Clay continued resting beneath the tree while the afternoon breeze moved calmly through the garden.

The peaceful atmosphere made his entire body feel heavy with comfort.

Honestly—

He no longer wanted to move.

Not even slightly.

The food was good.

The weather was good.

The tea was good.

Even Maid Cy’s service had become increasingly perfect lately.

Everything felt smooth.

Simple.

Exactly the peaceful life he wanted after escaping that terrifying future shown by the strange dream.

Meanwhile—

Cerys quietly stood beside him while preparing another cup of tea.

Then she heard Clay mutter lazily—

"I’ll do it next week."

"Hm?"

Cerys looked toward him slightly.

Clay waved his hand tiredly.

"Whatever problem appears."

"Whatever work needs to be done."

"Whatever people need from me."

He leaned deeper against the chair afterward.

"I’ll deal with it next week."

His voice sounded completely unmotivated.

"It’s rare for me to be this relaxed."

Cerys quietly observed him for a moment.

Then lowered her gaze slightly.

Because despite everything—

Despite his strength.

Despite his strange behavior.

Despite the terrifying power hidden around him—

At moments like this—

Clay honestly looked like someone tired.

Not physically.

But mentally.

As though he simply wanted to rest peacefully without being dragged into endless chaos.

Meanwhile—

Clay slowly closed his eyes.

The warm breeze continued brushing against his face comfortably.

Then little by little—

His breathing slowed.

His body relaxed further.

And before long—

He fell asleep.

The garden remained quiet afterward.

Cerys silently stood guard nearby without disturbing him.

Meanwhile—

Inside the dream—

The peaceful atmosphere disappeared completely.

Boom!!!

A violent explosion erupted across the battlefield.

The skies burned crimson.

The ground cracked endlessly beneath countless corpses and ruined structures.

Smoke filled the air heavily while rivers of blood stretched across shattered plains.

And standing amidst all of it—

Was Clay.

No.

Not the relaxed Clay sleeping peacefully in the garden.

This version looked completely different.

His eyes contained fury.

Madness.

Hatred.

The terrifying aura surrounding him distorted the very air itself while countless people surrounded him from all directions.

Enemies.

An entire world against him.

And directly before him—

Maxwell stood there.

His dragon aura covered the skies while golden light erupted endlessly around his body.

The White Heaven Dragon Blood had fully awakened.

His mere presence crushed the battlefield.

Meanwhile—

Clay breathed heavily while gripping his weapon tightly.

Blood covered portions of his body.

His expression twisted with fury.

"You again..."

Maxwell’s cold eyes stared directly toward him.

"You’ve already lost."

Boom!!!

Another terrifying clash erupted instantly.

The entire battlefield exploded from the impact.

Clay’s body slammed backward violently while blood erupted from his mouth.

Yet even then—

He forced himself back up immediately.

His eyes no longer looked rational.

Only rage remained.

Around them—

Countless people watched.

Fear filled their faces.

Because the battle between the two monsters no longer resembled human combat.

Every collision shattered the land itself.

Every strike distorted mana violently.

Meanwhile—

Suddenly—

A sharp pain erupted through Clay’s chest.

His eyes widened.

Then slowly—

He looked downward.

A sword pierced directly through his body from behind.

Silence followed briefly.

The battlefield itself seemed to stop moving.

Clay slowly turned his head.

And there—

Standing behind him—

Was Frazanna.

Her hands trembled while gripping the sword.

Tears filled her eyes.

Yet she still stabbed him.

"You..."

Clay’s voice sounded hollow.

Disbelieving.

Frazanna lowered her gaze painfully.

"I’m sorry..."

Maxwell’s expression remained cold ahead of him.

Meanwhile—

Clay staggered slightly.

Blood flowed endlessly from the wound.

Then suddenly—

Boom!!!

Dark shadows erupted across the battlefield violently.

Everyone froze.

The surrounding darkness swallowed portions of the battlefield instantly before countless shadow blades flew outward in every direction.

Screams echoed everywhere.

And then—

A figure appeared beside Clay immediately.

Cerys.

But not the maid version quietly serving tea in the garden.

No.

This version felt terrifying.

Cold.

Her crimson eyes looked completely emotionless while overwhelming darkness surrounded her body endlessly.

The Final Villainess of the first arc.

The woman feared across the kingdom.

Without hesitation—

She caught Clay before he collapsed completely.

"Come with me."

Her voice remained calm despite the chaos everywhere.

Maxwell’s expression finally changed slightly.

"Stop her!"

Boom!!!

The battlefield exploded again instantly.

Yet Cerys did not hesitate.

The shadows surrounding her swallowed everything nearby before the two disappeared completely from the battlefield.

Leaving only darkness behind.

Meanwhile—

Inside the dream—

Clay struggled to breathe while blood continued pouring from his wound.

His vision blurred heavily.

Yet even then—

He remembered one terrifying truth.

This was the future where he became the Ultimate Villain.

The path he desperately escaped.

The path he never wanted.

Then suddenly—

Clay’s eyes snapped open.

"Hah!"

Clay remained sitting upright on the bed while breathing heavily.

The dream still lingered vividly inside his mind.

The burning battlefield.

Maxwell.

