I'm a Villainess, Can I Die?-Chapter 58

Walking ahead of Jacob was a young child and her mother. The child, perhaps around five years old, held tightly onto her mother’s hand, walking diligently with her short legs.

She didn’t whine about her legs hurting. Instead, she walked with determination.

The woman smiled softly at her child. But just as she turned to check if the child was keeping up, she caught a glimpse of something flying toward them at high speed.

Something about the size of an adult woman’s fist— thud.

The woman turned her head to see what it was, but she couldn’t. There was something blocking her sight— a large hand.

She could only blink blankly.

Gripping her child’s hand more tightly, she slowly turned her gaze upward to see the owner of the hand.

"Are you all right?"

"Y-Yes..."

Her response was drawn out. She was momentarily dazed after seeing his face. But only for a moment. Unable to figure out where to focus her gaze on such a strikingly handsome man, she instead looked down—toward his hand.

The very same hand that had stopped right in front of her eyes.

In that hand was a large stone. The very same size as the one she had glimpsed earlier—the size of a woman’s fist.

"Oh my."

She sucked in a small breath and swiftly picked up her child. The little one, who had been walking so well, began to whine in protest at suddenly being lifted.

As the woman stared at the stone still nestled in his fingers, she hurriedly expressed her gratitude to the man.

It was impossible for someone to throw a stone from that distance and then run over here in time to pick it up. Which meant that this handsome stranger standing before her had caught the stone midair— saving both her and her child.

She bowed her head repeatedly while thinking to herself.

‘How did he catch a flying stone with one hand—?’

The man smiled gently as he accepted her gratitude, his gaze warm as he looked at the bewildered child.

The woman buried her trivial curiosity deep within her and offered her thanks once more before walking away.

"Ah, they’re gone already."

Lucas murmured as he waved at the child still clinging to their mother’s arms, looking back at him.

He then casually tossed the stone into the air, catching it with ease as he glanced around. He could feel the stares of people passing by.

Well, it made sense. If someone stood in the middle of the street receiving heartfelt gratitude from a stranger, people would naturally stop to watch.

Keeping up his friendly expression, Lucas stared at the stone that Jacob had kicked earlier before continuing toward the carriage storage.

Jacob walked quickly toward the carriage storage. He had seen the stone he kicked flying toward the woman and her child, but to be honest, he didn’t really care.

If there had been a problem, he could have just thrown some money at it.

Would some commoner dare to file a lawsuit against a noble?

At most, they would just complain about their rotten luck that day.

That’s all it should have been.

However, the moment someone caught that stone with their bare hand, and that someone turned to smile directly at him—Jacob realized that he wouldn’t be getting away with just bad luck today.

While the mother was busy thanking Lucas, Jacob took quick steps to escape the scene.

"Why the hell..."

Muttering under his breath, Jacob bit his lip in frustration.

Why was that man here?

The fact that neither that crazy noblewoman nor her servant was anywhere in sight meant that Lucas had followed him here alone.

‘He said he’d let things slide, but he must have gone and spilled everything already.’

He needed to get home.

If he could just get home and take some time to think, surely he’d come up with a way to handle this.

The carriage storage was now within sight. Jacob felt a fleeting sense of relief despite his scowl.

Surely Lucas wouldn’t follow him all the way home in a carriage.

Even if he decided to come knocking later, at least by then, Jacob would have some kind of excuse prepared. That would make things much easier.

But Jacob was unaware of one simple truth.

A bad day never ends after just one bad event.

He froze in place. A dry gulp echoed in his throat, loud even to his own ears.

"What a coincidence. We meet again, Sir Jacob."

Jacob had started walking first, so how had Lucas arrived before him?

Despite Jacob’s growing panic, Lucas greeted him with a friendly, completely unaffected smile.

Anyone watching would have thought it was just a chance encounter between acquaintances.

"...Sir Lucas."

"Where are you rushing off to? Since we’ve run into each other again, why don’t we have a little chat?"

Jacob stole a sideways glance at the carriage storage just ahead.

"I’m afraid I have some urgent matters to attend to..."

He made an excuse and began to shift his body.

Or at least, he tried to.

Until something whizzed through the air.

A stone.

The very same stone Jacob had kicked earlier arced through the air—and landed with a thud just in front of his feet.

If he had taken just one more step forward, it would have struck him squarely in the head.

Jacob froze.

Only his eyes moved, shifting from the dust-stirred stone to the man who had thrown it.

Lucas was still smiling, as if nothing had happened.

