I’m a Villainess but So Popular

Editor : Aru

The suspicious man led me out of the banquet hall.

With two heads taller than me, a lean body, and a voice that seems to contain the reverberation of a lion revealing its teeth as a warning.

There was no threatening movement, such as grabbing the wrist or taking a combat posture, but he was a man who looked very overbearing.

‘Who the hell is he?’

Whenever the man walked, I thought of that, looking at the hem of his robe that swayed lightly.

Every time he walked, I could see the golden button hidden in his robe flashing.

In the distance, no one would have thought of the button.

But I saw a sentence engraved on the button.

A tiger showing its teeth and roaring, followed by a sword and shining cane crossed with an X.

It was the sentence of the Tigris Empire.

‘But the other palace wizards don’t hide their identity, so why is he so wrapped up?’

The palace wizards, who were sitting in the VIP seats, wore the same clothes they wore when they worked in the palace.

Even the 7 Imperial Family members did not hide their identities.

Only this person did not show himself to the outside.

“Let’s talk here.”

The place where the man finally stopped was on a sparse terrace.

The sound of the leaves rubbing in the wind was heard, and the outside scenery was hard to see due to the thick fog. Only the full moon, rising high in the sky, was shining a faint light.

Somehow nervous, I swallowed my saliva and stepped toward the terrace.

“Do you need to get out there? I’m gonna talk to you here.”

Looking back, the man stood leaning against the wall by the entrance of the terrace, hiding in the dark.

Still, he wore black clothes, but in a place where there was no light, I could only see his nose and mouth.

‘What, why is he so suspicious?’

I was sung there, and I wasn’t very pleased with his order to talk here while he talked there.

I heard that there are a lot of geeks among the people involved in the Imperial Palace, so it seems to be true.

Among them, there was a high probability that he was a wizard.

Unfortunately, he is a person who can influence my future contacts.

“Yes, then as you wish.”

With that said, I, too, do not go out on the terrace and are in the dark.

Still, it was not without light at all, so as time passed, I began to see my eyes little by little.

The figure of the man standing against the wall was also roughly visible.

“I’m sorry, but may I ask what you’ve called me for?”

The man snapped at my remark.

“You want to ask me first? That’s pretty bold as I heard.”

“Yes?”

Surprised by the strange sarcasm of speech, I asked back.

“You seem not afraid of me, are you?”

As he said so, the man slowly removed himself from the wall.

Then swinging his black robes, he approached me step by step.

It was a really, strange person.

‘what… .’

Every time he approached it, it felt like the air was clamping my neck.

‘No, he’s a palace man. he’s from the palace–‘

Then, I should look good on him.

It would be better to leave a good impression as much as possible in the future.

I didn’t want to do that for some reason.

I wanted to take out the blue flame and put it on his body, and light up this darkness.

The distance between the man and me is now less than a meter.

There was a warning in my head.

One step closer then I’ll shoot.

At that very moment, the man stopped walking.

“No, are you scared?”

My eyes glared at the sharp-pointed words.

I looked straight at him, clenched my fist in my hot right hand as if it would burn at any moment.

“Why should I be afraid of you?”

The man did not answer the question immediately.

A heavy silence followed for some time.

The man, as if he didn’t even breathe, stood there without moving.

It was like a psychic picture.

A picture of a dead body with no soul, no movement, no sound.

After a long time, the cape faded and shook, and the man lifted his head slightly.

“When a man of no name or face comes up and asks for a talk, the average person would be afraid.”

“Well, that’s right.”

I answered in a cold voice.

“Moreover if the person asks to talk alone in such a dark place, don’t you think so?”

It was an unpleasant voice that seemed to cling to the ear.

I felt so bad, that now I thought it wouldn’t matter if he was a palace wizard or anything.

I was already tired of just avoiding the mines in the original work. I didn’t want to meet any more suspicious people who could cause trouble.

“…… hearing what you are saying, you seem to have done a lot. Is it your hobby to enjoy the fear of others?”

The man began to laugh at the remark.

It was never a frivolous laugh.

It was a noble laugh likely to come from the aristocracy who drank tea.

Nevertheless, the laughter contained a feeling of mocking me, which made me feel even worse.

“Ha, you’re imagining too much, Miss Spade. Still, I’m glad you’re different from the rest of the stupid and timid people.”

“I’m so happy about that. I’ve heard that a lot.”

I said so and laid my right hand down quietly.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I’ll be able to leave the banquet hall for a long time. I’ll go back if you’re not going to tell me what’s going on”

The best way not to get involved with dangerous people is to ‘escape’.

