The Villainesses in the Romance Fantasy Novel Became Obsessed with me

To others, it might seem like a romantic confession.

Winning a prize for painting the portrait of the person you love at a contest!

Moreover, the portrait was considered an outstanding masterpiece!

People who were crazy about romance would have their hearts racing with sweetness.

However, my heart raced with dread.

“You’re mine, Damian.”

“…”

Nadia smiled as if the picture she had in her mind was now complete.

She had just put a price tag of ten gold coins on me.

In the real world, that was ten million won.

“… That’s completely insane.”

Bluebell frowned, clearly displeased.

Then as if she couldn’t possibly lose,

She raised her hand high.

“Twenty gold coins.”

Murmur! Murmur!

Bluebell’s declaration stirred the auditorium.

“Does that painting really worth twenty gold coins…?”

“It might be a more extraordinary piece than I thought.”

As the price went up, the painting seemed to be viewed differently.

Even the nobles who had been just watching began to show interest.

However, as if to say those without money shouldn’t even bother,

“Forty gold coins.”

Nadia raised her hand, dampening the auction.

With the price tag on me rising, my anxiety increased.

‘Why are they fighting over that painting…?’

A battle of wills between two troublemakers.

Both of them had strong pride and hated to lose.

Since the target of their battle was me, they seemed even more unwilling to back down.

“That crazy bitch. She’s challenging me, isn’t she?”

Bluebell cursed at Nadia and raised her hand again.

“Fifty gold coins.”

“Fi-fifty gold coins! If no one else bids, the painting will go for fifty-”

“Sixty gold coins.”

“Seventy gold coins!”

“Eighty gold coins.”

“Damn it! Ninety gold coins!”

“One platinum coin.”

The price of my portrait kept skyrocketing without any sign of stopping.

In this bizarre situation, Yuri and I blinked at each other.

We were both thinking the same thing.

“They’re insane, right?”

“Y-yeah… Insane… Dam-Damian can’t be bought with money… Those fools…”

Yuri whispered softly in my ear.

She seemed to be enjoying the spectacle.

However, there was a hint of envy in her expression.

“I also… want to have Damian’s painting…”

“…”

It appeared all the Villainsess had the same thought process.

Did they really want that painting so much?

Even so.

No matter how I thought about it.

‘If my portrait is worth one platinum coin, there’s a problem.’

The fact that such a huge amount of money was being exchanged at a contest was already a problem.

Rumors would spread among the nobles, but to prevent them from growing further.

I had to stop these two here.

I spoke to Nadia, who was looking down at Bluebell.

“Nadia. Stop it now. This joke has gone too far.”

“It’s not a joke. I just want to show the gap.”

“What the hell, you bastard?”

Bluebell had a fit at the mention of a gap.

Nadia smiled leisurely.

“You stopped at one platinum coin. That’s your limit, isn’t it?”

“You bastard…”

“You don’t even have much money. Why covet someone else’s? You shouldn’t covet Damian. He’s been mine since forever.”

‘Today’s the punishment for coveting what’s not yours.’

Nadia thoroughly ridiculed Bluebell and then raised her hand toward the professor.

“Professor, I actually don’t intend to sell that painting.”

“Then you should have said so from the begi-“

“I changed my mind midway. My mind changed. So, is there a problem?”

“… No, there isn’t.”

At Nadia’s cold rebuke, the professor bowed his head.

Even in an academy where status was supposed to be irrelevant, he didn’t want to upset the Duke of Verdium.

Nadia spoke as if she had been capricious and approached the canvas on the stage.

She lifted the canvas into the air.

Then she slightly bowed her head toward the audience.

“Thank you for appreciating my painting.”

With that.

Nadia gave a small nod and disappeared from the stage with my portrait.

Her departure caused a brief stir in the auditorium, followed by silence.

The audience was taking time to understand the meaning behind Nadia’s actions.

“Hmm. Is even that action considered art?”

“Does it mean that her love can never be given to anyone else… That it can never be bought with money… Does it need such interpretation…?”

No.

Their interpretations were all wrong.

Nadia simply…

‘Wanted to declare to the audience that I was her possession.’

