The Villain’s First Critical Event

Kaiden pointed his finger at me, his voice shaking with suppressed anger. "You think being a duke's son gives you the right to do whatever you want?"

He said that straight from my face. This dude is serious and is not afraid of my status. Either he has already met my father, or he is just stupid.

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh, is that so?" My tone was calm, almost amused. I crossed my arms and added, "You think I'm hiding behind my last name? Please. I'm still me, even without it."

His hands clenched into fists, his knuckles white. The fury in his eyes was evident, but it wasn't enough to make me flinch. If anything, it made me smirk. I enjoy this moment.

'That's it,' I thought. 'Get mad. Let your anger blind you from saying goodbye to Livius.'

I now remember this scene from the original story. CC is right that this is when Kaiden will bid his goodbye to Livius because he must depart to the other estate to work as a blacksmith in a famous smithy.

Kaiden wants to become a skilled blacksmith, so he needs to learn and gain experience. His family also runs a smithy business with a shop in Mistyvale estate, and as the eldest son, he'll be in charge of it one day.

He still clenches his fist and never breaks his intense looks at me. "You're so proud of your last name, but it doesn't mean anything. You'll only embarrass yourself."

Ah, I am now convinced. This man is just stupid. He thinks he can provoke me to start a fight, thinking we can resolve things that way. Well, too bad I am not the old Nicodeim he knew. That won't work on me anymore.

It's good that he is the only stupid here; otherwise, we would be in serious trouble.

I let out a loud laugh while still glaring at him. "And you, what exactly can you be proud of? That big body of yours? What can you even do—just forge swords?"

He looked like he was about to charge at me, and if my face had been any closer to him, he probably would have punched me. But before that could happen, he managed to hold himself back.

I briefly shifted my gaze to Livius. He furrowed his brows, slightly parted his lips, and poised his hand as if he wanted to stop his friend. But I couldn't understand what held him back from doing so.

I turned my gaze back to Kaiden when he sighed deeply. I furrowed my brows at what he did, but my reaction quickly changed, and I raised both my eyebrows because he was pressing his lips together and standing firmly.

Kaiden's voice cut through my thoughts. "My body became like this because I had to protect Livius —from people like you who think it's fun to mock others down." He stepped forward, his voice lowering. "You wouldn't last a day in our shoes, Duke's son."

I let out a short, sharp laugh. "And what shoes would that be? The kind that makes you forget your place in the world?"

For a moment, I thought he might hit me. His body shook, but he stayed still, his determination stronger than his anger. I guess he still knows his place against me.

He pointed at me again. "You listen to me— I'm not letting you hurt Livius ever again!" he threatened me.

I smirked at what he said, crossing my arms before speaking. "I'm telling you, you can do nothing to stop me from carrying out my plans. You're weak compared to me."

"You'll see in no time!"

Kaiden's departure is the 'first critical event'—the moment I ruin Livius's life by taking his hero away.

The smirks never left my lips. I said enough to make Kaiden realize this was not the perfect time to say his initial plan to Livius.

"Blah, blah. Just shut up and leave me alone." I turned my back on them and started walking inside the villa. 

Before I finally left, I glanced briefly at Livius. "Let me know when my carriage arrives so I can go home and rest properly."

Livius straightened his posture to face me, quickly bowed his head, and said, "Y-yes, my lord."

While walking, I hold my nape and my back to stretch out. Arguing with an idiot is tiring, but my body feels even more drained than the exhaustion from the argument.

When I enter the villa, a maid immediately approaches me. "My lord," she greets me while bowing her head.

"Prepare me a nice bath. And if my footmen arrive, tell him to wait for me at the carriage," I ordered.

She once bowed her head. "Right away, my lord."

I walked past her to sit on the couch. But before I could reach it, I remembered something that made me look at the maid again.

The maid was about to leave, but I made her stop by asking, "Does Kaiden frequently visit Livius like that and act like he also lives here?"

She immediately turned her attention to me, bowed her head again, and said, "I believe Sir Kaiden only visits Lord Livius in his free time because he is now busy with his study to blacksmithing, my lord."

I hold my chin. If that is the case, he is considering staying in Mistyvale to study, but some circumstances may force him to leave the estate. Should I look for that conflict to make him stay?

I lift my gaze towards the maid. "Is that so? Okay, then you may go."

As she left me alone, I sat and crossed my arms while leaning back on the couch with my legs stretched out, swinging them casually. "I guess it was the right decision to persuade Kaiden not to leave, but the problem is how I should provoke him more."

I was just staring blankly while deep in thought. "I know telling Kaiden I have some plans involving Livius is not enough to make him stay. I need to have a more concrete plan."

"M-my lord?"

I came back to reality when I suddenly heard Livius's voice. He is now standing at my side with his eyes narrowed at me. I didn't realize I was thinking out loud and that he might have heard what I was saying.

I cleared my throat and fixed my posture as I looked at him. "Where is your friend?" I asked.

He looks away and says, "H-he already left, my lord. He just visits to check on me."

I smirked. That means my idea works. It made Kaiden stop to do his initial plan.

I put my hands on my legs and leaned back on the couch again as I spoke. "Okay. Don't worry; I also need to go." I stood up and continued, "Tell your maids I have changed my mind and don't need a bath anymore. I am now heading home."

As I walk away from Livius, he stops me as he speaks. "M-my lord!"

I looked at him as I lifted both my brows. "What?"

His hands trembled as he looked down, his voice barely above a whisper. "Kaiden would never… he's not like that…" But even as he spoke, the fear of losing his only comfort tightened his chest.

I immediately look at the meter, which measures his trust and hatred toward me. 

[NOTICE: Livius's Trust towards you is currently 10%.]

[NOTICE: Livius's Hatred towards you is currently 18%.]

I suddenly became worried that I had gone too far, provoking his friend, which would affect his view of me, but thankfully, it didn't.

I scratch the back of my head. "Are you trying to tell me he is not a bad person?" I scoffed and shook my head. "If I am not a son of the duke, do you think he won't harm me by how he talks earlier?"

He is still looking down, so I just continue speaking. "Well, I don't care about your friend because he's useless to me anyway. Unlike you, you're useful to me, Sarrafort. Let's keep it that way."

Livius may trust me now, but I shouldn't be satisfied with just 10% of his trust. I still need to increase it.

"I… understand… my lord."

As long as I don't bully him like I used to, his trust in me won't decrease. But the problem is his hatred toward me—it still hasn't lessened. How I deal with Kaiden might even increase it. That's why I must finish this critical event as soon as possible.

"Listen to me, Sarrafort…" When I said that, he lifted his head to look at me. "Since you know my secret, I have even more reason to stay close to you…"

I saw him swallow hard. I continue speaking, "And tell your friend, I prefer to collect enemies than allies because enemies are much easier to deal with than an ally that may turn back to me someday. Make him understand that, Sarrafort."