Stealing Heroines’ Affections Is My Job as the Villain

Kantor Forest was a dark, red-tinged woodland just two kilometers northeast of Kaalen Tower City.

The trees had red and orange leaves, with black trunks, giving the whole place an eerie look. It almost always rained blood here, leaving the ground soaked with dark red puddles and bloody marshes.

Animals were scarce, and those that did appear were frail and sickly, as if they were begging to be put out of their misery. But no one would dare eat something so pitiful and expect to feel good afterward.

Splash! Splash! Squish!

Shlup!

Thud! Splat! Thwap!

A girl was running through the forest, her breath heavy and tired as she pushed her strained body through the narrow gaps between the thick trees.

Sweat dripped down her face, but more than that, she wore a frustrated, sickened expression from the foul smell of blood in the air, where fresh air should've been.

Her dress soon got caught on some branches, but she kept running, kicking off her high heels since they were slowing her down.

Even after that, it was still hard to run.

『Fuck, this is way worse──!』

Every few steps made her wince in pain as her soft, bare feet stepped on jagged rocks.

Running just behind the girl, sword drawn and ready, was Balford, an Imperial Knight.

He wasn't chasing her, though.

"S-, Sir Bradford! I-, I don't think we're going to make it at this pace!"

"Keep moving, Lady Rosemarie. We're almost through the worst of the forest."

His eyes kept darting back to check on a group of knights clad in ash and purple armor, riding powerful horses.

"FIREEEEE!"

The squad fired a barrage of arrows at them, but Balford didn't hesitate.

"How dare you fire arrows at the Lady Rosemarie!"

He quickly charged his sword with [Fire Magic] and swung it with all his might to turn the incoming arrows into ashes.

… Raaargh!

Focusing all his strength on his lower body, he propelled himself forward, breaking away from the squad of knights at an earth-shattering speed.

As he continued running behind the girl, he held his sword defensively and kept a sharp lookout for the pursuing knights.

The girl was still very uncomfortable. With her delicate figure, she wasn't really made to run for such a long time, especially not in such a harsh environment.

"It feels like this place is swallowing me whole. I can't breathe with all this blood in the air."

"Ignore the smell! Focus on your footing, my Lady. The city's close, just beyond those ridges!"

"I can't… my feet… they're bleeding! This cursed forest is trying to kill us before they do."

"I won't let them touch you, but you must keep moving!"

An arrow zipped by and grazed Rosemarie's arm.

『Phew, it's just a small cut…』

For a second, it seemed like she didn't feel any pain, but when she saw the shock on Balford's face, she gasped loudly from the pain.

"They're getting closer! Sir Balford, do something!"

"Get down!"

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Balford growled as he raised his magic sword.

He swung it once more, sending out a fiery arc that burned up another group of arrows.

Rosemarie skillfully dropped to the ground as the flames crackled around her.

『Nngh! So hot…』

This was truly the power of an Imperial Knight!

"I'll hold them off! Run, Rosemarie! Run to the cit──!!"

"Not without you! You think I'm just going to leave you here? They'll cut you down the moment I'm gone!"

"You are the priority. My duty is to protect you. Get to Kaalen Tower City and you'll be safe!"

"But──!"

"No buts! Go now!"

The forest shook violently as the captain of the hunting knights threw a powerful spear that broke the sound barrier.

────BOOOOOOOM!!

It shot straight at Rosemarie, but Balford deflected it with his sword just in time.

"Nnnnghk──!!"

The force of the impact made him stumble back a step.

"Sir Balford!"

"I'll catch up! Now run, damn it!"

Rosemarie hesitated only for a second longer before turning and sprinting toward the city as fast as her injured feet would carry her.

"I'll buy you all the time you need, my Lady… even if it's my last breath."

Balford muttered to himself as he watched her run.

『Now… these Serathen bastards!』

Sir Balford turned to face the knights charging at him. Now that his lady was well ahead, he could fight with everything he had.

"RAAAAAAARRGH──!!"

He roared so loudly that he felt his throat strain, and he raised his sword as it ignited in flames once again.

The Imperial Knight struck at the hunting knights, his blazing sword cutting through the armor of the first two knights who charged at him on horseback.

… Hm?

Despite the damage to his squad, the Knight Captain focused until he spotted a gap in Sir Balford's [Combat Armor].

"Excellent…"

He took the chance to strike quickly.

────SHIIIIIIING!

In less than a second, the Knight Captain's halberd sliced through the upper half of Balford's body in a single, barely noticeable motion. The hunting knights could never have imagined such speed!

"As expected of Lord Arcellion!"

"He moves at a speed beyond mere mortals!"

"Haha, truly a dragon of his generation!"

The hunting knights rejoiced.

Balford's armor was crushed, his flesh was torn, and his bones were shattered.

"Now, the nun…"

Lord Arcellion took off his dual-horned, aubergine helmet.

