To be the Villainess

O44.

Chapter 44

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sebastian

I WATCHED as she vanished into the light, slipping out of sight. I let out a slow, deliberate sigh, rolling my shoulders to ease the tension. Enough of this charade. That so-called poison? A pitiful concoction. Not even fit to kill a rat, let alone a monster like me.

With a flick of my wrist, my sword materialized, the cold steel glinting under the dim light. My gaze swept across their terrified faces, a cruel smile tugging at my lips. I had ensured her escape, because I knew she had endured far worse than these fools could ever imagine. The memory of her exhausted yet defiant eyes, her fragile body struggling to stand, only fueled the bloodlust coursing through my veins.

The mere thought of tearing apart every single one of the scum who dared to push her to that brink made my fingers twitch with anticipation. And to think I already had the pleasure of tormenting one—oh, the Grand Duke’s face, twisted in agony, had been a sight to behold. It was almost... intoxicating, the way he suffered as his daughter had.

I couldn’t suppress the grin that spread across my face. My hand moved to cover my mouth as I chuckled darkly, the sound low and menacing. “Yes... I shall make them all pay,” I murmured, each word dripping with malice. “Starting with that wretched woman who dared interfere. The one who dared wound her.”

Before I could relish the thought further, a frantic voice broke through my musings. “Your Highness!” One of the pathetic recruits Reynald had sent stumbled forward, eyes wide with concern. My eyes narrowed in annoyance as I turned my gaze to him, a low growl rumbling in my chest. How dare he interrupt me.

“Are you—”

His words were cut off, quite literally, as I swung my blade with lethal precision. His head separated from his shoulders in a single fluid motion, the momentum sending it rolling across the ground. Blood sprayed in a crimson arc, splattering my face with warm droplets. The corpse crumpled at my feet, still twitching as if it hadn’t yet realized it was dead.

For a heartbeat, there was only silence. Then, chaos erupted. Gasps, screams, and the stench of fear filled the air as the others froze, their eyes wide, bodies trembling. I could barely make out their faces through the haze of my rage, but I knew—oh, I knew—their eyes were wide with terror. One of Reynald’s creatures, the only one with enough sense to appreciate true carnage, started cackling madly at the spectacle.

“Why did you kill him, Your Highness?” Another voice, shrill with panic, cried out. Tears streamed down his cheeks, a pitiful sight that only served to amuse me.

I let out a mocking laugh, my voice echoing in the silence as I casually kicked the severed head away like a piece of garbage. “Your Highness, you say?” I drawled, each word laced with disdain. “I hereby renounce your pathetic guild. Let the Emperor turn his eyes elsewhere.” The words slipped from my lips like poison, and I could almost taste the sweet satisfaction of rebellion.

They surged forward, a chaotic mass of fury and desperation, as if they thought sheer numbers would be enough to stop me. How foolish. My grin widened, stretching into something monstrous.

“That’s right,” I whispered, more to myself than to them, my grip tightening around my sword. “Come to me, you worthless vermin... let’s see how long you last.”

And then, I leapt into the fray, a whirl of steel and shadow, ready to turn this place into a bloodbath they would never forget.

The thrill of the hunt coursed through my veins like fire as I lunged forward, sword raised high. The first unfortunate soul in my path barely had time to blink before my blade cleaved through his torso. A wet, sickening crunch filled the air as flesh and bone gave way, his body splitting in half with a grotesque squelch. Blood sprayed like rain, warm and thick, painting my face with the color of death.