The Villain Wants to Change Genres

Chapter 145

‘He’ll recognize my face.’

I desperately hoped that the First Prince or the Count had dispatched someone to my mansion. If they saw my double, they could dismiss it as someone who suspiciously resembled me. I prepared for this moment, and it would be troublesome if it didn’t work.

Since there was no point in trying to avoid it, I continued to just roll my eyes, pretending to know nothing.

At that moment, a man wearing an excessively ornate peacock feather mask stepped forward. Judging by the dangling accessories and plump figure, it seemed to be Count Escardo.

“Thank you for waiting. Now the game you’ve all been eagerly anticipating begins! Everyone still has the chains that were distributed, right?”

People responded with cheers. The Count waited until the noise died down before continuing.

“Whoever chains one of them around the neck will own them for 30 minutes. Of course, during the time you have ownership, you can do anything!”

Clank- clank-

The sound of chains colliding echoed from here and there. That’s when I realized the purpose of the rings behind the chokers.

“After today’s game ends, the formal auction will be held tomorrow at the same time. Since the auction participation is limited to those who gained ownership today, if you like someone, you must definitely catch them!”

Lecherous gazes stuck to us, accompanied by snickering laughter. I frowned at the nausea rising from within.

“Before the game begins, we’ll have Doharr’s selection!”

There it is. That name.

Everyone’s attention shifted to the First Prince wearing a golden mask. If I could remove that disgusting mask and confirm his face, we’d have irrefutable evidence.

“Come closer!”

The Count ordered us. However, everyone just flinched without readily moving forward. It was natural since no one here was unaware of what the current situation meant.

When we hesitated to move, the Count raised his index finger. Archers armed with bows had somehow lined up on the second-floor balustrade.

Whoosh-!

The gesture was a signal. Arrows flew without warning. An arrow that landed quite close vibrated before stopping.

“Aaaah!”

“Kyaak!”

Two people screamed. Joining in their fear, I also hid behind the Vice President, pretending to be scared. Originally I planned to stay quiet and protect myself, but seeing how things were unfolding, it seemed I needed to do something.

Linder’s subordinates still showed no movement. They seemed to be waiting for more definitive evidence before acting. Or perhaps there was a delay in the operation.

Whatever it was, staying still like this would make us sacrificial lambs in their game of tag.

‘I need to delay the start of the game.’

It was easy to think of the most certain and effective method. I just needed to provoke the First Prince, who held the initiative.

If things went according to plan and Linder’s subordinates were watching, they would attack immediately. If things went wrong, I could at least buy some more time until they arrived.

“Rona. Remember the name and face of the gold mask. That person is the mastermind. We must seek revenge.”

I covered my mouth with my hand and whispered, since more witnesses would be better. Rona, who had her arm behind her back, made a small circle sign with her finger, then immediately released it. I patted her back twice to indicate I understood.

‘She probably understood, right?’

Although we hadn’t arranged it beforehand, I felt that Rona would understand.

“If you don’t want to get hit by arrows, it’s better to come obediently.”

The Count urged us again. While they probably wouldn’t seriously shoot us since we were “merchandise,” it seemed better to move just in case. Besides, I needed to get closer to remove the mask anyway.

Since it would be strange for me to step forward first while hiding in the back, I gently pushed Rona’s back to signal her. Perceptively, she slowly moved forward.

As we moved, the other two also followed, perhaps afraid of being left behind. The distance gradually shortened. Ding-ding. The bells attached to our ankles rang annoyingly loud.

The fact that there was no further instruction as we circled the pool suggested that they hadn’t prepared for us to enter voluntarily.

‘There was no mention of a place like this in the original work. What a collection of trash.’

Rona, who was walking ahead, suddenly stopped. A moment later, the First Prince spoke.

“Norman, come forward.”

Disappointed sighs were heard from somewhere. Trying not to think about anything that would only make me feel dirtier, I stepped aside.

After confirming my face, the First Prince narrowed his eyes and stood up from the sofa.

Step by step. He approached without hesitation and stopped right in front of me. He roughly grabbed my chin, lifted it, and examined my face by turning it left and right.

“Peacock.”

“Yes, Doharr.”

“Is he truly at the mansion?”

“Certainly. We confirmed it right after kidnapping this one.”

Fortunately, it seems they had the mansion under surveillance. My double was playing his role excellently.

“So you say.”

I grabbed the First Prince’s wrist and struggled, looking for an opportunity. I intended to remove that mask while pretending to resist.

“How can they be so identical?”

His voice contained unpleasant pleasure. The First Prince moved his other hand to grab my hair and lifted it.

“It would be better if the hair was silver.”

Now.

“Let go of this!”

I swung my arm with all my might, aiming precisely at the mask, seizing the moment he lowered his guard. I didn’t forget to shout with a trembling voice to make it look like resistance.

I felt the mask catch on my fingertips and pulled it hard. Snap, snap snap. The strings connecting the mask broke.

Clang!

The mask made a loud noise as it fell to the floor. Meanwhile, a scratch appeared on the Prince’s cheek. A red line appeared, and soon blood flowed. It seemed to have been scratched by the edge of the mask.

‘Good…’

Thud-!

‘What? What just happened…’

I saw the First Prince touching his cheek, but I couldn’t remember the next moment. When I came to my senses, I was lying face down on the floor.

Belatedly, I felt pain as if my insides were turning over. It seemed I had been kicked in the stomach.

“How dare you inflict a wound on my face?”

Unconsciously, I wrapped both arms around the painful area. From above my head came a voice brimming with anger. And then…

Stomp!

My back was trampled on. A strong pain rushed in, momentarily making it hard to breathe. My body was pressed against the hard floor.

“Count! Bring that.”

“Yes!”

He didn’t seem interested in the removed mask. So, everyone here knows who that bastard is. It was confirmed that the mask wasn’t for hiding identity but had a lighter meaning, like at a masquerade ball.

“There’s always one like you who doesn’t know your place and runs wild. I don’t like unruly behavior.”

“Here it is.”

I couldn’t even guess what the Count had brought. However, it seemed strange that the knights weren’t moving despite the First Prince’s face being exposed.

‘They need to come quickly. What on earth are they doing and where?’

Could they have lost track of the carriage? Or perhaps they lost my whereabouts. Surely they couldn’t have been defeated by the villa’s security force? Was it a problem that I excluded Linder? While my mind was cluttered with thoughts, my hair was grabbed.

“Ugh…”

I groaned from the pain of my scalp being pulled and raised my head.

The Prince was opening the lid of a small vial. It might be poison. I knew I shouldn’t drink it, but resistance was futile. The Count, who had grabbed my hair, oppressed me with his bulky body and forcibly opened my mouth.

“The taste will be decent enough.”

The First Prince poured the unidentified liquid into my mouth. I tried to push it out with my tongue, but since my head was lifted, some went down my throat.

“He drank it.”

Only then did the Count release me.

“Urk, urgh!”

I put my finger in my mouth, trying to forcibly vomit what I had swallowed, but the First Prince didn’t leave me alone as I dry-heaved. With a vile expression, he dragged me and threw me into the pool.

Splash!

Not only did I swallow the unknown liquid, but also the pool water. As I struggled and barely managed to regain my balance and stand up, my head was grabbed. And with that, I was dunked back into the water.

I couldn’t breathe. Although I resisted with my whole body, I was overpowered.

‘Damn. Do they have a grudge against water?’

I felt like I might die at this rate. If they were going to drown me to death, I wondered why they made me drink the drug in the first place.

The force pressing my body showed no sign of releasing, and the more I suffocated, the more water I swallowed.