The villain's side of the novel



(My hand...) Luke thought, his face contorted in pain as he clutched his injured hand from the impact of colliding with Fray. The intense pain radiated through his body, but he remained fixated on Fray, his expression serious and determined. "He's far stronger than I anticipated... Winning against him in this situation will be a daunting task," Luke whispered under his breath, his voice filled with a mixture of frustration and determination.

Across the room, Fray stood before Rin, his cold gaze fixed on Luke. Fray had entered his first phase, augmenting his physical abilities by a factor of thirty. While his strength was limited within the first kingdom, the first phase granted him power equivalent to that of a warrior in the Third Kingdom. As a result, facing Luke presented little challenge for him.

"Luke, please stop! This is not the time for a fight," Lisa shouted, rushing out from among the guests and casting an angry glare at Luke.

However, Luke remained entirely focused on Fray, disregarding Lisa's plea. His mind was completely absorbed in analyzing Fray's every move, strategizing his next course of action.

Sensing the intensity in Luke's eyes, Fray spoke with a serious expression and a chillingly cold voice, "If you dare to attack again, I will not hesitate to end your life."

Luke, Lisa, and even Aslan wore grave expressions upon hearing Fray's sudden threat. Although such words might be dismissed as empty boasts if spoken by anyone else, they knew better than to underestimate Fray. Despite Luke's inherent strength surpassing Fray's under normal circumstances, they understood that Fray's declaration held weight, and he would spare no effort to ensure its fulfillment.

(Kill me!!... Does he truly believe he can take my life?) Luke seethed with anger. While he recognized the seriousness of Fray's threat, his pride refused to accept that Fray, who had always sought to rival him, could now look down on him in such a manner.

"Luke..." Aslan interjected, her voice tinged with anger as she positioned herself in front of him. "Stop this at once! Remember where we are. Your reckless actions could endanger innocent lives," Aslan implored, her body serving as a barrier between Luke and Fray.

Gradually, Luke regained his composure upon hearing Aslan's words. He surveyed the fearful and anxious expressions on the faces of the guests, as well as the stoic countenance of the angelic figure presiding over the room. Realization dawned upon him. "You're right. I lost control for a moment. I apologize," Luke admitted, acknowledging his temporary lapse in judgment.

Turning towards Fray, Aslan spoke with a blend of earnestness and urgency, "Mr. Parada, I beseech you to release the hostages. I promise that no harm will come to you."

Fray felt an odd sensation grip his heart upon hearing Aslan address him as Mr. Parada, but he swiftly suppressed the feeling, reminding himself of the vow he had made. In a composed manner, he responded, "Why should I place my trust in your words?"

Aslan fell into a momentary silence, unable to offer a satisfactory answer. She experienced a twinge of sadness upon realizing that Fray harbored doubts about her trustworthiness. However, she acknowledged the validity of his concerns. She couldn't guarantee that the other guests wouldn't turn against him once freed, leaving her without a convincing response.

"Fray, we must find a way to resolve this predicament together. Your current course of action will only worsen our crisis," Lisa interjected, observing Aslan's struggle.

"I regret to inform you that

 I will not release them until the voting phase concludes," Fray declared with unwavering seriousness.

"Very well, you may retain them until the voting concludes. However, I implore you not to harm them or manipulate the voting process. If you violate this agreement, we will intervene without hesitation," Lisa asserted, standing beside Luke, Aslan, and Leo, their expressions reflecting unwavering determination. With Fray holding more than two-thirds of the guests hostage, any attempts to force their votes could prove extremely difficult to thwart. Therefore, it was imperative to prevent Fray from leveraging this situation to his advantage.

"Fine, I won't interfere with the vote," Fray acquiesced slowly, observing the unwavering resolve displayed by his adversaries. He then turned to Rin, who had remained silently by his side, and issued a chilling command, "Should anyone attempt anything troublesome, feel free to eliminate them all."

An eerie silence fell upon the room, the weight of Fray's cold words sending a shiver down the spines of Luke, Aslan, Lisa, and all those present.

Iman, the fourth princess, watched the interactions unfold from a corner of the hall. After observing the tension between Fray and the others, she turned to her sister and inquired, "What should we do, sister?"

Noelle, the first princess, contemplated the situation for a moment before responding, "Convincing the head of the Parada family to release the hostages will prove challenging. For now, let us join forces with the members of the Shield Union to uncover the true culprit."

"Agreed," the second princess, the fourth princess, the fifth princess, and the four royal guards accompanying the princesses echoed in unison. They followed Noelle's lead, making their way towards Luke and the others.

Meanwhile, Fray remained stationed in the corner of the hall, accompanied by Rin, silently observing Luke and the others' actions without intervening. The members of the Shield Union, along with the four princesses and a multitude of individuals, employed various methods in their quest to unmask the culprit. They questioned the guests, meticulously reexamined the case files, and employed diverse investigative techniques. Yet, their efforts had thus far yielded no results, and the looming deadline imposed by the law heightened their sense of urgency.

Fray couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss, although he couldn't quite put his finger on it. He maintained a calm expression as chaos unfolded around him, opting not to intervene. As he surveyed the scene, he realized that the only individuals present were those in the hall. Those who hadn't attended the premiere weren't trapped here, so it was natural for some people to be missing. However, a nagging intuition persisted that someone should be present, yet they were conspicuously absent. Suddenly, it struck him— ( the power of the curse was clouding our minds. )

[The first phase time has expired. Please vote for the prime suspect.]