Chapter 41

-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 41
Chapter Title: The Reason That Villainess Took Up the Sword 41
-----------------------------------------------------------------

‘How is that possible?’

Ditrion remembered Ferdin as always being lucky. But could this be explained by 'luck' alone?

During the monster extermination, and even during this refugee rescue mission, Ferdin had strangely accomplished everything.

Even though the missions he received were logically impossible to solve.

Ditrion didn't like that fact.

‘That filthy worm.’

Ferdin's standing grew larger after successfully completing this mission. And that was not what Ditrion wanted.

So... what he was doing to Erin now was simply venting his frustration. Frustration directed at Ferdin for completing an absurd mission.

‘I'm also curious how Erin Resus will react.’

Ditrion thought that as he looked at her.

He could definitely see Erin Resus, noticeably more dignified than before.

The shabby girl who used to be beaten by Corelia had transformed into someone beautiful enough to surprise Ditrion. He could even understand why Ferdin cherished her.

When he heard that Ferdin and Erin were to be engaged, Ditrion hadn't considered it very important. He had merely thought his father was being whimsical again.

Ferdin, with his dirty blood, and the pathetic Erin Resus.

‘Quite the fitting pair.’

That was all he had thought.

However, after seeing the changed Erin, Ditrion's mood began to sour.

It wasn't because he disliked it. Her altered appearance felt far more entertaining.

“Is it because you’re engaged to Ferdin… your eyes have become quite similar to his.”

“……”

“Interesting. Are you perhaps thinking of breaking off your engagement with Ferdin and coming to me?”

Of course, he didn't mean it at all. He had no intention of getting engaged to Erin.

However, he didn't expect her to refuse him.

He had simply thrown out the words, knowing how starved for affection Erin was.

She would probably be at a loss. She used to struggle even to meet his gaze.

“I apologize, Your Royal Highness.”

She was just a girl who had merely fidgeted with her fingers, looking tearful, when he called her dirty.

But as if mocking Ditrion's thoughts, Erin pulled her wrist, which was still caught in his grip, away.

A faint crack appeared on Ditrion's smiling face.

He had no intention of letting Erin go. As such, he was holding her with all his strength.

But Erin effortlessly slipped free from his grasp, as if removing a child's hand.

Ditrion lowered his gaze and looked at his hand.

His hand, from which Erin's wrist had escaped, felt empty.

“Ditrion, Your Royal Highness.”

Ditrion, who had been staring blankly at his hand, lifted his head. He saw Erin looking up at him with emotionless eyes.

“Even if I break off my engagement with Ferdin, Your Royal Highness, I will never go to you.”

Erin’s voice was resolute as she spoke.

“Haha.”

Ditrion burst into laughter, as if greatly amused. He didn't stop laughing until tears welled in his eyes, wondering what was so funny.

Erin frowned and took a step back from him. Ditrion looked at her and tilted his head.

“What can you even do? Do you think anything will change just because you’re engaged to Ferdin? Ferdin, on the contrary, would find your engagement abhorrent.”

“……”

“Come to think of it, it is a bit regrettable. Because that engagement has further diminished Ferdin’s value.”

“……”

“You just have to do as I say. Corelia taught you that, didn’t she? Surely you haven’t forgotten?”

Ditrion gradually moved closer to Erin. He then reached out his hand to her and said,

“Try to avoid it if you can. Let’s see how that comes back to haunt you.”

Just before his hand touched Erin, someone grabbed Ditrion’s hand.

Who dared?

If it had been an ordinary person, their head would have been severed by the hidden knights before they could even grasp his hand.

Ditrion’s face twisted into a snarl as he glared at the man who had grabbed him.

The first thing he saw was a face impossibly handsome, almost irritatingly so.

The moment Ditrion saw that face, he felt a wave of nausea.

Ditrion spat out the man's name as if chewing on it.

“Ferdin Lexia…!”

Ferdin was there.

* * *

Erin breathed a sigh of relief as she saw Ferdin. It was truly fortunate.

