"Have you been waiting long?"
Donau stopped before his victim and crouched down, bringing his face level with hers. The girl—still alive, despite everything—glared at him with undisguised hatred. Donau considered this an unforgivable impudence.
He pressed the knife against her throat, taking his time. He wanted to please the demon, to prepare everything *properly*. Demons certainly loved blood—everyone knew that. A thin crimson line bloomed across the girl's neck as the blade kissed her skin. Donau smiled, delighted by this exquisite, almost artistic act.
Just as he raised his hand for the next cut, a tremendous crash echoed through the house. A cloud of dust billowed up from the entrance.
_The door?_
Someone had broken down his door. *Damn it*—had someone called the guards? He could handle a helpless girl easily enough, but a grown man in armor? Donau doubted his chances.
He coughed, dust coating his tongue. Through the haze, a figure approached. The first thing he saw was a white dress, loose and flowing, almost like a nightgown. Then came equally colorless white hair, pale as moonlight.
"Evangeline Rohanson?"
His panic subsided slightly at the sight of her—not a hulking guardsman, but a fragile young woman who looked like she could be knocked down with a single blow. But when their eyes met, when he saw those scarlet irises blazing in the dim candlelight, Donau's breath caught in his throat.
*Fear and worship. Turn to the earth and meet the angel of light who has descended from heaven.*
From somewhere—nowhere—came the distant sound of trumpets.
---
_Oh shit! What is this?!_
As I stepped through the shattered remains of the door—what a flimsy structure, honestly—I was greeted by a scene straight out of a horror novel. Donau crouched over a girl who was bound hand and foot, a knife pressed to her bleeding throat.
_What a psycho!_
I'd come here to catch a thief who'd stolen my super-duper summoning circle, and it turned out he was *also* a kidnapper? You can't level up your villainy this quickly! That's not how character progression works!
"Kanna!"
Hena, who had been following close behind me, let out a strangled gasp. *Kanna?* If she knew the girl's name, that meant they were acquainted. Perhaps Kanna worked at the estate too? Hena's hands flew to cover her mouth, and tears spilled down her cheeks in an instant.
_What should I do?_ They were clearly close—maybe even family!
My fury toward Donau intensified tenfold. Hena was the only person in this entire world I could talk to normally, and this bastard had kidnapped her friend? *Her family?*
_You're not going to survive this. I'll show you what the villain from a novel is truly capable of!_
Just as this thought crystallized in my mind, Donau seemed to recognize me.
"Evangeline Rohanson?"
He trembled violently, practically shouting my name. This thief, this kidnapper, this hardened criminal... was *afraid* of me? Perhaps because he'd been caught red-handed?
_Wait. Evangeline Rohanson can't be some kind of supervillain whose name alone terrifies people... can she? Am I not just a regular villain, but the **final boss** running this entire world?!_
I absolutely did *not* want that role!
My head was spinning... but now wasn't the time for an existential crisis. First, I needed to save the hostage.
"Did you call me?"
This was where Evangeline's villainous reputation came in handy. It was annoying to play along, but I forced myself to maintain a cold expression—the hint of a cruel smile without actually changing my features. *See how easy it is to be a villain?*
The knife in Donau's hand haunted me. He'd already cut the girl; a thin wound glistened wetly on her neck. What did people do in situations like this?
_It's like in those police dramas: "Put the knife down, let's talk."_ But what was there to talk about with this maniac? We had nothing in common...
Actually, we had *one* thing.
"Do you have my summoning circle?"
I kept my voice calm and measured, trying not to provoke him. *What do you mean "your" summoning circle?* He *stole* it! And why, having stolen my magic circle, was he kidnapping people instead of just using it? The incompetence was *infuriating*!
"So... so it's you..." Donau's voice quavered. "You're the mistress of this summoning circle?"
"Of course I am. That's why I came for you."
He was lying through his teeth! He'd stolen from my room and now pretended not to know anything about it! *The audacity!* Only truly shameless people stole things *and* kidnapped people on the same day.
I was tempted to unleash every curse word I knew upon him, but I restrained myself—there was a child present. The summoning circle was important, but a person's life was more important.
"What do you want?" I asked, keeping my tone imperious. "Let the girl go, and I will fulfill your request."
Of course, I only meant that I would *listen* to his request.
*Listen... and then immediately forget.* Right now, I needed to pretend I was ready to comply with his demands. First the exchange, then the handcuffs. Although—were there even handcuffs in this world? *Whatever.* I'd bring down the iron hammer of justice on him regardless.
"Make me... make me very rich!"
*Well, yes, of course.* Why else would someone steal things and stage kidnappings? For money, naturally.
The problem was, I *had* no money. I'd left the estate to catch a thief without taking a single coin. If I'd known he'd make financial demands, I would have prepared! He didn't even follow the basic rules of kidnapping, the idiot! *You're supposed to send a ransom note first!*
"Rich?" I affected a thoughtful expression. "Fine. How about the title of Count Rohanson? I'll make you a count."
Time to improvise. All I currently possessed was Evangeline's body and her noble title. I needed to leverage them somehow. Evangeline was the Count's only daughter, so if someone married her, he would essentially become the Count.
_For now, let's not think about whether a woman can legally head a family in this world, or whether patriarchy dictates that the title should automatically transfer to the husband..._
"Count Rohanson?" Donau's mad eyes gleamed with sudden greed. "Hmm... I like it. It would be *delightful* to take that damned count's place."
