Fated to Be Loved by Villains

Chapter 48: Setting the Stage

༺ Setting the Stage ༻

“Picking a fight with me, you say…”

A languid voice flowed out from the Pope’s mouth.

“There must be something that just doesn’t sit right with you. Please, do tell.”

Even as he casually spoke, he had a calm composure to an almost terrifying degree. It was almost as if this situation had no relevance nor meaning to him whatsoever.

“…”

Well, so what?

I just needed to convey my intentions anyway.

With a wry smile, I gestured with my chin towards Klein, who had collapsed on the ground.

“For now, please stop sending bastards like this to harass the Saintess. You know the saying right? The water at the summit of a mountain must be clear for the water at its base to be clean as well. Because of your dirty and sinister thoughts, your subordinates reflect upon you by acting out like the unrestrained bitches that they are.”

The mouths of the surrounding spectators gaped once again.

They couldn’t seem to believe that such words were being spoken to one of the most powerful figures on the entire continent.

“Also, there’s something you’re desperately looking for right now, right?”

I was referring to Yuria’s sword, the national treasure of the Holy Land.

“Don’t bother, that thing is mine. If you insist though… Let’s say that you’ll be in big trouble.”

My short-term goal was to somehow deal with the source of the Curse of Severance. There were only four days left to do so. Only then, would I be able to gain the means to clear Chapter 2.

Thus, to achieve this goal, I needed to stop this guy from going in a mad rush to try to get his grubby hands all over the treasure.

“…Thank you for the advice.”

His voice flowed smoothly once again, almost as if nothing I said fazed him.

“Your Holiness…”

I let out a faint smirk, as my words echoed throughout the chambers.

“That wasn’t advice, you know?”

“…”

For reference, most of the individuals attending my audience with the Pope would have already gone through a considerable amount of trials and proved their capabilities. Each had their special abilities and unique nature that made them shine enough to get to where they were now.

That meant jack shit though, since their reactions were exactly the same. Unique who?

Their silence was accompanied by astonishment.

“How dare you! Who do you think you are to act this way!”

I looked towards the person who shouted that out, his voice shrill with overwhelming anger.

Huh, he seemed like quite the ancient-looking priest. He was probably the Chief Aide of the Pope.

“In the first place, we all heard you say that you were the one who was picking a fight with us! Although the duel itself couldn’t be helped because it is proper procedure to respect it, resorting to this unnecessary brutality and disrespect is completely unacceptable! The Holy Kingdom will never overlook such actions!”

“So what?”

When I gave him that nonchalant response, the priest’s jaw dropped in shock.

“…What did you just say?”

“So what if you won’t overlook it. What are you going to do? Kill me?”

“…”

The priest’s body began to tremble, his mouth still hanging open.

If he just stayed still without saying anything, he would’ve at least looked mildly composed and respectable. However, now, with his entire face reddened and his beard quivering, he looked like a complete joke.

“Using… Using such a brute in an honorable duel! Are Duke Tristan and the Imperial Family in their right minds?”

“If you want to talk about sanity or shit, look at yourself in the mirror first! You’re the one who looks like a crazy bastard!”

I wasn’t the one who said that.

A nearby individual who had been silently observing this situation until now, spoke up as he rose from his seat.

His entire body was covered in muscles and scars, perfecting the stereotype of an ancient barbarian warrior with his attire and appearance.

“When you bullied that Saintess chick or whatever she was called, even though she was clearly innocent, we didn’t do jack to you. It’s fair, since it’s none of our business.”

A laid-back voice echoed.

“But this case is different. Even the Tribal Alliance knows who that kid is, knows how important he is. The moment you send a trained soldier against a kid who isn’t even a warrior yet, we’ve already suspected that something was amiss.”

The warrior let out a chuckle and continued to smirk as he spoke.

“But even with all the cards stacked against him, you still lost overwhelmingly, so shut the fuck up. What that kid does from now on is a perfectly acceptable use of his rights as a victor.”

I instinctively let out a bitter laugh internally.

‘…It is as expected but…”

I already expected that someone would back me up if I openly challenged the Pope. That was why I started this fiasco in the first place.

However, the ‘importance’ that this man talked about was something that arose just now, when he saw me handling the devil’s power without any penalties.

So obviously, there was a reason why he took my side.

“…”

In other words…

From now on, I’ve become ‘prey’ who held the attention of not only the Imperial Family, but also the War Chiefs of the Tribal Alliance.

It seemed like I was bound to face all sorts of bothersome issues in the future.

As I mulled over these bitter thoughts, the priest was furiously addressing the words of the Chief.