If not for him, she would have fallen for Ditrion's provocation. Then all her efforts until now would have been for naught.

Ferdin stepped between Ditrion and Erin.

Perhaps because he had run despite the injuries from the Werewolf Tribe extermination not having fully healed, his breathing was ragged.

“Let go.”

Ditrion roughly shook off Ferdin’s hand that was gripping his arm.

“Long time no see, Ferdin.”

He said that and extended his hand behind him. A knight, who had appeared out of nowhere, immediately placed a handkerchief in Ditrion’s hand.

Amon, who was behind Ferdin, hardened his expression upon seeing that knight. He hadn't even noticed the knight's presence.

That meant the knight was still an overwhelmingly strong opponent for Amon to face.

The First Prince Ditrion’s knight order was that powerful.

So powerful that Ferdin’s provisional knight order, composed of academy students, couldn't properly contend with them.

Amon glared at Ditrion.

‘Truly distasteful.’

He couldn't help but think that.

Ditrion must have thought Erin was just an ordinary academy swordplay student.

To order such a student to fight an advanced knight…

It was an act that clearly showed he had no regard for Erin’s dignity.

Ditrion roughly rubbed the part of his arm that Ferdin had grabbed with the handkerchief.

Amon’s brow furrowed involuntarily at the gesture, as if he were wiping away something dirty.

“Do you have business with Sir Erin?”

“As the empire’s prince, I wished to personally witness the skills of a talented academy student.”

“Sir Erin has a prior engagement with me.”

At Ferdin’s words, Ditrion scanned his surroundings.

He could feel the academy students watching them with curious eyes.

Though he disliked it, he had to back down for now.

Ferdin’s reputation had become too favorable since he rescued the refugees. Showing disrespect towards him here would not be a good choice.

Ditrion’s gaze turned to Erin. He saw her fidgeting uneasily the moment she looked at Ferdin, despite having stared at him with emotionless eyes moments before.

‘She cares more about that wretch than me?’

That grated on his nerves.

Erin was nothing more than a pawn on his chessboard. Ferdin was the same.

Whatever those two did, it should have felt utterly laughable. But Erin’s changed behavior bothered him for reasons he couldn't quite pinpoint.

Ferdin hid Erin behind him and watched Ditrion with wary eyes.

At that, Ditrion moved and stood beside Ferdin. He whispered into Ferdin’s ear, while keeping his gaze on Erin.

“I hear you’ve been cherishing Erin Resus lately, Ferdin. Have you fallen in love?”

“……”

“You know what happens when you cherish something, don’t you? You haven’t forgotten, have you?”

At that, Ferdin gritted his teeth.

“Do not insult her.”

Ferdin’s eyes were bloodshot at Ditrion’s words. He didn’t care about insults directed at himself, but he couldn’t tolerate insults to those around him.

“I wasn’t interested before… but I’ve changed my mind.”

“If you touch her, I won’t hold back either.”

“That would be quite entertaining. Shall we make a bet? On which of us will claim Erin Resus.”

Ditrion’s gaze never left Erin.

‘Did Erin Resus truly receive the sword’s selection?’

Seeing her completely changed from the last time he saw her, he understood why his father had tried to keep the Resus Marquisate in check.

And why he had sought out those chosen by the sword, to break their talent and kill them.

Ditrion’s eyes sparkled with interest.

* * *

It’s fine. Erin is a Sword Master.

Ferdin repeated that thought as he held Erin’s wrist and walked.

No matter how much Ditrion tried to oppress her, he surely couldn’t defeat a Sword Master.

But… the Emperor had two Sword Masters. Leon Count and Erman Marquis.

‘What if they attack Erin together?’

Ferdin considered the worst-case scenario. Even knowing how absurd the thought was, he couldn't stop thinking.

‘Would Ditrion really dare to harm the Young Lady of the Resus Marquisate? But before that, is the Resus Marquisate truly on her side?’

Ferdin’s face grew cold at that thought.

“Sir Ferdin.”

Ferdin only then came to his senses at Erin’s call. He had already led her all the way to his office.