I Will Create a Good Ending for the Yandere Villainess

[Back to Lillian]

She lowered another person to the ground before slicing open their cocoon, freeing them from their captivity. She then stood up, looking over the people she had freed, who began to wake up.

She breathed a sigh.

'This was the last one.'

In total, there were around 100 people held captive here. Fortunately, except for some, they weren't injured.

Just... Hungry.

Lillian's ears twitched at the subtle sounds of a person's stomach grumbling. Her eyes softened at the sound as she thought about her own stomach; she was quite famished as well.

Unfortunately, she didn't have any food on her. Well, not enough to feed everyone here, including herself.

She then glanced to the side, looking towards a certain silver-haired woman—the person who was used as a shield by Thalrek against her stab.

She found her leaning her back against a pillar, her knees up to her chest as people crowded around her, checking on her condition.

'Silvia Von Silversteel. One of the three princesses of the North Region and the youngest of their king's five children. And was part of the bunch that were kidnapped during the invasion of the Indominable Shield Academy.'

Lillian chose to ignore her for now. She didn't see much of a reason to interact with someone of her status currently...

Although...

A princess must be rather wealthy, right...?

Lillian became irked by her thoughts. She shook her head and strolled towards the stairs up to Thalrek's throne.

She shouldn't ask for compensation for something like this. It wasn't right.

Maybe... After, if their paths crossed again.

As she was making her way towards the stairs, she couldn't help but notice the people around her whispering while throwing glances in her direction. It was as if they were scheming something.

However, Lillian already knew what it might be, so she ignored it.

She walked up the stairs and walked past the throne before pausing. She glanced at it for a moment, her gaze narrowing as a warm feeling appeared inside her heart.

She then moved on to the control deck.

She stared at the screen. That was still in peak condition, despite all that had gone on, and watched as a horrific beast wrapped itself around a sun.

'So, they are finally here...'

In the story, the button Mirage had pressed at the start of the Invasion was also a distress signal linked to the Church's system. And due to the Saint being around when it was received, he had rallied his crusaders.

Lillian gripped the edge of the control deck while muttering to herself:

"I... I should probably get an autograph..."

Saints were an incredibly "big deal" in this world. They were seen as more like celebrities in her world.

Of course, there were other kinds of celebrities, like Mirage, but he was somewhat on the lower end due to not being very active on the frontlines.

Lillian scanned the control deck and found the switch she was looking for.

After flicking it up, a portal manifested at the centre of the room, startling the people around it and causing them to back away. Lillian quickly calmed them down as she made her way down to their level.

"Through this portal, you will be transported to a random location in the Academy Realm of Louis Mana Academy."

Everyone glanced at each other, hesitant, but still willing to trust the person who saved them. However, decided to enter into the portal...

They all bent into a 90-degree bow. All in unison. They then screamed with parched and hoarse voices:

"WE ARE GRATEFUL FOR RESCUING US!"

Lillian was then immediately surrounded as they barraged her with gratitudes and offers to have her compensated. Some of the nobles had even offered her a job at their company.

Although Lillian knew this would happen, she... Couldn't help but still be startled by the blatant show of gratitude for her efforts.

She even began to feel something swell inside her eyes as she continued to hear them thank her and continue to offer her things.

She then watched as parts of the crowd parted to allow a silver-haired woman to go through.

Lillian watched as Silvia stopped right before her. She then stared into her grey eyes.

They were of the same height.

She then heard her speak:

"May we please hear the name of our saviour?"

"..."

Lillian blinked away whatever it was inside her eyes—she still needed to keep up the appearance.

"I'm just a foreigner. Not anything really special. But I'm sure you've been awake the entire time to know what I've said earlier, correct?"

Silvia stared at Lillian with a blank expression before nodding, "If you ever come to Nolstra, please do come to the royal estate, so I can have your compensation ready—"

"That wouldn't be needed." Lillian quickly interrupted before glancing at the people around her.

She held a hand to the centre of her chest—over the purple gem—and stated:

"Anyone regular person with power would have done what I did. I don't need compensation for something so mundane."

Her words seemed to spark a reaction in the crowd as their respect for her skyrocketed.

Some time then passed.

Lillian sat on the ground, leaning her back against the Beetle as she watched the last person enter through the portal.

She breathed a sigh, pulling off the mask before staring at it.

She returned her gauntlets to her Mana Realm before wiping her forehead, which was stained in both blood and sweat.

She then quietly muttered:

"We been through a lot today, huh, Beetle?"

The Beetle let out a huff before going quiet.

Lillian leaned further back into its body, staring up at the ceiling as she placed the mask against her chest.

It has been a while since she was just by herself. It was... Quiet. Peaceful... And just the right condition for her to fall asleep accidentally.

She then thought back to her earlier speech about destiny.

"Is there... Really a need for me here?"

She raised her right hand and placed it over the right side of her face.

How long has it been since she has been able to be left alone with just her thoughts? With just her... Mental state?

