Playing the Perfect Fox-Eyed Villain Chapter 33

Episode 33. Fake Coward (1)

I felt Tenelon's cold gaze directed at me and his hot anger like an active volcano that could erupt at any moment.

Because of that, the air in the room started to become sticky and unpleasant.

“Can you say that again?”

Penetrating the atmosphere, Tenelon opened his mouth and looked deeply displeased, even though his expression could not be seen through the mask.

Tenelon did not hide his displeasure and showed it clearly because the 'Yurien' he had been waiting for did not bring the soul stone but instead took it to the secretary's office.

“Yes, Arch Bishop. I killed the Triangle Demon and handed over the soul stone I obtained to the Imperial Secretariat.”

“T, profit… Are you crazy! The Arch Bishop’s order to you was clearly to bring the soul stone….”

When one of the bishops who was always by Tenelon's side became enraged and angry, Tenelon raised his hand to stop his actions.

“Can you tell me why?”

Soft tone of speech.

It was a natural sound like flowing water, but a faint red light began to flicker above his head.

Red, angry.

It is the other person's feelings that are seen as <the color of negativity>.

“Considering your desire for power and our shared interests, it seems unlikely that you would have taken such an action without any intention?”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Then why did you entrust the soul to the royal family? Depending on the answer…….”

Woof-

Before he could finish speaking, a tremendous aura was emanating from Tenelon's body.

It seems as if he is leaving it up to me to imagine what will happen next.

“I see, if you really have to define my actions…….”

I opened my mouth in a sarcastic manner, receiving Tenelon's sharp gaze.

“I would say it’s like taking one step back to take three steps forward.”

As calmly as possible.

As quietly as possible.

But as soon as I spoke in a voice that could be heard clearly, the surroundings became quiet.

“You’re saying that now……!”

The one who broke the quiet silence was Bishop, who had first hurled insults at me. Bishop, who had been glaring at me with a flushed face, raised his voice and continued speaking.

“At a time when we need to secure as many soul stones as possible, not only did we mess up the matter, but handing it over to the imperial family is a clear betrayal!”

“Bishop Pintel.”

When I called out the name of the bishop who was giving the speech, he flinched.

Perhaps because they know my name even though I didn't reveal it to them.

“If I had intended to betray you, I wouldn’t have come here. Why don’t you think about it a little?”

“What, what……!”

“That’s true. Then how about we listen to their story first? If there’s no valid reason, then we can hold them responsible.”

The ignored Pintel's expression changed into a strange one, and at the moment he was about to say something bad to me, Eleanor interrupted him with perfect timing.

“……Ahem.”

I cleared my throat with a cough as I gathered my thoughts in my head.

It's important from here on out.

I felt a sense of burden and thirst, but I tried my best not to be conscious of it.

“The reason I provided the soul stone to the royal family was to utilize their information power.”

“You’re using information power…?”

Tenelon's question.

His voice, which had been filled with discomfort just seconds ago, began to show interest at the mention of using the royal family.

“Yes, the soul stone I gave to the imperial family is the first heart of the triangle demon that has been ‘officially’ discovered. If the imperial family discovers the potential of the soul stone and how to utilize it, wouldn’t they actively take steps to secure the soul stone from then on?”

“I guess so.”

Tenelon's agitated emotions slowly fade away.

So far, so good.

“If that happens, we can get more mixed positions.”

"indeed……."

Tenelon nods.

“So you’re saying that we should get information about the soul stone through the royal family as well. It’s definitely not a bad idea……”

"thank you."

“Besides, I will entrust that mission to ‘Closed Eyes’, who is the ‘Master of Demon Suppression’……”

“Yes, it will be easier to get a mixed stone.”

I breathed a sigh of relief as I watched Tenelon, who seemed somewhat convinced by my persuasive argument.

It would be nice if it could be passed over this easily.

“Ha, but, Arch Bishop! You must be punished for making decisions unilaterally without saying anything!”

As the atmosphere was created where my arbitrary actions were being hushed up, Pintel, who had been expressing his discontent loudly since earlier, took a step forward and raised his voice again.

I really want to rip that mustachioed bastard off.

“This action, taken alone without any orders from the diocese, is also a challenge to the authority of the Archbishop! You must set an example!”

“Yes, it was my arbitrary action, just as you said.”

“Look! Even he himself admits it……!”

“And! I thought it was a good cause for the Dawn Society.”

“What… what?”

Leaving Pintel behind, who was flustered, he continued speaking.

“I still don’t understand the doctrine of the Dawn Society. No, I don’t have the heart to understand it.”

“What nonsense are you talking about…!”

“However, just because you don’t have the heart to understand doesn’t mean you don’t have a ‘conflict of interest.’”

A little pun.

I think it's a device to show off my leisure, but when I actually say it, it doesn't sound very good.

“The reason I have no choice but to make an arbitrary decision is because the eyes of the system are focused on me.”

I began to unravel the 'superficial' reasons why this matter had been handled without reporting it to the Dawn Society.

“Because you single-handedly subdued the Triangle Demon, all sorts of rumors started to circulate. The pillar of ‘closed eyes,’ the next generation swordsman, and… a hero!”

Arrogant speech that called himself a 'hero'. However, the audience's gaze did not change much.

‘… … I’m sold.’

I guess I'm the only one who feels embarrassed by such arrogant speech.

