The Villain has Perished



Time passed as Klein struggled with his dilemma. 

Looking at his current complexion, it seemed that Klein would choose to retreat in a few minutes. But that wasn't good for me.

Since I was unable to move. If they remain here for a few more minutes, they'll realize that something was wrong with me. Not to mention, my mind was at its limit. I could tell that the moment I relaxed, I would lose consciousness.

I had to give one last push to Klein.

"Come"

Kachk—!

The black sword that was stabbed in the ground, flew out and zoomed toward me. Its hilt landed in my arm without harming me, despite its speed.

Klein and Jae-sung's complexion changed.

I spoke with <Bluff>. "If you are going to disrespect my previous mercy, then I'll end both of you this time."

At my words, Klein grimaced and turned to Jae-sung. As he was hiding in the vicinity when Jae-sung and I clashed, he understood that the mercy I was talking about meant letting Jae-sung leave the forest without killing him.

Jae-sung himself was staring at the sword.

Suddenly, Klein shouted.

"Wait! We'll leave!"

I didn't reply.

"Please, I'd rather not have a young talent die due to my selfishness."

Watching his actions, I thought. 'It seems he wants to have Jae-sung enter the First Imperial Prince's faction. And so, he is prioritizing Jae-sung's life here.'

My arms hadn't regained their mobility, yet. So, to show that I agreed with his proposition, I made the sword disappear.

Klein supported Jae-sung as he couldn't move on his own yet, and slowly retracted his steps.

But was everything going to end peacefully for me? Of course not.

Suddenly, a heavy presence exploded into the surroundings. The amount of mana, presence of an overbearing gaze, strength, all was superior to mine.

A fire tornado appeared in the sky and descended like a meteorite. 

Booom—!

"It took time to save SIr Baratos but the two of you did well holding on your own in the meantime."

The crimson tornado surged and then exploded as if it was never there to begin with. 'She' appeared through the disappearing flames.

The third holy knight that accompanied Baratos and Klein. She had removed her helmet, letting her rosy pink hair fall down her back. Her small face devoid of a single blemish, soft pink eyes, and warm expression, didn't seem to belong to a battlefield.

"You can't run anymore."

When she spoke her soothing voice washed my fatigue, her beauty captivated me with a single glance. My eyes refused to stop gazing at the once-in millennium exquisite flower. 

I instinctively understood. It was her. Finally, I found her. 

She was…

'It's that bitch!'

But I held my anger and frustration back. Pink hair, ability to control fire, confidence to face an enemy who defeated Jae-sung. 

From my previous conclusions, I knew that Melione reincarnated as a high-ranking nobility. However, I never once could've predicted this.

"So, you've come, War Saintess."

[ 5-star Saint ]

A line appeared above her head when Jae-sung looked at her. 

Setsuna – the identity that Melione reincarnated as – was the first Imperial Princess of the Swordsmith Empire. Throughout the story, she was like a solitary rose that flourished at the peak of a mountain, one could admire her beauty but never touch her.

She didn't enter Jae-sung's harem and had overpowered combat ability, strong enough to give Jae-sung a run for his money. 

"Sir Klein, please take Sir Jae-sung and Sir Baratos to a safe place. I will take over from here."

"But Lady Sets–" 

Klein carried Baratos, whom Setsuna bought with her. His eyes widened as he checked Baratos' condition and he muttered aghast.

"Fever, irregular breathing, pale skin with purple patches spread sporadically. Sir Baratos has been poisoned. Understood, I'll take him away and administer emergency treatment."

"Please do."

Setsuna wielded unmatchable strength on a battlefield yet also possessed miraculous healing abilities. With her kind heart, she always prioritized saving the injured over herself. Her title 'War Saintness' wasn't just for show.

If she couldn't detoxify Baratos' poison, then the poison was truly dangerous and Baratos needed to be treated immediately, believed Jae-sung and Klein.

'It's not poison but something that upsets the stomach. Of course, she couldn't heal it.'

After Klein took the other two away, Setsuna threw the person lying beneath her toward me.

