The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 121

Sunset (4)

After taking a suitable amount of money, I returned to the room, and it was neatly cleaned.

And it seemed Seraphina had hung up the painting that must have been stashed somewhere.After staring at the landscape painting for a long time, I sat perched on the edge of the bed.

I pulled out a cigarette, clamped it in my mouth, and diligently puffed on it for a long time.

My head felt numb.

I picked up a liquor bottle, drank straight from it, and when I stood up, the dazed feeling seemed to have lessened a bit.

Counting the money I took from Levina, bill by bill, it was an amount enough to buy a carriage without much trouble.

Will it be okay this time?

When I stroll for hours in a place teeming with people, I sometimes feel as if my spirit is wearing thin.

Now, beyond just wearing thin, it's so agonizing I wonder if I might die from exhaustion like this.

The biggest problem seems to be that there's no one to talk to.

If only there were just one person to share a story with.

Well, I've been dying and coming back to life several times, and even if I said I mostly died like an idiot because of my incompetence, how many people would listen?

They'd probably just treat me like an idiot talking nonsense again after getting drunk.

I thought about getting up, finding Estelle, and handing over the list of heretics hiding in the church, but it seemed she wouldn't listen even if I told her now.

Because Estelle and I are strangers.

Even if we kissed and became lovers, we'd still be strangers.

Even if I sought her out even as I burned to death, we'd still be strangers.

Even if we married and lived as husband and wife while the world was ending, we'd still be strangers.

This feeling is truly fucking awful.

To come back again with everything I've ever done completely shattered is truly...

Anyway, I needed a suitable knife.

With just a revolver, I didn't think I could subdue Lineta without killing her.

And it's not like I'm going to go looking for her arm-in-arm with Estelle, who's a stranger.

In a few days, we could certainly become close enough to call each other friends, but if I then took her to a heretic village, it would inevitably seem a bit suspicious.

Lineta and the other heretics in the village aren't that strong, but honestly, they look quite frightening.

After all, slightly deranged humans charging on all fours are certainly not someone you'd want to get close to.

Looking out the window, it was dark outside.

Before I die, if I tell Seraphina, maybe she'll remember?

At least she seemed to remember some of my dying moments.

I wish she would find me.

Because now, every time I look at someone, I recall things that haven't even happened and superimpose countless images.

I don't know where I am.

After getting up, I roughly shoved the revolver into my waistband and moved my steps.

I do think I need a sword after all... well, it'll work out somehow.

It's not like I can just take a sword from a student walking around with one at their waist.

If I die, well, I guess I'll just bicker with Seraphina again.

I went out into the street and hailed a suitable carriage.

I told the coachman the name of the village near the annex and asked him to follow the road all the way to the annex; he nodded and accepted the money.

Inside the rattling carriage, I stared blankly at the scenery flashing past the window.

Streets immersed in darkness, the faint glow of gas lamps, and the occasional shadows of patrol guards.

Upon arriving at the annex, it was time for dinner.

Even though I had come by carriage, the annex gate remained firmly closed and wouldn't open.

After sitting in the carriage for a long time, waiting, I got down and approached the old butler who was talking to the coachman.

I thought about slapping him, but I didn't want to waste my energy.

"It seems the annex's servants can't recognize someone from the Edelgard family, can they?"

The butler looked at my face, and his eyes widened slightly.

"My apologies, Young Master. I'll open it right away!"

Without bothering to get back into the carriage, I moved my steps.

The massive iron gate creaked open, and I walked across the familiar garden into the mansion.

Since an unknown noble had arrived without any prior notice, the annex's servants seemed greatly flustered.

They bowed in greeting, but Lineta wasn't among them, so I merely waved my hand dismissively and walked towards the kitchen, not the dining room.

At a small table at the far end of the kitchen, several servants were seen eating.

Among them was Lineta.

And looking quite normal, at that.

Meeting Lineta again inside the village doesn't seem like a very good option.

"Give me something to eat too."

I said, addressing the cook in the kitchen.

He, with a bewildered expression, sprinkled cheese on a bowl of stew and handed me a piece of bread.

"Thanks."

After receiving the food, I began to eat the same meal alongside the servants.

