Playing the Perfect Fox-Eyed Villain Chapter 277

Episode 277. As a Brother (3)

Gradually, my vision began to blur. My body was complaining that continuous fighting was harsh in my poor condition, but I couldn't comply, which was truly a shitty feeling.

'Again.'

With mixed emotions, I thought to myself, “Is it going to happen again this time?”

The experience of wandering between life and death is now so frequent that it is impossible to describe in words. It is not that I have no experience to the point of being overjoyed or saddened by such things.

However, I started to feel that there were too many battles where I faced the enemy without any 'armor'.

'Phew.'

What can I do? My fate is starting to become so twisted.

“What are your final words?”

Ariam stared at the dead body of Aihan, sending me a gaze stained with anger. Holding a bow in her left hand and an arrow in her right, she tensed her muscles, ready to fire at any moment.

“Please tell this to Aihan.”

I snickered as I watched her add to the useless comments.

Pain and mana.

My stomach hurt and I felt dizzy, as if my insides were twisted, and the world was shaking all over the place, but I still wanted to laugh.

“Your swordsmanship was so poor that it made me yawn.”

A mental image close to a disease. I already know what the consequences would be if this were revealed to the world.

Phishing──!

Ariam shot an arrow straight at me. Normally, it would have been easier to strike back with a sword as the arrow flew through the wind, but I was not holding any weapons in my hands at the moment.

If I had known this would happen, I wouldn't have broken the sword. No, I wouldn't have thrown the Moon Sword either!

With my legs trembling and my waist bent as much as possible, the arrow passes over my head.

'Ugh.'

Now, even bending my knees was painful. But I knew that the arrow was only a hint.

“Stop struggling uselessly and die!”

No matter how dull my body became, it wasn't difficult to follow Ariam with my eyes.

This time, the guy was winding his bow around the bowstring. There was also a faint mana flowing from his fingertips.

He was planning to do something. Feeling it, I barely managed to lift Aihan's body that had fallen.

“You cowardly little bastard!”

What's cowardly?

Not only are you driving 2-on-1, but what about you who are using the power of the 'holy relic'?

When I threw the sagging Aihan at Ariam, the arrow flew in a strange direction. It seemed that I had urgently changed its trajectory.

'It's only now.'

Considering my physical condition, there is nothing good that can come from prolonging the battle. No, it is a situation where I am bound to lose.

'I have to finish it this time!'

Thanks to blocking one attack with 'Aihan', the distance between me and Ariam has noticeably narrowed.

If you can close the distance, you can do something even without a weapon.

If only we could narrow the distance.

“Kuaaaaaaah!”

At that moment, as I felt that hope, a sharp pain spread through my body as if I was being burned by a hot iron.

“Who knew what you were thinking? Did you think that if the distance was shortened, you would definitely win?”

As I slowly raised my head, enduring the burning pain as much as possible, I saw the 'Mirror of Ishak' in Ariam's hand.

“I was aiming for that too! This moment when you close the distance!”

Muttering in a furious voice, Ariam gradually approached me. As my image in the mirror grew larger, 'Angelica' inside me began to stir.

“You monstrous bastard who raises demons inside your body!”

It's noisy.

“Save my brother!”

Why are you yelling at me for that?

'Ugh.'

A feeling of nausea was creeping in. I felt like if I continued like this, my entire body would burn up along with the 'mana blood'.

Die.

I don't like that. I tried to move my legs to fight back somehow, but my feet, which had become heavy like lead, didn't move easily.

Gradually, my knees begin to bend.

“Ugh, euaaaaaaah!”

At that moment, a shadow rushed towards Ariam from in front with a pitiful shout.

'who?'

I can't come to my senses due to the influence of the holy relic. However, it seems that the 'Mirror of Ishak' is not directed at me because someone rushed in and stopped Ariam.

The vision that had been blinking and flashing began to gradually come into focus.

'Herand?'

The one who entered her focused eyes was none other than Herand. He suddenly rushed towards Ariam, grabbed the mirror, and began to struggle with her.

“Let go, don’t let go of this!?”

“Yurien……! Run away, run away!”

With a voice full of evil, Herand tried to take the 'mirror' from Ariam, but felt that he was not strong enough.

“Let go, you little shit!”

“This time I can’t let it go……!”

Ariam's kick reached him. However, Herand clung to the mirror in an awkward posture.

“I’d rather die than let it go this time……!”

"okay!?"

Thanks to Herand's time, I finally had the strength to get up from my seat.

“Then I’d rather die.”

With an indifferent voice, Ariam took an arrow out of his quiver and held it in his hand.

His body was dull and his consciousness was fading, but Ariam's actions felt ominous.

Somehow, with great effort, he kicked the ground. At the same time, the arrowhead Ariam was holding was embedded in Herand's neck.

===

⇒ Emotions are running high.

⇒ The characteristic “Open Eyes” has been manifested.

===

My vision flickered. It was not a process of losing consciousness, but a manifestation of 'unconsciousness'. When I came to, I was right in front of Ariam.

“This, this is profit……!”

Ariam was startled and tried to counterattack, but I held her down and knocked her to the floor.

