The Villainesses in the Romance Fantasy Novel Became Obsessed with me

The auditorium where the art contest announcements were held.

The rankings of the works we’d worked hard on for a month would soon be announced.

Yuri, me, and Bluebell.

I led the girls who never let me go.

“Shall we sit down?”

We decided to sit in the auditorium chairs.

“I’ll sit here.”

“I-I’ll sit to the right of Damian…!”

Yuri quickly sat down to my immediate right.

Bluebell was displeased by this and lashed out at Yuri.

“Hey. Move. I’m sitting on the right.”

“But I’m already sitting here… I think sitting on the left would be more comfortable for you…”

“No. The right is my seat.”

“Why’s the right your seat…?”

“Well, because Damian is right-handed. So, it’s my seat. Move.”

Bluebell’s answer was both logical and illogical at the same time.

I decided to mediate between the two to prevent the situation from escalating and the contest from being canceled.

I didn’t want to cause trouble.

“Stop it. Let’s not fight and get along. We came to see the paintings, not to argue, right?”

“Y-yes…! Damian is right…! Bluebell. Calm down…!”

“…You parasite with no opinions of your own. So annoying!”

Thud!

Bluebell was irritated. She took the seat to my left.

I found myself caught between the two troublemakers.

I felt a subtle tension.

‘This feels weird…’

One side was a landmine.

The other was a time bomb.

And between them was the anxiety about when they might explode.

Sweating, I deliberately focused my gaze toward the center of the auditorium.

“Damian is… looking at the center…!”

Yuri followed my gaze and turned her head to the center as well.

It seemed even where I looked was important to her.

It felt like Yuri knew exactly where I was looking at all the time.

Bluebell, on the left, turned her head distractedly, scanning the surroundings.

Then, she sneered and spoke to me.

“There are a lot of people. I see some nobles full of vanity too. Damian, are you one of those vain people?”

“No. I just came because I know someone here.”

“Who do you know?”

Bluebell asked, narrowing her eyes.

Yuri, who had been quietly sitting next to me, also turned her head with curiosity.

‘… It’s better to say it now than later.’

After making the optimal decision, I told them the truth.

“Verdium Nadia. She submitted a piece to the contest. I couldn’t help but drop by.”

“W-what?! That obnoxious girl?!”

As soon as Nadia’s name left my lips, Bluebell roared like a beast.

“She ripped your clothes to shreds before she even entered academy! And now you’re watching her contest? Do you like getting hit or something? Do you want me to beat you up? Should we step outside right now?”

“No…”

I didn’t have such fetish.

Bluebell raised her fist and brought her fist to my face.

Calmly placing her fist back on her lap, I responded calmly.

“We became friends after taking the same elective class. She said it was a misunderstanding back then.”

“Huh. Misunderstandings are funny. Should I strip you as a misunderstanding too? Rip your shirt off?”

“Calm down and listen for a second. Yuri is sitting quietly, listening to me.”

Hearing Yuri’s name, Bluebell backed off.

“W-why are you comparing me to her suddenly… Damn it…”

Comparing her to the relatively quiet Yuri.

Bluebell pouted and looked upset.

‘… Was I too harsh?’

I wondered for a moment.

But I thought this much was necessary.

There’s a way to correct one’s behavior through comparison with others.

Although it was not a conventional method, it might actually be helpful for treatment.

Taking advantage of the moment when Bluebell quieted down, I continued my explanation.

“Nadia isn’t all bad. The problem is that she’s too firm in her own beliefs. We’ve resolved things between us. So let’s just quietly enjoy the paintings today. Got it?”

“Do whatever you want…”

“I’ll do whatever Damian says…!”

At least the two seemed to understand the situation.

Compared to when I first met them, they had changed a lot.

Hiding my emerging smile with my hand, I focused my attention on the center of the auditorium.

‘It’s about to start.’

Maybe because all the audience seats were filled and the time had come.

The auditorium darkened, and a middle-aged man walked to the center of the stage.

Judging by his appearance and speech, he seemed to be a professor from the art department.

“We appreciate everyone attending. At our academy’s art contest, with various themes and the concept of showcasing talent, we will present many works to inspire you. You can also take home your favorite pieces through an auction at the end, so enjoy your time.”

Clap! Clap! Clap!

The professor announced the start of the contest. He gave his greetings and stepped away.

About three minutes after he left, the lights in front of the stage turned on, revealing a painting.

Smack!

Looking at a rather indescribable painting, Bluebell gave her critique.

“I could paint better than that. Don’t you think?”

“…You shouldn’t say things like that, Bluebell.”

“Why? I really think I could paint better. What’s that supposed to be? The figure is twisted bizarrely. I could do a better job.”

“…”

Fortunately, the artist couldn’t hear Bluebell’s remarks.

‘I’m not well-versed in art, but is that what they call cubism? It looks similar to Picasso’s work.’

It was well-painted.

But it wasn’t to my taste.

If I were the judge, I’d probably give it a low score.

‘Art seems to be more subject to personal taste than I thought.’

After five minutes of observation, the next piece was a landscape.

A landscape painting depicted a specific region.

Yuri and I instantly recognized where it was.

“That place is…”

“The north… The snowy north… Where we were…”

The painting was titled ‘Snowy Mountain.’

A simple name, but it had significant meaning for us.

Yuri and I had barely survived in those mountains.

‘Come to think of it, it’s also where Yuri probably had her first kill.’

Yuri seemed to have intentionally erased that memory, but perhaps because she saw the snowy mountain again, she grimaced in pain and buried her face in my shoulder.

