The Villain’s Future Makes Me Uneasy – Chapter 21
The frightening look Shiraz had when he stared at me in the mirror changed the moment his eyes went to Sevilla. They became kinder than ever.
While I was drowning in embarrassment, he spoke to Sevilla.
“Did I interrupt a good time?”
He sat naturally beside Sevilla.
“I brought lots of dresses from the boutique, so we were choosing if there’s something nice.”
“Hmm.”
He tilted his head with interest. Crossing his long legs and folding his arms, he turned his gaze back to me.
“Because I had no energy at all, I asked the maid to try on the clothes instead of me. Isn’t she pretty?”
His burning gaze stuck on me, making me feel like my body was on fire.
I had many embarrassing moments in life, but this was the first time I wanted to disappear.
“You were playing doll games with a maid.”
“Doll games? Don’t say strange things like that.”
Sevilla lightly scolded him for treating a maid like a doll.
Even at his sister’s reproach, his eyes didn’t move away from me.
“That dress doesn’t suit my lovely sister. Unless you plan to seduce someone.”
Sevilla’s confused face soon turned into a mischievous smile.
“So you mean it’s that seductive?”
Shiraz stood from the sofa without answering.
“I came to see if you were fine. Since you seem fine, I’ll go.”
“Already?”
“I have work to do. Also, don’t buy that dress.”
He looked at me with displeasure, clearly saying that dress wasn’t right. My embarrassment grew even worse.
I wondered how ridiculous I must look. I wanted to take off the dress immediately.
Sevilla said quietly,
“Don’t push yourself because of me. If I’m a burden, I can return to the capital tomorrow.”
Unlike the young ladies who waited eagerly for the party, Sevilla sounded serious.
“That can’t be. This is a chance to raise the soldiers’ morale before battle. Please cooperate.”
Looking at her softly, Shiraz smiled when Sevilla folded her eyes prettily at him.
“Of course, Grand Duke.”
She grabbed her skirt lightly and greeted cutely. He chuckled and left.
Watching their warm sibling bond, my eyes turned cold.
I couldn’t blame him for cherishing his only blood relative. But it was chilling that he could treasure one life while treating others like insects.
Of course, I knew this novel’s background was a battlefield. And Shiraz Ludkayev was the worst villain.
Just recently, I had clearly seen him behead his subordinates in front of soldiers without mercy.
That unpredictable nature of Shiraz scared me even more.
“Trying to understand a madman will only make me mad too. When you meet a madman, the answer is always to run.”
I bit my lip and stepped back quietly, trying not to catch his eyes again.
But Shiraz suddenly stopped while walking past me.
‘Huh?’
His legs didn’t move. I raised my head slightly.
‘Eek!’
He was looking directly at me. The other maids also looked back and forth between us in confusion.
Like a mole struck by a hammer, I quickly lowered my head again.
Then his voice spoke to the tailor:
“Leave everything you brought today. I’ll pay you generously, including your fee.”
The tailor, moved, bowed deeply several times.
“Of course, Your Grace.”
Finally, Shiraz left. Small sighs of relief escaped from the people in the room.
I too felt all my strength leave my body.
Just being in the same space with him was enough to suffocate everyone.
Once again, I felt crushed under Shiraz’s strange, terrifying pressure.
Britannia’s Thoughts
Britannia’s mind was in chaos.
She had watched everything that happened when the Grand Duke Shiraz came to see Sevilla.
A moment ago, Sevilla was full of excitement about the upcoming party while choosing dresses and jewelry.
But now Britannia’s mood had crashed into the pit.
‘Why do I feel so dirty? I hate this feeling.’
She bit the inside of her cheek and glared.
It was the sofa where Shiraz had just sat.
Britannia had clearly witnessed the moment the maid stepped out from behind the curtain—what Shiraz’s face looked like then.
She saw how his eyes wavered when he looked at that maid.
‘Impossible.’
No matter how she tried to erase it, the image stuck in her head.
She had been Sevilla’s friend since birth. Naturally, she had also watched Shiraz grow from a boy into a splendid man.
That was why she felt so upset.
He had never once given such a look—to her or to any other noble lady. Yet he looked at a worthless maid like that.
‘Why? Why would the Grand Duke look at a maid like that!’
For years, Britannia had secretly loved him, wishing he’d see her as a woman even once.
But now, overwhelmed with jealousy, she felt defeated because the gaze she longed for was stolen.
And not by a high-born lady, nor a royal princess, but by a mere maid.
After the Grand Duke left, everyone relaxed again—except Britannia.
Her eyes grew sharp as she stared at the maid going to change clothes.
The Party
Carrying food and drinks busily to the Great Hall, I looked around.
The party was grander than I thought.
They said it was to celebrate Lady Sevilla’s coming birthday and also to raise the army’s morale before departure—those weren’t empty words.
Compared to this, the parties at Lord Willinger’s castle had been nothing more than school plays.
If such a party was held here, not even in the capital, I wondered what kind of scale the capital’s parties would have.
Outside, soldiers freely ate and drank. Inside the castle, there were separate seats for knights, officers, and nobles.
Alicia and I, serving near Lady Sevilla and the noble ladies, could see everything happening inside.
There, I saw key figures of Shiraz’s army for the first time.
“Garnet, that soldier is so handsome.”
Alicia kept glancing at officers. She seemed to enjoy the party in her own way while working.
“They looked so rough in armor, but dressed like this, they seem like different people. Oh my, look at that dress!”
She admired a middle-aged woman wearing the height of luxury.
“She looks like a peacock who lost her fisherman and is wandering.”
Her joke made me laugh quietly.
Nearby lords and their wives, as well as military commanders in uniform, filled the hall.
Young, handsome soldiers looked far more attractive when dressed up.
This was my first party like this. My body was tired, but my eyes were delighted.
The head maid caught us whispering and gave us a stern look.
She pointed with her chin toward another table where maids were busy replacing dishes.
“They look busy. I’ll go there. See you later.”
Leaving Alicia, I hurried to help.
Soon empty plates piled up on tables, leftovers needed clearing, and noble ladies demanded little errands. I had no time to think.
‘Wow. Beautiful…’
Even while cleaning, I couldn’t help but stare, mesmerized.
In the center of the hall, young men and women danced happily to the music.
‘Wait a second…’
Suddenly, unease filled me.
‘I clearly remember Shiraz’s miserable end. But… what happened to Sevilla?’
I had focused only on the main characters, not caring much about supporting ones like her.
Now I tried to recall.
Sevilla, who fell into a first love with a soldier… that was the cause of her downfall. Death was her final end.
Realizing this, I felt strange.
This was no longer just a character in a story—it was a real tragedy for someone I knew.
Shiraz blamed himself for her death. In agony, he collapsed.
This incident later became a crucial reason why Shiraz lost to Marcus.
‘Wait. Hold on.’
Piecing the timeline, I realized something.
In the original, Sevilla coming to Iraj to see Shiraz wasn’t described in detail.
The story only said Shiraz killed Willinger, reorganized his army at Iraj Castle, and then won at the Battle of Kieni.
The story had skipped quickly. So I had no information about this exact moment.
‘Then what was that scene I read?’
It was the scene after Shiraz’s great victory at Kieni, when he returned to the capital.
There, Sevilla was shown happily celebrating a soldier’s safe return.
I remembered it well because it was so sweet and romantic.
My hands slowed while clearing plates.
‘So that means, right before the Battle of Kieni… she met her fated lover here.’
I jerked my head up, searching for Sevilla.
If my guess was right, she was about to meet her destined partner. Right here!
