The Villain Bought the Heroine - The Villain Bought the Heroine chapter 83
Chapter 83
“I come from the outside world.”
Vargan’s words echoed in the silence. Liam let out a bitter laugh, repeating that it was indeed true.
His face contorted with uncontrollable emotions. It was true. Vargan was a possessor, like himself.
His memories flooded back.
The entrance ceremony, Alicia, the research society… Amidst it all, a dark shadow tainted his vision.
“Until Nias…”
Such thoughts crossed his mind.
Vargan wanted to completely twist the course of events and take the story down a completely new path of his own making.
Then… could this incident be due to his influence?
It didn’t happen like this in the original development. The Archbishops and bishops didn’t take over the nest.
Though unsure of the process, Liam found himself thinking optimistically that his future had changed due to Vargan’s influence.
Fearing the butterfly effect, Liam moved as quietly as possible, so it was natural for the repercussions of Bargan to be significant.
Wait. What was that thought just now?
Hopeful?
Why would… what’s hopeful about it…!
Liam gnashed his teeth as if to sneer.
Even if the Archbishop were to rush in due to Bargan, it was Liam himself who led them and pushed them into the main altar.
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Even if they did not insist on destroying the core, Ophelia, Harryana, and Lucaiel would not have died mercilessly.
There was no certainty that Nicola would no longer be able to use magic.
Liam blames himself.
“Ah… pitiful fool…!”
He wanted to hide the truth and avoid responsibility.
Ironically, as this thought process unfolded, self-loathing accompanied by nausea rose within him.
His current state is too much.
Excessively so.
“Disgusting, Liam.”
Bargan said to Liam, who was sobbing with his mouth covered by his hand.
Instinctively, he tried to shift responsibility as a mechanism to defend himself.
Thinking he could feel slightly better by finding himself even more repugnant.
“Hey, listen carefully. This final exam is a tradition that has been going on long before we were around.”
“I still oppose it. And Harryana won’t participate in that plan either.”
The line Lucaiel spat out comes back like a boomerang and stabs his heart.
If only he had listened to his argument and reconsidered. If he hadn’t stubbornly persisted.
Or if he had cast aside the weak thought that harm might come to them and challenged alone.
If he had done that, this situation would not have arisen.
This is not a burden to share with others. It is solely his. It’s all his fault.
Bargan is right.
He is repulsive.
He has severely decayed and is full of stench.
“What should I have done. …Where did it go wrong.”
Liam’s voice trembled violently, and the voice that emerged through the crack was as mournful as the night sky.
Tears still flow from his eyes that have not yet dried.
Using his two legs barely standing, he grabs Bargan’s shoulders. With a recoil in his body, he shakes them as if pushing them away.
“Why couldn’t I change the future like you. …Why did the situation worsen.”
He says.
Why did his useless self end up here.
It would have been better if he hadn’t come.
If he hadn’t come, his comrades wouldn’t have died.
“How on earth… am I supposed to live from now on.”
Liam’s self-esteem hit rock bottom. It was that big of a mistake, a wound.
Ah…
Suddenly, like watching an old movie in Liam’s mind, a flickering screen played out.
Memories of playing with wooden swords with young Emily, or plucking wildflowers that bloomed profusely around, teasing the puppies that roamed the town.
As the day drew to a close, the savory scent of home-cooked food and the bright sight of family welcoming him back, stimulating Liam’s nostrils.
Those sounds and scents, buried in the soil of time, faintly rose and clouded Liam’s vision.
Liam wanted to bury himself in those memories.
He wanted to fall asleep in someone’s arms as a child, tears streaming down his face.
“I am… Liam. I am… Liam? What was my original name again?”
“It seems like you still haven’t quite grasped it.”
Thunk!
With a sudden impact, Liam’s eyes could once again focus on reality.
His gaze shifted to capture the current situation.
Liam, clutching his abdomen, staggered.
The shadow of the long sword that had extended now retreated into the road. A nobleman, with a displeased expression, kicked Liam, who had become a pitiful sight, bowing his head in defeat.
Pushed back, Liam collapsed to the ground.
As his face was struck, a taste of iron filled his mouth, blood trickling out.
“It’s not just once or twice that I’ve tolerated your foolish behavior. You have a bad habit of seeking answers only from outside, blaming all your issues on others. You’ve achieved nothing of your own, not even a speck.”
The accomplishments Liam had achieved were not entirely his own.
Results achieved solely by relying on the power of stats and skills.
Just like Alicia, who possessed innate talent, relentlessly training to master unfamiliar magic senses and swordsmanship.
Just like Penjae, striving fervently to improve his stance, breathing, and strength with each sword swing, surpassing the one he just wielded.
Even Barugan, benefiting from possession, actively sought ways to progress.
Nurturing a game character solely through a stats window and its values would not suffice.
One must delve into the study of magic, engrave the basics and flow of swordsmanship into their body.
Stats and skills should be used as ‘tools’ to effectively pump up one’s level, rather than an end result in themselves.
However, it was only after Emily’s death in the original work that Liam somewhat came to his senses.
