I Became the Master of the Villain

A cloud of dust billowed behind the carriage as it rattled along the bumpy country road.
Alexis’s golden eyes, gazing out the window, were heavy with weight.

He was on his way to meet the Count and Countess of Johnston.
Back when Alexis had still been in the North, the Count had written a letter saying he had given up on caring for his daughter.
It wasn’t until recently that he learned that letter had been a complete lie.

“We’ve arrived, Your Highness.”
At the coachman’s voice, Alexis snapped out of his thoughts.
When he stepped out of the carriage, what greeted him was a shabby wooden house.

The Johnston estate, which he was visiting again for the first time in ten years, had long since passed into someone else’s hands.
He had tracked them down to the place they’d reportedly moved to—this very house.
‘This is really the home of Count Johnston?’

As he stood there, still not quite convinced, a heated argument drifted out from inside.
“Darling, please, just face reality. Angela... Angela will never…”
“Enough!”

The door wasn’t locked, and Alexis stepped inside without waiting for an invitation.
The Count and Countess of Johnston fell silent at the sight of him.
Surprise spread in their eyes as they hurriedly straightened up and offered their greetings.

“Your Highness! You came without notice, how…”
Seeing the couple’s worn and weary appearance, Alexis was momentarily at a loss for words.
His eyes slowly moved to the bed behind them.

Angela—the girl who had followed him like a ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ doting younger sister.
Ten years later, she had shed her girlhood and grown into a woman, now lying motionless.
But the moment where she would rise, smile, and welcome him never came.
Alexis bit down hard on his lower lip. Then he turned back to the couple.

“Why didn’t you write to me honestly?”
The Count lowered his eyes. He bowed his head deeply.
“I am sorry. But… I didn’t want to trouble Your Highness.”

Back when he had just been exiled to the North, Alexis had been desperate to survive.
Endless battles with monsters. Days drenched in the stench of blood.
He hadn’t had the strength to care about someone else’s life… That was the truth.

Even so, Alexis couldn’t escape the guilt.
Because he, too, bore responsibility for the plague of incurable illness afflicting innocent people.
***

Alexis spoke at length with the couple about everything that had transpired.
He learned that the Count was preparing to mortgage this house to borrow money.
All to pay for Angela’s medical care.

But Alexis couldn’t bring himself to tell them the truth—that Angela would never awaken.
Before leaving, he called the Countess aside.
At his command, the coachman brought in a large trunk. It was packed full of cash.

The Countess blinked, confused by the sudden development.
“Your Highness, this is…”
“You won’t need to worry about medical expenses for the time being.”

The Count was honest, if put kindly—but rigid and inflexible, if not.
It was the Countess, far more practical and resilient than her husband, who accepted Alexis’s gesture of goodwill.
She bowed deeply and spoke.

“Your Highness, thank you. We’ll gratefully accept the money you’ve given.”
“If you find yourselves in hardship again, don’t hesitate to contact me.”
If this could allow them to cling to even the faintest thread of hope—

The cruel truth would be revealed to the world before long.
When that time came, they would have no choice but to confront a reality too bitter to endure.
So he hoped they would hold onto this false hope a little longer.

Even if it was nothing more than his own cowardly attempt at atonement.
***
Crown Prince Harrison lounged back in his chair and lazily spun a globe.

The slow-spinning globe stopped over the western continent, where the Rasione Empire was located.
He tapped a spot with his finger.
The North—buried in snow and ice.

It was where Alexis had been exiled for the past ten years.
Harrison knew that several northern nobles were now supporting Alexis.
‘It’s about time I cleaned out the worms.’

Besides, hadn’t his father given him a personal assignment?
Of course, candidate sites would be selected using objective, reasonable criteria.
And there would be no issue including the North among them. It was barren and insignificant anyway.

The globe spun again under Harrison’s fingertips.
He chuckled, like someone who’d just come up with a delightful idea.
“What kind of face will you make, I wonder, when I stir up the North?”

***
Dinner was scheduled to take place in the duchy’s banquet hall.
The attendees were Father, Kian, and me.

A while back, Father had suggested inviting Kian to dinner.
When I asked why the sudden idea, he’d averted his eyes and muttered vaguely.
Ahem, well… I had something to ask young Kian, you see.