This revealed his face.

He was a strapping, young man with shoulder-length black hair cut in a wolfish style. His expression and deep-black eyes matched the fierce, commanding appearance of his plate armor, giving off a sense of both death and authority.

"You cannot run forever…"

Lord Arcellion closed his eyes and placed a foot forward.

For a moment, it felt like his presence covered every inch of Kantor Forest.

… Hrmm

It was as if he could sense every beast, tree, leaf, and even the smallest pebble. He felt so connected to the forest that it seemed like he could map out the whole place just from this overwhelming sense of awareness.

[Primal Sight!]

This special technique let the user extend their consciousness and senses across a wide area by spreading it through their [Combat Aura]. That way, they could map out their surroundings with enhanced awareness.

The better you control your [Combat Aura], the farther you can spread it.

No matter how things moved, vibrated, or changed around Lord Arcellion, this special technique could detect it all.

The young man opened his eyes.

"I've found her…"

After hearing those few words, the other hunting knights quickly drew their swords and urged their big, powerful horses forward, which neighed loudly.

Lord Arcellion jumped back onto his horse, put his helmet back on, and then they all set off together.

… Gallop! Gallop!

━ ━ ━ ━

"…Balford…"

Rosemarie kept running with everything she had, but she already knew the fate of the Imperial Knight… he had sacrificed his life to protect her. Even though it was his duty, she couldn't shake the guilt.

『Enough…』

Because of this, she stopped running and turned around to face the hunting knights, who were just moments away.

Seeing her suddenly stop running, the hunting knights slowed their horses and closed in around her until there was no way left for her to escape.

But Rosemarie didn't flinch.

Instead, she stood her ground with a bold stance.

Lord Arcellion took note of this.

"I see… are you finally done with your little game of tag, Lady Rosemarie? Good, that will save me some time."

"Ngh…"

Rosemarie squeezed her face and tightened her fists.

… Sigh~

Lord Arcellion was already expecting her to be defiant again, and he wasn't prepared for all that stress.

"Hrmm… I suggest you make a choice. Either stay in Kaalen Tower, do your job as a nun by praying for the sick, and stop spreading false rumors, or you can lower your head right here and let me cut it off."

The man narrowed his eyes.

"Decide…"

Who was this girl?

Why was she so important that Arcellion, the feudal lord of Kaalen Tower City, wanted her dead?

She was the beloved sister of the mission in Kaalen Tower City, known for praying for sick, especially during the harsh times of war and famine.

Anyone who saw her could easily tell she was a nun just by looking at her.

The nun had long, straight red hair that reached past her slender shoulders.

She wore a fitted black dress with red accents, including a high collar and red trim on the sleeves. Her dress had a unique design with cross-shaped ornaments down the front, which added to her missionary sister look.

Around her small but beautifully rounded waist, she wore a string of red beads, similar to a rosary.

Rosemarie Althea Redwood.

That was her name…

Lord Arcellion frowned at her silence.

"Have you made a decision?"

Instead of answering the man, she clasped her hands in a prayer gesture and began praying.

"O great Lord, please give me the strength to share your holy words with these knights who refuse to seek your mercy and choose to harm your humble servant instead."

The hunting knights laughed at this, while Lord Arcellion watched her with tired, half-open eyes.

"Bahahaha! She's really praying?!"

"Man, I knew this bitch was religious, but I didn't know she was also stupid. BAHAHAH!"

"Yeah, what a dumb bitch!"

They couldn't believe anyone would be foolish enough to pray in the hopeless situation she was in.

Seeing this as an act of defiance, Lord Arcellion drew his halberd and narrowed his eyes.

After Rosemarie finished her brief prayer, she took out a small pouch and pulled out a pair of thin-framed glasses with red-tinted lenses that matched her hair color.

"Alright…"

She put them on calmly without saying a word.

The hunting knights were totally baffled, but Lord Arcellion was on high alert. What was all that about?

Rosemarie then lifted her dress slightly to reveal the smooth, milky-white skin of her thighs.

This left the hunting knights feeling hot and aroused.

They loved seeing the skin of a beautiful woman.

"Ooooo, nun meat is always tasty…"

"Yummers."

"Is this nun secretly a slut? Kekeke!"

While the knights were focused on her sexily exposed thighs, they didn't notice the two holsters strapped to her slender inner thighs.

Suddenly, there was a loud BANG!

Two hunting knights fell lifelessly from their horses, and the remaining horses neighed in panic, trying to flee from the sound.

… Neeeeigh────NEEEEEEIGH!!

The hunting knights and their captain quickly regained control of their horses and turned their attention back to Rosemarie.

She stood there with two large firearms in her slender hands and a scary look on her pretty face.

"Come on, you assholes. Say that shit again, and I swear I'll fucking blow your goddamn balls off!"

Truly, this woman was no saint.