BJ Villainess

There was no notification. No message saying that Paradise had been found, nor any sponsorship alert. It was pitch black all around, just like when I had opened the Gate of Paradise in the imperial palace.

Like someone being chased, I quickly closed the door and was enveloped in the thick darkness, which seemed almost tangible. Just standing still made me feel strangely short of breath. And then… finally, I began to hear the presence I had been waiting for so eagerly.

“It’s you from last time, isn’t it?” I intended to wait until he stopped moving, but impatience got the better of me, and I spoke up. Even though I knew he wouldn’t answer unless he wrote on my palm, I still asked.

They say that when one sense is blocked, the others become more sensitive. It felt as if I could see the presence moving. So I keenly sensed when he entered my reach and immediately grabbed him.

“Eros.” I couldn’t bring myself to call his name, remembering the last time he had mentioned Eros and Psyche.

He gently took my hand and, just like before, began writing on my palm.

-Yes, my Psyche.

I felt as if my whole body was melting with a mix of relief and overwhelming emotion. But why? Suddenly, I burst into tears. I wanted to say something, anything, but I was crying so hard that no words would come out like a child. He seemed to understand everything, holding me close and comforting me gently.

I don’t know how many times the soft fabric wiped my tear-streaked face. I didn’t want to waste this precious time crying, so I struggled to stop.

“

.”

He chuckled as my sad effort caused my shoulders to shake.

“Why are you laughing?”

-Because your sounds are funny.

“Annoying…”

Feeling even more upset, tears welled up again because of his nonsense. He quickly consoled me.

-Sorry. I was kidding. Don’t cry.

“I’m not crying.”

-Okay.

Soon, my sobbing had mostly subsided, and I felt embarrassed. I needed to say something to shake off this feeling, but after bursting into tears, I couldn’t think of anything appropriate to say. It struck me that I was really bad at small talk.

Suddenly, I remembered that I had his mask. “Your mask, I have it.”

Since I couldn’t use magic in this space, I couldn’t retrieve the butterfly mask from my subspace.

“Is it important?”

When asked with great concern, the man replied.

-A lot.

“… You’re lying, aren’t you?”

-Yes.

“

, seriously.” I wanted to get angry at the ridiculous joke, but I found myself laughing instead. Even though it was pitch black and I couldn’t see anything, I felt like he was smiling too.

He held my hand still, then began to fidget with my ruby ring. A soft sigh escaped him, making me feel strangely guilty.

I bit my lip and asked in a strained voice. “…Can I ask you for something?”

-What is it?

“Can you take me with you?”

-…

“This is the last time the Gate of Paradise will activate. When I leave here, I won’t be able to see you again.”

He remained silent, almost harshly so.

“So, can you take me to where you are?”

I knew it was a futile request. But I was too exhausted. The thought of escaping this sh*tty situation was starting to outweigh my affection for my family, friends, and the male leads. How much longer do I have to endure this?

“Is it right for me to stay in this world? Wouldn’t it be more helpful to what you’re doing if I didn’t?”

Enduring is really difficult. Living each day, holding on to the hope of a future with no guarantee of better days, had worn me down.

I was tired of wandering around, avoiding school to escape the painful reality. Everything felt empty. I had held on just for today. But what should I wait for after today?

The man, who had remained silent until then, wrote on my palm.

-I can’t take you with me. I’m sorry.

It was a request I made, knowing it wouldn’t work. But that didn’t mean being refused was any easier to accept.

-And everything you do is ultimately for me. So do whatever you want.

“That can’t be true.”

-It’s true.

I thought this man was definitely Clyde. But suddenly, I was confused.

The way he joked and teased made me think he was the Clyde I knew, but there was a subtly different atmosphere about him.

“Hey…”

-How about calling me Eros like before, instead of ‘hey’?

When I think of it, it is questionable how this man knew Eros and Psyche.

In fact, it had only been two months since Clyde disappeared from the world. How did he team up with Hardy and acquire knowledge about Earth at that time?

“How long have you lived in the Pantheon?”

