Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 215

Chapter 215. Hero and Fare (2)

Clink──!

The sound of the 'Royal Elite Sword Medal' that Yulian had thrown clattered resoundingly in the funeral hall.

His entrance alone had already caused a deathly silence, as if the entire place had turned still as a mouse.

The noise of the metal hitting the wooden paneling pierced the air calmly yet assuredly, reaching everyone's ears.

"What on earth are you doing, Sir Yulian?"

The gathered nobles at the funeral reacted with strong opposition to Yulian's actions.

Whether it was because of the 'Royal Elite Sword Medal' or due to the 'Sword Saint', it was unclear, but he was indifferent, merely adjusting the fit of his coat.

"This is sullying the honor of the deceased Sword Saint, as well as the dignity of the imperial family!"

"Indeed, Sir Yulian!"

"How can you, a member of the agency directly under the imperial family, commit such an atrocity!"

Despite the loud voices of the nobles, Yulian remained still like a calm lake that showed no ripples.

"Behold, the empire you protected."

In a soft yet powerful voice, his words spilled forth, and the noisy surroundings began to quiet down.

"Instead of celebrating past achievements, they're busy tearing down everything my mentor built. My mentor protected such people."

Heh, Yulian's chuckle resonated softly.

"Well, it's a relief that you've found peace now, master."

After he reached out to Zahard, who was nearby, Zahard handed him a glass bottle from his belongings.

The label read 'Misfortune', known as one of the most potent liquors made in the capital.

Rinne and the 'Followers' were well aware that this liquor was one of Hayden's favorites.

Yulian opened the bottle and began pouring it onto the coffin.

"See you in death. Neither I nor you are worthy of heaven, are we, master?"

After completely emptying the bottle, he took the empty bottle and turned away.

Originally, the 'Followers' should have stopped his actions, but none of them did.

They believed that, among everyone, only Yulian truly communicated with and thought of the Sword Saint.

***

Why would anyone drink something like this?

I shifted my gaze to the bottle of liquor named 'Misfortune' I held in my hand.

While pouring the alcohol onto Hayden's coffin, the liquor that touched my fingers felt oddly hot.

'Isn't this just alcohol?'

If you pour it on a wound, it would probably disinfect it.

"Let's go back, Sir Zahard."

I spoke to Zahard, who was waiting nearby.

He seemed to have nothing to say to the Sword Saint either; he gave a single nod and followed me.

"Although I can't see with my eyes, I can somewhat feel how everyone is looking at you."

As I walked, Zahard spoke up.

He was right. The gazes the nobles sent my way as I left the funeral hall were far from kind.

'It's intense.'

Judging by the 'Color of Negativity' visible above their heads, there were hardly any who harbored good feelings.

Fear and anger.

Most of them had distinct and intense emotions, and the one who harbored the greatest 'anger' came toward me.

"Yulian, you scoundrel...!"

I shifted my gaze toward him.

I had seen him previously at the Cryphart family gathering, a man who wished to erase the name 'Yulian' from the family records.

"Grandfather, it's been a while."

It was Ornn Cryphart.

"I didn't expect to see you here. I suppose you had some ties with my master?"

"Silence!"

Ornn shouted fiercely, almost like a roar.

So loud, given his age and stature, the sound was no joke.

"That a halfwit like you would dare call me grandfather!"

I knew very well.

Ornn detested being called 'grandfather' by Yulian.

With his deeply entrenched pureblood ideology, the word 'grandfather' coming from a 'Frason' must be a horror for him.

'Great reactions.'

That's exactly why I said it.

Provoking and pointlessly infuriating him is one of 'Yulian's habits, after all.

"Moreover, you discarded the medal bestowed by the royal family... Are you intent on disgracing the Cryphart family name!"

Listening to him, I almost found it ridiculous.

I was the one who discarded the 'Royal Elite Sword Medal', not any member of the Cryphart family.

They don't even acknowledge me as part of the 'Cryphart family', yet they scramble to avoid any fallout in situations like this.

"Normally, you don't acknowledge me as part of the family, but at times like this, you consider me a member of the Cryphart family, not a 'Frason'. Thank you, grandfather."

"You bloody...!"

His face flushed red with fury, Ornn approached me.

And not only him; the knights surrounding him as his guards began advancing toward me as well.

Rumble──!

At that moment, individuals observing the situation rushed forward and stood between Ornn and me.

"It wouldn't be wise to cause a disturbance at a place like this, chairman Ornn."

"You, you are...?"

Standing between Ornn and me were none other than soldiers owned by Pintel.

"Pintel Obradin! You, you can't even help. What are you doing!"

Ornn loudly chastised Pintel.

