The Protagonists of the Novel Escaped

Bam!

Another nightmare.

The villainous princess stepped into the blood-spattered space, letting out a heavy sigh.

When she first set foot in the nightmare realm, she was trembling with fear, but now it was different. After days of repeating the nightmares, she was starting to feel numb.

“So, what do you want to say today?”

As she took a step, the stagnant blood pooled around her calves. Elizaveta stomped past the neatly arranged skulls and faced the master of the nightmare.

-You’re rather impatient. I have just opened my eyes.

Luxurious golden hair cascading down to her backside.

Blood-red eyes that looked as if the blood had congealed.

Skin as pale as ice, dressed in a pitch-black evening gown reminiscent of mourning attire.

Elizaveta frowned at the nightmare’s existence, which mirrored her own appearance. It was so identical that it sent chills down her spine.

-Looks like you’ve had a delightful day. I, on the other hand, had the worst day imaginable.

The disaster that took the form of the villainous princess reached out its hand.

At that moment, a black butterfly fluttering around settled softly on the delicate hand.

“Why do you always appear in the same form as me? It’s unsettling.”

-It’s just my simple preference. The Demon King of Death, who granted me divine status, was an ugly man. So, this time, I wanted to transform into a stunning beauty.

“A stunning beauty… That’s not entirely wrong. All the plain women in the world must envy my beauty.”

-I acknowledge that, beautiful maiden.

No hostility was present at all.

The conversation flowed smoothly as if meeting a compatible friend.

Elizaveta was aware that the being before her was a sinister disaster god that denied life. Yet, she boldly continued the conversation with the disaster.

-You must have realized it now. I am the disaster god that denies the creator deity’s world.

“Yeah. Since you’ve invited me to this insane space… it’s obvious you’re not in your right mind either.”

-The reason I intentionally brought you to the realm of death is simple. I want you to temporarily relinquish control of your body.

“…That’s hilarious. Do you really think I’d hand it over so easily?”

Had it already seen through her true feelings?

The existence mimicking the princess revealed its intentions in a calm voice.

Control of the body.

Elizaveta certainly understood the meaning behind it.

Just like when that halfwit created Ruinong and possessed her recklessly, it intended to snatch her body. Having experienced it once, Elizaveta swallowed nervously and braced herself against the sinister being before her.

“If the disaster god that symbolizes evil tries to forcibly steal my body, I won’t let a nameless specter like you take it so easily…!”

She clenched her fists tightly.

And glared at the ominous divine presence with sharp eyes.

-Don’t worry, beautiful maiden. Right now, I am merely a powerless remnant. I lack the strength to snatch your body or the means to corrupt your pure soul.

“……”

-Moreover, if I were to invoke divine status in the realm of mind, I would be detected by tyranny and famine. As it stands, I am contacting you with the aid of war… regrettably, I am in a paralyzed state where I cannot exert any influence.

“Are you talking about Edan, my sister, and the First Saintess…?”

Ah.

So she finally realized.

As Elizaveta let out a heavy sigh, the disaster of death chuckled softly.

-I offer you the honor of accepting me. It wouldn’t be a bad tale for you, would it? Your beloved man, your respected sister… and even that rival you see as a thorn in your side are vessels containing the disaster of innocence! If you accept my merciful proposal, you can be with them!

“……”

Was she always just cast in the poor role waiting anxiously for results?

If she accepted the disaster, would she be able to fight alongside them?

Didn’t she want to protect her beloved man?

Surely, she had wished to support her revered sister.

Elizaveta felt inferiority as someone who could only be protected by her sister and Edanant. She harbored feelings of inadequacy for not being able to help her sister and Edanant in any way.

The disaster of death was well aware of this.

The ominous entity that denied life extended its hands and whispered sweetly to Elizaveta. If it continuously provoked her sense of inferiority and powerlessness, she would surely relinquish control of her body on her own.

“What kind of scam are you trying to pull?!”

-…What?

Her words struck like lightning.

The disaster of death wore a dumbfounded expression at Elizaveta’s retort.

