THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC62: Shattered World [1]
Chapter 62: Shattered World [1]
After washing himself up, Leon and Alice sat face-to-face. In between them, the bonfire crackled, illuminating the cave with its golden hue.
Although the moonlight coming from above could illuminate the entire cave, Alice and Leon chose to light a fire instead. Not for light, but to warm themselves.
"Achoo—!"
Alice sneezed again, covering herself with the cloak she borrowed from the swordmaiden.
"Did you catch a cold?" Leon asked, seeing her condition.
Alice simply nodded, wiping her lips with the piece of cloth she was holding.
"I'll be fine by tomorrow; my body just needs to adjust to the sudden change of weather."
"Haah... fuck your stupid decision for choosing this book," she muttered, cursing again.
Leon didn't even bother reacting this time. He already knew she wasn't like the other noble girls; she never had been.
Maybe it was because of the way her parents forced her to act like porcelain, all etiquette and grace, when she was younger. Or maybe it was just her way of rebelling against it. Either way, everyone in her family despised her for it. Everyone except her grandfather.
In the game, Leon, back when he was still Haru, had never cared much for her or any of the other characters. If anything, he hated her.
There was even a time he seriously considered deleting her character profile altogether, if not for the fan base that adored her. And now, staring at Alice, Leon wondered why.
'What was it exactly that made me hate her so much? She was only a two-dimensional character on a screen, and yet I felt the urge to erase her.'
The answer came easily. It was her ego.
She never cared what others thought of her, never once tried to change herself to fit their eyes.
She lived loud, rebellious, and unrefined. The complete opposite of him. Haru had always sought glory, recognition, and the polished image shaped by how others saw him. And perhaps that was why he could not stand her back then.
"The fuck are you staring at?" Alice narrowed her eyes, voice sharp.
Leon exhaled slowly. "Why do you always have to start like that? Can't you sit quietly for once?"
"I could, if you stopped staring," she shot back, hugging the cloak tighter.
"I never did," Leon muttered.
"Yes, you did."
Leon pinched the bridge of his nose. "What is this, your time of the month again?"
Alice scoffed, lips curling into a sneer. "At least I have one. What's your excuse for being a bitch every day?"
Leon's lips curved into a thin smile. "Sorry to break it to you, but a man doesn't bleed."
"Cringe," Alice spat.
"Brat."
"Please die."
"Ladies first," Leon fired back.
Slam—!
A slam echoed at the cave's entrance. Both of them stopped bickering and turned their heads.
The swordmaiden dragged a white bear inside and tossed it down.
"Alright, kids, food's here. Phew~ I bagged us quite the catch today."
"..."
"..."
Alice spat, staring at the poor, dead white bear lying by the entrance.
"What is that?"
The swordmaiden blinked.
"Food."
"Excuse me?"
"Why? Never eaten white bear before? They taste juicy, especially the thighs. And when you squeeze their brain matter into your mouth—"
"Alright, alright, we got it," Alice quickly cut her off, as her face scrunched from all the details.
She stood, leaving the cloak near the bonfire, and walked over to the swordmaiden.
Without complaint, she helped carry the bear inside toward the fireplace. She even fetched a cloth and a bowl of water, offering them for the swordmaiden to wash her hands.
Leon, watching quietly from where he sat, found himself smiling without meaning to.
'Someone's enjoying themselves.'
"Hey, Leon!" Alice called out; her tone was oddly polite, almost like a sing-song. "Are you just going to sit there, or help us? She carried the bear just for us."
Leon blinked.
'D-Damn. She's acting ridiculously polite in front of her. Is it because I told her to behave? Either way... she's doing excellent.'
A strange feeling of pride settled in his chest.
He stood and joined them, helping Alice drag the heavy bear closer to the flat rock bed on their right.
"So... who's going to skin it?" Leon asked.
Alice looked at him. "Don't look at me."
"Useless," Leon muttered.
"Step aside," the swordmaiden said calmly.
She drew her moonblade, its edge glimmering with an unnatural sheen beneath the moonlight from above.
"You're going to butcher it using your sword?" Leon asked, raising his eyebrows.
The swordmaiden tilted her head. "Yes. Why? I can't?"
"No, I mean... this weapon looks precious to you, so I thought—"
"—so you thought I'd only use it for battle?" she finished for him.
Leon nodded.
A smirk tugged her lips.
"Heh. While that's true, kid, a blade is still a blade. It's better used than gathering dust."
She spoke as though she were holding nothing more than an ordinary kitchen knife.
Leon and Alice stepped aside, letting her do the work.
The swordmaiden moved with ease, skinning and carving the white bear cleanly until slabs of raw meat were laid beside them one after another.
She dusted her hands and said.
"Here. Eat up."
Leon and Alice stared at the bloody meat in silence.
To Leon, it looked no different from a bloody horror scene.
Leon sighed. "Haah... fine. Let me do the cooking."
"We don't have ingredients."
The swordmaiden reminded him, but he smirked and just said.
"It's fine; we've had plenty of ingredients."
Alice and the swordmaiden didn't understand until they saw Leon get to work.
He got to work, gathering salt by evaporating pond water inside the cave, and even managed to find a patch of honeycomb nearby.
Handing some to Alice, he told her to bring them back while he prepared the fire. With only those ingredients, Leon roasted the bear meat, letting the golden glaze of honey crisp along both edges.
When he finally presented the food, the scent filled the cave.
The Swordmaiden's mouth watered.
Both Alice and the swordmaiden leaned forward together, "Ooo~! Neatly done."
"You'd make a perfect husband," the swordmaiden said through a mouthful, nodding with approval.
Leon deadpanned. "No thanks, I won't marry."
Alice snorted, nearly choking on her bite. "Yeah, good decision. I worry about the girl you would end up with."
As they continued eating, the swordmaiden leaned back against the stone wall, studying them both with an unreadable gaze.
Then, casually, she asked, "So... what are your names?"
"Hm?" Alice was the first to react. Chewing the last bit of meat, she raised one hand lazily.
"Sorry for the late introduction, I'll go first." She cleared her throat.
"The name's Alice Nightson. And the idiot over here is Leon Valentine. Thanks for taking care of us, madam."
Leon almost spoke up, but stopped himself. Knowing Alice's nature, she'd probably whisper something unhinged back at him if he tried to interfere. Instead, he gave a small nod.
"It's nice to meet you. Hard to believe we're only introducing ourselves this late, madam."
The swordmaiden returned the nod.
"Circumstances, dear. Sometimes one needs a quiet place and a peaceful mind before exchanging greetings."
Her gaze lingered on them.
"That said... Nightson, Valentine..." She tapped her chin. "I can't recall those houses. So you two truly are foreigners. Huh."
Leon glanced at Alice, gesturing subtly to do her job.
Alice caught it and asked the swordmaiden.
"What can we call you, madam?"
The swordmaiden turned toward her.
At such a simple question, she paused, thinking, before answering, "Lumina."
"Lumina? Just that?" Alice tilted her head. "Your behaviour has etiquette... I thought you were a noble."
Lumina's lips pressed together. For a long moment, she seemed to debate the answer with herself, then she spoke softly.
"Yes. You have a good eye, girl. I was indeed a noble once. I went by the name... Lumina Elizabeth Dare."
Alice's eyes widened slightly at the name.
There was no doubt about it. She was the legendary Swordmaiden whom she had heard so much about.
It was quite exciting to chat with such a legendary figure face-to-face.
It was Leon who spoke next.
"Lady Lumina, is it fine if I ask you something?"
Lumina turned to him.
"Just Lumina is fine. I'm only a bit older than you two, after all. And yes, you may ask anything."
Both Leon and Alice twitched at her words.
'Just a bit... is too much, don't you think, Swordmaiden?' Leon thought, but he kept it to himself.
"Then... Miss Lumina, are you here alone?"
For a moment, Lumina's expression dimmed. A shallow smile formed on her lips before she answered.
"I was not alone. My knights and maids, after I refused them so much... chose to follow me here... to help me search for someone."
Her words turned into a whisper.
Leon pressed a little further.
"Was? Where are they now?"
Lumina's eyes met his. She simply asked.
"You remember those chimeras. Where do you think they all came from?"
Alice froze.
"W-What does that mean?"
"They all sacrificed themselves," Lumina said quietly, "to save me."
"..."
"..."
The cave went still.
To save her? Her of all people?
And the great and legendary Swordmaiden... unable to save her own people? Her knights? Her maids? Just what exactly happened here?
Leon leaned forward, lowering his voice. "My apologies... but could I ask, what exactly was happening here?"
