The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 36

“I am Irene Vinter, the eldest daughter and heir of the Vinter Duchy. If you release my brother and retreat, I promise not to pursue you.”

Our sister is so cool. And it’s a bit… touching. She prioritizes securing my safety immediately over avenging Father.

Moreover, she said ‘she’ wouldn’t pursue them. She even kindly warned them that after securing my safety, she might backstab them by mobilizing the duchy’s knights. It’s not her fault if the other party doesn’t understand.

But I understood. It seemed necessary to take measures to prevent them from chasing after I’m captured by the Kans. If I’m caught before properly hiding, the entire plan would fall apart.

“It’s a misunderstanding.”

The boss answered very briefly as I instructed. The problem is that since he compressed the lines I taught him, it could lead to misunderstandings. To Irene, it might sound like they’re denying that I’m being held hostage.

“I saw with my own eyes that Father had passed away in the study! Then you appeared and captured me, and you say it’s a misunderstanding?”

I shouted, glaring at the boss, in a spirit of providing supporting fire. To steer the following situation as desired, it seemed better to give Irene a few more hints.

“If it wasn’t you, who else would kill Father? When there’s no known grudge… Who on earth!”

The boss’s face contorted. Perhaps he’s not good at improvising. He seemed to have difficulty answering. Of course, this was a moment where he didn’t need to say anything, so I bit my lip hard and turned my head away.

What is our Luwen doing?

Oh my. He looks like he’s about to cry. The tip of his sword was trembling visibly from how tightly he was gripping it. His posture had slightly crumbled too. Perhaps because he’s still young, he can’t manage his composure. His desire to rush to me was blatantly obvious.

However, with Irene extending her arm to block him, he was holding back, alternately looking at me and his sister with anxious eyes.

It’s admirable, but it seems like he’d dash out the moment Irene allows it. What if he gets hurt rushing in recklessly like that?

Meanwhile, Merin, the most unexpected person, was struggling to suppress a scream with both hands over her mouth. Our eyes met immediately, as if she had been looking only at me. Merin nodded with her face all scrunched up from holding back tears. It seems she’s trying to reassure me.

‘No matter how I think about it, it’s strange that Merin is here. I must ask her later how this happened.’

I looked at Irene last.

In the current situation, sister’s support is extremely important. If she knows the First Prince’s nature well, she’ll surely combine the hints I’ve dropped and come up with an appropriate answer. If she realizes there’s a chance the Kans might not be the culprits, she’ll probably try to persuade them. It’s not too late to deal with them after confirming whether they’re the real culprits or not.

That would be best, but even if a different answer comes out than expected, I have a next strategy, so it doesn’t matter.

Still, I was a bit excited. Irene was sharp in the original work too. Wasn’t there a reason I liked her?

“If you really didn’t kill Father, I’ll listen to what you have to say. If there are any grievances, I’ll investigate and resolve them. So please, release my brother.”

As expected! She’s not the female lead for nothing. Our sister is so smart and good at handling situations! The strongest in the world setting is the best.

“How can we trust you noble bastards!”

What? Who was that just now? I chose the wrong person for the main actor. I should have done an acting test first. If I had known there was such a character, I would have given him the role of the Kans leader. He might have done quite well.

His voice, filled with resentment, was quite good. It was so good that I thought it might not be acting.

The owner of the voice had a round face with traces of youth still remaining. He might be around Luwen’s age or a little older. The Kans member, closer to a boy than a young man, was all worked up with his face flushed red.

“I just want to safely get my brother back. I’m prepared to grant your wishes for that. If you can’t trust me because I’m a noble, I hope you can trust the heart that cares for family. That should be the same for you too.”

“Arrogant noble bastards! You’re always like this. Standing high and acting all high and mighty! You’re trash who treat people’s lives as less than insects just because you don’t like them!”

Is this guy not acting? He seemed to have some deep-seated grudge. The look in his bloodshot eyes glaring at me was quite vicious. Is the atmosphere suddenly taking a strange turn?

