I Became the Narrow-Eyed Villain in a Dropped Novel

When the carriage stopped, I dismounted as gracefully as possible—or at least I thought so.

“Welcome, Lord Valheit.”

A man who appeared to be a butler bowed politely upon seeing me.

I simply gave a slight nod in response.

“It’s been a while, old man.”

“You’ve returned, young lady.”

“I’m not staying long. This guy’s whining about back pain, so take us to the guest rooms quickly.”

I tried my best not to show it, but…

I glared at Til, but either she didn’t notice because of my narrow eyes or she ignored me on purpose—she gave no reaction.

“Then allow me to escort Lord Valheit to his room. This way, please.”

Holding my wrecked lower back from the carriage’s godawful suspension, I slowly followed the butler.

Til, despite putting up a show about not wanting to come, was enthusiastically chatting away with the butler.

“So? What’s Anne up to these days? Finally picked up a sword? Good thing—any later and Father would’ve blown a fuse. What about my eldest brother? Went to the royal court? Thought he’d stay home—why?”

Having only ever seen her look grumpy or pissed off at HQ, seeing her chat like this was almost strange.

As I quietly followed behind them, I summoned the status window.

The scroll appeared, and I immediately searched Til under Relationships.

[Relationships]

▶ Til Chartra (-67 / Improving!)

(+) Valheit gave her an excuse to return home after a long time!

(-) Blinded me with light in the basement!

Still sulking over the eye-blinding incident, huh?

She was clearly portrayed as a cool, likeable character in the novel who even helped the protagonist’s party from time to time…

Or maybe she just hated Valheit specifically?

Either way, bringing her to her family estate was the right move.

The novel mentioned multiple times that, despite appearances, she valued her family deeply.

There was even an episode where she let the Demon King off the hook for saving her youngest sibling.

Still, if the relationship only improves this little each time, when will it ever make a real difference?

Even the death timer hadn’t budged since that one time.

“This will be your room.”

“Oh.”

A gasp slipped out before I could stop it. It wasn’t just luxurious or extravagant—it was… blinged out.

I guess this was what it meant to be a duke in the Empire.

“This room’s for Valheit?”

“Yes, by order of the Lord.”

Til tilted her head.

So what, I’m not worthy of a room like this?

“Is there a reason I shouldn’t stay here?”

“Well, it’s usually reserved for royal guests, so…”

Ugh… now I feel awkward.

Valheit was technically a royal advisor, but he wasn’t actually royalty.

This was excessive kindness… no, it felt more like a warning.

A message: Do you think you’re on the same level as the Imperial Family?

I’d have to be careful.

“Please convey my gratitude to the Lord.”

“Yes, sir. Then I’ll take my leave.”

I waited until the butler was out of sight. Til must have been waiting for that too.

“You’re a little too quick to accept, don’t you think? That could be considered treason if you’re not careful.”

“There must be a reason for it. I was honored to be invited—might as well play along.”

“Right, right. I guess you’d know more about this stuff than I would. I’m heading to my room.”

“Do you have a moment?”

I stopped Til just as she turned to leave.

Her face showed displeasure, but she stopped anyway.

“What now.”

“I have something I need you to do.”

I clearly outlined Til’s task.

Her uninterested face gradually shifted to one of surprise.

“That much?”

“Of course. You can never have too many backups.”

“…Fine. Not like it’s hard.”

Til disappeared with a flick of her coat, and I finally entered the room.

All around were symbols of the Eslick royal family—the twin-headed eagle holding a long scepter.

I casually pulled Foundations of Mana Manipulation out of my briefcase.

Thick, dense, and complicated—just like its dry title.

Of course, my actual theoretical knowledge was still at elementary school level, so I couldn’t follow it, but that didn’t matter.

This was for camouflage.

I sat at the desk and pretended to read with a cold, stern face.

The contract between the Chartra family and Valheit.

I’d been unsure, but seeing this room confirmed it.

And if my memory was right, I was now sitting in the heart of enemy territory.

***

“Thank you for the invitation, Lord Werner Chartra.”

“It’s my pleasure, Count. I’m glad you came.”

Werner Chartra gestured for me to sit with a smile.

Though he was an old man with a full head of white hair, his presence didn’t reflect his age.

“It’s been a while. When was it…? I believe the last time we met was during the last vassal conference in the capital.”

