The Main Character is the Villain

EP 27 – Hero & Lucius vs EVIL(8)

I had never witnessed a death so unmourned in my life. Even when Hitler killed himself, there were more people who sympathized with him than this guy. No matter what the reason, it’s undeniable that this was a heinous situation where I beat the lord to death in someone else’s territory.

The knights of the territory stared at the flattened corpse of their lord with expressions of deep disgust. Their faces betrayed how relieved they were at his demise. The same went for the staff and even the knight captain investigating the incident.

“Well, given his behavior, it’s understandable.”

The knight captain didn’t even seem interested in the details of the event. Despite the lack of solid evidence or even the hero’s testimony, the knight captain nodded as though my account was more than enough. What had this guy been up to before all this? I had a sneaking suspicion that even if I’d killed him just because I’m annoyed by his face, they would have still shrugged it off with, “That’s understandable.”

Reflecting on how casually the matter was being handled, I regretted not killing him sooner. The hero looked visibly nervous, receiving an investigation from a knight for the first time. The knight captain finished the final report and said.

“We’ll need to send news of this to the royal palace, so we won’t be able to send you off.”

When a lord dies without a successor, the palace selects a landless noble to take over the territory. Hoping the next lord would be somewhat decent, I left the neighboring territory.

As we neared Peta Territory, the hero seemed increasingly on edge. I, too, grew curious about how Erina would react. Would she be shocked? Indifferent? Upon crossing into the territory, a patrolling guard quickly sprinted off to inform Princess Erina Ahildern, the acting proxy of the territory.

By the time we reached the mansion, Erina had already burst out of the gates and was rushing toward us. Her face glowed with joy at reuniting with her beloved after a week of separation. She immediately threw her arms around the hero in tears, and began to pour out her grievances.

“Why are you so late?! Really… Really, I thought something had happened to you… What about the demon king? Did you kill the demon king? Are you hurt? Are you okay? You’d better be fine, because we’re supposed to return to the kingdom together, and if there’s any problem—I won’t let it slide! And… and… huh?”

Erina, who had been clinging to the hero for a long time asking questions, pulled away in confusion. She narrowed her green eyes and began examining the hero closely. The hero awkwardly spoke up.

“E-Erina… it’s…”

“W-Who…?”

Erina was taken aback, realizing belatedly that the person she was hugging was a face she had never seen before. The hero had to explain the situation. I helped from the side.

“Princess Erina, this is the hero.”

“What? What nonsense is this? A.A. is a woman? Do I look like an idiot? A.A.? Don’t tell me… he’s dead… is he? Is that it?!”

Erina’s expression contorted as she imagined the worst possibility. The hero, sensing her panic, quickly grabbed Erina’s hand and reassured her.

“Erina, it’s me, A.A. Look, remember when we first met? Three goblins and two orcs were chasing you? You ran out of arrows and were trying to retreat. I was walking along the forest path and…”

A.A. began recounting the details of how they first met, and stories that only the two of them knew. At first, Erina stared at the hero with a strange look, but gradually, she had no choice but to accept the truth. Letting out a deep sigh, she finally spoke.

“Why… why are you like this? What happened?”

“I had to use the elixir you gave me.”

“The elixir had such an effect?”

Erina asked in shock, clearly unaware of the side effects of the elixir she had handed over. Then I suddenly got goosebumps. What if I had used the elixir for myself instead of giving it to the hero? I would’ve been screwed. A.A asked Erina.

“Erina, is there any medicine in the Elf Kingdom that can return me to normal?”

“I don’t know. My mother might, but… probably not. Who would research a medicine that turns a woman into a man?”

That made sense. Considering that this was a male-targeted game, even if there was an elixir that turns men into women, there was no way that a shitty medicine that turns women into men would exist. A.A.’s face fell in disappointment. As we stood in front of the mansion, villagers passing by began stopping and staring at us.

I needed to catch up on the territory’s current state and receive the handover, so I decided to go into the mansion first.

In the office, A.A. was still deep in thought. Judging from the transferred documents, Erina had done her job very faithfully. Sieri neatly handled the accounting work as usual, and Aira hugged me and rubbed her face against me as soon as I entered the mansion.

I patted Aira’s head before asking her and Sieri to leave, as we needed to have a serious discussion. Erina began to speak.

“Peta Lucius, this is a very serious matter. The Demon King may have been defeated, but if I can’t marry A.A., then it’s all meaningless!”

A.A., who had been lost in thought for a long time, finally raised her head.

“Erina, can you listen to me for a moment?”

Both Erina and I looked at the hero. Erina was shocked by what she said.

“What are you saying, A.A.? Are you saying you’re going to abandon me?”

“That’s not it, Erina. I think it’s best if you return to the Elf Kingdom to search for a way to turn me back into a man, and I’ll roam the continent doing the same. I want to marry you too, Erina.”

“Th-that’s…”

Erina seemed shaken, unable to process the thought of being separated from A.A. again. A.A. tried once more to persuade her.

“Erina, we promised to get married and live happily ever after. If there’s an elixir that can turn a man into a woman, then there has to be one that does the reverse too.”

“Even so… I… I can’t bear to be apart from you again. Do you have any idea how restless I was when you went to fight the Demon King? I couldn’t even sleep properly at night. And now, you’re asking for another vague goodbye?”

“It’s not vague, Erina. I want to marry you. But, but I also don’t want you to abandon your responsibilities as a princess.”

“A.A.…”

Indeed, the succession was a significant issue. A.A. then turned to me and asked.

“Priest-nim, would it be alright if Erina and I meet here periodically?”

“Guests are more than welcome.”

With my approval, A.A. turned back to Erina and said.

“Then, Erina, let’s meet here every three months.”

Since they couldn’t enjoy a secret rendezvous in the Elf Kingdom, they essentially intended to use my estate like a motel. Of course, I had no plans to watch such a spectacle. A.A. added.

“Just one year. Let’s try this for a year and decide what to do next.”

“… Alright.”

Erina nodded. However, anyone could see the worry on her face. A.A. hugged her tightly and said.

“Then… I’ll be off.”

“What?”

Both Erina and I looked at A.A. in surprise. She said.

“Time is of the essence. I want to find a way as soon as possible.”

“S-Still, wouldn’t it be better to stay for a few days?”

“No, I… I’ll see you later”

A.A. was clearly anxious, even though she tried to act okay. Her urgency to return to being a man was pushing her to act rashly. This kind of stubbornness was not good for dealing with women. As A.A. opened the office door and disappeared, Erina stared at the closed door with a gloomy face. She stood there silently, before finally saying to me.

“… I’ll stay here for a few days.”

“Feel free.”

I replied, inwardly cheering. This was the chance I had been waiting for. I might get skewered by the hero, but I could see it clearly.

Two days passed like that.

Erina had been staying in the last room on the left side of the mansion. She was still struggling to recover from the shock of A.A. turning into a woman.

I knocked on her door.

“Who is it?”

“It’s me, Lucius.”

“… Come in.”

Even burdened with worry, Erina was as beautiful as ever. Her long golden hair, radiant green eyes, and a figure that would make any man’s heart sinfully race—a bust so full it seemed ready to burst and equally elastic hips.

“What is it?”

“You seem to still be troubled about the matter with the hero.”

“That’s none of your concern, is it?”

“Actually, I might have an idea that could help.”

“An idea?”

Erina looked at me, intrigued by my words.

“For example, wouldn’t it be irrelevant who the princess marries if there’s a child?”

“That’s true. That…”

Erina stopped there and looked at me. This princess was surprisingly perceptive. She frowned.

“Are you out of your mind? Are you suggesting I take a man other than A.A.?”

“If the hero can’t return to being a man, you’ll have to take someone eventually. A princess must bear an heir.”

“That’s none of your business. And do you really think A.A. would accept that?”

“Then how long do you plan to wait indefinitely? Do you honestly believe the hero will give up after just one year?”

“That’s…”

From what I knew of the game, the protagonist was a stubborn b*tch. If a year didn’t work, then add another year. Then another. She’ll drag it out until she found a way.

Erina couldn’t refute my words. I pressed her further.

“And there are countless dangers lurking in this continent. Defeating the demon king was only possible because the demon king had not yet fully revived. If the hero gets hurt or dies in a distant land, what are you going to do, Princess?”

“Don’t make such assumptions! That’s ridiculous…”

“Why is it ridiculous? He might chase a scam, lured by rumors of a medicine that can turn him back to a man, or he might even die in a ridiculous way.”

“Stop! Don’t talk about him dying! A.A. won’t die!”

“And if he does, would that not be your responsibility, Princess?”

“What, what?”

“If you could just steel yourself and accept another man, just once, to bear a child, the hero wouldn’t need to risk his life on such perilous adventures, and the royal family wouldn’t have to worry about an heir. Are you planning to regret this after the hero dies, Princess? By then, you’ll be forced to accept another man regardless.”

“We don’t know that yet! There might be a medicine somewhere that can change genders…”

“So, you’ll continue this endless waiting?”

“I…”

“Will you keep meeting him every three months to kiss and exchange information, then repeat it again and again for a year? A year is a long time, Princess. Can you truly guarantee that the hero won’t encounter an accident while traveling through foreign lands for three months at a time?”

“That….”

“He might not return in exactly three months. He might come back in six months because he thinks he’s found a crucial lead, or you might have to wait for several years if he’s in an unlucky situation. Can you truly endure that loneliness and anxiety, Princess?”

I needed to press harder. To make sure Erina couldn’t regain her composure. I had to keep pushing.

“Can you really bear it? With just a little humiliation and deception, you can see the hero again. If the two of you love each other, and you raise the child with affection, does it really matter whose child it is? The hero doesn’t need to know.”

“That… ah…”

“Wouldn’t having a child be the easier path, no matter how you look at it?”

Erina clutched her hair, agonizing over the thought. After groaning and moaning for a long time, she looked up at me and said.

“…do…”

“Yes?”

“… Is that what should I do?”

I thought. A.A.’s stubbornness brought me luck.