The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

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The Villainous Noble Who Kept Rewinding After Death: The Story Somehow Changed When I Committed Suicide

Episode 333: The Tragic Heroine?

Shudo, glaring at me, approached with Ride and the others trailing behind, stopping in front of our table.

Then, looking down at me while I was sitting in my chair, Shudo furrowed his brow even more and glared, making him appear more like a villain than a hero, which was quite the mystery.

“Lewis Valentine.”

“Ugh. You really don’t listen to what people say, do you? I’m tired of your nonsense, so just call me whatever you want.”

Every time I meet Shudo, he calls me by my full name, and I’ve grown too tired to point it out and ask him to stop. So I just tossed it out there to let him call me whatever.

I mean, it’s one thing to say my name casually, but why does he always use my full name?

Sure, it might roll off the tongue nicely, but still, just saying my first name would be plenty easier.

Or maybe he’s under some weird curse or something.

“How dare you! What kind of attitude is that?!”

Seems my indifference annoyed Shudo’s back-up, Ride, who shouted and snapped at me.

“What do you mean, ‘what kind’? It’s none of your business how I act, so shut it!”

“What did you say? I’ve never liked you from the start! Skipping classes, leaving the academy on a whim, not participating in the rank wars or martial arts tournaments—just doing whatever you please! Plus, you abandoned the rank duel with Shudo and, after being away from the academy for a while, you always have girls fawning over you like a disgrace to nobility! If you’re a noble, you should act and carry yourself accordingly!”

Ride said that while looking down at me with disdain, but he looked exactly like his past self, making it feel like I was genuinely talking to the Ride from before.

“Ugh. I thought maybe you’d come to a better conclusion, but I guess not.”

Well, in reality, this was the path he was meant to take all along, and I should probably apologize for where he ended up. The first Ride, who was trying to choose his own path, was the one who had really strayed.

“Then again, that can’t be right. He must be brainwashed by that guy’s magic, so this current version of him is likely the one straying from his true self.”

“How dare you! What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Oh, don’t mind me. I was just thinking that nothing ever changes.”

When Ride recently apologized to me, I did wonder if maybe the future would change, and I could avoid that death outcome.

Of course, I’d thought the same when meeting Fiera and seeing how Iris and the others had changed, but seeing someone who had always viewed me as an enemy recognize their fault and apologize was enough to make me think that maybe a different future was possible.

And during the martial arts tournament, I was slightly impressed that he tried to win without using his prized magic sword, but in the end, he ended up being brainwashed by Shudo’s magic, following the same path as before, as if that was the right way.

Still, I didn’t want to help Ride, nor did I owe him anything.

I just dismissed it as how things would turn out.

“Well, whatever. You’ve said your piece, but it’s really none of your business, right? Skipping classes is my choice, and I got permission from the headmaster to leave the academy. Plus, I had my homeroom teacher, Lime, approve my absence from the rank wars, and the martial arts tournament was said to be voluntary! So I just chose not to participate, and why are you so angry about it?”

“Shut up! As a noble, you should act as a role model for everyone! Yet here you are, just doing whatever without fulfilling your duties as a noble! I can’t let someone like you get away with that!”

“Ha! Oh, that’s rich.”

“What’s so funny?!”

“Oh, I’m sorry. Your words made no sense, so I couldn’t help but laugh.”

“What did you say?!”

I said that while wiping the tears from my eyes with my finger, exhaled briefly, squinted, and released a bit of magic power to create an intimidating aura, causing all of them except Fiera to hold their breath and take a step back.

“Ugh. You know, who do you think you are to say ‘forgive’ or ‘not forgive’?”

“W-what?!”

“Why do I have to get your permission on what I choose to do? Are you my parent? Or my friend?”

“Neither! Who the hell do you think you are?!”

“Exactly. I think the same. In other words, we’re complete strangers, right? So why the heck should I have to ask for permission from someone irrelevant about my actions? Whatever I choose to do is none of your business! So keep your mouth shut! Your thoughts, words, values, and will aren’t needed in my life at all! So just stay quiet, will ya? We’re just strangers.”

“You…!”

“Oh, and about having girls around me—first, Iris is my fiancée, and Fiera and the others are my friends. So being with my fiancée isn’t wrong, and of course, hanging out with friends isn’t bad either, right?”

“Fiancée…”

“Friends…”

Iris perked up at the word “fiancée,” happily repeating it, while Fiera and the others looked displeased and glared at me.

Yeah, I know how you feel since I’ve been confessed to before, but let’s keep it quiet for now.

Things are getting complicated.

“So what? Are you saying being with friends is also a problem? Your buddies always have you guys fawning over them, so what’s the big deal with me? It’s no different, right? Oh, wait, is that it? Are you jealous because there aren’t many girls around you? Sorry, but I can’t help you with that. But hey, there seems to be some big-shot guy with a fancy title, so maybe you should hook up with him? From my perspective, there’s not much difference between him and me when it comes to girls fawning over us, so I don’t see where the problem is!”

“How dare you!!! Don’t you dare mock me!”

Ride must have really hated that last remark, veins bulging in his forehead as he angrily tried to draw his magic sword, but it was Shudo who had been silently observing who restrained him.

“Ride, calm down.”

“Shudo! But he’s mocking both of us!”

“I know. But this is a classroom. It’s not good to draw a sword here.”

“Tch!”

Wow, he’s been quite well-trained.

The furious Ride backed off with just one word from Shudo, clicking his tongue.

Well, I’m sure someone more troublesome will join in next.

“And you, Lewis Valentine. Don’t you dare mock my friends.”

“Ha. A commoner like you is ordering me around? You must be kidding me. I’ll kill you.”

I said that, releasing a killing intent, causing those behind Shudo to tremble in fear, but Shudo glared at me fiercely, radiating magic to protect them.

In an instant, the ones who had been scared earlier seemed to relax, looking up at Shudo with admiration and gratitude.

“Is that all you can do—threaten and mock people?”

“Ha! What a funny thing to say! First of all, I’m not threatening or mocking anyone. I’m just stating facts. If you feel mocked, then it means you must have something on your mind too, right? I don’t think I’m doing anything wrong.”

Sure, when I provoke someone, I can go all out, but I’m just exaggerating the observations I’ve made about the situation and their actions.

So, my comments to Ride earlier were just straightforward observations, and if he felt provoked, then it likely reflected how he and those around him felt too.

“Let’s skip to the main point since this is getting annoying. The pressure from everyone around is exhausting.”

Talking to Shudo was tiring, and honestly, I didn’t even want to chat. But right now, the pressure from the crowd… or rather, from Fiera and the others next to me was so intense that I wanted them to finish up and leave soon.

“Are you mocking me again?”

“Ugh. Talk about paranoia. Are you aiming to be some tragic heroine? Who benefits from a hero being a tragic heroine? Just shut up and get to the point.”

“If you’re saying that, then I will get to the point. Lewis Valentine. Lift that mind-control magic you’ve put on Fiera and the others and free them right now!!”

“…………What?”

Shudo looked down at me with righteous eyes as he said that, but I couldn’t comprehend what he meant immediately. All I could manage in response, mixed with disbelief, was a stunned voice.

If there’s one thing that popped into my mind to say, it’s that I certainly didn’t want to hear that from him.

Oh, this is so tiring…