Margaret was someone Alex didn’t want.

She was too naive for Alex to let her be with him.

Yes, Mira was also naive, but unlike Margaret, she would kill anyone her instincts called dangerous.

Margaret, on the other hand, would try to find good in her enemy.

It was a quality that got her kidnapped a lot in the story.

In the plot Alex knew of, Keryu saves her, but because of that, her personality remains the same, becoming one of the few weaknesses of Keryu, an overpowered protagonist.

Alex didn’t want that.

He didn’t want her broken because Margaret was good only because of her personality, but he didn’t want her in his harem either.

The solution was simple: give her to Ben.

That guy was a protagonist who grew with every challenge, so Margaret, a trouble magnet, was perfect for him.

If that wasn’t enough, after integrating with Keryu’s memories, Alex now knows Ben’s real identity; he knows that the safest place for Margaret would be beside Ben.

So, he needed Ben in this rescue mission.

He wanted Ben to be the one Margaret sees when she wakes up, making her think she was saved by him.

After all, Alex knew how dangerous his charm was.

One ‘hero saving the beauty’ incident would be enough for any girl to sprout feelings for him.

Since Alex didn’t want that to happen, he came to wake Ben up.

…………………..

In the medical ward.

The dull scent of herbs hung heavy in the fresh air of the medical ward.

It was soothing, as this was how it was made to be, helping the patients relax.

Alex stepped into the ward, his boots clicking lightly against the white-tiled floor as he approached the bed at the far end.

Several patients were laid out across the long room, but none mattered more than the unconscious boy lying motionless under crisp white sheets—Ben.

The protagonist.

His blonde hair was tousled, his skin paler than usual. A magical liquid drip—similar to an IV drip on Earth—beside him pulsed steadily as it pushed pure mana into his body.

He lay on the bed without a care in the world, breathing steadily.

Alex stood silently for a few seconds, arms crossed, eyes sharp.

‘Hah…’

He sighed as he noted the guy’s condition.

From no angle did he look like someone who had almost died. Rather, he looked like someone enjoying his time.

That, however, was about to end now.

He was sure that Ben’s peace would end the moment he realized Margaret was in danger.

That was just how the protagonists functioned.

If it were a guy in trouble, then they would arrive either when he was killed or tortured, swearing they would take revenge for them. But the moment a girl came into question, things would change.

Alex was going to make use of that exact thing.

“Margaret’s been taken,” he said aloud, his voice calm yet heavy. “It happened yesterday.”

Ben didn’t move.

Alex’s eyes narrowed, his voice turning heavy as if he were angry. “Do you know why it happened?”

Pausing, he let the question linger before he continued. “Because you weren’t there beside her. The guy she thought would always protect her wasn’t there when she needed him the most.”

“Why?” He growled. “Because he couldn’t control his own powers and got injured.”

Alex was sure Ben could hear all of this. The healer had said that although he was still unconscious and couldn’t move, he could still hear things.

He stayed silent for a while, as if contemplating his earlier words, before he leaned forward, speaking lower like one friend trying to wake another from a nightmare.

“Still, don’t worry, she’s probably still fine.”

Hesitating a bit, he added. “But for how long? I don’t even know. From what I found out, Damien is a sadist who likes to torture people.”

Silence.

For a long time, Alex didn’t say anything, but then, as if annoyed by the silence, he growled again.

“You know? She probably looked for you when it all happened. Even while being dragged away. She probably thought you’d swoop in and save her like always.”

It was as if Alex was getting frustrated with how Ben didn’t move, even after all this.

Alex watched Ben’s fingers.

Still nothing.

“…and now she’s going to suffer because you’re lying here like a corpse.”

Badump-Badump.

A subtle change. Ben’s heartbeat grew louder.

Alex, however, didn’t stop.

“You know what? I’ll rescue her if I have to. You’re not the only one who cares about people.”

Badump-Badump.

His heartbeats could be heard from meters away now. Even the other patients turned toward him, the nurses running to call for the healers.

Alex smirked.

“But you know, if you didn’t wake up today, all of Margaret’s trust in you would be broken. She would never come to you again.”

The air in the room changed.

Suddenly, a gust of golden particles gathered around Ben’s body like a swirl of divine energy. His fingers twitched. His pulse quickened. The heart began to beat rapidly as his aura flared—faint, weak, but unmistakably there.

The protagonist was waking up.

Alex stepped back, arms folded.

“Hah…” He sighed, muttering, “Cheat-bastard.”

Ben’s eyelids fluttered, and his lips parted to suck in a shaky breath. His voice came out hoarse.

“Margaret…?”

‘And the first word that comes out of his lips is her name,’ Alex mused, happy that things went as he wanted.