“And there are also rumors that the Pirun Forest, which is closely related to the Sun God Cult, was burned down.”

Eleanor added, as I was feeling awkward about my choice of words. Her words helped me a lot to continue my conversation.

"you're right."

“Is that the reason?”

“There are so many eyes watching, so I didn’t want to make a fuss. It’s not just the royal family that wants the Dawn Society to fall.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“There’s no need to use my mouth to say it.”

I stopped talking as if I was giving a speech and turned my gaze to Tenelon.

“The Arch Bishop will probably know your name.”

“Are you talking to me?”

“Yes, and… someone who is very close to me, or rather, was close to me.”

It seems like the past has now been liquidated.

When speaking in the past tense, Tenelon lowered his head and began to think for a moment. Then, with a short groan, he raised his head and his eyes began to turn bloodshot.

“……I know it. Ugh. That name I can’t forget no matter how much I think about it.”

Tenelon swept down his mask with his trembling right hand, as if enduring severe pain.

He said through gritting his teeth.

“The one who made my face like this… the Black Star, Haydn Reich…!”

“Yes, my master is still chasing you.”

“I know that too.”

“Are you also doubting whether I belong to the Yeomyeonghoe or not?”

It's just a guess, but I'm spouting it off as if it were true. Whether it's true or false doesn't matter.

What's important now, and what we can use, is the fierce hatred Tenelon displays towards the 'Black Saint'. That's all.

“In that situation, even after defeating the Triangle Demon, there is no loot? Then, their suspicions will grow even more. That is why I handed over the soul stone to the Imperial Secretariat on my own initiative.”

If my tail gets caught, the Dawn Society could be in danger too.

I added that and smiled.

“I see. That damned swordsman is suspicious of you, Yurian, who was his disciple.”

Tenelon, who had been thinking for a moment, muttered as if talking to himself and then got up from his seat.

I almost flinched for a moment when he suddenly got up and came towards me, but fortunately I wasn't flustered.

“He’s a guy without any sense of humanity. It’s truly ridiculous how the people praise him as a blacksmith and call him a hero!”

Boiling anger.

Tenelon, suppressing his volcanic emotions as best he could, asked to shake my hand.

His right hand, which he was holding, was filled with strength.

It's not strong enough to cause pain.

Rather, what I felt through my skin was a strong trust.

Seeing Tenelon's actions like that, I could understand why this guy had such strong trust in 'Yurien'.

‘… … This is a gathering of victims of the Black Sword.’

He seemed to think of Yurian as someone who had suffered from 'Haydn Reich' just like himself.

Well, that's not wrong, but… … there's no need to fix it.

“Yurien. Now I can clearly see why you joined the Dawn Society.”

Only then did Tenelon's doubts disappear, and he smiled brightly and shook the hand he had joined.

Looking at him like that, I smiled broadly.

You're looking at it wrong, Emma.

***

The Dawning Society's goal of reviving 'Mashin Barbatos' by handing over the soul stone to the imperial family was postponed.

However, this does not mean that all potential threats have disappeared. The Dawn Society still wants the soul stone, and the Dawn Society is being pursued by the Sword Master and the Imperial Family.

'I belong to that Dawn Society… … .'

At the same time, it is also the 'Closed Eyes', an exclusive agency of the Imperial Family. That is why it is said that not all threats have disappeared just because the soul stone was handed over.

Smart──!

As I gently press my temple to relieve the nagging headache, someone knocks on the office door.

“Yes, you may come in.”

As the door opened, the one who came inside was Apprentice Lazrot, smiling awkwardly.

“Rain, this is an official document from the secretary’s office.”

“Would you please leave it there?”

“Yes, yes!”

Lazrot put the documents down on the table with a very tense attitude.

As I stared at him silently, his face became more rigid than usual, as if he felt my gaze.

“Is there… anything you want to say, Sir Yulian? Ahahaha….”

Lazrot scratched his head, letting out an awkward laugh.

“Isn’t it difficult to work here? Is there anything difficult about it?”

“Hee, it’s not hard at all. Even though it’s just an apprenticeship, it’s a great honor for me to be able to work in the royal household!”

“Is that so?”

I rested my chin on my clasped hands and asked quietly.

“Then how about the other side? Are you having any difficulties with that side?”

“What, the other side’s business…? What are you talking about?”

As if sensing that the atmosphere was flowing strangely, the color of 'fear' began to rise above Lazrot's head.

“It seems that Army Lazrot frequently visits the secretary’s office, taking advantage of his position as an apprentice of ‘Closed Eyes’.”

“Yes…… Since Captain Odwin and the other members are busy, I will contact the secretary’s office on their behalf……”

“And, it may be a coincidence, but you were in the secretary’s office on the day I gave you the wedding present.”

“Oh, that’s right.”

The characteristic of being able to read others' negative emotions through color is the <color of negativity>. Of course, the color that the Lazrot in front of you is holding is a single color.

This kind of emotional color was something I had seen before, so it wasn't anything special.

“But do you know that?”

"yes?"

But I still can't forget. The day I brought the soul stone to the secretary's office. The color of emotion that bloomed over Lazrot's head, who happened to be there.

It is not a single color like we have seen so far, but a two-color that contains orange, which symbolizes 'bewilderment', and gray, which symbolizes 'doubt'.

“I am the first to mention the term ‘honseok’ in front of you.”