Lumina's gaze fell toward the fire. She replied.
"War."
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC63: Shattered World [2]
Chapter 63: Shattered World [2]
In the timeline where Leon and Alice met Lumina—the Swordmaiden. During that time, the history's great war was raging.
The war where the Five Calamities fought together to seize godhood. The Great Calamity War.
It was said that after the war ended, the five calamities, horrified by the destruction their greed had caused, joined hands. Accepting their fate, they split their domains and took positions in the heavens, maintaining order in the mortal world.
No one really knew where they had gone, or if they were even alive. Some believed they attained godhood, became immortal, and chose to guard the land from above.
Leon sneered inwardly as he recalled the story from one of the original Leon's memory fragments.
'Heh... guardian of the world.'
Haru—aka Leon—knew what the Five Calamities had truly done, and where they were now. If he revealed it publicly, the uproar would sweep across nations. He would be branded a traitor and executed on the spot by order of the calamity tower heads. Not even his sister could protect him.
Sure, parts of the tale held truth. But much of it was exaggerated.
In the real world—the one outside The Shattered Swordmaiden book—the Five Calamities could not directly meddle in mortal affairs, bound by restrictions. But here, in this timeline from thousands of years ago, all five roamed freely like ordinary human beings.
Though this book had no pages dedicated to them, there was still a way to meet the Silvermoon Goddess, worshiped by the Blood Tower. In this era, however, she was still just a mortal.
But that was secondary.
For now, Leon's goal was to earn Lumina's trust. And if time allowed, he would try to meet the goddess of the Blood Tower.
"War?" Leon echoed the Swordmaiden's words.
He feigned shock for now, before glancing at Alice. She quickly masked her concern and turned back to Lumina.
"Miss Lumina," Leon asked, "a war... do you mean a war between kingdoms, or—?"
"The latter," Lumina replied, her eyes closing for a moment. Then she added.,
"They have already made their move. And soon, the world shall witness it."
By they, she meant the Five Calamities.
Resting her back and stroking her Moonblade, Lumina explained further. Alice and Leon had already heard of this story.
After finishing her explanation, Lumina said to both.
"It is dangerous for kids of your age to wander off this plane, at a time like this."
Indeed. Forget the five calamities, this world also had another threat under its nose, and that was the Demon God.
According to the Swordmaiden, she and her maids and knights had already encountered several Archdemons in this icy land. Together they fought fiercely, and because Lumina led them, they gained the upper hand.
But then, something unexpected happened.
The Archdemons did something none of them could understand.
One by one, her fallen knights and maids began to rise again, their bodies warped in flesh, twisted bones turned into chimeras. They turned their blades against the very comrades they once fought beside.
Seeing their loved ones transformed into grotesque monsters shattered the others' resolve.
The despair among them spread like a plague, and in their hopelessness, more and more of them succumbed, and became chimeras themselves.
The Swordmaiden tried to knock some sense into them, but... it was too late.
In the end, those who survived the battle didn't last long either. Months later, Lumina was the only one who remained.
Alice didn't speak. She simply listened, watching the grim expression on the Swordmaiden's face as she narrated her end of story.
Was that truly what happened to her? How could she even smile after all that? If it was Alice in her place, then... then she would have lost the meaning of life long ago.
She would blame herself for all the losses, for being this powerless.
"Archdemon huh..." Leon whispered. "What did they use to turn them into chimeras?"
Even though the atmosphere was grim, Leon still inquired.
Lumina turned to him, and with her usual tone, she properly explained.
"All of that happened so suddenly, that, every time we missed them... but."
"...one of the Archdemons was weird, it had a yellow gemstone on the forehead, right here."
She continued, raising her right hand and pointing at the middle of her forehead.
Leon thought carefully this time.
'A chimera, and an Archdemon with a gemstone...'
Leon had a vague idea of who that was, and how it did that.
"A Demonic Necromancer."
Leon stated out loud.
"Hm?"
"What?"
Both Alice and Lumina turned to him, confused.
Noticing their stares, Leon asked.
"How much do you guys know about demons and their rankings?"
"Only that they have similar rankings as us humans, and just like us they possess mana cores too, which are ranked different with each color grade," the Swordmaiden said.
Leon nodded. "Yes, and like in our own we have different species of elves, dwarves, humans, dragons... similarly, the demon world has their own species."
Pausing for a moment, Leon added.
"Wraiths, Oni, Hellhounds, Succubi, Fallen Angels, and... Demonic Necromancers. And each attains different ranks such as Lesser Demons, Higher Demons, Archdemons, and so on till the Calamity-class Demon."
The ranking was quite similar to what the humans had for themselves. With each higher shade of mana core, they gained rank.
Currently, Leon's mana core was a four-star Crimson Core, which gave him the rank of an Awakened.
"That much we're aware of," the Swordmaiden said.
Alice nodded alongside.
The demons didn't belong in this world. They had come to this land, occupied by humans, elves and others, from their own world called the Demon World.
The only thing known was that they came here through a portal, a miniature form of wormhole connecting the two worlds.
And there were still many undiscovered wormholes left in the world through which demons passed.
Seeing Leon quiet, Lumina asked.
"What are you getting at?"
Leon nodded, then said. "As I said, the Demonic Necromancers are the species capable of turning the dead into undead. Surely you must have heard about it as well, right Miss?"
The Swordmaiden nodded. "Precisely, but, as far as we were taught, they can at most awaken two or three undeads. Unless..."
Lumina thought, rubbing her chin.
Alice finished her sentence instead.
"Unless the rank of that Demonic Necromancer was higher than an Archdemon."
Higher than an Archdemon would only mean that the demon they were referring to was an Abyssal-class Demon.
"Ah, that's troublesome." The Swordmaiden sighed.
When a demon reached White Core, they were given the rank of Abyssal-class.
A Demonic Necromancer with a White Core was capable of controlling over a hundred undeads. And looking at the situation, they encountered more than three hundred chimeras, which could clearly point out that there was not one but three or more Abyssal-class.
Despite the situation, Leon was calm. He came prepared.
He had known beforehand that there were only three Abyssal-class hiding in the iceland. He had played this portion of the game after all.
"Ah, we are so fucked!"
Alice cried, holding her head in a dramatic position.
"Quiet down."
The Swordmaiden said, shooting her a glance. "Loud noises will trigger the nearby chimeras."
Alice shut her mouth.
Leon felt satisfied watching her. Clearing his throat, he told Miss Lumina,
"If we kill those Abyssal-class demons, then the chimeras would return to normal dead bodies."
"Huh." Hearing him, Lumina shot up from her place.
"Are you serious?" she asked in utmost urgency, "tell me, where did you get this information from?"
As far as she was aware, there was no documented research that mentioned such details about Abyssal-ranked Demonic Necromancers.
Alice kept her mouth shut and let Leon handle the rest.
"It's true," he answered. "It was not mentioned in any of the books yet, because it was still under research."
"Then how did you know that?"
"Because I know someone who was researching in that domain. He told me the findings were almost done, and could be revealed to the military in the upcoming months."
"Hmm..." the Swordmaiden whispered, "if it's true, then I must kill those demons before I move further."
Lumina desperately wanted to put an end to her comrades' suffering. No matter how many she killed, there were always a few who managed to slip away from her grasp.
It was frustrating for her, finding each one of them, searching for each face among those rotting corpses of chimeras, and counting heads one by one to keep track.
But if she could end it all by killing just three or four demons, she would blindly choose that option.
After thinking for a few seconds, Miss Lumina made up her mind.
"Alright, killing them is the best choice I have right now."
A grin formed on Leon's lips.
'Perfect.'
As soon as Lumina made her decision, a transparent window flashed before his and Alice's eyes.
Progress: [|||||||43%-------]
"?!"
Alice startled, inwardly overjoyed.
'Finally, some progress.'
A straight 43% was insane. This meant Leon and Alice had managed to jump to a certain point in the story, skipping most of the useless parts.
But this was not the end.
Leon knew that from this point on, things would only become harder.
Because in the story written in the book, the Swordmaiden ended up severely injured after facing three Abyssal Rank all on her own.
But this time, it was different...
'A demon's greatest weakness was light.'
And Leon was the only one among them who held it.
If he managed to help the Swordmaiden achieve her goal, then she would be willing to share her secrets with him, about the Moonblade.
.
.
[A/N]: Support with Power Stones and Golden Tickets, Thanks!!
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC64: The World of Hope [1]
Chapter 64: The World of Hope [1]
"What's this? The princess herself taking part? Now that's not something I ever dreamed of witnessing."
