Stealing Heroines’ Affections Is My Job as the Villain

Sacred City of Naxos…

After his brief meeting with Beatrice, Lord Ymnes stayed in Talasca for a night before leaving the sacred land.

The city was protected by a holy barrier that significantly nullified various forms of [Spatial Magic]. Because of this, he had to exit Naxos before he could open a portal to return to the Fortress Nation of Duranzia.

『I think this is far enough…』

Lord Ymnes thought this as glanced back at the sacred city now far behind him.

The outskirts of Naxos were filled with nothing but dense, tall trees and wild forests stretching as far as the eye could see.

A large part of this forest was known as the Man-Eating Forest, and it was a place everyone avoided. Safer routes were available for those visiting or leaving Naxos due to the many monsters living there.

However, since Lord Ymnes was leaving via spatial transport, he didn't have to worry about that… he had more pressing concerns on his mind.

『Beatrice… I can't believe you could be so cruel…』

The old man looked weary… his efforts to persuade Lady Beatrice to help Prince Lumis, her brother, suppress Prince Vritra had completely failed.

『What should I do now? I've run out of political contacts, so who else can I turn to for help in gaining Duranzia's favor or at least keeping God Vritra in check?』

Now, it felt like there was no hope left, and it pained the old Deva deeply. His prince needed this victory to have any chance at the throne. Returning empty-handed would be like a slap in the face to the Blueworld household, and he couldn't allow that to happen.

… Hrmm

『I should return to the prince first.』

Before the Lord Ymnes could take a step or even think of anything else…

… THUD!

A severed head was thrown to the ground before him.

It was still bleeding from a fresh cut. Fear was etched on the face, and the skin was pale and shriveled, as if the soul had been drained from it.

Yet, Lord Ymnes remained unfazed, his expression calm and composed, just as before.

… Hm?

Rather than shocked, he was confused.

"Don't you recognize his face?"

When Lord Ymnes heard the familiar voice, his expression turned serious, and his stance became more guarded.

『That voice!』

His eyes snapped forward, and he saw Prince Vritra emerging from the shadows, casually holding a blood-red longsword over his shoulder.

"God Vritra…"

Ymnes summoned his magic staff and pointed it at the Asura royal without hesitation.

"What are you doing here?!"

The old man's face was heavy with disgust, and his body language made it clear he was ready to get violent.

This was unlike Ymnes… normally, he would have stayed calm and tried to reason with Vritra first. But this time, he had already decided that wasn't an option. All the problems they were facing were because of the smug Asura standing before him.

Prince Vritra pointed at the severed head on the ground and grinned maliciously.

"So, are you telling me you really can't recognize the face on that head, old man?"

Ymnes looked at the severed head again, and shock struck his face like lightning against the earth.

"Wh-, What──?! No…"

Cold sweat ran down the back of his neck.

"Z-, Zorin…?"

He couldn't believe his eyes.

The disembodied head belonged to Spymaster Zorin!

[Ding! Ymnes's animosity towards you has increased. Current Hatred Level: 5 stars!]

When Vritra got what he wanted, he smiled contentedly, like a child with a full stomach. He lowered the blood sword from his shoulder and skillfully spun it by the hilt, taking small steps toward the seething Ymnes.

"I was on my way to Naxos when I finally caught sight of this one you call Zorin, who arrogantly spied on me. Well, I suppose he won't be doing much of that now, with his body in a remote town and his head here."

Lord Ymnes said nothing.

He stood in place with a tight grip on his staff, and hot air blowing from his nostrils like a raging bull ready to charge.

Vritra noticed this and casually shrugged, whilst letting out a simple sigh.

"So, you're just going to be silent? How boring, but I understand your frustrations. Ohohoho, but let me make this clear… while I'm here, you can forget about returning to Duranzia alive… hmph, you'll be lucky if I even leave your corpse intact."

The young lord's blood-red eyes held a cold yet mocking expression as he spoke.

He was clearly trying to get under Ymnes's skin, so much so that he would go out of his way to make sure Lord Ymnes looked at him, just to witness the condescension in his gaze.

Maybe then the old man would finally get it…

The life of a Deva is as pointless as a fish out of water!

"So, you've come here to kill me…"

Lord Ymnes finally spoke.

"Vritra the Enveloper, is it? A little over two hundred years ago, you swallowed the fifth sun of our world and brought chaos to the Kingdom of Shritnar. You certainly have a fearsome reputation, but in the end, you're still just a youngster… an attention-seeking child who needs to be taught a lesson by this old man…"

He raised his head and screamed.

"AND I WILL ENSURE I DO THAT THIS INSTANT!"

There were fierce, bulging veins on his elderly face.

Prince Vritra yawned at the old man's theatrics.

"Oh, please… as if you can afford to offend me."

"WE SHALL SEE!"

Lord Ymnes quickly raised both hands and poured a huge amount of mana into them. A blue magic circle appeared beneath him, glowing brightly.

──Zuuuuuuuu~!!

Countless sparkling droplets of water surrounded him.

[Great Water Dragon!]

With a powerful wave of his magic staff, the large blue magic stone on its tip made the droplets move faster and grow exponentially stronger.

… BOOOOOM!

Suddenly, there was a loud explosion that shook the ground.

A massive water dragon, ten times the size of a person, spiraled into view. Its bright red eyes glared fiercely as it surged toward Prince Vritra like a cannonball, ready to smash through a solid fortress.

The bright gold and blue ring on Vritra's middle finger shone with a blinding white light.

baaa────TOOOOOOOM!!

Everything that happened next was over in a flash.

The result left Lord Ymnes in complete shock as he saw the outcome of his attack.

"WHAT──?!"

His water dragon was instantly shattered into droplets by the massive mana avatar of a Sky-Lion, which was now God Vritra's aura!

On the other hand, God Vritra was completely unharmed.

There was even a bored look on his face.

"I hope that's not you trying to teach me a lesson."

Lord Ymnes took a cautious three steps back.

『I know it's not impossible, but Vritra's strength now is far different from what it was back then. That was an incredibly powerful type-4 water phenomenon, and he just shrugged it off like it was nothing. He can use that much power even here in the Central Continent──?!』

Vritra could read his thoughts and chuckled as he lightly dusted his inner robes.

"Ah, well, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to tell you…"

He extended his right hand to show the [Great Sky-Lion Ring] on his middle finger and continued.

"This ring is a powerful magic item that can create type-4 phenomena. Combined with my huge mana pool, you should now understand how outmatched you really are."

Vritra made it clear that there was no advantage in what he explained; he was just bragging and calling Lord Ymnes weak.

『Tch, arrogant brat!』

Ymnes's face squeezed with even more disgust.

God Vritra called the old man by one finger.

"Now, try and impress me before I end your life…"

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(T/N): Vol. 1 just ended. Are there any additions you'd like me to make in vol. 2?