The Baby Villain Dreams of Conquering the World

Chapter 108

Episode 108

Seeing her seemingly calm face, Basilian flinched in surprise, stiffened, and then bowed his head.

Her utterly relaxed face seemed not to take this situation seriously at all.

But contrary to what he saw, Flora's mind was on the verge of exploding.

'What do I do? What do I do?'

Should I erase his memory?

But I can't handle my demonic power perfectly enough to do that yet. If I mess up, I could turn him into a complete idiot, so unless I've recovered my former abilities, I should refrain for now.

'Then should I ask him to keep it a secret?'

Basilian likes me, so there's a high probability he'd agree if I begged him not to tell.

'But what if he refuses?'

Regardless of his desire to protect me, Basilian is a mercenary.

He fights monsters and hates the demons who command them. But isn't the power of demons demonic power?

'I really have no other way...'

Just as her head was about to burst, Flora couldn't even finish her thought.

"Basil, behind you!"

A snake-shaped monster suddenly leaped out, as if it had been quietly hiding.

And right behind Basilian!

Forget excuses, she reached out to save Basilian first.

Basilian, who had been bowing his head, swiftly twisted his body, grabbed his sword hilt, and drew it in one fluid motion.

Seeing the revealed sword, Flora was utterly shocked.

'No, even if you're in a hurry, that's too much!'

Perhaps because he drew it without looking, he had pulled out the very sword he always carried at his waist, treasuring it dearly but never using it, and now held it in his hand.

"Basil, you can't handle it alone!"

The snake's body was thick, so it seemed difficult for Basilian to handle it in one go with just his grip strength.

'I guess I still have to help...'

Flora's surprise didn't end there.

Despite Flora's advice, Basilian swung his sword without hesitation and instantly beheaded the monster that was opening its mouth wide and charging towards him.

"Huh, how?"

Staring blankly with her mouth agape at the unbelievable reality, Flora watched as Basilian strode towards her.

Seeing the sword tightly gripped in his hand, Flora couldn't bring herself to say anything.

'Why is there demonic power swirling around that sword?'

Doesn't this mean Basilian also knows how to use demonic power?

As Flora stood frozen in surprise, Basilian, standing before her, grinned.

The corners of his mouth were turned up refreshingly, but his eyes were brimming as if tears were about to burst forth at any moment.

Looking at the shocked Flora, he let out a "Haha," laughed aloud, and then pulled her into a hug.

"I wasn't alone... I wasn't alone."

He murmured these words, filled with emotion.

In this bewildering situation, Flora, held in Basilian's embrace, blinked quietly.

'What in the world is going on?'

When Basilian caught her using demonic power, she thought it was an absolute disaster, but it turns out he uses the same ability.

Moreover, it seemed he had suffered quite a bit because of this power, as the body holding her was trembling slightly.

Hearing his sniffles, Flora stopped herself from questioning him immediately and waited for him to calm down.

'...More than that, I feel like I've seen that sword somewhere.'

She quietly lowered her gaze and recalled the appearance of the sword she had just seen.

It definitely felt familiar, but she couldn't remember exactly what it was.

'Is it just my misconception?'

He always vehemently refused to show it, using the excuse that he couldn't handle it well, but it seems he had been hiding the sword all this time because of the demonic power.

'So... it's a sword that can only be used if you have demonic power? Is that it?'

Then is it a demonic sword?

That might be why he desperately hid it.

By the time Basilian's trembling had subsided, Flora tapped the arms holding her.

Taking the hint, Basilian stepped back and quietly stared at Flora with his moist, red eyes.

His gaze was so affectionate that Flora couldn't bring herself to speak first.

So she waited for Basilian to speak, and he cautiously began.

"...I'm sorry, I was just so happy."

"No, it's fine. Between us, a hug isn't something to be surprised about."

"Can I ask how long you've had that power?"

As it was an important topic, his attitude was infinitely quieter and more serious than usual. After thinking for a moment, Flora nodded.

"Since I was little. I knew instinctively it wasn't a welcomed power, so I hid it. My dad and my oppa don't know. What about you?"

"Me too... I was born with it. But unlike you, I couldn't handle it well, so I couldn't show it until now. I suppose it's also a cursed power."

"...A cursed power?"

At Flora's repeated question, Basilian smiled bitterly.

"As you know, it's a power we can never show to anyone. In my family, only I could use it..."

Before Basilian could even finish his sentence, Flora asked in surprise.

"You, you! You had a family?"

"...!"

At that question, Basilian closed his mouth tightly with a look of having made a mistake. Flora couldn't hide her surprise, her mouth moving.

"You... you never said..."

She had raised her voice without realizing it, too surprised, and then stopped herself with an "Oops."

"...Does your family know you have that power?"

"...Yes."

At his answer, given with his head bowed deeply, Flora was truly at a loss for words this time.

'...He was abandoned because of the demonic power.'

Yes, thinking about it, it was strange for Basilian, an orphan, to have such a splendid sword.

'Just because he had that kind of power...'

It had already been several years since Flora came to the North.

Naturally, she had heard about the origin of the name 'Basilian.'

Basilian, a name given to children abandoned by their parents, like the abandoned Crown Prince.

Being abandoned alone was harsh enough for a child, but to have their one and only name branded on them like a stigma was truly cruel beyond measure.

And that wounded child was right in front of her.

Flora didn't know what expression to make.

She didn't want to pity him, nor did she want to feel sorry for him.

What's the big deal about that measly power?

It's not your fault you were abandoned, so why feel disheartened?

She had many things she wanted to say, but afraid her words, which meant little to her, might wound Basilian, she couldn't easily voice them.

So this time, she was the one who tightly hugged Basilian. Then she calmly patted his back.

"It's okay."

Hoping that her comfort would reach his heart, whatever wounds he had suffered until now.

"As you said, you're not alone anymore."

She conveyed only the sincerity she desperately wanted to share.

"I'll be by your side."

"I hated this world so much until now. No one knows how terrible this life is, where everyone dislikes, resents, and hates me. My life was truly like hell until I met you..."

As if reassured by the warm body heat he felt first, the pent-up feelings of injustice and sincerity he had held in his heart began to flow out.

"...You can't break the promise you just made."

"Okay, let's pinky swear."

Still hugging each other, they pulled out just their hands, hooked their pinkies, and shook them. He suddenly let out a small laugh.

"What's so funny?"

"You're so consistent."

Basilian looked at their interlocked promise token, then pulled Flora into a tighter hug with his other arm.

"I thought there was no one in this world who could fully understand me. So the fact that it's not true is like a gift to me. And the fact that it's you makes me so happy I could go crazy."

"...You're exaggerating."

His overflowing emotions were overwhelmingly immense. The feeling of becoming his one and only person was unexpectedly not so bad.

"Yeah, now I get it."

"...Get what?"

"Why the demon coveted you."

"......"

That was brief. At his sudden words, Flora's breath caught in her throat.

'Wh-what is he trying to say?'

"It's because you have the same power as me, so it wanted to use that power. Or perhaps capture and eat you to absorb your power."

'Ah, no, that's not it.'

"Those wicked bastards! To a child who's already suffering from hiding it!"

Seeing that he seemed to have firmly misunderstood, she tried to deny it, but that wasn't easy either.

'...Wouldn't it be strange to defend the demon here?'

While Flora was lost in brief but serious contemplation, Basilian collected his raging emotions and returned to his usual self.

"You said your other family members don't know?"

"Ah, yes. No one knows. I don't plan to tell them for a while, as I think they'd worry."