The Regressed Villainess Tore Up The Annulment Papers - Chapter 9

Chapter 9: The Northern Lords' Assembly (4)

To be honest, Aria didn't know much about the Demonic Cult.

She first encountered their name when the church messenger delivered the news of Eugene's death.

Whether it was a deliberate trap or a careless oversight, she didn't know. But the cult had planted a grimoire filled with dark magic in the academy library.

She had fallen for their trap, becoming cursed and awaiting her inevitable demise.

It was during those dark days that she reunited with Eugene, who had been fighting a secret war against the Demonic Cult all along.

'And Eugene lost his life trying to break my curse, battling the Demon King himself.'

Aria gritted her teeth, the memory a fresh wound that throbbed with pain.

She wouldn't let it happen again.

She realized that information about the Demonic Cult might have already been circulating before her return.

It was unlikely they would have remained hidden during the war instigated by the Demon King, their patron deity.

But she had been confined to her family's estate, cut off from the world.

And later, she had been living in the sheltered world of Eugene's manor, oblivious to the dangers lurking in the shadows.

'I need information.'

The Demonic Cult had likely been operating in secret for years, their influence spreading like a disease.

To stop them, she needed knowledge, a way to understand their motives and anticipate their actions.

'But how do I gather information?'

Julian Dustin had mentioned capturing a self-proclaimed member of the Demonic Cult.

'That means he's being held somewhere in this manor.'

Aria shifted her gaze towards Eugene, who was surrounded by a group of young nobles, heading towards the banquet hall for the post-assembly festivities.

He was searching for her, his eyes scanning the crowd, his brow furrowed with concern.

'This time, I'll protect you.'

She would never let him die again.

Even if it meant staining her own hands with blood.

"Mirage Vision."

Aria activated the spell, her heart thrumming with magical energy.

It was the first time she had used magic since her return, her magical circuits having been damaged by the curse in her previous life.

But she cast the spell with a practiced ease, the years of disuse fading into insignificance.

Aria might have been known as the "Flower of High Society" or the "Villainess," but...

She was a product of the Floris family, a prestigious magical lineage. She had received rigorous magical training from a young age, her talent so prodigious that she had been hailed as a potential Archmage.

'If I don't have the information, I'll just have to dig it up myself.'

Aria glanced at Eugene, who was still searching for her, then turned and headed towards the basement, where she suspected the prisoner was being held.

***

A few days before the Northern Lords' Assembly.

A secluded location in the North, far from prying eyes.

"So you're saying our brother was captured while inspecting Dustin County?"

A man clad in black robes, similar in style to a priest's vestments, addressed a kneeling figure before him.

The kneeling man, his face pale with fear, stammered, "Yes, I... I should have been more cautious. It's my fault."

"How can you blame yourself, brother? It's my inadequacy that led to this."

"B-But..."

"No, brother. Just as the Lord guides his flock, I should have guided you better. This unfortunate incident is a result of my failings."

The man in black robes closed his eyes, his face etched with sorrow, and offered a silent prayer.

"Tell me, why was our brother inspecting Dustin County? I gave no such orders."

"We received intelligence that the heir to Dustin County was a Spirit Mage, a perfect candidate for the ritual... Our brother went to confirm the information..."

The man in black robes, who had been grieving moments before, suddenly radiated a chilling aura.

"A Spirit Mage? I received no such report."

"Th-The information was unconfirmed, so I didn't want to cause unnecessary concern..."

"You failed to report a matter of such importance, a matter concerning the offering for our Lord? This is blasphemy!"

"P-Please, forgive me!"

"May you find repentance and forgiveness in the afterlife."

Bang!

A black orb shot out from the man's hand, crushing the kneeling man's skull in an instant.

The lifeless body slumped to the ground, its head caved in.

But the man in black robes didn't even glance at the corpse. He raised his voice, his words echoing with righteous fury.

"The blasphemer has been punished! But we still have a devout brother, captured while performing a sacred duty! A lamb awaits our rescue! We must save him, brothers!"

The shadowy figures surrounding him, all clad in black robes, stirred, their movements synchronized and precise.

The man smiled, his eyes gleaming with fanaticism.

"Let us deliver judgment upon the infidels who dared to harm our brother! And let us bestow upon the chosen offering the glorious opportunity to become one with our Lord!"

"Yes, High Priest!"

The vanguard had infiltrated the North, breaching its formidable defenses.

The Demonic Cult, operating in the shadows for centuries, had finally made their move.

***

Eugene searched frantically for Aria in the bustling banquet hall.

He declined countless invitations to join the revelry, his mind preoccupied with her disappearance. He scoured the entire hall, but she was nowhere to be found.

'She's not here either. I thought she might have come here ahead of me when I couldn't find her at the assembly hall...'

He scratched his head in frustration, a knot of worry tightening in his chest.

Should he return to the assembly hall? Should he ask the servants if they had seen her?

As he debated his next move, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"What are you doing here all alone?"

"...Julian?"

"Here, take this! I brought it for you."

Julian approached him, holding two tankards filled with ale. He offered one to Eugene, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Eugene wasn't in the mood for drinking, but Julian's insistent offer was hard to refuse. He accepted the tankard with a sigh.

"So? What's with the long face? You're not even trying to mingle with the others."

"Julian, have you seen Aria? I haven't seen her since the assembly ended."

"...Aria? Why are you looking for her?"

Eugene had expected Julian, as the heir and resident of the manor, to be helpful. Instead, his response was sharp and dismissive.

Eugene frowned, towering over his friend, his gaze intense.

Julian, refusing to be intimidated, met his stare with equal intensity.

"What did I say wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"What do you mean 'wrong'? Why are you reacting like this? Aria's missing in your own manor. Aren't you even worried?"

"That's a strange thing to say, Eugene. Why would I be worried about her?"

"...What?"

Julian's continued hostility was baffling.

He usually backed down when Eugene frowned or glared at him.

But his friend, true to form, stood his ground, his eyes blazing with defiance.

"I thought it was just a hunch... but you're really acting strange. Why do you care so much about her? Have you forgotten what happened the last time we talked?"

He was referring to their conversation six months ago, when Eugene had confided in him about his troubled relationship with Aria.

Julian had been adamant that breaking off the engagement was the best course of action, arguing that clinging to a fading love would only bring them both pain.

"You agreed with me then. You even said you were going to visit the imperial palace to file the annulment papers, which is why you couldn't attend the assembly."

"How did you know about that...?"

"Is that important right now? The important thing is why you changed your mind. You said you were going to give up, that you were going to let her go, that you didn't love her like you used to."

Frustration and anger laced Julian's voice as he pressed him for answers.

Eugene didn't understand his friend's anger. They were close, but ultimately, it was his decision, his life.

"So why did you bring her here? Why did you change your mind?"

"Aria refused to annul the engagement. And she's... different now. She's changed."

The words felt like a weak excuse, even to his own ears.

"That's it? That's your reason? You should have followed through with the annulment! You're letting yourself be swayed by her sudden change of heart? What if she reverts back to her old self?!"

"We can deal with that when it happens. If she goes back to her old ways, we'll just annul the engagement as planned."

He wasn't sure why he was defending her.

What if she did revert back to her old self, as Julian feared? What was he thinking, giving her another chance?

- "There will be no annulment, no divorce. Do you understand?"

...Perhaps he simply wanted to believe her words.

"Are you an idiot, Eugene? After everything she's done to you, you're still defending her? Do you have any idea how I...!!"

Julian, reaching his breaking point, was about to unleash his pent-up frustration when...

Boom!

The ceiling of the banquet hall collapsed.

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