“I-I don’t like snow-covered mountains… I-I’ll just stay like this for a while… Is that okay, Damian…?”

“Yes, it’s fine. Take your time. I’ll let you know when it’s over.”

“T-thank you, Damian… ehehe…”

Bluebell watched this scene with an exasperated look.

“… Pretending to be weak despite being in the Swordsmanship Department and capable of fighting bears barehanded.”

Her words sounded like jealousy.

She glared sharply at Yuri.

Since Bluebell didn’t know how we had survived there, I decided to be lenient and understanding.

As Yuri leaned on me, time passed, and the next artwork came onto the stage, followed by another.

Many pieces went by, and by the time Bluebell started yawning, the professor made an announcement.

“This is the final piece. Please enjoy it with the provided explanation.”

With the professor’s introduction, a painting appeared on the stage.

The piece was titled ‘Love.’

A heavy yet light subject.

I immediately recognized whose painting it was.

‘It’s Nadia’s work.’

A familiar-looking portrait appeared before us.

Seeing my face in the painting, Bluebell stammered in surprise.

“W-what is that? It’s you, Damian! But, it’s kind of…”

“It f-feels different… You’re smiling… It gives me chills…”

The portrait caused a stir in the auditorium, shocking many in the audience.

It was only natural.

The painting gave off a somewhat unsettling feeling.

‘… Is this what Nadia meant by immortalizing?’

A man with my face was smiling ordinarily in the painting.

However, there was a hint of discomfort in his expression.

Just as I wondered why he seemed uncomfortable.

I noticed the reason around his neck.

A chain was hidden around the man’s neck.

‘The focus was on the smiling face, so the chain wasn’t immediately visible.’

Love born from confinement.

Nadia’s definition of love.

A professor appeared in front of the painting to explain it on Nadia’s behalf.

“This piece is by our art department’s genius, Verdium Nadia. The cold realism technique and vibrant colors used in this painting, for those with an eye for art, will show its immense value.”

“…”

The auditorium fell silent at these words.

Everyone tacitly agreed on the excellence of Nadia’s painting.

The professor continued with his explanation.

“The theme of this painting is profound yet simple: ‘Love.’ It gives us a glimpse into Nadia’s thoughts on the subject. According to her… ‘I want to make the person who modeled for this painting smile. But at the same time, I want to place a chain around their neck. Because love comes from a desire to possess each other.’”

Swoosh!

At those words, Bluebell and Yuri looked at me with suspicion.

“…”

“…”

“What? I’m a victim too.”

I brazenly replied while pondering internally.

‘Love comes from a desire to possess each other…’

Nadia loved me so she wanted to possess me.

She didn’t want anyone else to take me. And she wanted me completely in her grasp.

The chain symbolized that desire to possess.

Even though Nadia seems unambitious on the outside, she harboured a stronger desire than anyone else.

I understod why she wanted to present such a piece in front of so many people.

“That concludes the explanation of the artwork. Lastly, to quote Nadia…”

The professor delivered the final blow as if aiming directly at me.

“‘We will become like this painting someday. It’s fate. It’s unavoidable. My love. My possession.’ This is what she said. Haha, isn’t this a form of art we can expect from a student? We will proceed with the award ceremony in three minutes. Please take a short break.”

With those words, the professor left the stage again.

I didn’t like the professor’s final words at all.

‘Art, my foot. This is a matter of my life. Is that what you call art?’

Phew!

I silently cursed and controlled my emotions.

There was still the rest of the contest to go.

It was best for my survival to remain as calm as possible.

Especially since I was surrounded by two troublemakers.

‘Naturally, the grand prize of the contest will go to Nadia.’

They even prepared a lengthy explanation for her work.

As expected, Nadia’s piece won the grand prize.

Aside from me and the troublemakers, the audience showered her with applause.

She stood at the front of the stage, raised her head high and bowed.

“Thank you for appreciating my work.”

Nadia’s obsessive gaze was fixed solely on me.

She showed a twisted smile towards me.

Because of her gaze, many people realized that the man in the painting was me.

“Ahem! Since the award ceremony is over, we will now begin the auction for the paintings you liked!”

With the professor’s call, the auction began in earnest.

The first piece up for auction was Nadia’s portrait ‘Love.’

As soon as the auction started, the two people next to me raised their hands.

“On-one silver coin!”

Yuri, who had no money, offered a single silver coin.

It was just pocket money.

From what I knew, it was her entire fortune.

“One gold coin.”

From the perspective of the family head, wealthy Bluebell bid one gold coin.

“Guess you don’t have much money? I can buy delicious food for Damian. You, being a parasite, can’t offer anything.”

“… Don’t talk to me.”

Since she won over Yuri with money, she openly mocked her.

However, her smile didn’t last long.

“Ten gold coins.”

Ding!

A woman called out ten gold coins from behind.

Recognizing the familiar voice, I turned to confirm.

“Did you enjoy my painting, Damian?”

There stood Nadia, smiling at me with her hand raised.

Despite the opportunity to gain a lot of money, she couldn’t let even that painting go to someone else.

Nadia met my eyes and smiled.

“Seeing you in person is much better. I want to see you in real life, not just in a painting.”

With a chain around your neck, smiling.

Nadia’s eyes revealed an undeniable desire.

“Possession.”

Nadia replaced the word love with that term.

She was willing to immortalize my worth with ten gold coins in front of many people.

It seemed like Nadia wanted me more than I thought.

“You’re mine, Damian.”

Nadia’s obsessive, chilling voice echoed in the auditorium.

To her, this scene might be yet another piece of art.

A grand painting.

I couldn’t help but think.

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