My Niece Is Not A Villainess

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At the moment Ian recognized the man, that dark mage made his move.

 

As Ian abruptly stood up, dark magic was unleashed towards the crown prince.

 

“It’s a Dark Mage!”

 

In response to Ian’s shout, the bewildered magicians quickly raised their shields.

 

– Bang!

 

The clash of shields and dark magic resulted in an explosion, fleeing up the dust.

 

“Screech!!”

 

“Run!”

 

“Protect the crown prince!!”

 

While commoners screamed and fled, the nobles trembled in their seats, unsure of what to do.

 

The crown prince, having been attacked, was now surrounded by knights and magicians.

 

“Die, crown prince!”

 

The dark mages, whose attack had been blocked, screamed in frustration and launched another attack at the crown prince.

 

“…Aren’t you going to help?”

 

When Napharoa asked, Ian nodded.

 

“Yes.”

 

He had no intention of helping any further.

 

The crown prince would survive without his help and later live happily with the heroine.

 

Since survival was certain, there was no reason to assist.

 

He had instinctively shouted earlier, not to help the crown prince, and now he somewhat regretted it. If he had pretended not to notice, the irritating crown prince might have been injured.

 

As Ian scoffed and turned away, Napharoa grabbed his arm and asked,

 

“If you save the crown prince here, the credit will be immense. Didn’t you spot the assailant first? Are you planning to let someone else take all the credit?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Why? Don’t you need the credit?”

 

“No.”

 

This wasn’t the time to show his strength.

 

He had to remain a seemingly useless duke with only a changed personality.

 

‘If I show my strength unnecessarily, the emperor might get in my way.’

 

Besides, since the situation was bound to be resolved smoothly, there was no reason to intervene.

 

“Really? Hmm. The duke is quite different from what I heard.”

 

Napharoa stroked his chin.

 

Ian shrugged and freed his arm from Napharoa’s grip.

 

As he was about to leave again, Napharoa grabbed his arm once more.

 

“What is it?”

 

Napharoa pointed at the ground with his chin.

 

There was a black curve drawn on the ground.

 

“Do you know what this is?”

 

“I don’t know.”

 

Napharoa chuckled at Ian’s quick response.

 

“It’s a magic circle. That mages plans to destroy the capital.”

 

“So?”

 

What did it matter if the mages destroyed or annihilated the capital?

 

As long as Rose was safe, nothing else mattered.

 

Ian’s train of thought was interrupted.

 

“No way.”

 

“Yes. Your townhouse is included in that destruction plan.”

 

As the magic circle drawn on the ground began to float in the air, its exact shape became clear.

 

The giant magic circle, centered around the crown prince, included Ian’s townhouse.

 

When the magic circle rose to Ian’s waist, the magicians shouted,

 

“We’re activating the teleportation spell!”

 

“What?!”

 

The crown prince vanished in an instant.

 

He had been teleported to the imperial castle to avoid the explosion.

 

‘Damn it. That’s how he survives!’

 

Ian gritted his teeth.

 

“We’re going to die here.”

 

“Who said we’re dying?”

 

Ian picked up a stone formed from the earlier attack.

 

“Your Majesty Napharoa.”

 

“Yes?”

 

“If I save you, promise to keep everything I do a secret.”

 

Napharoa chuckled.

 

“Alright. Whatever you do will be kept secret.”

 

“Do you promise?”

 

“Yes.”

 

With Napharoa’s confirmation, Ian infused aura into the stone.

 

‘<Well of Mana> once taught me how to deal with mages.’

 

During his prime, while resting after a battle with monsters, the well of Mana had once informed Yoon Sijun about the weaknesses of mages from other worlds.

 

‘The mages weak spot is…’

 

Ian threw the stone imbued with aura.

 

-Whoosh

 

The stone flew at high speed.

 

And it hit the mages head accurately.

 

‘It’s the back of the head.’

 

-Whack!

 

With a sound like a watermelon bursting, the dark mages hit by the stone collapsed to the ground.

 

“Duke! What are you doing? Do you know what happens when casting is forcibly canceled?!”

 

Napharoa shouted in astonishment.

 

If a magician’s casting is forcibly canceled, the mana used reverses.

 

If it were a casting using a small amount of mana, it wouldn’t be a big problem. But if a spell involving a large amount of mana, like now, was forcibly canceled, a mana explosion would occur 100% of the time.

 

“An explosion needs to happen.”

 

‘That way, no one will know who interfered.’

 

“What are you saying!”

 

“It can be managed. Shield.”

 

Ian cast a shield over the dark mages lying on the ground.

 

A shield filled with mana enveloped the dark sorcerer.

 

“Shield. Shield. Shield.”

 

Just like when he protected Rose, Ian cast ten shields around the dark mages, causing the mana reversal to visibly intensify.

 

The dark mages’s body trembled, engulfed in black magic like being surrounded by smoke.

 

“Duke, are you a magician?”

 

“No.”

 

Even after telling an obvious lie, Ian’s expression didn’t change.

 

“But the shield…”

 

As Napharoa spoke, the dark mages body began to swell.

 

And then…

 

-Boom!

 

With a deafening sound that seemed to tear ears apart, the ground shook.

 

“Ahhh!”

 

“Help!!”

 

The trembling nobles screamed and collapsed in their seats.

 

Ian was no different.

 

“Ugh.”

 

When the explosion shattered the shield, the backlash caused Ian’s mana to reverse.

 

“Duke?”