It was suspicious. What exactly did he want to ask Kian?
I was deeply concerned that he might ask something weird.
And if he ended up dining alone with Kian again like last time…

‘We’re a hundred times better off eating as a group!’
Fortunately, Kian had readily accepted the dinner invitation.
At the end of the long hallway, the doors to the banquet hall came into view.

Was I the only one getting more nervous the closer we got?
I glanced at Kian, walking beside me.
“Are you nervous?”

Kian smiled softly.
“I’m fine. I’ve had a meal with His Grace before, remember.”
True. The first time is always the hardest, after all.

Still, no matter how many times you do it, eating with your future father-in-law will never be relaxing…
‘Well, it’s not like anything bad is going to happen.’
Forcing optimism into my mind, I stepped into the hall.

Servants were laying out dishes across the silver candelabra-lit table.
Whole roasted pork seasoned with spices, caviar-stuffed sturgeon, goose liver pâté…
The head chef must’ve pulled out all the stops tonight—an extravagant spread awaited us.

“Come on in!”
Father, already seated, greeted us warmly.
Once we were all settled, dinner began.

Servants bustled about, filling our glasses with wine.
Father smiled as he spoke to Kian.
Contrary to my fears, the conversation flowed smoothly.

In fact, the atmosphere between the two of them was downright friendly.
As I quietly cut my food, I glanced between Father and Kian.
‘When did those two… get so close?’

Honestly, even seeing it with my own eyes, I could hardly believe it. I was sure they’d be awkward.
Still, it was a relief.
‘Guess I can finally relax and enjoy dinner.’

I brought a piece of golden meat pie to my mouth.
But just then, Father spoke again in a warm tone.
“Kian.”

“Yes, Your Grace?”
“So. Did you and my daughter enjoy your little trip?”
“…!”

I nearly bit my tongue instead of the meat.
Wait—was that what he’d meant when he said he had something to ask Kian?
‘Father…! That question is out of bounds!’

I shot him a desperate look. Please, let’s not talk about the trip to Elsica.
But nonverbal communication was a bust—he wasn’t even looking at me, far too focused on Kian.
Despite what must’ve been a shock, Kian didn’t show it at all.

He answered with his usual gentle smile.
“Yes, Elsica was a truly beautiful place. I even thought it’d be nice if the three of us went together next time.”
“Haha, and what would I be doing tagging along like some clueless third wheel?”

Despite his words, Father’s mouth was grinning so hard it nearly reached the ceiling.
‘In any case, crisis averted—for now.’
At least he hadn’t asked what exactly we’d done together in Elsica.

Just as I was letting out a breath of relief—
Father picked up where he left off.
“As you said, Elsica is a popular destination thanks to its beautiful natural scenery.”

He sipped his wine before continuing.
“But did you know about Elsica’s darker side?”
“Darker side…?”

“Elsica is infamous for its brothels. Most children born there don’t even know who their fathers are.”
Suddenly, his tone grew ominous. He stabbed his steak with a knife.
“A man who engages in irresponsible relations deserves to have that thing cut off.”

Slice, slice. He ruthlessly sawed through the steak.
“I have no tolerance for men who can’t keep their pants on.”
He fixed Kian with a sharp, steel-gray gaze.

It practically screamed:
Surely, you didn’t… do that with my daughter during the trip?
…Or was that just my imagination?

Of course, Kian wasn’t the type to act thoughtlessly. Before we did anything, he’d made sure everything was in place.
But there was no way I could say that to Father.
‘How am I supposed to tell him I did that with Kian?!’

Meanwhile, Father looked as if he was determined to get a straight answer.
“Kian. Nothing happened between you and my daughter in Elsica, right?”
“…That is…”

For the first time, Kian’s eyes wavered ever so slightly.
And Father’s sharp gaze didn’t miss it.
He was just about to say something when—

I urgently called out, “Father!”
He slowly turned to me, and I put on the face of someone about to make a heartfelt confession.
Then I revealed a crucial secret.

“We’re officially dating!”
The knife fell from Father’s hand with a metallic clatter.