The Villain Wants to Live

…Whoooosh.

The wind whipped around her as Lia sprinted to the spot indicated by Epherene’s map. As if there had already been a massive battle in the mountains, the remnants of mana and fire remained even down at the base. The mana filling the air was so thick that it was difficult to breathe. However, the evidence of battle grew clearer as she got closer to the source.

“…What in the?”

Lia’s eyes widened in astonishment when she came across a corpse. No, the remains couldn’t even be called corpses. Pieces of them were randomly scattered across the hills.

“…”

Lia noticed a certain face among the fragments of those human beings, one she recognized as a Named from the Floating Island.

“Killer…”

Was his name Zelen? He was surely a Named that would help the quest progress.

Lia looked around. Torn robes, broken staff, magic circles engraved across the ground… all kinds of things were left behind. She was sure these were forces from the Floating Island.

Lia, now clenching her fists, silently climbed past this tragedy. She ran to the place where she could feel a certain presence.

“…!”

She saw a man collapse near the top of the mountain. Even this far, Lia knew who he was. Deculein. The one who caused this, who had slaughtered all those killers, was lying on the ground unconscious.

Rustle—

Lia slowly approached him, picking her way across the ground and through the puddles of blood and other bodily matter.

Splash—!

A couple of drops splashed on her as she stepped through. Lia wiped them away without hesitation and soon reached Deculein. She kneeled beside him.

Whoosh…

She watched him as he slept quietly, her eyes going blank. Dark red energy engulfed him, and his veins glistened with dark energy. His body was burning like a furnace.

“…Deculein.”

Lia pondered.

This guy was a villain with no chance for redemption. His setting was one of a villain’s, so his ending would fit that. Now and in the future, he would do things worthy of being called a villain.

“…”

Once again, she silently looked around the mountain.

The killers from the Floating Island were dead. She didn’t know how many had died or how many he killed. They hadn’t even died ordinarily. Their limbs were torn apart, their organs were sent spilling across the ground, and not enough of them remained to be recoverable.

“Why?”

Rustle—

Lia drew her dagger. The blue blade shone brightly under the sun as it filled with mana.

“Elementalization.”

The steel imbued with her mana burned fiercely. If she put this through Deculein’s heart, her mana would flood out from inside his body. In the end, there would be nothing left except ash.

“…”

If she put it in his heart, that would be the end of him. That would be all. She would just feel the guilt that would come after. But she could handle that alone.

Because this is her fault, it’s all her fault that Deculein had a fiancée named Yuli in his heart and that Yuli lost herself and escaped from him.

Perhaps even at this moment, Epherene had given her this chance. To quickly kill Deculein. To kill the villain.

Lia clenched her teeth.

“…Ugh.”

However, for some reason, Lia’s small hand wouldn’t move. It just trembled, a step away from this important decision.

“…Why?”

For both Ganesha and herself, she was determined to kill Deculein. But when she looked at Deculein’s face, and that face that resembled Kim Woojin, her heart ached.

“Why did you have to… look like him?”

These old memories that she couldn’t forget no matter how hard she tried. Deculein only resembled him. He was just a character that used him as a base, but even though she knew that…

Lia couldn’t move. Her heart denied such an action.

“…”

Nevertheless, her hand tightened around the dagger’s handle. Once again, she repeated to herself.

Deculein is dangerous. He is trying to complete the lighthouse and destroy the continent. Even if it is because of the pain of losing Julie and the non-existent ghost named Yuli, he must be stopped.

The opportunity to do that was right in front of her. Deculein was lying here. Lia raised the dagger, the tip trembling.

Whooooosh-

She had to grip it with both hands to bear its weight.

“──!”

She made a sound that even she didn’t know if it was a cry or a scream and lowered the dagger.

…Right at that moment, a man shimmered in front of Lia’s eyes. He looked at her with a wide smile.

Kim Woojin.

—Thud!

The dagger fell, piercing Deculein’s heart.

Drip, drip, drip…

Tears welled up and rolled down Lia’s cheeks.

“Haah, Haah…”

It felt like her heart might explode. Lia looked down at Deculein’s chest, twisting the dagger she held.

Sususu…

However, the fate she prepared for wasn’t there. The dagger had stopped right above Deculein’s suit. She couldn’t tear, break, or burn the magical fabric he wore. It was just at the edge of it. It was just scratching at his side. The reason was simple.

The Elementalization imbued in the dagger had already dissipated.

“Ugh…”

Before swinging the dagger, Lia had let it drop herself. However, she didn’t know why. Maybe it was because of an instinct she wasn’t aware of. Or maybe it was because of those feelings she hadn’t let go of yet.

As she remained confused, thinking of the man named Kim Woojin that came to her mind over and over again… a hand wiped the tears from her eyes.

“Is it a mistake?”

Lia looked down in surprise. Then she fell on her back, startled.

