The Villain Who Robbed the Heroines
chapter-224

After returning to his hut, Ferzen wordlessly collapsed onto the bed and closed his eyes.

For him, who insisted on being a villain, this war would probably be the last mountain he had to overcome.

Even though he knew that better than anyone else and had predicted that it would be hard and difficult, never in his wildest imagination did he think that it would be hard not because of external issues, but because of internal issues.

I……

Should he have been more pushy back then?

Should he have done whatever it took to kill Lizzy Polina Claudia, a woman whom Roer and Cesar had barely saved?

“……”

That was such a meaningless regret.

After all, in conclusion, the choice he had made at the time was not the right one.

No, to be frank, looking at it from his point of view at that time, there was no problem with the choice itself.

But, since what was needed to destroy the arrangement that Roer and Cesar made was a sacrifice on his part, he thought that there was no need to invest in forcing a woman named Lizzy to death which would result in his reputation taking a hit and his hidden sides to be revealed.

On top of that,

The main character of this story, Ciel Midford, who was supposed to be the focal point for the resistance against him, died by his own hands.

Roer and Cesar, who harbored unwavering hostility against him, also passed away. The Claudia family, which was the starting point of the evil relationship, was also exterminated with them.

What could she do when she had no one else in this world and was subdued by him?

If only a little more time was available and if only he could give her a little push in that time,

He believed that everything would have ended without him having to pay any price and without having to accumulate any more guilt or sin.

As much as he saw the picture that she was unable to endure the reality and would commit suicide, he also judged so.

Even though it was wrong in the end.

With those circumstances stacking against her, how could he conclude that his judgment was wrong back then?

「Ferzen.」

「Please be a good husband not only for my child but also for me...…」

“……”

「Ferzen.」

「No matter what ugly things you have done and will do in the future…… I won't turn away from it and will be by your side. 」

“……”

「Ferzen. 」

「My dear younger brother. As your older brother and only family, I will be the wall that protects you from all the storms of the world. 」

“……”

「Count. 」

「Isn’t it time for us to learn how to stand up and walk alone? 」

「I will stand as your companion on the battlefield, not as a child to be cared for, but as a real military subject. 」

「I will not rely on others to take care of this war. 」

「Will you be by our side to overcome the coming winter and welcome the spring together? 」

“……”

Those who were not present.

Ferzen opened his closed eyes as he remembered the voices of the people that were precious to him, be they in his home or on another battlefield.

That’s right……

I was complacent.

And greedy.

Could it be the reason he did that was because he did not want to lose what he had?

Could it be because he did not want to accumulate more guilt and karma?

In fact, those were only superficial reasons.

I just……

He just wanted to be a good husband to Euphemia and Yuriel.

He just wanted to be a respectable younger brother to his family, Jeremiah.

He simply wanted to become a pillar for the Imperial Family as a member of the Royal Coronet.

Turns out that, trying to achieve those things without putting a complete end to the villain's cycle was nothing but greed.

“Do you mind if I come in for a moment?”

“……”

Astel's voice was heard leaving behind the crude tarp that covered the inside of his tent from being seen from the outside.

Ferzen then raised his upper body, sat down on the bed, and allowed him to come in.

“Did His Highness the Prince call for me?”

"No sir. However, Lizzy, a member of the first group, said she wanted to move from her tent. I came to report after consulting with the unit members.”

“Did she say she wanted to return and live with the unit members?”

"Pardon? Yes! That's right."

Even without hearing the whole story in detail, Ferzen was able to immediately guess where Lizzy was moving to, so he just laughed to himself and shook his hand.

"I see. It does not matter if you, the commander of the unit, had discussed it with your unit and got their consent.”

"I understand. Then I’ll excuse myself.”

Seeing Astel bowing low and disappearing beyond the tent again, Ferzen forced his tired and heavy body to get up from the bed.

Her intentions were so clear that there was no need to infer why she wanted to come back and live as close a life as possible with her unit members.

If I kill you……

Did you want me to pay the price?

However, unlike last night, the blade she was currently holding against his own neck was relatively flimsy. Thanks to that, Ferzen's laughter was falling out of his mouth.

Lizzy, do you know?

This world was no longer just a world inside the white screen that was filled with black letters.

Even the main character would not lose something.

A way to get everything you want did not exist.

I must make a suggestion to His Highness the Prince.

If they organize a separate unit and go out, the number of people watching them would decrease.

In other words, her means to resist him would converge to zero.

If the problem is that I've become complacent and greedy......

For the finale of this muddy musical score, he was willing to go back to the replay button and play the music again.

The end of evil is evil.

Anything more fitting than that no longer existed.

* * * * *

“……”

Perhaps because the rain had just stopped, the wind that blew against his skin was freezing.

Step-!!

And while getting some fresh air, Ferzen, who was moving to the barracks for a meeting following Prince Raymond's call, quietly fell into thoughts.

It was not difficult for him to make a suggestion regarding the formation of a detached unit.

However, he lacked the basis and purpose to make that suggestion accepted.

He did not have to say just how enormous the pressure that would be placed on the battlefield by him being away from it.

On top of it, from the beginning, this world was structured so that no strategy could surpass strength.

However, if you think about it, it would not be difficult to form a detached unit.

“Are you here?”

