free hand, forming an attack spell instead of a barrier. It was an odd choice, considering Mullion had prepared to attack much earlier.
Boom!
Only after seeing the result did I realize it was a confident move. Keene’s attack not only countered Mullion’s but also sent the old man flying without a chance to scream. The impact was far more powerful than when he attacked Jayton in the tower.
“Ugh.”
Mullion, now with additional injuries from hitting the wall, seemed gravely wounded. Panicking, Rancho ran to check his condition, while Peidos watched Keene with even more caution.
However, Keene, who had nearly incapacitated someone, remained nonchalant.
“Priests, now as always, show no loyalty. Is a novice’s life not worth anything?”
“……”
Peidos’s gaze turned to me. I didn’t know what my expression was, but his face turned pale upon seeing mine. His wavering green eyes shifted from me to the man behind me.
“As you said, she is a novice in mandatory service. Take me instead. I won’t resist.”
“……”
It was an incredibly reckless statement for someone who needed to protect the expedition. I wanted to shout that it was impossible, but Keene must have cast a spell because no sound came out.
Despite his promise to release me, the constraints on my body made me feel increasingly anxious. Unable to speak and facing the blade, tears began to well up involuntarily.
It’s understandable. How can I trust that he won’t harm me? Especially when he’s the Magic Tower Master.
The man holding me hostage was the Magic Tower Master, the main villain and mastermind in the original story. Known for his atrocities, including rumors of human experimentation, he was a figure of terror. Not seeing his face now made it harder to believe he was the same person I had interacted with.
Seeing me cry silently, Peidos’s expression darkened further. His eyes, pleading, sought Keene, but even with his face twisted, Keene remained indifferent.
“Pedi.”
“……”
The voice from behind, which could sound seductive to some, echoed. I realized a beat late that he was addressing Peidos.
Pedi was a nickname only allowed for the female protagonist in the original story. Why was the Magic Tower Master calling him Pedi?
“When you look at someone so desperately…”
The previously soft voice suddenly dropped a tone, turning cold.
“You make me want to exploit your weakness. If you want to protect her, shouldn’t you be more careful?”
“……”
Peidos’s expression hardened instantly. Seeing the muscles of his lower jaw tense as if he was clenching his teeth, I could only let my tears fall.
Even though I knew it wasn’t the case, I felt like a tragic heroine. Like a fragile princess captured by the world’s greatest villain.
Well, except for the princess part, maybe it’s similar?
I had no idea what to do in this situation. Even if he didn’t intend to actually kill me, with a sword at my neck, I couldn’t just resist freely.
As I dropped my head in frustration, the tears that had been streaming down my face dripped onto Keene’s hand. It might have been just my imagination, but I felt a slight flinch from him at that moment.
Translator
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i will be in a very long break so i posted everything. will probably be back some time next year. all novels will be NOT be dropped, but i'll have another translator continue a few titles. thank you everyone and have a nice day~
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