More precisely, after her death, after wasting an additional two months in a daze, only then did his weak soul return.
Belatedly realizing his lack of strength, he earnestly began proper training.
“You seem to be fixated on this world being a novel and obsessing over the outside reality.”
To Barugan, who knew the truth, this was a rather amusing statement.
Liam, this lad knows nothing.
He was clueless about the situation he was in.
“Where you and I are living, breathing right now. This is our world.”
Despite being in the same possessed position, the initial difference between the two lay in their perspectives on the current world stemming from their values.
Barugan had no attachment to what he called the real world. He boldly set it aside and acted based solely on the present circumstances.
Hence, Barugan thoroughly investigated his original status, abilities, and resources, using the storyline to change the framework.
To him, every moment here was real and true.
On the other hand, Liam couldn’t shake off his attachment to the outside world, labeling this place as virtual or fake, looking down on it.
He might not see it that way.
However, from Barugan’s perspective, Liam had clearly drawn a distinct line between the two worlds, unintentionally belittling this world as fiction.
By meeting specific conditions and receiving points to level up, one could easily surpass the training others did by merely raising their stats.
It wouldn’t have been fun.
Wouldn’t those who diligently trained appear to be stubborn?
For Pin, reaching the point where one can easily trample and move past a scarecrow by just flicking a finger is achieved not by hitting it thousands or tens of thousands of times.
This is not about distinguishing good from evil, but an emotion stemming fundamentally from the unconscious superiority inherent in humans.
“Your eyes see the landscapes in the novel, your ears hear the dialogues of the characters. Yet, your brain is judging them as a single letter. It’s ridiculous.”
“…No. That’s not true. I… I cherished the connections I made with friends here!”
Of course, Liam possesses exceptional empathy in terms of personal emotions like a sense of justice.
After all, he was also the culprit of this incident. He acted without considering gains or losses, projecting emotions onto characters and trying to help them.
However, is that the sentiment possessed by the possessed Liam?
Or is it the disposition of the character ‘Liam’ originally?
Regardless of which, it doesn’t matter, but it is necessary to address this point with the current Liam.
With that judgment in mind, Bargan spat out dryly, “It’s a product of the ‘possessed you’ who feels animosity towards the characters and the character ‘Liam,’ who cherishes connections with people and has a strong sense of justice.”
“Me… looking down on others… saying that?”
“Yes. You are a more arrogant jerk than me.”
From the start, their perspectives were different.
Even though Bargan treated others as objects or characters to be used, his perspective existed within the same world as them.
However, Liam showed a desirable attitude towards everyone, treating characters as individuals, yet his eyes looked beyond the book, observing them from above.
Empathizing with the sadness or joy of other characters is not only achieved in real human relationships but also easily through creative works.
Tears fell while reading a book.
Laughter burst out while watching a movie.
Liam immersed himself in the characters of the game or the fictional characters in the novel to progress the story.
Bargan shook and tore apart the contradictions in Liam. With empty eyes, Liam reflected on his actions until now.
In fact, he had no interest in how Liam genuinely treated them.
Who cares how this bastard sees the world… he wanted to say and move on. However, Liam, this damned kid, is the protagonist.
Considering his subsequent growth and purpose, it was a problem that must be addressed.
If left alone, he would become more useless or rot away.
“Judge and act for yourself. Even if it leads to making the wrong choices, accept them humbly.”
He did not add such kind words to be used as a stepping stone to move forward.
He thought that telling a guy who couldn’t even stand properly to move forward was an excessive expectation.
Although he wanted to turn Liam, who even removed Nickelama, one of the heroines, from the game board, into a dough-like state, he restrained himself.
There was no change by being a fan of Liam here.
It was a meaningless action based on pure emotions. Just a waste of magical power and physical strength.
If it’s already passed, let’s not dwell on it.
Instead of being swayed by emotions. Rationally.
Let’s calculate what benefits can be gained from this incident.
Therefore, Bargan restrained his anger and emotions. It may not be profitable, but the awakening of the skills filled with Emily originally came early to Liam.
This feeble mind may take time to awaken, but the starting point has been set, only the leap remains.
The problem is when to take that first step, but he cannot help with that.
As he told Liam, he needs to get used to moving autonomously.
Bargan’s conversation with Liam tonight was all about laying the groundwork for the future.
Bargan, he was that kind of person.
“All I can say is this.”
The night grew deeper.
Bargan, looking at Liam like a shell devoid of soul, continued speaking.
Rationally, he had held back from saying more, but now he wanted to erase Liam from his sight, finding it hard to keep looking at him.
He had said all he needed to.
Now, there was no need to hold back.
“If you understood, get out of your sickroom right away.”
Bargan issued a dismissal to Liam.
Seeing Liam’s empty eyes, it seemed he wouldn’t be in his right mind for a few days.
Liam weakly left the sickroom.
His shoulders slumped, his legs moving mechanically.
Bargan clicked his tongue, as if displeased with Liam’s appearance.
“It’s just like you to pick up on the bad things.”
No one could tell whom he was reminded of as he looked at Liam and spoke.