As he entered the barracks, the nobles that were sitting on their chairs looked at him. And when Prince Raymond, who was sitting at the head of the table, opened his mouth, Ferzen bowed towards him, went to his seat, and sat down.

"Then…… I want to hear from you about the current situation on the front line.”

“I think, rather than hearing about that from us, it’s more important to know how much wealth that Count Louerg currently possess, Your Highness.”

"I see. That is not wrong.”

Prince Raymond spoke with confidence as if to assure him that there was no spy in this room.

Without hiding anything when Prince Raymond looked at him, Ferzen replied.

“I have enough for 3 more uses, Your Highness.”

“Three times……”

“Hmm.”

"Hoo……”

Prince Raymond and the nobles who heard this fell into a faint sigh at the same time. They then began to adopt the habits they showed when they were anxious.

Procuring simple goods like gold coins was anything but impossible.

However, when a warlock makes a deal with a monster from the Underworld, the goods they used to pay should be goods that had already been valued in this world.

Even if there was item A, if it had never been traded, it was impossible to use it when trading with the Underworld no matter how expensive it was.

On top of it, since the number of purchases had to be accumulated over a long period of time, there was no point in intentionally buying worthless items for a large amount of money.

The reason Ferzen opened the gate to the Underworld when his magic power was exhausted faster than Empress Gremory was to defeat her.

In other words, if more battles occur in the future once his three uses are exhausted, it would be impossible for even Ferzen to deal with Empress Gremory.

No, it would be possible to deal with her. However, the limit would come quickly when more and more of Brutein's previous heads’ corpses were dealt with.

Of course, Empress Gremory's body did not come out unscathed from the battle so far...…

The more the Auror Knight ate away at the individual, the more power the individual could produce.

Since Empress Gremory was both a monster and a weapon of death, if Ferzen was unable to hold her at her highest point, a terrible and miserable end would surely come to them.

Gulp-!

The nobles that were sitting in their seats gulped the cold water down at that scary imagination.

And after Ferzen understood the mood in the room, he opened his mouth again.

“Even though this is a war in which no strategy can surpass strength...… There is no such thing as an ineffective strategy.”

“Do you have something in mind, Count?”

“Basically, the reason why there is an uneven exchange of equivalent value between the goods I own and Empress Gremory was simply because she had a way out.”

Even if he opened the gate to the Underworld and summoned the monsters that live on the third floor,

Empress Gremory had the option of retreating rather than fighting back.

No matter how many of her soldiers and vassals died in the process.

There was no need to look another way because it would ultimately benefit her.

“If the problem is that she has a way out…… Ah! Are you perhaps thinking about the large river upstream? Since heavy rain has been falling for two days...…”

"That's right."

Since the gorge was created because the river that originally flowed had dried up,

Even if the surrounding terrain had collapsed, it would not have been difficult to block their escape route by reversing the flow of the massive river upstream.

There was no more an honest all-out war than one in which two sides attacked each other with all their might.

Furthermore, if they move in a direction, the east side of the canyon would be the first to be overrun, so most of the elemental mages of the Elmark Empire would be forced to fall in behind and divert the flow of the river.

“But the route you will take should overlap with the route taken by the Elmark Empire’s supply troops. They must have prepared in their own way.”

Prince Raymond gently shook his head as he said that even though the plan was good he still doubted that it would be as beautiful when being turned into a full-blown picture.

“That is why we should just send a detached unit.”

“I’m sorry for interrupting you…… Count Louerg. It wouldn’t be difficult to organize and send a detached unit, but considering how much wealth you currently possess, that detached unit must succeed.”

“That’s right.”

“That means, they have to be able to carry out the operation even in the worst situation where they were discovered in the middle of doing it…… For that to happen, the Count must participate. But that…… ”

As the dissenting noble’s words trailed off, Ferzen smiled slightly.

“I will not go all the way to the river.”

“……”

“Rather, I plan to back out in the middle and attract the enemy’s attention. In the meantime, I’ll send the detached unit up.”

“The moment Empress Gremory realizes that you are nearby with a small number of people, she will no doubt pursue you tenaciously. Attracting attention in order to send the detached unit is good and all, but the chance that you will come back...… Isn't it too low? I’m sorry for what I said, but I hope you at least know that I’m not pretentious.”

“I have no intention of criticizing you. That’s why I plan to open the gate to the Underworld.”

“Didn’t you say that you only get three uses left?”

“Have you forgotten about simple common sense? A warlock can use their life……”

“Count—!”

Rattle-!!

As Prince Raymond cut his words in the middle, he slammed his hand to the table and looked at him while exhaling sharply.

But he couldn't say anything more and just bit his lip and clenched his fist.

Just like what Princess Elizabeth had said to Ferzen, the current Imperial Family did not want to build a history stained by Brutein's sacrifice.

But how could Prince Raymond say that here?

After all, the other nobles that were present around him were also subjects of the Ernes Empire.

“Your Highness.”

Then Ferzen told him the same things he had said to Princess Elizabeth back in Roverium Kingdom.

“Please do not consider our loyalty as a debt to be repaid.”

What was different from the current situation and their situation back in the Roverium Kingdom was that this plan had a big risk.

Was it because his personal greed was deeper than his loyalty to the Imperial Family?

I……

Feeling that so much had changed, Ferzen just smiled bitterly as he looked at Prince Raymond who could only lower his head.