He could now move on to the next phase.

………………………

Academy Patrol Headquarters.

In a quiet backroom beneath the academy patrol’s building, Alex stood before a wall-mounted map, marking key zones across the fifth peak with colored pins. The soft hum of a mana lamp overhead was the only sound in the room—until the door clicked open.

Zahara stepped in, crimson eyes immediately locking on him. She shut the door behind her, her boots making no noise as she crossed the room.

“You look like you’re planning a war,” she said softly, sliding beside him.

“Not a war. A quiet strike,” Alex replied, not looking up. “Sorry for delaying your kingdom’s matter.”

“Alex,” she called out, kissing his cheek. “I told you it’s fine. I don’t think anything would happen to my kingdom unless I’m there.”

Seeing Alex silent, Zahara sighed, changing the topic. “So, what’s up with Margaret? Was it really Damien who took her?”

“Yes,” Alex replied, his arms coiling around her. “Remember Elaria, the stag you met on our first date?”

“Of course,” Zahara smiled, recalling the mesmerizing stag.

“It was she who helped me confirm my suspicion.”

Hearing his words, she nodded once. “Is she still alive?”

“For now. But not for long.” He finally turned to face her. “I need to get her back before things go past the point of no return.”

Zahara didn’t hesitate.

“Then we go,” she said. “Tell me what you need.”

Alex’s tense posture eased slightly.

“I need someone to hold the line while I move through the back,” he said. “I need someone to keep the area locked down in case things go south. But the operation must remain undercover until I give the signal.”

Zahara’s fingers brushed his as she leaned closer, voice low and calm. “I’ll take care of it. I’ll bring some of the strong and trustworthy people from the patrol.”

Alex nodded. “Good. Just keep them quiet until I find Margaret. Rescuing her is the top priority.”

A beat of silence passed.

Then Zahara reached out and gently straightened the collar of his coat, her thumb lingering on his shoulder.

“You always take everything on yourself,” she murmured. “Let us carry some of it too.”

Alex looked at her—really looked at her. Then he leaned in and kissed her forehead.

“I know,” he whispered. “That’s why I called you.”

Zahara’s eyes burned softly with resolve. “We’ll get her back. No matter what.”

She stepped back and turned toward the door. “Give me fifteen minutes. We’ll be ready.”

And with that, she vanished into the hallway, her red hair trailing behind her like a battle flag.

Alex turned back to the map, his expression hardening.

Everything was in motion now.

Ben was already up, ready to move.

Zahara had his back.

And Damien… Damien was about to find out what it meant to steal from someone like Alex.

………………………

Meanwhile, in a room filled with the dim light of a flickering candle, a guy could be seen holding a knife as he cut the meat in the dish before him.

It was Damien.

“The meat is quite soft,” he mused aloud, eyes gleaming as he picked up a bite with his fork and brought it to his mouth. His lips curled in a pleased smile the moment it touched his tongue.

“Hm~!” A satisfied sound escaped him as his eyes lit up. “It’s delicious.”

Footsteps echoed lightly behind him.

“Come, sit,” he said without turning, his tone soft and pleasant—too pleasant.

Margaret stepped into the room, her arms wrapped around herself, and her eyes darted around the space before settling on him.

Her movements were cautious as she moved to the chair across from Damien.

She sat down, stiff and silent, her eyes shifting between him and the plate.

Without pause, Damien extended his fork toward her, offering a neatly cut piece of meat.

She stared at it.

Her lips parted slightly in hesitation, instincts screaming at her not to trust him but her mind telling her it was fine.

She thought Damien was trying to make up for bringing her here without her consent.

Deciding to give him a chance, she leaned forward and took the piece into her mouth.

The taste, to her surprise, was… good—better than anything she expected in this place. Her expression softened slightly as she chewed and swallowed.

“How is it?” Damien asked, eyes locked on her, studying every twitch of her face.

Margaret glanced at him, unsure how to respond, but finally smiled, “It’s… good.”

A slow grin spread across Damien’s face—too wide and pleased.

“I’m glad you think so,” he said, voice warm. Then, as casually as someone sharing a fun fact, he added, “It’s the meat of a girl about our age. Pretty thing. Screamed a lot.”

The words hung in the air like poison.

Margaret’s eyes widened. Her body froze, the remnants of the bite still on her tongue like ash. She stared at him, unsure whether to believe it.

Her mind could never think anyone could do something like that, so she finally giggled, thinking it was a joke. “Nice joke.”

Damien just kept smiling, neither denying nor accepting it, and Margaret, thinking her thoughts to be the truth, smiled as if she had won.

What she didn’t know, however, was that it was what he said it was, and she would realize it soon enough.

Worse yet, this was just the beginning.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep