Chapter 1

The Male Lead Is the Villain, and I’m the Only One Who Knows

“The Empire’s Star, His Highness the Crown Prince, has arrived!”

At the voice echoing through the hall, everyone’s gaze turned toward one place.

A man dressed in a neat navy-blue military uniform strode confidently into the expectant silence.

Then, beneath his carefully groomed black hair, his green eyes curved gently—

“Oh my….”

Gasps of admiration naturally spilled from the crowd.

Having taken control of the atmosphere of the entire hall simply by appearing, he walked with an elegant bearing and took his place upon the dais.

Ivan Fel Erzet.

With his looks, manners, and character all flawless, he was the most coveted bachelor in the entire empire.

“I heard His Highness visited the slums in the eastern region again this year and personally cooked meals for the children.”

“They say he also sent a huge donation to the site of the avalanche in the north. He must be an angel descended from heaven.”

“A few days ago, he even went all the way to that dangerous frontier and personally raised the morale of the soldiers. He truly is the perfect saintly ruler.”

While everyone was praising Ivan, I—

“Phew…….”

—was hiding in a corner of the party hall, desperately catching my breath.

Finally, I can breathe again.

I had almost fainted because I’d forgotten to breathe while looking at Ivan’s face. I slowly steadied my breathing as it finally returned to normal.

As for why I was like this after merely seeing his face—

Holy crap, is my baby really wearing his hair down like that? His face is seriously legendary. Coming all the way here for two hours was absolutely worth it!

Ivan was my favorite character!

I sneakily peeked into the hall, and Ivan’s beautiful, refined appearance immediately caught my eye.

Every time he smiled, it seemed as though dazzling starlight poured from him.

Yes. This was it.

This is what a face is supposed to look like……!

No, this won’t do. I really might have to live here forever.

Not long ago, I had transmigrated into a romance novel called The Monster Duke’s Doll, which I had been thoroughly enjoying.

There was only one small problem.

Since the novel was still being serialized, I didn’t yet know the identity of the mastermind who had killed hundreds of people.

Anyway, my favorite, Ivan, was the perfect man in the original story—an unparalleled saintly ruler who was known as an angel of the century.

Unfortunately, he was the second male lead who never ended up with the heroine.

That’s exactly what I like about him.

As befitting a tragic second male lead, Ivan not only supported the love between the heroine, Shana, and the male lead, but also secretly watched over her, helped her, sacrificed himself for her, and took care of her over and over again.

To live for the happiness of a woman who doesn’t love him… He’s truly the epitome of tragic, devoted love……!

He even avoided approaching Shana directly because he was worried that she might feel burdened by him.

A true devoted lover. Final-final-final approval.

They say love is most beautiful when it is doomed.

Mm-hmm.

“Huh? Where did he go?”

While I was lost in my thoughts, Ivan, who had been standing on the dais, had disappeared.

I turned my head and saw that he had already come down into the hall and was lightly greeting the gathered nobles.

“If the opportunity arises, I hope to see you again.”

Perhaps he was already planning to leave.

With an angelic smile, Ivan bid farewell to the nobles and headed toward the back door of the party hall.

All that remained where Ivan had been standing were the ecstatic screams of his followers, scattering through the air.

“He’s leaving after only saying hello again this year? What a shame….”

Perhaps because he had so many duties to fulfill as Crown Prince, Ivan rarely stayed long at parties even when he attended them.

Lately, in particular, he had been showing his face for barely any time at all before leaving. But to the nobles, simply having him attend was enough, so no one considered it a problem.

I should probably leave soon, too.

After Ivan left, I noticed several young noble ladies who seemed to have attended specifically to see him also beginning to depart.

Just as I was about to quietly turn around and leave as well—

Hmm? Just now… Was that some kind of strange energy?

An unpleasant sensation I had never experienced before brushed against my skin.

It had lasted only for an instant, yet it was enough to make goosebumps spread all over my body.

But when I looked around, it seemed that no one except me had felt it.

It was far too vivid to be mere imagination.

How strange.

Ah, I really shouldn’t get curious about things like this.

After all, whenever you watch a novel or a movie, it’s always the curious characters who die first.

But…

There was a fatal problem with simply pretending I hadn’t noticed anything.

That energy is leading toward the back door Ivan just went through.

The strange energy was extending like a thread toward the very direction Ivan had disappeared.

Almost as though it were telling me to follow.

Surely nothing happened to Ivan, right?

The moment I thought that, my body moved instinctively.

Even though I’m just an extra, I’m still a mage in my own right!

If something had happened to him, perhaps I could help.

A chance to save my favorite character and receive his gratitude?

How could I possibly pass that up?

I’m going. Right now.

After looking around to make sure no one was watching, I slowly opened the firmly shut back door.

“So this is the rear garden?”

Beyond the door stretched the Count’s beautifully maintained rear garden, covered in pristine white despite the winter season.

