Saving the Villainess (4)
How did I know at a glance that he was the Ortes Duke? To explain that, I need to talk about the stars.
What are the stars? The gods people commonly imagine? Close enough. They're straight-up transcendent beings. In modern terms, you could call them constellations. These entities obviously can't become gods themselves, but they're the closest things to them. Mythical existences, in other words. And shamans borrow their power.
Of course, it's not just shamans who can use their power.
"A pleasure to meet you, Duke Ortes."
"I've heard all the rumors about you, yet this is our first meeting."
Why was he obviously the Ortes Duke? Simple. Who were the ancestors of the Ortes ducal family? High elves. The average lifespan of a regular elf is 500 years. For high elves, it's over 1,000. And when was this empire founded? About 1,500 years ago.
That's right. Back in the empire's early days, there were three ducal houses in total. The difference? One of those ducal houses changed its name—to Ortes. The original duke sided with the demon king's army, so the title ended up going to a high elf named Ortes, one of the hero's companions. And these guys are his descendants.
"Your spirits look remarkably healthy."
"Please understand. My kids are still young."
"Spirits don't have lifespans, do they?"
"That's why they're young."
The room was packed with spirits, from the lowest-grade ones to the highest. The man standing before me was the strongest spirit mage among humans: the Ortes Duke. He had spirit affinity superior to most elves and was renowned for his innate spirit power. Even high elves struggled to contract top-grade spirits, yet two of them floated right here in this room. Even Luca, who couldn't sense spirits, picked up on the weird vibe and stayed on guard...
"Duke. What the hell is this?"
"Oh dear... We were just exchanging greetings."
Wooooong!
Damn, I really liked this outfit. Rip... tear...
The power of the stars manifested from me. The clothes couldn't handle it and tore apart, revealing tattoos that covered my upper body. I could feel the spirits sensing my aura and fleeing in panic—even the top-grade ones just watching with arms crossed.
"Estellia. Didn't expect you'd stab me in the back like this."
"Th-that's...!"
She tried to speak from beside the duke, but he cut her off. In the end, Estellia just bowed her head in silence. I glanced at her briefly, then turned to the duke with eyes demanding an explanation. He finally spoke.
"...I heard you saw Estellia's bare skin."
"So what."
"Looks like it's true, then."
I don't know much about the empire. I've visited a few times, but never stayed long. And why would I? Luca's the same age as me—20. She was fated to be offered as a sacrifice at 17, so I didn't have time to hang around the empire on dispatch. Hell, I secretly followed her on the day she was heading off to be sacrificed. Of course, Luca freaked out when she found out. Not a secret, since I blabbed about it everywhere.
"It's not exactly imperial law, but more like a cultural thing... You made one mistake."
I just stared at him silently. The duke slowly rose from his chair.
"Gazing upon the body of a woman who's come of age. Do you know what that means? Tell me yourself."
The Ortes Duke tossed the question to Estellia. She was trembling so hard she could barely stand, finally squeezing her eyes shut. Her hands clenched her skirt until it crumpled.
"Sh-she... we have to get married!"
"..."
"...What the hell?!"
I never imagined the empire hadn't ditched a custom we'd already outgrown up north. Come to think of it, every time I'd come here, I'd never seen a woman showing skin. ...Wait, I'd never even seen a woman, period!
In the end, I was speechless. But Luca said exactly what I wanted to.
Her face flushed beet red as a bonus.
"Understood. I can't give my daughter to some rootless barbarian like you. The fact that you saw Estellia's skin won't change. She's engaged in a political marriage to the next head of House Draken. You're not even in her league."
Nobles are all like this. Estellia's just unusually weird. Nobles really think they're all high and mighty.
Then something suddenly bugged me.
...Draken... Draken...
Draken.
"That Draken? The ducal house? Expert level?"
"Yes. The son's Expert-advanced, and the family head's a Swordmaster. Nothing a guy like you can touch. And the same goes for legitimacy and influence."
"Hmm, I see... How about a memory-loss spell, then? Or a shaman ritual. I could cast it myself?"
