So then, what is the price of defying fate?

The butterfly effect had already thrown the entire timeline off course. At this incorrect moment in time, two destiny-bound heroines had, by sheer coincidence, arrived at the same incorrect place—leading to a meeting that should never have happened.

This was a storyline that absolutely never occurred at this point in the original game. Because, at this stage, Aesphyra was in no way a match for the future Demon Queen, Jiu Lixue. If the two of them met now, the plot wouldn’t be able to continue at all.

That’s why, no matter how brain-dead the writers got, they never would’ve scripted a meeting between Jiu Lixue and Aesphyra in the early chapters.

But now? This wasn’t a game driven by writers anymore. No one gave a damn whether the story progressed or not. The narrative had long since broken loose—everything was running on pure chaos.

And so, here they were, in the middle of something completely nonsensical and impossible to explain.

If this was some kind of “matchmaking mechanic,” people would’ve already flamed it to hell and back. What the hell kind of matchmaking was this? What kind of god-tier enemy was this pairing him up against??

Even if this was supposed to be the cost for getting carried through the last round by a seductive black-stockinged thigh—this was way too steep. The power levels weren’t even remotely balanced! Even if you called in Mirexia and Shicodell as backup, it’d still be hopeless!

Originally, Vinny had told himself this had nothing to do with the two of them—they should just get out while they could. But now? They were squarely in the crosshairs.

Vinny regretted everything. He regretted it deeply. Why had he raised so many damn flags for himself before? Now he wanted to take them back, but it was too late. He didn’t even know if Jiu Lixue had heard what he said earlier.

If she had heard… he was so, so screwed. If she was that brutal with her own people, how savage would she be with outsiders??

What made it worse was that the only person he could potentially rely on right now—the destined main heroine, Aesphyra—was standing there in complete silence.

In the face of all this, Aesphyra remained composed as ever, calm and poised, maintaining the elegance befitting a main heroine. But Vinny? He couldn’t stay calm.

He was all too aware of the power gap between them. Whether they lived or died today depended entirely on Jiu Lixue’s whim. Right now, their lives were quite literally in the hands of this demon faction.

Fine. If Aesphyra wasn’t going to say anything, then Vinny figured he couldn’t just sit there either.

In fair winds, you look to Aesphyra. In a headwind, it’s up to Vinny to step in.

With his silver tongue, maybe he could still finesse his way out of this!

He’d spent plenty of time honing his eloquence for moments like this. Now was the time to use it.

“Ahahaha, good morning, everyone,” Vinny ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ said cheerily, waving to the gathered demons with a bright smile.

…And yet, no one responded.

The saying goes: the shot strikes the bird that sticks its head out. Because he opened his mouth, the full, suffocating pressure of the demon elites instantly zeroed in on him. They all stared silently at this blue-haired human male, pressing down with an overwhelming weight that made it feel like his spine might snap.

Aesphyra glanced his way too, surprised he’d actually stepped forward at a time like this.

Anyone with a basic instinct for self-preservation would’ve been paralyzed with fear in this kind of situation. Aesphyra had figured Vinny was the quail type—swaggering under protection, but the second he lost that shelter, he’d turn into a cowardly ostrich.

“……….”

Vinny looked up at the darkening sky and realized—yeah, he might’ve said the wrong thing out of sheer panic.

But that was understandable. These demons could squash him like a bug just by stomping—he was basically a toy in front of them. Any primate would be scared in his shoes.

Still, even if his opening was a disaster, that didn’t mean negotiations were doomed. Speaking was an art. Humor was key.

A little stumble didn’t ruin the whole routine.

“You all came such a long way. Have you eaten?” he asked, trying another go-to opener—a conversation template for when you had absolutely nothing to say but couldn’t afford silence.

“……”

Again, no response.

Or rather—if someone had responded, that would’ve been a miracle.

“I haven’t,” said a voice—just as Vinny was about to panic completely.

A familiar voice, rescuing him from the painful limbo of talking to a wall.

It was none other than Jiu Lixue.

At that moment, the white-haired fox girl smiled—a captivating, bewitching smile. Her ruby-red fox eyes sparkled with seduction, like they were luring his very soul out of his body.

“A-ah, you haven’t? Is it… just no appetite?” Vinny forced a laugh. Under the stares of Jiu Lixue and her whole entourage, his presence was getting shredded into atoms. But even so, he swallowed hard and kept going.

“Yeah, no appetite lately,” Jiu Lixue replied casually.

Compared to her subordinates, Jiu Lixue herself was surprisingly easy to talk to. Even if it was just some random human nobody asking stupid questions, if she found the person amusing, she’d respond.

