Chapter 115
Chapter 115
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 115
Chapter Title: Villainess
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Villainess.
In a dim alleyway.
A man took in a woman with dead-like eyes.
Golden hair and blue eyes.
However, he was a man who had barely survived the aftermath of the battle.
His once bright blonde hair had lost its shine,
now dry and brittle.
The eyes that had seemed so clear at some point had faded too.
He gazed at the woman with those eyes.
His love.
His everything.
Chloe.
And the man carrying Chloe like a piece of luggage.
Han Yuseong.
A man living in Cradle couldn't help but know who he was.
No, the rumors had already spread far and wide across the Empire.
The fact that they'd reached his ears—despite him putting most things off because of Chloe—meant his growth was unnaturally rapid.
Some even whispered that he'd received power from the Demon King.
And that made sense.
After all, he wasn't just anyone.
He was the man who had caught the eye of Volkan and the Black Demonic Master.
Ractor stared at Chloe with dim eyes.
The woman he would have given everything for.
But it seemed Chloe didn't feel the same.
'No, Chloe wouldn't be like that.'
Blinded by obsession.
Ractor glared at Han Yuseong with bloodshot eyes.
'My Chloe would never be interested in the likes of you.'
That thought soon spiraled into others.
The man who had hoisted Chloe like luggage and vanished somewhere.
Han Yuseong.
Yes, it was all that man's fault.
Ractor glared at him with burning eyes.
Jealousy.
That emotion consumed him.
'If only you were gone.'
If only that man didn't exist.
Then the connection between him and Chloe (which wasn't a connection at all) and everything else would go back to normal.
*
"Achoo!"
Someone must be badmouthing me.
My nose itched for no reason.
"Are you catching a cold or something?"
"Nah, it's not that."
I replied halfheartedly.
Yesterday, I'd definitely gone off to rescue citizens with Chloe.
That had drained my stamina a bit, but not enough to cause this.
"So why'd you come?"
"Because I was worried?"
"Got it."
I glanced to the side.
Glasses and Teresa were seated at the table, locked in a chess match.
Rishiel was quietly tending to her sword.
Viola was sprawled on the sofa, getting a massage from Cheongsu,
while Rozante swigged from a bottle off to the side.
"Whew~ Alcohol brewed with elven techniques... it's divine."
I spotted Rozante eyeing me with sparkling admiration.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Affirmative. The value of ten Gold Coins is sufficient. "Something like this would sell out even at ten Gold Coins~. Gulp."
"......"
I'd suspected Cheongsu was tinkering with something weird lately.
Didn't expect it to be booze.
'Booze, huh...'
Alcohol's not a bad idea.
Maybe I should give it a shot.
-That guy's a scoundrel too. Brewing booze with skills like that?
'You think so too, right?'
-What a brilliant tool! Hurry up and fetch me some booze!!
'......'
Even if there was booze, could you drink it?
When I asked inwardly, the holy sword fell silent like a dead rat.
Guess it really did have a body once.
I let out a deep sigh and turned to So Yeonhwa.
"Aren't you heading home?"
"Going with the Black Demonic Master."
"When?"
"Dunno. Still wrapping things up. At least three weeks here, then off to the Eastern Continent for the hero tournament qualifier before heading to the Empire."
"......"
Basically holing up here for a full month.
Not that I couldn't understand.
"What about the others?"
"Hansen and Finn? Finn wanted to come, but Hansen dragged him off for training..."
"He's come around, huh?"
"It's good for our party right now. We confirmed his scouting skills in the Labyrinth last time, so we're pumping points into offense. If it goes well, he might snag a related Gift on level up."
Ermé stretched lazily as she spoke,
then her eyes lit up as she eyed Cheongsu.
"But that robot... it's seriously a jack-of-all-trades, isn't it?"
Her eyes were sparkling.
The look of someone who wanted one for home.
She was staring right at me.
"Pretty much. It whips up potions while I'm in the Labyrinth or sleeping."
"It can cook too, right?"
"Even brews booze."
"We should start a business with it. Just figure out the recipe."
"......"
"Hey, quit staring like that."
Ermé blushed as she looked at me.
Come on, people stare sometimes.
'Chloe does it too.'
Why do I get these reactions?
I had a few friends back home.
Not the game recommender.
One of the others had a friendly face.
The girls called him ugly—the one who said it straight.
When that guy stared at a girl, she made that exact face.
'...I'm handsome, aren't I?'
I checked myself.
I'm good-looking.
So why the same reaction as that guy?
"So, how're we doing this business?"
"Did you use any antidotes when the Demon King's minions attacked yesterday?"
"Yeah."
Those things wielded some bizarre corruption power.
To save the citizens, I used healing meds freely.
I'd already filed claims with the Guild for the antidotes and potions expended on the streets.
"The Guild can handle it. Labyrinth's been blocked lately, so money's tight, but it's the Guild. So, pricing?"
"Price? As long as we don't gouge too hard."
"No, we need to price it high. The nobles will snap it up like crazy."