The duke shook his head at my words.
"Impossible. It's not about your memory. It's the truth itself. So... sorry. You saved my daughter, so please go in peace."
With that, I felt spirit power emanating from the duke. That meant he was ordering the spirits.
Haa... Why does shit always go down like this?
A woman promised in political marriage to House Draken. I knew who Estellia was. From the depths of my memories. Restoring them as a shaman would've been easy, but I didn't want to dig up Earth memories unless I had to...
Estellia was the villainess. More precisely, fated to become one. She dies to assassins. Then a soul planted by those assassins takes over her body and controls her. Turning her into the villainess.
How'd I know? TV debates popped up because she was so damn pitiful.
"Kuh... Talk about a twisted fate... So this was her destiny."
I'm not the type to pry, so I hadn't looked deeply into her fate. Just that she'd die here. And her essential nature. Why'd I trust Estellia? I'd seen her core soul and judged she wasn't fated to die here.
"Duke. Ever heard of Defying Heaven?"
"What nonsense is this?"
"Defying Heaven means... defying the heavens. Rejecting fate."
"You bastard!"
Realizing I was about to act, the duke bellowed. His spirits unleashed attacks on me in response.
...
"Whaaaat iiiis thiiiis pooooweeeerrr..."
Time slowed to a crawl. Almost stopped. Everyone's consciousness was crystal clear. Not that it mattered—only me, Luca, the duke, and Estellia were here.
In this frozen world, only I could move.
Step... step... In a space essentially halted, I alone was free.
"You know about fate, Duke. Calling a shaman to defy it? Something every great noble of the empire does at least once. And you know what defying fate means."
The duke didn't answer. Or rather, he was—but too slowly for sound to form. Might as well call it stopped.
"Defying fate... Nice phrase. And I changed your daughter Estellia's fate. She was supposed to die, but I altered it. First time hearing about a twist like that, right?"
Fate... These people romanticize it. Blame it on this being a romance fantasy world? They see fate as just a tool for finding love, believing they carve their own paths. Plenty of nobles have heard "do this and you're screwed" from shamans and turned their lives around.
But that's no different from a Korean shaman glimpsing the future via divination and giving advice. Changing your own fate? Doesn't dent karma much.
However.
Messing with someone else's fate? The world doesn't allow it. That's why karma exists.
So.
"Question time, Duke. I changed her fate, and the changer dies. Where do you think that'll go?"
I stood before him. He was standing too, but my 2-meter-plus frame dwarfed him. Towering over him like a monster. Estellia looked terrified too—probably 'cause she knew my strength.
"Straight to you, Duke. More precisely, to your roots. Then your whole ducal house turns to ashes. The karma of defying a death fate will crush you all."
I said that, then plopped onto the sofa opposite him. Sat Luca down too—her legs must've been killing her. I sprawled out arrogantly.
"Hope you're not dumb enough to dismiss this as bullshit. Word of a Grand Shaman. Ignore it at your peril—you know what happens."
Woooong...
The star power filling my body faded. Time was up. Holding time like this takes it out of me. Burns karma too.
...
"...Sit."
The duke calmly sat back down. Looked calm, but inside? Total mess. Rapid breathing, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. Easiest to spot? Fear. Of me.
"Hah... hah... ugh...!"
Tatata!
Estellia clamped her mouth and bolted out. She wasn't needed here anymore anyway. I watched her go, then turned to the duke. He was dazed, confused. Can't blame him— a human just stopped time.
"Duke."
He flinched. His blank stare shifted to me.
"Don't get any funny ideas. There's only one reason you're still breathing."
He swallowed hard. The creeping spirit power vanished completely.
"Karma. Pure karma. Killing you too would pile on more than I can handle. Got it? Saving her racked up that much karma. Too much for even a Grand Shaman."
No wonder it was huge—she was fated to torment the original protagonist by force. And as the black curtain's puppet? Major role. I figured she was next duke or princess material. But worse? Shocking.
"Well then... Shall we talk? Something useful."