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chapter 47
13. How to Reform a Villain
“Welcome, Count Rose.”
When Lirian entered the banquet hall, the first thing she noticed was how dim the lighting was.
A long table stretched out before her, adorned with silver candlesticks and silverware.
Even the most appetizing dishes seemed like they might be poisoned in this atmosphere.
Lirian turned her head toward the voice coming from the head of the table.
“Accompanied by a lovely lady, I see.”
Under the dark lighting, four figures were seated.
A well-built man, a gaunt old man, a woman adorned with jewelry from head to toe, and—
Finally, a mustached gentleman who seemed to be the host of this place.
“What adorable children.”
The mustached gentleman sneered nastily.
He looked like a neat aristocrat you could see anywhere, yet somehow appeared petty and malicious.
Lirian tilted her head, thinking, “I feel like I’ve seen that face somewhere before…” and then suddenly realized, “Ah! It’s a Scoundrel!”
In the apocalyptic world, where humanity clashed with abyssal forces, there were those who belonged to neither side.
These were the Independents.
Politely, they were neutral; less politely, they were opportunistic opportunists.
“That’s a scoundrel, right?”
“Yes.”
The author herself belonged to that group.
Lirian and Irei exchanged secretive glances.
Their nickname was “Scoundrel”—more accurately, rat.
Because of his vicious appearance and his habit of clinging to anyone for advantage, he had earned the nickname.
“You know, back in the day—I was quite something. But some damn guys suddenly barged in and completely ruined my business…”
Lirian recalled the future Scoundrel whining as if drunk—though he didn’t even have the means to drink—venting his frustration.
“That thriving business… was a black market auction?”
No wonder he looked so petty.
He acted exactly as his appearance suggested.
Thinking about how this neat-looking face would eventually become filthy, Lirian shook her head.
Why so many memories about the Scoundrel?
Well…
“Aah! Sister, please spare me! I was wrong! I won’t do it again, I swear!”
“Who are you calling sister?”
He had tried to sneak supplies from the Allied Forces but got caught by Lirian and was beaten like dust on a rainy day.
And it wasn’t just once or twice.
Normally, Lirian would forget someone she hit once, but after ten or twenty times, she couldn’t help but remember.
Irei also clicked her tongue internally.
“That guy really had some nerve.”
It was remarkable that, after being beaten so badly by Lirian, he still considered trying the same antics.
Why spare him?
He was useful.
The next day, after running away from a beating, Scoundrel would somehow return with information about the abyssal cult.
He had essentially been a spy.
At that moment, the well-built man, cigar in mouth, said:
“Women and children? How degrading.”
“What did you just say?”
The lavishly adorned woman snapped in anger.
“Isn’t that right?”
“Hm.”
The man looked at the old man beside him for agreement, smirking.
As he called an attendant to light his cigar—
—Snap.
The cigar suddenly snapped in half.
Everyone—man, old man, woman, and the attendants standing back—was shocked.
Clack, clack. The terrifying sound of everyone simultaneously readying their weapons echoed.
“What… is this!”
The man flared with rage.
Only Caesar, who lifted and set down Kane casually, and Scoundrel, the auction host, remained calm.
“Seems frozen.”
Lirian, who knew the Scoundrel well, made the correct judgment.
Thud.
Caesar strode arrogantly to the table.
He flicked his fingers, removing the chairs for the woman and children.
“There are children present.”
The man’s face flushed red, signaling he was to stay quiet and behave.
“Is it a magical artifact? Or a mage?”
“I don’t know. Even if it’s a magical artifact, it shouldn’t trigger so quickly…”
The old man and the woman exchanged glances.
They had only brought competent attendants, yet they hadn’t been able to react at all.
Had the author’s mind been made up differently, it wouldn’t have been the cigar that got cut—it would have been their necks.
“…So, not an ordinary informant.”
“We must be careful.”
A sense of crisis settled over them.
“Haha! Everyone! Isn’t this a wonderful gathering? It’s not often you meet so many respected people at once. Shall we toast?”
Scoundrel desperately tried to calm the atmosphere.
The well-built man, who seemed ready to storm off, gritted his teeth at Caesar gently seating Lirian in her chair.
