I Will Fulfill the Role of the Villain-Chapter 149

Kyrin hadn’t said a single word about the current Heath. Every mention of his brother referred only to the past. It felt oddly off, considering how close they still appeared to be.

“I really envy how well the two of you get along. I actually have a younger brother myself, but we don’t have the best relationship.”

So Luke intentionally fabricated a younger sibling and began to spin a story.

“Is that so?”

“Yes. We were very close when we were children, but we naturally grew apart as we got older.”

At that, Kyrin’s hand paused slightly. Luke’s eyes caught the movement, but Kyrin lifted his teacup with a perfectly neutral expression.

“That’s why seeing princes who are still close with each other like this... I really do envy it.”

“...A good relationship, huh.”

Kyrin tapped his fingers lightly against his book. A silence settled, and even the wind seemed to die down. The leaves that had swayed with the breeze stilled, as if time itself had paused.

“Is that how it appears to you?”

“...”

His tone was as soft as ever, Kyrin’s trademark gentle voice. But just one thing was different—his expression. For the first time, it had gone completely still. A few seconds passed in silence before Luke could respond, but Kyrin beat him to it, offering a faint smile.

“...That was a strange question. Forget I said it.”

“Yes.”

Luke simply bowed his head. Kyrin slowly closed the book in his hands. Luke recognized the title on the cover.

“You seem to enjoy reading.”

“Hm? Ah... yes. It’s a book I like.”

“I know that book too. If I’m not mistaken... isn’t it the one that explores the concept of eternity in a philosophical way?”

Kyrin nodded slowly. Luke, watching his face closely, narrowed his eyes for a brief second.

“There was one line in that book I found particularly memorable. It posed a question to the reader—whether something truly eternal and unchanging could even exist.”

Kyrin said nothing, simply looking at Luke in silence, as if listening intently. Their gazes met in midair and tangled in an odd stillness.

“Do you believe such a thing exists, Your Highness?”

“...”

Earlier, Kyrin had asked the question and Luke had gone quiet. This time, it was Luke who asked, and Kyrin who pressed his lips shut. He didn’t respond. He just met Luke’s gaze with steady, deep eyes, his expression unchanged.

“Your Highness, it’s time to return.”

A voice came from behind—a servant approaching. Kyrin nodded lightly, then stood from his seat. He thanked Luke for the conversation and slowly stepped out of the gazebo. Luke bowed his head as the prince walked away.

“I don’t think it does.”

That was when Kyrin’s voice reached him—low, almost whispered. Luke stopped in his tracks and turned back. Kyrin had paused, looking straight at him from where he stood. His eyes were strikingly firm and resolute.

“An eternity that never changes.”

With that single phrase, Kyrin turned again and walked off. Luke stood there in silence, watching the timeworn gazebo long after Kyrin had disappeared into the depths of the palace.

***

“Hmph, how’s it going? Anything to report?”

One day, as the special unit sat gathered in the dining hall, the Foreign Minister came over to pick a fight. He dropped into a seat beside Luke and spoke with a tone that was clearly fishing for something.

“It’s military-classified. I’m not at liberty to share,” Luke muttered under his breath.

The Foreign Minister clicked his tongue, clearly displeased.

“So, not going well, is it.”

Luke ignored him and continued eating. But the man was unusually persistent that day and didn’t stop talking.

“And do you know why nothing’s turning up? Because there’s nothing there to begin with. No evidence, because no crime was committed. I should’ve known when the army started barking up the wrong tree with some baseless accusations against our allies...”

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With a loud clack, Luke set down his utensils hard enough to make the table tremble. Members at other tables looked up in surprise, and the Foreign Minister visibly flinched, shrinking back like a scolded child.

“Do you have anything else you’d like to say?”

“N-No, nothing!”

He huffed and scrambled to his feet, leaving the dining hall in a flustered exit. Seeing someone of his age and rank behave so childishly made Luke worry for the future of the Foreign Ministry.

But he couldn’t just dismiss what had been said as petty provocation.

