To be the Villainess

O36.

Chapter 36

══ ◈ ══

THE COLD metal of the dagger pressed into my palms as I gripped it tightly, feeling its weight like a promise. I steadied my breath, then hurled the blade toward the Grand Duke with all the force I could muster. But he caught it with a swift, single-handed snatch, his eyes glinting with a mixture of amusement and menace. A smirk tugged at his lips as he twirled the dagger casually.

“How futile,” he sneered, flicking the blade between his fingers as if it were a mere toy. “Did you truly think you could harm me so easily?”

I laughed softly, my gaze drifting toward the coffin. “Who said I only had one dagger?” I murmured, watching as his gaze followed mine—right to the second dagger embedded in the heart of Artemisia’s lifeless body.

The Grand Duke’s face went pale, and without a moment’s hesitation, he dashed to the coffin, yanking the dagger free from her chest with frantic hands. Panic flickered in his eyes, erasing every trace of confidence. I couldn’t help but smirk.

“What... what have you done?!” he roared, clutching the corpse protectively as if he could shield it from my reach. His fury burned into me, and in his anger, he attempted to hurl the dagger back at me.

╔═════════ ◈ ═════════╗ 

The ability [Evoke] has been activated.

╚═════════ ◈ ═════════╝

But the blade vanished before it left his hand, reappearing instantly in my own. Huh. This new ability was proving to be delightfully useful.

“My lady— or whoever you are. Stop this madness at once.” Sebastian’s voice, strained and desperate, cut through the tension. I turned to face him, a smirk curling my lips.

“Stop? Oh, but I haven’t even begun,” I said, gesturing to my shackled wrists and ankles. “See? I’m still restrained.”

He clenched his jaw, frustration knitting his brows as he bit down on his lower lip.

“Don’t worry,” the Grand Duke muttered, holding the corpse close as if it might slip away from him. “She’ll be gone any moment now.” His voice dripped with something twisted, and a wave of nausea rolled over me. I forced myself to keep steady, swallowing back the bile rising in my throat.

Just then, the quiet creak of a door opening froze us all. A figure stepped into the chamber, shadowed and imposing. The air grew colder, heavier, as if the room itself were holding its breath.

“She’s awake?”

The Emperor’s voice was a chilling whisper, and I felt my pulse quicken as his gaze locked onto me.

Reynald stepped fully into the room, his presence casting an ominous shadow that seemed to seep into every corner of the chamber. His gaze swept across the scene—taking in the Grand Duke clutching Artemisia’s corpse, the shackles on my wrists, the blood-streaked daggers. A faint smirk tugged at his lips, but his eyes held only cold calculation.

“We’re running out of time,” he murmured, his voice smooth yet laced with urgency. “The eclipse will end soon. We cannot afford any more delays.”

At his words, a flicker of movement caught my eye. Emerging from behind the Emperor, Zacharias entered, his expression unreadable, eyes sharp and guarded. In his hands, he held something carefully wrapped in a dark cloth, cradled close to his chest. The faint outline of the orb beneath the fabric was unmistakable, though he held it as if it could shatter with the slightest misstep.