TSOJI CH 02

CHAPTER 02

I Wanted to Be a Villain (2)

“This powder can put even the worst insomniac to sleep in just five seconds!”

The ingredient used to make it came from a rare creature called the Dreaming Butterfly.
And raising one was extremely difficult.

“A creature that only eats pure magic as food? I really went through hell raising it.”

And just getting the powder wasn’t the end. After collecting it from the butterfly, I had to process it again using even more magic.

“That’s why it’s so expensive. Painfully expensive.”

I first learned about this powder about half a year ago.

One day, while running my little stall, a customer told me, “I heard the Mage Tower is raising some special butterfly.”

“A butterfly raised in the Mage Tower? That smells like money.”

So I invested nearly all the money I had saved into buying a Dreaming Butterfly.

“Yes! This will make me rich!”

But of course, I was terribly wrong.

“What? I can only afford one?”

With all my money, I could only buy a single butterfly.

And one butterfly produced only a tiny amount of powder each day—less than half a grain of rice.

“Ugh… at this rate, it’ll take forever.”

Still, I refused to give up. I stubbornly collected powder every single day.

Half a year later, about two weeks ago—

“Wow, I finally gathered this much!”

The purple powder I had been collecting little by little now filled a palm-sized glass bottle.

And soon after, the butterfly reached the end of its short lifespan.

“It hurts to use something this valuable… but I don’t have a choice.”

If my plan worked, I’d be rolling in money.

This was my golden chance to change my life.

So, dreaming of a brighter future, I carefully opened the bottle.

“Think of this as a small investment for tomorrow.”

I took some of the powder into my palm and gently blew on it.

The powder mixed with my magic breath and turned into the shape of a butterfly.

The glittering butterfly fluttered through the open crack of the window—straight toward the flames of the candles.

“Yes!”

Fwoosh. The powder-butterfly burned up instantly.

And just like that, all the candlelight inside the office vanished.

“Time for you to sleep, Duke.”

I stood up, stretched, then grabbed the broomstick I had left on the roof.

I checked below in case any guards were patrolling, but thankfully no one was around.

“Let’s go.”

I rode the broom to the office window.

The window wasn’t locked, so I carefully pushed it open. Unlike the creaky windows of my shabby home, this one opened smoothly and silently.

“Phew.”

I stepped off my broom and landed on the soft carpet.

The Ledaire Duke’s office didn’t creak, didn’t smell of dust—completely unlike my own house.

Holding my breath, I walked over to where the Duke lay slumped on his desk.

“Duke, are you asleep?”
“…”
“Duke?”

No reply, of course.

I leaned closer to get a better look at his face in the pale moonlight.

“Huh? He looks younger than I thought.”

The man lying across the desk looked to be in his early twenties at most.

I made a tiny flame on my fingertip to light his face.

“And… wow. He’s actually handsome.”

Even in the darkness, it was obvious. Ridiculously handsome.

Rich, powerful, noble blood… and on top of that, good-looking too?

“That’s unfair. Isn’t that cheating?”

I felt a little bitter.

Why does he get everything? Doesn’t he know being too perfect is boring?

Couldn’t he share a little bit with me?

“I won’t ask for much. Just give me some of your fortune, and I’ll let you live.”

Not too much—just half his wealth would be fine.

I muttered to myself while staring at his sleeping face.

His hair was pitch-black, like it had swallowed all the light around it, and his skin was pale white beneath it.

His sharp, high nose looked like it could cut.

His lips were slightly parted, letting out calm, steady breaths.

“He really looks like nobility. Of course, he is one.”

He wore simple but luxurious clothing—rich fabric, expertly tailored.

Completely different from me, dressed in my plain black robe and wide-brimmed hat.

“The traveling puppet shows in the village always described princes like this.”

Shaking off those stray thoughts, my eyes landed on the silver candlestick I had seen earlier from the roof.

“Since I’m here anyway, should I just take that?”

Business had been bad lately, and I needed money.

“Yeah… I’ll take it as a souvenir.”

I eyed the expensive-looking candlestick greedily.

Then, I placed both hands gently above the Duke’s head.

All I had to do now was cast the brainwashing spell while he slept.

“Let’s get it right the first time. Stay calm, Elsie. You can do this.”

I took a deep breath and began to push magic into him.

That was when—

DONG— DONG—

The clock struck midnight.

“…Huh?”

Suddenly, my vision spun.

My head reeled, my eyes blurred—

And then—

“…!”

Memories I had never lived, things I had never experienced, poured into me all at once.

I yanked my hands away from the Duke’s head and gasped for breath.

“Hah… haaah…”

I couldn’t believe it.

What just happened to me?

A moment ago, I was about to brainwash Duke Ledaire… but— wait, what?!

“Brainwash? Me? Trying to scam him?”

I stared at the unmoving Duke—Eclipse d’Ledaire—and muttered.

“I was really about to swindle the heroine’s older brother? The final villain of the novel? And me, just a worthless extra?”

I collapsed onto the carpet with a thud.

The softness of the rug under my palms felt far too real.

“I’ve gone insane. Completely insane!”

When the clock chimed midnight, I realized the truth.

I had reincarnated inside the novel 〈The Saint Doesn’t Want to Believe in God〉.

My role? Extra No. 3—the third-rate villainess who gets taken down by the heroine, Lynette.

That was my fate.

And my ending?

“…I was just about to get caught by the heroine while trying to brainwash her brother…”

The moment I thought that, my body moved on its own.

I bolted to the window, jumped on my broom, and took off.

“What was I thinking, stealing the candlestick too? Am I Jean Valjean? Why would I steal a candlestick?!”

This was madness.

Not only did I reincarnate as a worthless extra, but I only regained my past-life memories right before dying?

What kind of timing is that?!

“I really must’ve lost it!”

I didn’t even bother closing the window. Staying one second longer might’ve really killed me.

“Just escape! Escape now!”

I flew on my broom at top speed.

If I’d been driving a car, I’d have racked up dozens of speeding tickets.

“Faster! Faster!”

I zoomed over the mansion roof when—

“Kyaaa! Somebody help!”

A piercing scream rang out.

I yanked the broom to a halt and adjusted my crooked hat.

“…What was that?”

A voice. A scream. But from where?

As I turned to find the source, a chilling thought hit me.

“Wait. What if someone chases me while I’m distracted? I could die just for helping some stranger.”

Classic story cliché: the moment you think you’re safe, the enemy catches you while you’re helping someone else.

“If I stop and help, won’t I just get dragged into trouble? But… ignoring someone begging for help feels wrong too…”

As if sensing my hesitation, the voice cried out again, more desperate this time.

“Isn’t anyone there? Please…!”
“…”
“Please, someone help me…!”

I clenched my fists.

“Argh, fine! I’ll save them first and think later!”