Frazanna stabbing him from behind.

And most importantly—

Cerys.

No.

Not merely Cerys.

The Final Villainess Cerys from the dream.

The woman feared across the kingdom.

The same woman who saved him at the very end.

The same woman connected to his future as the Ultimate Villain.

Meanwhile—

Clay slowly pressed his hand against his forehead.

His thoughts felt messy.

Confused.

Because something inside the dream suddenly bothered him deeply.

Not the betrayal.

Not the battle.

Not even becoming the Ultimate Villain again.

No.

It was something else.

Something strangely simple.

Something that refused to leave his mind.

Why...

Why did Villainess Cerys feel so familiar?

Clay slowly narrowed his eyes.

Then suddenly—

A thought surfaced inside his head.

And the moment it appeared—

His expression froze slightly.

"...Wait."

He slowly looked toward the empty room.

Then quietly muttered—

"Why does it feel like Villainess Cerys and Maid Cy are the same person?"

Silence followed immediately afterward.

Then—

Clay frowned hard.

Because the more he thought about it—

The more uncomfortable he became.

The way they spoke calmly.

The way they stared at him.

The way both seemed strangely composed no matter what situation happened.

Even their presence somehow felt similar inside his memories.

And worst of all—

Both always appeared beside him during important moments.

Clay immediately shook his head afterward.

"No."

"That’s ridiculous."

Still—

The thought refused to disappear completely.

Meanwhile—

Morning arrived.

The peaceful routine resumed once more.

Tea.

Food.

Relaxation.

Cerys quietly stood beside him while serving breakfast calmly as usual.

Yet this time—

Clay found himself staring at her repeatedly.

Not obviously.

But enough.

He watched the way she moved.

The way she spoke.

The way she calmly prepared his tea before he even asked.

Then suddenly—

The image from the dream overlapped briefly inside his mind.

Villainess Cerys standing amidst endless darkness.

Maid Cy standing beside him calmly.

Clay immediately looked away afterward.

No way.

That was impossible.

Completely impossible.

Meanwhile—

Cerys noticed his gaze occasionally lingering on her.

But she remained calm outwardly.

"Is something wrong, Young Master?"

Clay immediately answered.

"No."

Then after a brief pause—

He added casually.

"You just look tired."

Cerys blinked once.

"I am fine."

Clay slowly nodded.

Then returned toward his food again.

Still—

The uncomfortable thought remained inside his head afterward.

Afternoon arrived.

Clay relaxed in the garden again while Cerys prepared tea nearby.

The breeze moved peacefully through the flowers.

Everything remained calm.

Yet Clay still occasionally glanced toward her unconsciously.

Then—

Again—

The dream overlapped.

The terrifying Villainess standing amidst black shadows.

The maid quietly pouring tea nearby.

For a brief moment—

The two images merged together inside his head naturally.

Clay immediately frowned afterward.

What is wrong with me?

Meanwhile—

Night came.

Then the next morning.

Then another afternoon.

Then another night.

One day passed.

Then another.

Then another.

Yet strangely—

The thought never fully disappeared.

No matter how much Clay tried ignoring it—

It always returned eventually.

Sometimes while eating.

Sometimes while resting.

Sometimes while looking at Cerys quietly standing nearby.

And every single time—

The same strange feeling appeared again.

Familiarity.

The terrifying Villainess from the dream and Maid Cy somehow felt increasingly connected inside his mind.

Meanwhile—

Clay himself slowly became more disturbed by the idea.

Because logically—

It made no sense.

Completely none.

Princess Cerys and Maid Cy were entirely different people.

One was a feared noblewoman.

The other was merely his maid from the Forshaw Family.

And besides—

Maid Cy already swore an oath earlier.

She specifically swore she never directly told Princess Cerys about him.

Clay remembered that clearly.

The oath succeeded completely.

No backlash happened.

Which meant—

She spoke truthfully.

Meanwhile—

Clay leaned back tiredly one evening while staring toward the ceiling inside his room.

His thoughts once again drifted toward the same problem.

Then slowly—

He sighed deeply.

"I’m overthinking again..."

That had to be it.

Nothing more.

After all—

Ever since the strange dream showing his villain future appeared—

His mind constantly became suspicious over random things.

It happened repeatedly already.

And every time—

The problem usually turned out far simpler than he imagined.

Meanwhile—

Clay slowly closed his eyes again while forcing himself to calm down.

Maid Cy already swore.

And besides...

How could a princess secretly become my maid all this time?

The idea itself sounded absurd.

Impossible.

Completely unreasonable.

There was no way someone like Princess Cerys could quietly serve him food daily while acting as a maid.

Not to mention—

Cerys herself genuinely behaved like an experienced servant.

Too naturally.

Too smoothly.

Everything about her actions fit Maid Cy completely.

Meanwhile—

The terrifying Villainess from the dream felt entirely different.

More dangerous.

More imposing.

More frightening.

No.

They could not be the same person.

Eventually—

Clay finally exhaled slowly.

Then nodded to himself.

"That’s right..."

"It’s impossible."

His thoughts gradually settled afterward.

Because no matter how suspicious he became—

One fact still remained undeniable.

Maid Cy swore she never told anything about him directly to Villainess Cerys.