We had an agreement. It seemed the terms of the deal suited him perfectly. A count's title—money *and* power in one package. Who could refuse?
"Well then, shall we make a deal?"
_Come on, hand over Hena's friend!_
I waited for him to release the hostage, but suddenly Donau's face split into a manic grin. He swung the knife toward the girl.
_Hey, what are you doing?!_
"Stop! What are you thinking?!"
"I want to make a deal..."
*Ah*... so he just wanted to untie her hands himself? *Phew.* Thank God. I exhaled with relief, though I still didn't trust him. What if he tried something underhanded the moment my guard was down?
No, this wouldn't do. I'd better untie her myself. First, I needed to get her away from him.
"Give me the knife. I'll untie her myself."
Donau frowned, clearly displeased, but nevertheless obeyed. I had already reached toward the girl when, without warning, Donau lunged at me with the blade.
_Did I really do something to anger him?_ Was it because I'd addressed him too casually? Ordered him around? Played the role of Evangeline Rohanson *too* convincingly?!
I didn't know what had happened, but it seemed that instead of calming him down, I'd driven him further into madness.
_Damn, what should I do?_
*Calm down. Use this as an opportunity.* The crucial thing was that Donau had shifted his attention from the girl to me. That was actually *good*.
"Hena. Save her."
I breathed the words rather than spoke them, barely audible, so Donau wouldn't hear. Hena apparently possessed sharp hearing despite everything—she understood immediately and nodded through her tears.
_I'll distract him. Villains are natural-born provocateurs. Trust me._
"You know," I said loudly, letting contempt drip from every syllable, "about that count's title... I lied."
"What?"
"You really *believed* me?" I laughed, high and mocking, right in his face. "What a fool you are."
*There you go.* Nothing wounded more deeply than having something precious snatched away the moment it was given. I kept laughing, sharp and cruel—*oh, my stomach actually hurts from this*—and then abruptly stopped.
_Is it a little weird to suddenly stop laughing like that?_ Oh well. Since I'd already committed to acting unhinged, I might as well go all the way.
"Why should I fulfill *your* wishes?"
"But... isn't this why you were called?" Donau's voice cracked with confusion and rising hysteria.
*Of course not!* How was I supposed to know that Hena's friend Kanna was in danger?! I came here to catch a *thief*!
"I came here because of your idiotic summoning circle!"
Donau's head dropped. I thought he'd fallen silent, defeated by my impeccable logic, but when I listened more closely, I realized he was muttering under his breath—a stream of words tumbling over each other.
"...This can't be... something's wrong... I did everything exactly as written... everything exactly the same... what's missing? Evangeline Rohanson, I followed your instructions perfectly... why won't it work for me? I could have done it too... I could have become a damned count too... please, don't look at me like that... you too... you also think I'm pathetic? Don't look at me... you damned... *demon*..."
_This already sounds like the ravings of a lunatic._ Well, yes—normal people don't kidnap their colleagues' loved ones.
After muttering his deranged litany for what felt like an eternity, Donau suddenly raised his head. Pure madness blazed in his eyes.
"Everything was *perfect*. Why..."
He stared into empty space, as if possessed by something beyond my comprehension, then whirled around. Behind him, Hena was struggling frantically with the ropes binding Kanna's hands and feet.
"It's not working... what should I do? Why won't they come undone?!"
Hena's face was streaked with tears. Her hands shook so violently that she couldn't manage the complicated knots.
"No, NO! My sacrifice!"
Donau screamed, and Hena, hearing his shriek, threw herself protectively over Kanna's body.
Donau rushed about wildly, arms flailing. In his frenzy, he failed to watch where he was going and knocked over a candle. It fell to the floor and rolled, flame licking hungrily toward the wooden boards.
_Fire! A fire was about to start!_
I panicked—but only for an instant. At that moment, Donau's back was completely turned to me.
_You fool. You never turn your back on an enemy!_
I seized the opportunity and swung at the back of his head with all my strength.
*Oh, I missed!* I should have aimed for his neck! The back of his skull was just *begging* to be struck... but my blow still landed. I'd hit him with my bare hands, yet Donau staggered and collapsed to the floor in a heap.
I stepped over his prone body and ran to Hena.
"Move aside, Hena."
Seeing her hands still trembling uncontrollably, I realized I could handle this faster myself. Hena squeezed her eyes shut and carefully stepped back.
Apparently, Hena had simply been too panicked—I untied the ropes without difficulty. They practically fell apart at my touch.
"Everything is fine now."
One crisis resolved. After such a thrilling adventure—the first since my rebirth—my heart was pounding so hard I could hear it in my ears.
"*Kanna.*"
Hena rushed forward and pulled the girl into a fierce embrace.
"Sister..."
"How are you? How did you even get here?!" Hena's voice cracked between sobs. "I told you to stay home! You're not fully recovered yet!"
"I'm sorry, sister... I didn't think I'd be kidnapped... I was just waiting for you to come home..."
"Forgive me, Kanna... thank God you're okay... thank God I made it in time..."
_They weren't just friends—they were sisters._
Looking at their tearful reunion, I felt my own eyes stinging. I wanted so badly to join their embrace, to share in this moment of relief and gratitude. But I'd just spent the last several minutes playing the intimidating villain; I couldn't shatter that image so abruptly!
I turned away, hiding the moisture gathering at the corners of my eyes.
_I can't hug you... but I can at least help you._
"You're Kanna, correct?" I kept my voice steady, businesslike. "What should we do with Donau?"
---