Reborn As The Minor Villain In A Romance Fantasy Novel - Chapter 196

Chapter 196: The Staircase Found Us
“O–okay…” Rita muttered under her breath, trying to calm the strange feeling of butterflies in her stomach. “When I was a low-ranked Awakener, I had a team I did missions with. At that time, the rules weren’t like this. We were more like an Adventurer’s Guild in anime, you pick a mission and go.”

Lucius stayed silent and let her speak.

“We finished a mission,” Rita continued slowly. “And our team leader offered us drinks. I was the only girl in the group, but I didn’t think much of it. I was young and stupid. I took the offer and drank with them.”

Her eyes fell to his chest. “After a while… I slumped.”

She swallowed hard, her throat tightening as she tried to continue. “When I woke up, I was in a room. My hands were bound with cuffs. They were—”

Lucius raised a hand gently.

“If you don’t want to talk about it,” he said. “then don’t force yourself.”

Rita closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “No… I have to.”

Her lips trembled.

“They were touching me,” she said softly. “Their hands were everywhere. I hated it. I tried to scream, but my voice wouldn’t come out. I thought I was going to die there.”

She clenched her fists tightly, nails digging into her palms. “But before they could do anything else… My power woke up. Holy energy burst out, I don’t even remember how. When I came back to my senses, they were gone. I don’t know why but I felt the need to get it all off my chest… before you think I’m weird, that’s why I hate lustful looks too.”

Lucius didn’t say a word. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

Rita froze for a moment then felt herself relax in his chest.

“I’m not great at this kind of thing,” Lucius said quietly, rubbing her back in slow circles, “but… I’m glad you told me.”

Her lips quivered. Tears welled in her eyes, then rolled down her cheeks, one after another.

“It’s okay,” he said again. “You can cry.”

And cry she did.

She cried until the knots in her chest loosened, until her shoulders stopped shaking.

She stayed in his arms until her breathing slowed… and eventually, exhaustion claimed her.

By the time Lucius glanced down again, she was asleep.

“…Guess I’ll let you rest,” he murmured, adjusting her slightly so her head rested comfortably against his chest.

…

The Next Morning, Vanessa was already awake and outside, standing beside a pot over a mana-stove, wearing her usual apron.

The rest of the squad helped her with breakfast preparations before they’d start searching for the next staircase.

“Someone should go wake Lucius up,” she said, stirring the contents of the pot like a five star chef. “We need him up and energized. We’ll be moving as soon as everyone’s eaten.”

She sighed quietly to herself as steam rose into the cool morning air.

‘I may have overreacted yesterday,’ she thought. ‘Saying I wouldn’t cook for him for a month was too much. He did get us ingredients, after all… as long as he didn’t do anything stupid while getting them.’

As if summoned by her doubt, Lucius’s tent unzipped.

But it wasn’t Lucius who stepped out.

It was Rita.

She was wearing one of Lucius’s oversized coats, the sleeves hanging loosely past her hands, and her pink hair looked beautiful in the morning light.

She hugged herself as she walked out, looking oddly serene.

Every head in the clearing turned her way.

Luna blinked in disbelief.

Grimm’s mouth hung open.

Felix whispered something to Cyrus, who nearly spat out his drink.

Vanessa, however, froze completely.

‘What the…?’ she thought, eyes narrowing.

Rita noticed her and smiled sweetly. “Morning, Vani.”

Vanessa blinked. “Vani?”

“Can I join you for breakfast?” Rita asked, tilting her head slightly, the oversized coat slipping off one shoulder in a way that looked unintentional but wasn’t.

Vanessa stared for a moment. “What were you doing in Lucius’s tent?”

“He was giving me his warmth,” Rita replied simply.

“Warmth?” Vanessa repeated.

“Yes.” Rita’s cheeks turned faintly pink. “We were cuddling. That’s all.”

Vanessa exhaled, dragging a hand down her face.

“Right… of course you were.” She turned around and pointed toward a rock nearby. “You can sit there. I’ll bring everyone’s breakfast soon.”

“Thank you,” Rita said with a bright smile, walking off to sit exactly where Vanessa had pointed.

Vanessa muttered something under her breath that Lucius would’ve preferred not to hear.

Then she marched straight toward his tent.

Inside, Lucius was sprawled across his bed… he was half-covered by a blanket and completely sound asleep.

Vanessa crouched beside him and then she grabbed his shirt collar.

“I’m not cooking for you for a year!” she hissed. “Do you hear me? No… make it three years!”

Lucius blinked awake. “Huh?”

She dropped him back onto the bed and stormed out of the tent.

Lucius sat up, rubbing his head. “What did I do this time…?”

…

A few minutes later, everyone was eating breakfast except for Lucius.

He sat at a distance hovering in the air lazily.

‘A day without real food won’t kill me,’ he thought. ‘I think.’

Down below, Vanessa chatted with Luna as she served the squad, though she still refused to make eye contact with Lucius.

Rita, on the other hand, seemed entirely unbothered, eating her meal and glancing at Lucius frequently.

She would have suggested Lucius should come eat with her but with the way Vanessa was adamant against it, giving Lucius food would be a very bad idea.

Lucius shook his head. “Unbelievable…”

But his annoyance vanished as something caught his eye.

A ripple… almost invisible at first spread across the horizon.

‘That’s not good,’ he thought.

The ripple turned into a haze, then into mist, and finally into something far more recognizable.

The same pink smoke.

Only this time, it was darker and spreading fast.

“Everyone… up! Now!” he shouted, but the warning came just as the haze enveloped the camp.

The change was instantaneous.

The ground shuddered underfoot. The grass twisted, melting into a fleshy pink texture that felt alive.

The once-clear sky darkened to a murky crimson.

Vanessa’s pot toppled over, the soup inside spilling onto the ground but the ground absorbed it, bubbling slightly before returning to its fleshy tone.

“What the hell—?” Raven stepped back, his eyes darting to the ground.

The stones around them shook and eyes opened across their surfaces with teeth split open through cracks.

“They’re alive!” Felix shouted, summoning a fireball.

“This isn’t good,” Vanessa muttered, raising a blood shield around herself. “Lucius!”

Lucius was already in the air, scanning the field.

From above, the island no longer looked green and peaceful.. it looked like an organ.

And in the very center of the island, where the stream had once run, a new structure was forming.

A staircase.

It rose higher and higher, built out of the same sickly pink material as the corrupted ground, twisting like a spiral up into the sky.

Lucius exhaled sharply.

‘Why are these dungeons so exhausting?’ he thought grimly.