Stealing Heroines’ Affections Is My Job as the Villain

[Armed Palace, Royal Guest House]

Prince Lumis hadn't been able to leave his bed since then, and he still didn't want to. As a Deva, he could go years without eating or sleeping, so lying in bed like a lifeless body wasn't really a punishment for him.

『I don't even know how long I've been here. Maybe it's only been a few hours. Does time even matter to us Devas? I talk about time, but right now, nothing seems important. I want to go back to the Heaven Continent, but I haven't done anything noteworthy. They'd laugh at me if I returned empty-handed.』

Sometimes he felt tempted to get up and search for Zorin, but he felt too broken to do it.

… Sigh~

Lumis stretched out his arm as if trying to reach the ceiling and then frowned.

『More than anything, I just want to see her again… Luciana. I can't stop thinking about her. Still, I was the one who tried to hurt her. But she betrayed the love I thought we had, so can I really blame myself for what I did?』

His arm fell back onto the bed like a heavy log.

『Uuuu, I miss Ymnes…』

This was Lumis's daily routine since the big argument with Princess Luciana. He would think about apologizing to her, then argue against it, and eventually start missing Ymnes.

It was only the truth to say that Lord Ymnes was the only one who truly understood Prince Lumis… no one else.

"Mhm…"

As soon as Prince Lumis heard this back-channel response to his mumbling, he quickly got up from his bed to see who had made the sound.

It was God Vritra.

Standing calmly with his hands behind his back, the dying glow of the setting sun illuminated him through the windows like the divine figure he was.

Vritra gave him a mild smile… a smug expression that Prince Lumis has grown to hate so much.

"Why the heck are you here, Vritra?!"

Lumis's face was filled with animosity.

"I'm here to see you, of course…"

Vritra replied calmly and composed.

He wasn't bothered by Lumis's hostility.

Why would he get rattled by this retarded prince?

Vritra chuckled softly and waved his hand dismissively.

"I'm tired of all the fighting since we arrived in Duranzia. I'd like us to put an end to it. What do you say?"

This had to be some kind of mockery the Deva Prince had never seen before. He knew that Asuras were absolute devils who pursued malice to the end… they didn't understand forgiveness, let alone peace.

Refusing to be tricked by the Asura royal again, Prince Lumis pointed a finger at Vritra and gritted his teeth.

"Y-, you're trying to deceive me again!"

"Oho? Am I?"

"Get out of here right now!"

"Oh, come on. Someone as weak as you doesn't get to boss me around. I don't understand why fate picked you as one of its favored children."

"What nonsense are you spouting now?"

God Vritra smiled when he got this response.

He was more than prepared to make things clear to Lumis.

"Oh, it's nothing too serious. It's just that you're like a level 1 crook trying to take on a level 100 boss.

"You're incredibly weak, both inside and outside the Central Continent. I was unconscious for days, and you still couldn't get with the woman you're destined to be with.

"You rely on a weak old man for strength and moral support, you're not even the most impressive person in your own household, and now you're just lying in bed, whining like a little bitch because your fated woman has left you.

"It really irritates me."

It was a miracle Vritra managed to say all this without losing his composure halfway through.

… Grrr!

But Lumis wasn't having any of it.

He stepped down from the bed, approaching the Asura royal to show that he wasn't intimidated by the powerful entity that he was.

"I'm not going to fight you. But you better not sp──!!"

"Cease."

Vritra interrupted.

He pointed a finger at Lumis as his eyes turned red.

Instantly, a dark strip of shadow materialized out of thin air and wrapped tightly around Lumis's mouth, properly shutting him up.

MMMPPFH!!

The Deva Prince screamed, but the sound was muffled by the shadow binding his mouth.

KRRUMPH! FHUUMMM!

Frustrated, Lumis tried to rip it off with his hands, but Vritra swiftly restrained his hands with shadowy bands. He did the same to Lumis's legs, causing him to collapse to the floor like a sack of beans.

"Honestly, are you daft? Do you not know to hold your tongue and listen when I'm speaking?"

Vritra clicked his tongue and shook his head disapprovingly.

"Clearly, Ymnes didn't teach you any manners."

He walked over to Lumis, who was now desperately trying to wriggle out of the shadowy restraints, and mercilessly stomped on his face.

『Even in his current state, he's still a hero. His Fate Value is still a little over 300, while mine is only around 115, so I can't kill him yet. The backlash from karma would be too severe.

『This rule doesn't apply to other characters with equally high Fate Values, only to those who have been given the title of "hero" or "heroine".

… Tch!

『It's frustratingly convenient, but there's not much I can do to change it.』

God Vritra pressed the sole of his shoe against Lumis's boiling face, savoring the sight as the dirt smeared the perfect skin of the Deva royal. If he had the time, he would spend the entire day here, just rubbing the dirt from his shoe into the annoying hero's face.

Unfortunately, that wasn't an option.

Sigh~

The Asura royal paused his foot grinding.

"I just came here to let you know that I'm leaving now to kill Ymnes and Zorin before nightfall. When I return, the only news I want to hear about you is that you've run away with your tails between your legs."

God Vritra smiled maliciously.

"Am I understood?"

As expected, there was no coherent response from Prince Lumis.

"How dare you…?"

He growled like a beast, veins throbbing across his face.

"I will…!"

His muscles bulged suddenly, surging with strength.

… RAAAAAH!

With a burst of power, Lumis snapped the shadow bands binding his hands and legs.

Vritra was momentarily surprised by this.

『Before, he couldn't break free from a type-5 restriction, but now he suddenly can? Wait a minute… I used [Shadow Magic] to restrict him, so maybe it's weak against his [Light Magic]. Yes, that must be it.』

Before Lumis could take any further action, Vritra swiftly coated his right hand with bright red magic energy and phased it through Lumis's chest, making contact with the Deva's heart.

The distorted touch sent Lumis into an instant, deep sleep.

As Lumis collapsed to the ground for the second time, Vritra adjusted his fur coat and sighed.

"He almost caused trouble for me…"

He muttered with disgust then clicked his tongue.

"Filthy white pig."

With that, Vritra vanished into a black mist and reappeared on the rooftop of the guest house.

"Now, all that's left is to kill those side-characters."

The dark prince extended his hand.

[Summoning Magic!]

First, a red magic circle appeared on the ground where he stood. Then, a burst of flame spiraled out of the circle, bringing forth his summon.

Black Dragon Moth, Farvoth!

It was a large insect-like creature resembling a moth. It was dark red, with sharp fangs, four legs, two sharp teeth, a tail with dual stingers, two antennae on its head, and four wings.

"Excellent."

God Vritra mounted Farvoth, and the huge insectoid summon took off into the sky.

────SZZZZZZZZZZT!!

It flew so quickly that it looked like a beam of light streaking across Duranzia in just a few seconds.