The Villainess Appears! (1)
The villainess had appeared! He dragged away the young lady who begged for mercy without hesitation. Estelle stared blankly at the heartbreaking scene. The person she'd been talking to just moments ago was gone. And soon, word would come that she'd been executed. A traitor who'd joined hands with demons. A fool who'd fallen for their whispers. She knew it. Even if it was unavoidable, a crime was still a crime. She shouldn't have given in. She should have overcome it with resolve.
But... it's just too tragic.
The young lady being dragged away cried out, pleading for them to consider her circumstances. Her fiancé, the man she'd promised her future to, had gone missing during the war. The love of her life. The other half of her soul. The one who shared her heart. Could anyone stay sane after losing someone like that? Demons had approached her in that state and whispered temptations. Listen to us, and we might bring your fiancé back. In her desperation, grasping at any straw, she'd made the contract.
We hate each other, despise one another, and fill ourselves with suspicion. Isn't that exactly the future the demons truly desire? Like winning battles but losing the war. Aren't we sowing the seeds of evil ourselves?
"Very well, Lady Estelle. If that's your stance, allow me one question."
Right before her eyes, the man who bore the myth of the undefeated spoke coldly. If another contractor—who'd joined hands with demons—appeared here. Lady Estelle, what would you do then? Is there truly someone nearby who's fallen for the demons' whispers? In that case... perhaps talk to them first. See if they can be saved...
"Too late."
The Demon Slayer. Cain's verdict was ice-cold.
"You're already dead at that contractor's hands."
Prince Prints and Evan snapped at Cain. But Cain didn't care in the slightest and turned away. There, Estelle felt a chill run down her spine. He was human. Clearly the same species. But something was off. She could feel it. He was the worst possible opposite—someone she should never get close to. The moment she did, she'd be twisted beyond recognition.
Poor man.
A cautionary tale. A lesson from another's misfortune. The horror of straying from the path. I won't end up like that. I won't lose my humanity. She resolved to use him as a negative example. A signpost marking the wrong road.
Gazing at Cain's retreating figure, Estelle made her decision.
"…."
Prince Prints and Evan eyed her warily, sensing her gaze. It seemed some grave misunderstanding was piling up.
Sis. These days, no one wants a pushover protagonist like that. People crave cathartic refreshment—characters who say what needs saying and do what needs doing. Come to think of it, isn't the female lead in a survival struggle too? On the verge of death. Being too nice won't cut it.
'She said she was aiming for a classic feel because there are too many of those types now?'
To put it in perspective: a straight-up hero tale without regret, obsession, or grimdark tags. A true growth story where the hero slowly rises above countless trials and tribulations. Each one earning points in their own classic flavor. There's definitely appeal there. Male leads moved by the pure-hearted female protagonist's compassion. Even viewed coldly, it's understandable—plenty of potential.
But here's one tiny problem—
"Why here of all places."
Why was the protagonist of the novel he possessed such a goody-two-shoes? Why was she a magician trapped in a plot forcing endless frustration? Cain sighed as a splitting headache throbbed in his skull.
Contractors. Traitors who'd joined hands with demons. Don't they have their reasons too? The moment he heard Estelle's words, suffocating frustration surged over him. Sure. Maybe they do. Maybe not all of them are purely evil. So what? Forgive them? Tell them to repent? Doesn't he know why surrendered traitors get shitty treatment? Betrayal's hard the first time, easy the second. Forgiveness too. Understanding too. They're only possible after punishment first. What about the people killed by contractors leaking info to demons? Or assassinated on contractors' orders?
'So that's the backlash.'
To survive. To claw into this bizarre story. He'd killed demons, killed them, and killed them again to reach this point. The problem? He'd killed too many. Too damn well. The situation should've been dire with demons dominating. People should've grown more suspicious, more paranoid. Estelle was meant to shine as a beacon of kindness amid that. But now?
Now what was the situation? Demons had been beaten back to their lairs. What was once a morale-boosting event had become a victory party. Naive goodwill, already risky, had intensified.
'Should've killed a few less?'
The thought flickered briefly. But Cain shook his head. No regrets. Honestly, how do you hold back with demons in front of you? Kill 'em all. Chase down the runners and slaughter every last one. If none around, hunt them. If still none, storm their holes and butcher them! That's right. Problem arises? Eliminate the cause. Demons the problem? Exterminate every fucking one. End of story.
"Ah. Aah. Aaaaah!!—"
He wanted to kill demons. Kill them. Fucking kill them! Sword, spear, axe, mace—whatever. Ranged weapons or magic might be safest for others, but how could that quench this endless thirst? Any weapon works. Fists, kicks too. Demons shrieking for mercy was music to his ears. When predators who sneered turned prey and panicked—their faces were pure ecstasy every time.
