[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-villain-s-pov":3,"chapter-the-villain-s-pov-the-villain-s-pov-chapter-262":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","THE VILLAIN'S POV",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},336599,598,"Chapter 262: A Step Into the Darkness (2)","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-262",262,"\u003Cp>The princess had a strange gift for reading people's faces. The fact that she hadn't kicked me out meant that the mission wasn't the only reason I came here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the very least, it meant our bond wasn't a complete lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she led the way, I was left alone with Oliver. Glancing at the masked man behind her, I couldn't help but think about the shift I'd seen in him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hey… was that whole performance really necessary?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why did he play along with me up until now? I wanted to know the answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I don't know what you're talking about.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He feigned ignorance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't you the Grand Warden? You're supposed to be at the Emperor's side, watching his back…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What's with your obsession with Sansa?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I didn't expect him to respond. But he did.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A cryptic answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oliver walked beside Sansa and tossed one final warning over his shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Be careful… Frey Starlight. Your punishment may not be over—it depends on what you do next.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's hope it doesn't come to that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I quickly followed after them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As we wandered through the cold halls of Moon Castle, I started to notice something strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Do you usually live here alone?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Aside from the three of us, the castle was completely empty.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Um… normally, it's full of servants. But this time, it's empty because of some… circumstances.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I had a pretty good idea what kind of \"circumstances\" she meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Eventually, Sansa led us to what looked like a reception room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I sat across from her, a wooden table between us.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oliver Khan placed two cups of a green drink that I guessed was tea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I glanced at the cup, then at the Grand Warden in turn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What? Don't you like tea?\" he asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I never said that…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then drink it. It's the only thing I'm good at making.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Warden, preparing tea? That alone proved how empty the castle truly was.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a second, I even feared he might've poisoned it…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the content in my cup was identical to the one he served the princess.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cautiously, I took a sip—only to be surprised by how good it tasted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa, who had been quietly watching me for a while, finally spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I suppose you're wondering why this place is so empty... and why I left so suddenly.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I am,\" I replied simply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is why.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She raised her palm, and black flames burst forth, spiraling into tendrils of shadow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A wave of pressure rippled out, sending a chill down my spine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"My powers... they've been getting harder to control. So I chose to isolate myself until I learn to fully contain them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her words were expected ... but I couldn't help but wonder if she was even allowed to share something like that with me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So that's why the castle is empty…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded. \"Yes.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Aren't you overreacting? You seem fine to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was a lie, of course. It hadn't even been a week since we last met, yet she looked noticeably different ... especially her aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It may be an overreaction… but it's better this way. I don't want anyone getting hurt because of me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her voice wavered slightly at the end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Did something happen recently?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I tried nudging her toward the incident at the Temple, but she shook her head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nothing happened. But...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She hesitated for a moment before locking eyes with me. That seemed to give her the push to continue.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Lately… I've been able to sleep.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she said that, I remembered how she used to be during the island trial—she never slept at all back then.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's a good thing, right?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She nodded faintly. \"Yes, but in return… I've started having nightmares.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What kind of nightmares?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A good friend probably wouldn't press her for details ... but I'm not that kind of friend. I needed to understand, for her sake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thankfully, our relationship was strong enough for her to feel safe telling me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Nightmares of when I was kidnapped. Of how I killed everyone… how I spilled their blood. And recently, I had a dream… a dream where I killed one of the maids.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment she said that, a realization struck me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"May I ask… where exactly did that nightmare take place?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I asked carefully. Her response came quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Temple.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as she uttered those words, I glanced at her, then at Oliver standing behind her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was staring at me with those crimson eyes, as if daring me to say another word ... one wrong move, and I'd lose my head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Noticing the sudden tension in the air, Sansa spoke quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But they're just dreams. There's no need to worry…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She really didn't know.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were lying to her. Letting her believe everything was fine. Sansa wasn't stupid… had she really been fooled so easily?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I swallowed hard and played along.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But staying here all alone... isn't it a little lonely?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She turned toward Oliver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I have Oliver with me. So I'm not really alone.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"With a silent guy like him? I doubt he makes much of a difference. So, how about I make you an offer, Your Highness?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"An offer?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I smiled and gestured toward myself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How about I stop by from time to time? Keep you company so this cold castle doesn't feel so empty.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But—\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No worries. I can handle myself if anything happens. I've got Balerion, the Black Terror, with me ... and I'm not afraid to use it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa fell quiet for a while, clearly caught off guard by the offer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She eventually looked to Oliver.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He stared at her in return.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And in that moment, he noticed the difference ... small, but undeniable. The princess seemed livelier today, more than she had in days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the reason… was me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oliver closed his eyes briefly before responding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"As long as I'm around, and he only visits in the morning… I'll allow it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment he said that, I struggled to hold back a grin of victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was it .. I'd secured the chance to follow the system's advice properly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I promise I won't disappoint,\" I said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sansa looked at me in silence… then her eyes widened slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I look forward to it… but, Frey, you've been acting like nothing's wrong this whole time .. are you actually okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What do you mean?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She pointed at me.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're bleeding… a lot.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I looked down—and realized I was sitting in a pool of blood from my earlier wounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, damn it…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And just like that, I collapsed from blood loss.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This is really embarrassing…\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Frey passed out in his chair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Oliver Khan sighed, while Sansa rushed over to tend to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Grand Warden watched the two of them in silence, thoughts swirling in his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had sworn—he would not fail this time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time… he would save her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His only family.\u003C\u002Fp>",1160,"2026-05-30T03:41:22.346Z","2026-06-01T04:30:12.387Z",1,"novelbin.me","b923d5927742feb7583e9693b5526028f986fa38c7bf1f032c6e7d6b9b049471","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-263","the-villain-s-pov-chapter-261",866,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-villain-s-pov-cover.jpg"]