Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 215 Forgotten Male Leads (1)

215: Forgotten Male Leads (1)

215: Forgotten Male Leads (1)

Eventually, my eyes flickered open.

‘Ugh…

Huh…?’

Initially, I was only confused, waking up inside a soft bed with a ceiling above my head.

Of course.

I should have been sleeping in the streets, so why…

And then I remembered.

“…!”

Jumping up, I hurriedly looked around the room, recalling what should have been the final moments, at least in regards to my freedom.

But, there was no one; just a room, relatively simple, with thick fabric tapestries hung over every wall, perhaps for insulation purposes, and strangely enough, no visible windows.

I sensed another presence in the room beyond the door, but it didn’t seem to match what I briefly felt from any of the people from that Black Fang group…

“What…”

‘What happened…?’

Just as I wondered that, I glanced down, belatedly realising I wasn’t wearing the Villain’s Vizard or Draconic Shadow anymore.

Instantly, my heart dropped.

“Where– Oh…”

Fortunately, just as quickly as I realised they were missing, I noticed the outfit, neatly folded atop a bedside drawer to my side.

“Phew…”

Putting a hand to my chest, I calmed down my heart, then moved my hand to where I had previously been hit on my side.

‘It’s healing…’

My torso was bandaged all around, not just for that one side of my ribs, but also my back, which still felt sore even now.

Glancing at the Draconic Shadow to the side, I didn’t think that whoever had treated me knew that it had a property of increasing natural regeneration speed, otherwise they probably would have left it on me after bandaging me up.

‘Well, I can’t really complain…

It’s more than I expected to be treated like this…

Does this mean I was saved?

But how…?’

Moving my attention towards the presence of the other side of the door, I momentarily wondered how strong they had to have been to not only save me, but escape to safety from those who were chasing me down.

“Shit…

Since when was this place so brutal…?”

Maybe it was my own fault for underestimating a fantasy world, but wasn’t it only supposed to be a romance game for young girls originally?

Why the hell were there such strong people everywhere all of a sudden??

It was enough to make me think back to when I came here the first time―If I hadn’t talked to the Emperor privately beforehand, sneaking around the Imperial Palace to assassinate the prince was almost certainly a death wish.

‘Fuck…

Have I even gotten stronger at all?’

Feeling myself abruptly swamped with such self-deprecating thoughts, I retrieved a couple Lesser Health Potions from Storage and downed them without thinking, experiencing my wounds slowly heal in real time as my insides began to tingle and itch.

It was a good thing I cleared the Tower, I had lots of healing to go around.

Of course, it was different for Lesser Health Potions which weren’t worth much, but I didn’t want to waste a Standard Health Potion when I didn’t need to.

Since it seemed like I was already safe here, I should save what I can.

‘Anyway, I have eight Lesser and two Standard Health Potions left, so I think it’s fine to use two.’

Depositing the emptied bottles right back into Storage, I sensed the presence move at that moment.

Maybe he could also sense what I was doing and realised that I was awake, as after about five seconds, the door opened.

Immediately, my eyes widened.

‘It’s him!’

“You’re awake!”

With a strangely bright smile adorning his face, the young man briskly approached the bed in which I lay, his refreshing, ice-blue hair striking me as familiar.

‘Agh, what was his name…

something Lomaz…

Lomaziere…?’

“Joádin Lomaziere, at your service.

It’s good to finally see you again after so long, Sir Enki.”

‘Ah, that’s right, Joádin.

Anyway.’

“It has…”

Not knowing how else to react, I only muttered that.

Honestly, I was more than just a little surprised to meet one of the old Love Interests again, especially the same guy whom I was concerned went missing after the first time I met him…

But, when I thought about it, it made more sense than being rescued by a stranger.

Someone I had no connection to would have no reason to save me from the Black Fang, and conversely, they would only have an incentive to hand me over themselves to the Imperial Knights to claim the bounty reward.