A voice laced with arrogance broke the silence.
A boy with messy black hair and golden eyes stood there, smirking with that cocky tone only he could pull off.
Eula didn't even bother to turn her head. Her focus was fixed entirely on the book resting in her lap; she turned each page with graceful indifference.
The boy clicked his tongue in annoyance. He stepped closer until he stood just behind her.
"Haah... why do you always have to act so cold? Seriously, it breaks my heart."
He placed a hand dramatically over his chest, grinning wide like a performer on stage.
As his gaze wandered, he spotted the Soul Resonator floating near Eula. Two names were listed beneath it, the ones Eula had taken responsibility for.
"Huh?"
One particular name froze him mid-step.
Leon Valentine.
His smirk faltered for a second. Then, he chuckled and said.
"Why'd you take in this bastard?" Rowan muttered in irritation. "I mean... sure, it's rare for you to participate in these activities, but him? Of all people? Ohhh..."
His lips curled again into an irritating grin. "I get it now. You accepted because he's my brother. Understandable. So you do care about m—"
SLAM—!
The sharp crack of a book shutting echoed through the library.
Eula's cold, glacial eyes finally lifted from the pages and locked onto his golden ones.
"Rowan. Are your ears rotten?"
"What?"
"Did you not understand what I've told you before?" Her voice was low and steady, yet slicing deeper in Rowan's throat.
Rowan gritted his teeth. "Th—that..."
She didn't let him finish. Unbothered by the eyes now watching them, she made it loud and clear.
"I have no interest in you. I humbly request you stop this. My answer will remain the same."
Her words were like a dagger straight to his pride. His jaw tightened as rage swirled in his head.
"Hey now... at least give me one chance! I promise, I will take good care of you, and you can ask anyone here, I always treat women kindly—"
"Enough."
Her glare was enough to freeze the air itself.
"Don't test my endurance. It won't end well for you."
For once, Rowan fell silent. His fists clenched at his sides. Whenever he talks with Eula, he never once sees her as a second princess. To him, Eula was just another girl, someone he thought he could eventually bed if he kept pushing hard enough.
Eula, however, knew his true nature. Every word he said only made her skin crawl in disgust. Just being near him was revolting.
If she had to compare Rowan to Leon... there wasn't even a contest. Leon was a million times better than this arrogant, lecherous fool.
Smirking inwardly, she added fuel to the already raging fire.
"Learn from your little brother. At least he knows how to properly act in front of a princess."
The library filled with muffled gasps.
Rage burned hot under Rowan's skin. His chest heaved, and his golden eyes darkened. Also the whispers around him didn't help, it only made matter worse.
"D-damn, he got rejected again."
"Haa... I don't get it. Why does she keep turning him down? He's a Valentine! If I were her, I'd never let go of the chance to be so close to Lady Veronica..."
Some whispers don't even make sense.
Everyone was the same; even her own father thought that tying knots with a Valentine would be a great political move. Who wouldn't want to be a sister-in-law of one of the calamity heads?
Well, clearly not Eula.
"Pathetic," she whispered.
"Well, at least he's not as pathetic as his younger brother. The princess probably only accepted Leon's guidance out of pity." Someone whispered.
Rowan's shoulders trembled. His teeth ground together as he muttered under his breath, low enough for no one but himself to hear.
"Tch... I'll make you pay for this, you slut."
But Eula heard him, and she didn't bother to respond.
Fighting with him would only be a waste of breath. After all, no matter how much you scrub a pig clean, it will always crawl back to the gutter.
He turned away with heavy steps, seething.
Eula?
She had already gone back to her book, as though he'd never existed. Without lifting her eyes, she added lazily, "And tell the duke to stop approaching the palace with marriage proposals. It's starting to bore me."
The entire library seemed to erupt. Students, invigilators, even the librarian—all wide-eyed and whispering.
Rowan stormed out, the air of rejection clinging to him like smoke.
Meanwhile, Eula sat still, flipping pages with a serene expression. Occasionally, her gaze would flicker to the Soul Resonator.
[0%-------------------]
It stayed like that for fifteen minutes. In the world of the book, six hours had already passed, but Eula remained patient, unbothered, waiting for the right time to move.
(A/N: Time inside the book runs faster.)
Her eyes dropped again to the words on the page—
"Princess Eulaaa!~"
The cheerful voice rang out suddenly, breaking her calm mood.
Eula flinched ever so slightly. Her face didn't change, but her thoughts did.
Ah... today really is a bad day.
A soft cushion pressed against her head as someone hugged her from behind.
'So soft.'
Eula didn't mind her hug.
"You look so pretty today! Oh my goddess, it's such a blessing to breathe the same air as you!"
A girl with short height and waist-length hair leaned over her shoulder.
When Eula lifted her gaze, her eyes narrowed.
"Why are you here, Seena? Did you already finish?"
Still hugging her from behind, Seena buried her chest against her head.
"Mmmm~ those first years were all trash. Didn't even last three minutes."
"Oh? Why?" Eula asked, her tone dry.
"Haha, you wouldn't believe it. One cocky brat picked a three-star book, thinking he could claim it. Well... he didn't." Seena's grin widened. "I enjoyed their suffering, though."
"Haaah."
Eula sighed, tilting her head to shake free of Seena's hold.
Seena let go at last, only to lean in again with teasing curiosity.
"So, I heard you accepted one of the first years' requests. Is that true?"
Eula didn't answer. Instead, she gestured toward the Soul Resonator.
Seena followed her finger, reading the glowing names aloud.
"Nightson, huh. Interesting. So she enrolled..." She nodded, then her eyes widened at the second name. "Wait—Valentine?!"
She blinked again, as if the sight betrayed her.
"And it's the youngest one! Wait—wait—wait—what?!"
"Keep your voice down." Eula's sharp whisper cut her off.
Seena leaned closer, still flustered.
"Didn't you say you hated the Valentine brothers?"
Her words tumbled out rapid-fire. Question after question, until finally Eula gave in with the barest answer.
"He's different. The complete opposite of the elder one."
"Huh? What's that supposed to mean?" Seena tilted her head.
But what froze her more than the words was Eula's face. There was no disgust. Not even the usual indifference. Just a silence that made Seena lose her own.
"W–What? What did he do to you?"
"..."
Eula narrowed her gaze. There was no way she could tell her that Leon was dangerous. Instead, she diverted.
"Enough about that. Tell me, did any first years catch your eye?"
"Oh?" Seena straightened, flipping her hair proudly. "You bet. No one can escape my eyes. There's one boy. And also your little sister. Both are unique."
"So, you plan to enroll him and Rinna in the Disciplinary Committee?" Eula asked flatly.
"Of course. As the president, I have to look out for every suitable candidate, and both of them seem perfect." Seena nodded firmly.
Eula herself wasn't part of the Disciplinary Committee. She had been asked before but rejected it without hesitation.
The girl named Seena, who was acting oddly familiar with her, was someone she was familiar with. She was the current president of Eclipse and the only third-year who had ever held that position.
Her charisma was unmatched; not a single soul in the Institute could compare.
Well, in reality, she'd only been elected because Eula supported her. Out of all the candidates, Seena had been the only one who seemed genuinely honest in her eyes, and due to this, she voted for her and spoke in favor of her. Since then, the two occasionally spoke. And Eula didn't hate her for that.
But... sometimes Seena's behavior was questionable. She had a tendency to act strangely... like praying to her or overreacting in ways that made Eula uncomfortable.
There were even rumors that she ran some sort of cult, worshiping Eula as their idol.
'...'
Well, Eula didn't believe that, of course.
Eula raised a brow.
"Oh? Who's the boy you speak of?"
"His name is Ethan." Seena's eyes brimmed with excitement as she explained, "Apparently, he and his partner already pushed the book to twenty percent in just fifteen minutes!"
Eula's eyes widened slightly, not out of shock at the name, but at the progress.
"Twenty percent? You're sure it isn't fake? That number is absurd."
Normally, the book would take three hours minimum, five at most, to clear that much. To reach twenty percent in fifteen minutes? He'd be branded as a 'one of a kind' if it were true.
"No, no," Seena said quickly, shaking her head. "The invigilators verified it. It's real."
Eula blinked, still processing, when Seena asked, "Anyways, what's your progress?"
Together, they glanced at the Soul Resonator.
[0%-----------------]
Seena smirked. "Heh, poor kid—"
Before she could even finish, the progress bar shifted.
[||||||||||43%------------]
"...!"
"...!"
