The ending for villains is only death, Chapter 75
I was dumbfounded by the 3% increase in affection, staring alternately at the guy and the message above his head.
With wide eyes and a red, curved gaze, he held the bear's head and stared at me.
Calisto's appearance was like that of a devil who had just risen from hell.
“Yeah. I even saw Ecart's mad dog running away in terror. It was quite entertaining, wasn't it?”
“Ha. Do you really have to play such a prank with the corpse of a dead animal?”
“Someone who was shooting crossbows until the last moment shouldn't be talking.”
I clenched my trembling fists and glared at him.
Suddenly, a cold drop of water fell on my forehead.
Rumble-. The surroundings suddenly turned dark.
While arguing with the Crown Prince, the sky had changed ominously.
Dark clouds quickly gathered, blocking the sun.
The Crown Prince muttered.
It didn't take long for his ominous words to become reality.
Drip, drip. The number of drops began to increase exponentially.
“Your Highness, I thank you for saving me again. Farewell.”
I hastily and roughly greeted the Crown Prince.
I had to quickly leave the forest before the rain started pouring.
I didn't want to stay in this damn hunting ground for a moment longer.
Just as I turned and started to walk away,
Thud, thud, the guy still holding the bear's head closely followed me.
“Outside the hunting ground.”
“With the rain about to pour?”
“Yes, I need to leave before it starts.”
The guy tilted his head and twisted his lips.
“Have you already forgotten that you're in the middle of a deep forest filled with fierce beasts?”
I ignored him and tried to continue on my way.
‘If the game developer has any conscience, they would have only placed this crazy sudden quest once.’
That's what I was thinking.
But at that moment, something flashed in my mind.
[Reward: Giant bear skin and gallbladder, Reputation +50, [???] Affection +5%]
I had met the Crown Prince, but his affection wasn't listed in the reward.
That's why I hadn't expected him to save me.
‘...So, there might be another sudden quest until I get out of the forest.’
Moreover, it meant there was a possibility of meeting another male lead besides the Crown Prince.
The thought of meeting these guys one by one was more terrifying than the sudden quest of capturing fierce beasts.
I shuddered and stopped in my tracks.
Then, I hastily pulled out a cloth containing extra beads from my pocket and loaded them into the crossbow.
Click, click. Click, click...
The Crown Prince, who had moved closer, asked.
I suppressed the urge to tell him to mind his own business and replied.
“As you can see, I'm loading bolts.”
“You never know. As you said, there might be more fierce beasts on the way.”
The Crown Prince burst out laughing, finding it absurd.
“You can't deal with large animals with such a crude weapon, Lady. Didn't you just see that?”
“I appreciate your concern, but I'll manage, Your Highness.”
I replied listlessly, having no intention of traveling with him.
After all, I just needed to follow the quest.
Moreover, the fierce beasts roaming the forest would likely seek shelter from the rain, so this was just a precaution.
“You must be feeling overconfident after killing a few monsters by luck yesterday.”
However, the Crown Prince, unaware of my true thoughts, seemed to find my actions reckless.
“That crossbow is only effective against small animals or humans. It's not a killing weapon.”
“Maybe this time, you'll really get eaten alive by a bear. Should I follow you to see that?”
His cruel words, added with a smirk, made my face contort.
I was surprised that he had seen through my crossbow so thoroughly.
“That my crossbow isn't a killing weapon.”
“The magic power it emits is only that much. That's why it was allowed into the palace.”
Suddenly, a heavy downpour began.
I looked up at the sky, dumbfounded.
‘Why is my luck so bad...’
My plan to leave the forest before the rain started was completely ruined.
Before I could even think about it, a heavy downpour began.
Looking up at the dark sky, I felt like crying again.
I hated getting wet in the rain.
Unable to do anything, I just stood there, getting drenched.
Thud- A heavy something was placed over my head.
“Put this on and come here.”
Suddenly, I felt warmth on my wrist. The Crown Prince had caught up and gently grabbed my wrist.
He led me to where his horse was.
The horse was smartly taking shelter under a tree with lush branches.
He placed the bear's head at the very front of the saddle.
Then, he climbed up and offered me his hand.
Water dripped from his wet golden hair.
Because he had given me his red cloak, he was already drenched.
“You'll get sick if you walk. The beasts will eat you before you even catch a cold.”
“Use this cloak. It has water-repellent and heat-retaining magic. Let's go back together.”
I stared blankly at the large hand he offered me.
Then, I looked down at the red cloak he had draped over me.
I had never considered the option of riding back with the Crown Prince.
“Can I... keep this? What about Your Highness?”
“Is the mouse thinking about the cat? If you don't want it, you can walk with your crossbow.”
The guy turned his head and said rudely.
‘Does he have to be so prickly even when offering something twice?’
I sarcastically thought to myself but hastily turned my crossbow around and fastened the cloak he had given me.
Despite the significant height difference, his cloak was so large it felt like a blanket.
Because it was so big, it wouldn't stay closed properly, and it might get caught on something while riding quickly.
Finally, I tied the cloak under my neck and mumbled a small thank you, lifting my head.
The Crown Prince's hand, still extended towards me, hadn't been retracted.
Slowly, I reached out to take his large hand.
Suddenly, something flew at incredible speed from somewhere in the forest.
It hit the Crown Prince's chest without missing.
The horse, startled by the sudden attack, reared up and neighed loudly.
The hand extended towards me disappeared.
The Crown Prince, falling off the horse, hit the ground.
My eyes gradually widened as I watched him.
Finally, when he crashed to the ground, I ran to him in a panic.
I didn't even have time to realize what was happening.
The Crown Prince's face, with his eyes closed, was as pale as a corpse.
My heart sank. A fear I hadn't felt even when facing the bear overwhelmed me.
“Your Highness! Your Highness, open your eyes!”
I shook the Crown Prince's body frantically.
But he didn't move. The large arrow was stuck in his left chest.
This is just a game. It's only a game, so why...!
Tears welled up. The brutal scene, which I had never seen before, froze my mind.
“Your Highness! Please, please...”
Fortunately, he wasn't dead. His eyelids twitched, and his red pupils appeared.
“Don't make a fuss. I'm not dead yet.”
I was genuinely relieved. I belatedly remembered that the male lead couldn't die.
But the vivid image of Calisto being hit by the arrow made me think he was really dying at that moment.
Even if he was a guy I had marked as an enemy, I didn't want to see someone die in front of me.
The Crown Prince, looking at me with tears in my eyes, smiled faintly.
“Still, what you gave me seems to have had some effect.”
Then, he pulled out the arrow stuck in his left chest and handed it to me.
A thin, round, small token-like decoration.
The arrowhead was embedded with none other than the golden amulet he had taken from me.