"I'm not cowardly like you to take captives and use them."

The person that Setsuna threw was Lumine. She didn't seem to be injured but she was unconscious.

'She defeated Lumine without a scratch? Her combat ability is higher than the Setsuna from the novel, so she must be Melione.'

I waited to speak so that Klein and others were no longer in the vicinity and could hear our conversation.

"Why are you here?"

Schwing!

A crimson arc made of fire passed by my head, missing the target purposely. I felt a slight burning sensation on my cheek. Setsuna then lowered her sword and spoke. "I'll be the one asking questions. Where is Sol?"

'Huh? What did she mean by that?'

But thinking about Baratos' words, I understood her meaning. Setsuna believed that I wasn't Sol, but his kidnapper.

I am Sol. I was about to answer that but suddenly a line appeared over her head.

[ 5-star Saint ]

'Shit! Jae-sung is hiding in the vicinity! I can't expose myself.'

This protagonist was too meddlesome! 

"I asked you a question. Where have you kept Sol?"

Intense heat began spreading. The ground sizzled, and the air twisted. It was getting dangerous. 

'This idiot! I'm here in front of you! Stop threatening me and close your eyes for a moment to sense my presence!'

"If you don't want to answer then I'll have to use force to make you talk. It's not like you can use the crown again."

"Summon Hound Wolf"

A magic appeared on the ground and a second later one hound wolf was standing beside me.

'Melione knows that I have a Summoner blessing. She'll recognize me this wa—'

Schwing!

The hound wolf disappeared as a crimson arc slashed it in half.

"You are sorely mistaken if you think you win with numbers."

I stared at the disappearing hound wolf and then at her. "Are you stupid?"

Those words were only to express my dissatisfaction. But they pulled a greater reaction out of Setsuna than I expected.

"W-what!? I'll have you know that I was the one that realized that you have abducted Sol! I was also the one to devise the method to separate you from the Griffin!"

There was a lot I wanted to say. Particularly, I wanted to curse but I held back. Good job, handsome me.

'Ah, if she was smart she wouldn't have had to reincarnate with me.'

There had to be another way to make her recognize that I was Sol without saying it aloud. 

I spoke to distract her while thinking of a way out. "Why do you think I have abducted the human you speak of?"

"You have the crown and the Succubi, and you were going toward the hidden path inside the inner section. Only Sol should know of these matters. So, you obviously have abducted him and forced the information out of him."

She calmly answered but her sharp gaze was scrutinizing my every action.

Of course, with her information network, Setsuna should've found about Sol's existence, especially after the poisoning incident. From there, it wouldn't be difficult to realize that I was the one who reincarnated with her.

Though, she was still stupid! Why can't she realize that I was standing in front of her!? 

Suddenly, the line floating above Setsuna's head disappeared. Jae-sung finally left.

I sighed in relief and immediately answered. "I'm Sol."

For a few seconds, silence reigned. Then, Setsuna scoffed.

"Are you telling me that a human who lived a normal life 'before', was able to massacre hundreds of monsters even though he knew that they weren't mindless monsters?"

'That is… a valid point. A normal human wouldn't do something like what I did, not immediately after the first week of regaining his memories.'

Setsuna added. "If you insist on your identity, surely you can remove your robe."

"...That'll be difficult."

My arms and entire body were sore as if I had done an intense workout, because of the crown. Forget removing the robe, my arm won't go above my shoulder.

I wanted to cry but had no tears. What was this messed up situation!? 

All I wanted was to enter the Port, why was everyone trying to get in the way. First, it was Jae-sung, then Baratos, after that Klein appeared, and now Setsuna!

"I have waited long enough for an answer. From now on, I won't use words but force, to deal with you."

Setsuna bolted toward me.

It was too sudden for me to deploy the summons to intercept her. There was only one way remaining.

Secret Technique: Brace for impact

It was a high level technique that included closing my eyes and hoping for the best!

Swiftly appearing before me, Setsuna grabbed my face and smashed my head into the ground.

The secret technique didn't work. I lost consciousness.