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC65: The World of Hope [2]
Chapter 65: The World of Hope [2]
"Umm? Am I high?"
Seena rubbed her eyes continuously, glancing at the soul resonator again and again.
Progress: [||||||||||43% --------]
"..."
It's the same '43%' no matter how many times she saw it.
It hasn't been fifteen minutes since the story probably started, but still, it was somehow almost halfway to being finished...
Before this, Seena was rejoicing about 20% progress by Ethan and his partner. But this... this is just absurd, no matter how you look at it.
None of the participants ever achieved this feat. It's just impossible, unless or until you know how the story is going to play out in the Astral-Tale library's book. And, none of the first years should know about it, because they aren't allowed to enter the library before this date.
"Oh, I get it now."
Senna nodded, thinking of a possible explanation.
"This thing is broken, right?"
She asked Eula.
Eula, on the other side, was stunned, no doubt, but her reaction was somewhat different from Senna's.
'Did he knew about this exam before?' Eula thought, thinking back about Leon.
Knowing Leon, it might be possible that he had gathered information about this exam beforehand.
Still though...
'Is it alright for him to attract all this attention?'
Eula was a little skeptical regarding Leon's way of thinking.
'If he did want attention... perhaps it was because he wanted to achieve something else...'
After the Shinra Incident, Eula had proposed the subject of recruiting Leon to the rest of the Twilight Order members.
Because Eula was the one who referred him, most of them accepted, but a few wanted to see Leon with their own eyes before making any judgment.
Some of them might even have tried to hinder him this afternoon from taking part in the class allocation examination.
Thinking, Eula glanced at the numbers hovering above the Soul Resonator.
A faint smile lingered on her face, unnoticed, as she muttered to herself.
"Maybe today isn't so bad after all."
Seena stumbled a little in her hurry and said, "I—I will call the invigilator to take a look."
Without waiting for a reply, she turned and ran back to the top floor in a flustered rush.
Eula, however, remained calm. Her focus had already shifted back to the book.
"The failure of the Valentine Dukedome...?" she murmured under her breath, slightly smling.
If Leon had been seen as nothing but trash until now, then perhaps that image would begin to change today. And maybe, just maybe, the kingdom would gain another Valentine genius.
— — —
[The Shattered swordmaiden]
(Inside the book)
The next morning, Alice and Leon were awakened by the faint sound of heavy breathing coming from outside the cave.
Leon didn't find Lumina inside the cave, so he assumed she was outside training.
And his assumption was spot on.
When Leon walked toward the entrance, the first thing he saw was a mist-filled sky refracting light all around.
Surrounded by crystal-clear icebergs, the swordmaiden was swinging the Moonblade.
It was a simple swing, yet the way her hand moved was extremely pleasant to watch.
Thumping her thigh against the icy ground, she pulled in a deep breath, filling her chest. With a sharp huff, she raised her hand high, gripping the Moonblade, and struck downward in a clean, linear motion.
The sword never drifted from its path; it cut perfectly straight from top to bottom until it released a gust of wind, producing a whistling note that echoed across the frozen field like the tune of a melodious flute.
Her shining white hair gleamed under the refracted light as she brushed stray strands away from her ear, wiping off the sweat trickling down her neck. It was then she noticed Leon staring at her.
Narrowing her eyes slightly, she spoke in a calm tone.
"I may look young, but I am more than ten years older than you. You know that, right?"
Leon's eye twitched, but he didn't avert his gaze.
The swordmaiden had a knack for sarcasm. Smirking, he stepped forward and replied in an equally calm tone.
"I was simply admiring your posture. Is that so wrong?"
Lumina paused, then smiled faintly.
"Oh? Would you look at that? No, it's fine... the ladies do love admiration after all."
Alice was still inside the cave when Lumina stopped her training and turned to Leon.
"I can tell your entire focus has been on me since last night. Tell me, young one, what do you want?"
"Hm? Don't phrase it like that, Miss Lumina. I do respect you, and forgive me if I acted otherwise."
He paused, then continued, "I am simply drawn to your sword art, that's all."
Lumina blinked, stunned.
"My sword art?" she asked, tilting her head slightly as her sharp gaze lingered on Leon.
Leon nodded.
"Yes. I noticed that your sword—the Moonblade—is quite peculiar in nature. The mana flowing through it is unstable, concentrated in a way that should harm the wielder. If I'm right, it resonates directly with your mana core, doesn't it?"
She seemed a little surprised by his observation. For a moment, she simply studied him, but instead of asking how he knew, she gave a small nod.
"You aren't wrong, kid. Yes."
Raising the Moonblade, she held it before her eyes. The steel shimmered faintly under the misty light.
"This blade would have killed me long ago if it weren't for my technique."
Leon's eyes sharpened. His heart raced, and a rush of goosebumps spread across his arms.
'I knew it!' he thought.
From the first time he saw her swing the Moonblade, he had wondered how she was not consumed by its backlash.
The aura it gave off was suffocating. Yet Lumina swung it as if it were no more than an ordinary sword.
Through deduction, observation, and the constant use of his [Analysis] and [Mana Sense] skills, Leon pieced the answer together.
She wasn't simply swinging a sword, she was invoking a sword art technique every single time, channeling her mana in a precise flow that nullified the side effects.
"Haha." Lumina chuckled when she noticed his serious, almost glaring stare. "Lighten up a little, will you? Try laughing once in a while. Otherwise, everyone will think you're some kind of villain."
Leon's lips twitched.
If only she knew that he really was one.
Unbothered, Lumina continued, "When I first got my hands on this blade, I realized it consumed far too much stamina for every little result. Every swing left me drained. But even so... I didn't want to abandon it. So I tried to change it."
"Change it? How?" Leon asked.
She closed her eyes for a brief moment, exhaling slowly. When she opened them again, her crimson gaze remained steady, almost serene.
"Weapons are extensions of our bodies. Understand them, and you can gain their trust."
Leon frowned slightly.
"Understand them? You make it sound as though they're living beings."
"Of course they are," Lumina replied without hesitation. She caressed the hilt of the Moonblade gently, almost affectionately.
"This sword is my only partner left. I have to treat her like one."
Leon's eyebrow twitched.
'Her? Did she just call the sword a she?' He chuckled inwardly. 'So now the Moonblade is a lady too?'
He shook his head, suppressing the urge to laugh aloud. It was absurd, yet at the same time, there was something oddly dignified in the way she said it.
"You don't believe me?" Lumina smirked, catching the faint amusement in his eyes.
"I don't know if I can believe or not," Leon admitted.
"But... you're still standing here alive, holding that blade without a scratch. So I suppose there must be truth in your words."
"That's the spirit," Lumina replied with a faint grin. "Though it helps if you actually like
the weapon you're holding. Some swords don't like being treated as tools. They rebel."
Leon raised an eyebrow again.
"Now you're just messing with me."
"Maybe." Lumina's grin widened playfully. "Or maybe you'll hear the Moonblade whisper to you one day, and then you'll come back apologizing for laughing."
Leon exhaled through his nose, fighting back the urge to smile.
This woman was strange... serious one moment, teasing the next. He couldn't decide whether to admire her or be annoyed.
Still, there was no denying it. Watching her wield the Moonblade stirred something deep inside him.
Something closer to hunger.
'I want that,' he thought. 'I want to learn her technique. I want to master it. But how can I make her teach me?'
His eyes lingered on her, searching for an opening. Yet before he could speak, Lumina caught his expression.
A small, knowing smile formed on her lips.
"You want me to teach you?" she asked suddenly.
Leon froze.
For a moment, he wondered if she had read his mind. His eyes widened slightly, then narrowed in suspicion.
"...What makes you think that?"
"Oh, please," Lumina said with a laugh, lowering the Moonblade to her side. "You've been staring at my every move since last night. I've seen puppies with less desperate eyes than you."
Leon grimaced.
"That sounds humiliating."
"It is," Lumina replied bluntly, smirking again. "But don't worry. Puppies are cute."
Leon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"I don't think that comparison helps me at all."
"Maybe not." She tilted her head, still smiling faintly. "But it does tell me that you're serious. Otherwise, you wouldn't look so frustrated right now."
Her words hit him harder than he expected. She wasn't mocking him at this point, she was actually testing him.
'Seriously, this woman...'
Leon straightened his back.
"If you're offering to teach me, then I'll accept."
Lumina raised the Moonblade, resting it lightly on her shoulder.
"Oh? So quick to agree. You don't even know the price yet."
"Price?"
"Of course. Nothing comes free, especially not my sword arts. If you want me to train you, then you'll have to give me something in return."
