Saving You, Villain - Chapter 91

“Ah…”

I froze, bent over as I stared at the toe of Luke’s large boots, feeling a wave of dread rush through me. Cold sweat trickled down my spine. How had this happened? According to his schedule, Luke should have been teaching a class right now.

“I saw you running from a distance and decided to follow you,” Luke said, his tone calm but unsettling. “I didn’t expect to find you rummaging through my lab. Looks like it was a good decision to check in.”

I couldn’t move, couldn’t speak. I just sat there, paralyzed. Luke crouched down to meet my gaze and smoothly plucked the letter from my hand.

“A letter from Prince Gloran,” he remarked casually. “If the bedridden king doesn’t recover, the third prince will claim the throne. I, who had aligned with the first prince, would be stuck in this rural teaching post for life. But the third prince has graciously extended his hand to me. Do you know why?”

How could I? I was no master strategist or seer. I had never even met the third prince, and I had no idea about the political battle for the throne. Until now, I hadn’t known about the intense power struggles at court, nor had I realized that Luke had been exiled to this remote village as a result of backing the wrong side.

“I swore to the prince that I would bring a demon to its knees before him. Not just any demon, but the most powerful of them all, one so strong that even the whole world could not stand against it.”

His voice, once steady and perhaps even kind, now sounded twisted with ambition. The Luke I thought I knew—the dedicated instructor who stayed up late to write careful notes about his students—was gone. The person before me was different. His cold, calculating gaze made my blood run cold. The once clear line between good and evil blurred in my mind.

Could absolute good or absolute evil even exist? The Luke I knew from the novel wasn’t here. The man standing before me was undeniably human—a person who could be either a hero or a villain depending on the situation.

I looked up, my trembling eyes meeting Luke’s cool, composed expression.

“…Leave Camian alone,” I managed to say.

“He’s a demon.”

“Camian is just Camian. He hasn’t killed anyone. In fact, he’s been helping the townspeople, working without rest.”

“He hasn’t killed anyone? Do you really believe that?” Luke’s voice dripped with skepticism.

“I’m certain of it. Camian and I have known each other since we were young—”

“Demon lords live for eons, Liv. Especially one like Camian. He is practically immortal. He existed long before you were born. The Camian you’ve known is but a speck of dust in his infinite life.”

Luke’s cold fingers brushed my jawline, and I jerked back in shock, retreating a step. His face softened as if he were pitying me.

“I’m not your enemy, Liv. I’m human.”

“So is Camian—!”

“Demons see humans as toys or prey. They feed on our flesh, our minds, and eventually our souls. They are parasites that drain everything from us, and that fact doesn’t change.”

Luke’s voice was firm, and for a moment, his once righteous, confident face wavered before me, like the reflection of a fish’s fin in water, flickering unsettlingly.

“The first time I encountered Camian, I felt true powerlessness for the first time in my life. The magic surrounding him alone was enough to suffocate me. It felt as though the world itself was collapsing right before my eyes. But thankfully, despite his immense power, Camian is… well, let’s just say he’s not the sharpest of demons.”

His gaze shifted to my neck. Instinctively, I raised my hands to cover the left side of my throat.

“The soul bond has been reversed.”

“…!”

Reversed? I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. But Camian had told me not to worry, that he knew exactly what he was doing. He had assured me that everything was under control. I wanted to believe him. I needed to believe him. But seeing Luke’s calm smile, a wave of doubt crashed over me, unsettling the fragile hope I had been clinging to.

“Liv, demons are insidious. Camian has likely charmed you with his looks. You’ve become his puppet without even realizing it. But I can save you. Trust me, Liv.”

Luke’s calloused hand extended toward me, offering what he claimed to be salvation. But to me, it looked like the hand of a madman, someone so consumed by his own beliefs that he’d resort to anything to achieve them.

“In time, you’ll understand that I’m right,” Luke said with absolute conviction, as though the matter was already settled.

Despair piled on top of me, crushing me. How had things spiraled so far out of control? I had never imagined such a conclusion, so I hadn’t prepared for it. I thought all I needed to do was break Camian’s attachment to me, but it wasn’t that simple.