 

Napharoa caught the staggering Ian.

 

“You’re bleeding!”

 

Ian coughed up blood. Seeing this, Napharoa was shocked.

 

But Ian didn’t take his eyes off the shield.

 

If the explosion wasn’t properly contained, it would surely affect his townhouse.

 

“Shield.”

 

As seven of the ten shields shattered, Ian cast another shield.

 

“Stop it!”

 

“I’m fine… ugh.”

 

With the shattering of the eighth shield, Ian clutched his chest.

 

“Duke!”

 

“I’m fine.”

 

Ian steadied himself and cast another shield.

 

The degree of mana reversal was nothing compared to the internal injuries he suffered in his prime.

 

‘Even if I collapse here, I must protect the townhouse where Rose is.’

 

When the ninth shield shattered and Ian gritted his teeth, the explosion didn’t happen as there was no more mana to reverse.

 

The now quiet square was filled with only sobs.

 

“…Is it over?”

 

The black mana that had been exploding inside the shield dissipated like smoke.

 

“Keep this a secret.”

 

“What?”

 

Ian’s face was pale as he dusted off his crumpled clothes.

 

Ignoring Napharoa’s shocked reaction, Ian turned and ran towards the townhouse.

 

‘Rose.’

 

Though he had stopped the explosion, the ground had shaken like an earthquake.

 

Rose might have been hurt by the tremors.

 

***

 

“Rose!”

 

As Ian opened the door to the townhouse and called out loudly, Rose, with tear-streaked cheeks, ran to him with quick steps.

 

“Uncle!”

 

Ian stopped Rose from hugging him and carefully checked her body.

 

Although her face was pale, fortunately, she wasn’t hurt.

 

“Rose.”

 

Ian sighed in relief and hugged Rose.

 

“My lord.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Sebastian, May, and the servants walked out from where Rose had come.

 

Holding the crying Rose, Ian commanded,

 

“Prepare to leave for the duchy. We’ll depart as soon as preparations are complete.”

 

Even though the dark mages was dead due to the mana reversal, there was no guarantee that another dark mages wouldn’t appear.

 

This was the time before the novel began.

 

It was best to leave the capital quickly as he didn’t know what might happen.

 

“Understood.”

 

Sebastian and the servants hurriedly began preparing.

 

“May, Rose and I will leave immediately. Once you’re ready, move with Sebastian.”

 

“Yes.”

 

As Ian heard May’s reply and turned with Rose in his arms, Napharoa called out,

 

“Duke, are you alright?”

 

“Your Majesty Napharoa? How did you get in here?”

 

“It was open.”

 

Napharoa answered nonchalantly and reached behind him to pull someone forward.

 

A familiar child with gray ears and a tail was pushed ahead by Napharoa’s hand.

 

“Fenrex?”

 

Rose, who had been sobbing with her face buried in Ian’s shoulder, looked up.

 

“Fenrex.”

 

At Rose’s tearful call, Fenrex’s eyes widened, and he ran to Ian.

 

“Rose, why are you crying? Are you hurt?”

 

Seeing Rose cry, Fenrex grew anxious.

 

Disliking this sight, Ian asked Napharoa,

 

“Why are you here?”

 

“You saved him, didn’t you?”

 

“It was just a coincidence.”

 

“Whether it was a coincidence or not, you did save him, right?”

 

Napharoa grinned as he approached and picked up Fenrex.

 

Fenrex, who had been struggling as if he didn’t want to be held, stopped when he was at the same height as Rose.

 

“Rose, don’t cry, okay?”

 

As Fenrex reached out to comfort Rose, Ian took a step back.

 

“If you’re here to express gratitude, it’s unnecessary.”

 

“Gratitude aside, I’m here to entrust this child to you.”

 

Ian frowned.

 

“This is not an orphanage.”

 

“Who said anything about an orphanage? I’m entrusting this child to you personally.”

 

“I’m not a nanny. If you’re looking for someone to care for the child, go to an employment agency.”

 

Ian firmly refused and was about to leave the townhouse when Napharoa said,

 

“Fenrex has imprinted on Rose.”

 

‘That damn bastard!’

 

Ian gritted his teeth at hearing the word he neither wanted to remember nor hear again.

 

“What does that have to do with us?”

 

Napharoa’s eyes gleamed.

 

“It seems you already knew.”

 

‘Ah…’

 

Ian acknowledged his mistake.

 

If he had pretended not to know, it would have been easier to ignore.

 

“Then this conversation will be easier.”

 

Napharoa, wagging his tail, continued,

 

“If Rose isn’t by his side, Fenrex might die. And I don’t want to see my cherished youngest son die. He’s barely holding on as it is.”

 

***

 

A wolf beastman imprints only once in their lifetime, and an imprinted wolf shares life and death with their partner.

 

Though it could be seen as a romantic gesture of eternal love, the problem was that an imprinted wolf would waste away and die if separated from their partner.

 

Ian glanced at Fenrex.

 

Whether it was a lie that he was barely holding on, Fenrex’s face was as pale as Rose’s.

 

Additionally, his once plump cheeks were now hollow, just like when he first saw Rose.

 

‘It would be beneficial for me if he died.’

 

Ian couldn’t help someone who was seeking their own death.

 

“It seems this matter doesn’t concern me.”

 

“Do you really think so?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Napharoa nodded at Ian’s resolute answer.

 

“Then how about this?”

 

“?”

 

“As the price for keeping your secret.”

 

Ian’s face twisted in frustration.