[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi":3,"chapter-the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-136":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Lady's Butler: I Reincarnated To Serve The Villainess",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},725517,965,"Chapter 136: The Corrupted King","the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-136",136,"\u003Cp>\"In other words,\" Adrian started without an ounce of expression on his face, \"you had a taste of power and decided you liked the feeling.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king looked at him for a while before chuckling, \"you truly are amusing, dear butler.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But yes,\" He didn’t bother denying, \"I very much prefer remaining a king than going back to being a common soldier.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two looked at each other for a few tense seconds before Adrian spoke up again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And the sudden rekindled hopes of the people here and the chance of us actually finding an exit, threatens this plan.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Smart one,\" the king said, \"until you arrived, those kids were just on a wild goose chase, but now? \"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t complete his words but the implications were pretty clear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And I’m being told this because?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead of an answer, the king stood up and slowly walked down the stairs before stopping a short distance away from Adrian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was a smile on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because you are a variable that needs to be removed,\" he paused as he continued looking at Adrian, \"if I intend to keep raising these sheep.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, without warning, Adrian saw in clear detail as the King’s hand suddenly transformed into a grotesque black form before suddenly launching towards him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The hand moved with unnatural speeds and before the butler had the chance to react, it pierced straight through his chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or at least that’s what it seemed like at first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the next second, the ’pierced’ Adrian suddenly melted into a pool of shadows which then wrapped around the grotesque hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within the King’s command, the extended hand suddenly twitched and turned back towards him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just before it could reach him, the king cleanly cut it off without a single change in his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He then looked around, noticing that the butler had disappeared, so he let out a sigh and walked back to his throne.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king calmly sat down and rested his cheek on the fist of the hand that had just regenerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I guess the cat’s out of the bag,\" he muttered as he continued looking at the spot where Adrian previously stood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For someone whose secret had just been discovered, he didn’t seem the least bit worried.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Told you it wouldn’t be easy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A voice came from the darkness, pulling the King’s attention towards it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His relaxed expression suddenly changed, taking on one that seemed as if he had just spotted something vile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Standing before him with a grin on his lips, was Marion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the king saw him, the atmosphere within the throne room changed completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The relaxed amusement from before vanished without a trace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instead, disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pure, undisguised disgust.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Now now,\" Marion started with a chuckle, \"that’s not the expression you make when a friend drops by.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"For the second time in one day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We are not friends,\" the king responded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Acquaintances then?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You are a parasite.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marion placed a hand over his chest dramatically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That one hurt a little.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His expression remained one of amusement as he added, \"although you say that, you’re not much different are you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king’s red eyes narrowed and his expression darkened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I did what was necessary to survive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then you got addicted to it,\" Marion replied immediately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king said nothing in response to that, his frown just getting darker.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway, like I said,\" Marion continued, \"the butler will be hard to get rid of.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king remained silent for a few seconds after Marion’s words, his red eyes fixed on the smiling man standing in the darkness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You sound oddly invested in him,\" he suddenly asked with a small frown on his face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marion’s grin widened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer came far too quickly and the king’s expression darkened further.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I still fail to understand why you’re so obsessed with that boy.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Because,\" Marion replied while slowly walking forward, \"he’s interesting.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The throne room fell silent again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marion stopped a few steps away from the frozen corpses decorating the hall before lightly tapping one of them, causing cracks to appear on the surface.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And what use will he have dead?\" the king asked again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That’s for me to worry about,\" Marion answered, \"you just focus on the fact that your sheep will never leave the pen.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king might’ve been the leader of the expedition when they first entered this dungeon, but even he knew how dangerous the man before him was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite the relaxed smile on his face, the pressure he released was proof of his strength.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though, he almost always actively hides it, before someone like the king, it was essential to reminding him of the difference between them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The king hated that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hated the fact that a man like this existed within his kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Within his dungeon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And yet, he had no choice but to bow his head in acceptance after all, that was the only way to get rid of this mad man.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After he was gone, this drowning paradise would completely belong to him and him alone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Anyway,\" Marion’s voice pulled the king out of his thoughts as he pointed towards the frozen corpses, \"can I have them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian, meanwhile, reappeared within Renelle’s tent, noticing that she was still asleep.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed the king was truly what he suspected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You sensed that right?\" he muttered seemingly to himself, but an answer soon came.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Yes,» Noctis said, «the corrupted mana within him is higher than even the beasts you faced in the forest.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cat made itself comfortable in one corner of the tent, on what seemed to be a couch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then that means he can somehow keep his sanity even with that much corrupted mana within him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Either that,» Noctis continued lazily while flicking its tail, «or he’s simply no longer human.»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tent fell silent after those words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian glanced toward the sleeping Renelle for a brief moment before looking away again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it was the latter, then the king was likely far more dangerous than he appeared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not because of the fact that he was probably at A-Rank, but because creatures that had completely surrendered themselves to corruption usually lost all sense of reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet somehow, the king retained his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or at least, enough of it to continue ruling this drowning kingdom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That would explain his mutated hand,\" Adrian muttered quietly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«What will you do about him?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian was silent for a few seconds before calmly answering, \"nothing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The answer caused Noctis to look mildly surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>«Nothing?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He isn’t my problem,\" Adrian walked toward the bed afterward and sat down beside the sleeping Renelle, \"my priority is my lady.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His hand gently brushed through her silver hair as he continued, \"and once we find the center of the black sea, we’ll leave this dungeon.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noctis watched him quietly, «you think the others can handle him?»\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian shrugged slightly, \"if they can’t, then they die.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His tone remained completely indifferent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To him, the fate of this kingdom truly didn’t matter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not the king, his kingdom, the spirit mages, not even the people desperately clinging unto the newly found hope.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The only reason he even agreed to investigate the black sea was because it was the most likely path toward getting Renelle out safely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was certain that Darius would be fine, after all, he was the only mildly useful one amongst the group he entered with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cassian’s death wouldn’t bother him at all, in fact, it’d very much be preferred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest could probably hold their own, so they’ll be fine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Adrian gently lay beside Renelle again, and the moment he did, a small smile appeared on her face as she moved closer to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He placed a hand on her head, gently patting it as he said, \"I’ll get you out of here, my lady.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"After all,\" he smiled, \"Avera needs a proper ruler.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>[A few hours later.]\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone was silent as they looked at the magic tool before them in surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You made this in a single night?\" the prince asked, still not believing his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"w-well, h-his blueprints did most of the work,\" the one who answered was a boy who seemed no older than fifteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He looked so nervous, with a pair of goggles resting on his brown hair and his brown eyes remained fixed on Adrian who was standing beside his lady and looked at the vessel behind the kid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If one took a closer look at his face, they’d notice that he was pleased.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How couldn’t he be, after all, it wasn’t everyday you met someone with as much potential as Alvíss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No, the kid might be even more of a genius, after all, it would be impossible to to create a submarine in a single night.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A Submarine.\u003C\u002Fp>",1478,"2026-06-02T10:56:10.487Z",1,"novelbin.me","77848b3c2ed8220769ac6bc17453512b529ce379f8d00dfdd597ca5f428d6a90","the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-137","the-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-chapter-135",146,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-lady-s-butler-i-reincarnated-to-serve-the-vi-cover.jpg"]