The Villainesses in the Romance Fantasy Novel Became Obsessed with me

Engagement ceremony.

After I accepted Nadia’s proposal.

The process proceeded smoothly and finally led to today.

To tell the truth, there was a hiccup in the middle…

‘You’re engaged to a mere servant?! This tarnishes the honor of the Verdium family, Madam!’

‘And who are you?’

‘… Me?’

‘I won’t kill you because Darmian doesn’t like it. Instead, I’ll send you to prison.’

Nadia’s decisive judgment.

After that, all the mansion’s servants followed Nadia’s words without resistance, and things progressed rapidly.

They must have known.

Even if their words were right, going against Nadia’s commands meant death.

“I imprisoned him, not killed him, Darmian. I only did what needed to be done to erase the remnants of Baron Medeus.”

Fear is necessary.

Authority is based on fear, which prevents anyone from looking down on her.

She didn’t have the authority of the head of the family right now.

Nadia vowed to dominate the mansion with her own power so that the family’s servants would not disregard her due to her age.

‘It’s the most rational way.’

She was truly a tyrant villainess.

It seemed like she had read the wrong book in the library and acquired a dangerous ideology.

Given Nadia’s stubborn personality, I couldn’t focus on her ideology now.

Instead of anticipating the future, I focused on the current situation.

Knock! Knock!

“May I come in, Milady? I have arrived.”

-Come in.

A casual voice came from behind the door.

I opened the door and met the bride for the engagement ceremony.

‘She’s pretty even though she is young. She’ll become even more beautiful later.’

It seemed like she finished preparing at the right time.

She had light makeup on her face and was wearing a pristine white dress.

“You’ve arrived punctually, Darmian.”

“Yes, fortunately, I made it on time. You look particularly beautiful today, Milady.”

I bowed respectfully as befitting a servant.

Nadia showed a faint smile at my gesture and walked towards the door.

“Hehe, I suppose I won’t see you bow to me after today. The suit suits you well. It’s as if you’ve worn it frequently. You look dignified.”

Nadia scanned me from head to toe.

Judging by her expression, she appeared satisfied.

If there was one thing we both found a little regrettable, it was wearing mature attire that didn’t quite match our young age.

I expressed my regret slightly.

“If we had held the engagement ceremony two years later, we would have matched each other better. That’s a bit disappointing.”

“That’s true, but…”

Suddenly, she blushed.

Nadia grabbed my tie and pulled me close to her face.

Then, she looked at me and smiled with delight.

“I want it now. Right now. I want to have it. Do you understand?”

“I understand.”

“I’ve been trying to delay it since last time, but there’s no more postponing. The engagement is the engagement, and the vow is the vow. We’re doing both at the same time.”

“I understand.”

I nodded and reached out my hand to Nadia.

Without further ado, I would like to take on the roles of groom and bride.

Nadia took my offered hand, made a clicking sound with her heels, and walked towards the chapel.

‘… Is it really okay for me to go through with this?’

Something would happen soon.

Nadia and I won’t be able to meet for a while.

And I was going to drive a hard nail into Nadia’s heart.

After that plan was executed, Nadia would…

‘Because of the vow, she won’t be able to kill anyone, or even access the basement.’

No matter how I thought about it, this was the right thing to do.

*Crack*

I tightly clenched the fist of the hand other than the one which held Nadia’s.

As I walked, before I knew it.

I saw the silent engagement hall with numerous people seated.

***

“The engagement where the groom and the bride prove their love for each other…”

And so on and so forth.

A middle-aged man named Maleos, who came from the Zephyros Church, the official religion of the Fritz Empire.

The priest said something and officiated our engagement ceremony, but naturally, I couldn’t hear his words properly.

‘I’m so damn nervous…’

What if the plan fails?

I’d be imprisoned by Nadia and live in the mansion for the rest of my life.

Betrayal and escape would never be tolerated.

Perhaps she’d lock me up and say something like this.

