Chapter 51: The Black Invitation that Marks an End
“Winnie, you can’t go with him! He’s a devil! He’ll only hurt you!” Paul pleaded, despair etched on his face. He was powerless to stop her.
“I’m sorry, Paul. I have no choice.” Winnie wiped away her tears and turned away.
She grasped the carriage door, ready to leave.
“Thud!”
Paul, abandoning his pride, fell to his knees. He had to stop her.
She was not only the girl he loved but also his last hope.
If he lost her, he would lose any chance of rising above his circumstances.
“Winnie, if you leave, I’ll kneel here until I die.” He looked at her with pleading eyes, the sincerity of his emotions unclear.
But Winnie believed him. His desperate plea pierced her heart.
“Paul, why are you doing this to yourself?” She clutched her head, torn between her feelings and her obligations.
Roden, standing between them, remained impassive, a silent sentinel, faithfully carrying out Kailun’s orders.
“Winnie, come back! Everything will be alright! I’ve found a way to become stronger! I’ve even met some powerful people! Just give me time, and I’ll reach the top!”
Paul pounded on the ground, his fists bloody.
“I’m sorry, Paul. I truly have no choice. I can’t disobey my family.”
She retrieved a bag of gold coins from the carriage and placed it on the ground before him. “Here’s one thousand gold coins. I hope it helps.”
With those parting words, she stepped into the carriage and closed the curtains.
Roden mounted his horse and followed behind, bringing up the rear.
“Winnie! I can’t live without you!” Paul scrambled to his feet and cried out.
He took two steps after the carriage and then turned back to retrieve the bag of gold coins. He activated Windwalk and chased after them.
“Winnie! How can I live without you!”
As if to taunt him, the carriage slowed down whenever he fell behind, only to accelerate again when he got within twenty meters.
He finally reached the manor gates, exhausted and breathless.
“Kailun? Auntie?”
He spotted not only Kailun but also his aunt, her waist encircled by Kailun’s arm.
“My friend, long time no see. Did you work hard today?”
Kailun greeted him cheerfully, his free hand waving.
“You bastard! What have you done to Winnie?!”
Paul glared at him, a flicker of envy in his eyes as he noticed Kailun’s hand on his aunt’s waist. “You’re deceitful, cunning, and despicable! What won’t you do? You’re a devil! You deserve to die!”
Kailun chuckled, pleased by his outburst. “Thank you for the compliment. But you still don’t know me well enough. I’ll have you know that I not only break people’s limbs and steal their childhood sweethearts, but I also eliminate their loved ones right before their eyes. Don’t I deserve even higher praise?”
Paul’s eyes widened in realization, and he stumbled back, sensing the danger.
Kailun’s gaze was filled with malicious intent. This was exactly what he planned to do!
“Please don’t hurt Paul! I’ll do anything you ask! I have nothing to do with him anymore!”
Winnie, who had been hiding inside the carriage, couldn’t bear to watch. She jumped out and pleaded with Kailun.
“But he just insulted me. As a fellow noble, you should know the punishment for a commoner insulting a noble, right?” Kailun narrowed his eyes, his gaze fixed on Winnie.
He loathed this foolish woman.
In his past life, she had stayed behind to cover Paul’s escape, leading to his failed ambush. He had paid a heavy price, only to gain her life in return.
He regretted killing her with a single sword thrust. It had been too merciful.
Thankfully, Paul hadn’t even touched her hand before she died, which had brought him some comfort.
He didn’t care about winning her heart. As long as Paul knew he had claimed her body, it would be enough.
He enjoyed making these bad women cry. And Winnie, who still loved Paul, was the perfect target.
He loved being the villain!
He longed to hear her cries of sorrow and despair.
Wouldn’t it be delightful to torment her, reminding her of her feelings for Paul, and then forcing her to call him “Master”?
[Your mindset has shifted once more. You have become even more twisted. New title acquired: Intermediate Villain.]
[Intermediate Villain: Enhances the effects of your talents, increasing not only your own pleasure but also the pleasure of those around you. Mental Pollution intensified. Corruption rate increased.]
[New talent acquired: Destiny’s String-Puller.]
[Destiny’s String-Puller: Allows favorability towards you to exceed the normal limits for certain individuals who are crucial to the world’s fate. Currently applicable to: Carol (Final Boss), Paul (Fate’s Protagonist), Fox Spirit (Fate’s Thief).]
[Warning: Killing key individuals will significantly alter fate lines. Choose wisely. Excessive favorability, while granting greater power, is inherently a perverse phenomenon.]
Kailun glanced at the system notifications. He was stronger now, and the leeks had grown taller. Good news all around.
Paul truly was favored by fate. Even in his current predicament, he still had a chance to survive.
As for the Fox Spirit, that was the foolish fox he had encountered earlier. She remained as enigmatic as ever.
“Paul, apologize to Kailun! He’ll kill you!”
Winnie was pleading with Paul.
“Winnie, I… I can’t.”
“Hah, you can’t even apologize now?” Kailun released Ella and walked over to Winnie, wrapping his arm around her waist. “You seemed quite eager to kneel before those old nobles last night. Why are you so reluctant to apologize to me?”
Winnie’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Paul, is that true?”
Her image of him crumbled.
It wasn’t just that he had been sold to a brothel because he couldn’t repay his debts. He had changed.
“It’s not like that, Winnie! Don’t listen to him! I didn’t do anything!” Paul roared.
“Oh, and have you noticed the black marks on his neck? Those are signs of the poison. I heard all those nobles who enjoyed themselves at the banquet are infected.”
Kailun tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at the faint marks on Paul’s neck.
[Paul is disgusted by your revelation and plans to kidnap and torture you. Current favorability -3. Total favorability: -95.]
Paul covered his neck, his gaze shifting nervously. He couldn’t deny it any longer.
To add fuel to the fire, Kailun gently lifted Winnie’s chin, forcing her to look at him.
“If you kiss me passionately in front of Paul, I’ll forgive his disrespect. Otherwise, I’ll break his legs. All three of them.”
“…I understand…”
She fought back tears and slowly leaned towards him.
“No! I’m sorry! I was wrong! Winnie, please don’t do this! I’ll apologize!”
Paul’s resolve finally shattered as their lips met.
[Paul wants to kill you. Favorability -4. Total favorability: -99.]
“Oh, and my wedding is the day after tomorrow. I expect you to attend.”
He released her after a long kiss, wiping his lips as he retrieved a black invitation from his pocket.
It was a wedding invitation, yet it was black. The names of the invitees were written in crimson ink, creating a gruesome illusion of blood splattered across the paper.
The names on the first line were all too familiar: Hilna, Lodis, Harry, Vivian, Phils, Ella, Winnie, Anderson, Loston, Shirley, Kostja… and, at the very end, Paul.
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