“Please refrain from speaking without comprehending the full story! This is a matter of the Pope’s safety!”

“So what, you old fossil? I’ll repeat what the kid said earlier. What are you gonna do about it? Are you going to kill me or something?”

With that, the priest instantly shut his mouth.

This time, it wasn’t that he was at a loss for words because he was so angry. It was because he could read the killing intent oozing from the lunatic’s eyes.

Even the faces of nearby individuals, who weren’t even the target for such murderous energy, started to go pale and blue from the pressure and fear.

“Even our Tribal Alliance’s Chieftain can’t order me around. So why should I listen to you? I don’t give a shit about what people from other countries say. Got it?”

“…”

In a way, this situation was just a continuous series of diplomatic disasters, but even so, the priest remained silent. Moreover, the Pope didn’t say a word either.

‘…Ha…’

To be honest, I had a pretty good idea why they kept their silence.

I counted the number of marks near the neck of the War Chief. The warriors of the Tribal Alliance tattooed their body with fang marks equal to the number of monsters they have hunted alone.

‘Ten marks.’

Another thing to note was that what the Tribal Alliance hunters called ‘monsters’ were at the level of drakes or basilisks.

Although they couldn’t compete with special-grade monsters, such as dragons or the Four Cardinal Gods, they were still magical beasts at the level of a natural disaster if one was to run amok.

In other words…

This individual had hunted down ten of such monsters alone, when the Imperial Knights wouldn’t dare to face even one of them unless their Captain was present.

In that regard, his achievements were even greater than Gideon’s or Atallante’s, who were both renowned monsters in their own right.

“…”

I knew who this man was.

Hatan U-Jul.

He was the War Chief of the ‘Blue Dragons’, one of the main tribes in the Tribal Alliance, and the world’s greatest monster hunter. He was also a recurring antagonist who frequently appeared in Chapter 3.

Moreover, he was a tenured professor at the ‘Forge of Struggle’, an esteemed institution with influence akin to Elfante.

With all these titles and accolades draped all over him, it was easy to understand why they would let him strut around like a thug without repercussions.

To be more precise, they probably wanted to avoid confronting a fucking lunatic like him.

“Also, you.”

And now, that very same lunatic directed his gaze towards me.

“I like your spirit. Even without considering the peculiar power you wield, you have the capabilities to become an exceptional warrior.”

System Notification

[ Skill: Fatal Charm is activated. ]

[ A villain is pleased with your fighting spirit! ]

[ Rewards available! ]

“…”

Huh.

As expected of a madman, it seemed like he found me appealing when I performed those crazy deeds.

“…Thank you.”

As I gave my gratitude towards a fiercely laughing Hatan, he replied in turn.

“Come visit the Forge of Struggle sometime in the future. I will treat you well as an esteemed guest.”

With that, a piece of jewelry flew towards me.

It was an unassuming accessory akin to a dreamcatcher. However, my eyes widened in delight as soon as I caught it.

[ Lion’s Necklace ]

Type: Accessory

Item Grade: Rare

Description: A necklace bestowed upon promising warriors in the Tribal Alliance. When worn, it enhances the vitality of the body and improves the efficiency of physical training.

‘This? Already?’

While it was only a ‘Rare’ grade, the fact that I, a person of the ‘Empire’, received this item brought forth many implications.

Out of all the superpowers, the Tribal Alliance was the most conservative when it came to their vigilance against foreign nations. Giving this to a citizen from another country was something unimaginable.

To obtain it, one would usually have to work their ass off to gain favor with Hatan, but I seemed to have received it so easily, thanks to the effects of my ‘Fatal Charm’.

‘…Now, that’s what I call stonks.’

Although it won’t grant great benefits right away, it was still an item that can potentially alter one of the acts in Chapter 3 ‘Academy Exchange Event’ entirely.

After all, it was one of the conditions required to save an existence originally fated to die in Chapter 3.

To be more precise…

It was my ticket to save the person that the chapter’s main character, Riru Garda, risked her life to protect.

“You guys can go ahead and resolve the rest of the situation on your own. I had a fun time watching. See ya.”

While I was contemplating, Hatan yawned out those words and proceeded to dip.

The spectators gave him incredulous looks, as if to ask ‘What is wrong with him’, but he didn’t pay them any mind.

“…”

Yep. This was how he always acted.

Like an unpredictable force of nature. Always did whatever he wanted at his own pace.

Even so, thanks to that guy’s unpredictable actions, there was simply no one here who could challenge what I said. The only thing left for them to do was to simply wait for the Pope’s response.

As he let out a sigh, I glimpsed at his silhouette faintly visible across from me.