'Gotta kill 'em all.'
That way, his fallen comrades wouldn't feel so cheated. To let them grapple one-on-one in the afterlife, he had to kill way more demons. Way more.
"Lord Cain."
"You're here, Yuris."
Unlike before, Yuris approached tense as hell. With a contractor showing up right in front of him, it made sense.
"Investigation shows she contracted with demons en route to the party."
"That explains the intel gap."
"Yes. Further details: the demon instructed her to cause a minor disturbance at the party—whatever it took. So she fed false info to the Border Count."
"Which sparked the clash between the neighboring prince and the Border Count?"
"Her statement claims she didn't expect it to escalate that far."
Of course. She wouldn't have. From the contractor's view, it was just spouting bullshit. The issue? Estelle—the romance fantasy heroine—was caught in the middle. It made the two male leads see each other as clear romantic rivals. Neither demons nor contractors had foreseen it. But the butterfly effect had struck.
"Perfect."
"Lord Cain?"
"Great warning for those fools celebrating demons' retreat, right? The fight's just simmered down—they're still scheming in the shadows. Nothing more thrilling."
"Whether that's truly 'thrilling' is debatable, but…."
Yuris eyed Cain cautiously as he grinned. Sometimes, her old commander seemed... broken. But that was fine. He was the Demon Slayer Cain. Watching him topple demons was pure joy. Their pathetic pleas were human bliss. Follow him, and victory was certain. Mad dog? Who dares.
"Yuris."
"Yes, Lord Cain. Shall I round up those who called you that right away?"
"What're you on about? That guy from earlier—Evan, was it?"
Calling the Empire's Border Count "that guy." Scandalous. But Yuris showed zero reaction.
"Correct. Border Count Evan."
"Tell me everything you know about him. In detail."
Ten years rolling in the mud had blurred details. What he remembered had changed anyway—thanks to his own mad survival fight. Even tonight's party wasn't this grand originally.
"He's the man in charge of Valencia Border County on the Empire's southeast frontier—the one you just saw. Despite only a few years as Border Count, his skills as lord have earned massive support. Plus, he defeated demons as a boy, so his martial prowess is renowned. Of course, nowhere near your toe, Lord Cain."
"Thanks. Next."
"Demons hammered the Empire hard to infiltrate, but he never yielded—repelled them every time for victory. Still nowhere near your toe, of course."
"Skip that. Next."
"As Border Count, his martial skill, authority, and fame give him marquis-level sway, if not more. Many back him. And he's hugely popular with the ladies. Naturally, still nowhere near your toe."
"Heh."
Summary: Evan was valuable. From memory, one Empire male lead betrays—seduced by the promise of monopolizing Estelle's love. Probably Evan. Yuris said he was highly capable. To defect a chunk of the Empire's forces, he'd need that caliber.
'His eyes were off earlier. Maybe remodel his brain while we're at it.'
Tough call. Even for Cain, this weighed heavy. A Border Count, after all. Innocent Empire noble. Unlike the traitor scum he'd executed. Even a mad dog doesn't bite just anyone. A true mad dog clamps down on those who need biting—and never lets go. That's what Cain was.
Exile him from the story entirely? Tempting. But right now, the count was doing his job well. Removing him might spark bigger chaos. Poke him a bit? Or half-kill him?
"Hey."
Lost in deliberation, someone called out. He turned. Evan. The Border Count male lead himself.
"Be more careful from now on."
"…?"
"Catching contractors is fine, but too many eyes here. Think of the crowd's shock. This isn't a battlefield, Cain."
Has he lost it? Then it clicked. Evan kept glancing sideways while talking. Estelle stood there. He was tracking her with his eyes. Proving to her—and even Cain—that he could give stern advice to anyone. Showing off his greatness.
"Pick your spots next time."
He even patted Cain's shoulder like a pat on the back for hard work. Wow. No clue where to start wrecking him. Killing now might be premature. Yeah. Half-kill him. Half-dead, no issues.
"Take that as a yes, and I'll be—"
SPLASH!!
"Guhk?!"
A translucent crimson liquid splashed over Evan. Sharp alcohol tang. Faint grape scent. Wine. What should be in a glass now dripped down his face.
What the hell. Yuris just blinked. If it'd been me, it'd be blood, not wine. Cain slyly hid his fist behind his waist.
"Oh. Sorry."
A woman's voice, thick with amusement, rang out.
"I nearly tripped over my dress."
Jet-black hair. Vivid red eyes.
'This woman... no way.'
The villainess had made her entrance.