Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 216 Forgotten Male Leads (2)

216: Forgotten Male Leads (2)

216: Forgotten Male Leads (2)

Following the assassination of the crown prince, the whole of Drakon-Rasa fell into an uproar.

It was only a natural consequence, but for those who were shocked the most by the news of the disaster, the most astonishing fact was rather the coinciding murder of the young noble girl, Ayla Tichá.

For the general public, the news of her death was more overlooked after a single acknowledgement, dismissed as ‘unfortunate’ and pushed swiftly under the rug thanks in some part to the Imperial Party’s efforts to sweep the news out of the spotlight as soon as possible.

However, there were indeed some who knew it couldn’t have simply been an unfortunate coincidence.

Aside from the victim’s younger brother himself, the three most suspicious of the event were none other than those who had each previously been warned to stay away from that murdered girl just months, weeks prior to her passing.

And by the very same person who had murdered her, no less.

Needless to say, those three were the very same love interests of that dead Protagonist from the original source material…

Or rather, the former male leads.

The Young Lady Archduchess, betrayed by her most trusted aide?

To think she would have someone tag along who would break her trust; they knew well that she was not so foolish.

And thus, perhaps more so than anyone else, they could gain a deeper insight as to what the real reasoning might have been.

The first, the Young Saint of the Sunlit Temple, Mikhael Avalon.

“―Sir Enki is the individual chosen by the great Winter Mother Herself…

If an upheaval of the Imperial Line is the will of the divine, so shall it be.”

So he found revelation.

Approaching the new Imperial Princess, he confirmed his belief that this was all Divine Law, and from that point on, worked alongside her in the shadows of the Church of the Holy Sun.

The public, even the other priests need not know of their relation.

Ayla Tichá was a Demon, and the Champion of the Winter Moon, Enki Valentine, had played his role in eradicating the threat that had corrupted the heir to the crown.

The second, the Genius Son of the Imperial Army Commander, Kran Vyckard.

“―Archduchess– No, Your Highness…

From the very beginning, was that why my heart felt so…

so captured?

I was enthralled by her upon our very first meeting, and yet, everything that happened, with you, with your attendant…

It all told me to run away from her…

My heart and my mind is clear now, but recalling what it was like back then…

Please, I implore you…

tell me the truth about her…”

He was wrought with internal strife.

Thinking back to when they met and the few months following that period, he could only find peerless bliss in his heart.

The girl he loved, it was doubtless, and yet, no matter how hard he tried, he could not get close.

That man was always in his way.

Even she herself spoke of him too highly to be comfortable.

In the end, he felt no choice but to duel him to prove his mettle, but he failed even that, too.

After that, slowly, he found himself gradually calming, and once the news abruptly made the rounds of her and the prince’s death, who he already knew was attempting to court her, he suddenly realised.

Despite the death of the girl he was so certainly sure he loved, that he would kill for, that he would die for…

…He felt nothing.

His heart was no longer enthralled, no longer bewitched.

But it hurt in another way.

And so, confronting the Imperial Princess about his conflicting feelings, the emotions he ever-so-clearly recalled experiencing wracking his heart in the past, and the stone coldness currently plaguing him, he seeked an answer.

Ayla Tichá was a Demon, and the valiant individual Enki Valentine had saved him from his corruption before it was too late, something that couldn’t be said the same for the crown prince.

And the third, the Young Apprentice of the Mage’s Tower, Joádin Lomaziere.

“―Back when you told me to stay away from that girl, to be entirely truthful, I was considering just ignoring your request and checking her out anyway.

Could you blame me?

Someone told me not to do something, so of course I felt a surge of curiosity to go and do it straight away.

Such morbid curiosity is the very foundational core of what makes a true mage, after all.”

‘Uh huh.’

“Of course…

So, what made you not do it in the end?

You kinda disappeared for a while after that.”

“Oh, but did I?

In reality, I had Cael here observe you all whilst I was gone.”

