The Villain Bought the Heroine

Chapter 32

When I only read novels, I didn’t know.

The information conveyed by the text to the reader is more limited than one might think. The combinations of printed characters only show a part of that world. Surely there are stories that the reader doesn’t know. Backgrounds. Various events unfolding like gears turning.

You have to look at it from the perspective the author provides, through language alone.

Erica, the villainess.

Information about her was the same.

Bargan’s fiancée, petite stature, sarcastic tone, specialties. Even details about her family were mentioned. It’s as if everything about Erica was included.

But naturally, that was just a fraction of her.

For instance, one of Erica’s characteristics, the villainess.

Why she ended up taking on the role of the villainess was not considered.

Why? It’s just the setting. It’s not like it’s something to study. She’s not the protagonist or the heroine. It’s common for readers not to deeply ponder why characters in a novel take on such personalities and roles.

Then.

I entered this novel and realized.

I remember the sensation of being possessed by Bargan.

From the first moment he remembers, even the words written in the book he was flipping through at the time. All the “experiences and emotions” were conveyed to me, and it was an unforgettable experience.

The feeling I had at that time conveyed a sensation as if the creature called a human had been updated in a single moment.

At that moment, a significant amount of new information about Erica, Bargan’s fiancée and a kind of childhood friend, was particularly infused.

I discovered facts I didn’t know, and I realized how limited the information about her in the novel was.

At present, she is different from her childhood and personality. That’s natural. Half of a person’s personality is innate, and the other half is influenced by external factors.

But the reason I, who still retain Bargan’s memories and got to know her through the novel, felt strange when thinking about her wasn’t because she was different from the past.

—She is different from the future.

In just a few months, the way she will appear and her nature are considered different from now.

A brief mention. In this world, there is a religion that almost everyone follows.

“Yuggdarsill”

A word that can mean god or the entire religion.

A religion that worships a giant tree that seems to be present anywhere in the world. All other religions are considered heretical. They should not be believed in.

The churches, seen as the backbone of the heroes, are institutions dedicated to worshiping the sole deity, Yuggdarsill.

It’s probably because of the overwhelming presence of the tree’s size, the large quantities of high-quality mana it provides, and its ability to enrich the surrounding land that people worship it.

However, that is limited to the majority of ‘people’ and does not encompass all life forms.

A large group that stands in opposition to Yuggdarsill. Altif’s religion.

That is the Goddess Worship.

Simply put.

One religion for humans.

One religion for monsters.

Maintaining such a confrontational relationship.

Returning to the main topic.

The sudden mention of religion was because Erica had a close connection to it.

Her family, the Portregas, was known for their devout beliefs. Erica, since childhood, not only underwent warrior training but also studied theology.

Based on the experiences of those who had seen her in her early years.

There was no falsehood in her beliefs.

And she took pride in it.

…It was difficult to understand.

In the novel, Erica, who is portrayed, was a girl who believed in the sole god, Yggdrasil.

She worshipped the gods of monsters and assisted in their activities within the Academia.

The reason it was hard to grasp was not simply because she served the gods of monsters rather than those of humans.

In the past, there was only one spy within Yggdrasil or the Academia, and since she was cast as the villain, it was acceptable.

However, I now know her past. Her footsteps are not just a simple setting.

Is it possible that everything she showed to Bargan about her past was false?

While that possibility cannot be completely ruled out, it needed verification.

It has been a year since I last met Erica.

With the newly engraved memories, there were no traces of her worshipping heresy. I even tried to gather information about her using the fact that she was engaged, but to no avail.

There were two possibilities.

Either she had meticulously hidden everything until now, or something had changed in the course of events.

Analyzing Erica’s words and actions in the novel and comparing them with the past I learned through Bargan, I arrived at a conclusion.

I decided to lean towards the latter, which seemed more probable.

When considering Erica’s unique magic, her family, and our relationship, it was necessary to increase certainty about her.

Only then could I move without hindrance.

So, I agonized.

If she had changed in the course of events, how did that happen?

I always kept that thought in the corner of my mind until, by pure chance, I stumbled upon ‘him.’

At first, I didn’t know.

I thought he was just another inconspicuous supporting character, with no remarkable talent or appearance. A character I came to know through being possessed by the novel. That was all.

Then, suddenly, it dawned on me that there was someone who had followed Erica. Someone who worshipped heresy with her had received a blessing.

I don’t know his name. I don’t know what he looks like.

There was no information written about him.

But I could guess his personality from his tone. I knew the abilities he concealed.

At the beginning, there was someone around Erica spreading the doctrines of the goddesses. A persistent and tenacious fellow.

