Chapter – 05
Hey, This Original Villain Is—
Three days into traveling with the villain’s group.
Lillian was still living quite well by turning a crisis into an opportunity.
A self‑employed person knows how to keep customers in any situation.
At first, the Shadows hesitated, but one by one, they carefully brought their artifacts to her.
“Um… could you fix this for me too?”
“Of course.”
They really handled their equipment roughly—there were lots of small defects.
They knew messing with it themselves would cause real trouble, so they just left it alone, huh?
So even though her fixes were nothing more than so‑called “temporary patches,” the results showed immediately.
“Wow, it’s like new.”
“I thought my ability felt weaker when I used it—so this was the reason!”
“The circuit was about to break, but it survived!”
Those who had only been wary at first now stepped back cautiously and bowed their heads in thanks.
Humans really do need practical skills.
Not just in her past life—this world, too, would surely become an age of manual craftsmanship.
And by the way, it wasn’t just artifact repairs.
Lillian also sold her family out—body and soul.
Straight to Elias Baltazar, the villain’s right‑hand man in the original story.
“There’s a hidden shortcut to the mine this way. A straight path—you won’t need to go around the valley.”
“…How do you know about a road like this?”
“That’s because I’m a Tillard.”
Actually, Iris figured it out.
“Besides the Aeterna region, there are plans to develop more control‑stone veins. In the south, Derby. In the west, Rencal—”
“…How could you know that?”
“Hehe, it’s the Tillard family’s latest confidential information.”
Family secrets were a small price to pay for survival.
Elias looked extremely suspicious of her.
“…Don’t expect us to clean up after you just because you leaked Tillard secrets.”
“Oh, of course.”
Better to think of it as a life‑insurance fee and forget about it.
After dying in a hospital in her previous life, she had learned that lesson painfully well.
Lillian gazed wistfully toward the northern mountain range.
Once I cross that, I’m free.
Be well in advance, you idiotic empire.
“It’s fine. This is going to be my last journey anyway…”
“….”
“When you leave, it’s best to travel light.”
Wouldn’t it feel refreshing to screw over her family one last time?
Back in the camp barracks, Lillian took out a sketchbook from her bag.
She planned to record arm designs she could sell in the kingdom.
But the moment she picked up her pencil, a lazy voice came from across from her.
“What are you doing, Miss Tillard?”
She quickly snapped the sketchbook shut.
The villain stood before her, backlit, looking down at her.
“You had a hobby of drawing?”
“Yes. Inspiration tends to come with running away from home.”
“Hm.”
He smiled, clearly uninterested.
As befitted one of the male leads of this world, he was beautiful—but Lillian felt a chill down her spine.
Why?
Is he sizing me up to kill me?
Did this man even realize his own condition right now?
There’s a mark under his left eye…!
It looked like a faint, translucent red spiderweb.
A passage from the original novel surfaced in her mind.
“…It was magic left behind by the First Empress.
If her son ever intended to harm another, it would appear on his skin.
So that others might notice and avoid him…
But that mark appeared only in extremely rare cases.
Unless the destructive impulse was overwhelming.”
Why is he showing that to me?
She told them the way to the mine.
She fixed his subordinates’ artifacts!
Even if it wasn’t some grand move, wasn’t that enough?
Honestly, more than fear, she felt wronged—and annoyed.
But the early bird catches the worm.
So maybe there was a reason a mad dog had to go mad diligently.
Either way, there was only one way to suppress that destructive urge right now.
I need some jerky to throw to the mad dog!
Silently and swiftly, Lillian slipped her hand into her bag.
* * *
Interesting.
Evren stared at Lillian without blinking.
Right now, his ability was practically losing its mind.
This scent is driving me crazy.
I love it so much I could die.
I love it so much I want to destroy her right now.
What a mess. A complete mess.
Reacting to a non‑ability user—had the monster core messed him up?
And she’s a Tillard woman, at that.
Then Lillian gently cupped one cheek and smiled brightly.
“Your Highness, I realized my thanks for allowing me to accompany you came rather late, so please allow me to express it now.”
“Hm? A hypocritical Tillard thanking me? Is today a special occasion?”
“Oh my, you’re joking.”
She took a brooch out of her bag.
The brooch shimmered softly in her pale, delicate hand.
“Do you recognize it? It’s a brooch‑type artifact that aids an ability user’s recovery.”
“I remember. You acquired this at an auction five years ago.”
“Yes. I’m honored you remember—”
“You spread a false rumor beforehand that another item had recovery effects, then raised the bid by ten gold each time right in front of those trying to buy this.”
“….”
“It was impressive. I got chills watching.”
“Ohoho. Our family budget was rather tight back then.”
“Hm. Funny how the great Tillard family was so frugal only at that time.”
Evren narrowed his eyes and smiled.
Instinct kept shouting in his ears.
Can I destroy her now?
Wait a little.
I kind of want to see that smooth smiling face cry first.
“Possessing a gem meant for ability users can still enhance a controller’s power.”
“….”
“That’s why you bought it, wasn’t it? You’re a non‑ability user.”
He waited for her reaction.
If she gets scared or cries…
…Just imagining it made his interest fade instantly.
If she reacted predictably, maybe he’d dig out what he needed and discard her?
But then Lillian smiled softly.
“That’s right. There was someone else who should have had it originally—but I was greedy.”
“…?”
“I won’t make that mistake again. I’ll live within my means.”
She continued holding out the brooch.
“And since it’s useless to me anyway, please accept it.”
The silence lasted longer than expected.
Evren slowly turned his back.
“Put it away.”
“Pardon?”
“It’s already a meaningless stone.”
He coldly brushed her off and walked away.
It was far too late for something like that to have any effect on him.
More than anything, why does this feel so irritating?
She offered it herself.
Yet it felt like she was telling him to take it and get lost.
And wasn’t she the woman who had always clung desperately to auctions?
Did she even know people mocked her behind her back?
How vulgar.
Clawing at auctions like some petty merchant.
Nothing like Lady Iris.
He spoke to the aide who approached him.
“Elias. When someone does something completely out of character, what do you think it means?”
“…?”
After a moment of thought, Elias replied,
“Usually… that they’re prepared to die.”
“Hm? Even if it’s Lillian Tillard?”
“What? Ah…!”
Elias looked even more troubled.
“To be honest, I also found something odd about Tillard.”
“Why?”
“Everything she’s told us has proven accurate. If so… this won’t end with a simple runaway from her family.”
“Of course not.”
“She also said this would be her last escape. That might… be a metaphor for death.”
At that moment, Evren frowned.
Strangely, hearing that made him feel even worse.
* * *
After watching the villain walk away with his subordinate, Lillian smiled faintly.
Hah…
“I lived…!”
She really should thank her past self for reading the original so thoroughly.
And herself for bringing that piece of jewelry with the intention of selling it!
Be useful, but never show greed.
Don’t grovel either.
It was like a warm iced Americano—perfectly balanced.
But honestly, what could she do when that man was just like that?
Good. I’ll just keep throwing jerky like this.
Whenever the villain showed destructive impulses, she’d toss one.
Even if war breaks out, just don’t flip the whole world upside down like a lunatic.
Conflicts between the powerful affected other nations too.
I want to live an easy life from now on.
Not struggling to be loved—
but being discarded, and finding peace in that instead.
Still, after talking with the prince…
“Hm…”
She felt a strange heat creeping up.
She needed to cross the border quickly.