It’s hard to get rid of it as long as I’m already caught by such a person’s radar, but shouldn’t I try somehow?

‘And my drink is waiting for me!’

And if I didn’t hurry up and go, everyone would worry about me.

There are a lot of people looking for me anyway.

“You’d better stop, Miss Spade. You’ll regret it bitterly if you leave me behind today.”

The moment I heard it, I hesitated.

“Yes, I’ll tell you because you’re so curious. I liked your performance.”

“You didn’t bring me here just to say that, aren’t you?”

At that moment, the moonlight that came out through the clouds reflected the face of the man, whose two-thirds were covered by the lobes.

And apparently, at that time, the corners of his mouth were slightly up.

“You’re quick-witted. I like you more and more.”

So what are you going to do because you like it?

“I didn’t do it because I wanted to be liked by you who I didn’t even know where you came from!

I had a lot to say, but I managed to hold it in.

Because I saw the smiley corners of his mouth twisting and moving.

“Simply said, I’m here to suggest you work for me.”

Listening to the man’s words, I frowned and glared at the face covered by the lobes with slender eyes.

‘You’ll make me a subordinate, not a partner. Like this?’

I’ve heard that sometimes palace wizards point out talent who showed great skills in performances.

The performance itself is a factor that gives extra points in the Imperial Palace wizard test.

But I never imagined that he would come up to the student and tell her to work for him.

Furthermore, I was not a third-grader who was about to graduate, but a freshman who had only just adapted to the life of the Academy.

“Are you giving me an offering to do that in two years?”

After graduation, honestly, it’s been too long to remember, so I wondered why he gave me the offer now.

And it would have been better to suggest it to a third-year student who is close to graduation and has better skills than me.

“No.”

“Yes?”

The man’s answer made me doubt my ears.

“Don’t fool around and tell me the truth.”

Now, slowly, I spoke in a raw voice, wondering if this man was playing a prank or cheating on me.

In my previous life, I learned that it was common sense to exchange business cards when receiving scouts, but I didn’t like the fact that he didn’t reveal his name nor identity and came to me and talked about nonsense.

“I’m asking you to work for me right now. To the palace wizard.”

What nonsense is that?

“No, when you graduate from Academy, no. Even if you’re not a graduate, don’t you know if you can work as a palace wizard?”

The man’s words were so absurd that I poured my words out in rapid speed.

“I’m still a freshman and I have two years left until I graduate from Academy.”

There’s nothing to be stubborn about, but it was reprehensible to think that I would accept such a ridiculous proposal when he didn’t even reveal who he was.

“It can’t be possible to work as a palace wizard when I haven’t finished my education.”

Then the man answered back.

“Why do you think it won’t work? The performance was quite creative, but your thoughts only stuck there.”

“No problem. I don’t want to talk about it anymore. I’m going back.”

That’s how I turned around.

But at that very moment, the man snapped my shoulder.

“Let it go.”

I lightly shook off the man’s hand and moved my steps.

But the moment I turned my head straight away, there was definitely a man pushed from behind, standing in front of me.

‘Damn it, did you use magic?’

There was no movement in sight.

“Wait.”

It was a voice that resonated like thunder.

Perhaps if I hadn’t been obsessed with annoyance and anger, I would have shuddered in front of him.

“Didn’t I tell you? If you leave me behind, you’ll regret it dearly.”

His words lit a flame on my right hand.

Unfortunately, the man stepped back as soon as I activated the flame magic.

“You, what are you?”

“I repeat, you’ll soon regret doing it this way.”

“Who are you to keep saying that? I’d rather fight back and regret than hear that from a suspicious person like you.”

At the moment, the man’s laughter rang out in the hall, where there was no one.

“I would have thought so, too.”

Raised the temperature to make a blue flame.

I was going to shoot him as soon as he moved a little.

“You said that before, right? Why should you be afraid of me, because I’m the one who can achieve what you see is impossible.”

What is he talking about?

“Now, look, who I am.”

Thanks to the blue flame on my hand, I could see the face of the man who had taken off his robe.

When the piece of black cloth that was covering more than half of his face disappeared, the first thing I saw was none other than golden eyes.

“Uh…”

The man with golden eyes, just like Cassius’s, said, fluttering his red hair.

“My name is Iker Tarnalea Tigris.”

His golden eyes shone in the dark.

“The crown prince of the Tigris Empire.”

—————