‘You’re betraying me? And trying to escape? Not happening. No, absolutely not. Even if I have to cut off your legs… you’ll be with me for the rest of your life. You’re my family.’

Ah.

It was already anticipated.

I must not get caught under any circumstances.

Even though the tyrant villainess might remain silent if I get caught, other villainesses would run amok.

The world would eventually almost be destroyed.

Gulp!

With that resolve, I gulped hard.

“Well, then… before proceeding with the engagement, I heard that both the groom and the bride will take an pledge, not separately but jointly…”

“That’s right. Darmian and I will take one pledge together. We won’t disclose what that pledge is. Except for the witness.”

“Well, I’m aware of that too. I’ll be the witness then. Everyone who’s gathered here! Please give a round of applause to this young bride and groom!”

Clap! Clap! Clap!  

The sound of applause for survival rang out without the slightest error.

Perfect rhythm.

I looked at Nadia and locked eyes with her.

At that moment, a voice echoed in my head.

‘First of all, congratulations on your engagement. I, the priest Maleos, will serve as the witness to your ‘pledge’.’

In this romance novel, there exists a ‘pact’ where priests serve as witnesses to mediate pledges.

Once a pact was made, it would remain engraved as a sign near the heart like a tattoo.

Naturally, the one who breaks the pact will suffer cardiac arrest and die.

It was not just called a Soul Pledge for no reason but a pledge of the heart.

‘Now, before we begin the pledge, I’ll need to hear both of your consent. Verdium Nadia, and Darmian. Do you agree to this pledge?’

‘Yeah.’

‘Yes.’

Simultaneous voices rang out.

“What kind of promise could they have possibly make-”

“…”

The crowd murmured, then fell silent again.

It was because Nadia glared at them.

‘We have their consent. Next, Nadia’s condition for the pledge is, ‘My servant, Darmian, will be engaged to Verdium Nadia and marry her after he becomes an adult.’ Is this true?’

‘Yeah, that’s right. It’s a fact without a single lie.’

Well, my name might be a lie.

Anyway, since the pledge remained in the heart, the name didn’t matter.

‘Nadia has agreed to the pledge. Next, Darmian’s pledge is, ‘Nadia will never kill anyone. She will not enter the basement.’

‘… Are these really the terms of marriage?’

The priest Maleos looked at me with a gaze that seemed to ask, ‘Is this guy serious?’

From his perspective, marriage probably didn’t align with the conditions.

But from my standpoint, knowing the future was much more advantageous.

Since the fool wouldn’t understand no matter how much I explained, I nodded vigorously and confidently replied, ‘Yes, that’s correct.’

‘M… Then, let us proceed with the pledge binding the souls of the two individuals. Please hold each other’s hands.’

I extended my hand forward at Maleos’s words.

Nadia took my hand eagerly with an expectant expression.

She seemed to feel happy, anticipating soon becoming part of my family.

‘Let’s begin.’

Maleos placed his hands on our shoulders and closed his eyes.

It was the beginning of the pledge ceremony.

‘A Soul Pledge… This feels a bit strange.’

My heart squirmed, and I felt something tickling my heart.

Perhaps the promise was being written in my heart.

After about a minute, Maleos let go of our shoulders while sweating profusely.

“Thus concludes the certification of the pledge between the two individuals. Now, they are in an engagement relationship that cannot be doubted by anyone! We hope to adorn today’s engagement ceremony with the final step of exchanging rings!”

He was doing a good job.

There was a reason why the priest made good money officiating weddings.

I took the ring box handed to me by Maleos and opened it, taking out its contents.

‘A gold ring with a large emerald in the center. It’s a ring befitting Verdium.’

It matched Nadia’s eye color perfectly.

I knelt and took Nadia’s slender hand.

Then, slowly, I pushed the ring onto her ring finger.

“Now, it begins.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

Applause erupted as people congratulated us.

But it was short-lived.

“Wait a minute!! This engagement is invalid!!”

The applause quickly died down at the voice coming from the audience.

