The Tragedy of The Villainess

What was so special about one of the many duplicates that abound anyway?

It was the same Luna.

The same Luna something…

For a moment, Seria’s words echoed in Lina’s head.

“Do you know how to get away from Liegel?”

“They will be able to protect you from the evil spirits.”

“…….”

Lina squatted down and wrapped her head in her arms.

‘I don’t want to.’

She could not even trust Seria. Even if she (Lina) took refuge, Liegel would not give up his obsession to Seria, and he would manage to get her (Seria) with the persistence that had made thousands of lunas.

Then it was decided that she (Lina) would run away from Liegel on her own. She (Lina) would disappear in the dust and no one would remember her.

Besides….

There was no turning back now.

She somehow erased Seria’s words from her head.

Lina had already gone too far.

***

Whooo!

With the sound of the trumpet, the knights who had gone deep into the forest returned one after another.

Behind the knights, the prey that the servants diligently brought in by carts were all beasts. Every time a particularly large animal was brought in, a cry of admiration could be heard from the barracks.

Of course, there were quite a few wounded among the knights. Thanks to this, some noble couples stamped their feet in fear that their children who entered the forest might be injured.

‘I hope Lesche isn’t hurt. Abigail and Alliot, too.’

It was unimaginable for Berg knights to be injured on a hunting ground that was not a battle to defeat demons.

Disturbed by Lina’s rejection, Seria stared at the knights and the animals in the carts with disinterested eyes.

“Sir Alliot.”

”Grand Duchess.”

“You have caught only big ones.”

“Thank you for accepting it.”

Alliot looked embarrassed. He caught three wild boars and wolves, each the size of a house, and offered them to Seria, and received applause from the barracks. But strangely, he was not proud, but only embarrassed.

“Actually, I tried to catch a bear, but it was taken away.”

“Taken away? By whom? His Highness?”

“No …….It was taken by Sir Abigail Orrien. Many knights had also missed their prey because of Sir Abigail.”

“Many?”

“You’ll see for yourself.”

“……?”

Alliot’s words, which sounded like exaggeration, soon came true.

“What is it?”

“What the hell….”

The nobles sitting in the barracks were all buzzing. As Seria looked out wondering what it was, her eyes widened.

A huge cart was piled high with various beasts of prey.

And with Abigail in the middle….

Abigail walked in a great stride toward the barracks. She accepted a towel offered by a surprised servant and vigorously wiped off the blood splattered on her face.

Then, as the knights of the Berg had done earlier, she knelt down on one knee in front of Seria.

“I offer Stern the spoils of the hunt.”

‘Oh my god.’

Seria reflexively covered her mouth with both hands.

There were 4 carts coming in one after the other behind Abigail. A bear was on one cart alone. No knight had ever caught a bear before, and yet she had caught so many beasts of prey…?

Abigail looked at Seria in spite of the pouring applause. In the end, Seria held her hand and raised her up, and couldn’t hold back her laughter.

Seria took a handkerchief from her pocket and handed it to Abigail, and Abigail blinked.

“Miss, what about your husband?”

“I brought two in advance.”

Abigail finally smiled and took the handkerchief.

Behind her, she could hear the astonished nobles whispering.

“Isn’t that the one? The Knight of Stern that Duke Howard wanted so badly.”

“There was a great deal of noise. Is that the knight?”

“It’s amazing to see her in person.”

Seria sat down, leaning back in her chair with great pride. The empty barracks were quickly filled with nobles.

‘But when is Lesche coming?’

The emperor had returned, but some of the nobles, including Lesche, had not.

‘By the way, Kalis isn’t here either.’

Soon, the Great Temple would take Lina back because of the official letter. Seria was also planning to leave immediately tonight.

“Grand Duchess.”

Seria stood up quickly.

The emperor, dressed in his hunting suit, came toward her, smiling broadly. All the nobles around got out of their seats.

“Can you give me your seat? Lady.”

“Of course, Your Majesty.”

The noblewoman next to Seria hurriedly excused herself and the emperor sat down in her place. It was then that Seria sat down as well.

“I am very glad that you have joined us here, even though I threw a hunting party in a hurry. It’s worth telling Grand Duke Berg to give you the invitation.”

The emperor looked very happy in the atmosphere of a successful hunting banquet.

It was then.

At the sound of a whistle, a large group of servants pulling carts started running toward the forest. It seemed that the rest of the nobles, including Lesche, were coming.

The gazes of the nobles who were talking to each other were focused in that direction. Just after Seria thought that this gave her the feeling that she was sitting in the audience.

A familiar face suddenly appeared in front of her.

“Cassius?”

Why did that guy suddenly pop out? At the same time, she thought about something else. Nissos was very thin, but that guy was still the same ….

‘It’s really bad luck.’