But Ivan was nowhere to be seen.

The energy was still drawing me deeper into the garden.

“Hmm.”

The moment I saw what lay ahead, I stopped walking.

Why is the Maze Forest here?

It was a gloomy forest rumored to be home to magical beasts that appeared at night and devoured people.

Because of that, it was under the direct management of the Imperial Family, and ordinary people were forbidden from entering.

The Count’s estate must have been so remote that it bordered the forest.

“It’s under Imperial management, so nothing should happen, right?”

…Whenever you say something like that, something always happens.

I take that back.

After confirming that there were no witnesses nearby, I slowly stepped into the Maze Forest.

How long had I been walking?

Before long, I sensed someone’s presence.

Is it Ivan?

I stopped for a moment and hurriedly cast a confusion spell over my face.

With this, even if Ivan saw me, he wouldn’t be able to remember me.

I absolutely couldn’t accidentally become involved with him and somehow affect the original plot!

Essential knowledge for an extra: never forget it!

I don’t know how Ivan ended up getting lost here… but I’ll calm him down and take him outside for now.

“Are. You. All. Right?”

I awkwardly practiced the first words I would say to him.

Then, once I was ready, I pushed aside the bushes—

Slash─.

Before I could even comprehend what was happening, I saw red blood splatter across the neatly pressed uniform he always wore.

“……Huh?”

Just now, something in front of my eyes—

The graceful tip of Ivan’s sword, gleaming silver, moved like the wind.

Someone’s head was cleanly severed in a single stroke.

Thud, roll…….

One unbelievable sound after another reached my ears.

Only afterward did Ivan’s brilliant emerald-green eyes turn toward me.

“Who’s there?”

“…Holy shit.”

I started running immediately.

It was purely instinct.

I was certain that if I didn’t escape right then, I would definitely die.

That certainty sent my feet racing without thought.

The second male lead is the mastermind?! What kind of completely insane dumpster-fire novel is this?!

The original story, which I had almost forgotten because my life had been so peaceful ever since I transmigrated, suddenly came flooding back into my mind.

In the original story, the Rakis Empire was suffering at the hands of a “Mass Murderer.”

At irregular intervals, hundreds of people were killed, regardless of their age or gender.

There was absolutely nothing the victims had in common, making it impossible to predict who the next victim would be.

He didn’t leave behind even the slightest trace. They had even mobilized personnel from the supposedly priceless Magic Tower, yet they still couldn’t catch him.

The Imperial Family had named him the “Mass Murderer” and devised every possible plan to capture him, but they had made no progress and were struggling immensely.

They said every single victim had been found with their head cut off…….

The person who had just been killed had been decapitated in exactly the same way.

Completely identical to all the other victims who had died before him.

The moment I realized that Ivan was the true identity of the Mass Murderer, my vision went completely dark.

Did I lose him?

After running for who knew how long, I confirmed that I could no longer sense anyone pursuing me.

I stopped for a moment to catch my breath.

But then—

“Taking a rest already? It seems your stamina isn’t very good.”

“─!”

At the voice beside my ear, I silently screamed and immediately looked up.

My eyes met a pair of emotionless green eyes.

No! When the hell did he get here?!

They say that when people are too shocked, they can’t even speak.

That was exactly what was happening to me.

I couldn’t even open my mouth, let alone scream.

“H-how…?”

A trembling voice filled with fear finally slipped between my lips.

“I didn’t hear the answer to my question.”

Ivan looked at me, frozen in terror, and curved the corners of his lips into a perfectly straight smile.

It was the same smile I had seen countless times before.

Yet this time, it looked exactly like the cruel smile of a hunter.

“Let me ask again. What is your name?”

Hic.

Perhaps because I was so terrified, a hiccup escaped me.

My heart was pounding so violently that I genuinely wondered if it might burst straight out of my chest.

“That’s an unusual name. I’ll remember it.”

I could clearly sense murderous intent coming from Ivan.

It was enough to make me realize that the only reason I was still standing there talking to him was because of his mercy.

“Are you going to kill me…?”

“Yes.”

He answered with a radiant smile before I had even finished asking.

His expression was so bright, as though I had asked him something obvious.

So, my favorite character chased me down because he wants to kill me. Fuck me…….

Under normal circumstances, I would have screamed in delight at seeing that beautiful face up close.

But right now, I wanted to scream for a completely different reason.

There was only one way to escape.

I-I have to… use teleportation magic.

However, teleporting from Count Anasia’s estate, located in the remote frontier, all the way to my house in the center of the capital would require an enormous amount of mana.

The fact that I had little proficiency in teleportation magic also made matters worse.

Who could have possibly expected something like this to happen?!

If I use all that mana, I’ll probably be bedridden for an entire day.

But if I worried about that now, I was pretty sure I would actually die here….

Forget it. Run!