Fated to Be Loved by Villains

EP - 031.1 - That's What Happened

〚What's the point of this?〛

Marquis Riverback brought up while in the air.

It was an expression of absurdity mixed with thick ridicule.

He was literally chasing this man with his demonic flying ability.

Naturally, he would have doubts what flying high like this would do. Much less, if it would even work.

“Well, of course, I have my reasons.”

However, Dowd simply shrugged and replied.

He seemed to be hiding something even here, but Marquis Riverback snorted and raised his hand.

This was merely prolonging his puny life for a few more seconds.

〚Hah, I guess you're just at this level. Alright, go die…!〛

He's finally going to kill him.

At least, that's what would have happened if the black mist emanating from the essence embedded in his chest didn't suddenly disappear.

No, it didn't just stop there.

His entire body began to "melt away."

His skin, form was just collapsing, like a wax figure melting close to fire.

〚What...!〛

Marquis Riverback looked down at his body with a bewildered expression.

〚What is this…!〛

His body has fused with the essence he received from the Prophet. He had an invincible body that even this cunning guy couldn’t do anything about.

So, why is this happening?

“Let's think logically, shall we? Some common sense.”

Seeing Marquis Riverback's reaction, Dowd smirked and said.

He did so while casually turning off the beeping alarm on his wristwatch.

It's almost as if the alarm had been set, knowing that this would happen exactly at this moment.

“Isn’t it strange that you, who didn’t even have a decent fighting ability, can continue to use such strong abilities without restrictions?”

〚What...?〛

“That’s one of the representative side effects of fusing with the Devil's Essence. Burnout. Using too much magic to the point where your body collapses. Didn't your Prophet explain that when they gave it to you?”

〚…What, nonsense, I don't believe, no-〛

In fact, he had not heard of such side effects.

This was meant to be a ‘sign of loyalty’.

“It would have been really dangerous if you weren't so conceited and didn't take your time after you ate the essence. I don't have that many cards.”

Saying so, Dowd pulled out the cylinder on his waist.

Just a few minutes ago, I wouldn’t have been able to relax like this. In front of the transformed Marquis Riverback, all I could do was run away with all my might.

But now.

I could even sit back and watch as Marquis Riverback's body collapse in real time.

It's just that I won't be doing that. I will be making sure he's thoroughly defeated.

Dowd silently smirked and manipulated the cylinder case.

It contained processed Ectoplasm, primed for explosion, imbued with divine power.

〚…〛

Seeing this, Marquis Riverback had a hunch.

He realized that he would never survive in this position.

“You had plenty of options. You could have joined forces with the Man Eaters and broke through the barrier, or you could have charged at me from the start with the intention to 'kill' rather than just 'defeating' Elnore. Honestly, you had the opportunity but you didn't take it, did you?”

That's right.

If he had attacked seriously from the start, he would have been able to kill either this man or Princess Tristan.

‘If I had tried to kill him thoroughly from the beginning…!’

He gritted his teeth thinking of this.

“I expected that you would do that, so I planned accordingly... It's not bad.”

〚Not bad, you say?〛

“I only died once.”

Dowd said with a still calm expression.

〚...What?〛

“If I did it wrong, I could have died two or three times, but because you were so cooperative, it ended with just one. Well, you did a good job.”

〚…〛

Dowd's tone remained composed.

Even if he succeeded in killing this man two or three times.

It seemed as though the end result was already predetermined.

‘This bas†ard…!’

Suddenly, cold sweat ran down Marquis Riverback’s spine.

Thinking about it, this was a familiar feeling.

Throughout the day, facing this man, he felt something was off.

It seemed as though everything about him was being seen through. He even knew things that Marquis Riverback himself didn't knew. Dowd had complete control over all possible variables.

〚You, right from the beginning, everything was just to buy time…!〛

His appearance with Princess Tristan, just the two of them alone. His every action was deliberately aimed at provoking him.

Even.

Making Marquis Riverback believe that he “died.”

It was all an act with everything calculated from the beginning.

Dowd knew from the start that he would become incapacitated like this after a while.

From the beginning, everything Dowd did was not to defeat him, but to drag out time.

The moment Marquis Riverback failed to notice that, he had already lost!

〚This, this...!〛

He...

Once again...

To this guy, from the beginning to the end...

He was dancing on this man's palm!

〚I'll chew your bones up you bas†aaaaaaaaard-! 〛

Dowd chuckled and held the bomb in front of his body.

I didn’t ask Percy to make it resembling a ‘cannon’ for nothing. I don't want to get caught up after triggering at close range.

Although divine power cannot cause great damage to humans, it is a weapon made with the premise of detonating the ‘whole academy’. Safety rules must be followed.

“Hey.”

Then, with that.

“Do you have any last words?”

The divine powered bomb exploded.

●

“You did excellent, Tallion.”

“…don't mention it.”

Tallion, who had been waiting at the prearranged "landing point," looked up at the sky with an awkward smile.

Due to the effect of the divine powered bomb I just detonated, a terrifying light was scattered around, reminiscent of a polar light phenomenon.

‘As expected, it got incredible firepower.’

I smiled while looking at it too.

The Devil’s Essence itself is such a dangerous item that if it's not dealt with using such intense firepower, it could cause a big problem.

Even if Marquis Riverback's body collapses, the essence itself could survive and parasitize onto another nearby living being.

While I didn't expect something like that to happen, it was wise to have prepared such an intense level of firepower from the beginning.

“…”

To think that a small fraction of one's power could bring forth such a thing, and the devil behind it was residing within Elnore's body, or even Elijah who would later grow powerful enough to take down such an existence.

It once again makes me realize what level of monstrosity I'm dealing with.

And I managed to survive that.

Thinking about this, I turn around.

“Uh, brother? Where are you going now…!”

“I need to go somewhere!”

Saying that, I hurriedly rush off.

My destination was the wall outside the academy, where Elnore was stuck.

‘…I need to make it up to her.’

I did give her the most basic first aid to prevent any serious problems, before I lured the Purifier away. However, for my sake, she was the one who had it the most difficult and worked the hardest.

At the very least, I should personally escort her to the infirmary.

While running with that thought in mind, several messages appeared in front of me one after another.

<System Message>

[ Main Quest Completed! ]

[ Granting Rewards! ]

[ Received ‘Evil Essence 1x’! ]

[ Received ‘Hero Fragment 1x’! ]

[ Received 5,000pts! ]

As those messages floated up, two gems appeared in my hand with a halo of light.

One emitted a pure white radiance, while the other exuded ominous black smoke.

[ Evil Essence ]

[ Item: Story ]

[ A material that can interact with epic items. Something special will happen when fused! ]

[ Hero Fragment ]

[ Item: Story ]

[ A material that can interact with epic items. Something special will happen when fused! ]

“…”