I Will Fulfill the Role of the Villain-Chapter 148

As Luke spoke with the old man, the child stirred awake, perhaps roused by the sound of their conversation. The little one blinked drowsily, then sat up and stared intently at the visiting customer.

“Noel, it’s impolite to stare at people like that.”

“It’s fine. Is his name Noel?”

At that, the child gave a small nod.

“Your hair...”

“Hmm?”

“Your hair is really pretty.”

The child's eyes sparkled. It seemed like he couldn’t take his eyes off Luke’s shimmering hair, shining beautifully under the sunlight. Realizing that, Luke smiled softly and approached the child.

“Do you want to touch it?”

“Can I?”

When Luke nodded readily, the old man began to fidget nervously.

“Sir, the child’s hands are dirty...”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

Luke stopped the old man as he tried to restrain his grandson’s hand. Then he gently took Noel’s hand and guided it to his hair. Noel's face lit up as he stroked Luke’s soft, silver strands a few times. Children could find happiness in the smallest of things. And if this moment could become a good memory in the child’s life, a bit of dirt on his hair didn’t matter in the slightest.

Perhaps moved by the sight of his grandson smiling so brightly, the old man, though previously flustered, now watched them with quiet satisfaction.

“Ah, let me pay for the bracelet.”

Luke had received local currency in advance from the Foreign Ministry before coming to Welharun. He pulled some money from a small pouch and handed it to the old man. But when the man saw what had been placed in his palm, his expression turned to one of shock.

“S-Sir, this is far too much.”

In the old man’s hand were five gold coins. He was visibly surprised—his hand trembled slightly as he held the money. Even Noel, who had been touching Luke’s hair, widened his eyes and couldn’t look away from the glinting gold.

“Even if you bought everything here, it wouldn’t amount to this.”

“Is that so? But I think this bracelet is worth at least that much.”

The bracelet was woven with such careful attention and carried the maker’s devotion. Luke had acquired a flawless, beautiful item, and he felt this was fair compensation. Hearing that, the old man’s face twisted with emotion, as if he were about to cry.

“I don’t even know how to begin to thank you... May I ask, sir, are you not from the capital?”

“How did you know?”

“We live in the slums just beyond this square. Most people in the capital avoid anyone from there and won’t even come close.”

He didn’t have to hear it to guess. That was probably why this shop had been pushed into such a remote corner of the wide and bustling square.

“Lately, with the country’s situation being what it is, people are tightening their belts. It’s rare to find someone willing to show such kindness to people like us.”

“...That’s true. The palace has been taxing people excessively.”

The old man slowly nodded. His face also held deep worry.

“Prince Heath is being far too cruel, in my opinion.”

Luke, sensing an unexpected opportunity for information in this conversation, put on his mask once more. He hadn’t had much luck so far, and chances were slim even now, but it was still worth a try.

“It’s because he’s possessed by a ghost!”

It was Noel who blurted that out. Startled by the strange remark, Luke turned to look at him.

“A ghost? The prince?”

“Noel, lower your voice.”

The old man glanced around nervously and gently scolded the child. Thankfully, there were few people this deep into the square. Still, a child wouldn’t say such a thing for no reason. It didn’t feel like a random joke at all.

“Grandfather, your grandson says some interesting things.”

Luke wasn’t about to let this chance slip away.

“You must not have heard, since you said you’re not from the capital.”

“Heard what?”

“Prince Heath has changed a lot since he began overseeing state affairs in place of His Majesty the Emperor. He used to be a gentle soul, much like His Majesty...”

Perhaps it was due to the kindness Luke had shown earlier, but unlike the others who’d avoided the topic, the old man spoke without much hesitation.

“Now, people say his rule is one of terror. That’s how different he’s become.”

“So that’s why people say he’s possessed by a ghost?”

This 𝓬ontent is taken from freeweɓnovel.cѳm.

“Yes. It started off as a joke, but I think many genuinely believe it now. That’s why people try not to talk about him. They’re afraid that if they speak carelessly, they’ll end up possessed too.”

