I'm a Villainess, Can I Die?-Chapter 116

Selina and the High Priest jumped together, and moments later, strange things began to happen.

The monsters within the temple—and even those on the outskirts—who had been baring their fangs and snarling, suddenly melted away into nothing.

Splurt. Red orbs rolled out from the melting corpses, then shattered on their own as if they’d exploded.

The knights stood dumbfounded, jaws slack at the unbelievable sight.

“What... is this...?”

Someone murmured the words.

Even with the monsters gone, Lukas didn’t lower his guard. Cautiously, he stepped closer and examined the black puddle and the shattered orbs.

He dipped the tip of his sword into the puddle. Nothing happened. It was just murky water, or so it seemed.

Still, it was unsettling. Using his blade, he hooked one of the orbs and pulled it out.

“They’re definitely... dead. The orb’s broken too...”

‘When the caster dies, anything created or controlled by the red orbs will vanish.’

“So this is it, then... Sir Vien!”

The one Lukas called Vien was a mage. At his call, the young man came hurrying over and knelt to inspect the puddle.

“Yes, it definitely matches the signs of a caster’s death.”

“Then, Sir Vien, please contact the Duke’s house. Report what’s happened and find out what’s going on.”

“Yes, understood.”

During the thick of battle, they’d relied on carrier birds instead of magic—every ounce of mana had been precious, and teleportation magic consumed too much.

But now, given the circumstances, speed was more important.

Sir Vien nodded and rushed off toward the tent. As Lukas watched him go, he absentmindedly fiddled with the hilt of his sword.

He felt uneasy. Things were clearly turning in their favor... and yet the anxiety in his chest wouldn’t go away.

Especially...

This cracked shield.

“Duke.”

“Duke!”

A moment later, Sir Vien came sprinting back from the tent, breathless and clearly rattled. His pallid face alone said something was wrong.

The Duke furrowed his brows and stepped forward to meet him.

“What is it?”

“T-the... the...” Vien gasped between words.

Not used to running, he had to catch his breath.

“Huff... they... they’ve identified the mastermind.”

“What? The mastermind?”

“Yes. The High Priest. They say the High Priest was behind it all... and that he’s dead now.”

Dead. That was expected.

The High Priest was a traitor to the crown. A wanted man. He would have been ordered to be killed on sight.

A miserable and pitiful end, fitting for someone like him.

“But...”

Sir Vien stopped speaking. His eyes flicked nervously around, unable to settle on one spot. Lukas licked his dry lips, the unease in his chest flaring up again.

“But?”

When Lukas prompted him, Vien grimaced, clearly struggling with what to say.

“The young lady... apparently jumped from the bell tower while holding the High Priest...”

“...What? Wait, what are you—”

If the High Priest was the one behind all of this, then why would his daughter jump with him?

The Duke stepped closer, voice tightening.

Vien trembled. He shut his mouth briefly before opening it again.

“The High Priest... kidnapped the young lady. It seems he’d prepared a secret passage into her room beforehand. He took her to the bell tower. When he tried to push her off, Lady Selina grabbed him and jumped with him. I think... I think she was trying to die with him.”

The Duke’s eyes went blank with shock.

Selina... jumped while holding the High Priest? Trying to die with him? But the High Priest was just confirmed dead.

Then that means... Selina...

A memory flashed through the Duke’s mind—so vivid it felt like it had happened just moments ago.

Her face, pale as paper, drenched in blood. Red stains spreading no matter how much they were wiped. Limp fingers. Eyes that wouldn’t open.

“...Selina.”

The Duke drove his sword into the ground to support himself. He staggered as ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) if he might collapse, and Lukas rushed to hold him up.

But even Lukas’s fingers were trembling. That lingering unease—this was why.

She jumped while holding the High Priest. What had Selina been thinking in that moment?

“Why... why would she...”

Lukas’s hollow voice was swallowed by the murmuring of the knights.

“Selina!”

Aaron’s voice echoed through the bell tower. At the same time, a deafening crash shook the ground.

Something had plummeted from above and hit the earth.

Everyone froze. The gaping hole in the bell tower spoke for itself.

“No... no...”

Aaron ran toward the window to look down. But his legs gave out. He collapsed before he could even take two full steps.

Tears welled up and fell. They rolled down his cheeks and splattered onto the floor.

I couldn’t protect her.

He remembered her smile.

He remembered the fleeting warmth that had bloomed on her otherwise expressionless face.

