Fated to Be Loved by Villains

According to my memory, Gideon’s death was the trigger to the biggest Branching Route of Eleanor’s going berserk.

“…”

Honestly, when I first heard about a Vessel going berserk, it really didn’t click with me.

But, after ‘experiencing it myself’, I just felt that I had to prevent those people who were close to me from turning like that, even if that meant I’d have to risk my life.

Seeing what I had done back then, it was horrifying to think that a Vessel could go down to such deep ends when their minds were hazed by the Demonic Aura.

[…It’s that, right?]

What?

[You know, back when you did something that felt like no human would ever do without any hesitation? Like back during the Crimson Incident?]

Yeah…

Before Eleanor made me come back to my senses, I always had this feeling as if everything I had done wasn’t done by me.

That was why, this would be the perfect time to repay that favor I owed her.

In that sense, Gideon’s ‘long-cherished wish’ was the surefire ticket to prevent Eleanor from going through that.

Or at least, that was how it should go, but…

“What do you think?”

“…”

“Although, I think I still need to hone myself a little more…”

After seeing Gideon’s ‘trial performance’ sword dance with my own eyes…

I was left speechless. His words left me with nothing to say.

What did he just say? Hone himself a little more?

What kind of bullshit was that?

Yeah, I usually told him to ‘practice this’ and ‘practice that’ even when we were apart, but I only did all that to help him reach the pinnacle of the strength he wished for—based on the diary he had left—quickly.

And as a result of that, he, who stood right before my eyes…

…This guy is already at a level where he could just face Radu directly…

Yes. It seemed more than possible for him to match that monster—the current Sword Saint who was on his way to become the strongest human of all time.

Of course, it would be impossible for Gideon to win against him, since in the first place, Radu was the one who taught him the basics of the sword. Not to mention that he also had his own hidden special abilities…

“…Tell me what you think of it.”

And yet, such a person was now looking at me nervously, as if he was a student waiting for the announcement of his admittance to a college.

“…It’s a pass for me, it’s enough.”

The fact that I had to evaluate someone of his stature made me feel ashamed. Nevertheless, what I said wasn’t a lie.

“With this, you’d definitely be able to cut the thing you want to cut.”

As I said so, Gideon closed his eyes for a moment before letting out a deep sigh.

Relief, a sense of achievement, and determination.

I could feel all these emotions mixed together on his face.

Though that was a natural thing, since he was so close to attaining his ‘long-cherished wish’ of his lifetime.

…Speaking of, this person’s long-cherished wish was…

To cut off the root of the curse that had been passed down in his family.

It was related to Eleanor’s mother, who had died a long time ago.

‘The person’ who had killed her should be related to the root of this person’s long-cherished wish.

“…”

But, in order to look for that person, I’d need to dig deep into the darkest and deepest part of the empire’s politics.

And during that process, I’d be involving myself with…

…Her Imperial Majesty, Chancellor Sullivan, Eleanor, Gideon, Faenol, Iliya and…

…This person.

I thought so while looking at the Soul Linker.

[…Why?]

Nothing.

It wasn’t a coincidence that all the members of the Guardians were sent to quell the Crimson Night Incident and ended up perishing that night.

While this person probably had gone there half-voluntarily, there were some ‘work’ involved that led to that kind of ‘situation’ in the first place.

I thought silently to myself while changing the topic so that such thoughts ‘wouldn’t be heard by Caliban’.

“I’ll bring the ‘thing you’d need to cut’ to you.”

“…”

Hearing my words, Gideon’s eyes slightly widened.

“…You knew about that as well?”

“You could act more surprised, you know?”

“After being involved this deeply with you, I have gotten used to this to a certain extent. After all, you always act as if you already know all the secrets that everyone tries to hide.”

I nodded, letting out a bitter smile.

“…In any case, no one could find him except for me.”

That person was definitely still lying low right now.

Hiding themselves completely, refusing to show themselves until the very end under several layers of protection, both social and political.

However, even such a punk would definitely be dragged out of his ‘shell’ during the civil war, given the extreme scale of the incident. The opportunity to drag him out would definitely come.

“Right, there’s also something else we need to discuss.”

When I heard that, I suddenly could feel a chill running down my spine.

“When this is over, your marriage with Eleanor—”

“…Why don’t we talk about that at a later date?”

I said so while sending Gideon away.

The fuck do you mean marriage? At this kind of timing too!

The empire is about to be divided into pieces! A massacre might happen everywhere because of the war, and yet what you’re concerned about is marriage?!

[Actually, I could see where he’s coming from.]

“…”

[I mean, you’ll prevent the civil war from happening anyway, that’s already a certainty. The marriage though, now that’s something you can’t prevent, and at the same time, something to look forward to—]

“…What the fuck do you think I am?”

Dowd Campbell…

The man who could prevent the civil war from happening but was helpless against women who tried to milk him in bed…

“…”

I didn’t know if that was a compliment or an insult.

“Anyway, even for me, there’s still someone I’d be having difficulties to stop if something were to go wrong.”

A certain crazy count’s face came to my mind.

The lunatic who told me ways to hunt humans without the slightest change in his expression.

[…Right, I kept hearing about his resurrection or whatnot, but is that fucker really going to come back to life?]

“Yes.”

I replied curtly.

