Struggling as a Villain

The conversation with Lilia's parents went smoothly. They agreed to let this engagement happen. Tomorrow is the date when they would exchange rings and cut the cake. There was no formal ceremony organised since Richard had to leave tomorrow.

However, it was a lie. Richard didn't ask for a ceremony, since tomorrow, everything would get crushed under the chaos of the Ambrobates.

*STAB*

While practising dagger throws using telekinesis, Richard thought about tomorrow.

The group of Aembr-possessed beasts would be invading Awsperg, and their assault would turn everything into dust.

Originally, it was never discovered how so many terrestrial beasts ended up in a coastal area. Ethan never paid mind to it since after one and a half months he would get invited to the Academy.  Ethan deemed every Ambrobate his enemy and started his journey to end this once and for all.

However, discerning the perpetrators couldn't be Richard's primary goal. Richard couldn't waste his time on that. He needs to correctly plan what should be done tomorrow to not let Cristina and Henry die yet the Protagonist awakens his Blessings.

*STAB*

He cannot risk his life or Lilia's just to help the Protagonist; however, if Ethan can't awaken tomorrow, then there is a chance for him to not get enrolled in the Academy.

Then there were the three heroines as well, who might interfere with the event tomorrow. Well, considering Eleanor's personality she might not desire to intervene, but the same cannot be said about the emotionally naive blond who goes by the name Emily.

The situation was getting complicated. And Richard was low on options.

*STAB*

[DING!]

[A new quest arrived!]

[Help the helpless: Provide the remedy to cure Ethan's mother.]

[Reward: 50 stats points, ???]

[Time limit: 6 hours]

[Punishment: Removal of all the previously granted rewards.]

Richard's eyes widened, not because of the quest but rather because of the punishment.

He stared at the screen before a frown drew his brows close and he asked, "Didn't you say there was no punishment for the quests? Why are you going back on your words now?!"

Richard wasn't upset, he was furious. The sole reason he was wary of this system was that he feared something like this to happen. He has read in various novels how the system threatens the life of their host for some measly tasks. And now, this system was following the cliche path as well.

Despite waiting for several minutes, no answer arrived.

Richard gritted his teeth. This was insane.

Just then, he caught the figure of a small boy leaving the mansion.

For a moment, Richard just wanted to ignore the system and continue his life as he wanted...but then, he chose to see what this damn system wanted.

"Ethan," Calling out to him, Richard walked towards him before asking, "Are you returning home?"

The small boy looked at Richard with a surprised gaze before he nodded, "Yes. My mum is alone and sick. Is there something Master Richard wants me to do?" Ethan wondered.

However, Richard shook his head and told the silver head to wait for him there.

Richard went inside the mansion and fetched the highest grade of recovery potion and healing potion, along with several supplements which would help in her recovery.

"This...?" Lilia, who walked inside the room just behind him, asked Richard with a confused gaze.

Richard shook his head and walked out wordlessly.

Reaching the entrance of the mansion, he placed the materials in the basket which Ethan was holding.

Ethan could only identify the pink liquid as a potion but before he could ask why Richard gave it to him, Richard began,

"I have heard about your mother's illness so go home and boil the roots, the dried flowers and the slice of meat I provided, in water and make it a thick broth. Then, first feed the pink potion to your mother, followed by the broth. Once she shows some sign of recovery, you need to feed her the green potion in three servings. Don't forget, in three dosages.

If you do these things correctly, then by tomorrow morning, your mother's illness would v-an...ish..."

The reason Richard began to stutter near the end was because he caught Ethan weeping with heavy droplets of tears raining down his eyes.

"What happened to you?" Richard asked in shock.

Ethan wiped his eyes with his empty hand as he responded, "I-It's just...I-I never t-thought m-my Mom w-*hicc*-will recover..." Looking up at Richard, Ethan added, "T-Thank you, s-sir Richard...I-I will never forget what you have done for me..."

The frail boy looked excessively weak right now, crying while holding the basket full of medicines dearly in his arm.

There was a stark contrast between this boy and the great warrior who faced the King of Death all alone with only his single arm and a broken sword.

Richard could only pat Ethan on the shoulder and say, "Go to your mother. She needs you."

Ethan wiped the remnants of tears before he smiled and nodded.

Tracing his retreating back with his eyes, Richard couldn't help but ask himself, 'Is the system trying to make me friends with the Protagonist?'

The system's goal was to ensure Richard's survival in this world, so maybe the system deemed this method to be the only possible route.

Who knows.

---------------***--------------

"You shouldn't have wasted your resources on him, master." Hearing those words from Lilia, who was arranging the bed, Richard looked up from the book before humming in question.

Lilia didn't turn to look at him before complaining, "That brat tried to attack you and you gave him such expensive materials."

"Oh," Now he realised what she was talking about, but before he could tell the reason behind his actions, he asked her in a teasing manner, "You called Ethan a brat...and I am also the same age as him. So should I assume..."

"No, it's not!" Lilia instantly dropped the pillow and turned to look at him with her eyes widened and her head shaking left to right. However, the moment she saw that smirk on his face, she realised how easily she got tricked.

"Young master, you are turning into a bully these days." She grumbled and picked up the pillow again, to change its cover.

Richard got up from the chair before standing behind her and wrapping his hands around her thin and huggable waist. Drawing his face closer, he whispered in her ear, "You look adorable when you are mad. So should I assume you are tempting me?"

Her eyes fluttered and she glanced at him over her shoulder. The shade of her cheeks turned rosy as she barely kept a hold of the pillow.

"You have improved in flirting as well, "She complained, but there was no displeasure in her voice at all.

Richard's hand slowly went inside her top, and while he caressed her smooth belly, he asked, "Wanna know what else I have improved in?"

There was no doubt what it was about...yet, despite being shy and all, Lilia couldn't stop herself from nodding.

The couple had a passionate night waiting for them.

------------***------------

"I have put her to sleep," Emily said as she sat down across Eleanor.

The violette was currently working on her device with which she could surveil at a distance of more than five hundred meters, if there were no obstacles in between, that is.

"How did you even come up with such a strange artefact and such a strange design? It seems two funnels are attached to each other." Emily wondered aloud.

Eleanor didn't respond. She couldn't say, as an inventory and alchemist, that she got the idea from a strange book which she bought from the black market.

Not only this device, but many other strange devices' designs are drawn in that book. Like a heat blower to dry hair and a small tornado inside a box to wash clothes. Eleanor trimmed out those designs which she deemed necessary for now. And this far-seeing artefact was a necessity during this incoming disaster.

Emily soon got fed up waiting and asked something else, "Do you think we should take Elizabeth away? She would be mad later on once she heard that Awsperg was attacked, tho."

Emily's question was met by a shake of Eleanor's head as she said, "We are capable enough to protect ourselves. Although our physical attributes have reduced significantly and our ether has diminished almost by one-tenth, the skills and experience we soaked in the last timeline are still with us."

"True," Emily concurred.

Turning her eyes toward Eleanor once again, this time determination flaring in them, she said, "Tomorrow, I am going to protect Ethan's master."

Since Emily didn't receive any response, she didn't wait there any longer, and after saying 'Good night', she walked away.

Eleanor stopped working for a moment before she looked in the direction where Emily went. With a smirk forming on her lips, she murmurd under her breath,

"You could have chosen to protect Ethan's mother as well, but you chose his master, since there was someone else with Cristina whom you don't desire to die, don't you Em?" Eleanor grinned at that.

Things were going exactly how she desired.

------------***-----------

A/N:- Thanks for reading. Write a review if you are enjoying the story.