Even with the situation that had unfolded so far, he did not seem to have any intention of responding.

He merely continued to gaze at me in silence.

Even now, this bastard…

Without the slightest hint of emotion, he calmly scanned me from head to toe.

“I understand.”

Shortly thereafter, the Pope’s smooth voice finally flowed out.

“It wasn’t exactly a duel that I wagered something on, but conceding to something of only that level won’t be too difficult. Feel free to do as you wish.”

With his words, everyone’s eyes trembled in shock.

It meant that he accepted the so-called proposal of the person who caused this entire commotion.

Moreover, he did it on a public platform, thus claiming that he will take personal responsibility over this decision.

This guy pledged to not interfere with Lucien and Yuria from now on, and also declared that he would give up the national treasure of the Holy Land that Yuria currently possessed.

Of course, he would still work behind the scenes and scheme to thwart my plans, but there was a world of difference between publicly making such a decision and not doing so.

“Your Holiness!”

At his pledge, the Chief Aide turned towards him in astonishment, but the Pope merely spoke in his unchanging smooth voice.

“This is my will, Chief Aide.”

“However…!”

“I said, this is my will, Chief Aide.”

The priest fell silent immediately.

It was because there was a subtle anger mixed in the Pope’s previously even voice.

“…”

I let out a faint smile.

This bastard was not one to casually let this matter go.

He was desperately suppressing his anger when he accepted my proposal, yearning to rip me apart at any moment.

“…You…You truly are a cunning individual. I’ll give you that much.”

Hearing these words, I couldn’t help but feel somewhat disappointed.

It would’ve been better if he refused my proposal with a hint of arrogance.

If he did so…

I could’ve ripped him off even more.

-!

The very next moment, light descended from the sky.

It enveloped Klein’s writhing body on the ground in an instant.

Blessing of Transportation

The purpose was probably to transport this guy back to the Church headquarters.

“…Teleportation to the Church headquarters? From this distance?”

“I have heard of the Pope’s prowess, but…!”

From nearby, there were numerous voices expressing utter disbelief.

.

I mean, it was understandable.

A distance of several thousand kilometers separates the Church headquarters of the Holy Land and Elfante.

Knowing this, to send a person there with just one teleportation…

Now that was the definition of just built different.

It was a truly incredible feat that could perhaps only be seen if one actually brought a dragon.

Also, considering the fact that teleportation abilities using divine power were extremely challenging, his actions were even more unbelievably insane.

‘…What a fucking monster.’

In my past life, he was jokingly referred to as the ‘Devil in Human Skin’ by the players of the game.

Even without that twisted personality, his true abilities were worthy enough to be compared to that of a Devil.

As expected, him carrying the title of the strongest priest in history wasn’t just for show.

“…Let us meet again. Dowd Campbell.”

He enunciated my name accurately.

Almost as if he would engrave every syllable of it into his memory.

“We will undoubtedly have a chance to meet once again.”

And with those words….

The projection of the Pope vanished from Elfante.

In the inner sanctum, located deep within the Church headquarters of the Holy Land.

Pope Credo Baor II was smiling while wiping his face.

As the light dissipated from the scepter next to his chair, he began to speak.

“Seraph.”

Simultaneously with his call, a woman who had been quietly waiting by his side offered him a cup.

As expected of the headquarters of the Church, the cup was adorned with the symbols of fate, however, in contrast to them, the dark liquid inside emitted an unmistakably unholy aura.

“…”

Silently, the Pope took a sip of the drink, as a deep sigh escaped his lips.

Having unfathomable levels of divine power was a double-edged sword. After all, the human body was not able to withstand the backlash, even if only a small percentage was unleashed.

To expel the lingering energy within his body, he had to constantly carry and consume such substances.

Creating such items would undoubtedly cause immense suffering for someone. Perhaps, they would even need to sacrifice their lives.

However, he didn’t care in the slightest.

‘…At the very least, until I achieve my goals.’

He would do whatever it took, no matter the cost.

To complete the ‘Great Covenant’ that he had devoted his life to.

His next command stayed consistent with this line of reasoning.

“Use the teleported battle priest as materials for the Chimera Project. He will be quite a useful battery.”

He had no need for failures.

It wasn’t like casually throwing away a high-ranking battle priest would bring about huge repercussions anyway.

“I understand. I will announce that he passed away while receiving ample treatment.”

The woman called Seraph lowered her head quietly as she received his command.

However, the Pope tilted his head in confusion because she did not act instantly to carry out his order as she usually did.

“Seraph? Is there some kind of a problem?”

“…May I ask a question?”

“You may.”

It was an unexpected situation.

