Stealing Heroines’ Affections Is My Job as the Villain

Deep in the dungeon, Vritra walked slowly, his posture calm and godlike. His hands were clasped behind his back, and his usual confident smirk was present on his lips.

"G-, GOD VRITRA!"

As soon as the guards spotted him, they stood to attention and saluted without hesitation.

"Where are those two stubborn men?"

The young lord didn't even bother to look at them as he asked the trembling guards his question.

"Th-, They're at the far end, sir…"

One of them finally managed to respond, his lips shaking like a bird picking at food.

Vritra said nothing else and continued walking down the dark tunnel, which was lit by torches on both sides.

━ ━ ━ ━

In the dark prison where Cedric and Kris were waiting for their fates to be decided, the two had begun to adjust to their unfortunate living situation.

Well… Kris had always been okay with it.

But Cedric was a different story.

He'd spent the last few weeks screaming at the top of his lungs and banging on the iron bars of their cell, only to be beaten down by the guards with their fists and batons.

Maybe the constant punishment was finally taking a toll on Cedric's body, and he had given up.

After all, he was nearly an old man, ripe for retirement.

"Ugh! I really need to talk to Katherine again. I can't believe she hasn't come to see me since all this happened. It feels like she's also kept my sons away from me! What kind of kids grow up without their father?"

Cedric felt really angry and frustrated.

Meanwhile, Kris just felt disgusted.

"Just be quiet…"

"What did you just say?"

Cedric was shocked by Kris' words.

However, Kris didn't seem like he was in the mood to hide his growing disgust for Cedric at all.

"I think you heard me, Cedric. I said be quiet. Trust me, I believe a woman should know her place, and I'll even be the first to put my wife in line if she steps out of it. But you've gone too far with Lady Katherine. She was perfect in every way. Some people only realize how valuable something is after they lose it, but even now… you still don't see her worth."

"I… I do! How dare you!"

Cedric slammed his fist in the dirt.

Still, Kris was unfazed.

"You really don't. And it makes sense, considering you didn't even earn her love. She was forced to love you, and that's why, when she finally stopped loving you, you didn't even realize it. She tried so hard to make a marriage she never wanted work, and you still can't appreciate that."

"Just… shut your mouth, Kris…"

"I've already accepted that I'm a terrible person, and everyone knows that God Vritra is a monster, the worst kind of scum. But Cedric, I'd argue that you're even worse than him… at least he knew how to treat your wife well."

Those final words were the last straw for Cedric.

"YOU BASTARD──!!"

He growled in anger and charged at Kris.

… POW~!

A powerful punch sent Kris rolling in the dirt.

Without giving him a moment to catch his breath, Cedric rushed in again, kicking Kris in the head, then hitting him in the stomach, and finally landing a punch to his jaw.

"Stop hitting me, you son of a bitch!"

"Make me, asshole!"

"Maybe I will!"

Soon, Kris got fed up and started throwing his own punches, which landed hard. Blood sprayed everywhere, and bones cracked with each hit.

The two grown men were fighting like wild animals.

Just as the fight was getting intense and it seemed like they wanted to strangle each other, the two men caught sight of someone out of the corner of their eyes.

Standing in front of their cave was God Vritra.

The young Asura closed his eyes and gave a mild smile as he clapped for their uncivilized display, as if they had done something impressive. But deep down, they both knew that Vritra was just making fun of them.

"Ho? Please, don't stop on my behalf. We were just getting to the good part… you know, the part where you two idiots strangle each other and spare me the trouble."

The young lord giggled innocently.

The two fighting men forcefully pulled away from each other, freeing themselves from their grips.

They then turned their attention to Vritra.

Kris stayed calm, knowing that even though the man in front of them was their enemy, he was someone they couldn't afford to offend.

Cedric, however, didn't seem to care.

"WHAT──?! Have you come here to brag?!"

He suddenly lashed out at Prince Vritra, and in an instant, he felt his right arm snap as if it were made of cookies.

"RAAAARRGHHH!!"

Cedric's eyes bulged with pain, turning bloodshot as he collapsed to the ground, crying out loudly.

"MY AAaaARRrrMMmm!"

As his screams grew louder, Vritra coldly stared down at him with glowing blood-red eyes.

"Are you really so foolish that you would speak to an ancient god like he's a child? Unwise."

Vritra's tone showed very little emotion. To him, this felt like trying to discipline a stubborn dog that wouldn't stop barking at night. It just didn't deserve his real anger.

"You'll… pay for this, Vritra…"

Cedric cried out in pain as he clenched his broken arm.

Kris was a smart man, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake as the foolish Cedric. Without hesitation, he dropped to his knees and gripped the ground, bowing his head before Vritra.

"PLEASE, GOD VRITRA… HAVE MERCY!"

Since they had been declared unpersons by the state laws, Kris realized this might be his first and last chance to see Vritra or anyone with the power to change his situation.

"I'm ready to serve you and do anything you need, my kind lord. I might have lost my titles, but I still have many crucial intra- and inter-state information. If you spare me, I'm willing to share it with you!"

He lowered his head even further.

Cedric furiously gritted his teeth at Kris.

『YOU TRAITOR, YOU TRAITOR!』

That was all his mind kept screaming.

Betrayal or loyalty.

Kris didn't care about these options anymore.

The moment Cedric's reckless actions got them into this mess, all he could think about was surviving, no matter what. If Vritra told him to sacrifice Cedric right then and there, he wouldn't hesitate for a second.

He lifted a smiling face to Vritra, hoping for an answer.

"So, my gracious lord. Will you gra──!"

… POP!

Vritra popped Kris's head like a balloon. Shredded flesh and broken bits of bone flew everywhere, splattering blood on Cedric's stunned face.

… THUD!

Kris's lifeless, headless body fell to the ground, and that was the end for him.

"Tsk, tsk. Imagine trying to negotiate with a god! It seems we have quite a lot of arrogant nobles in Gladius City."

Vritra shook his head in disappointment, then turned to Cedric and smiled warmly.

"Right, Cedric, my boy?"

Cedric did not care for the question.

"STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

He started crawling on his stomach like a worm, gripping his arm tightly. Tears streamed down his blood-stained cheeks as the fear of death slowly made his mind go blank.

"YOU CAN'T KILL ME! I… I'M…"

Cedric couldn't find the words.

This confusion made Vritra grin maliciously.

"You're nothing. Killing you would be as insignificant as snapping a rusty spoon. That's how little you matter to this world now, you insecure pig. I won't even put much effort into ending your sorry life because, as fate would have it, you're just a side-character."

Vritra reached out his hand and conjured a black flame.

After that, all that could be heard were Cedric's painful, gut-wrenching screams echoing through the dungeon.

AAAAAAAHHHH!

UUUUHH────GRAAAAHHHH!

HIC! HIC! AAAAAAAAAAHHH!!

WWWWWWWWAAAAAAAHHHHH!

The guards heard them, but all they could do was grip their spears tightly and try to hold back their fear.