Stealing Heroines’ Affections Is My Job as the Villain

In one of the impoverished areas of the lower levels of Kaalen Tower City, a temporary shelter had been set up for the missionary sisters of the Vayetran Church, where they could stay until a proper convent or mission house was built.

Rosemarie and Sadim were currently staying there, though Sadim often spent time in the higher levels of the tower.

At the moment, he was sharpening his ornate red and gold sword, while Rosemarie was carefully inspecting and loading bullets into the magazines for her special guns.

"Next time I run into those bastards, I'm blowing their damn heads off. I don't care if they're using [Barrier Magic] or wearing armor made of tempered gallenite—bitch material is bitch material, and they're a whole damn yard of it!"

It was clear that whenever she had a gun in hand, her entire demeanor changed.

The same was true now, as she checked each bullet with a deadly focus, ensuring their sharpness and thickness.

She held one bullet close to a lamp, squinting one eye as she inspected it with a magnifying glass, almost like an old man examining items in an antique shop.

Sadim watched her closely as she examined her bullets under the lamp like a foggy-eyed old-timer.

… Pfft────HAHAHA!

He couldn't help but chuckle.

"Uh, what are you doing?"

"Can't you see?! I'm improving my projectiles!"

Her response was quick and sharp, as usual.

Sadim always found her adorable when she did things that seemed so out of character for a nun, like shooting soldiers dead or reloading her guns. It was one of the main reasons he was so attracted to her.

『Ahh~ nothing more beautiful than a strong woman…』

That thought echoed in his mind.

He constantly reminded himself how lucky he was.

"Are you just gonna keep staring at me, lover boy~?"

Rosemarie didn't miss the opportunity to tease him, even while sharpening the tips of her bullets.

Sadim blinked a few times, then cleared his throat.

"Ah-, Ahem! I-, uh, just… mind your business, okay?"

He tried to hide the heated blush creeping up on his cheeks, but Rosemarie quickly noticed it from the corner of her eye and chuckled softly.

"Tee-hee~ ♡! You should hide it better next time… I can't picture the great Red Rogue turning so red, pfft─haha!"

"Gahaha… okay, that was a good one."

Even Sadim couldn't his his laughter.

Maybe it wasn't exactly her words that got him, but the fact that he loved everything she said, or the sound of her tomboyish yet irresistibly cute voice.

Either way, he knew her contagious laughter had a way of cheering him up, even on the hardest days. The way her nose scrunched and her eyes shut tight when she laughed was always a sight to enjoy.

It made him remember their childhood together.

『Should I do it now?』

Sadim reached for his pocket, but then glanced at the sickly children sleeping on the mat nearby.

He paused, then sighed, pulling his hand back.

"No… not yet. I don't think she'd say yes."

He fell into a quiet contemplation.

"Sadim? Sadim? Saaaadim──?!"

"Huh?! YES?!"

The young man snapped back to reality.

Rosemarie sighed heavily, like a tired mother watching her child make the same mistake for the third time.

"You zoned out again."

"Oh, I-, I did?"

"Yes. You did, genius…"

She untied her apron, set down her bullets and magnifying glass, and walked over to him. Gently, she placed her soft, slender hands on his cheeks and tilted his head down to look into his green eyes.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Her voice was soft and caring, a side of her Sadim cherished. She could be tough and blunt, but she also had moments of warmth, like a mother fussing over him, trying to make sure he was alright.

He didn't want to worry her.

"Haha, no... I'm really fine."

That was enough to ease Rosemarie.

She trusted him to share if something was wrong, so if he said he was fine, she believed him.

She wouldn't make a big deal of it.

"Alright~ ♡"

She leaned in and kissed his forehead.

Sadim smiled at the sweet gesture.

"Thanks for that…"

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close and burying his face in her beautiful red hair. She didn't exactly smell like flowers, not after living in the lower levels of Kaalen Tower, but it was a scent he could breathe in all day.

"You smell nice, my love…"

"Tee-hee~ shut your lying ass up."

"You got me, heh."

━ ━ ━ ━

Meanwhile…

By the time nightfall approached, discussions had taken place between Princess Luciana and Lord Arcellion at the center of the lower city of Kaalen Tower.

Naturally, such esteemed and powerful guests couldn't stay in the lower city, so Lord Arcellion arranged for a carriage to take everyone back to the higher city.

