The Villain’s Ending

Chapter 99

Afterimage (10)

Until that evening, I did nothing but chain-smoke in the room.

I simply watched, dazed, as the sun set and darkness seeped in beyond the window.

Cigarette butts piled up like a mountain in the ashtray.

My mouth was bitter, and my head felt hazy.

The tobacco Estelle had given me was certainly strong.

Strong enough to momentarily cut through my complex thoughts.

I rose from my seat, leaving the creaking chair behind, and headed for the door.

Click.

As soon as I turned the handle and opened the door, something caught in the gap, making a dull sound.The door didn't open completely, snagging slightly.

I lowered my head and looked down.

A small, gleaming stone was wedged in the threshold.

I casually kicked the stone aside with my foot.

Then, I began to descend the stairs.

As I went down a few steps of the creaking wooden staircase, several servants, who had been standing like shadows at the far end of the hallway, approached me.

Their faces showed a cautious demeanor mixed with a hint of fear.

"Young master, is there anything you might need?"

A butler said, taking out a pen and a small notebook.

"We heard you enjoy tending to the lawn, so we've prepared small shears in advance."

Their gazes alternated between my face and hands.

Feeling somewhat dumbfounded, I blurted out words unconsciously.

"I don't need anything. Just go about your business."

They hesitated for a moment at my words, then bowed and returned the way they came.

Only the musty smell of dust characteristic of an old mansion and the scent of dry wood hung in the air.

I walked to the mansion's entrance, opened the heavy door, and stepped outside.

The characteristic dampness of the night air and a heavy, subsided scent brushed past my nose.

The smell of earth from the garden where the day's heat had cooled, the faint fragrance of unknown flowers, and the scent of dew-laden grass were all intertwined.

The sky was studded with stars, but the moon was faint, obscured by clouds.

That peculiar scent, which I had only been able to perceive since I gained the ability to use magic, was detectable once more.

This time, it was much clearer.

It was an alien fragrance, sweet yet somehow fishy, like the mingled smell of rotting sweet fruit and rusty iron.

The scent seemed to waft in on the wind from the forest behind the mansion.

I walked in the direction of that scent.

Crossing the well maintained garden, I headed for the familiar forest entrance.

It was the path I had traversed almost daily with Lineta in a previous playthrough.

A path so familiar that I could walk it with my eyes closed, knowing where to avoid stones that might trip my foot, and which tree roots protruded above the ground.

As I entered the forest, the air grew even colder.

The rustling of leaves in the wind, the distant hoot of an owl, and the crunch of dry twigs underfoot filled my ears.

Come to think of it, I had never been here at night.

The forest at night felt far more terrifying than I'd expected.

Though not as bad as being burned alive, the eerie atmosphere somehow made me fear a hanged ghost might speak to me from beside.

I walked for a long time.

Then, the familiar stream appeared.

It was the small river that usually babbled and flowed gently.

For some reason, the current seemed to flow unusually fast today.

The faint moonlight reflecting on the water's surface felt rather unsettling.

I took off my shoes and dipped my feet into the cold water.

The sensation of the water wrapping around my ankles was icy cold.

It was the moment I stepped onto the opposite bank after crossing the river.

All sounds ceased in an instant.

The sound of the wind that had filled my ears just moments ago, the chirping of insects, even the flowing of the river.

Silence, quite literally, descended, as if the very concept of sound had vanished in an instant.

Only the thumping of my heart and my ragged breathing echoed abnormally loud in my head.

The air changed.

It wasn't merely colder.

It was heavy and stale.

With every breath, a damp and chilling sensation seemed to seep deep into my lungs.

My vision began to distort.

The faint moonlight, previously obscured by clouds, now cast an unpleasant red glow, pouring down onto the ground.

Beneath that red light, everything in the forest lost its color and transformed into grotesque shapes.

The familiar trees no longer stretched their branches towards the sky.

The leaves were not a vibrant green.

They were either a dark crimson, like dried bloodstains, or a mottled purple, like diseased skin.

On some leaves, an unidentified slime glistened under the moonlight.

Nevertheless, I continued to press forward.

Even though the ground was a little too soft.

With every step, I felt a squishy, unpleasant sensation, as if walking on wet leather.

The smell was now so putrid it was hard to breathe.

It no longer merely irritated my nose; it felt sticky and repulsive, clinging to my tongue.

The biggest problem was the gazes.

Gazes were felt from all directions.

It wasn't just some bastard hiding and watching me; it felt as if the entire forest, every single tree, every blade of grass, every rock was staring at me.

Turning back, I saw no river, which had been flowing there just moments ago.

Instead of screaming in terror, I took out the tobacco Estelle had given me from my pocket and put it in my mouth.

Creating a flame at my fingertip was much faster than usual, and a much larger flame than expected sprang forth.

The flame flared up, igniting the entire cigarette.

I put it out appropriately, then relit just the tip and inhaled the smoke.

Even so, as the strong taste of the tobacco lingered on my tongue, the bizarre sensations felt somewhat subdued.

After walking a little further, the village came into view.

In the center of the village, only Lineta and a few familiar villagers were dancing, holding hands.

