The Villain Bought the Heroine

Chapter 100

Center of the battlefield.

This place is somewhat distant from the red waves.

What lay on the ground was not blood and bloody marks but a field of ash.

Above it, traces of two beings were staining it.

“Why… Why…!”

Ami’s once lifeless face contorted heavily. Enveloped in anger and inferiority, she stared at Helion with torn pupils.

Fifteen years ago, he was clearly prey. Easy to hunt.

That’s why he was matured! To taste better later!

He knew that the human race rapidly grows stronger, but this is going too far. He’s in a state of power liberation, after all.

Thud.

Ami’s teeth gritted as she charged again.

Ami, clad in armor from head to toe, including a hideous helmet, was lightning itself in speed.

The scythe attached to a tail like a scorpion aimed for Helion’s neck.

But, this too failed.

Blocked simply by the holy light shield Helion unfolded.

“Prey, you’re prey! You hear me, prey!”

Ami’s violet mana surged.

The steam rising from the boiling water danced like a waltz, soft and irregular like lightning striking the ground.

Ami, ready to pierce through the shield, spewed mana abundantly, pushing forward. Around Helion, orbs of mana created by Ami gathered mana like the gravity of a planet.

“Helion, you’re nothing but prey⎯⎯!”

With Ami’s shout, the mana shield protecting Helion shattered, and the condensed force of mana shot straight out.

No matter how seasoned a warrior’s body is after years of training, it’s a terrifying force that can pierce through in a single breath.

To avoid being engulfed by the shock, Ami distanced herself.

Amidst the aftermath of the shockwave, Helion walked out unscathed.

No wounds at all.

Not even a scratch!

“So… This, this doesn’t make sense, how⎯?!”

There was a reason why Ami, stuttering as an archbishop, had been arrogant about her powerlessness.

Archbishops who can only be chosen among the chosen among the bishops.

No matter which archbishop it was, in the face of their complete powerlessness, most warriors were nothing more than prey.

Archbishops who have lost their lives so far have commonly been called ‘prey,’ losing their lives to it or being killed by exposing weaknesses. There are no other cases, to be fair.

However, Haellion.

What is this guy up to?

The presence that obstructs his role as the Archbishop simply cannot be tolerated.

Simultaneously, anger surged. No matter how strong one may be, ultimately, they are human. To think that such a lowly race would be subject to this by just one.

If even touched once, one could seize the soul contained in that flesh…

At that moment, Ami sensed it.

Haellion felt the same way.

“What’s going on with ‘them’…?”

An incomprehensible event took place.

They are a bundle of darkness beyond oneself.

Though invisible to the eye, their presence is undeniably here in this space. While most may not sense their presence, Ami and Haellion did.

Haellion’s gentle eyes trembled ever so slightly.

Ami keenly observed this.

With a smirk, she prepared to rush in again.

Though the current situation was indeed disgraceful, it was bearable.

“What’s this all about?”

From now on, it seems the tide of battle will turn.

***

Hmm, is there truly no room for change?

This is strange.

The situation on the battlefield this time is significantly different from the usual course of events. One should be pleased that things are progressing smoothly, yet a sense of unease akin to alienation arises from the overly smooth flow.

[Rumble, rumble, rumble!]

I continued experimenting with curse magic, such as the withering magic or corrupt magic, on the priests rushing at me, only to turn my attention back to the battlefield.

So far, there have been no casualties among Haellion’s team members. Finn is in a particularly bad state, but it’s nothing major.

The battle between Ami and Haellion in the center is also leaning in Haellion’s favor. This was expected as well. The monster known as Haellion even overwhelmed Archbishop Ami’s complete liberation.

Furthermore, Frikkansisk, who joined the battle, is effortlessly tearing apart the bishop-level individuals or freezing the anomalies into ice and shattering them.

At this rate, soon the heroes will achieve a clean victory in the war without any casualties. On the other hand, Altif will likely be wiped out.

A stable battlefield.

A confirmed victory.

Thus, the current unease is more of a feeling than an accurate judgment.

It is certain that victory will bring triumph in the future. It is certain, yet… peculiar. It’s too perfect, hence unstable.

The process feels ‘excessively’ flawless, making it feel imperfect.

No variables that were anticipated are emerging.

At the very least, one would have expected some of the Archbishops or even Archbishop Belled to appear…

[Kraaack!]

A giant form of Altif, who was swaggering right in front, received a massive hole in his chest. Similarly, using his enormous physique, Taesan was deployed.

Taesan’s capabilities were almost perfectly understood.

…This is all well and good, but you know.

“Something seems off.”

I curse the priests who tried to ambush me and erect a wall. They will serve as a barrier, blocking the crimson waves that momentarily crash onto me.

I may not be certain, but I must check.

Everything begins with doubt.

Gooooo⎯.

I focus my mind and gather mana.

I bestow characteristics upon the mana gathered at the core of manipulation. This is interpretation, with a nature of curse. A trait that penetrates the essence of all things.

The magic being performed now may be an exposure involving the confirmation of curse magic that might be cast upon me.

…Just in case.

Fundamentally, I focus mainly on exorcism and curse magic.

Especially, despite reaching the level of acquisition in curse magic.

To confirm the very low possibility that someone is under a cursed spell, seeing illusions, despite having reached the level of resistance against curses.