I could feel everyone watching me warily.

Even Lineta.

They probably didn't know who I was, but it would be awkward for anyone when someone dressed like an obvious noble walks in and asks for food.

It seemed no one in this mansion recognized my face except the butler.

I crammed the bread and stew into my mouth faster than anyone else there.

So much so that even the butler, who had just entered the kitchen looking for me, was surprised.

After drinking the water the cook hastily brought, I pointed at Lineta and said.

"I came to meet this friend, so send her up to the guest room."

I walked out of the kitchen.

And entered a suitable guest room.

It seemed to be regularly cleaned, but being old, it couldn't help but have a dusty smell.

Before long, a knock was heard at my door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and Lineta entered the room.

She seemed somewhat scared, yet also scornful, but when our eyes met, her expression began to relax a little.

Then she sniffed slightly, smelling the air, and let out a small "Ah."

"Why, is the smell strong?"

"No, it smells very good."

"Sit down in a chair somewhere. It's hard to talk standing up."

Lineta naturally sat down in the room.

"At first, the butler, with a face full of worry, told me to scream if anything happened, so I thought some debauched scoundrel had come all this way to call me, perhaps to indulge in some unusual womanizing..."

Lineta drew out her words.

"You thought?"

"...I didn't realize that the famous Young Master of the Edelgard family would be one of us."

"The church somehow luckily found out you work here, you see."

"Ah, um. Have you already spoken with the people at the church?"

"I have. Come closer."

At those words, Lineta stood up and approached me.

I grabbed the shoulder of Lineta's clothes as she came close, pulled it slightly to expose her collarbone, then released it and took hold of the hem of her garment.

"Take it off."

"Now, I think you're somewhat mistaken, no matter how high-ranking you are in the secular world..."

"Take it off."

As she was speaking, I moved a little closer, grabbed her chest, and pressed my body against hers, making Lineta sigh.

Then, feigning to take off her clothes, she slightly twisted her upper body and tried to kick my side with her right knee.

I blocked it with my elbow, then stepped slightly towards the unbalanced Lineta and twisted the knee I had grabbed.

Crack.

Her leg twisted in a strange direction, and a sound like something shattering echoed through the room.

Fearing Lineta might scream, I immediately grabbed the back of her head with my hand and shoved her face into the pillow on the bed.

Then, Lineta pulled out a small knife from her waistband with her left hand and swung it at me.

I blocked it with my left palm, but it seemed the force was stronger than expected, as it tore straight down, leaving my palm ragged.

I grabbed her wrist with my right hand, twisted her arm in the opposite direction, then pulled the shoulder of Lineta's intact arm, dislocating the bone.

Simultaneously, the bed became wet, imbued with a strange warmth and the smell of urine.

Although I found it a bit disgusting, heretics were the kind of people who specifically engaged in all sorts of bizarre acts.

It wouldn't have been strange if Lineta's arms and legs reattached perfectly and she charged at me again.

"Should I have brought a priest or something?"

I stripped off Lineta's upper garment, then tightly bound my ragged palm with cloth to stop the bleeding.

Then, removing the pillow, I grabbed Lineta's hair, her face a mess, stood up, dragged her along, and forcibly made her sit in a chair.

Though she writhed, struggling even to sit properly.

Lineta was hyperventilating, seemingly unable to breathe properly just because her body was a bit broken.

After slapping her cheek and then strongly strangling her for about 30 seconds, it quickly rectified itself.

"What do you think it would be like for someone suddenly abandoned by their family and even their fiancée to stay here?"

Lineta strenuously raised her head and glared at me.

Her eyes were still full of hostility.

"Ha, suddenly, huff, what kind of bullshit..."

Lineta's words didn't continue to the end.

I slapped her cheek and said.

"Just answer."

I grabbed Lineta's head, which was about to lose balance and fall after being slapped, and made her stand up again.

Lineta looked at me and gritted her teeth.

"And their reputation would be terrible, someone everyone points at and calls trash.

Do you think you'd want to approach and help them?"

Lineta spat on my face.

I wiped the spit off my cheek with my sleeve.

"I'd never go near such useless trash."

At those words, I smiled.

"No, you wouldn't have done that."