How to Survive as a Trash Extra Villain

Chapter 84

On the bed, the Princess' face was flushed redder than a ripe tomato, radiating heat.

Tears pooled over her closed eyes.

“…You’re mad.”

Her trembling hand grasped something by her ear.

A transparent device—a receiver.

More precisely, a listening device.

No different from a hound’s leash…

But she couldn’t bear it any longer.

Her heart ached too much.

Placing the device beside the bed, Princess Adela lay on her side, covering her face with her hands.

“You’re mad, Adela. Get a grip…!”

It was hot.

Her heart pounded.

Her blood seemed to boil.

A sensation she’d never felt in her 17 years of life.

The unfamiliar feeling dominated her body, and though it should’ve scared her, it was exhilarating, like soaring through the sky.

That’s why it terrified her.

She knew the cause.

“Martin…”

At first, she approached him thinking he was the Peacemaker.

But he wasn’t.

Just a wastrel.

She considered killing him to silence him, but his exceptional skills were too valuable.

She needed a public hound, after all.

So, she blackmailed him using his precious maid, Lilac, and forced him into the Black Knight armor.

She made him fight the Platinum Knight and, even after facing death in a simulation, gave him no rest, piling on more work.

During the Longevity Festival, she got drunk, caused a scene, and even slapped him.

Princess Adela naturally assumed he’d hate her.

Wouldn’t that be normal?

“I, I…”

When Prince Kazaks tried to sway Martin, she was certain he’d betray her.

But the words she heard through the listening device were the opposite.

“Why…?”

Even this hunting tournament.

Kazaks was surely scheming something!

This time, it would be truly dangerous.

‘I’ve thrown Martin into danger countless times.’

So why was he still with her?

“But her heart is tender. Her current demeanor is like a hedgehog’s spines. A facade she had to erect to protect herself.”

“You, who drove her to this point, should know better.”

“I pity her. Believing she was meant to bloom like a golden flower, I chose to stand and fight by her side.”

Martin’s words, heard through the device, echoed like a hallucination.

‘This is wrong.’

She realized something was terribly off.

At that moment, a distant memory surfaced.

Her nursemaid and old knight.

In a world where no one spared her a glance, only they had looked at her.

And now… one more person had appeared.

“No…”

This situation was exactly like when she lost her knight and nursemaid.

Her wide golden eyes trembled with unprecedented fear, vivid even in the darkness.

For the first time since losing them, someone she didn’t want to lose had appeared in her life, which she’d once thought held nothing worth keeping, not even her own life.

***

Day broke.

The hunting tournament’s opening day brought a tension that hadn’t been present yesterday.

On my way to the Princess' room, I drew countless stares.

Everyone I passed either burned with rivalry or flinched and backed away.

‘Exhausting.’

I knocked on the Princess' door.

A tired voice answered.

“Come in.”

Opening the door, I saw an ordinary room.

The war command-like setup from yesterday was gone, which was fine.

But she’d said we’d finish studying this morning.

“….”

“….”

In the quiet room, Princess Adela sat alone on the bed, staring at me.

Observing her closely, I smirked.

Her face was steeped in fatigue.

Even Princess Adela had sleepless nights from tension?

“Looks like you didn’t sleep last night. But to imprint the image you want on the public, you’ll need to move a bit…”

“Martin.”

“…?”

Did she just call me by name?

…It wasn’t unheard of, but it was the first time it sounded so clear.

Uncharacteristically avoiding my eyes, Adela stared blankly ahead and asked.

“If I said I’d abandon the hunting tournament, what would you do?”

“?!”

What was this…?

“I won’t be Kazaks' pawn. We’ll call off the tournament.”

“Wait, what do you mean?”

“We’ll stay here quietly, and when the tournament ends, we’ll leave.”

“….”

Something must’ve happened overnight.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have changed her mind like this.

“Yes, understood.”

I could just agree and stay put.

But what had caused Princess Adela to change so suddenly?

Convinced this tournament was a turning point for her, I couldn’t let it slide.

“Didn’t you want revenge on the Emperor and Prince Kazaks?”

“…It’s not the time.”

“This is almost your only chance. If you back down now, with momentum on your side, Kazaks' faction will crush you. That’ll make your path to the throne much harder.”

“That’s not important.”

My head spun.

The life goal she’d proclaimed all this time was just negated by her own words.

“…Hah.”

As I stood silent in shock, Adela scoffed mockingly.

That expression nearly made me lose my temper.

“Just kidding, Hound. Did you think I’d make such a ridiculous declaration?”

What a prank.

Fine, this was better.

I thought it was absurd.

I gave a hollow laugh.