He’s going to be resurrected, that much is certain.

The thing with him was that he was one of the key characters of this chapter. While I managed to kick him out the moment I saw him, since this world was built based on the game, that bastard would definitely come back.

Although, he’d come back in a way more…’monstrous’…appearance.

“With that in mind, this is going to be my busiest time ever.”

This time, I had to prevent the civil war from happening, deal with Gideon’s problem, and find a way to deal with Count Nicholas and Marquis Bogut. I had to do those things all at once.

Actually, calling myself busy was an understatement.

That was why, I’d definitely need someone to lend me a hand.

“…Although, honestly, this one right here gave me the greatest confidence.”

While Iliya with the Holy Sword or Eleanor would do… It’d be better for me if I’d get the help of someone who wasn’t related to the Astral Realm or Pandemonium, especially when the ‘stage’ was structured in a way that such people would have no choice but to bear a huge penalty ‘as it went on’.

That was why, based on the scene before my eyes…

“…I don’t think there’s anyone stronger than him among the people who met all those conditions.”

I said so while stealthily glancing at the thing Gideon had just ‘cut’.

“Caliban.”

[Hm?]

“Would you be able to do something like this?”

[Are you out of your mind?]

I figured he’d react that way.

When it came to a fight between Saints or superhumans who had reached such a level, it was more accurate to call it the clashing of natural disasters than a fight.

But, what Gideon had just done was just something else even if I were to judge it with such standards.

“…That person really just cut the ‘sun’, huh?”

Up there in the sky, the sun…

Looked clearly distorted, as if someone had cut it.

●

Now that I got all that, there was no more reason to delay the next step.

And so, I decided to make my move right away.

Although, like usual, every time I showed such willingness to act, there was a certain someone who’d suffer because of it…

“…What the hell is this?!”

Headmistress Atalante snapped at me while glaring at the document I submitted to her.

“Couldn’t you tell by reading it?”

“Yes. I could tell that everything will turn into a mess the moment I sign this!”

“It’s just an application for external club activities, though.”

“That’s just your nonsensical excuse! If that’s really what it is, you would have brought it to your club’s advisor, not me, the headmistress!”

“See? You understood.”

“…”

The moment she heard that, I could see that she was contemplating to either slap me in the face or punch herself in the head for forming a partnership with me in the first place.

In the end though, she just facepalmed and called out to me in a serious voice.

“All the areas you’re going to go through during this ‘external club activities’ you requested are the Upper Nobles Association’s military hubs. Going there when you’re still attracting this much attention is like throwing yourself into a lion’s den.”

“Headmistress.”

“What?”

“Do you know what is the most effective way to subdue the punks who’ve gone crazy and wanted to start a war so badly even though a suppressing power is still in place?”

Even on Earth, in the era where nuclear weapons had been developed, there had been constant conflicts, whether they were big or small.

Wars still went on here and there, even though there was a looming threat of nuclear weapons.

But guess how those wars ended?

“It’s to show them directly why a suppressing power is called as such.”

“…”

The headmistress held her head.

“…I could tell that you’re going to say something crazy again by your expression… Fine, I’ll listen to it. What is it?”

“No, I’m not going to say anything.”

I said with a grin, meanwhile the headmistress’ expression went blank.

“Instead, I’ll show you with my actions.”

“…”

“As the one in charge, you can just deploy me there as long as you make up some kind of an excuse, no? Trust me, as long as me and my club members roam around those places, the civil war wouldn’t end up happening. I’m serious.”

“…You motherfucking lunatic…”

“…”

Headmistress, please, keep your dignity.

“…I’ll think about it. Don’t count too much on it, though.”

If it was any other person, those words were basically a refusal, but for her, it pretty much meant a yes.

It was pretty easy to convince this person. As long as I pushed what it was that I wanted like this, she’d lend me an ear even though she’d grumble about it.

Of course, I knew that it was because I kept showing her achievements after achievements every time I did it.

[…You know, she feels like your mom, if anything.]

What?

[Like, even though she knew that request is dumb and unreasonable, she accepted it anyway…]

…

I ignored Caliban’s words—which were filled with sympathy—for now, and cleared my throat.

“Speaking of, do you know where my other club members are? I can’t see them anywhere.”

I left them with that Professor Astrid person last time. Normally, when I did something that attracted attention, some of the punks would come to me and make a fuss, but they were nowhere to be found.

“Professor Astrid took them somewhere. She said that she has something to talk about with them.”

“…Is she out of her mind? I swear if she’s bullshitting them—”

Hearing the curse that I unknowingly said, Atalante tilted her head.

“…Do you guys know each other?”

“…”

…Right. Not many people knew that she proclaimed herself as her mother.

And honestly, it was kind of hard to say that she was someone I knew.

Well, I knew her, but not personally. We weren’t close at all.

In any case, I asked the next question I had in mind. Although, because of my state of mind, it was clear that my voice sounded hurried.

“Did you hear what it was that she wanted to talk about?”

“…Um, she said that they had something to plot about together.”

Atalante replied while scratching her head, looking as if she didn’t understand the circumstances either.

“When that huge steel golem took them, she said that there’s something she needs to notify in advance before ‘the first daughter-in-law selection’ occurs…”

“…”

What the fuck did you just say?

Wait, wait.

Is she doing that for real?