I Became the Master of the Villain - Chapter 22

Time seemed to have stopped.

Olivia’s eyelids, which had been heavily closed, opened. When she looked at him, an earthquake of waves shook Kian’s light blue eyes. His voice calling for her was biting.

“Master…….”

He had thought she was dead, but she was alive. She looked weak, like a twig about to snap. But she was breathing properly. He couldn’t believe the miraculous scene in front of him.

She smiled faintly as she saw his stunned expression.

“You’re alive…….”

Her breath was labored as if it was difficult to connect her words. The sight struck Kian like ice water.

This is not the time. You have to save her.

The rocks falling like meteorites froze and did not strike the knights. Kian was hovering over the ground and quickly had his feet touch the ground.

Faced with this unexpected situation, the knights’ faces were full of embarrassment.

“……!”

Dirt and piles of stones and boulders fell. With a roar, a thick curtain of dust and debris rose. When a gust of wind blew, helping settle the overwhelming dirt that had obscured and dyed the witness’s irritated eyes, they surveyed the scene now that visibility had resumed.

Kian and Olivia had already disappeared.

***

The numbness of floating swirled into my gut as I took in the scene of the crowds of knights on horseback and the tragic painting of the destroyed and burned earth below—running like wet paint and distorting. An exquisite sensation like a multiplying deja vu that compressed and sped across space sprinted across my body.

We moving or transporting— defying the laws of physics, and I knew I was not doing it—the man who held me in his arms was. Belatedly, I realized:

Kian’s magical powers have awakened.

Kian was a wizard.

I looked up at a face that felt familiar and unfamiliar at the same time. Anxiety knotted inside as I looked upon Kian’s beautiful face. He said in a nervous voice:

“Master, hang in there—we will be there soon.”

I knew he was trying to save me. I groaned as the sensation of fainting or transporting—I knew not which—washed over me.

“…… Uh-“

Once again, space distorted, and a contorted landscape gradually came into focus.

What emerged in front was the magnificent mansion of the Duke of Ashford.

Appearing covered in blood and dirt, Kian and I in front of the once quiet mansion turned upside down in an uproar.

“Miss! What happened?”

The thoughtful butler ran out. The sleeping employees woke up all at once, trembling as a servant ran to call a healer.

Perhaps because I lost too much blood, the surrounding commotion fell further and further away. In the end, only the soft low voice heard above my head lingered in my ears.

Everything will be fine now, Master.

Is it because I was relieved by those words? I quickly let the string of consciousness I had been holding on to slip into the darkness.

***

As he carried an unconscious Olivia into the mansion, Kian thought:

She won’t die. No, you shouldn’t even think of the opposite– No, you can’t think about it at all.

“Kian, bring Miss here!”

In a hurry, as if her breath was running out, the butler guided Kian. He laid Olivia on her clean bed. Soon after, he heard someone’s urgent footsteps.

Prince Ashford woke up in the middle of the night after hearing the news of his daughter’s injury. Seeing his daughter covered in blood, he groaned in distress.

“Ah, Olivia……. What the hell is this…….”

His expression completely lost his usual calm composure. A young woman appeared behind him, holding his daughter’s cold hand, taking a deep breath.

It was Christine, a healer, who came running to Olivia after hearing that an assassin had seriously hurt her. Her face was marred with a deep sense of dismay.

Olivia’s condition was more serious than she thought. Given the amount of her bleeding, she had already lost too much blood.

If her healing was delayed any longer, she had no chance of survival.

Christine quickly settled next to Olivia.

“I will start her treatment.”

She gathered all of the mana in her whole body and cast a powerful healing spell on Olivia. Her hands were filled with explosive healing magic. Dazzling clusters of lights wrapped around Olivia’s wounds.

Her magic began to drain rapidly from her body. Thick beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

Christine’s healing powers were working. Olivia’s wounds began to mend. Since there was a clear improvement outwardly, everyone’s expressions became brighter.

But that was short-lived. Even after many moments, Olivia’s eyes did not open.

Christine was out of breath, and her body was wet with cold sweat. Due to her casting of the highest level of healing magic, the symptoms of mana depletion appeared.

A terrible misgiving passed her heart. Olivia’s heart had stopped beating a while ago. She had done her best to revive her stopped heart. Nevertheless, it was not enough.

To make matters worse, she had used up all of the mana she had. Christine had to stop her treatment. Prince Ashford asked frantically.

“Why? What’s wrong? Why…… Are you stopping?”

“She lost too much blood by the time she got here. I did the best I could, but a while ago… her heart stopped.”

Christine expressed the bitter reality, her voice cracking with guilt.

“I’m sorry to tell you, but…… It seems difficult for my lady to wake up.”

***

The face of a father who had lost his daughter was stained with indescribable despair. He begged, grabbing Christine by the hem of her clothes.

“No—you can’t. Save my daughter. Please, please… … .”

“…… I’m sorry.”

Kian stared blankly at Christine, who lowered her head like her sinner. He took the limp hand of Olivia, who laid dead.

Your cold hands. Your lips are blue—a pale white face.

Breathtaking despair dominated the whole body.

She’s dead……? No—It can’t be.

Heart whacks, about to burst.

I forgot to breathe.

I cannot accept this reality before my eyes.

He couldn’t let her go like this.

Kian has been silent so far because he believed in the ability of the healer more than his own.

I can’t risk my precious Olivia’s life. But…… you can’t save her?

If this was the result, I shouldn’t have left her in someone else’s hands from the start.

Kian pushed the healer Christine out of the way. Christine asked as she fell away,

“What are you doing?”

“I will save you, Master.”

How do you plan to do that? Christine tried to ask but then bit her tongue.

An overwhelming, shining magical power erupted from Kian’s hands to the point that everyone was blinded for an instant.

Olivia’s body was completely encircled by bright white healing mana. Christine was stunned speechless by the extraordinary sight.

‘Who the hell is this person? How can a human…… have this amount of magic?’

She never heard of such a powerful being—hadn’t been able to even imagine it—yet here he was before her eyes.

How could I never have heard of such a brilliant wizard?

However, more than her doubts, her hopes soared.

He might be able to do it. He may be able to save Olivia.

At this moment, the only miracle she could hold on to is the man before her eyes.

Kian concentrated all senses on his fingertips, using magic to find injuries.

Kian’s fingertips stopped at Olivia’s chest. Unlike other organs, the heart held no movement like a broken machine.

Kian concentrated his mana there. He applied the healing property to all of his magical powers and envisioning casting the magic of regeneration.

Kian’s magic spell worked, cells that had died were reborn, and blood flow began to flow.

“Oh my God, how did you…….”

Only Christine understood what Kian was doing. Looking foolish, her mouth was left agape.

It was the act of stepping into the realm of creation. It was impossible to do without having a power close to a god.

Next to an astonished Christine, Kian continued to pour immense amounts of mana into Olivia without a break.

Even though he was told it was impossible, he couldn’t give up on her.

To give up saving her was like giving up life itself.

He begged her, even though she could not hear him.

Please, open your eyes. Please look into my eyes and smile tenderly again.

Tell me that this life started again because of you is not a dream.

“Haaaaa…….”

Kian started to huff labored gasps due to his severe mana consumption.

I may never be able to use my power again. If I give her all the magical powers I have, maybe I could save her…….

At that moment, he made a decision and committed his heart to save her even if he could not save himself.

A very feeble movement caught the corner of his eyes.

Kian’s eyes opened wide— resembling the clear sky filled with unspeakable joy.

Because her eyelids trembled and her fingertips twitched weakly.

What should I call her little gesture?

It was the very definition of a miracle for Kian.