Did he exploit the crevices in Erica’s heart?

If my hypothesis was correct, he must have been hovering around Erica at that time.

It was still early in the semester. To gather information about her.

To spread his own religion.

And to satisfy his base desires.

He would definitely be watching her with dirty intentions, unnoticed by her.

I decided to lure him out.

So, I threw out the bait.

Continuing with the groundwork diligently, I assessed the fellow’s abilities to some extent.

And what became certain was the day Erica came to the research lab.

-Yes?!

As Nias, who resembled Alicia, had forewarned, he gave me a hint. I began executing the plan by changing the promise with Erica. The particular attention-getting behavior was to draw the attention of the one watching over us.

Nias could see him. Against the borrowed power of the fellow, in front of Nias’ unique ability, “eyes that see essence,” the fellow’s power was powerless.

Ultimately, the fellow didn’t know that Nias was pretending. Even Erica, an elite, seemed unaware, and the fellow I knew had no chance of figuring it out.

Still, I confirmed it just in case there might be other possibilities I was unaware of, and it was as expected.

After that day, I could continue observing the fellow through Nias, and he moved as if everything was already predetermined. As if under a specific constraint.

Now that I knew his true nature, there was no need to be cautious about reeling in the fishing rod.

Move quickly.

Boldly catch him.

The fellow will definitely reveal himself at the place.

“Young master. Where are you heading?”

As I was about to leave, Alicia in the research lab spoke to me. She was not the one Nias had imitated.

Emily and Pin were completely absorbed nearby. Serena sat quietly reading a book.

“I have a promise to keep. You and Serena can proceed under your leadership. The class competition is in a few days, so don’t take it easy just because I’m not around.”

“I will keep that in mind. Are you going to meet Erica, by any chance?”

“A similar fellow is coming.”

“Similar… Hmm, understood. Then, I will not disturb you tonight and will see you tomorrow morning.”

A confused Alicia bids farewell.

I leave them behind and take a step.

Erica.

My fiancée.

From now on, I will present a stage without her, for her.

The only audience member is one.

By now, that fellow must be anxiously waiting for class to end, trembling with excitement.

Although it’s confirmed that he’s a stalker, this time’s stage is a necessary play. I can’t push ahead recklessly. Even if he’s a small fry, he belongs to a large group.

‘Those who enjoy hiding in the crowd…’

That religious group lurking in Academia, moving everything secretly. They probably don’t want to reveal their true identities.

Yet, that fellow is boldly carrying out this act. This is evidence that he’s hiding his actions from those around him.

I am the only one who knows about his stalking. In a way, it’s a good opportunity for me.

To achieve that, the fewer eyes watching, the better.

“The day is waning.”

I look around.

The street is getting darker.

Soon, the lights will come on to illuminate the darkness.

***

There is a man who fervently hopes for the end of class.

Of all days, Wednesday overlaps with her in a different class time. If it were the same class, he wouldn’t be this anxious.

Fortunately, the appointed time was 6:10 PM.

Since Erica’s class also ends at 6 PM, she won’t be late if she hurries.

In fact, I considered sticking close to her after skipping the class, but the risk is too great. If students might not notice, there is a risk of being caught by a professor.

Moreover, I have not yet justified my current actions. It is even riskier to use the pretext of reaching out to the female of the Portrait Clan, making persuasion more difficult.

If those above were to learn of the current situation, they would surely intervene.

So, unplanned actions like skipping class are limited. …Especially since I have already made the mistake of getting emotionally involved.

I’ve managed to proceed without being caught so far, and now, am I going to be caught?

“…Darn it.”

It would have been better if Erica had refused.

She seemed like she would continue to firmly reject, so why did she suddenly accept such an unlucky proposal from a distant child? Weren’t they on bad terms?

It was still in the process of preparing to convey my feelings. I feel anxious that I might lose her if I continue like this.

When the class ended, the man, with legs trembling in anxiety, stopped and began to rush out.

He wasn’t going straight to the meeting place.

There was a process he needed to stop by and prepare for first.

It’s not suitable here. There are many eyes watching. It would be troublesome if the sudden change startled someone and revealed his presence.

He entered the nearest restroom.

Here, he could pray without any suspicion.

After a short prayer, he finished preparing.

Blessings came down. Finally, everything was perfect.

It cannot be given to anyone.

Not to her friend. Not to her fiancé. Not to her siblings. Not to her parents.

To no one.

It will never be handed over.

I felt it the moment I first saw her.

The woman of an ideal appearance I had dreamed of and longed for.

She was born to meet me.

I came here to meet her.

This is destiny. It cannot be defied or resisted.

She. She.

She must be mine.