Leon hesitated for a second, but his gaze didn't falter.
"What is it that you want?"
Lumina's lips curl into a smile both cryptic and amused.
"That," she said softly, "you'll find out soon enough."
Leon's heart skipped a beat, though whether from anticipation or unease, he couldn't tell.
"Shall we begin?"
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC66: Sword Art and What's Forgotten [1]
Chapter 66: Sword Art and What's Forgotten [1]
Five Years Ago
The moon hung high in the sky, glowing like a white chandelier that poured its gentle light across the world. Its reflection flickered on the ripples of a still pond, where a lonely face stared back at itself in a sorrowful expression.
White hair framed her pale cheeks, her crimson eyes glinting faintly against the night.
A white sword rested against her thin waist.
Lumina was standing by the water's edge; with her white gown, she looked beautiful in a way that the moon itself might envy.
She tilted her head upward, trying to capture their glow before it disappeared forever.
"Haaah..."
Her breath left in a slow sigh, and her father's words pressed against her mind.
Our dukedom will fall when the war ends, Lumina dear... After what happened to all of your five sisters, you must take responsibility...
It had been his wish, the single thing he begged of her.
Please marry the prince. It's... It's the only way to save the bloodline.
The Duke of House Balator, Lumina's father, once believed daughters were nothing but failures.
Yet the same man had fallen to his knees before her.
"Heh." Lumina sneered, remembering the scene.
House Sinner was famed across the continent for its unmatched sword arts; no noble house in the whole world could match their techniques.
But fame could not hide Lumina's father's desperation.
No matter how many wives he took, every child born was a girl.
He had three wives and five daughters, Lumina included.
And now most of them were gone.
The war drove them away, or more precisely, each sister ran in fear that their father would marry them off to nearby kingdoms to gain allies.
Only Lumina remained. Not because of loyalty. Because there was someone she could not leave.
A deep voice broke the stillness from behind her.
"Lovely moon tonight, Lumina."
A faint smile appeared on her face, and for a moment her mind relaxed.
"You ran away again, huh..."
The man's calm voice reached her as he stepped closer. He stopped beside her and looked at her profile.
His silver eyes met hers, catching the moonlight. The breeze lifted a few strands of Lumina's long white hair, making them sway gently.
Lumina's eyes widened in surprise. Her heart gave a small, traitorous jump.
"Shin? What are you doing here?"
Shin tilted his head, the corners of his mouth curving slightly. "What, I can't check on someone who keeps sneaking off to stare at ponds?"
"I don't sneak off," she said quickly, though her voice came out softer than she intended.
He smirked. "Right. You just happen to disappear whenever the moon is pretty."
Lumina tried to glare at him, but the warmth in his eyes made it hard to keep a straight face.
They had always danced around each other like this. Both of them felt something, but neither was brave enough to name it. Each smile, each small tease, carried a question neither dared to ask.
Shin leaned a little closer, lowering his voice. "You look troubled. Want to tell me what's on your mind?"
The playful air faded. Lumina hesitated, then told him everything... her father's plea, the marriage proposal, and the fear of losing the only life she knew.
She spoke until the words ran out and the night grew quiet again.
Shin let the silence linger, his gaze steady on hers. Then he said, almost too casually, "Should I take you with me?"
"?!" Lumina almost choked on her breath. "What—what are you saying all of a sudden?"She coughed, jutted a strand of her hair, and said, "Stop joking around, idiot."
He gave a small shrug, a faint blush colouring his cheeks. "Just asking. Maybe I don't like seeing you forced into something you don't want."
"Haha..." He let out a soft laugh and raised his hand as if to apologise. Then his smile faded. He looked straight at her and said, "I will be going to the frontline tomorrow."
"Huh?"
The Great Calamity War was already swallowing nations whole. Every kingdom struggled to survive, and some began attacking their neighbours to steal land while chaos spread. It was reckless, but many called it a clever move.
Lumina's brows pulled together. "What do you mean?"
"Exactly what you heard. The war has reached a point where we no longer have enough soldiers. They are calling for the younger ones to join the royal army."
Her eyes widened. "You're telling me... you're going to war?"
Shin nodded once.
"Are you out of your mind?!" she snapped, turning fully toward him.
Shin knew this was not the right moment to tell her, but time was running out. The sun would rise in three hours, and he had to report to the city gate before then. He had come here only to say goodbye.
They had grown up together. She was the girl he admired, the friend he envied, and the person he quietly began to love. He never found the courage to tell her. Tonight was his last chance.
"I will go with you," Lumina said, her voice sharp with resolve.
Shin froze for a heartbeat before shaking his head. "You will not be allowed. The duke made sure of it, remember."
"Tsk." She clicked her tongue and looked away.
Shin gave a small smile. "Don't worry about me. I will be back in a week, and then..."
He stopped, the words catching in his throat.
"Then?" Lumina pressed, her eyes narrowing.
Shin rubbed the back of his neck, cheeks faintly red. "I... I'll ask the duke for your hand when I return."
"..."
Lumina blinked, heat crawling up her ears. "Eh—w-what are you—"
A strangled noise escaped her throat.
Shin chuckled softly. "That was adorable."
"Shut up," she muttered, hiding her face with both hands.
— — —
Present Time. (Inside the book)
Leon noticed Lumina smiling, but a sad look followed right after.
"Miss Lumina?" he called.
"Hm?"
She blinked and turned to him.
Leon stood with a silver double-edged sword, ready to strike the air.
"What is it?" she asked.
"Aren't you in the middle of teaching?" Leon said.
"Ah." She cleared her throat. "Keep your hands a bit straighter."
"Like this?" Leon lowered his stance, shifting his weight below his waist.
"Straighter."
She picked up a wooden stick and smacked his leg.
Whack.-!
"Ouch," Leon said flatly. "That hurts, you know."
"My methods are always like this."
She kept her eyes on his sword. Leon sighed and followed her order again. Today's lesson was only a vertical slash, but he had been swinging since morning. The sun was already high.
"How long do I have to keep this up?" he asked.
"Until I feel like stopping."
"...tsk"
Leon pressed his lips together. Maybe he had dug his own grave today.
Hours passed. The sound of his sword cutting air stayed the same. Each time he thought his form was right, the stick struck again.
"Straight!"
Whack.-!
"Ouch..."
His shoulders burned. His arms felt heavy.
"Still crooked," Lumina said without emotion.
Leon bit back a groan and swung again.
Whack.-!
Four more hours crawled by. Sweat dripped from his chin.
His grip almost slipped.
At last, Lumina lowered the stick.
"Alright. That's enough."
Leon let the sword drop to his side.
"Haah... haaan..." His chest heaved with every breath.
"You lasted longer than I thought," she said.
Leon gave a tired smile. "Glad to know I survived your training."
Lumina nodded. "How do you feel? Any difference from before?"
"Yeah," Leon said. "My head is throbbing, my chest is about to burst, and my hands feel like they'll fall apart. Other than that, nothing feels different."
"Great," she said without a pause. "Now let's move to the next training."
"Wha–!" Leon's eyes widened.
With that, Lumina taught him nothing but told him to do thousands of vertical and horizontal slashes after that.
— — —
It was night already, the fire inside the cave flickering against the damp walls.
Two girls sat near the flames.
Alice and Lumina.
Alice glanced at Lumina, then at the figure lying beside them.
Leon twitched and let out a weak groan.
"Miss Lumina, what did you do to Leon to make him like this?" Alice asked.
Lumina stirred the fire with a small stick, her face calm. "Training."
"That's all?"
"That's all," Lumina said, a faint smile touching her lips. "If he can move tomorrow, we start again."
Leon groaned louder, but neither of them moved to help.
"Shit." Leon cursed under his breath. He never thought training would turn out this harsh.
Alice leaned on her knees, watching him with a small grin.
"Pity, I missed a lot of the fun."
"Haha... someone's having fun," Leon said weakly, his voice faint.
Alice smirked.
"Enough talk. Go to sleep. You have training tomorrow."
Lumina only nodded, her eyes on the fire.
She had never taken a student before.
And after inheriting her family's sword techniques, she refined them with her own style and created arts that only she knew.
Leon pushed himself up with the support of a stone, ignoring Alice's warning.
He looked at Lumina.
"I've been meaning to ask," he said, his tone steady despite the pain. "What do you want me to do for you, in exchange for teaching me?"
Lumina shook her head. "It's alright. But answer one question for me first."
"What's that?"
"Do you truly wish to learn my technique? And what will you do with it once you have it?"
