Acting as a Slit-Eyed Villain Perfectly

Chapter 278

Chapter 278. Closing In (1)

Herand looked at Yulian with startled eyes. The words that flowed from Yulian's mouth were difficult for him to comprehend.

Inertia had spoken.

He believed that a relationship steeped in tedium, without momentum, was merely awaiting its demise.

"P-please, say it once more..."

Herand halted his words, grimacing slightly from the pain in his throat. Watching Herand's discomfort, Yulian rose from his seat.

"You heard exactly what I said."

Conveying a nuance that there was no need to ask again when it had already been heard, Yulian began to speak.

"Didn't you mention it, elder brother? That the chairmanship of the Council of Nobles has become vacant, and Sir Oben is to fill that position."

Herand nodded.

"Thus, if I refuse, the only person left to lead this family as the head is you, elder brother."

Me, the head?

Herand thought of himself as someone who, even with little talent, at least understood his own limits.

Therefore, he knew better than anyone else; he was too small a vessel to sit as the head of the Cryphart family.

"You are the only one fit for this position, elder brother."

Without a doubt, Yulian added more words.

"Aren't you the one who tried to embrace even the Smiling Executioner?"

Watching Yulian deliberately utter a self-deprecating label, Herand tried to speak.

Merely, he did it because they were family.

"Then, I should get going, next family head. You're not in good health, so there's no need for you to see me off."

Exhibiting arrogance by mentioning 'seeing off' to a patient, Yulian began to leave the room.

"Milena's funeral."

Yulian briefly paused his steps.

"You shouldn't feel too much guilt over that incident."

How could he not? The words reached as far as Herand's throat.

However, Yulian didn't listen and left the room. As silence fell, Herand's emotions began to surge.

Tears fell onto the blanket. Though it was uncertain if they stemmed from guilt, Herand could not control the waves of racing emotions.

"E-Elder b-brother?"

Suddenly entering, Joshua looked at Herand with startled eyes. Approaching him with a bewildered face, he asked.

"Are you in so much pain upon awakening that you're brought to tears?"

Herand nodded.

"Yes..."

***

Oben, the current head of the Cryphart family, upon hearing of Herand's injury, paid a visit to the mansion for both inquiry and a brief visit.

"There seems to have been an incident."

Walking down a wide corridor towards the room where Herand was recovering, Oben heard a voice from his escort knight, Eharc.

"If it were inflicted by another noble, what will you do?"

"What do you think?"

With an indifferent expression, Oben replied to Eharc's question.

"We have to show why we are one of the Four Great Families."

"Previously, you mentioned that during chaotic times, we should avoid drawing attention to ourselves."

"Setting an example is important, Eharc. If we don't crush those who attack us, the reputation of the 'Cryphart family' will fall to the ground."

Eharc nodded at Oben's logical words. In fact, he had already guessed that his master wouldn't shy away from a 'family feud.'

Despite being a bit gentle and quirky, Oben adequately led the family as the 'head'.

Even if he was not a passable 'father'.

"Hm?"

As Oben stopped his steps, Eharc also paused.

Ahead, a man was approaching. Eharc recognized the face as well.

"Yulian!"

Recognizing him first, Oben ran toward Yulian. The 'head' who had been speaking seriously until just now was not to be seen.

"Did you meet Herand? Didn't he have something to say to you?"

As Oben approached with a sincere attitude, Yulian hesitated for a moment.

'Neither would the previous incident happen again.'

It was difficult to spit on a smiling face. Just as Eharc felt reassured by Yulian's demeanor—

Boom—!

Instead of spitting on a smiling face, Yulian grabbed Oben's hand and sent him sprawling to the floor.

"Ugh."

A groan escaped Oben's mouth. The startled Eharc attempted to intervene, but Yulian raised a hand to stop Eharc.

He had no intention of crossing further lines.

Though Yulian seemed to convey this message, his body language simultaneously implied a challenge.

'Can you defeat me?'

The aura emanating from Yulian spoke thus.

"I'm glad you've remained consistent, Lord Oben."

Crack.

As Yulian exerted more force on his hand, Oben's face began to scrape against the floor.

Despite the pain, Oben tried to move, but amidst the unyielding strength binding him, he could not budge.

"Why, why are you doing this, Yulian?"

"Are you asking because you truly don't know?"

While smiling, Yulian applied more pressure, and a strange noise resonated from the sturdy wooden floor.

"Weren't you visiting my brother Herand in his sickbed?"

"Yes, that's right."

"For a visit, you certainly greeted in a strikingly transparent manner."

Yulian appeared to know. He understood that Herand sought him out because 'Oben' had instigated something unusual.

That he intended to make him the 'head' to somehow stifle the ominous air now pervading the family.

"Were it me, I would have enquired about Brother Herand's health first."

Finishing his words, Yulian released his grip on Oben.

After adjusting his attire once, Yulian smiled and walked past Oben.

'Hmm.'

