I Am the Villainess

Chapter X: Lex Talionis

After a day's absence from her manor, Delora stepped inside to find Elva awaiting her in the hall. With a sense of urgency, Elva hastened to assist Delora, deftly removing her coat. However, before Delora could exchange a word with her, the sound of approaching footsteps diverted her attention. She turned to see Corbeau making his way towards her.

"Welcome back," his tone was cold, devoid of any warmth at her return. Delora began ascending the stairs, leaving Elva to hang her coat, while Corbeau trailed closely behind, akin to a stray dog.

"Corbeau, I'm curious," her heels clicked with each step she took. "Where do you vanish to for days on end?" Delora had been itching to ask this question for so long. 

Reaching the top of the stairs, Delora turned towards the corridor leading to her room. Corbeau paused for a moment, pondering an answer that might appease her.

"I have my own secrets," Corbeau replied. Delora's expression soured at his response. She opened the door to her room, her gaze falling upon her bed, where an individual with nappy black and white hair lay.

Delora approached Novice, who lay casually asleep on her bed, unclothed. She glanced at the opened balcony door before shaking him awake.

"He's been here since this morning. He refused to leave and didn't provide any explanations," Corbeau stated, crossing his arms over his chest. Novice suddenly woke up, emitting a startled noise as he stood.

"Why are you undressed in my bed?" Delora's voice was cold, her annoyance evident at the barrage of events unfolding simultaneously. Novice looked up at her, stretching without a care in the world.

"I need your help," he yawned, Delora glaring at him. "I was shot by a strange dart in the early morning as I was flying in the forest east to your estate. I transformed back into a human to remove it, and after doing that, I couldn't transform back. It's like I'm stuck." He twisted his torso, revealing a flank covered in a weird purple bruise.

Delora's brows furrowed as she quickly sat next to her longtime friend. She brushed her hand over the colorful injury, causing Novice to wince in pain. She turned to Corbeau, who seemed indifferent. He slowly shrugged, indicating he had no idea what they were dealing with either.

"Did you see who did it?" Delora asked, her palm growing warmer by the second. She focused on the injury, watching it slowly heal as the strange dark fluid in Novice's veins transferred to her arms, infiltrating her system. A peculiar bitter taste filled her mouth as the fluid dispersed.

"I have no idea. Didn't see anything, I kind of fell out of the sky before I could see anything," Novice explained. Delora's mind raced as she sat there, healing him.

As she had passed through the forest that morning, she had noticed plenty of crows and ravens, but no corpses on the ground. It felt as if Novice was the one being targeted. He wouldn't be that difficult to recognize since he had a very special feature—white feathers. The more she thought about it, the more suspicious it seemed.

As Novice glanced at Corbeau, a sense of wariness washed over him. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something about the man didn't sit well with him. It was as if there was an aura of danger and deception surrounding Corbeau that made Novice feel unsafe. He observed Delora gently brushing his arm, returning him to his preferred state as a raven. Without hesitation, he flew out of the room, leaving behind a couple of feathers in his hurried flight.

In that moment of suspicion, Delora swiftly rose from the bed, turning to face Corbeau. Her expression was cold and defiant, her voice tinged with anger as she questioned him, "What did you do?"

Corbeau met her gaze, his eyes seemingly analyzing every move she made. Delora's suspicion couldn't be ignored. It was difficult to trust anyone in her world, and she had always been cautious around Corbeau. But now, with Novice harmed right after his appearance, her doubts intensified, and her mind couldn't help but point a finger at Corbeau as a possible culprit.

"If I find proof that you are the one behind this, I will make you suffer until the moment you give me your last breath."

As Delora stood there, her anger towards Corbeau simmered beneath the surface. It wasn't just the suspicion of his involvement in Novice's injury that fueled her emotions, but the possibility of betrayal. She had known all along that this day would come; she simply wasn't sure when he would finally decide to turn his back on her.

Amidst her anger, Delora's mind was sharp enough to realize that Corbeau's intentions might not have been to kill Novice outright. If that were his goal, he could have done so while Novice rested defenseless in her bed all day. Instead, he seemed to be testing her, pushing the boundaries of her abilities, and seeing the extent of her powers. This realization added another layer of complexity to the situation.

"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end you right at this instant," Delora demanded, her voice unwavering. She needed him to understand the gravity of the situation, that he had crossed a line that couldn't be forgotten. Whether he did it for someone else or himself, she wasn't sure yet.

"I don't owe you anything," Corbeau retorted, his voice tinged with a hint of irritation.

Corbeau walked closer to her, her gaze dancing with loathing and envy. For the first time, he reached towards Delora's hair, putting a strand of her hair behind her ear. He barely wavered towards her threat. To him, she was weak. Even though she had incredible power and a sharp mind, he saw her as very vulnerable. He understood that she was weak when everything she had done so far was purely driven by her emotions.

"Regret is a luxury I can't afford. I've survived this long for a reason, and I won't change that now."

The room seemed to close in on them as the tension between Delora and Corbeau reached its peak. His eyes bore into her with an unsettling intensity, a hungry look that made Delora's skin crawl. She could feel his desire, his lust, and it repulsed her.

Before he could make a move, Delora's instincts kicked in, and she acted on pure impulse. With a sudden surge of strength, she forcefully pushed him away, her palms against his chest, creating a distance between them. Her golden eyes blazed with a mix of anger and something else that Corbeau couldn't quite decipher.

"Get out of my sight," she muttered through clenched teeth, her voice low and tinged with a vulnerability that took him by surprise. There was something in her gaze that seemed to betray her stoic façade, as if something inside of her had shattered, just a little.

Corbeau's glare intensified, his emotions locked away, a mask of indifference falling back into place.