“Calm down. This is not the time to be so emotional. Release Fei. And talk to me. Or take me hostage instead. That child is truly precious to me.”

Urgency crept into Irene’s voice.

‘She’s lost her composure to the point of raising the value of the hostage.’

It might be natural for Irene to be anxious if she feels my life is in danger. Because now I’m her only family.

“Your brother is that precious? Then you should feel it too. How it feels to lose someone precious!”

Huh? Wait. This isn’t right!

“Stop!”

Just as the young Kans member seemed about to rush at me, the boss intervened at the right moment. When he showed his palm to the seething Kans member, the boy stomped the ground hard as if trying to swallow his resentment.

I flinched as if startled by the loud noise. It was an act I put on thinking it would be better to show a scared appearance, but… Luwen reacted violently.

“Luwen!”

Irene raised her voice, but Luwen passed right by her and ran towards me. His movement was so nimble and fast as he lowered his center of gravity and charged forward. If Luwen had a bit more skill, if he was just a bit calmer, he might have succeeded in rescuing me.

But now it’s just reckless. The subordinates wouldn’t just stand by and watch Luwen charge at the Kans boss. Although it was a clumsy surprise attack, the killing intent was real, which made the Kans guy overreact.

“No!”

I shouted loudly in surprise. The blade that grazed Luwen’s arm tore his clothes.

Is he hurt? Did he get hurt?

Even though he nearly got seriously injured, Luwen didn’t lose his momentum, and the hesitating Kans member along with others rushed at him all at once.

What should I do? It looks like he might get seriously hurt at this rate. No! I told them not to let him get hurt!

“Let go!”

I shook my arm strongly, trying to break free from the boss’s grip.

What if Luwen ends up like in the original story? How much I’ve tried to change that…

“I said let go!”

The boss didn’t release me even though this wasn’t acting now. Instead, he drew the sword from his waist and pointed it at my neck. As soon as Luwen, who was running towards us, stopped in his tracks, the weapon was pointed at his small body, panting heavily.

“Don’t hurt Luwen!”

I shouted hastily, feeling desperate. I was anxious that the simple-minded Kans might have forgotten my request. It seemed like Irene and Merin were shouting something too, but I couldn’t hear them. All I could see was the sharpness of the weapon pointed at Luwen.

“Step back.”

The boss said, squeezing my arm tightly and then releasing it. I barely regained my composure at the message conveyed through my captured arm. They hadn’t forgotten.

Only then could I calmly observe Luwen. His clothes were torn, but there was no blood visible.

‘He’s not hurt. It’s okay.’

But why isn’t he stepping back? You should go behind Irene, Luwen. Why are you standing alone in front?

If this were a real situation, it would be tantamount to throwing his life away. It’s been looking dangerous for a while now. I must tell him later not to do such dangerous things.

“Luwen. I’m fine, so go to your sister.”

Luwen’s expression, which had been glaring fiercely at the Kans, wavered the moment he heard my voice. The child looked at me, his lips trembling, then shook his head firmly, tensing his eyes.

“Sister. Please take care of Luwen. What if he gets hurt like this…”

If he won’t listen to me, I have no choice but to ask Irene.

But Irene’s reaction was strange. Unlike usual, she didn’t respond and just stood still, glaring in my direction. An ominous atmosphere was building.

“Sister?”

“Right now.”

Her chilling voice gave me goosebumps. Even Luwen was so startled he turned around.

“Take that sword away from my brother’s neck. Before I kill you.”

Shing-

Irene drew her sword from its sheath. At the same time, the killing intent emanating from her crashed down like a storm. My skin tingled. If Luwen was burning like fire, Irene was like a thin sheet of ice. A killing intent that made you feel like you’d freeze to death if you fell in with a crack sound.

Naturally, the look in the Kans’ eyes changed. An atmosphere of responding in earnest was forming.

Even Luwen seemed to have made up his mind, as I could see the strength entering his hand gripping the sword. An expression full of determination. I could even glimpse his will to surely defeat the Kans group.