“That’s what I recall as well.”

“As royal advisor, I should’ve invited you more often, but alas, such chances are few and far between.”

At his signal, the servants began bringing out food.

The food at Eight Council HQ wasn’t bad, but it couldn’t compare to the grandeur of a duke’s table.

Aside from the sheer amount of meat, which made me queasy just looking at it.

I missed kimchi.

Knock knock—

“My Lord, may we come in?”

“Enter.”

Just as the table was fully set, a voice came from the other side of the door.

I had a good guess who it was.

The door opened to reveal a gallant man with a heroic appearance, a young girl, and Til.

“This is my second son, Joseph, and the youngest, Anne. I trust you know the last one well enough.”

The Chartra children bowed briefly and sat beside Werner.

Only Til sat across from them, next to me.

“Daughter, take your seat.”

“This is my seat, Lord Chartra.”

Werner’s brow twitched slightly at Til’s icy reply.

Oh, is this what they call a power struggle among elites? Intriguing.

“Though you’ve turned your back on the family, you will always be treated as a Chartra within these lands. Please, sit properly.”

“Pardon the interruption, but I’m not here as the daughter of Chartra. I’m here as Lord Valheit’s escort.”

The duke’s gaze turned to me.

Perfect flow.

I smiled, imagining the sly grin Valheit would’ve shown in the original story.

“Though she is your blood, she now serves under me. Please excuse what may seem like rudeness.”

“…If you say so, Count.”

Werner spoke calmly—at least, outwardly.

But his face was already tinged with red fury.

Whether it was because his daughter defied him or because she was serving another man—I didn’t know. But the anger was clear.

“Well then, shall we get straight to business?”

“Let’s eat firs—”

“I’m quite busy, unlike you, my lord, who has retired from the frontlines.”

A passive-aggressive jab.

Though he was one of the Seven Dukes and head of a family known for producing magic swordsmen, Chartra had long since fallen from power.

As expected, veins bulged on Werner’s forehead, and the previously gentle expression now clearly showed his rage.

His children, seated beside him, looked so flustered it was almost pitiful.

Maybe I should push a little further.

“Til, how’s the security inspection?”

“Two assassins, three observers, one sniper to the north, two to the south. That’s all.”

“Quite the number you’ve laid out, Lord Chartra.”

Werner’s furious face twitched with embarrassment.

He regained his composure quickly, but I’d already seen enough.

“You’re mistaken, Count. That’s standard security protocol, not aimed at you.”

Whew.

I sighed in relief inwardly.

I was worried he’d shout something like, ‘Then die where you stand, traitor!’—but he wasn’t quite that reckless.

“I understand. From your perspective, both I and the other lords must seem like mere traitors.”

“That’s not—”

“If it isn’t, then just say so. Or will you strike me down here and become a hero for executing a traitor of the Empire?”

Werner’s second son, Joseph, also changed his expression, now glaring at me with hostility.

Ha—there goes any hope of improving ties with this family.

“…You’re right. To me, you’re a hypocrite who sold the Empire’s history and honor to the Véstol Assembly.”

“It was for the sake of peace and the royal family. A matter of perspective, perhaps.”

“You and a handful of lords gained from that pact with the merchants. The royal family only grew weaker.”

The reason Werner lost the power struggle was simple.

He was loyal—so loyal it became a flaw.

To other lords, he was just an old man stuck in the past.

“Well then, now that we’ve spoken our minds, let’s get to the offer you’ve prepared, Lord Chartra.”

“Joseph, Anne, Til. Leave us.”

At his cold command, Werner’s children left the room.

The youngest looked frightened; the second son gave me a glare before leaving. Only three of us remained at the table.

“Til, you too.”

“Duke Chartra, you have no authority to command me.”

“You… you just won’t stop defying me, will you.”

Werner’s low growl felt like it squeezed my heart.

Even though I’d run simulations of this scene in my head many times, my heart still pounded.

“My offer is simple, Count. Do not interfere when I move to clean out the maggots. If you won’t agree… you won’t be leaving here. Even if you do, I will kill you in the name of Chartra’s honor.”

Just as I remembered.

The Chartra family was planning a royalist coup.

It was both the desperate act of an old man forced into the back room—and the Empire’s last hope.