Most high-ranking demons considered humans nothing more than weak insects. Not even worth speaking to. Just crush them. That was the norm. And it was true.

“Oh, no appetite, huh? Have you seen a doctor? You know, appetite issues can be complex. Could be minor, could be serious. I think it’s worth checking out,” Vinny said, brow furrowed in mock concern.

Aesphyra glanced at him, unsure whether to praise his guts or be impressed by his sheer will to live.

Luckily, this demon ruler had a rather eccentric personality and was actually playing along.

As for what the other demon elites thought about this bizarre conversation? No one could tell. Their faces betrayed nothing.

“No need. I’m cured now,” Jiu Lixue said, her smile deepening.

“Huh? You’re cured?” Vinny blinked. “When?”

“Just now. The moment I saw the two of you.”

“Uh…”

Vinny tilted his head, a cold chill crawling down his spine.

“After seeing such fresh and appetizing little morsels… especially you, little brother—I suddenly got my appetite back.” Jiu Lixue smiled with a radiant malice, like a deadly bloom dripping with poison.

What the hell? You’re like… nearly a hundred years old, and you’re calling me little brother?!

But that wasn’t the point. The point was—this fox lady was hungry for humans.

How was he supposed to respond to that??

“Ahaha, you’re too kind. We’re all civilized here, right? That sort of thing’s frowned upon these days,” Vinny said with a forced laugh.

“Miss Fox Lady, you’re as beautiful as a goddess from the divine realm. Surely someone like you wouldn’t stoop to such… inelegant behavior, right?”

“Oh? But aren’t we, according to your human books, supposed to eat people?” Jiu Lixue tilted her head innocently.

“Wha—no, no way! That’s all just exaggeration. And anyway, it depends on the context, right?” Vinny inched closer to Aesphyra.

“Hehe… So, um, you lovely, ethereal fox ladies—truth be told, the two of us are students from Carillian Academy. We just happened to be passing through. We, uh, accidentally witnessed this scene. Our bad! We didn’t mean to get involved in your internal affairs. Really, we were just passing by.”

“This situation has nothing to do with us at all! Our appearance here is purely accidental!” Vinny grinned broadly.

Hey, nobody hits a smiling man, right?

“Oh? So what you’re saying, handsome little brother, is that only the foxes are pretty, huh? And what, we are just a bunch of ugly, shriveled old hags?” said a voice from the succubus side—another Grand Duchess, teasing.

“Phew…” Vinny hadn’t even had a chance to explain when a soft chuckle rose from the fox demons’ side. No one knew who laughed, but everyone heard it.

“Tch.” The succubus Grand Duchess clicked her tongue and shot a glare at the foxes. If Jiu Lixue hadn’t been present, she would’ve definitely started a fight with those damn smug foxes.

It was clear: there was tension between the succubi and the fox demons. But with a shared Queen, they all had to keep their grievances buried.

“No, no, of course not! You succubus big sisters are all stunning too! So seductive, so captivating!” Vinny wiped his sweat. He hadn’t expected he’d have to keep things this balanced.

Apparently, the foxes and succubi had some kind of rivalry.

“Well then, according to your human sense of beauty, who’s prettier? Us… or those foxes?” The succubus Grand Duchess smiled, eyes narrowing. Clearly, she found this smooth-skinned, blue-haired human boy toy amusing.

Wha—?!

Vinny froze. In that instant, he felt the full attention of both camps—succubi and fox demons—locked onto him.

This… this was a freaking death sentence! A no-win trap!

He could feel his brain overloading. He couldn’t process this. Not at all.

“Ah, well, in my opinion… both sides are equally dazzling, each with their own unique charm! There’s no clear winner. Yep!” Vinny said, trying to balance the scales.

“Oh? So you’re saying… we’re not as good-looking as those foxes?” one of the succubus Grand Duchesses said coldly.

“N-no! That’s not what I meant…!”

“Shamelessness is a selling point now, is it?” A voice fired back from the fox side. Their retort was more restrained—subtle jabs instead of direct insults. A noble-looking thunder fox demoness with a smoking pipe said it meaningfully.

“Hey! Who are you calling shameless?!” the succubus Grand Duchess snapped, glaring.

“Whoever answers to it, that’s who,” the fox officer replied calmly. Her voice carried a quiet elegance laced with seduction. Her lips curled into a slight smile.

“Fei Changshuang! You trying to start a fight again?!” the succubus snarled.

“If you want to embarrass yourself in front of everyone again, like last time…” Fei Changshuang chuckled lightly.

And what was Jiu Lixue’s reaction to her subordinates on the brink of civil war?