The question made Leon pause. He stared at the fire, thinking. After a long breath, he answered, his voice steady.
"I want strength that belongs only to me," Leon said.
"What are you, a kid?" Alice scoffed.
Leon ignored her. "What I do with it... I'll figure that out when the time comes."
Lumina gave a small nod.
"You need to do serious work on yourself. After I saw you swinging, I felt like I was watching a person who never once held a blade."
.
.
[A/N]: Another Chapter in a few hours!
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC67: Sword Art and What's Forgotten [2]
Chapter 67: Sword Art and What's Forgotten [2]
Two whole days had passed inside the story.
From the day Leon accepted the Swordmaiden's offer to teach him her sword art, he had been sighted outside the cave most of the time.
Swinging his sword one thousand times, three times a day, made him realize one important thing.
"Fuck swords, guns are better!"
Leon growled as he delivered one slash after another, swinging his blade vertically.
With each strike the sword generated a faint whistling sound from the air resistance. Though the sound was far from what Leon heard when Lumina swung her blade.
He wiped the sweat from his neck before turning his focus around.
Snow stretched below his feet, surrounded by icy mountains. This was the place where Lumina used to train.
It was not far from the cave either, and because of its high base, this spot could be used to monitor the region below.
'Eula must be watching me right now...' he thought, glancing upward.
"Wait..."
Suddenly a thought clicked in his mind as his pupils narrowed.
'If Eula can see everything Alice and I are doing, then...'
He recalled his first day here, when he took a bath in the pond inside the cave.
"This thought never crossed my mind before..." he muttered.
Since all of his clothes had been soaked in chimera blood and stench, he had no choice but to enter the pond in full commando mode.
There was a high chance she had seen all of his manly pride.
"..."
Though Leon was one hundred percent sure she had been absorbed in one of the books she was reading in the library.
He just wished that was the case.
He sat on a nearby boulder under a dried-up palm tree.
Relaxing his posture, he placed his sword against the trunk and massaged his arms for a minute.
"This still hurts."
Even though every fiber in both arms ached, he was not very fazed by it, as if the pain did not bother him.
Maybe it was because of the constant training, or perhaps his muscles were simply getting used to it.
Glancing around, Leon searched for Alice and Miss Lumina.
They had not arrived yet. After giving Leon his training goals for the day, they had gone somewhere else.
'Alice sure does get along with her...'
It was surprising. Alice was the type who only had respect for her grandpa, and also for the second and third princess.
Toward them, she never used any of her creative vocabulary, and neither did she show any disrespect.
And right now, her behavior toward the Swordmaiden was pleasant. She was literally accepting every word Lumina told her.
Just this morning, Lumina had asked Alice to sweep away the dead monsters from the entrance, and Alice did it without a question.
If anyone else had given her such an order, she would have cursed their entire generation.
'Maybe it was because of me...?'
Leon had told her to act properly in front of Lumina before they met her. And knowing Alice, who had a strong interest in magic, mana, and formulation, she had no choice but to accept if she wanted Leon to share his papers.
'Using a nerdy person to my advantage is getting easier lately...'
Leon sneered, picturing Alice in a Japanese high school uniform, sitting in the first row with thick glasses.
"Heh."
She would look like any typical, annoying, studious chick back on Earth.
Taking up his blade, he traced his fingers along its edges.
The blade was rugged. The sharpness uneven.
Leon frowned. He didn't remember using it on any chimera here.
'How did it receive such damage?'
He narrowed his eyes and noticed something else.
"Hm? That's weird."
The sword was supposed to be heavy, but for some reason it didn't feel like he was holding anything at all.
"Was it always this light?" he muttered, gripping the silver twin-edged blade. He ran his fingers across the worn-down sharp edge in a smooth sweep.
Slick!
A shallow cut appeared on his finger. A clean red line. But no sting, no pain.
His hands weren't numb either, so why couldn't he feel it?
Confused and a little excited, Leon repeated the action with his other fingers.
"...?"
Sure enough, all ten fingers bled lightly, but none of them felt a thing.
His curiosity spiked.
He activated Analysis on the weapon.
[Item Name: Twin Silver Blade]
[Material: 3-star Mythril]
[Endurance: C]
[Stability: C+]
[Durability: B-]
[Unique Effect: None]
"Special effect... none?"
Leon read the words twice.
He had been sure it was some hidden ability of the sword that was numbing his pain receptors. But with no special effect listed, it became clear. It wasn't the blade. It was his body.
Maybe swinging it thousands of times had pushed his body past its limit, granting him some sort of pain-nullifying state.
But when he opened his status window, there was no new skill to be found.
Frowning, Leon recalled Lumina's teaching.
'While you swing your blade, try pulsing your best affinity with every whistling sound the sword makes.'
He had never heard of such a method before. It wasn't in the game either.
This was something Lumina must have created on her own.
And judging from the results, everything pointed back to one cause.
The brutal thousand-swings-a-day training.
"Interesting."
Leon leaned back, trying to piece it all together. Why was this happening, and how were the two things even connected?
"The Swordmaiden hasn't come back yet..." he muttered.
Curiosity was burning a hole through him now.
He wanted to ask Lumina directly. He wanted to know how she had discovered the link in the first place.
Because no matter how he looked at it, this felt too precise to be an accident.
A bug.
This had to be some kind of bug, a hidden one the developers had overlooked, now unknowingly exploited by the Swordmaiden.
"It could be possible..." Leon thought, though still skeptical about the whole 'bug' theory.
A game was one thing, but this was no longer a game. This was a real world with living, breathing people.
How could a glitch exist here?
As he was lost in thought, a voice called out from the side.
"Rest is not allowed."
Leon's head turned. Two familiar figures were walking toward him.
The Swordmaiden's sharp gaze bore into him, her presence enough to make Leon shoot up from where he was sitting.
"I just sat to drink some water, that's all," he muttered, avoiding her eyes.
"Uhhh... at least lie properly."
It was Alice who said that, grinning, a big bucket slung over her shoulder.
Leon shot her a glare.
'This psychotic bitch...'
"What? Got something to say? Then spit it!" Alice snapped, picking up on his glare immediately.
Leon rolled his eyes before standing.
Alice dropped the bucket with a thud and stepped closer.
"I can tell you were resting all this time before we arrived..."
"Huh?" Leon raised a brow. "I am not like you."
Alice laughed loudly. "Hahaha, oh please, you could never become like me."
For some reason, Alice was acting even more annoying than usual today.
'I know now... why I wanted to delete her.' Leon thought back to his CEO days. 'She's a bitch, and a bitch deserves to be disposed of.'
"You're a psychotic bitch," Leon said. The words came out sharp.
Alice froze for a moment, then raised her brows. "What?"
"You heard me."
"Say that again, and I'll—"
"You're a psychotic bitch."
Leon said it casually this time.
"..."
"..."
They stared at each other for three whole seconds.
Then—
Alice barked a laugh. "Shut it, fucker, or I will shove this bottle up your ass, and every morning you'll remem—"
"Cough. Cough."
Lumina's throat-clearing cut sharper than steel.
Alice froze mid-threat, her mouth still half-open.
"Enough," Lumina said firmly.
"But—he—" Alice tried, pointing accusingly at Leon.
"Alice, you poked him first. Apologize."
Alice's mouth opened, closed, then opened again. Crossing her arms, she muttered,
"Yeah, fine, sorry."
"Alice," Lumina repeated, this time with enough authority to make Alice flinch.
Alice sighed, arms dropping. "Alright. Sorry." She shoved a pouch into Leon's hands, grumbling, "Here. Got you some refreshment."
Leon glanced at the pouch, then at her. He blinked.
"Ooh~ someone learned etiquette."
Alice's face twisted. "Shut it, fucker, or I will—"
She stopped cold at the weight of Lumina's glare.
Dropping the topic, Lumina turned to Leon.
"Tell me your progress."
Leon focused and told her everything: the rugged blade, the strange whistling sound, and how he no longer felt pain from cuts.
Lumina listened attentively, nodding as he finished.
"Great work," she said, adding,
"That pain nullifying is the result of your training. It's proof you've been swinging your blade seriously, without slacking."
Leon still didn't understand how she had 'pulled' this bug to real use.
Curiosity won over, and he finally asked,
"Miss Lumina, who taught you this training method? Swinging a sword thousands of times while pulsing mana with each whistle? I've never heard of anything like it."
Lumina paused for a moment. Then, with a pleasant smile, she answered.
"It was a technique discovered by my lover, Shin."
Her lips curled into the most beautiful smile as she said his name.