Medeus.

She pointed her finger at me and shouted theatrically, following the script I had prepared.

“This, this engagement is invalid!! Nadia! My niece! You don’t know the truth about that servant!!”

Rip—!

Medeus scattered papers into the air.

Those papers were the documents of the contract between me and Medeus.

It was up to the people to decide what the contents of the contract were.

“The contract… Servant Darmian receives money and reports Nadia’s daily life to Medeus…”

“If refusal to report, termination of employment…”

“T-then does this mean the servant was in collusion with Baron Medeus,…?”

Murmurs—

The once-blessed wedding ceremony swiftly turned into a scene of controversy.

Among those confused, some found amusement in the unfolding events.

Nadia read the contract that had fluttered in the wind and spoke with a voice drained of strength.

“Darmian. What is all this about…?”

“It’s the contract. The contract between Baron Medeus and me.”

“So, are you saying this is true…?”

“…”

“It’s all lies from the Baron…?”

I remained silent.

There was no need for me to answer that.

The answer lay with the servants, who had witnessed the affair between me and Medeus.

“Come to think of it, I saw it in the corridor… Darmian often went to Baron Medeus’ room late in the evening… And after he went in… Baron Medeus’ cheerful voices could be heard…”

“I, I heard it too…”

“So did I…!”

“A relationship which involved not only information but also bodies…”

Witnesses emerged from everywhere.

A rumor spread far and wide.

The engagement was once dominated by fear and was now engulfed in gossip.

Nadia was quietly watching the scene.

“How could you… do this to me…!! Darmian…!!”

Crack—

She grabbed me by the collar and glared at me while lifting me into the air.

I could see only regret and betrayal in those green eyes.

‘It’s suffocating, my heart aches. I tried not to think about it too seriously…’

Indeed, it was a heavy task.

Still, it was something that must be done by someone.

And if you know the future, it must be done at any cost.

I spoke to Nadia with all my heart.

“I’m sorry. It’s all true.”

“Were you threatened? Just say so. I’ll forgive you if that’s the case.”

“It wasn’t a threat… It was my own will…”

“Why on earth!”

“I didn’t have money… And all that I said about always thinking of you, Milady…”

It was a lie.

“It was a lie to gain trust.”

I’m sorry.

“I’m really sorry.”

I uttered words mixed with self-blame and regret.

At my words, Nadia became angry and shed tears.

It was natural to be hurt even for someone with shallow emotions like her.

“Why, why did you do that? You said you’d become my family. You’re my servant! But why…!! If you weren’t going to be my family…”

Die.

Crack—

Nadia released my collar and grabbed my neck, choking me with her hands.

From her perspective, it was a justified action.

However, she had already formed a pledge.

“…!!”

She couldn’t kill anyone.

Nadia gasped in pain while silently clutching her chest.

Because of the pledge, she couldn’t kill a person.

‘I won’t be able to kill anyone in the future.’

Though she was a villainess.

She wouldn’t become a murderer.

‘From the moment the plan went awry, this was the only possible outcome. This is the best plan I can come up with…’

I’m sorry, Nadia.

I muttered as I watched Nadia collapse to the ground.

And as planned, I reached into my pocket and detonated the smoke bomb.

“S-Smoke—!!”

“Run away-!!”

As the surroundings were engulfed in smoke, people panicked and screamed.

Even then, she was determined to never lose sight of me.

Nadia endured the pain, clutched her chest and desperately grabbed onto my clothes.

“No… Don’t go… Come back to me, Darmian… I won’t hold you responsible… So please…”

Please stay by my side.

But I mercilessly brushed her hand away.

“… I’m sorry, Milady.”

Sorry. It hurts, and I also feel sad.

There were still many things I had to do.

“Ah, aah…”

Thunk!

I pushed Nadia’s hand away and ran outside.

Afterwards, I could hear Nadia’s despairing voice.

However.

I ignored the guilt and quickened my pace.