Well… she didn’t seem to care in the slightest. In fact, she looked like she welcomed the chaos.

That, too, was a kind of confidence—complete ease in knowing her subordinates could fight all they wanted, and she didn’t need to lift a finger.

With Jiu Lixue present, neither side was likely to go beyond verbal sparring. If anyone dared to actually make a move, she would make them understand exactly what it meant to defy their queen.

Anlis, who had ended up passed out cold, was the perfect cautionary tale. She still hadn’t woken up.

And sure enough, both sides merely exchanged glares before backing off. No one dared disrespect their queen.

“Everyone, what I mean to say is, your family matters are none of our business. You’re here to handle your own internal affairs. As for us, we were only here because of a practical assessment assignment from the Academy—had no choice, really. We all had our reasons,” Vinny continued, keeping his tone light.

“Ladies, come on, we’re on the same side here. All friends, right? You see, this has nothing to do with us. We weren’t trying to disturb anything. Now that the misunderstanding’s cleared up, we’ll be heading back to report in, so we won’t bother you anymore, yeah?” he said with a smile, signaling Aesphyra with his eyes, urging her to move before anyone had time to respond.

In their eyes, the two of them weren’t even worth noticing. No value whatsoever—totally negligible. That was the point of Vinny stressing their affiliation with Carillian Academy.

It was a message: taking them down would bring no benefits and might cause a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Sure, killing them would be easy. But behind them stood Carillian Academy. Kill them, and you’re contradicting Jiu Lixue’s original stance—and potentially inviting war.

And how would Carillian Academy respond to that?

There’s no need for that. Really—no need.

“Hey hey, you blockhead. You totally lost it, didn’t you? What are you frozen for? Let’s go already. Don’t you see all these beautiful ladies are giving us permission to leave? What are you still staring for?!” Vinny gave Aesphyra an exasperated look. If this green-eyed man-hater weren’t so touchy, he would’ve already grabbed her hand and dragged her out of here.

“Come on, time to go. Now’s not the time to be admiring pretty faces! You wanna die?!” he whispered urgently next to her.

What, was this green-eyed idiot so dazzled by all the hot demonesses that she short-circuited?

Seeing that Aesphyra still wasn’t reacting—frozen like her brain had crashed—Vinny had no choice but to try and forcibly pull her away.

Dammit, did she not realize how much pressure he was under right now??

Like a blade poised at his back!

“Stay,” came Jiu Lixue’s sudden voice—right before Vinny could grab Aesphyra and bolt.

At her words, Vinny’s heart went cold.

“Your Majesty, oh gracious Queen, is there something else we can do for you? Haha, our kind has always had a good relationship with your fox and succubus clans. What a fateful meeting, eh? Even if we don’t become friends, let’s not ruin the mood, yeah?” Vinny said quickly.

“That silver-haired human girl—the sword in your hand, if I’m not mistaken, that’s the Sword of the Saint, isn’t it?” Jiu Lixue didn’t look at Vinny. Her gaze landed on Aesphyra, smile widening.

“……”

Vinny’s expression froze. His eyes dropped to the holy sword Aesphyra still held.

At this point, whether they said yes or no didn’t matter. She already knew. She’d recognized that sword the moment she saw it.

“Haha, oh don’t mind that. Just a child’s toy, really. Something she plays around with. Kids, you know?” Vinny laughed nervously, trying to downplay it.

“That sword can only be wielded by a Hero,” Jiu Lixue said with a sly smile. “You… are the future Hero? The destined opponent who’s fated to one day fight me to the death?”

“………”

Vinny swallowed hard. His lips twitched.

Aesphyra, why the hell were you still holding that sword??

Then again, it wasn’t her fault. Everything had happened so suddenly. Who could’ve seen this coming?

She’d been holding it for self-defense. Fair enough.

But now…

Now they were in real trouble.

Vinny could already read the glint behind Jiu Lixue’s smile.

It meant: leave no survivors.

“Whoa there, must be a misunderstanding! We’re on the same side, Your Majesty! That’s totally not some ‘Holy Sword,’ right?” Vinny tried again.

“You, blue-haired student.” Jiu Lixue called him out by name—still smiling.

“Yes! Here!” he responded at once.

“You’re a rather amusing little human. So I’ll give you a chance. If you turn around and leave right now… I’ll let you live,” she said, lifting the corners of her lips.

“Ah! Really? That’s… thank you, Your Majesty! I will never forget this act of mercy!” Vinny turned to Aesphyra. “Hey! You, you absolute blockhead! You’re always dumb, but now you’ve even got drool running down your chin! What are you doing?! Hurry up and thank Her Majesty!”

