I Became the Villainess in an Anticlimactic Novel - Chapter 25

Deep inside the Great Temple of the Sun God, the saintess’ prayer room was quiet. A faint voice broke the silence.

“What’s making you think so hard like that, Frody?”

At the sound of her calling his name, a demon with a broken horn sitting by the window watching the sky turned his head. 

Sitting on her knees on a soft cushion in the middle of the prayer room, she had her two hands clasped together, as if she had just been in the middle of ‘praying’.

“It’s unlikely for you to be so quiet.”

Fair skin and charming blonde hair. Even her voice sounded pure, instantly stimulating the beholder’s protective instinct. The pure white clothes that adorned her as well as the flowers and ornaments that adorned her hair made her look wholly otherworldly.

At her whisper, Friday smirked and said while raising an eyebrow perversely.

“Why? Are you sad that I’m not paying attention to you, Miss Contractor?”

As he rose from his seat and approached her softly, the woman pouted her lips.

“It’s not that. I was just worried about you since you looked like you were deep in thought about something serious.”

Her expression and tone of complaint was enough to shake the hearts of many people. However, it didn’t work on Frody, who possessed ‘enchantment’.

“To think you can say something so cute.”

Frody knelt on one knee beside her, grabbing her chin and pulling her up.

“You’re clearly anxious at the thought of me thinking of abandoning you.”

His blue eyes shone dangerously.

“My ‘saintess’.”

“I told you, it’s not that…”

Frody gently wrapped his arms around the waist of Olivia, who was about to protest. As his hand touched her waist, Olivia could no longer continue speaking and let out a low moan.

His power, ‘enchantment’, began to flow upon the physical contact.

“F-Frody… we’re at a temple…”

“You’ve done it at a temple before, so what’s the problem? Does it feel new to you again?”

Frody’s hands slowly wandered over the robes of the saintess. Olivia’s skin was lit aflame by his touch that descended down her waist, back, ribs, chest, and finally, her lower abdomen.

“Still, the prayer room is a sacred place…”

“You’re still worried about that sort of thing despite not even being the real saintess?”

The strong scent of gold osmanthus began to permeate the surrounding area. Olivia felt an electrifying sensation at the tip of her tongue as it ran down her throat with an almost sweet taste. 

Despite knowing that it was dangerous, she still couldn’t resist the temptation that was right in front of her. There were not many people who could resist the power of Frody in the first place, who had been nominated as a ‘Demon King candidate’ with Lecht.

Of course, any saintess that had received a divine blessing from a god could have nullified his powers, but unfortunately, Olivia wasn’t the real saintess and was helpless before his ‘enchantment’.

“Frody…”

At Olivia’s whiny voice, Frody’s wandering hand stopped.

“Should I stop?”

“No…! Keep going…”

But as soon as he was about to let her off, Olivia clung to him like a chick looking for warmth. Her hands, which had been clasped together in prayer were now clasping onto his loose clothes.

It was difficult to extricate yourself from the power of ‘enchantment’ once you had a taste of it.

“Miss Contractor, I have something I’m curious about. Can you answer it?”

“Mmm…”

Although she managed to answer him with difficulty, her mind was already submerged halfway in his enchantment.

“There was a fool who loved a woman so much that they changed the direction of their life, beliefs, and attitude in dealing with the world.”

“Frody, more…”

“They had even turned a blind eye to my broken heart for a 100 years, just to reunite with that woman.

“Mmhm, just a bit more…”

“But then, instead of waiting for her, that guy suddenly turned his eyes to power?”

“W-Wait, this is too much…!”

“To another woman who is essential to gaining power. It’s not even funny.”

“Heup!”

Olivia eventually groaned and fell to the side due to Frody, who had lost control of his powers while thinking about something else. As a result, the power that was filling up Frody’s heart also stopped.

Although the power of ‘enchantment’ was the ability to completely seduce the opponent and absorb their energy, it stopped taking effect when the opponent lost their senses like this.

With a disappointed expression on his face, Frody brushed his fingers through Olivia’s long blonde hair. The soft hair flowing between his fingers reminded him of that black-haired saintess from 100 years ago.

‘It’s a different woman.’

He let out a moan upon recalling the murderous look Lecht had exuded with the woman with blue hair in his arms. 

Clearly, the existence of the ‘Moon God’s Saintess’ was essential to the Demon King. All of the Demon King’s power comes from the Moon God, and the one that designated that power was the saintess, who was dubbed a ‘child’ of Lunar.

It wasn’t just nonsense when it was said that the position of the Demon King would be compromised if the saintess fell into the hands of another. The impact of it could be clearly seen through the fact that the previous demon kings always had a saintess by their side as their companion.

But that guy was different. He was a fool who had given his heart and soul to that black-haired saintess 100 years ago.

Since she said she’d return one day, he’d looked just like a puppy who’d lost its owner in a pitiful exchange, so he had thought that he wouldn’t have paid attention to any other saintess, even if they showed up.

But to think he had shown such an appearance over a woman other than the saintess with black hair. It was something he couldn’t have even imagined.

‘But that’s fair. Love is a meaningless action anyway.’

Frody looked down at Olivia with a smirk. 

Just look at this. It only took an instant for her to lose her true self in someone else’s enchantment.

‘But it would still be amusing to provoke him.’

Just as he was thinking of an enjoyable prank, a knock sounded from the door of the prayer room.

“Livi, it’s me.”

Frody grinned at the all too familiar voice of the man.

“Miss Contractor, a fish has arrived.”

With a snicker, Frody gradually disappeared, leaving only the heavy scent of gold osmanthus in the air.

“Sorry for interrupting you. But it’s something I have to tell … Livi!”

The blond haired man who had opened the door came rushing in hastily upon finding Olivia, who had fallen to the ground.

