The Do-Over System:My Beloved is the Villain! - Chapter 66

Chapter 66: 02/12-Penniless

Father Seraphiel, still recovering from the shock of being ambushed, stood tall, trying to regain his composure. He wiped the sweat from his brow, his hand trembling slightly. “I… I don’t have anything on me either,” he admitted reluctantly, his voice laced with embarrassment. His robes had been hastily arranged after the chaos of the ambush, and he could feel his dignity slowly slipping away. The two bandits, now watching with impatience, exchanged uncertain glances.

Leona, who had been silent up until now, stepped forward. Her stance was regal, and the hint of authority in her voice echoed through the clearing. “You both should be ashamed,” she said, her tone sharp and commanding. “Asking a lady to pay? What kind of honor do you claim to have when you attack the weak and demand their valuables?” Her eyes narrowed at the bandits, as if daring them to challenge her. “Do you think my jewels are enough to satisfy you?”

The bandits, realizing they had made a grievous miscalculation, flinched. Leona’s presence alone seemed to radiate power, making them rethink their approach. The one who had spoken earlier, the scarred bandit, glanced over at his companion, as if wondering how they could salvage the situation. The other bandit, who had been silently watching, now stepped forward.

“We didn’t expect to be confronted by such a…” The bandit hesitated, clearly struggling to find the right words, “lady of high stature.” He seemed uncomfortable, his voice trailing off as he realized just how out of their depth they were. “We’re just hungry… desperate. We meant no harm, truly.”

Leona, still composed and unyielding, crossed her arms. “Desperation doesn’t justify robbery,” she said coldly, her eyes locking with the bandit’s. “I would advise you to leave before things escalate further. You’ve already made a mistake.” Her gaze was unwavering, and it was clear she wasn’t backing down.

Father Seraphiel, still feeling the sting of his earlier failure, cleared his throat, attempting to salvage what little dignity he had left. “I… I agree with Lady Leona,” he said, his voice carrying an air of reluctant authority. “This behavior will only bring harm to all of us. It would be wise for you to leave now.”

The bandits, now clearly intimidated by Leona’s presence and the firm backing of Father Seraphiel, exchanged one last look. They could sense that the odds were not in their favor. Slowly, they backed away, their hands raised in surrender. “Fine,” the scarred bandit muttered. “We’ll leave, no need to make this worse. But remember, we didn’t come for a fight.”

“On second thought…”

The bandits, realizing they had made a grievous miscalculation, stood their ground. The scarred bandit, eyes narrowing, gave a quick signal to his companion, who stepped forward with a renewed sense of aggression. “We didn’t come here just for your jewelry,” the scarred bandit snarled, his hand gripping the hilt of his dagger tightly. “We want more.”

Leona’s eyes flickered with realization, her stance stiffening as the mood of the encounter shifted. “What more do you want?” she demanded, her voice still strong, though there was a tinge of annoyance creeping in. She wasn’t about to let them push her around.

The bandit grinned, his teeth yellow and crooked. “Everything,” he growled. “You’re clearly important, so you must have more to offer than just jewelry. If you want to walk away from here in one piece, we’re going to need more than that.” His companion, still holding a crooked blade, stepped closer, positioning himself behind them, effectively blocking their retreat.

Father Seraphiel, now realizing the gravity of the situation, stood at Leona’s side, but his face betrayed his panic. “This isn’t how this is supposed to go,” he muttered under his breath. His thoughts raced, but he quickly recognized that the bandits weren’t just after riches—they had a far more dangerous plan in mind.

Leona’s brow furrowed, her gaze shifting from the bandits to Father Seraphiel. “Are they serious?” she whispered to him, her voice cold, but the weight of the situation beginning to sink in. She could feel the tension in the air, thick with the bandits’ threat.

“We can’t just give them what they want,” Leona continued, her mind calculating. She’d been in sticky situations before, but this felt different. “We need a plan, now.”

The scarred bandit stepped closer, his knife gleaming in the fading light. “Don’t try to play games with us, priest. And you,” he said, his attention shifting back to Leona, “are going to show us what you’ve got.”