“…I knew it.”

Know-It-All (Lv 3) analyzes Princess Adela’s expression, determining a 70% chance she’s lying.

Wild Instinct (Lv 3) is certain Princess Adela is hesitating about something!

“Let’s go!”

Adela stood up.

I had a mountain of questions, but the influx of attendants at her shout stopped me from asking.

***

A solemn atmosphere dominated the venue.

Today’s hunting tournament, hosted by Prince Kazaks, had taken an unexpected turn.

A well-groomed elderly man on the platform shouted.

It was the imperial head butler.

“The greatest gold of the Imperium Empire! His Majesty the Emperor enters!”

[Boom! Boom-boom!]

Majestic military music resounded as an elderly man walked up the golden carpet.

He sat on the throne at the highest seat.

The Emperor of the Imperium Empire.

Everyone knelt on one knee.

‘Is this for real?’

A hunting tournament absent from the original story had escalated, now drawing in the Emperor himself.

“Everyone.”

A resonant voice echoed through the venue.

Despite being outdoors in a massive banquet hall, the Emperor’s authority reached every corner.

“Be at ease.”

Only then did the crowd stand and look up at the throne.

The Emperor, draped in a golden fur cape, looked far too robust to be a patient.

“I hadn’t planned to attend, but I couldn’t resist the excitement of a hunting tournament after so long. I changed my mind from leaving it to the Prince and came myself.”

Cries of gratitude echoed from the crowd.

“I’m not here to make things heavy. The Prince will still oversee the event; I just want to observe. Carry on as you were.”

As if anyone could carry on normally!

…Or so I thought, but Prince Kazaks immediately began preparing the tournament with ease.

The nobles, too, formed groups and went about their tasks.

He said he came to observe, but was this okay?

“To think His Majesty would attend. Considering the heir competition, it’s unprecedented, isn’t it?”

“Of course. Traditionally, the Emperor doesn’t interfere during the heir competition, no matter what happens.”

So that’s how it was.

A key setting, barely touched in the original, only now became clear.

“Five minutes until the hunting tournament begins! All participants, please stand by at the starting point!”

Announcers spread the word.

“Black Knight.”

“Yes.”

I turned to see Princess Adela looking up at me.

Her eyes were far more unstable than before, like glass on the verge of shattering.

“…I’ve thought about it several times, but maybe this hunting tournament…”

“Princess Adela and the Black Knight, you’re here.”

Interrupting Adela mid-sentence was none other than the imperial head butler, the Emperor’s eyes, ears, mouth, hands, and feet.

“His Majesty wishes to see the Black Knight.”

Adela glared at the butler with murderous eyes, then…

“Go.”

She turned abruptly and walked off.

‘She was clearly about to say something.’

Should I let this pass?

But I had to meet the Emperor now.

Following the butler, I ascended the platform to the Emperor’s throne, overlooking the entire tournament.

“I greet the great gold of the Empire.”

“Hm, no need for formalities. Black Knight, come closer.”

“…?”

I wasn’t an expert in medieval imperial etiquette, but I knew this wasn’t common.

No one could approach the Emperor’s side carelessly—that was common sense.

As I slowly stepped forward, the Emperor spoke quickly.

“Seeing your loyalty to Princess Adela, I assume you know some of my past with her?”

“…Forgive me, but yes.”

The Empress, who bore Kazaks, died giving birth to Adela.

The Emperor, who loved her dearly, resented Adela, confined her, and later killed her old knight and nursemaid.

“By tradition, I cannot interfere in the heir competition. I’m already overstepping. I can’t speak long, so listen well. Prince Kazaks has ordered your assassination to over half the noble houses in the tournament. His entire faction is your enemy. And he’s likely tampered with the emergency escape magic assigned to you.”

“…!”

Over half?

That’s at least a thousand.

Nobles, born with exceptional or above-average abilities and trained rigorously, were elites.

“Be careful. I’m telling you because I can’t stop Adela. My presence may deter overt actions, but it won’t fully protect you.”

“…I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Go now.”

I slowly stepped back, distancing myself from the throne.

Behind me, the Emperor called for Muller and Shuga, representatives of Kazaks' faction, likely to balance things out.

‘Is the Emperor trying to atone for Adela?’

The Shadow Knights were under his direct command.

It made no sense for Adela, who had no foundation, to receive them.

During the last Longevity Festival, he’d asked me to look after her.

And today, he was openly checking Kazaks' dominance.

‘Damn, I don’t get it.’

I instinctively looked for Adela but had no time.

I needed to get to the starting point, or I’d be late.

Standing on the teleport gate at the tournament’s starting point, the announcer began.