The Villainess is a Marionette - Chapter 55: Scene 10. A Strange Hostage

It was in the middle of the night that the woman who would be the Duchess came to see me.

She said my father and mother died, and my kind uncle became king.

She said it’s not worth it for me, the crown prince, to be living in hiding, too.

“A while ago, Your Highness had been hiding from me. With all due respect, is that for the sake of survival? Just because your parents died doesn’t mean you have no reason to survive. Actually, that fact alone made it all the more reason why you should live. If you die now…”

If I died now?

When I asked her while looking at her eyes, the woman eventually brought out the harsh truth with empathetic eyes.

“It’s like a dog’s death.”

“That’s rude….”

It’s been a long time since I said that. In a short while, he has been treated as a madman and beaten to death just by saying similar things. She loosened her arms that held me and I suddenly stiffened up due to it. Because I thought she might have loosened her arm to hit me. But she didn’t.

She knelt down with one knee in front of me, just like a knight.

“Hastred’s Sarian raised her salutations. May you accept it gladly.”

My first knight is beautiful and kind.

“Are you on my side?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

It was all a lie.

[Urban Bestselling Epic about the War God] “Sign it, today you must divorce that loser, Ling Fan—you’re not ashamed, but I can’t even lift my head when I go out,” my father-in-law emphatically tapped on the divorce agreement. Three days later, good son-in-law, you rise above the petty, I beg you, please don’t leave my daughter... Three years of tempering, a work of craftsmanship, the legendary War God’s ascension journey....

A festive day, a week have the kingdom of Polestin celebrated for their victory with the crimson general leading their army.The soldiers who served have been guaranteed a spot inside a local bar of the capital city.Clank!“The Crimson General despite being a woman is a talented warrior! Three cheers for the general!”“That woman saved me when I needed it! All hail the general!”“She's like a sister to all the soldier! All hail our general!”Every warrior kept on drinking as the news reached them that the war with their neighboring kingdom was over, the ruler raised their white flag as they asked for mercy- being beneath the crimson general.“General! Come drink with us!”“...”The Crimson General, for how she got her name is because of her crimson hair that became the trademark of her legendary name already spreading across the many kingdoms.“I don't drink.” she denies the invitation her comrades and just sat down on the table watching the others enjoy themselves.“Enjoy, general! You might even find a man here that suits to your liking! You know... your type I think...! The general would love a soft-spoken man!”“...No.”“Hah! That's a shame! In any case I heard that you'll be receiving a reward for helping win the war!”“A reward... I wonder what could it be.”...The reward:“You can choose any of my children to marry you. I have the finest royal princes for you to choose. That is my reward.” The King motions to his left side showing his sons who smiles, sitting in their throne meeting her gaze..“Eh?”“My liege, forgive me but this is...”“Are my children not good enough for you? General, I applaud your accomplishment. Isn't marrying into the royal family a good enough reward for the general?” The King asked the general who swallowed the lump in her throat looking at the princes in display.“I choose-!”Everyone stopped and waiting for the girl to continue.“I choose the princess instead!”

“First were the Gates, and now you’re saying the world has been invaded by Aliens and we’re soon going to be turned into livestock…? Great…”—----------------*Ding!*[You have awakened with the Idle Evolution System!]“The wha—”Suddenly thrown into a magical parallel world of the Earth he once knew, Cassius was greeted with powerful beings known as Hunters and the terrifying Gates that plagued the world. Moreover, he received a message…[To Idle, one must stay proactive!][Firstly, you require Character Development!]“Character Development…?”[You seem a bit (A lot) overweight, and you resemble that of a goblin! What say we start there!?]{[Daily Quest 1:]}_________________[Daily Quest - To Idle, one must stay proactive.]GOAL[INCOMPLETE] PUSH-UPS — [0/100][INCOMPLETE] SIT-UPS — [0/100][INCOMPLETE] CURL-UPS — [0/100][INCOMPLETE] SQUATS — [0/100][INCOMPLETE] RUNNING — [0/10km]REWARD - [1 Point in Charisma, 1 Point in Agility, 1 Point in Strength, and 1 Point in Endurance]_________________“Is this torture!?” shouted the ugly, obese transmigrator Cassius.*Ding!*[No, it’s Character Development! ^-^]—----------------100 years ago, Earth was suddenly overwhelmed with the appearance of Gates and the horrifying monsters within those mystical portals. That was the First Major Calamity.Now, one hundred years later, the next major calamity has arrived—the subtle invasion of an Ancient Alien species from deep into the Milky Way Galaxy. Its undercurrents spread far and wide, with the threat an apocalyptic one. Yet, that is but the 2nd of Three Major Calamities as per prophesied by the famed prophet, Baba Yaga.The Third Calamity, and the most dangerous of the Calamities, is one that will bring about the true END of the world, but only if the Second Calamity can be overcome by humanity…What does this Third Calamity detail, one might ask…? To know the answer to that, one would have to brave past the first Two Calamities and stare into the abyss, praying to all Gods known to man that the Abyss does not stare back also into you…