He was basically saying: I’ll tolerate you because you’re the royal advisor. Cooperate—or at least stay out of the way. If not, I’ll crush you and the Eight Council.

Coming from a family with deep influence in the Imperial Army, it was no empty threat.

“Let’s say I stay out of it. What do I get in return?”

“Whatever shady business you’re running behind the scenes—I don’t know what it is, but the Imperial Army will turn a blind eye.”

The Eight Council rarely operated publicly, so they relied on illegal methods like smuggling or robbery.

Having the Empire’s strongest military backing them would be a definite plus.

That was as far as the original storyline went.

Valheit promised not to interfere in the royalist coup and essentially cut off contact with the other lords.

Naturally, he broke that promise later, and that’s when the Empire Arc—the longest episode in The Path of the Demon King—began.

If I didn’t want to make major changes to the story, I could just say “understood” here and forget about it until the coup actually happened.

“May I make a proposal?”

“Speak.”

But if I left it like that, the Empire would fall apart and civil war would keep repeating.

The original Valheit probably wanted that. I didn’t.

One of the reasons Valheit dies is the chaos in the Empire and the resulting hatred from the lords.

If I didn’t want to die, I had to take a different approach.

“Let’s replace the Emperor.”

Of course, I knew this would make me unpopular.

“What?”

His roar practically rattled my eardrums.

It was the angriest face I’d seen from him all day.

Unable to contain his fury, he drew his sword—splitting the table clean in half.

Had Til not blocked the slash in front of me, I’d have been bisected too.

“Did I not say we were to cleanse the filth surrounding His Majesty? Replacing the Emperor is—”

“Yes, it’s clearly treason.”

“You dare suggest such a thing to the Chartra family, who have protected the royal bloodline for over a century?! Are you insane?!”

“Why do you think filth has gathered around His Majesty?”

Werner fell silent at my question.

He probably already knew.

That’s why he couldn’t respond.

“Because His Majesty is a corpse that draws maggots.”

“You insolent—”

“It’s not wrong, is it? If there’s something to feed on, parasites like me will suck it dry.”

The Chartra family’s royalist coup failed for a simple reason.

The Emperor, terrified, declared them traitors—even as they tried to protect him.

Timid, gullible, suspicious, fearful—yet completely shortsighted.

That was the Emperor.

Because of that twisted nature, he caused disaster after disaster but never took responsibility.

To prevent the Empire’s fall—and to save my own life and the world—I had to take him out first.

“You need only raise your army as if you’re protecting His Majesty. Leave the rest to me.”

Werner stared at me for a long time before finally lowering his sword.

That’s a yes, right?

“…I’ll pretend I heard nothing. You may leave now, Count.”

“Understood. Until next time.”

I exhaled deeply as soon as I stepped outside, pretending to be relaxed.

Hoo—thought I was gonna suffocate.

“You said to scout the area, preplan the meeting, then went in and committed treason? What the hell are you thinking.”

“Hahaha. You’ll understand eventually. In time.”

Til shook her head, muttering that I was insane.

Still, she didn’t look annoyed.

“…Though I have to admit, it was kinda fun seeing that old fart all flustered.”

“Was it? I couldn’t tell, myself.”

“Don’t play dumb. Come on, let’s get ready to head back to HQ. I don’t want to stay here another second.”

As Til walked away briskly, I glanced at the status window hovering beside me.

[Relationships]

▶ Til Chartra (-35 / Improving!)

(+) Made the old man rage with a smug grin!

(+) Dodged the trap the old man set!

(-) Still no idea what you’re planning! Not likely to tell me either!

Wow, things are really bad between her and her dad.

All I did was provoke the guy a little, and her relationship score shot into the -30s.

That aside, even after improving this much, there’s still no skill reward. Maybe I have to hit 0?

Alright. Now that the deal with Chartra is done, the next goal is clear.

“While we’re out, let’s pick up a few things before heading back.”

“I go out often, thank you very much. You’re the shut-in.”

“Ehh, come on now. Let’s stop by the capital before we return.”

Accepting Chartra’s invitation wasn’t just about the contract—it also gave me a chance to visit the Imperial Capital, the Empire’s largest city.

Now that I was a mage, I couldn’t miss Schwaben Street—the Empire’s greatest and largest magical goods district.

I had roughly three goals.

Items for me. A gift for Til. And lastly, someone to recruit.

Naturally, the last was the most important.