“…”

Slowly moving my gaze to the fluffy blue cat still sitting on the end of the bed, I wasn’t sure what to think, or even if I believed him at all to begin with.

I sure as hell didn’t want to believe him, but whether it was actually true…

“Nevertheless, that’s correct, I did depart for a period.

After meeting you, rather than caring about some random girl you mentioned, I was much more intrigued by the fact your body possessed no magic energy whatsoever other than within your right hand.

Although I now see that has changed, I went off immediately back to the Mage’s Tower to research about the abnormal condition I had never even heard of until then.”

Maintaining my silence, I decided to just listen to his story.

“I’m not sure if you are aware, but there is only one documented case of a living being containing no magic energy inside them.

Do you know what it is?”

‘Uh…

I dunno.’

“What is it?”

Following my casual question, Joádin answered without hesitation.

“Demons.”

“…”

‘Shit.

Of course that’s the answer…’

“Ha.

Don’t worry, I know you are not a Demon.

I thought it might have been true at first, but with Cael’s eyes, I saw that you had been blessed by the Winter Mother.

According to all knowledge we currently possess on the matter, it is not possible for Demons to interact with divine energy without experiencing quite severe consequences, so you are safe for now.”

“Thanks…”

“You’re welcome.

Incidentally, it is not untrue that there have been cases where Demons have been said to obtain magic power through other means, but I know that isn’t the case with you.”

‘Hey, isn’t that just me with Mana Corruption?’

“…Can I ask how you know that for sure?”

That was something I probably shouldn’t have asked, and I knew that, but I couldn’t help myself.

I wanted to know exactly what the differences between me and a Demon were and have them demonstrated clearly, other than that divine energy aspect.

Just because…

I had an inkling it might come in handy somewhere down the line.

“Sure.

Aside from being weakened by the presence of divinity, your body is also simply human.” novelbuddy.cσ๓

“…Oh.

Is that it?”

“That’s the simplest answer, yes.

Although they appear not-so-dissimilar from us, Demons are in fact distinct from humans, and if you ever see one, you’ll know how exactly.”

‘That’s good…’

“Then, even if I didn’t have magic or divine energy, everyone would know I’m human anyway?”

At my question, Joádin shrugged, then seemed to think for a second and gestured towards my folded up Draconic Shadow, crowned with the Villain’s Vizard.

“Why not?

Well, if you went around wearing that thing everywhere, it’d be different.

Honestly, it was no question people thought it was another attack when you suddenly appeared like that.”

‘Ah…

No, that’s true.’

“Anyway, we got off track.

That was the reason I followed along with your request at the beginning, and when I finally found those documents, I wanted to talk to you again and find out why your human body was having such a bizarre interaction with magic energy.

That’s when I found out through Cael that you had killed two people, so I hurried back, but by the time I returned, you were already gone.”

‘Right.

I guess that makes sense.’

“Is that when you talked to Lucretia about it?”

Nodding, he arose from his seat, the concentrated mana used to form it evaporating into faint vapour.

“Right.

She mentioned something about you claiming not being able to use magic despite showing off blatant magical skill, and after that, I was informed about the girl being someone who would bring about the fall of the empire…

Now that I think of it, perhaps I was being too persistent, because she also seemed rather irritable at that time.”

Picking up that last part he muttered, I couldn’t help but slightly grimace inside.

‘Uh, no, that bit was probably my fault.

Though, I can’t believe she still thinks I can actually use magic…

Was she really that annoyed…?’

Watching him casually extend his arm out to Cael, the magical familiar obeyed the silent command and rose, elegantly jumping from the bed to his arm, walking up to his shoulder and swiftly vanishing.

Following that smooth flow of events, he turned to me.

“In any case, that’s more or less what happened.

There’s a short time until her announcement, so I’ll let you in on what the plan is now that those scoundrels have interfered.”

Hearing that, I didn’t really think I was in a position to decline.