“No matter how crazy I am, I won’t surrender my body to a mere specter! I understand your malicious intent to seize the beautiful body known as the empire’s number one beauty, but I have no intention of handing it over! Do you have any idea how hard I’ve worked to maintain my body? There’s only one person in the world I’d let touch it! Got it?!”

-…….

The emotion that shattered the powerlessness and inferiority that had burrowed into her heart was self-love.

Extreme narcissism.

A personality born from innate egotism and the blessed environment of being a princess.

This girl was not normal.

It was only natural for the disaster of death to evaluate Elizaveta that way.

*

A soft voice reverberated.

And she felt a hand shaking her.

Edanant.

Certainly, it was his voice and his hand.

“Ugh, yeah… Edan?”

“Are you alright? It seems you had a nightmare.”

A chilly breeze tickled her forehead.

Countless branches covered the sky like a roof.

Elizaveta finally realized she had been napping under the thick trees. Beside the villainous princess, the Ruinong, including Rue, were still sound asleep, snoring away.

“It’s already late autumn. What will you do if you catch a cold?”

“It was so warm today. So, I napped with the Ruinong.”

“If His Highness Ludmilla finds out, she’ll surely scold you.”

“Eek, I’d hate that.”

Edanant chuckled, brushing away the yellow leaves that had settled on Elizaveta’s forehead. Elizaveta leaned against Edanant.

With just the two of them present.

So, she boldly approached him.

Even though the Ruinong were snoring right next to them, she treated them as mere background.

“Hey, Edan. If I… ever stopped being me, what would you do?”

“That’s quite an unexpected question.”

“There was a time when I was forcibly possessed by an incompetent goddess. What if it happened again? I was just thinking about it out of the blue.”

“Hmmm.”

An unexpectedly hard question to answer.

He fell into thought for a moment.

But then, he lifted the villainous princess with both hands and responded through action.

“I will save you as many times as needed. Protecting the beautiful princess is a hero’s duty, is it not?”

“Of course…! I must have said something unnecessary! You’ve always saved me, Edanant!”

Her face turned red at Edanant’s straightforward reply. It seemed she hadn’t expected him to be so direct.

Having proven his loyalty, it was only right to repay it.

Nestled in his arms, Elizaveta stretched her neck and planted a quick kiss on Edanant.

The kiss wasn’t long.

It merely grazed their lips like a bird pecking.

As Edanant gazed silently, Elizaveta, unable to contain her embarrassment, quickly turned her head. She worried that her pounding heart might be heard, taking a deep breath.

“Time to wake the Ruinong too.”

“That won’t be easy. The Ruinong that have just begun to sleep wouldn’t notice even if someone carried them away.”

“I have my own method.”

“Yeah?”

Particles of disaster scattered, revealing a musket.

At that moment, the musket aimed at the air and shot a flame, erupting a sharp gunshot.

Bang!

As soon as the gunfire rang out, the soundly sleeping Ruinong jumped up in a frenzy.

“F-fire!”

“Wha-?! Lightning! Lightning struck!”

The flustered Ruinong ran around like startled sheep, and Elizaveta shot a look of exasperation at Edanant. She let out a heavy sigh at the complete lack of consideration.

Even so, Edanant remained unfazed.

“It’s nearly dinner time. Let’s head back, beautiful princess.”

“I need to calm the Ruinong down first! I seriously can’t handle this!”

Like a herd of frightened sheep, the Ruinong were busy dashing around. Elizaveta, along with Rue, soothed the Ruinong and organized them into a line.

Watching the scene that looked like it came straight from a kindergarten, Edanant couldn’t help but chuckle and turn away.

“What did I do to Elizaveta?”

-Well, I don’t know.

He extended his hand to stir the particles of disaster.

As the particles swayed greatly, the voice of the disaster god echoed.

“You called death upon yourself. Did you think I wouldn’t know till the end?”

-You’re quite sharp.

In a voice that pierced like an accusing finger, he shot back.

Recognizing his certainty, the disaster of war obediently confessed to its deception.

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