As the chairman of the Council of Nobles, his authority towered above ordinary nobles, and as a former head of one of the four great families, Ornn wielded the power to cast a noble out into obscurity.

Yet, Pintel's expression remained unchanged.

I would have found it somewhat uncomfortable, but it seems Pintel also weighed his options carefully.

"If you can't help, then step aside! I have to arrest him and charge him with royal contempt!"

"Calm down, Ornn."

Another person approached from behind.

It was Kolparan Demius, the Bishop of the now-dissolved 'Dawn Society' and a noble.

So you came too.

Like a crafty old fox hiding, you were hard to spot.

"Kolparan...?"

Whether Kolparan and Ornn had some interaction, Ornn's face showed confusion instead of anger.

"Although not an official ceremony, it's the funeral of an empire's once-representative hero, isn't it? Raising your voice like this would be quite rude, wouldn't it, tsk tsk!"

"... Pintel, Kolparan! This issue won't just be overlooked by the council!"

"If the chairman says so, then it must be."

Tsk tsk, Kolparan stroked his white beard before speaking again.

"But you are also aware, aren't you?"

"What do you mean!"

"That I didn't side with you, but rather this situation. Even if it's brought to the council, it likely amounts to nothing, wouldn't you agree?"

Kolparan seemed acutely aware of how the public perceived him.

An old raccoon.

He certainly wouldn't do anything that might harm him.

"Sir Ornn."

I addressed Ornn once again.

However, this time, I didn't aim to provoke his anger but to speak as usual.

"You ought to be grateful to Elder Brother Herand."

"What?"

"Elder Brother Herand wishes to avoid conflicts within the family as much as possible."

"What are you getting at!"

"That's why you still have your head attached."

In truth, it puzzled many why Yulian, who didn't think highly of the Cryphart family, let Ornn live in the narrative.

The answer might have been Herand.

Herand, at least, seemed to consider 'Yulian' as somewhat family-like.

With those words, I left the funeral hall. Even though Ornn's angry gaze followed behind me, I didn't mind.

'It's over.'

I felt a fleeting desire to look back one more time but decided against it.

***

While leaving the funeral hall and on the way back, Kolparan and Pintel accompanied me.

For Pintel, maybe not, but for Kolparan—him following me meant he surely had something to say.

I waited silently for him to speak up.

"With this, Pintel, it seems unlikely you or I will tread the Council of Nobles halls again."

"I don't mind. It was never that beneficial anyway."

Listening silently to the conversation between Kolparan and Pintel, the content of their future discussion floated into my mind.

"Well, with Tenelon gone and the New Dawn Society forming, the Council of Nobles hardly matters, does it, tsk tsk!"

Kolparan stroked his beard and chuckled with a metallic chuckling sound in his voice.

New Dawn Society, huh.

They're having a grand time by themselves, aren't they.

"However, if there's one problem, it's likely the 'Demon God's Chalice' concerning Tenelon."

Demon God's Chalice, why about it?

"Seeing its power, a few of the cult members joined the Dawn Society."

Kolparan seemed to have no thoughts of disbanding the 'New Dawn Society'. That option wasn't even on his mind.

Indeed, having the 'Dawn Society' members scattered could potentially be problematic.

Knowing each other's secrets, having them dispersed in society is something he wishes to prevent. Hence, he wants to bring them together again somehow.

"If someone wielding the 'Demon God's Chalice' appears after we reorganize the 'Dawn Society', it might easily crumble."

"You don't need to worry about that."

"Hmm?"

Kolparan turned his head at my words. Let me share the truth with the guy.

"The Demon God's Chalice is now... ugh."

Suddenly, an inexplicable nausea welled up my throat.

It's hot.

Something within my chest began bubbling fervently.

"Are you all right, Sir Yulian?"

Pintel approached, trying, it seemed, to check my complexion, but I waved him off and gestured that I was fine.

'What is it?'

What on earth is happening to my body?

"There's somewhere I need to stop by for a moment."

Saying so to Pintel and Kolparan, I bolted from the spot and rushed away.

While running, the mysterious nausea and the swelling heat coursing through my entire body persisted.

'Crazy!'

It's falling off.

The skin is falling off.

Holding onto the sensation of my mind seemingly slipping, I hurried towards the sink of a place unknown to me.

Is it my house?

Before I managed any deeper thought, I confirmed my face in the mirror.

'Intact...'

Oddly enough, the ever-present annoying smirk remained.

"Damn it, what on earth... hmm?"

Thunk── clang!

Something dropped into the sink.

Something that came from my body. To be precise, it appeared to have been expelled by 'Angelica'.

'Bell of the Silent Night!'

A holy artifact brought from the Holy Kingdom and hidden inside Angelica's body. That was what had come out.