"Shin was my kingdom's honorary knight. He was considered the most talented individual in the entire realm."
Alice and Leon listened in silence as Lumina went on.
"At just twenty-seven, he was given the title of Sword Master."
A subtle flare lit her eyes as she added,
"I wanted to follow the same path. To become like him. To stand as his equal. And to one day become just like him."
Alice tilted her head, whispering, "Like... a Swordmaiden?"
"Hmm?" Lumina's eyes softened, and then she chuckled.
"Hehe, of course. If something like the term Swordmaiden even exists, then I would like the world to call me by that name too."
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC68: The Whisper in the ear
Chapter 68: The Whisper in the ear
"The whole battalion's whereabouts are unknown."
"The guards near the border found no clues."
"Your Majesty, give us orders to send troops to search for Sir Honorary Knight personally."
The palace was busier than usual, but today it was much more chaotic.
Three days ago, a battalion had been sent to guard the southern border against the enemy kingdom.
It was a dangerous mission, which was why the war strategist had insisted that Shin Kataino, the kingdom's only Honorary Knight, lead them.
Under Shin's command, the battalion moved to scout the borderlands, planning to return by evening. Yet morning had arrived, and still, no trace of them could be found.
In the throne room, ministers argued fiercely.
Some demanded a search party. Others claimed resources must not be wasted in such critical times, where every second mattered.
The world itself was already trembling.
The Five Calamities were locked in a fearsome struggle, and now another being had emerged, calling itself the Demon God.
Unlike the Calamities, the Demon God spared no one. Women, children, the weak—none were safe.
Every kingdom, great or small, stood on high alert. One misstep, and an entire nation could be erased from the map.
Because of this reason, most ministers opposed sending help for Shin and his battalion.
"No doubt, our Honorary Knight was brave," the King finally spoke, after hearing them all.
"But..."
The room stilled. Every ear leaned toward him.
"If you think on behalf of Shin, do you believe he would want us to send a troop to rescue him? Would he even allow that?"
The opposing ministers clenched their fists, already expecting this answer. Those in favour of abandoning Shin grinned.
"Absolutely amazing judgment, my lord," one said, bowing. Their bellies swelled against their robes, their faces glowing with smug brightness in such grim times.
"The decision has been made," the royal shoulder declared to all present.
"Taking into account the disappearance of Sir Shin Kataino and his eighty-seven battalion men, the kingdom hereby revokes the search operation. Another battalion will be deployed only to secure the region. As of this day, Sir Shin Kataino shall be declared dead in royal service. His family will receive financial compensation once the war ends."
The four ministers who had supported the search clenched their fists in silence, watching how a commoner was discarded so cheaply.
Shin Kataino was a commoner, admitted to the royal military only three years ago when the kingdom was in mandatory recruitment of young blood.
He had served as a knight in the estate of Duke Balator, at the time when the king had tried proposing a marriage between his son and one of Balator's daughters, Lumina. The only daughter of his who inherited the Balator family's arts and techniques.
That time, she had refused the proposal.
The king gave up easily, as the prince had found a better suitor.
One minister leaned lazily on the cushion of his chair and muttered, "Well, a commoner being an Honorary Knight cannot last forever anyway."
Another smirked, "They said his family will be compensated."
A third cut in with a grin, "But Sir Shin... was an orphan."
The fourth chuckled, "Then the finances will simply return to the kingdom's treasury. Haha."
It was pathetic to speak this way in the king's presence, but the king did not seem to mind.
"Shameless."
The single word rang louder than any shout. Every whisper died.
A man seated opposite them rose halfway from his chair. Young, with white hair and piercing blue eyes. Duke Arlond.
"He has done more for this kingdom than all of you combined," Arlond declared. "If he is dead, as you so foolishly claim—"
"Duke Arlond!" The guard raised his sword, the sharp tip aimed at the duke's throat.
Arlond did not flinch. Instead, he smiled thinly. "What is this supposed to mean?"
The king raised his hand. His voice carried through the silence.
"Put down your weapon."
The guard obeyed, though his glare lingered.
Arlond stepped forward, eyes fixed on the throne.
"Your Majesty, are you truly willing to stain your rule by casting aside the man who saved your crown more times than you can count? A knight who bled not for power, but for the people?"
The king's face remained calm.
"Duke Arnold," the king said, "your loyalty is noted. But..."
He continued.
"...passion must not cloud judgment. The kingdom cannot risk chaos for the sake of one man. Even if that man was Shin Kataino."
Arlond's fists tightened, his jaw locked. Frustration and disgust burned in him, yet he stood firm.
The king leaned back on his throne. His words fell like a verdict.
"This matter is closed."
Three months pass in the blink of an eye.
–
–
In the same palace hall, a young lady now stood before the throne.
She looked to be in her early thirties, her hair pure white, eyes sharp and red as blood. A full-length gown of snow draped her frame, carrying a white sword on her waist, and with unwavering steps, she faced the king.
Without bowing, without faltering, she declared.
"Majesty, I have a request to make of you."
The king gave a small nod.
"Speak it."
Her voice carried no hesitation.
"I no longer wish to serve this kingdom. I ask to be banished, and to have my title as a noble revoked."
Gasps broke from the ministers and guards.
"Huh?"
"What?"
Even the guards exchanged confused looks, but the king's face remained calm.
"You are Duke Balator's daughter, correct?"
Lumina nodded once.
"Does your father know of this?"
She shook her head.
The king's eyes narrowed, his tone turned heavy.
"This is not a decision to be made lightly. Are you certain?"
"I am," Lumina answered. Her gaze never wavered. "More than certain. I have lost hope in this kingdom's people."
The king studied her, then leaned slightly forward.
"Where do you plan to live after such a decision? Duke Balator is a dear friend of mine... so I must ask, what is the reason behind this sudden choice?"
Lumina exhaled softly, her words threaded with grief.
"I have regrets. I have remorse. For weeks, I have asked myself the same question... would the world be the same if he were not in it?"
Her fingers curled against her gown as her voice thinned.
"For me... I cannot see myself in such a world."
The ministers glanced at one another, their faces pale with confusion, but the king simply tapped the armrest of his throne.
"I see."
He let the silence hang before speaking again.
"Very well. From this day forth, you are to be stripped of your noble status. And, you are to be banished from the kingdom."
Lumina lowered herself in a shallow bow.
"I thank you, Your Majesty."
Without another word, she turned.
Her white gown whispered one last time across the marble floor as she walked out of the hall.
— — —
Leon and Alice fell silent; they exchanged glances as they heard Lumina's story.
Lumina chuckled in grimace, then asked the two seated before her.
"You might think, I am lonely, right?"
She answered herself, shaking her head lightly.
"I was not lonely," she said, tapping her heartbeat, "I had several who tagged along with me. Trusting that the person with them would keep them safe... but fate wanted to provide me with more freedom."
Leaning back at the rock, and glancing up, she said.
"I now have freedom, you see."
Alice gulped.
Leon didn't answer; instead, she let her finish her sentence.
"...I've soon come to a realization.... When nobody wakes you up in the morning, and when nobody waits for you at night, and when you can do whatever you want. What do you call it, freedom or loneliness?"
"..."
Staring at her, Leon answered.
"Neither."
Lumina smiled, glancing at the young man's face. "Then, what would you call it?"
Leon replied.
"Freedom is just an illusion, there's no such thing as true freedom, and the only ones who get true freedom are the ones who are dead."
Alice was listening to all of this the entire time; she didn't want to say anything, as she was never good with.
Leon continued.
"Whereas loneliness is the wrong word, what it actually is... is emptiness, and it is something only the living can afford to carry."
Leon's smile faded as he pushed the topic in hand.
"You could waste your life wondering what name to give your grief. If you truly believe he's still alive, then there's still a chance that he might be waiting for you."
Lumina lightly nodded.
"That is what I always believe. And that is why I ran away in the first place. The regrets, the remorse, it was all unsettling for me, and to live alongside those is... tormenting."
In the game, Lumina and Shin never had a happy ending. Shin died protecting his people, and his lover died searching for him.
In the end, at her deathbed, her eyes would crave just to get a last look at his face. To tell him one thing she always regrets not saying.
"I wish to see him." The swordmaiden muttered, enough for Leon and Alice to faintly hear it.
Lumina's eyes warmly looked at Alice, and then shifted to Leon.
"Would you... Help me see him again?"
As those words left her mouth, a message popped up in front of Leon and Alice's vision.
[The Shattered Sword Maiden]
[Progress: [|||||||||||||||||||58%....]]
"Mhm."