Only now did it make sense—why Paul’s team, and Luke himself, had always hit a wall whenever the conversation turned to the prince.

“I see...”

“Please, sir, don’t go repeating this anywhere.”

“Of course. You too, Grandfather.”

Luke patted Noel on the head.

“Noel, you shouldn’t say things like that anymore, alright?”

“Okay! I don’t want to be possessed either!”

That wasn’t what Luke was worried about. He didn’t believe in ghosts to begin with. But with the imperial palace suppressing the people’s freedom to some extent, there was always the possibility they were monitoring rumors too. One wrong word, and trouble could follow.

Luke offered his farewells and slowly walked away. The old man bowed deeply, again and again, until Luke had disappeared from view.

“Possessed by a ghost, huh...”

Luke murmured softly. But it wasn’t the ghost that mattered here—it was that the prince had changed so drastically. Of course, people liked to exaggerate, but if rumors of possession were spreading this widely, it meant the shift had been extreme.

If the prince had once been peaceful, much like the former emperor, then his current rule stood in stark contrast to that. Had power changed him? That wasn’t impossible, but too many things didn’t sit right.

Luke left the square and headed toward the palace. Before entering, the knights conducted a brief security check. He worried for a moment they might confiscate the bracelet, but after inspecting it once or twice, they handed it back without comment.

“Why did the prince change...”

Even as Luke slowly made his way toward the annex, the thought lingered. Could it be that he was being controlled by Nox? But was that kind of manipulation possible through magic—controlling another’s mind and actions?

It couldn’t be ruled out entirely. After all, the spectrum of magic was unimaginably broad. New spells and techniques were still being developed, even now. And the leader of Nox was known to wield dark magic freely. That made the idea all the more plausible.

As he scratched his head in frustration, he spotted a familiar figure nearby. Beneath a rather worn-looking gazebo sat none other than the Second Prince, Kyrin Ferrid. He was reading in an upright posture, completely still.

And Luke thought, if even the common folk had come to believe the First Prince was possessed, then what of the Second Prince?

Why had he shown that flash of killing intent when Heath held his hand?

Just as those thoughts passed through his mind, Kyrin seemed to notice Luke’s gaze and turned his head. For an instant, there was a flicker in his eyes. Luke, unshaken, gave a courteous bow.

“My apologies for disturbing Your Highness’s reading. Please forgive my rudeness.”

“There’s no need to apologize. It wasn’t a disturbance at all.”

Luke’s mind raced. He wanted to continue speaking with the Second Prince, but what excuse could he use? As a mere member of a foreign delegation, there was hardly any reason to initiate a private conversation with a prince.

“...Would you happen to have a moment?”

“Pardon?”

“I was wondering if you’d like to share some tea. There’s far too much for just one person.”

Kyrin gestured awkwardly at the table, which was set with an untouched spread of refreshments.

“If Your Highness doesn’t mind...”

“Please, sit.”

Things were going smoother than expected—so much so it was almost alarming. Luke had hoped for a chance to speak with Kyrin, but to have the prince himself invite him?

“This gazebo is quite beautiful.”

From the outside, it had looked «N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.t» rather old and unimpressive for something within the palace. But seated inside, it was another matter. The five supporting columns bore finely carved illustrations, and the inside of the domed roof was adorned with artwork like a painting. It seemed the gazebo truly revealed its beauty only from within.

“Is it? His Majesty had it made for me when I was young. I was sickly, and he wanted me to enjoy the outdoors comfortably. I used to spend time here with my brother often when we were little.”

Kyrin looked around as he spoke. Though his eyes faced the present, they seemed to gaze into a distant past.

“Then this must be a precious place for you.”

“Yes. It holds memories of time spent with my family.”

As he said that, Kyrin began to recount various stories about Heath. And while he spoke of those memories, he looked genuinely happy. They had clearly shared a close bond—a rare thing between royal siblings, given all the usual entanglements of power and politics.

But Luke noticed one thing. Every single story Kyrin told about Heath... was about the past.