As with everything else they had seen in Kaalen Tower City, the carriage intended for nobles looked unnecessarily extravagant. It was a beautiful blend of white wood and intricate gold designs that gave it a regal appearance.

The fact that the knights had to dust the carriage before bringing it showed that it wasn't used often, and this was even clearer after seeing how neat and well-maintained it was.

Luciana thought about how, if these people had simply refrained from making such an extravagant carriage and sold the resources instead, they could easily feed twenty to thirty commoners for at least a month.

Her irritation bubbled beneath the surface.

It gnawed at her mind like a parasite.

Lord Arcellion noticed the simmering anger on Luciana's usually calm and beautiful face. He gripped his halberd tightly, trying to think of something to ease the tension that was slowly consuming the silent carriage.

"Urm, Princess Luciana…"

"Yes, Arcellion?"

"I imagine you, God Vritra, and your companions must be very tired and hungry after such a stressful journey. We're heading to my estate in the higher city, where you can relax a bit before we catch up more."

Arcellion knew he still needed to explain how he and Luciana had met, and he also had a history with Esmeralda that he hadn't shared yet.

But right now, those details seemed to matter very little to the princess.

She tilted her head slightly and blinked innocently.

"Higher city? What do you mean by that?"

"Please, don't misunderstand, Your Highness."

His response came quickly, almost as if it was rehearsed.

Vritra smiled at this exchange.

"I don't think she's said enough, nor has she heard enough, for her to misunderstand. So please, what is this higher city, Arcellion? Is it some kind of paradise? At least for the rats down there, fighting for scraps of food I just gave them."

He pointed calmly with his thumb toward the commoners in the distance, still scrambling for food and items scattered on the infected ground after they'd fled from the knights earlier.

[Ding! Arcellion Modeus Karsinov has developed animosity towards you. Current Hatred Level: 2 stars!]

Lord Arcellion's frown deepened.

"I see. Well, let me explain…"

He tightened his grip on his halberd, forcing a gentle and angelic smile as he tried to hide his growing frustration.

"You see, the air in the Red Desert is heavy with the smell of decay from thousands of years of warfare. This stench often contaminates the food and water, causing many people to suffer from Black Blood disease.

"Because of this, we had to prioritize those who could access better treatment and care. We based this on the donations made by people, which is why we chose some nobles to help, while others are nobles from the Serathen who are staying here for a while.

"For those who live in the towers, being higher up means fresher air and a break from the toxic stench below. We had no choice but to make the upper levels more prestigious to house the elite and powerful, while the lower levels were left for common folks, traders, and scavengers."

He spoke in a low, respectful voice.

The knights standing guard around the carriage weren't surprised. They were used to hearing Lord Arcellion talk like that to Divine General Astrid. More importantly, they were accustomed to his calm demeanor during conversations.

In fact, this was one of the few times they noticed their commander seemed a bit less composed. Maybe he felt a bit anxious around the crown princess? At least, that's what they thought.

But in reality, he was shaking with the urge to swing his halberd and behead Vritra.

This young lord had a knack for getting under his skin!

But Arcellion was smart enough not to let that bother him.

Princess Luciana frowned in discontent.

"Hmm, I don't know. That sounds a bit unfair."

"It really isn't. You se—"

Before Lord Arcellion could finish, Vritra jumped in with his own comment.

"Oh no, no, no. Absolutely not."

Vritra waved a hand dismissively.

There was such a casual smile on his face.

He was clearly enjoying the moment.

"They seem short on resources and don't have enough food, clothing, or shelter. It's only natural that they'd favor the people giving bigger monetary gifts while leaving the commoners to suffer. It really reminds me of this heartless monster I know… me."

He pointed at himself and then at Arcellion.

"You're a lot like me, Arcellion. Be proud."

"It's not like that. You're twisting my words."

Lord Arcellion kept his tone low and respectful.

"Oh come on, I can't hear you, Arc. Speak."

"I said it's not like that…"

The knight commander's voice remained calm.

Vritra leaned in closer and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder while whispering in his ear.

"Sure. But just so you know, when we return to MY estate in the higher city, you have two choices. You can feed us like you've been feeding those commoners, which I'll take as an insult and end your miserable life… or you can feed us like you do those noble pigs whose butts you can't stop kissing. The choice is yours."

[Arcellion's animosity towards you has increased. Current Hatred Level: 3 stars!]