The Villainous Me Turned the Losers into Blackened Bosses-Chapter 244 - She Awaits in the Near-God Palace

—

Clack, clack, clack.

The sound of the carriage wheels rolling over the ground echoed as Will stared out the window. A light drizzle had begun to fall, and from the mountainside, he could see dark clouds pressing down on the deep green peaks in the distance, as if they were about to collapse onto the mountain tops.

Will had never felt the road to the royal palace stretch so long.

He had traveled this path countless times before. Nearly every weekend, he and Treya would find some “excuse” to meet—usually under the pretense of “bonding”—and hold small gatherings at her palace. There, Will would give her private lessons, teaching her about royal politics and history.

Helping her...

Understand more about “herself,” her “environment,” and “the people around her.”

As Will anxiously leaned out of the carriage window to check their progress through the rain, the coachman at the front spoke up—

“Mr. Will, I didn’t expect you to actually show up.”

“...I... I just had some... important matters to attend to,” Will replied awkwardly.

Thinking back, though he had been enjoying himself during this time, his primary focus had been investigating the whereabouts of the Green Wraith Stone. He hadn’t been entirely idle.

“It’s good that you’ve come now to help Princess Treya. She’s been waiting for you,” the coachman said with a tone of relief.

Hearing this, Will suddenly realized—this coachman was the same one who had always driven Treya’s carriage.

After Will had turned himself in to the city guards and was told to wait at home, it was this very coachman who had arrived an hour later with a carriage bearing clear royal insignias—just like the ones that used to pick him up for visits to Treya’s palace.

Everything seemed so familiar, almost like it was three years ago.

But...

The gloomy weather overhead, the tense atmosphere around him, and the Treya waiting for him were no longer the same as they had been three years ago.

“Is she... not doing well?” Will asked hesitantly.

“Miss Treya? Of course not. But then again, there aren’t many in the royal family who are doing well these days. Princess Treya has just become quieter than she used to be,” the coachman replied, snapping the reins. The white horses pulling the carriage galloped across the muddy road, their legs blurred by splashes of dirt.

“...Does she... talk about me?” Will asked cautiously.

“According to her maid, she mentions you every day. Mr. Will, you might not realize it, but Princess Treya truly hoped you would return...”

Clack, clack, clack.

The sound of the carriage wheels filled the silence as Will fell quiet, unable to respond.

“But recently, Her Highness seems to be doing better. After all... she personally met with Mr. Carver. Although all servants were dismissed during their meeting, so no one knows what they discussed.”

“!!!!!!”

Will’s eyes widened in shock.

He...

He had been right!

From Treya’s perspective, it was inevitable that she would take this step. She would seek out Carver!

“When... when did she meet with Carver?!” Will demanded urgently.

“When? Hmm... I believe it was about a day ago. On that overcast day—it even rained a little,” the coachman replied.

“......”

Will clenched his fists tightly. He was too late.

If he had arrived just a little earlier, he might have been able to stop Treya from making this decision. But it wasn’t too late yet—if he could find out what she and Carver discussed, there was still a chance to resolve things.

Clack, clack, clack.

The carriage rolled steadily into the royal palace grounds, moving deeper and deeper...

But it wasn’t following the path Will remembered.

According to his memory, if they were heading to Treya’s palace, they should have taken a right turn and gone uphill. Instead, the carriage veered left.

What’s going on?

“Are we going in the right direction?” Will asked suspiciously.

“Of course, sir. Princess Treya is waiting for you at the Near-God Palace,” the coachman replied matter-of-factly.

“......”

Near-God Palace?

Will didn’t remember every name of every area within the royal grounds, but...

That name sounded... grand. It sounded like a place meant for someone of Emperor Edward’s stature.

—

Clack—

The carriage came to a halt with a slight jolt, finally bringing an anxious Will to his destination.

“Mr. Will, please proceed from here. Princess Treya is waiting for you inside,” the coachman instructed.

“Got it.”

The Near-God Palace was a place Will had never visited before. Taking a closer look, he realized it covered a vast area and appeared to have multiple entrances.

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The door where he disembarked was merely a side entrance.

The distance from here to the main building wasn’t far. Without bothering with an umbrella, Will removed his hood—which he had been wearing to conceal his identity—and walked through the cool autumn rain toward the palace.

The narrow hallway he entered was dimly lit, but far ahead, he could see a light at its end.

That light...

It reminded him of Treya’s presence—bright and pure, like her white attire that always exuded an air of beauty and goodness.

Taking a deep breath, Will tightened his grip on the sword meant for Treya.

Even though its hilt was wrapped in cloth, it still felt cold against his slightly sweaty palm.

“Huff...”

His heart pounded wildly—he had never felt this nervous before.

Step by step, he moved forward.

—What should he say when he sees her?

—When he calls her name, will she tremble slightly before turning around in disbelief?

The light at the end of the hallway grew larger with each step.

—When she looks at him, will her expression remain calm as always? Or will her pale blue eyes glisten with unshed tears?

—Will she rush forward to embrace him?

He was getting closer now.

Closer to Treya.

—Or perhaps...

—She’ll hold herself back just enough to place her hands over her heart and offer him a gentle smile?

Will quickened his pace.

By the end, he was running.

—But no matter what happens, he would look at her and say...

—”I’m back,” wouldn’t he?

—

He reached it.

The end of the hallway.

This long journey of anticipation finally came to an end as Will arrived at his destination.

At the end of the hallway was a tall but modestly sized reception room. Its brightness came from a large window directly opposite him that let in natural light.

And there she was...

Princess Treya stood there, her silver hair cascading like a waterfall down her back. The silvery hue dominated her appearance, making her look breathtakingly beautiful.

“Treya,” Will called out between heavy breaths as he tried to steady himself.

“Wi... Will...” Treya stammered softly upon hearing his voice. Her body visibly trembled.

Yes.

This was exactly how he had imagined she would react.

She would be surprised because she had waited so long for him.

She would be surprised because he had come back for her.

This was their long-awaited reunion after days and nights apart—a moment they had both yearned for so deeply.

“Treya, I... I’m back. Just as you hoped... I...”

Then she slowly turned around.

Only then did Will notice what she was wearing—a black lace dress paired with black high heels that accentuated her tall figure.

But...

“...You’re back...” she said softly.

Why...

Why was her left eye...

Covered by an eyepatch?