As Seria looked at Cassius with a cold expression, there was something strange about Cassius. His wobbly gait….

‘Magi?’

Cassius’s hands were indeed speckled with black.

As Seria reflexively stood up at the unexpected sight, the high priests in their seats exclaimed in surprise.

“Master Cassius! He has been contaminated by Magi!”

Magi.

Yes, it was Magi. Cassius was contaminated with so much Magi that people could see it with the naked eye.

“What do you mean magi?”

“Why are you suddenly…!”

At the mention of magi, the feeble-minded nobles quickly retreated. The emperor sat like a statue and stared at Cassius with a stern gaze.

“Magi? Cassius!”

At the same time, a middle-aged man rushed out of the barracks…. It was the Marquis of Kellyden. With a forehead contorted slightly, Seria looked at the Marquis, whom she hadn’t seen in a long time.

‘Why is he so skinny?’

Nissos was the same, and neither the Marquis or Marchioness looked well-nourished. At that moment Seria thought that the rich guys went on a diet together.

A high-ranking official who seemed to be receiving a report from the knights approached with a serious face. It was the same for the captain of the Kingsguard.

“There is a gap at the demon border, Your Majesty. It is being restored now.”

“What do you mean a gap?”

The emperor’s face twisted horribly. Seria didn’t quite understand either. It was not unusual for the demon’s boundary to collapse, but this was the emperor’s hunting ground. During such a large-scale national event, the emperor would have asked for help from the temple.

That was why there were many Holy Knights and priests.They should be patrolling the entire perimeter in groups of two, so why the sudden gap?

“Stern! Prepare to purify!”

“Bring the silver laurel branch!”

Following Cassius, Magi’s contaminated people were put into the cart one after another.

Seria immediately got up from her seat and proceeded faster toward the cart. She asked the high-ranking priest who hurriedly followed her.

“Why was there a gap in the boundary?”

“A holy knight and a priest were dead.”

“Dead?”

The moment she heard those words, Seria gasped. If they had been killed by the demons, they would say it where everyone would hear, but…

Does that mean they were murdered?

Looking at the priest’s trembling hands, that seemed to be correct.

“What is it? Something doesn’t feel right.”

Seria said coldly, her brow wrinkling.

“Go get Lina. I will purify only half of it, and she can purify the rest.”

”Yes…! Yes…!”

Cassius was already lying under the priest’s hands. The Marquis of Kellyden was looking at Cassius when he quickly raised his head.

“Seria!”

Seria stopped before Cassius and lifted her hands.

A powerful divine force exploded spectacularly. The sacred power explosion concentrated so that it affected only Cassius, and spread with a warm heat.

At the same time, the magi that had risen to Cassius’s arms, neck, and face disappeared in an instant.

“Cassius! Are you alright? Cassius!”

The Marquis of Kellyden grabbed Cassius’s body and shook him. The priest pulled him off in a panic.

“Marquis! Calm down! It’s all right!”

Seeing Cassius let out a weak cough, Seria realized reflexively.

‘This b*stard is still the same….’

Cassius did not vomit blood or faint. Despite being exposed to the strong divine power, Cassius still had magi.

Seria lifted her head and looked at Lina, who was diligently purifying others on the other side of the room. In that state, Seria tried to use sacred power one more time.

Pow!

The sacred power was incomparably more powerful than before.

Lina slowly turned her head to look at Seria. Her face was expressionless. Like one of the many dolls that had malfunctioned.

Seria dropped the force at once.

“……!”

Instantly, the relatively young priests involuntarily clenched their hands. The demonic spirits of the nobles who were lying down were instantly purified and vanished. With a holy power so powerful that even those who were sitting in the barracks gasped.

Lina, of course, had no reaction or problem.

Just like Cassius now.

‘As expected, it’s not easy to purify.’

She was worried that Lina might be affected by her divine power and throw up magi. It was an unnecessary worry.

”Seria. Thank you, thank you so much. Really…”

The Marquis of Kellyden was very grateful and thanked her, but couldn’t hold her hand.

This was a place where the emperor was present, and Seria was uncomfortable because if it was a private place, the Marquis would have bent his back and thanked.

“Father.”

Seria held out her hand to the Marquis of Kellyden. The Marquis of Kellyden, who couldn’t hold Seria’s hand and was circling around, hardened for a moment and hurriedly grabbed her hand.

“Yes, Seria.”

“Why are you so skinny…?”

“Seria.”

Seria’s sentence was cut off. She and the Marquis turned sideways at the same time.

Cassius was already up and standing before she realised it.

He arranged his disheveled clothes and asked.

“Is that divine power really yours?”

“What if it’s mine?”

“I think you’ve been playing tricks.”

Instantly the atmosphere turned icy cold.