I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

"How old are you, Lady Minerva?"

"Nineteen."

"Ah, so I'm the eldest here. Do you think an age gap matters much between husband and wife? Say, three years?"

Minerva tilted her head with a small smile. "Could it be that Mr. King is twenty-two years old?"

King's eyes widened in feigned surprise. "Oh my, is Lady Minerva perhaps a mentalist?" He asked, feigning shock.

Minerva giggled at his reaction.

Reynold and the three women accompanying him, however, were far less amused. Their faces had turned pale as they realized how severely they had underestimated King.

It hadn't even been thirty minutes since King had promised Diana he would behave—no inappropriate comments or boundary crossing—and yet here he was, flirting openly with Minerva. Worse, he was doing it right in front of Diana.

Walking behind the pair, Diana observed the exchange with growing displeasure, her grip tightening around the hilt of her sheathed sword. She despised those who tried to exploit her sister's kindness, which was why she rarely left Minerva's side. However, to her frustration, King was skirting the line perfectly.

His words weren't inappropriate; they were polite, charming even, and Minerva seemed neither annoyed nor uncomfortable. In fact, she was smiling and walking alongside him willingly.

The guards, too, appeared wary of King's casual demeanor. They exchanged uneasy glances but refrained from intervening, likely because neither Minerva nor Diana had spoken against him.

The journey continued uneventfully for the next hour until they approached an area cloaked in unnatural darkness.

"A miasma…" Diana muttered, her eyes narrowing at the foreboding sight ahead. The dense forest before them appeared shrouded in shadows, as though night had fallen prematurely.

"Demonic Beasts must be nearby," Minerva said.

The thick, oppressive miasma was an unmistakable sign of their presence.

"Does anyone here have experience with exorcism?" Minerva asked, glancing at King and the other hunters.

"We've fought Demonic Beasts before," Saya answered politely, though her tone lacked confidence. "Up to Rank D."

"There's no need for concern, Lady Minerva," King said, stepping forward into the miasma without hesitation. "As long as I'm here, nothing will happen to you or Lady Diana. You have my word."

Despite his bold claim, King knew next to nothing about exorcism. He didn't need to. His sheer strength alone was enough to obliterate Demonic Beasts, rendering exorcist spells unnecessary.

"We don't need your help…" Diana muttered, furrowing her brows before reluctantly following King into the miasma.

The moment they entered, a suffocating pressure enveloped them.

Though they were accustomed to such environments, a lingering question gnawed at them.

"How did the little girl manage to escape this alive?" Reynold asked in disbelief.

"It might be because there was no miasma present when she escaped," Minerva speculated after a thoughtful pause.

King remained silent, his azure eyes contemplative. His mind pieced together the girl's likely journey: she must have run until her legs gave out, resting intermittently. It was sheer luck that allowed her to survive.

But then, the timing struck him.

The miasma had appeared just after she fled—perfectly coinciding with the location where the bandits were supposed to be.

Was that merely a coincidence?

King didn't believe in coincidences.

"What rank of Demonic Beasts can release a miasma like this?" He asked suddenly, breaking the silence.

"You're a hunter, and you don't even know that?" One of Minerva's guards scoffed, casting him a disapproving glance.

King turned to Minerva with an exaggerated pout. "Lady Minerva, your guard is bullying me. Would you be so kind as to answer my question instead?"

Minerva stifled a chuckle, her expression softening. "Miasma of this nature is usually caused by a swarm of Demonic Beasts scattered throughout an area. However, a single high-ranking Mana Beast could also produce it. It would have to be at least B-rank or higher, though."

"I see," King replied, nodding. "Given that we're able to walk through it and withstand its effects, I'd wager it's more likely a single B-rank beast."

Diana raised an eyebrow at him. "It could just as easily be a swarm of Demonic Beasts. Why are you so quick to assume it's a single one?"

"W–wait, a B-rank Demonic Beast?" Mona stuttered, her face turning pale.

The very thought was terrifying. Fighting something of that caliber was far beyond their capabilities.

"The timing of the miasma's appearance is too convenient for Davon Crook," King said, voicing his theory. "Do you think it's possible he managed to tame a Demonic Beast?"

His words left the others stunned.

"Tame a Demonic Beast? Are you serious?" The same guard barked, bursting into laughter.

King turned to Minerva once more, feigning indignation. "Lady Minerva, I'm being bullied again!"

The guard glared at King, his expression darkening.

Meanwhile, Minerva stroked her chin, considering King's earlier words. "Hmm. I suppose it's not entirely impossible. Who knows…"

"Sister, you can't seriously believe him," Diana said, her tone incredulous as she stared at Minerva.