“Aahhh!”

Deculein was looking up at her. His skin was still purple, but his eyes were sharp.

“…A single dagger cannot kill me.”

He said.

“You’re pathetic. Did you even learn the Elementalization I tried to teach you?”

Lia didn’t understand what was pathetic. No, her mind was blank. Her ears were ringing, and she felt as if the ground underneath her might disappear at any moment.

“Pathetic?”

Lia asked back. Deculein sneered.

“Yes. You’re pathetic for missing your last chance.”

“…What chance?”

“Your last chance to kill me.”

“…”

Lia’s expression hardened as she watched Deculein lying on the ground and calmly discussing his death. Was he bluffing?

“Are you going to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?”

Deculein asked. Lia was taken aback for a moment but then calmed down. Thanks to the calm Deculein, she also found her composure.

“I want to ask you something.”

“…What is it?”

“Why are you trying to complete the lighthouse?”

“You don’t need to know.”

That couldn’t even be called an answer. Lia’s brow furrowed.

“I guess you’re thinking of betraying Her Majesty, huh?”

Deculein went silent. As if thinking about it, as if choosing the words, slowly…

“Yes.”

He looked up at the sky and answered. Dark clouds now lay above them, poised to start raining at any moment.

Drip—

A drop hit the top of her head.

“Why?”

Lia asked again. Deculein grinned.

“Because that’s me.”

That’s me. It was a cheeky thing to say, but Lia laughed. Considering him, who was set as a villain from the beginning, was a very clear answer.

“So take the dagger.”

Deculein continued.

“Put it into my heart. You’ll be able to kill me.”

Rainwater ran down Deculein’s face as he urged her to kill him.

Drip, drip, drip.

Such a somber atmosphere didn’t suit him.

Lia opened a hand umbrella, and she set it above them.

“Tell Her Majesty that I have betrayed her.”

Lia shook her head.

“You just have to stop your work on the lighthouse. Only the lighthouse-“

“I can’t.”

“…Why?”

Lia felt her rage rising. This mess was because of that lighthouse. It was the weapon that would destroy the continent. What in the hell had Quay promised him?

“Because I am a villain.”

Deculein turned to look at the dagger lying on the ground.

“Are you still going to miss that opportunity?”

“…”

Lia grabbed the dagger.

“I know it’s my only opportunity. I am thinking about it.”

“Why?”

Deculein asked. Lia snorted.

“You remind me of someone from my past.”

“…Your past.”

“Yeah. Isn’t it strange?”

Holding her knees together, Lia looked up to the sky.

“Just as you remember your old love when you look at me, I also think of my old love when I look at you.”

Deculein and Kim Woojin. Lia and Yoo Ara.

“…Of course, you’re not that person. I know that.”

Lia shook her head, casting her eyes down.

“Compared to that caring, nice, and kind person, you’re too evil, too proud of yourself.”

Drip-

The cold water seeped down her cheeks.

“But every time I see you, I think of him….”

Lia looked back at Deculein. He was staring up at her.

“I can’t kill you.”

Her confession felt like she was confessing to herself. Not to Deculein, but to Yoo Ara, who lurked in Lia’s body.

“…You will come to regret it.”

Deculein said. As always with him, it was a stern warning. Lia nodded.

“Yeah. I will regret it. You’re on Quay’s side.”

If everything ended with killing Deculein, the main quest could have a happy ending…

Lia, who could not kill him now, might also become a villain. If not, then a woman who was blinded by Deculein’s beauty.

“But I’m thinking about this.”

A faint smile tugged at Lia’s lips.

“Maybe the opposite is also possible.”

She had to wonder.

“…The opposite.”

Deculein asked. Lia sheathed her dagger.

“Yeah.”

The main quest had several branches. An ending where you killed Quay, an ending where you persuaded him, or an ending where you become a demon and destroy the empire… there were all kinds of ways this could conclude.

“I will die in your place.”

However, there was also an ending called Game Over among them. Lia knew. As one of the team members involved in development from start to finish, she knew that ending’s existence.

“…”

Deculein didn’t say anything. He stared at her as if it was absurd or he was dealing with some kind of idiot.

“I know. I look stupid, right? I can’t just kill someone because they resemble my old love, so I’m preparing to die instead.”

“No. I think you’re stupid for your overestimation.”

Overestimation. Well, from his point of view, that could be correct because he didn’t know of the existence of a player.

The main character of this continent is me, the player.

“Yes, yes, yes~.”

Lia nodded with a smirk. Deculein’s eyes narrowed considerably.

“Nothing will change when someone like you dies.”

“No. It will. Very clearly.”

Lia stood. She glanced at Deculein, then looked up at the rainwater that was soaking her clothes again.

“Because…”

The sky was obscured by dark clouds.

Under that cloak of rain, Lia confessed.

“Because I am Yoo Ara.”