Since the beginning of this year... The start of her life here... She hadn't had a moment of it. Not a moment to even reflect on the countless things that had happened over the span of...

"Four months...?"

In such a short span of time, she had experienced things she hadn't experienced in her entire 24 years in her past life.

Pain. Unimaginable pain.

Something past her wouldn't have ever felt with the way she lived.

The feeling of death and the relief that came from pushing through the odds.

Something the past her wouldn't have ever felt as she remained on the sidelines and watched things unfold—a spectator in her own story.

An enjoyable school life with friends that she had been glad to make.

Something her past self couldn't have due to the crushing expectations placed on her shoulders. And despite her efforts, she was still put into a dead-end job.

She had parents in this world.

Something her past young self lost slowly as her mother became terminally ill, eventually passing, and her father following after due to severe liver failure.

This was also partially her reason for ending up at a dead-end job as she tried to gather enough money for their treatment. But unfortunately, her efforts were meaningless in the end.

As her mind began to delve into her sorrows, a certain Assassin's face flashed through her mind.

She had a love life in this world.

Something... that Melissa couldn't have as she tried to make ends meet in her rundown apartment.

'This game...'

"This world..."

She had changed so much... Her life had changed so much... And she was so glad... She was so very much glad...

And she couldn't help but think...

'Why... Why was some unimportant person like me given such a blessing? Am I that special to get a redo in life? A chance that people would kill for...?'

Was she... Actually wanted in this world?

Was it because she had managed to complete all of the achievements in the game? Was that what made her step out from the rest?

Surely, there were others who had managed to complete it sooner than her...

So... Why was it that she was blessed with such a chance?

She felt something swell inside her eyes again. But she quickly blinked it away, wiping it. With all that had happened, she hadn't yet cried.

She didn't cry from the pain she was inflicted. The pain of losing her limbs or having her bones broken and cracked...

She didn't cry when she couldn't save others because she knew that others would be in danger and in need of saving.

Ding!

"Hm...?"

Lillian stared at the system screen with her left eye, reading it.

Ding!

{The Quest, [Be a Hero or Be a Disappointment], has been completed! Congratulations.}

She sighed again, staring at the mission that involved saving people.

Had she truly gotten any stronger? Although she tried to brainwash herself with the Mask of Deceit, the moment she took it off, she couldn't feel like she was anymore...

Perhaps everything leading up to this point was just a fluke. Maybe she didn't get stronger at all and just relied on her necklace the entire time...

"A lot of people still passed away—"

Ding!

But she was suddenly interrupted.

"Huh?"

{The reward for the Quest, [Be a Hero or Be a Disappointment], is missing... It has been identified that there wasn't a reward.}

Ding!

{Lady Luck has decided to grant you a soothing and truthful reward for your efforts. You will now be awarded.}

"Eh? Awarded? Now?"

Lillian was stunned—she was going to be given the reward now?

As she was still shocked, she watched as the counter for the number of people she didn't save appeared.

But... The numbers were different.

The number of deaths, which were 910, was now...

[Total Number of people not saved [True readings]: 910 -> 439]

Lillian's lips stretched into a straight line before going shaky.

"I-I see... D-damn liar..."

Although it was a high death count, she was glad that so many survived the invasion on a scale as large as this.

Before she could say anything more...

{Lady Luck is deciding whether or not your actions have fit the requirements needed to complete the Quest she had given you.}

Ding!

{Lady Luck, after looking over the requirements, had decided that the Quest: [Defeating the Mastermind] had been achieved.}

Ding!

{The Quest, [Defeating the Mastermind], has been completed! Congratulations.}

Lillian stared at the notifications with blank eyes, which slowly widened over time. She then lowered her right hand that was covering her face and clasped it over her mouth tightly.

She then began to choke as her eyes turned wobbly.

Dropping her mask, she raised both of her hands to her eyes and began to rub them as something began to escape from them.

It was wet.

It was warm.

And...

It was relieving.

"A-am I s-strong...? A-am I really...?" Lillian choked as she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes. She couldn't let herself break down like this... Not in some place like this...

Even if her body was that of an 18-year-old girl, she was mentally 24. She couldn't cry now... She couldn't assemble a fool of herself now...

But...

Since she was alone with no one but the Beetle...

Maybe... Maybe... She could let it out?

"M-mom... D-dad... C-can you see me?" Her voice cracked, turning high-pitched as she gulped. "I-I finally did it... I finally did something... A-are you guys p-proud...?"

The tears wouldn't stop flowing out. It was never-ending despite how hard she tried to wipe them away. And as she continued to cry out, a familiar face popped into her mind.

This caused her to pause for a split second. But then, her voice grew even louder...

"M-Marionette... Am I truly strong...? A-am I really...? C-can I really be p-proud with what I am, right now...?"

... She was even more desperate for recognition.

And despite the Assassin not being here to hear it, she still wanted to voice it out.

The Beetle, who was listening to Lillian's increasingly loud voice, would've huffed to signal his displeasure. However...

He felt it would be right for him to keep silent and allow Lillian to use his body as a backrest.