Eventually, the weapons that had been drawn were put away, but the tension had already shattered.
“Ha, haha. To our endless future.”
“……”
“……”
There was no way a proper banquet could proceed in this mood—except for one person.
“Nom.”
Once Caesar confirmed there was no poison, Lirian began eating in earnest.
She carefully ate the steak pieces cut by Lesa, going through the appetizer, main course, and dessert without concern for what others might think.
In a way, it was astonishingly her my way approach, though everyone pretended not to notice while sneaking glances at the five-year-old.
“The dessert is strawberry shortcake.”
Lirian’s eyes sparkled when the dessert arrived.
She carefully forked around the glimmering strawberries on top of the cake.
“Save the best for last!”
The tastiest part should always be eaten last for maximum enjoyment.
“Eat slowly. Who’s going to steal it?”
“Hmph! What if Jin takes it?”
“…You don’t have to worry.”
Lirian smeared whipped cream all over her mouth while eating, prompting Irei to take a handkerchief and wipe her face.
The well-built man, watching this scene with displeasure, clicked his tongue.
“Tch. Kids these days…”
“Sir, are you talking to Luna?”
“Are there other kids here who can’t read the room like you?”
As he sneered, Lirian whispered to the doll she was holding:
“Luna doesn’t talk to ugly people. Right, Rose?”
Of course, he heard everything.
“You little…!”
Finally, unable to endure it any longer, the man slammed the table and stood up.
Whizz—!
A silver fork flew like a missile, grazing his cheek before embedding in the wall.
The man instinctively touched the burning sensation on his cheek and saw blood on his fingertips.
“……”
“Sit down.”
Everyone turned in shock to see the direction the fork had come from.
Unexpectedly, it wasn’t Count Rose, who they had deemed dangerous, but the Countess herself.
Lesa elegantly wiped her mouth with a napkin and glared at the man.
He broke into cold sweat.
“And don’t shout. You’ll scare the children.”
Everyone else in the banquet hall, excluding the Rose family, thought:
“They’re a crazy family.”
“Dangerous!”
“Don’t provoke them!”
In that moment, even villains recognized a greater villain.
“So, when does the auction resume?”
Caesar asked.
The Scoundrel, now completely flustered, cleared his throat before speaking.
“It will resume shortly, so don’t worry. There was a minor incident, but our skilled staff have handled it, and it will soon be resolved.”
Scoundrel sneakily glanced at Lirian, who was still eating her cake.
“Once she blocked the camera, all monitoring magical tools went offline.”
That was why the Rose family had been invited.
If any of the outsiders were aligned with intruders, they wouldn’t be able to meet them.
If they were related, the invitation would have been refused, prompting surveillance. Surprisingly, the Rose family had accepted the invitation willingly.
“No relation, perhaps?”
Suspicion eased slightly, but a different kind of warning light turned on.
“No one expected the Count and Countess to be this strong.”
Had they been flashy, one would assume that was their full strength.
Yet, the Count and Countess moved quietly and cleanly, as if it were routine.
That was why the man couldn’t leave after being humiliated.
“Expose your back, and you’ll be eaten for sure.”
That was the law of this world.
“Are there any items you’re interested in?”
“You speak as if I would hand them over if I say so.”
“Haha, Count Rose, if it strengthens our relationship, I can offer any auction items you like.”
Scoundrel subconsciously rubbed his hands submissively, then cleared his throat and adjusted his mustache under the fierce gaze of the well-built man.
Originally, the Scoundrel’s main interest here was the man himself.
His business acumen made him a valuable client.
“Of course, the old man and woman are also good clients, but I initially intended to focus on the man.”
His instinct told him: “Stick to the Count! That’s how you survive!”
“What do you think, Irei?”
“I don’t think there’s any need to expose weaknesses unnecessarily.”
“Exactly.”
Caesar and Irei exchanged glances.
Returning to his Rose Count persona, Caesar moistened his lips with wine and said:
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll decline. Participating in the auction directly is the real thrill.”
“Ah! Wise words. When the auction resumes, we will guide you to the VIP seats…”
It was at that moment…