Minerva smiled faintly. "I don't think King is stupid. Quite the opposite, actually. He seems rather clever. He pinpointed the bandits' possible location quickly, after all."

She wasn't merely indulging King's antics. The way he had asked the little girl the right questions, narrowing down the location with precision, wasn't something she could dismiss. Moreover, his unerring sense of direction had guided them flawlessly. He hadn't hesitated or veered off course even once. His observational skills were exceptional.

King blinked, then took a step closer to Minerva with a theatrical flourish. "Lady Minerva… please, reject your fiancé and take me as your new one—"

"O-Okay, King, I have a question!" Reynold interrupted hastily, stepping in front of him with a forced smile.

Diana seized the moment. "Sister, can I speak with you privately?" She said, dragging Minerva away before King could protest further.

Behind them, King groaned dramatically. "Reynold Lightbringer! You've thwarted my heartfelt confession!"

"Who is Lightbringer?!"

Minerva chuckled but followed her younger sister to a quieter corner. "What's wrong, Diana?" She asked, puzzled.

Diana folded her arms, her expression stern. "What are you doing, Sister? You shouldn't be humoring that weird guy. You know why Father sent us here, don't you? You agreed to this mission, didn't you?"

Minerva sighed, her shoulders relaxing. "You're worrying over nothing, Diana. I know how important this alliance is to Unadora, and I have no intention of jeopardizing it for someone I met only a few hours ago."

Diana frowned, unconvinced. "Then why entertain him? He's clearly trying to—well, to win you over."

"You think so?" Minerva asked, arching a brow as her gaze shifted to King. "I doubt he actually believes there's any chance of something happening between us."

"You might think that," Diana replied with exasperation, "but he doesn't. He's too bold to give up easily."

Minerva smiled knowingly but didn't argue.

Diana sighed, lowering her voice. "Listen, Sister. We're about to meet the Heir of Griffin Industries. Their weapons and support are critical for the war against Gevurah. You know how precarious this situation is. The media are watching for even the slightest misstep, and rumors about you fraternizing with someone like King could cause unnecessary complications. We can't afford that right now."

Minerva's expression softened at her sister's words as she stroked Diana's hair. "I understand, Diana," she said after a moment. "I'll be careful."

Diana blushed faintly, her embarrassment visible, before glancing at her sister with a meaningful expression. "You know… if you don't want to go through with it, as I said before, I can take your place—"

"No," Minerva interrupted firmly, shaking her head. "I'm the one who should do it. I'm the eldest sister, am I not?"

"Well… yes," Diana admitted reluctantly.
Experience tales at empire

"And you're still young," Minerva continued with a gentle smile. "You should be the one enjoying life, Diana."

Diana's expression hardened. "I'm a Duke's daughter. I don't have the luxury of such privileges."

Minerva chuckled softly. "You sound just like Father."

"It's our duty, Elder Sister," Diana said earnestly. "To save our kingdom. If getting engaged to secure an alliance can help Unadora, then I'll do it without hesitation—just as you're prepared to do."

Minerva's smile wavered, tinged with sadness. She wished for a different life for her younger sister, but she understood the reality they had been born into. Their family, their titles, their kingdom—none of it left room for ordinary dreams.

"How adorable."

Their heartfelt exchange was abruptly interrupted by King's voice, brimming with amusement.

Both sisters turned to see him standing a short distance away, holding his phone up as he snapped photos of them.

King grinned, particularly pleased with a dozen shots of a blushing Diana as Minerva patted her head affectionately.

Diana's expression darkened instantly, her embarrassment replaced by an icy glare.

"It's so nice to see the tough younger sister blushing and showing her cute side to her older sister!" King teased, his grin widening. "I love it!"

"Give me the phone," Diana said as she strode toward him.

Reynold and the other three girls had already retreated to a safe distance, sensing imminent disaster.

"No can do," King replied, holding his phone out triumphantly. "I've already set it as my wallpaper!"

He displayed the screen proudly—a picture of Diana blushing while Minerva patted her head.

"...!" Diana's cheeks flushed crimson with anger and humiliation. Without hesitation, she swung her sheathed sword at him.

"You bastard!"

"Lady Diana, please," King pleaded, dodging with remarkable speed as he darted behind a nearby tree. "I'm a gentleman and merely an admirer of beauty—"

"Shut your mouth!" Diana roared, her sword swinging again.

King took off, weaving through the trees with Diana in hot pursuit, all decorum forgotten. The only thing on her mind was erasing that picture—and knocking some sense into the infuriating man who dared to take it.

The last thing she wanted was a weirdo with an embarrassing picture of her as wallpaper.

Watching the chaos unfold from a distance, Reynold shook his head. "He's going to die, isn't he?"

"Definitely," Saya, Lua, and Mona replied in unison.