He never expected that she, someone who was akin to a perfectly obedient doll, would ask a question to him.

“Why did His Holiness accept that man’s proposition?”

“…Ah. Are you talking about the matter regarding the Greyhounder sisters?”

The Pope let out a bitter laugh.

Certainly, anyone would find it strange that he had nonchalantly indulged the request of a youth who openly displayed disrespectful behavior.

However…

“He threatened me, so I had no other choice.”

“…Huh?”

A dazed mutter slipped out of Seraph.

Threatened?

Rather, after the commotion he caused, wouldn’t the Pope have the right to pressure that insolent man, Dowd, instead?

Given the Pope’s authority, it was only natural to think that way.

“That youth’s ‘value’… You must know it too, Seraph.”

However, the Pope merely continued with a sigh.

“The Empire, the Tribal Alliance, and even us. We already knew that boy had some sort of connection with the ‘Devils’. Additionally, we have seen him skillfully handle some aspects of that power during the duel.”

With just that alone, Dowd Campbell’s value had risen to an impossible level.

In the entire history of the world, there had never been a human capable of such feats.

While the support of the Tribal Alliance’s War Chief may have been partially due to their compatible personalities, the value of Dowd’s existence probably played the most significant role in Hatan’s decision.

Moreover, the first thing Dowd Campbell did, after declaring himself as such an existence in front of everyone, was to pick a fight with the Pope first.

“As soon as he so blatantly confronted me, he ‘showed’ everyone that there’s an disagreeable relationship between him and me. That alone was enough for him to ‘win’ against me.”

“…Huh?”

“Since others now know about our ill relations, if anything were to happen to him, handling the brunt of the aftermath will entirely fall onto me and the Holy Land.”

Seraph, who blinked for a moment, suddenly hardened her expression and faced the Pope.

The Pope laughed bitterly once again.

Indeed. She finally seemed to have understood now.

“If anything unfortunate happens to Dowd Campbell’s well-being, the Tribal Alliance and the Empire will first suspect that the Holy Land orchestrated something. They’ll use that as a pretext for an amalgamation of espionage activities and unreasonable demands.”

“But we would never orchestrate something like th…!”

“In truth, the relationship itself isn’t that important.”

The Pope interrupted with a low voice.

“International politics are ultimately based on the logic of power. If the balance of power is maintained, you can hold the other party accountable for misdeeds, regardless of the truth. In that regard, any matter regarding Dowd Campbell is an unimaginably strong justification. Since everyone considers themselves as valuable, he demonstrated his own worth through this duel.”

And as a result…

“…Arrange for some intelligence and operative personnels to be placed near Dowd Campbell. We must provide him with assistance no matter what.”

Ironically, the Holy Land were now trapped in a situation where they had to ‘protect’ Dowd Campbell, who openly picked a fight with them.

As soon as something were to happen to him, the Empire and the Tribal Alliance would use it as an opportunity to exert significant pressure on the Holy Land.

This was also what the Pope meant when he said he was ‘threatened’. In such a situation, confronting Dowd Campbell forcefully would only lead to him navigating the entire circumstance in a way that benefits him.

“…If you say so, Your Holiness.”

With a slightly trembling voice, Seraph spoke.

“It is impossible to believe but… The fact that they even sent an appeal to Your Holiness to personally witness the affairs in Elfante was because…”

“That’s what that boy requested.”

The Pope chuckled coldly.

“It was part of his plan all along. He knew it would turn out like this.”

“…”

Seraph fell silent with bewilderment as goosebumps rose all over her arms.

Purposefully requesting such an absurd duel. And shortly thereafter, challenging the Pope like a rabid dog.

Everything that seemed like the actions of a madman was actually a plan with such meticulous calculations for every circumstance.

All this.

From a single student.

Moreover, against one of the strongest nations on the entire continent.

To put it simply, a single student’s machinations were enough to completely turn the tables against a nation that was among the top powers of the continent.

The Pope let out a quiet sigh.

This feeling… He had felt it in the past as well.

‘…He’s similar to that man.’

From the way he had the ability to ‘suddenly become powerful’ when he was weak, to the overall atmosphere he exuded.

He was terribly similar to the most chilling and unpleasant ‘thing’ the Pope had ever encountered.

“In any case, we will undoubtedly meet again someday.”

Perhaps, those two as well.

They might encounter each other soon. It was an intuitive feeling that ran down his spine.

The Pope once again wiped his face with a sigh.

His expression remained as emotionless as always, but his eyes were also still gleaming brightly.

‘Dowd Campbell.’

That name.

He would never forget it.

TLN:

Hi everyone!

The plan for now is at least 4 chapters/week.

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