Basically, if one’s resistance to curses is high, unless it’s at an extraordinary level. Yes, unless Haylion is not at a level specializing in curse magic, she wouldn’t have noticed.

Yet I confirm.

Knowing the existence of ‘her’ who could trap me, I cannot completely exclude her.

As the refined mana passes through the virtual veins and spreads to the ends of the body.

Reality unfolds.

“Oh no… The worst assumption turned out to be true.”

Unintentionally, I muttered.

A high-level curse is in effect.

Moreover, it is a highly complex spell, requiring exceptional intelligence and abilities, which may take some time even if possessed.

Without hesitation, I quickly unravel the spell.

By infusing magic, I transform the existing form of the spell and lead it into a new form.

Each spell has its own answer.

The current answer of the spell is ‘confinement,’ and changing this requires rules that can penetrate.

Understanding curses and forms alone does not solve the problem. Rather, once you understand, you finally qualify to face the problem.

Thus, after several failures, I finally find the rule. I transform the spell based on the discovered rule.

The answer derived from the modified spell is ‘liberation.’

It becomes the key to escape from the confined prison.

It was a good thing to have the relic. If not, it would have taken much longer.

I took out the dagger received from the church. I filled it with interpreted mana and thrust it in.

Wajangchang⎯!

The world surrounding me shatters, disappearing like shards from a hammer striking glass.

***

Then, the concealed true form reveals itself.

It makes the hairs on my skin stand on end.

It was a sense of alertness I hadn’t felt in a long time.

“Frickanrisk.”

The winter goddess is in disarray.

She, who was supposed to protect me according to the contract, is now in such a dire state. Even as a twelfth deity, she wouldn’t easily be overpowered, but here she is.

With a few words from her mouth, blood bursts forth.

“Human. Finally… waking up, huh.”

The divine being who protected me while I was under a curse. Apart from her, around four bodies of the warriors from Durturmund were visible.

Visible. The reason I say so is that while some could recognize their forms, others were so fragmented that it was hard to grasp them all at once.

What I was feeling was an illusion.

The overall situation still favored Durturmund. However, the situation on the left flank here is dreadful. I suffered greatly while under the curse.

Curse.

A curse…

I had anticipated it, but the difference was so vast that if I hadn’t suspected it, I might not have even noticed. It was a realization, indeed…

What I thought would be the lowest.

As the worst-case scenario unfolded, I found myself becoming calmer, analyzing the situation more quickly.

『…….』

There was a woman.

Once radiant, now with silver hair. Her deep blue eyes filled only with darkness, devoid of any mercy for all creation.

She took on the appearance of a human, but her body was grotesque. Veins protruding, gruesome limbs and arms, excessively pale skin like that of a corpse.

The one who cursed me.

Despite her delicate appearance, she wielded a greatsword alone. The sword, with its dark blade and skull-shaped hilt, had a macabre appearance.

As our eyes met, and I realized I had awakened from the hallucination, she casually swung the sword in the air, assuming a stance.

The weight of the sword meant nothing to her.

“Human… run.”

The faltering Phrickanlisk spoke with a hint of desperation. Not because she had any special feelings for me, but because it would be troublesome if I, bound by a contract, were to die.

However, the eyes watching me through her son were sincere.

“……”

Phrickanlisk was insurance. My contingency plan for dealing with changes. She had diligently fulfilled her role.

I can affirm that, had it not been for her.

I would have died here.

Perhaps not even realizing the fact of my death, wandering in illusions for a lifetime.

“Can’t you speak after all?”

Ignoring Phrickanlisk’s concerns, I spoke to the ominous woman emanating a foreboding aura.

She did not respond.

Or rather, she could not.

Devoid of any emotions, not permitted to have any.

Her body and emotions were not hers. Since a past event, all control had been taken away from her. That’s how she came to be as she is now.

Run away from this guy?

Sorry, but that’s not an option.

Even if it were possible to escape from here in the first place, succeeding would still mean a complete reversal of fortunes leading to defeat.

Even if Kshanol and the others on the right flank join in, it would be a problem. Even those renowned for their strength would likely be unable to defeat her.

“To be honest, I didn’t want to meet you already… But there’s no choice.”

If only I had a disposable magic amplification ring like the one I used to capture Jagan, it might have been better, but now I don’t.

I have to face her with consumable artifacts aiding in breaking the curse and my own skills.

What needs to be achieved is not defeating this woman. It’s enduring. Even in curse magic, even in terms of physical prowess, you must hold onto an opponent who surpasses you.

“No, it’s strange to say I’m holding on. She’s a woman who came after me.”

If she were a hero, she would have elevated her name as a demon slayer.

She may have stirred up the church, pushed aside numerous heroes, and made a significant change in the hero rankings, a formidable opponent who might have caused a commotion.

She charged forward.

She couldn’t be captured in the eye. Only an afterimage remained.

“Alright, let’s see where the flowers bloom. Since I’m the only one who can handle you!”

Without reading the original, she wouldn’t have been able to show such determination.

She, fluttering her silver hair.

She is the opponent I cannot defeat at present, the High Priestess of the Goddess Church, Saléos.

And in the past, she was human and aspired to become a hero.

– Alicia’s sister, known as Charlotte.

Her emotionless blade ominously looms.