She left a mischievous warning to those eyeing me.

A subtle warning that I was hers and should not be coveted.

She left the contest after manipulating it to her will.

“You bastard…”

Leaving Bluebell with a humiliating scar.

Nadia was the most persistent person I knew.

Bluebell would surely remember today’s incident deep in her heart.

***

We didn’t participate in the auction and left the auditorium where the contest was held.

There was no reason to watch or attend the auction.

And the most important reason was.

“Mocking me…? That bastard…!!”

Bang-!! Bang-!!

To stop Bluebell from kicking the trash can.

“Yuri.”

“Yes…?”

“Can you help me?”

“S-sure…!”

Yuri and I grabbed Bluebell’s arms.

“Ahhh-!! Let go-!! She insulted me-!! Let go right now-!!”

Bluebell started to thrash like a mad dog.

Was it because her strong pride had been hurt and she couldn’t say anything in front of Nadia?

She kicked the trash can wildly to vent her anger.

And it was a very sturdy trash can.

“This is driving me crazy. Seriously!”

“Let go of me-!!”

Yuri frowned at Bluebell’s rampage and asked.

“D-Damian… Should I just knock her out…?”

“… No, you can’t.”

I had a bad feeling about it.

So, I didn’t allow Yuri to act.

After about ten minutes.

Just as we managed to calm Bluebell while she was floating in the air.

She went limp as if her strength had run out.

“D-damn it… She was spouting nonsense about Damian being hers… It’s so annoying…”

Thankfully, her anger seemed to have subsided.

I signaled to Yuri with a glance that she could let go of Bluebell’s arms now.

Understanding my intention, Yuri immediately released her grip.

Bluebell slumped to the ground.

I placed a hand on her back to comfort her.

“… Are you okay, Bluebell?”

Bluebell responded with a defeated tone.

“Do I look okay? I was humiliated in front of everyone. Do I look okay to you?”

“No…”

“Then why ask? It just makes me feel worse.”

Bluebell looked visibly depressed.

Her face was clouded with worry, and her usually defiant eyes were downcast.

I considered how to console her, but today, she seemed to lack the strength to even accept comfort.

“… I want to go back. I’m not in the mood to be around Damian. I want to be alone.”

“Alright.”

Maybe she didn’t want to show me this side of herself.

I decided to respect Bluebell’s wishes.

Instead,

“I’ll carry you to the dorm. Your ankle hurts, right? You injured it by kicking the trash can.”

“…”

“It’s okay. If you don’t want to answer, just stay quiet.”

I lifted Bluebell onto my back and started walking toward the dormitory.

She wasn’t heavy at all since she didn’t eat much and was quite light.

Yuri walked beside us and kept asking nervously, “Should I carry her instead…?”

I reassured her as we walked.

“I think it would be better if I carried her…”

Yuri was probably feeling jealous.

Given the way she looked at us, that thought came naturally.

“You’re lighter than a feather, Bluebell.”

“… Shut up.”

With that, I carried the feather-light Bluebell to the dormitory.

She gestured for me to leave quickly and limped toward her room.

Of course, Yuri watched this silently.

“W-why Damian…? Is something wrong…?”

“No. Nothing.”

It was foolish of me to expect the troublemakers to get along.

Hiding my disappointment, I gestured to Yuri.

“You should go in too, Yuri. If you want to attend class tomorrow, you need to rest.”

“I-I want to spend more time with you, Damian… Should I come to your room tonight…?”

“You’ll get caught by the supervisor.”

“I’m confident I won’t get caught…”

Her sincere tone was scary.

I quickly shook my head.

“No. Maybe later. When we get home, we can spend a lot of time together. We’ll have plenty of time then. Okay?”

“O-okay… If Damian says so… I’ll listen…”

Then Damian.

“Why does that Nadia girl want to possess you…? Did you do something to her…?”

Her eyes were filled with anxiety.

It was clear.

Yuri was suspicious of me now.

“If you didn’t do something, there’s no way Nadia would act like that… Did you do something strange behind my back…? I’m your best friend, so it should always be me… Right?”

Yuri demanded assurance, wanting me to erase her fears and doubts.