As if he hadn’t just tried to bash Jacob’s skull in with a rock.

Rage boiled up within Jacob—but he couldn’t do a thing.

It felt like being a mouse in front of a lion.

Lucas clasped his hands behind his back, strolling forward as if out for a casual walk.

"Ah, I’m afraid you’ll have to cancel those urgent matters."

Between his narrowed eyes, his violet gaze gleamed ominously.

The two men relocated.

Not to some elegant café fit for noble discussions, but to a desolate spot on the outskirts of the square.

Practically dragged there, Jacob swallowed hard as he faced Lucas.

"Why are we speaking here...?"

"Oh, I just enjoy nature," Lucas replied lightly, toying with the ends of his long hair.

Lucas kept smiling.

Not to put Jacob at ease.

Not because Jacob was worth the effort.

No—he smiled because if he didn’t, he might lose control.

Selina’s contract had been immensely satisfying, but if its contents leaked, things would get complicated.

He had gone through all the trouble of hosting a party to erase old rumors and cultivate new ones. He couldn't afford to have this idiot spreading new whispers.

That was why Lucas had followed him—to make sure Jacob kept his mouth shut.

But ◈ Nоvеlіgһт ◈ (Continue reading) then, as he crept up behind him, Lucas heard something interesting.

"Damn it! They said she’d be easy to seduce—what a load of crap. That crazy bitch nearly got me killed. And I didn’t even get any money out of it!"

Jacob’s voice was filled with frustration, too loud for muttering.

And the moment Lucas heard it—a rage unlike anything he had ever felt surged through him.

It was overwhelming.

He wanted to snap this pathetic man's neck.

Lucas raised his hand toward Jacob’s throat.

Then, with great effort, he stopped himself.

Acting recklessly would only cause problems for the ducal house. If he was going to handle this, he’d do it properly.

Recalling Selina’s frequent gestures, Lucas shrugged.

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"Does it really matter where we talk? The content is what’s important."

Lucas took a step forward.

Jacob instinctively took a step back.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

One step closer, one step further—like some twisted game of tag.

The smile slowly vanished from Lucas’s face.

For the first time, Jacob saw Lucas without a smile.

And it wasn’t a pleasant sight.

"I—I have nothing to say!"

Jacob’s legs trembled violently as he stumbled backward, then—abandoning all pretense—he turned and ran.

It was pure instinct.

Unlike the unease he had felt around the young noblewoman, this was something different.

This was the fear of imminent death.

Lucas watched Jacob’s retreating back, his expression as cold and unyielding as a winter’s frost.

"If you want to run... you’ll have to leave the Empire."

He murmured the words under his breath and stepped forward—not in a frantic chase like Jacob, but with a slow, deliberate stride.

Yet his pace was anything but leisurely.

Jacob let out a strangled scream, the terror overwhelming his ability to think clearly. He scrambled to run faster— only to trip over his own feet.

Or rather, he nearly did.

Before his face could slam into the dirt, Lucas was there.

His hand snatched the back of Jacob’s collar, stopping him just before impact.

Jacob gasped, his chest heaving as he stared at the mound of dirt right before his nose. His wide eyes flickered to the side, daring to glance at Lucas— then immediately dropped back down.

He couldn’t look him in the eye.

He was too afraid.

"You should be more careful."

Lucas spoke lightly, his tone almost playful, as he hauled Jacob upright.

The dust from Jacob’s panicked fall clung to his disheveled hair. Lucas casually reached out and brushed it off, his fingers meticulous, almost gentle.

A touch so delicate that, had it been anyone else, they might have blushed.

But Jacob?

Jacob flinched.

Shuddered.

Like a frightened puppy cowering from an unseen predator.

"You know," Lucas mused, amusement lacing his voice, "there are plenty of cases where people trip and smash their heads open."

Jacob stiffened.

Lucas chuckled softly, watching the way the man trembled, unable to even lift his gaze.

How pathetic.

This fool had dared to scheme, had dared to involve her, and yet— he was nothing.

"If that were to happen, wouldn’t it be... quite the meaningless death?"

Jacob’s entire body went rigid.

The word "death" rolled off Lucas’s tongue so smoothly, so effortlessly— as if he were discussing the weather.

Jacob wasn’t an idiot.

A vain fool, perhaps, but not so stupid as to miss what this was.

This was a threat.

Lucas's face, pristine and composed, held a smile so wicked it might as well belong to the devil himself.

Jacob squeezed his eyes shut, bracing for the worst.