Around them, slaughtered livestock, seemingly rotten food, what undeniably looked like human bones, and a bonfire were scattered haphazardly.

And around them, humans wearing dark crimson masks and pure white robes held staffs engraved with church symbols, dancing and spinning in circles.

They stopped dancing, took out cups from their bosoms, lifted the carcasses of the slaughtered livestock, and caught the dripping blood.

After drinking the blood themselves first, they then poured the blood over the mouths of Lineta and the villagers lying beside her.

Then, they pressed blades against their own bodies.

Afterward, they began to dance once more until their pure white robes turned red.

I thought they might eat people, given they were called cultists, but for all their idiocy, they seemed rather wholesome.

After all, the Church and this place were equally idiotic.

Once you've seen the basement, it's impossible to maintain any faith whatsoever.

As I was thinking that, they suddenly prostrated themselves on the ground, looked in my direction, and began to run towards me.

Thinking, 'I'm screwed,' I turned and ran but was quickly caught.

After all, they were humans, yet they ran on all fours, not two legs.

They were much faster than I expected.

Anyway, after struggling with all my might, I was eventually dragged and forced to kneel before Lineta.

"Oh! It's the young master! Why on earth did you come here?"

Lineta said with a bright smile.

When I didn't answer, a mask-wearing cultist in crimson robes next to me bit my shoulder.

I felt the sharp teeth sink into my flesh.

"......I heard there were heretics, you see."

"This is something even the villagers don't show each other, so what are you doing peeking at it?"

Lineta said, looking at me with a slightly troubled expression.

"Does Kyle even know you're doing this?"

At the mention of Kyle, Lineta's vertically elongated pupils transformed back into their usual round shape.

"Huh...? Young master, how do you know big brother Kyle...?"

Lineta couldn't continue, then grinned.

Her eyes elongated vertically once more.

"Ah, right. I think I heard that the young master also attends the Academy!"

Lineta kicked aside a livestock carcass that was in her way and muttered softly.

"This might look a bit like a cult ritual, but it's just a prayer ceremony to live a long life.

Only the chosen ones can do it."

She stretched in front of me.

She was wearing clothes that looked like she had wrapped herself in a blanket, unlike her usual attire.

"That idiotic, dimwitted bastard Kyle is just like his parents who were chased out, and he's dangerous; no, people harass him, and he can't adapt to the village... well, he wouldn't know!"

Once again, Lineta's eyes reverted to their round shape.

"We used to be so close, like siblings....

And I wished the villagers would know how kind and amazing Big brother Kyle is, but it's really sad.

Still, it's fortunate that Brother Kyle can now comfortably go to the capital, which he always wanted to visit someday, and I wanted to go with him too. I still want to leave.

This village, it's truly disgusting and horrible."

And then again, Lineta's eyes elongated vertically.

A mocking smile was mixed in the expression on her face.

"Indeed, even if I said I wasn't a heretic, you wouldn't believe me, would you?

Hmm... Well, I was half-infatuated with you from the first time I saw you because you're exactly my type, so how about living here with me?

You have a nice scent, you know."

She took the knife that a priest next to her was holding, lightly grazed my face with it, and then plunged it into my chest.

And then she whispered into my ear.

A suffocating, peculiar scent wafted from her breath.

"If you stay with me here, you can live a very long life.

There's no place as happy and enjoyable as this village.

If there's anyone you really dislike, I'll drive them away for you."

I wasn't sure if she meant "drive away" or "sacrifice."

At the very least, I didn't want to live with such a deranged person, whose sanity flickered back and forth, right before my eyes.

Lately, I'd been thinking that even living with Levina, Seraphina, and Estelle, those three, was beyond what a sane person could endure, so living alone with a crazy woman in a cult village? Someone like me wouldn't be surprised to be offered as a sacrifice at any moment.

"It's secluded, so no one will come looking for you.

If you want, I can even get you a high position in the Church.

You're just a worm-like bastard anyway."

I felt Lineta's whispered words seep into my mind.

The blade embedded in my chest didn't feel painful.

However, that peculiar scent emanating from Lineta felt incredibly strong.

With every word she spoke, and even more intensely after the blade was plunged in.

So strongly that it made me nauseous.

"Since you won't inherit the family anyway, how about becoming a high-ranking official in the Church?

Some of the villagers live in the Church, you know."

"Bullshit."

Lineta looked somewhat flustered and recoiled from me.

"Are you, a priest?"

Suddenly her eyes rounded, and her expression completely changed.

It was the face of a terrified girl.

"Then please... help me."

Lineta said that, hesitating somehow.

"This village must disappear."

After uttering those words, Lineta froze in place.

Her lips moved, but no sound came out, making it seem as if she were talking to herself.

Simultaneously, small wooden thorns began to sprout and blossom from her nape.

The blossoming thorns engulfed all the villagers around, as well as those wearing dark crimson masks.

At that moment, a voice came from behind me.

"Lavin!"

It was Levina's voice.

"......Sister?"

"Run this way, now!"

Even without being told, my feet were already pushing off the ground, running towards Levina.

Levina seemed crazy enough, but at least she didn't seem as crazy as the cultists.