The Novel’s Antagonist: I walk the path of a Villain - Chapter 79

Chapter 79: Cravings I can’t control…

“Aria?” A girl with blonde hair and green eyes called out, her gaze fixed on another girl walking toward a private training room, a book clutched tightly to her chest.

“Zelly,” Ariana replied softly, her grip on the book tightening.

“Where are you going? I haven’t seen you around lately,” Rizel said, her eyes lingering on the book in Ariana’s arms.

“Oh… I took some time off from class to train,” Ariana replied, her voice quiet but firm.

“You can do that?” Rizel raised an eyebrow in surprise.

“It’s… complicated,” Ariana said with a vague shrug. Then, as if changing the subject, she asked, “What about you? Where are you headed?”

“My dorm. I just came from the cafeteria,” Rizel answered casually.

“I see…” Ariana hesitated, looking uncomfortable. “Um… Have you, by any chance, seen El around?”

“You mean Ryan?” Rizel tilted her head slightly.

“…Yeah, Ryan,” Ariana said, her voice faint but tinged with irritation.

For some reason, hearing everyone else call him Ryan irritated her to the point where the darker traits of her past self threatened to surface. She hated how it made her feel as if he no longer belonged to her. So, she decided to stick to calling him El. Fewer people used that name, which meant fewer chances of her “accidentally” killing someone.

“I think I saw him just as I left the cafeteria,” Rizel said, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

“…With who?” Ariana’s tone darkened, her emerald eyes sharpening.

“That girl, Anna—no, wait. Selena, I think they called her,” Rizel replied casually.

Ariana’s teeth clenched, her jaw tightening as she pressed the book even harder against her chest.

She hated it.

Oh, how she hated it.

The thought of Ryan—her Ryan—being with someone else stirred a deep, primal rage within her. It was unbearable. The image of him smiling at someone who wasn’t her ignited an unquenchable fire in her heart, a relentless urge to erase everything and everyone in this facility.

She hated Selena.

Selena was everything Ariana despised: beautiful, wealthy, and, worst of all, stronger. That last part stung the most. If only Ariana were stronger, Selena would have been nothing more than a forgotten obstacle—just like all the other girls Ariana had dealt with in her past life.

It didn’t matter who they were, how rich or beautiful. They all ended up the same: gone, erased from his life forever.

But now?

Now, she faced an opponent she couldn’t simply brush aside. Someone who eclipsed her in every way that mattered, and the realization angered at her even more.

She even considered taking Ryan and running, leaving this facility and everyone in it behind. But the fear of his hatred held her back. She wasn’t ready—not yet. She hadn’t even told him who she truly was.

But she couldn’t even do that, as Selena would kill her without hesitation if she tried. As much as Ariana claimed to be unafraid of death, the idea of dying and leaving Ryan with that woman was unthinkable.

“Aria?” Rizel’s voice broke through the heavy silence, jolting her back to the present.

“What?” Ariana snapped, her expression dark and stormy.

“Don’t you think you need some sleep?” Rizel asked gently, stepping closer. She leaned forward, placing the back of her hand against Ariana’s forehead.

“Why would you say that?” Ariana took a step back, her guarded demeanor returning.

“You’re a mess, Aria,” Rizel said bluntly, her eyes scanning her friend. Ariana’s complexion was pale, her eyes sunken with dark circles from countless sleepless nights. Her once neat hair was tangled and unkempt.

“…R-really?” Ariana stammered, her hand instinctively reaching up to touch her disheveled hair.

“Yes. Really,” Rizel sighed, her gaze softening.

“Yeah, I get it. You want to improve yourself, but you should also take care of yourself. You’re starting to lose your charm, and for a young woman like me, that’s going to be a problem down the line. Or don’t you care about having a romantic life?” Rizel asked with a sigh, her tone equal parts teasing and serious.

‘She’s right,’ Ariana thought, biting her lip. ‘What would El say if he saw me like this?’

“…Yeah, you’re right,” Ariana admitted with a reluctant nod.