"Hmm."
I pondered for a moment.
Could we really charge top dollar?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ Affirmative. Labor costs have been factored in. High pricing is acceptable. "......"
Labor costs?
Was it okay for a robot to say that?
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ You're thinking that because you only make me work 15 out of 24 hours a day, like some evil boss exploiting a robot. "......"
Honestly, I'd never pushed it that hard.
I only had it work about eight hours, and the rest was it volunteering out of boredom during my sleep time—adding up to fifteen.
'It doesn't even sleep to begin with.'
-Quite the peculiar one.
The holy sword agreed with me.
*
I stepped outside.
The streets were still in chaos.
The Demon King's forces had invaded, after all.
Buildings were being rebuilt everywhere amid the frenzy.
'Not as bad as I feared, though.'
Orcs hauled timber,
dwarves turned it into houses.
A few elves were even pitching in.
'Elves, huh.'
Thinking of elves brought Rishiel to mind first.
But aside from that initial impression, she didn't really give off an elven vibe.
That was why the clan had accepted her.
'They only birth females, so they kidnap other races for breeding, right?'
And their prime targets were orcs.
Those sturdy bodies made them perfect breeding stallions.
Yet even orcs only lasted a few months before dropping dead—that's elves for you.
As those thoughts crossed my mind,
a familiar silhouette caught my eye.
"Ah, hello!"
Before I could turn tail and bolt,
Chloe barreled toward me at breakneck speed, greeting me brightly.
"Long time no see!"
She beamed as she waved hello.
Hadn't it only been a day?
Why so thrilled?
"Out solo today?"
"Yeah. You?"
"Y-Yes... Ah, yeah, solo now."
She echoed my words like she was entranced, then her face fell a bit.
I figured someone was nearby, and sure enough, a familiar face appeared.
Ractor, was it?
But...
-What a sorry sight.
His eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep, dark circles hanging heavy.
And those bloodshot eyes fixed on me...
'...Killing intent?'
Maybe from practicing hostility.
I was pretty attuned to that stuff.
-What'll you do?
'If he keeps that up, I won't feel bad about anything.'
I recalled the item I'd secretly swiped from the Labyrinth,
then met his gaze.
"Ractor, right? On a date?"
"N-No, no, no! We're not like that at all!"
Chloe half-whimpered her denial.
Whoa...
I couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
At her words, Ractor staggered, staring at Chloe with betrayed eyes.
"We're really not like that."
"Sure looks like it."
Lucia sauntered up beside me with a lazy snort.
"Seducing someone else's fiancé, then ditching him. And now gunning for our Yuseong? Bold move."
"Oh, long time no see."
Chloe smiled lightly at Lucia's jab, meeting her gaze.
"Truth be told, I was worried at first. Ractor suddenly brought up breaking off the engagement... And sorry about calling you a villainess on first meeting."
"...?"
-Whoa.
The holy sword let out a low whistle of admiration.
"I shouldn't have said it right off the bat like that. But Ractor kept stirring me up from the side, so I got this preconception without realizing."
"Shallow ears, huh."
"Hehe, sorry. I'd heard so much—Execution Princess this, blood baths that."
"......"
Lucia's eyes turned icy,
while color bloomed in Chloe's cheeks.
"Even the family was buzzing about it. I ended up with all these biases. I was trying so hard to make things work with Ractor, practicing this and that... Really sorry about the breakup."
"......"
Lucia paused for a beat,
glanced at me, then smiled at Chloe.
"It's fine now. It was a match the family forced anyway. Bet the elders upstairs lost all taste for it watching him chase skirts like a fool."
"Glad to hear it. But it's weird—we're really not anything."
"Doubt it. If you were nothing, he wouldn't act like you're his girl."
"We're absolutely not. We haven't even held hands—how could we be? More like friends, honestly. I don't even want more than that."
"Someone you do want more with?"
"Hehe, secret~"
The two chatted away, all smiles.
"Still, glad we click better than expected. Rumors had you flipping people inside out if things went south... Ah, sorry, shouldn't have said that."
"Yeah... It's exaggerated, but not entirely wrong."
"But up close, you seem nice and chatty. Lucky us."
"Yeah? Then I can drop the formalities next time."
"No way! You're still five years my senior."
Chloe beamed.
Hadn't their vibes flipped completely?
Still, glad they were hitting it off.
-Are your eyes dead fish eyes or what?
'...? You liked it before.'
-Sigh...
The holy sword heaved a massive sigh.
I shook my head inwardly.
No need to buddy up with the protagonist,
but no need for enmity either.
Worked out fine for me.
"Ah, this really isn't my style."
Lucia murmured with a dangerous smile.
"You called me a villainess, right? Guess I'll show you what a real one looks like."
She twisted her lips as she spoke.
I told her sincerely,
"You don't have to."
"Hush."
"......"
Lucia gave an eye smile,
but her gaze was utterly frigid.
How do you glare while smiling like that?
Japanese genes?
Ah, right—this was a Japanese game world.
I nodded quietly.
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