She wouldn’t become a tyrant who slaughtered tens of millions.

But today.

I created a villainess who didn’t hate the world but the one who hated me.

And the cost of that…

‘I didn’t have enough time this time, but I’ll definitely do it later.’

I would repay by saving her from being a villainess.

So, I left behind the promised meeting and departed from the Verdium territory.

Unfortunately, there were many pursuers.

Escaping from the evil woman was more dangerous and challenging than I had thought.

***

Nadia Verdium.

A pitiful lady who lost her fiancé.

A pitiable lady whose fiancé turned out to be a traitor.

“My family, Darmian…”

She sat alone in the art studio, staring at the canvas.

Brown hair with blue eyes.

A prominent nose with sharp features.

“Why… Did you lie to me…?”

Nadia raised her hand towards the canvas.

While she resented Darmian, she still wanted him.

“You said you would die for me. Was that a lie…?”

No.

Not a lie.

Those eyes didn’t contain any falsehood but held the truth.

They were fundamentally different from the eyes of others.

With her keen observation skills, Nadia could tell.

Which eyes spoke the truth, and which eyes spoke lies?

“You told the truth, Darmian. But…”

In the end, you lied.

Nadia remembered.

While he was being held by his collar, struggling to breathe, he uttered a single phrase.

‘You said it was a lie that you always think of me…’

Those were eyes that told lies.

‘You lied to me.’

‘So, you did always think of me.’

“But why did you abandon me and try to run away? Going so far as to make useless pledge that prevent me from killing people and going to the basement.”

‘Was it because you cared about me?’

Or was it just for fun?

“No, Darmian had a reason for his actions.”

‘It’s clear Darmian made the agreement because he cared about me.’

But she didn’t understand the significance of it.

“Why shouldn’t I kill people or go to the basement…?”

Lost in her thoughts, Nadia pondered deeply.

There was no time for frustration or sadness.

Nadia was solely focused on bringing Darmian back.

At that moment…

Knock…

A voice from investigators came from the direction of the art studio door.

– We’ve completed the investigation on Darmian, Milady.

“All right, report.”

– But, there’s something… We couldn’t find any information about this man named Darmian…

“What do you mean?”

– He suddenly appeared in Verdium. There is no information about him. But didn’t he live here? It’s strange, to say the least.

No information.

No one knows him.

No family, either.

It sounded very strange to Nadia.

“… Go back for now.”

– Yes.

“And what about Medeus. What happened to that woman?”

– She’s in prison.

“… Since we can’t kill her, don’t even think about releasing her for the rest of her life. Let her rot there.”

– Understood.

The art studio was shrouded in silence again

Nadia looked down at the canvas.

“Money wasn’t your goal. Even if we investigate, you… bribed the gatekeepers, purchased carriages, and stocked up on provisions. Medeus said you tricked her too. You used all the money you collected to escape from the territory.”

From the moment you arrived here.

You were planning to escape.

“… I don’t understand what you were thinking, Darmian. I hate you, I want to kill you. But still, I…”

I want to have you.

“You filled in everything that was missing in my life. It was the feeling you gave me…”

Slump!

Nadia sat disappointedly on the chair while looking at the canvas.

She didn’t know where he came from, why, or how he ended up here.

However, Nadia wanted to know what she didn’t know.

Naturally, she picked up a brush and began to paint on the empty canvas.

His appearance had always been in her mind, so imagining his portrait was easy.

“… Indeed, blue eyes and brown hair don’t go together.”

So Nadia released someone to search for Darmian and immersed herself in painting until news arrived.

She neglected meals and focused on painting.

“We’ll meet again anyway, Darmian.”

Family portraits disappeared from the art studio, and Darmian’s portraits began to be exhibited.

Portraits of Darmian with different angles, backgrounds, and expressions filled the art studio.

Her actions were a means to fill a void that had arisen in Nadia.

“It’s more regrettable that you didn’t become mine than the fact that you betrayed me.”

Nadia both hated and longed for Darmian.