Where had everything gone wrong? The books I’d read, all the information I’d gathered… what had it all been for? Why had Camian made me drink his blood instead of taking mine?

Something far bigger than I understood was happening all around me.

“Luke… Camian isn’t like that,” I pleaded, tears brimming in my eyes.

“Liv…,” Luke said softly.

All I could do was beg, my voice trembling with desperation.

“On harvest days, he works so hard that he doesn’t even eat. If you ask the people in our village, they’ll tell you how kind and hardworking he is. If you can’t trust Camian, then please trust me. If he ever tries to do anything bad, I’ll stop him. Just please, leave him alone. And give me back my blood.”

Luke pulled me into a gentle embrace, patting my back in a manner that was almost fatherly, like a god comforting a lost lamb. But instead of feeling safe, I was overwhelmed with a sense of dread. Luke wasn’t questioning his beliefs at all. He saw me as a victim, someone who had been tricked by a demon, and he pitied me for it. I finally realized that trying to reason with him was pointless. Shaking off my tears, I pushed against his chest with all the strength I could muster.

Luke stepped back without resistance, letting me go. I needed to find another way. I couldn’t handle this on my own. If I told the people in the village that Camian was in danger, I was sure they would help, regardless of whether he was a demon or a human. They wouldn’t let him be harmed.

“Liv. Don’t entertain any foolish thoughts,” Luke called out, his voice growing distant as I pushed forward.

His tone was as if he were speaking to a disobedient child, but I couldn’t stop. My heart raced as I hurried out of the room, each step becoming steadier as my legs regained strength. I had to reach Camian before it was too late.

As I passed Luke, I could hear him sigh behind me. “Liv, wait. Just listen to me for a second.”

I didn’t stop. I bit my lower lip hard and focused on moving, each breath growing more labored. His footsteps followed me steadily, like a shadow that wouldn’t let go, and I could hear him calling my name, his voice trailing closer no matter how fast I tried to run.

Thump, thump, thump. My heart pounded in my ears, and my throat burned as though I’d swallowed fire. I stumbled, trying to wipe the sweat dripping down my chin. I had only run from Luke’s lab to the lecture hall, but my body was already nearing its limit. My lungs screamed for air, but I couldn’t stop. I had to get Camian out of here. We needed to leave the village.

I pushed open the lecture hall door with all my might, the weight of it making my head spin. When did doors become so heavy? My vision blurred for a second as I staggered inside.

“I told you, I don’t know! I came back first because Liv said she had a book to find. Why are you asking me where she went?”

Tessa’s voice was filled with frustration. I looked toward her and saw Camian standing just in front of her, his expression terrifyingly rigid. His face was so tense that it looked as though he might strangle her at any moment.

Camian…

The conversation I’d had with Luke only moments ago reverberated in my mind, each word a hammer blow.

“The Camian you know is just a speck in his endless life.”

I had always known, deep down, that Camian was suppressing his true nature, trying to blend in with humans for my sake. But knowing it and seeing it were two very different things.

“Camian, no…”

Please, don’t make that face. Be the Camian who jokes around, who gets annoyed, who’s kind and gentle—just like you’ve always been.

“Oh, Liv’s here. Hey, uh—” Tessa began, pointing at me with visible relief on her face. She was clearly glad to see me, thinking I could ease the tension in the room. But then her expression shifted, darkening with alarm.

“Liv!”

Her shout echoed across the lecture hall, and every eye turned toward me. I wanted to ask why, but before I could speak, I felt something warm trickling down my chin. Reflexively, I wiped at it with the back of my hand.

Blood.

Bright red, unmistakable blood.

It smeared across my hand, and for a moment, I froze. Time itself seemed to stop as I stared at the vivid crimson staining my skin, a slow realization dawning within me.

The others in the room were already reacting, but their voices sounded distant, like echoes from a world far away. Only the blood felt real—the thick, sticky warmth as it dripped from my lips and down my neck.

Camian’s face, once cold and distant, now twisted in horror as his eyes locked on me.