The investigation wasn’t progressing. So far, the most they’d uncovered was that Prince Heath had undergone a drastic change at some point. It was a lead, but not nearly enough.

Paul, Levi, and {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} Jade were all doing their best to investigate from different angles, but not a single clear clue had surfaced. Not even a trace of Nox had been found.

It was starting to seem, as the Foreign Minister claimed, that Welharun might truly be innocent—an unsettling thought. The more time passed, the more anxious Luke became. Time was running out. They had to produce results soon.

“Don’t worry too much about what the Foreign Minister said.”

That’s when the other three offered him some words of comfort. They’d clearly picked up on his sour mood.

“Honestly, it’d be great if this operation succeeds, but even if it doesn’t, it’s not like we’re doomed.”

And that wasn’t entirely wrong. If they did find evidence and returned to Heinearn with it, they could confront Welharun properly and resolve the issue. If not, they could always come up with a new strategy.

“We will not fail. Your Majesty, the Empire’s army is strong.”

But Luke had boldly declared those words to the Emperor when this mission was first approved. He couldn’t go back empty-handed. More than that, this mission was tied to Theo’s reputation.

The army had raised suspicions about Welharun, and the Emperor had only authorized the investigation because of Theo’s firm stance. If they failed, the army would be held accountable.

If this mission failed, there was no guarantee they’d get another chance to investigate from inside enemy territory. Worse, Theo might have to shoulder the entire burden.

“That can’t happen.”

Luke stabbed a cherry tomato with his fork, muttering in a sharp tone. The other three exchanged uneasy glances.

This wasn’t just about Heinearn. It was about Theo.

“We’ll need a more aggressive approach.”

“Aggressive?” Paul asked.

“Isn’t there some way we could move more freely through the palace, like it was our own home?”

Even now, they could come and go within the main palace as members of the delegation, but there were limits. There were always eyes watching. He’d already gotten caught once by Dante while trying to slip deeper inside using a loophole.

“Actually, a few days from now...”

That’s when Jade spoke up.

“Welharun is throwing a banquet in honor of the delegation. In the main palace ballroom.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Paul and Levi looked at him, clearly hearing this for the first time.

“Ah, I overheard the Foreign Minister talking about it with some of the others.”

“That damned old man was planning to tell us late on purpose, huh?”

Luke shook his head in disbelief. Even someone as young as Ria wouldn’t be this childish.

“From what I hear, it’ll be a pretty lavish event.”

A delegation represented their entire nation. Welcoming them with a grand banquet was one of the best ways to leave a favorable impression on an allied state.

“Most of the palace staff will be pulled in for the event.”

“And during the banquet, everyone’ll be too busy to pay attention.”

“Exactly. Everyone will be too busy enjoying themselves.”

That was Levi.

“And Prince Heath will be stuck at the banquet too, right?”

“He’ll have to be. It’s his job to personally welcome the delegation. He can’t just slip away.”

Paul answered this time.

“And since the banquet is inside the main palace, access won’t be an issue either.”

Jade sealed the deal. Luke nodded, snapping his fingers as if to say that’s it. A banquet that would draw attention away from the rest of the palace—this might finally be their window.

“So what are you planning to do?” Levi asked.

“I’m going to test our last resort.”

The mention of a “last resort” made the three exchange uneasy glances. No one said it aloud, but all of them were thinking the same thing: What’s he got cooked up in that head of his this time?

“Guys.”

“Yes?”

“When you come up with a plan that has a low chance of success, do you know what you’re supposed to do?”

Paul answered timidly, “I’m not sure.” Jade looked deep in thought, unable to respond right away. Levi said flatly that if the odds were low, he’d probably just abandon the plan altogether.

“Levi’s right. If success is unlikely, the smart move is to scrap it or come up with something else.”

A low chance of success meant a high chance of failure—and failure always came with consequences.

“But there’s actually a surprisingly simple method.”

“What is it?” Levi asked.

Luke stared off into the air for a moment, then curved his lips into a smile.

“You bet on it anyway. That’s what you call a gamble, isn’t it?”

The boldness of the answer left the three of them staring at Luke in stunned silence.