Although, judging by both this room I awoke in, as well as simply the circumstances themselves, I would have expected the Saint to be the one to help me first, rather than this guy…

‘I remember him being a little strange when we first met…

He’s not going to try and take advantage of me, is he…?’

Despite my faint concerns, I didn’t genuinely think I had anything to worry about.

If he was going to do anything to me, he could have done it when I was unconscious, but not only did he do what he could to help my body recover, he even went so far as to fold my clothes and put them neatly to one side.

“Were you the one who helped me?

Why?”

…Even still, I couldn’t help but be curious.

Was the brief conversation we held back then really enough to cause him to go so out of his way?

All this time later?

“Yes.

Well.

I suppose.

Although, I only teleported us away from those pesky ne’er-do-wells who think they can do whatever they want just because they helped His Majesty out with a few matters in the past.

The one who tended your wounds was in reality my familiar.

Cael?”

Briefly clapping his hands twice, a fluffy blue cat emerged from thin air atop the mage’s shoulders, elegantly walking down his arm and jumping to sit on the end of my bed.

‘Huh?’

“This little guy…?”

Staring at the creature I wasn’t sure was actually a cat or not, I could instinctively sense a surprising amount of intelligence in its beady eyes gazing silently back at me.

Although, that didn’t explain how it was able to bandage me so flawlessly.

“Indeed.

Undeniably, your natural recovery rate is excellent in itself, but it was also in large part thanks to Cael that you were only unconscious for a matter of hours.”

“I see…”

Watching its unusually large and fluffy tail wrap around itself as it sat, I wasn’t sure exactly what to say, quickly moving the subject along.

“Anyway, thanks.

And who were those guys?

They said ‘Black Fang’; are they supposed to be famous or something?”

‘Seeing how strong they were, I wouldn’t be surprised…’

Following my question, Joádin brought a hand to his face with an exaggerated sigh.

“Oh, don’t get me started.

There are many stories, none of them brief.

All you should know is that their emergence in this situation is quite vexing.”

“Why’s that?”

“Haa.

It was originally the plan to have everything explained as you handed yourself over to the Imperial Knights and were “questioned” by Her Highness.

In fact, she was supposed to be giving a speech this very evening addressing you to hand yourself over as a criminal.

That way, we could subvert the suspicions of the public that you were someone to resist.”

‘Huh…

That’s similar to the plan I had.

So I’m not just a dumbass then.

But wait…’

“Does that mean you’re working with Lucretia?”

‘If that’s the case, then is she here too?’

Although I had a moment where such a question floated in my mind, I should’ve known it was never possible due to her busy schedule and the abruptness of the situation.

Strangely, when I asked that question, I caught Joádin giving me a sly look, his lips curling into a slight smile.

“I’m not the only one.

Her Highness, His Majesty, as well as those of us you warned back then―we’re all in on this.”

“…What?”

It took me a second to process what he was saying, my eyes gradually widening more and more as I began to realise.

‘Not just the Emperor and Lucretia know, but they even told this guy?

And the Saint and red-head too…?’

Really?

They all knew about my innocence?

Just after my eyes widened and grew, they narrowed right back down again, my brows furrowed.

‘But how?

No, why…’

Of course, it wasn’t a bad thing.

I was just confused.

Did Lucretia tell them?

“Are you bewildered?”

He must have seen it on my face.

Nodding, I couldn’t just blatantly lie when it was obvious what I was thinking.

“To be honest, yeah…

I was under the impression everybody would just be told I was a betrayer and leave it at that.”

“That’s where you’re wrong…

Well, technically correct, but for those of us who you warned back then…

We knew something was up the second that announcement was made.

It’s a little long, but seeing as you appear fine, we should have time.”

Saying that, the mage summoned a transparent chair from magic and plopped down.

For a while after, he let me in on a story I never expected to be going on in the background when I left Drakon-Rasa the first time around.