Once, the stagnant water surged up like a wave. Ariam's terrified face came into view through it.

Above her head, the color of 'fear' was also visible. Her face had completely lost its will to fight, but she paid no attention and reached for her quiver.

I grabbed the last remaining arrow and shot it straight into Ariam's chest.

“Ugh…….”

A handful of blood flowed out from the corner of her mouth. Her lips trembled, and the emotion she felt as she looked at me began to change from 'fear' to 'anger.'

But that was all. The trembling lips stopped moving, and the lifeless eyes that had been filled with anger disappeared.

“Brother Herand.”

After confirming Ariam's death, I approached Herand. Ariam's arrow was stuck in his neck.

“Brother Herand!”

Even though I called, Herand didn't answer. No, not even an answer, not even a reaction. I knelt down and examined Herand's complexion.

Whether he had punctured an artery or not, red blood continued to flow from Herand's neck. His face began to turn pale. It gradually seemed as if he was crossing a river from which there was no return.

“Please wake up.”

Guilt came crashing down on me like a wave. If I had just chased Herand away like I usually do instead of bringing him here in the first place, this wouldn't have happened.

I even thought that if even this were to disappear, there would be no one in this world who would try to hold me back by 'blood relationship'.

"please."

If I had just been immersed in the habit of being 'Yurien' and not felt any emotions, I wouldn't have felt this guilty.

“Cough.”

huh?

I lowered my gaze. Then, I saw Herand’s pale face gradually regaining its vitality.

'what…….'

Looking at the wound on Herand's neck, something black is writhing.

Angelica.

The guy was seen stitching up Herand's wound, somewhat replacing the damaged artery.

'you…….'

Surely, it wasn't because of the 'Mirror of Ishak' that he couldn't use his powers?

– “Krrrrrrr.”

Angelica let out a groan that was almost like a scream. The guy was also moving his body with all his might.

'On the subject of demons.'

thanks.

***

“Hmm.”

With a groan, Herand got up from his seat. Without thinking, he placed his hand on the floor, and the soft feel of the bed passed through his fingertips.

“This is…… ugh.”

He was so lethargic that he couldn't move his whole body properly, but the pain was distinctly coursing through Herand's nerves.

'Why am I here?'

Herand, who had come to his senses, slowly began to recall his memories.

The first thing that comes to mind is that I went to Yurian to ask for the position of 'head of household'. And in the process, I followed Yurian and ended up going to the underground waterway.

'ah.'

A terrible scene also came to mind.

In order to stop Ariam, he jumped in and got his neck pierced by her arrow.

Herand hurriedly felt his neck. Pain was rising from the wound that had been pierced along with the bandage. As expected, it wasn't a dream.

Squeak.

While Herand was panicking, unable to properly grasp the situation, the door at the entrance opened and a servant came in.

“Lord Herand!?”

The servant looked at Herand, who had just gotten up, and looked at him with surprised eyes.

“Uh, uh uh…….”

He opened his mouth to ask what was going on, but the servant hurriedly ran out. Embarrassed, Herand let out a hollow laugh.

“Brother Herand.”

After the servant left, the one who came in right away was none other than Yurian.

“Yuri… ugh.”

Herand frowned. As he opened his mouth, pain rose from the wound on his neck that had not yet healed.

“For the time being, I think it would be best for you not to open your mouth. For now, focus on healing.”

As usual, Yulian approached with a half-closed eye and a smile that showed no emotion. He brought a chair, placed it in front of him, and sat down.

“Thank you for saving me, Brother Herand. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be here.”

Clearly, the atmosphere was the same as usual, but Yurian's tone was filled with politeness.

Rather than blindly pretending to be polite, Herand felt like he was meeting the human being called 'Yurien' as a real person.

“Ah, no. Of course…… gulp.”

He kept coughing. This was evidence that the wound in his throat had not yet fully healed.

“After all, it seems like there is no one else but you, hyung.”

When Yurian suddenly made a strange sound, Herand met his gaze while suppressing his cough as much as possible.

What are you talking about?

As he looked at Yurian with those eyes, a smile deepened on his lips.

“I’m talking about the head of the household. No matter how much I think about it, the person who is more suitable for the position of the head of the household is not someone like me, but you, my brother.”

“Oh, no. I think…….”

“My thoughts will not change.”

Herand opened his mouth despite the pain, but Yurian cut him off and spoke again.

“Even if I die, I will never serve as the head of the Cryphat family. Even if another family member other than Lord Oben sits in the family’s place, I will never pay any attention to the Cryphat family for the rest of my life.”

Herand's insides began to burn. He couldn't make any noise about Yurian's decision.

His words were laced with a strong grudge against the 'Cryphat family'. I know, it's a valid sentiment.

It was the Cryphat family that made him like this.

The emotional rift was so deep that it was impossible to tell where it would end. Herand thought that asking Yurian any more would be neither more nor less than a nuisance.

“Uh, I’m sorry.”

“However, if Brother Herand takes over as head of the household, I will also do my duty as a member of the household.”

Herand raised his head and looked at Yurian again.