Father Seraphiel felt a knot tighten in his stomach. “Please, don’t harm her,” he pleaded, stepping forward protectively. “Take me instead, but leave Lady Leona out of this.”

Leona quickly raised a hand to stop him, though her face was tense with barely contained anger. “No one is taking anyone,” she said firmly. “You won’t get away with this.” Her hand subtly brushed the hidden dagger she had tucked into her side, the cool metal reassuring against her fingertips. But before she could make a move, the bandits’ leader gestured with his sword, signaling his companion to move in closer.

The bandit with the crooked blade shoved Father Seraphiel aside, his eyes gleaming with cruel amusement. “You’re both coming with us,” he said. “We’re not done here.”

Leona’s gaze darkened. “You’re making a huge mistake,” she warned, her voice like ice. But the bandits, desperate and emboldened, continued their advance. They began herding Leona and Father Seraphiel toward a nearby thicket, a dense part of the woods that would serve as a temporary hideout for their intentions.

Skye, who had been trailing them from a distance, observing with growing unease, suddenly felt the tension rise. The situation was getting out of hand, and the last thing he needed was for Leona to be taken hostage. He gritted his teeth, realizing that he couldn’t let the bandits go any further. He began to close the distance between himself and the group, his mind already formulating a plan to intervene.

The scarred bandit, noticing the shift in Leona’s demeanor, sneered. “What’s wrong, priest? Your lady is ready to fight back. Or perhaps you’ll try to stop us again?”

Leona met the bandit’s gaze with a steely resolve, her posture rigid, ready to fight, but she knew she needed to play it smart. She needed time, and she had to buy it. “You won’t get away with this,” she repeated, this time her voice unwavering. “Let us go now, and no harm will come to you.”

The bandit raised an eyebrow, considering her words for a moment. “Maybe you’re right,” he mused, but then he looked over at his companion and shook his head. “But we’ve got orders. You’re not going anywhere.”

Father Seraphiel’s face grew pale, realizing the gravity of the situation. “Please, we don’t have much,” he pleaded once again. “We don’t need to escalate things. Let her go.”

But the bandits weren’t listening anymore. They had already started their plan, pushing Leona and the priest further into the thicket as the sounds of the forest closed in around them. The fight was far from over, and the odds were stacked against them.

One of the bandits stepped forward, sneering as he drew a knife and pointed it toward Leona. “I relieve you of your weapon,” he said gruffly, his eyes narrowing as he kept a firm grip on the blade. “Don’t try anything sneaky, or we’ll make sure you regret it.”

Leona stood still, her gaze unwavering as she stared into the bandit’s eyes. She knew that any wrong move could escalate things further, but she wasn’t about to show weakness. She clenched her fists at her sides, her fingers itching to reach for the dagger hidden beneath her cloak.

Father Seraphiel, still bound by the rough ropes around his wrists, shifted uncomfortably. He had no weapon of his own to defend himself, but his posture was resolute. “What is it that you want?” he asked, trying to keep his voice steady. “If you intend to harm us, then I suggest you take care to do it quickly.”

The leader of the bandits sneered. “We don’t want your life,” he said, eying Leona and Seraphiel with contempt. “We want your power and your wealth.”

As tension rose, Skye, hidden in the shadows, prepared himself. “This will be the moment,” he whispered, tightening his grip on his own hidden weapon. He wasn’t going to let Leona be threatened without taking action, and he’d make sure that anyone who dared to harm her would regret it.

One of the bandits eyed Skye’s position carefully and spoke with a smirk. “The stakes are simple. Whoever protects Leona wins this rivalry. If you can best us, we’ll leave, but if we take her… well, you lose.”

Skye’s eyes gleamed in response. He wasn’t about to let this band of thugs have their way. “Let’s make this interesting,” he said, stepping forward. “You’ll regret underestimating me.”

Leona’s eyes widened as she realized Skye’s presence, her heart racing at the turn of events. The bandits, momentarily distracted by Skye’s challenge, now stood between him and her. This wasn’t just about survival anymore—it was a battle of pride and determination. And Skye wasn’t going to back down. The rivalry had just escalated, and the stakes had never been higher.