Leon nodded, presenting her with a smile, "Of course."
Leon did not know it yet, but soon... these words of his would bring the greatest shift to his life.
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THE VILLAIN IS DESTINED TO DIE: BUT AS THE CREATOR, I KNOW ALL ENDINGSC69: Devastating
Chapter 69: Devastating
After the conversation ended, Leon went outside once again to practice his sword art.
His fingers moved across the hilt of his sword. Bracing it as if it was his own extension, bending his knees ever so slightly, Leon's gaze fixated on the dried-up tree just a few metres away from him.
He stood perpendicularly to the tree, raising his silver sword in front, his feet switched, and as he brought his arm down, a whistling sound followed after.
WEEeeeeee–!
Immediately, he pulsed mana inside his body before the whistling sound faded away.
"Haaah!"
As he did, the air particles around the edge of his blade started to vibrate slowly.
Leon could feel it.
A grin crossed his face as the arc his blade generated gloriously shot straight toward the tree and struck it vertically.
For a second, a bright light followed the sword's path. When the light faded away, Leon saw the dried-up tree split into two, still falling from both the split angles.
The tree was completely burnt, even the two pieces which fell at both ends crumbled to dust as soon as they touched the snowy ground.
"Haaah... Haaah...."
Leon huffed, wiping off the sweat and looking at the mess he created.
All of that happened in a matter of five seconds.
It was the resulting feat of all his hard work. He had swung his sword tens of thousands of times in just two days, even more than what Miss Lumina had instructed him to.
Leon had pushed himself to his every limit... and...
This was the result.
"..."
His smile faded as truth struck him in the back.
"This isn't enough."
He muttered, looking at the burnt tree and the arc-carved ground.
This was not even as cool as what the Swordmaiden had pulled off that time.
Taking down more than hundreds of chimera in less than a second...
That's what he wanted to achieve.
Compared to that, this could not even be considered the same style.
"Am I missing something?"
Leon thought, revising the Swordmaiden's instruction.
He did what she told him to, he even ate what she told him to. Abandoning his sleep, he had focused the last two days on this training, hoping that he would achieve the same result.
But...
If such a feat could be achieved in just two days, then anyone would be called a Swordmaiden or Swordmaster.
Leon understood that, still, it felt frustrating.
Still gripping his sword, which was blunted and worn down to the point of barely holding together, Leon looked up into the starry sky.
"I need to hurry..." he muttered.
Time was ticking.
He didn't know how much progress Ethan and the others have made till now.
Lost in his thoughts, a figure in a white robe with white hair walked behind him.
"Well done," the Swordmaiden said.
Leon, stunned, stumbled a few steps ahead and turned around.
"Miss Lumina?!" he said, confused.
'What is she doing here?' Leon thought.
Wasn't it Leon's duty to get the entrance tonight? Then why was she here?
Lumina narrowed her gaze and spoke in her usual calm tone.
"You talk as if you own this place," she said jokingly, crossing her arms and standing face to face with Leon. "Am I not allowed to stroll?"
Leon shook his head.
"That's not what I meant," he said, staring back at her.
Lumina came close, and stood beside where Leon was standing and looked up at the sky.
"I always liked this starry sky," she said.
It was clear, and the blanket of blue-white stars could be seen from where she stood.
"It reminds me of how a faraway small star could tell us that it exists with its twinkles every night."
Leon followed her gaze.
He sneered before replying.
"Those are not small stars, they are bigger... quite bigger than what you can imagine."
Lumina didn't answer right away. She paused, gathering her thoughts before speaking again.
"Yes... and because of those twinkles, even something so distant feels close. Isn't it strange, Leon? The farther away they are, the more we notice them. Maybe that's what existence is... being seen, even if only as a faint light in someone else's sky. Even if someone thinks you are too tiny to even exist."
Leon fell silent, and he regretted saying his next words.
"...Or maybe, the light only reaches us after the star is already dead."
Hearing that, Lumina's eyes widened, but she smiled at him eitherway.
"Mhm, I still believe he's alive."
"..."
It was then he realized what his words could literally translate to her end.
Gritting his teeth, he apologized.
"I apo—"
"It's fine," she interrupted.
"It doesn't really bother me, after all, it was not my first time hearing it."
Leon felt even more guilt.
'Ah, shit!'
He cursed his Valentine bloodline.
But the Swordmaiden changed the subject before he could.
"That attack was nicely done," she said, looking at the fallen, burnt, dried-up tree.
Leon waved his hand in disagreement.
"It wasn't as cool as yours though."
"Oh my," Lumina startled. "You think it took me two days to master this technique?"
She shot him a glare.
Leon gulped.
"No, that's... not what I meant to say."
"Hehe," she chuckled, covering her mouth and showing him the most beautiful smile she could muster.
Leon flustered, looking at her face.
'Ah, this damn teenage body...'
He couldn't control it.
"Hooo... your face is red," she said again with the same expression, curling her lips into an 'O' shape.
"..."
Leon's eye twitched.
'Her personality wasn't like this in the game...'
When she was with Ethan in the game, she always acted cold-hearted, and only answered when Ethan asked her something.
She changed,
'...or maybe she opened up to me?'
Leon gulped, thinking the latter had the highest possibility.
She was even teaching him the sword art, something she never taught Ethan in the game.
"Your skill in handling the blade has increased significantly. See, this is because you gave your best," she praised him.
Indeed, it was true.
Before that, Leon didn't even know how to swing a sword properly, but now that he had done it more than ten thousand times, he was confident he could swing even in his dreams.
Even though it was far too behind what he wanted to achieve.
As if reading his thoughts, Lumina said with a firm tone.
"Today will be your last lesson."
Leon's whole body shivered.
'More training?!'
Was she insane?
Leon was swinging almost non-stop from the day till the time he slept.
To give him another lesson was devilish of her.
'Was she also acted this dominating towards her lover?'
"Hm?" She tilted her head, then said with a sarcastic tone, "are you thinking something funny about me? Haaah.... don't worry, you don't have to do anything but observe."
Leon, confused, asked.
"Only observe?"
She nodded.
"Who?"
She pointed her fingers towards herself with a smile, "me, of course."
"Why?"
"..."
A vein popped on her head, as she heard his ridiculous questions.
But controlling herself, she asked, "you want to learn or not."
Leon stayed quiet, he didn't ask her what's there more for her to teach.
He thought that all that was left was training and practice.
"It was a technique created by Shin."
She said, feeling a bit proud, "this and the one I taught you before were all his creations, he was the one who taught me everything after all. And what I am going to teach you is what I personally crafted after taking inspiration from Shin's sword art."
'Personally crafted?'
Leon was getting more and more confused.
But he waited for her to finish.
"Are you ready to learn?" She asked.
Leon nodded.
'Just what was she going to show me?'
"Good," she said, turning around, "watch closely, with every trick you have in your sleeves..."
Leon's eyes widened, then he activated his skill.
[Mana Sense]
The world around his eyes shifted, as everything started emitting flickers of light of different colors.
He gazed down at his own hand and saw the concentration of golden mana more intense than the rest. It was light affinity.
His eyes shifted to the Swordmaiden.
"..."
'W-wow!'
He wouldn't believe his eyes if he didn't witness it first hand.
Unlike others, Lumina's body not only had two, not three, not four... but six different mana affinities.
At this point, it would be perfect to assume that, except Light and Darkness, she could wield all of them.
'Th-that's ridiculous.'
The game never mentioned her possessing that many?!
And if Leon recalled correctly, there never once was a snippet written where Lumina's affinities were mentioned.
As Leon looked at her, she pulled out the Moonblade attached to her waist.
Extending it up, as it absorbed the moonlight, and reflected the stars on its blade.
Lumina muttered two words, before shaping it into a fine arc.
"Hosigami Style."
A pause.
A bright flash covered half the mountain, before she uttered,
"Heaven's Judgement."
Leon's eyes glued to the blade, as he saw a devastating amount of mana pulled from the Moonblade, and pulsed throughout Lumina's arteries, moving and concentrating at one single point.
Her heart.
He didn't even blink.
His memory captured each and every pattern, each and every path the mana made when finally moving all to a single point in her heart.
A yellow light covered the entire southern region, emitting solely from the blade she was holding.
What followed next was harder for Leon to put into words.
But...
If he had to define the destruction precisely, only one thing could stand equal to it.
Leon remembered studying about it.
It occurred in his country back on Earth, on the 6th of August, 1945.
Humanity's greatest creation, which would even rival the wrath of gods.
The creation which even left shadows framed into the walls.
"Atomic Destruction."
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