I spoke as gently as possible to prevent her negative thoughts from escalating.

“What could I have done to her? Like I said before, she just misunderstands me. So, don’t worry, Yuri. Time will solve everything. Okay?”

“Time will… Solve… O-okay…! I trust you Damian…! I’ll trust you…!”

Yuri smiled brightly, said goodbye, and went inside the dormitory.

‘I’ve sent them both away for now…’

Yuri, who both trusted and doubted me absolutely.

Unlike Bluebell, she hadn’t taken much of a hit today.

Feeling relieved about that, I slowly started walking.

To the building of the art department, where the lights were still on.

To Nadia’s studio.

‘I have to meet her. She’ll be waiting.’

I still had some unfinished business.

——-

Nadia’s studio was no different from usual.

Except for the addition of a new painting.

Sitting on the sofa as usual,

I saw myself smiling, chained, and hung on the wall at the center.

The very painting from the contest.

‘I can’t get used to this at all.’

Am I really making that expression?

Just as I was about to laugh at the absurdity.

Nadia walked briskly towards me and asked.

“How’s my painting?”

“Honestly?”

“Yes, honestly.”

“I don’t like it.”

When I spoke so frankly, Nadia widened her eyes in surprise.

She seemed genuinely confused and asked.

“Why?”

“Because I’m chained up like a dog.”

“Wouldn’t it be nice to be my dog? Someone as beautiful, talented, and wealthy as I am would love you forever and make you happy. Isn’t that good?”

“…”

Thinking about it, the conditions were subtly appealing.

‘No. No matter what, that’s not right. It’s not normal. What about the others?’

I shook my head to clear the pointless thoughts.

“I don’t like it.”

“Why not?”

“Humans should be free. If I become someone’s possession, I don’t think that’s human. Having been born once, I should live freely according to my own will. Don’t you think so?”

Even though it was my second life.

Still, my words seemed convincing enough, and Nadia pondered for a moment.

Then, as if she had made up her mind.

She spoke with a blank expression as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

“That’s not possible. You have to be mine.”

“… Why?”

“Because I love you. That’s why I displayed you in front of everyone, so no one could touch you. Once the Duke stakes a claim, it’s final.”

She played her cards well.

But…

“If I’m not that Damian, won’t that Damian be sad if you love me instead?”

“…Damian, you still don’t understand me.”

Clack—

Nadia grabbed my chin and lifted it.

Forcing me to meet her gaze.

Her eyes were filled with a relentless desire to possess.

“No matter what you say, I’m certain. You are the same person. So, it’s best not to resist pointlessly.”

The more you try to escape from my grasp,

“The more I want to hold on. If you think you can make me anxious, you’re mistaken.”

“…”

“So you understand?”

Nadia brought her face closer.

Stopping at a distance that was usual.

She came even closer.

And then, she placed her small, red lips on my cheek.

Peck!

A light action with a heavy heart.

Nadia showed a satisfied smile with that action.

“I’ll save the lips for when I truly have you.”

“… I’ll say it again. I have no intention of becoming your possession.”

Nadia laughed at my response as if it were absurd.

“You know, even if you don’t intend to be my possession, I intend to make you mine.”

My refusal didn’t matter.

Saying so, Nadia looked me straight in the eyes.

“So it’s best if you stay still. For your sake and mine. After all, we have to get married later.”

Forced engagement.

Ignoring my thoughts completely, Nadia pushed her own beliefs.

Pushing me to the edge of the cliff, making me seek help.

‘… She’s completely unreasonable.’

Still.

I was relieved that Nadia was forbidden from killing.

If she had used the power of her family to pressure me with all her might…

I’d be like a crushed canvas discarded in a corner.

“I’m leaving now.”

Feeling a chill, I quickly stood up.

Now that the contest was over, I was no longer a servant.

I could leave at my own will.

As I left decisively.

Nadia’s sweet whisper followed me.

“I only want you, Damian. If I have you, I need nothing else.”

“…”

“I love you, Damian.”

Ignoring the small whisper.

I quickly left Nadia’s studio.

That whisper was undoubtedly.

The whisper of a devil.

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