That day under the summer sun, soaked by splashing water, her lips curved into a gentle smile. She’d looked genuinely happy.

She could have been even happier.

She could have been loved even more.

“Ugh...”

A groan escaped through clenched teeth.

Even a sword wound wouldn’t hurt this much. Aaron clutched his chest, gasping, and fell to the floor.

His forehead pressed against the cold stone.

“Ugh... huff... hhkk...”

Blood trickled from his fingertips as he clawed at the floor. But he didn’t feel any pain.

The grief. The guilt. That last smile she gave him.

It was all too much. He couldn’t tell if his fingers ached, or if his forehead stung.

The bell tower was silent, filled only with a man’s sobs.

That was, until the knight behind him opened his mouth.

“My lord...”

The knight spoke softly, but Aaron couldn’t hear him. He was too deep in his grief.

The knight stared blankly out the window, then bent down and gently patted Aaron’s back. Something he would never dare do under normal circumstances—but now was different.

“L-lord Aaron.”

At the touch on his back, Aaron finally lifted his head. Eyes closed, chin tilted upward.

It was ridiculous, but the sight was oddly beautiful. Everyone there would have thought the same.

A brother sobbing over the sister he thought he lost—it was a touching story, after all.

The knight swallowed and spoke again.

“My lady has returned.”

“...What?”

Aaron blinked dumbly.

The first thing he saw was the gray brick ceiling of the tower. His vision was blurry with tears. He wiped at his face and slowly lowered his gaze.

“Ah.”

A soft sound slipped out as Aaron lifted trembling hands to cover his face. He inhaled deeply, breath catching on a sob of relief.

“Selina.”

Selina was in Aiden’s arms.

Her face was pale, as if she might faint at any second. But she looked at her trembling brother and smiled faintly.

“Brother.”

Just before I grabbed the High Priest and jumped, I’d felt a ring on my finger.

The magic ring Alogen gave me.

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He said Aiden would come if I used it... Would he really come if I called him?

I twisted my hand and tapped the ring twice. Then, in my mind, I called his name.

Aiden. Aiden... Aiden.

Each time I said his name, I saw his gentle, smiling face. Heard his soft, reassuring voice.

“It’s okay.”

After calling his name three times, I gripped the High Priest’s wrist again.

Even if Aiden didn’t come, I wouldn’t blame him. He wasn’t even in the manor. He was far away.

Still, I wish I could’ve seen him one last time. Just once. I missed him.

“Let’s go together, High Priest.”

My body tilted, and we fell.

The look on the High Priest’s face was priceless.

Like he never imagined I’d do this. His eyes filled with shock, rage, and fear as he looked at me.

Even then, he thrashed to get away from me.

“Ahhhhh!”

He screamed all the way down. As he jerked his head back in agony, another orb must’ve broken somewhere.

He gasped for breath. So I let go.

It was over anyway. No need to hold hands with a dying man.

As I watched him fall away, I shut my eyes tight. We were plummeting toward the ground.

And then—

Boom! A loud crash rang out beside me.

“Ah.”

Startled by the noise, I opened my eyes.

What I saw... was the sky.

The sun peeked through the storm clouds overhead.

I was hovering in the air, just a handspan from the ground.

A warm wind—far too warm for autumn—was holding me up.

I knew who had called that wind.

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“He really came.”

I whispered, just as the sound of urgent footsteps reached my ears.

“My lady!”

The wind lifted me higher, just enough for him to catch me.

Aiden cradled me gently. I couldn’t help but groan—my whole body ached.

Probably because the High Priest had grabbed my throat and shaken me around.

I raised my weak arms and wrapped them around Aiden’s neck.

I needed someone’s warmth.

The feel of his hand on my throat, the cold stone scraping my back—it was all too vivid. I needed something to erase it.

My fingers were cold and numb, trembling like I had frostbite.

I guess... I was scared. I acted brave, but I didn’t want to leave happiness behind.

“...I’m sorry I was late, my lady.”

Aiden’s voice trembled worse than mine. Like a child on the verge of tears after losing his mother’s hand.

The raw emotion in his voice made my throat sting.

“You came... that’s enough. I was scared.”

My voice cracked horribly. Maybe because he’d choked me so hard.

Or maybe... because of this strange feeling inside me.

I felt the grip tighten around my back.

Still clinging to him like a koala, I squeezed my arms tighter around his neck.

Thump, thump, thump.

I didn’t know whose heartbeat it was, but it echoed loud in my ears.