Eharc couldn't tear his gaze away from Yulian as he passed by.

Even though Yulian uttered words loaded with emotion, there was absolutely no change in his expression.

He seemed to have overcome his resentment towards the family.

"He's achieved enlightenment."

Oben murmured from the floor where he lay.

"It seems so," agreed Eharc.

"It's safe to say his negative feelings towards the family have vanished."

"It seems he still harbors the same level of disdain for you, Lord Oben."

"That's what makes it scarier."

Oben stood up and brushed off the dust from his body.

"When he tossed me aside just now, Yulian wasn't being 'emotional'. On the contrary, it felt like he was giving advice."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Ha ha."

Oben chuckled awkwardly.

"He's concluded that he has the capability to destroy the 'Cryphart family'. Yulian believes this."

As he spoke while turning away, Eharc understood.

Yulian wasn't a fool. Despite the malicious rumors, his dealings with nobles reflected careful obedience to boundaries.

Yet there was Yulian, derisively warning and throwing to the ground Oben, the head of one of the Four Great Families, Cryphart.

He didn't hesitate even for a second.

It was as if he believed the 'Cryphart family' was no longer a match for him.

"Even if it's a delusion, Yulian has the strength to believe such things."

Oben sighed once, then smiled, satisfied.

"Although making Yulian the head has failed, it seems Herand has done well."

In response to seeing Oben's satisfied smile, Eharc thought, once again, as a 'father', he was hopeless.

***

After causing quite a commotion at the Cryphart family, I headed straight to the mansion.

While my body wasn't in the best condition, perhaps due to my monstrous healing power?

The pain rapidly began to subside, defying the severity of the wounds.

'Is it true that experiencing near-death triumphs can actually make one stronger?'

In the past, I dismissed this as a joke, but now that I think about it, it seems to be true.

Each time I barely scraped by death, I found my emotions dulling.

"Sir Yulian."

Upon reaching the mansion's courtyard, Pintel, who had been waiting, approached.

He greeted me with a bow before slowly handing over a sword.

Within a strong body resides a strong soul.

The scabbard once used by Sword Saint Hayden Reich. Inside was the 'Moonstone Sword'.

It was the sword and scabbard that I had discarded when confronting Aihan.

"Thank you, Sir Pintel. I thought it would take at least a day, but you found it immediately."

"Think nothing of it. I merely did what was required of me."

Despite claiming it was no big deal, Pintel trembled slightly. Really, what's his deal?

I thought to myself but dismissed it as I asked more.

"How's the situation inside?"

"Yes, as Sir Yulian had noted, a sort of ritual seems to be in progress. The scouts reported sightings of the imperial seal from time to time."

It wasn't just my imagination. Eulsis was setting up a ritual chamber in the 'underground canal'.

Moreover,

'Gu Poison Hall.'

Sword Saint Hayden Reich had fled to the Holy Kingdom and established it.

Of course, the reasons don't seem identical.

While Hayden Reich aimed to create a body capable of harboring the 'Demon God's Chalice', Eulsis seeks to utterly destroy the Empire.

'Though the methods are similar, their objectives starkly differ.'

Clicking my tongue inwardly, I shifted my eyes to Pintel.

"It seems it's time for Prince Eulsis to realize his limits. What are your thoughts, Sir Pintel?"

When I asked Pintel, he looked at me with eyes full of admiration instead of answering.

He looks like he's about to burst into tears any moment, I mused, when suddenly Pintel made a gesture in the air.

As if his motion was a signal, I began to notice presences surrounding me.

"I'll send the Twilight."

Those are the Twilight, huh?

Since the ruckus with 'Tenelon', this is the first I've encountered them again.

'Their numbers seem to have increased?'

The presences had significantly grown in number compared to before. Furthermore, there were those whose skills were roughly on par with a 'monsignor'.

'Really now.'

Honestly, 'Blind Eyes' was always told not to form and utilize a private army.

'Hmm.'

Come to think of it, as long as you don't get caught, it's fine.

Or even if caught, given the current backing by the 'New Dawn Society' and 'Kaldrach', one can simply maneuver out of trouble.

'I've become numb.'

I should pay more attention in this respect.

"We'll validate the fidelity of these people to Sir Yulian!"

Validate their fidelity, huh.

Actually, I'm not fond of the word 'fidelity'.

Think about it.

Look what happened to Tenelon, who emphasized "loyalty" so profusely.

"Loyalty is merely an illusion. Just bring the results. That's all I'm asking for."

"Yes!"

Pintel began ordering the gathered 'Twilight' to seek out the 'underground canal' and demolish the 'Gu Poison Hall'.

"Sir Yulian, how should we handle the ceremony's associates?"

Before proceeding, Pintel asked for my confirmation.

Associates...

"If you desire, we could capture them all alive."

"No need for that, is there?"

I briefly surprised myself, unconsciously stating indifference, yet the time had clearly come to completely subdue Eulsis.

"One person to converse with will suffice."