-Quite a while?

What a nonsensical answer.

“How long is ‘quite a while’?”

He didn’t answer and gently held my hand, then slowly lowered it.

I quickly grabbed his hand. “Are you leaving already?”

Fortunately, he didn’t shake off my hand and remained still. He didn’t answer my question, but just that was a huge relief. I wasn’t ready to let him go yet.

“Can we meet again?”

This time, he wrote on my palm.

-Soon.

Soon? Before I could ask what he meant, my eyes suddenly snapped open. I blinked in confusion, trying to understand the situation.

I heard birds chirping outside. It was morning.

“…?”

I had been beyond the Gate of Paradise just now.

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Born From Theresa’s Heart’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[Oh dear, you fell asleep waiting for midnight and just woke up.]

It couldn’t be. I still felt Clyde’s warmth in my hand. That couldn’t have been a dream.

With disbelief, I immediately moved the bookshelf and opened the Gate of Paradise. “…What?”

Something was off. When I opened the door with the dimensional key, it revealed the small workshop where Damian made his toy dolls. There was no sign of Paradise. This was what happened when you opened the door after finding and abandoning Paradise once before.

It seemed like he did something again to the constellations, just as they had no idea what had happened when I met him in the imperial palace.

My heart started pounding. I had endured just for October 1st, but now I had something else to look forward to. Feeling incredibly refreshed, I left Damian’s toy workshop and returned the bookshelf to its original position.

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Materialism’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[What? There’s no reward?]

“Yes. This time, the reward was a tour of the toy workshop.”

The constellations, disappointed by my evasive answer, soon shifted their interests.

Just then, there was a knock. Someone was knocking on the door of a place where no one should be. Hardly anyone knew about Damian’s house, so who could it be?

I raised my mana as I approached the door, just in case. “Who is it?” I asked cautiously.

The answer came promptly.

“Open up. Before I break it down.”

“…Your Majesty?”

It was Euges’s voice.

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Our Yushin’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[

, Euges!!!!!!!! He came to find his wife at his rival’s house!!!!!!!!]

Feeling baffled, I quickly opened the door. There, in the early morning light, was Euges, dressed neatly in his uniform, leaning casually against the hallway railing.

“It’s really you.”

“Who else would it be that you’d open the door?” Euges pulled me outside, looking extremely displeased. “Do you have any idea how furious I was when I received the report of your last whereabouts yesterday?”

I was both astonished and puzzled to hear he had been monitoring my movements. I didn’t even feel the eyes of surveillance.

“I barely sensed anyone following me. How did you find me?”

“Did you think you were the only one who could use magic?”

“

… but why are you so angry?”

Euges rubbed his forehead. “Do you think I wouldn’t be furious knowing you were at Damian’s house?”

“But Damian isn’t even here…?”

“I’m going crazy. Talking to you is impossible.”

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘Romance Pass’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[I’m also dizzy because of Theresa…]

What? Why does he act like he’s more frustrated than I am?

When I pouted, Euges waved his hand dismissively. “Enough, just do what you do best.”

“Magic?”

Ding!

[The Constellation ‘King of Iron Wall Theresa’ has sponsored 1,000,000 coins.]

[

]

Euges’ eyes turned fierce as he warned. “Say something thoughtless again, and I’ll make sure that mouth of yours is very sorry. Think again.”

Realizing what he meant, I quickly hugged him. The fierce atmosphere he had been exuding softened as he smirked.

“That’s it?”

“We’re outside.”

I glanced at the railing below. From this second floor, I could see the imperial knights standing in clusters in front of the building.

Euges looked unimpressed as he pulled my chin up and kissed me.

“Your Majesty! They can see!”

When I struggled and complained, Euges clicked his tongue.

“Do you really think they’d see anything with me standing in front of you like this?”

“Even if they can’t see clearly, they’ll guess what’s happening.”

“So picky.”

Euges gave me a displeased look before taking advantage of my lapse in attention to give me a quick kiss and then pulled back.

“This will do for now.”

The satisfied smile on his face was incredibly annoying.