“Livi, what’s wrong? Livi!”

As the crown prince hugged her limp body, Olivia’s eyelids slowly fluttered open.

“…Your Highness?”

“Haa, Livi. Are you being impractical again and praying even while your body is still weak? I already told you to be careful!”

Opening her eyes, Olivia smiled at him after glancing around the room and letting out a sigh. It was a smile so warm it seemed to be able to melt anyone’s heart.

“Did I end up like this after praying for Your Highness’ peace and safety?”

“Livi…”

Her sweet voice moved the heart of the crown prince. Looking down at her with eyes dripping with affection, he hugged her in his arms tightly.

“How did such a loveable woman like you become mine?”

“Your Highness…”

“There’s really no one but you for me.”

“…Me too. You’re the only one for me.”

Olivia also hugged him tightly, their faces inches apart. The priests of the sun god, who rushed in at the news that the saintess had collapsed, could only quickly avert their eyes from the overflowing love between a man and a woman.

* * *

“Solte, where’s the butler, Tanma… oh?”

I found the butler standing in the hallway just as I had opened the door to hurriedly ask Solte a question.

“Good afternoon, miss.”

“Mister Butler, you came just in time! I wanted to ask you something!”

However, my eyes landed on the man next to Tanma before I could say anything.

“And this person is…?”

It was the man I had seen when Frody had appeared.

“I sought him out since I figured that we’d need someone exclusively serving you completely from now on.”

“But don’t I have Solte?”

There were also many other maids who were exclusively reserved to serve me other than Solte.

“Of course, she’ll suffice as an escort and maid.”

‘Escort?’

“Apart from that, you’ll also need an errand boy and someone to vent your anger for you.”

‘Vent my anger…?’

Despite his words being mixed with some strange vocabulary, Tanma continued to speak before addressing the point.

“I’m sure you’ve already seen him before. This guy’s name is Ryno.”

“Hello! I’m Ryno, who will be taking care of all the miscellaneous tasks by Your Majesty’s side from now on!”

Gosh, that shocked me. My shoulders flinched from the roaring voice that seemed to resemble a foghorn in volume. 

Disregarding my surprise, Ryno grabbed my two hands with both eyes of his sparkling.

“I will exhaust this very life that Your Majesty has saved for you!!”

“No, there’s no need for you to exhaust it or anything…”

Despite my soft murmur, he chose not to listen to it and continued on bravely.

“I can’t believe that the day we get to see Your Highness again has really come…! Every moment waiting for Your Majesty was noble and worthwhile! I am honoured to be able to serve you, Your Majesty!”

…Is it just me who feels like the number of fans has increased by one more?

I turned my gaze to Tanma and shot him a look that clearly conveyed a plea for help. However, instead of helping, Tanma only gave a satisfied smile in return. It was an extremely spiteful smile.

When I sent a resentful look back with the meaning of, ‘Why did you bring this sort of guy here?!’, Tanma let out a laugh before opening his mouth.

“Although he has a problem with controlling his volume due to his overenthusiasm, you can just tell him to shut up. He listens well.”

No, those tips won’t help. His voice was so loud, I doubt he’d even be able to hear my voice in the first place.

“Even so, he’s the most capable man in this mansion.”

When Mister Butler was away from the demon realm, Ryno was the one that took over the duties of the butler of the Grand Duke Mansion, so the fact that he had capable skills seemed to be true. 

It was as fascinating as it seemed to be. To think that this guy, whose aura exudes an enthusiastic new employee who had just been admitted to the company, had abilities comparable to that of the vice president.

“But Mister Butler, did you also leave the demon realm?”

A burst of laughter escaped from the lips of Tanma, who I had always thought was a ‘butler’ at the Grand Duchy. It was a chilling smile.

“His Majesty, the Demon King, also left the Demon King’s Palace empty, so I also had to take care of that too.”

Although he had said so mildly, I was still able to discern the grievances that were hidden behind those words. 

I snuck a glance at his eyes and asked.

“There’s no way Lecht left that position to wait for me here… right?”

“Don’t worry. It ended up being like that because our damned Majesty was just too damn stubborn.”

Tanma smiled and naturally cursed his boss. It was an impressive skill.

“You’re right! It would’ve been fine for His Majesty to wait in the demon realm as well, but he was just too stubborn and insisted on the human realm! Your Majesty, you’re perfect!”

No, but what does his insistence on the human realm have anything to do with me being perfect?

“Come to think of it… did you also say you were ‘waiting’ for me, Ryno? So you also met me 100 years ago?”

“So you really don’t remember…”

He looked sullen for a moment. But his expression soon came back to life, as if it had been resurrected. It was like Ottogi1, which would never fall.

“But that’s okay!! Because I remember you, Your Majesty!”

His words made a smile appear on my face. Although I didn’t remember him, the important thing was that he had memories of me from 100 years ago.

‘I can ask him about me from 100 years ago!’

I covered one of his hands that were holding onto mine with one of my hands. Although I wasn’t able to cover his entire hand with my small hands, I was still able to convey the meaning I wanted to through that action.

“Then, I’ll be counting on you from now on, Ryno!”

Since I’ll have a lot to ask!

Looking at the hand touching mine with wide eyes, Ryno shouted while smiling so wide his gums were exposed.

“Yes! I love you too, Your Highness!”

No, I said I’ll be counting on you, not I love you. Still, I smiled at the expectation that I could hear about me from 100 years ago.

It was then. I heard a deep voice from the door that was still open.

“Just what are you doing right now?”

I turned my head to see Lecht, who was staring at me and Ryno. To be more precise, he was glaring at our hands clasped together.

IM CRYING pls someone save poor ryno QAQ i love him poor baby HGLDSFKFSDJ

[1] 오뚜기 ottogi is a large korean food manufacturing company.