“Good.” Rizel smiled, clearly pleased with herself.

“Thanks,” Ariana muttered, turning to leave. “Alright, I’m heading to the infirmary now.” She waved at Rizel as she walked away, abandoning whatever plans she had for the night.

Rizel stood there, watching her disappear into the distance, her smile fading. Her eyes narrowed as a frown tugged at her lips.

‘You think I don’t know what you’re up to?’ she thought darkly, ‘That’s the fifth mind-altering grimoire I’ve seen her with this week. Could it be… she plans to use them on Ryan?’ Rizel bit her lip in contemplation.

Before she could dwell further on the thought, something hit her—hard.

“Haah… Haaah… HAAA…” she panted, her breath becoming erratic as an unbearable heat coursed through her body. Her legs wobbled, and she stumbled back, gasping for air.

BAM!

She rushed into one of the private training rooms, slamming the door shut behind her.

Click!

The sharp sound of the lock echoed in the room as Rizel leaned heavily against the door, her hands trembling.

“Damn it… these urges are getting worse,” she muttered through clenched teeth, her body burning with a feverish intensity. “Didn’t I just take my medicine a few hours ago?”

Her hand instinctively moved under her skirt as the unbearable sensation intensified. She groaned, quickly summoning a piece of cloth from her meta-watch—a faintly cut piece of fabric.

Desperate, she brought it to her nose and inhaled deeply, as though her very life depended on it. The scent overwhelmed her senses, and she collapsed to her knees, gasping as waves of pleasure overtook her.

Moments later, her breathing steadied, and she clicked her tongue in frustration. “Tsk,” she muttered, her fingers trembling as she gripped the cloth.

“What do I do?” she whispered, hugging her knees to her chest. Her voice was barely audible, “I’m losing my mind… I need more…”

Her breaths came in shallow gasps as she bit her lip. “Just this… this stupid piece of cloth isn’t enough anymore. I need more medicine… no,” her voice lowered to a dangerous whisper, “I need the source. I need Ryan.”

Her mind raced as she considered the unthinkable. “Should I just… kidnap him? I could keep him chained up in one of those lounges in Sector 23…” she murmured, rubbing her chin in consideration.

But then her expression darkened, and she shook her head violently. “No. Selena…” Rizel muttered, her voice trembling. “That woman is dangerous. If I get too close to him, she might kill me.”

She shut her eyes tightly, her nails digging into her palms as frustration and desperation consumed her.

Her bloodline was driving her to the brink of madness. The side effects had already begun to spiral out of control, amplifying her powers but also her cravings. She was getting stronger, yes, but at the cost of her sanity.

‘If I leave things as they are, I’ll lose my mind completely…’

“What do I do?” she whispered again, her voice breaking as the weight of her predicament pressed down on her.

…

…

Shelly Trinika.

The Unjustified Villain.

No matter how much I came to love the story, I could never bring myself to agree with the author’s decision to cast Shelly as a villain. If anyone in that story had a kind heart, it was undoubtedly that naive childish girl.

She deserved better.

And yet, she was made a villain.

If I recall correctly, her descent into infamy began with a devastating event—a moment where she was sexually harassed by some brainless scum. That event… it’s already underway.

Shelly was the only character I truly considered an unjustified villain. The others? Well, they were a completely different story.

Rizel and the rest were another case entirely.

Psychos.

That’s the best way to describe them.

Tsk.

What scares me the most right now, though, isn’t Shelly or her tragic circumstances. It’s Rizel.

I’m not an idiot. It’s painfully clear that her object of curiosity, unlike in the original novel, is me.

And that’s a problem.

I’m weak. Powerless.

If, for some reason, I end up crossing paths with her…

… I’m screwed.

To make matters worse, my connection with Nelia is unstable. She can’t help me the way she did back in the armory.

And if I were to encounter Rizel in my current state…

… I fear she might r@pe me on the spot.

…

…

This time i demand gifts~(￣ー￣)✧