The Novel's Antagonist: I walk the path of a Villain-Chapter 104: Ariana’s Thought

Hm.

"He had a mask on, right? And… girlish clothes?"

The merchant's voice was laced with amusement as he squinted at me.

My eye twitched.

"It's not a 'girlish' cloth. Just tell me what I want to know."

I kept my voice firm, dropping a single gold lun into his waiting palm. He barely glanced at it before tossing it up and catching it, a lazy grin stretching across his face.

"Fine, fine. He went straight ahead. At that corner, he made a left, then a right. That's all I saw before he left my field of vision."

I exhaled slowly.

Ryan's mana was strongest here. Stronger than anywhere else I'd tracked him through.

Which meant he'd bought something here.

I had initially pressed the merchant for that information—what exactly Ryan had taken from this place—but the bastard clammed up. Not a word. Even after the bribe.

Tsk.

This was it.

The path I'd intentionally avoided taking in while I led Ryan through the black market. The one place in the Black Market I find uncomfortable.

And that is because I know what goes on here.

I knew what kind of filth lurked in these alleys.

And the last thing I wanted was for my Ryan to witness this part of the world.

But…

I sensed him here, and from what I got from the merchant, Ryan must have bought something from him.

That means...

He already knew about this path of the black market.

Somehow.

I frowned.

How?

Hadn't he acted completely ignorant about the Black Market? Hadn't he asked me questions like he had no clue how it worked?

Was he… lying to me?

Hm.

I hope not.

I knew he was keeping secrets from me the moment he stepped out of that room back at the dorms.

He was hiding something.

More specifically, he was hiding Rizel.

I had watched everything that happened in that room.

He didn't know it, but I had left class the moment I heard about the alchemy lab incident.

I had gone looking for him.

and that was when I saw her.

Rizel.

I hadn't understood what was happening at first.

I just had a gut feeling. A deep, instinctual urge to follow her.

And when I did—

I found Ryan.

He was heading to our usual spot.

My heart had fluttered for a moment. I actually smiled, thinking he was going there to meet me.

But then—

I realized something.

Rizel wasn't just wandering.

She was following him.

My Ryan.

And the way she looked at him…

The way she grinned.

I barely held myself back.

I was this close to snapping her neck right then and there.

But then…

She entered the room.

And he was waiting.

The moment the door shut behind her, something changed.

A sudden surge of mana.

Ryan's mana.

I froze.

I knew his mana better than anyone else's. I could pick it out even in the middle of a battlefield.

And that?

That wasn't the mana of someone caught off guard.

That was the mana of someone setting a trap.

It hit me instantly.

Ryan baited her.

He wanted her to follow him into that room.

And that—

That was strange.

Very strange.

He wasn't the type to set up something this elaborate. Not unless it was necessary.

And yet, he'd lured her.

I kept tailing him.

He moved past security cams too easily.

Like it wasn't his first time doing something shady.

I did the same, but I had a relic that made me invisible. I barely had to try.

He led her into the dorms.

But…

Not the higher-rankers' dorms.

Not the room he and Nelia stayed in.

He went somewhere else.

To one of the underground rooms.

One of the low-quality, barely-livable spaces.

He opened the door.

He stepped inside.

And then…

He didn't come out.

I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

But nothing.

A thought crept into my mind. A thought so stupid, so impossible that I almost ignored it.

And yet—

I panicked.

I found myself running.

About to blow that damn door open.

But just as I was about to—

Click.

The door opened.

And he walked out.

I didn't move.

For the first time in a while, I actually hesitated.

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And then—

our eyes met.

I kept my face neutral. Acted like I wasn't suspecting a damn thing.

But really?

Was he serious?

Was he that dense that he didn't even question how I was here?

How I could've possibly been in this part of the dorms?

He should have realized instantly that I was following him.

Or maybe—

Maybe he was panicked.

Maybe seeing me here caught him off guard.

That would be the only logical explanation.

…Fine.

I played my cards well.

Smiled. Acted like I wasn't thinking too much.

But my real plan?

My real plan was to get him into my room tonight.

Then, once he was knocked out from our little… escapade, I'd sneak into that room and have a polite conversation with Rizel.

Because I was certain he tied her up.

But the real question was—

Why?

What exactly did he plan to do with her?

I didn't get it.

Tsk.

Given everything i have pieced together, it seems...

he deceived me, didn't he?

"...,"

Wait.

Wait.

Could it be—

"…!"

Could it be the is deceived me into coming here so he could buy something from the black market?

That his real purpose for coming here had nothing to do with getting caught?

Tsk.

Fine.

Just hope I don't catch you cheating, Ryan.

You won't be sleeping for a long time if I do.

....

....

Author's Note:

Hey everyone, I just want to apologize for going silent for so long. Been caught up with exams—still am, actually—but I've decided to carve out time to drop chapters regularly from now on. Daily updates are back!

Also, for those who asked, privilege chapters are now fixed.

Right now, all I need is your golden tickets and power stones to get back on track! Let's keep this story going strong!

Thanks for sticking with me!