He was deliberately mocking Aesphyra—to downplay her perceived threat in Jiu Lixue’s eyes.

But… it wasn’t very effective.

“No, student. I think you misunderstood me,” Jiu Lixue said, voice heavy with implication. “Only you may leave.”

“And my patience has its limits. Don’t test it.”

Seeing that his dodge didn’t work, Vinny froze—then forced out a strained smile.

“Ahaha… Your Majesty, you’ve got such a great sense of humor. As you can see, this silver-haired idiot is already scared stiff. She hasn’t said a word since earlier! Have a heart, won’t you? Don’t scare her like that—she’ll drool even more once she’s recovered!”

“Also, if I go back, the Academy is gonna ask where my teammate went, you know?” he said helplessly. “I’d have to tell the truth. Would that really not bring trouble to your side? I mean… surely, you don’t want to start problems with humanity right now, right?”

“It’s fine. Just tell your instructor…” Jiu Lixue’s fox eyes narrowed, glinting with cold light. “That Jiu Lixue was the one who kept her.”

“Vinny,” Aesphyra interrupted him before he could say another word. Her face was as calm as ever—same as before, like everything was under control.

“What? No—what do you mean, ‘go’? Are you insane?” Vinny hissed under his breath. “It’s at least a week back to the Academy from here. If I leave now, there’s no one within a hundred miles who could come save you. Even if I did find someone, by the time I got back, you’d already be ash!”

“Who asked you to come back?” Aesphyra gave him a strange look. “Why ruin my date with all these beautiful fox ladies?”

“You little—” Vinny barked a laugh of disbelief. She was still joking at a time like this?

“Fine. I’ll leave. Should’ve done that ages ago. Why waste my breath on you? Not my problem anymore!”

“That’s best. Don’t come back later acting all soft-hearted,” Aesphyra teased.

“Soft-hearted toward you?? Hell no! I hope that fox bitch punches you into an actual shortstack nut!” Vinny snapped.

“You green-eyed menace, still can’t stop being difficult, huh? You even know who you’re talking to?! …Whatever. Since I’m allowed to leave, why stay? Better you than me. Take care of yourself!” he said, turning and walking right past her.

He only made it a few steps—just far enough to reach the blind spot of their line of sight. And just as expected, Jiu Lixue didn’t stop him.

She really had let him go.

Vinny turned back, his expression conflicted.

Of course he knew Aesphyra had said all that on purpose—to get him out before Jiu Lixue changed her mind.

If one of them could survive, then so be it.

Tch. That white-haired little shortstack.

Did she think she looked cool doing this?

Vinny lowered his head and pursed his lips.

He really did want to just walk away. Survival was everything.

But how could he let Aesphyra pull off all the cool lines?

And besides… he owed her.

He still owed her a hell of a lot.

Should he go back?

Go back to save the heroine who, in the original storyline, was supposed to kill him?

But that story… it was just a story now. A distant world line that never came to be. Something that no longer mattered.

To Vinny, it was a stranger’s fate.

Honestly, he didn’t even know when it had started… but the real Aesphyra had already replaced the paper-thin one from the game.

The Aesphyra he knew was nothing like that shallow character from the original plot.

She was infuriating. Constantly teased him. Constantly insulted him. Loved to mess with him. Loved watching him lose composure and pretend to stay cool.

But after every prank, she always used it as an excuse to help him. When he needed it most, she was there. Over and over again, she had saved him.

She never said anything about it—but he knew. She’d looked out for him all this time.

And the only reason she helped him…

Was because she knew he wasn’t a bad person.

That was enough. That alone was enough.

Aesphyra was the kind of person who would help anyone kindhearted—without needing a reason.

That alone made her completely different from the game version. That shallow Aesphyra, who only cared about flirting and nothing else—she was long gone.

Vinny suddenly remembered something he’d read in the sacred texts once:

“When you’re locked in battle, hanging by a thread, there will always be someone praying for you from afar. They believe in others. They believe in selfless love. And even if they die, until the last drop of blood leaves their body, no one can shake their faith.”

Maybe he could lie to himself—say Aesphyra was the destined heroine, blessed by fate, and she’d be fine.

But he couldn’t.

Vinny let out a heavy sigh.

He really shouldn’t have let it get this far.

He was just an ex-villain working hard to become a background NPC. As long as he didn’t do anything evil, he had no obligation to involve himself in anyone else’s life or death. His only duty was to stay alive—to protect his powerless, unblessed self.

And yet…

Somewhere along the line, things had changed.

He didn’t know when—but he couldn’t live the way he used to anymore.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep