I Am A Villain

During the flight, I kept having a bad feeling, so I thought about how to fight the mages. I had no delusions that they will just let me go and I had no intention of letting them go either. The information inside their brains is way too valuable. The basics of conducting magic research, the basic magic of the church. They must have at least a little knowledge so this trip was going to be worth it either way.

Soon I got close to a village. I stopped by and checked if anybody had seen the people of the church. Turns out that many had heard about the personal guard of King Arthur. It was mostly fascination mixed with a little fear. I have to say, it felt good to be recognized for something you do.

The villagers were eager to give me information, hoping to be of a little use to their King. That was when I realized it. Artoria was loved, praised, and backed up by the people… I on the other hand was and will always be a killer, putting himself before others.

'Once more I realize how different we truly are… hah..'

'…Why am I so obsessed with her?!'

'Now is not the time for this, time to focus on my current target. I don't know how effective their magic will be on my body but if it is divine power granted to them by god I might be in trouble. If it is simple magic it shouldn't be very difficult to manage.'

…

After another two hours, I was able to locate the traveling party of the church. Slowly I came from behind the woods and stopped in front of them.

There were 15 knights and 5 priests totaling 20 people.

Priest: "Who are you?"

Zero: "Are you the people of the church?"

Priest: "Yes, now introduce yourself."

Zero: "My name I not important, my role is. I will be your executioner for today."

As soon as I started talking I created 20 light spears and sent them straight towards the unprepared people of the church. Ten knights fell immediately and so did 2 priests. Now the rookies were out of the game.

'2 priests moved their hands and chanted, the 3rd didn't. This must mean that he is wearing enchanted gear. I would have felt it if he had a shield around himself before starting combat. As for the knights, they are all probably wearing enchanted gear. Only one reacted in time and raised his hand though and this means that he is either the most experienced or the most powerful. Either way, they are the ones to watch out for. The others, I can see coming from a mile away.'

'More than I imagined survived… plan B it is.'

Suddenly I launched towards the priest group. The knights were quick as well as they intercepted me. As they came face to face with the knights I did something unexpected. Instead of raising my sword, I raised my empty left hand.

Zero: "Order."

Suddenly the knights froze and I accelerated again toward the priests.

High-Priest: "Too late."

The little distraction that the knights provided was enough for the priest to prepare his magic and blow me 30 meters away using a spear of light. No, it was a spear of magic power, it wasn't the same one angels and fallen use. While it didn't do much damage it still pushed me this far.

As I was about to get up chains came forth from the ground chaining me up. I tried to struggle but it was meaningless.

High-Priest: "You are merely a low level fallen, you can't break the chains with your power so just come quietly. Using a sealing scroll just for you, you should be honored." – he said as he started coming closer.

True, physical force wasn't getting me out of this and magical power was too low… but what if I use supernatural power?

Zero: "Order."

The chains immediately broke and I was free.

'My territory, my rules.'

High-Priest: "How…, it doesn't matter. You are still no match for me."

'That is also true in the magic department, he has more knowledge, he used reinforcing magic on his body so he can react to my fast movement but there is still something I have over him. He was now inside my territory.'

Zero: "I don't like the way you talk."

The High priest raised his arm in preparation to either attack or defend.

Zero: "Nor do I like your arm."

As soon as I finished a sword flashed and the High Priest's arm was cut, followed by the 2 other priests who had their magic aimed at me, making them experience a backslash.

High-Priest: "Agh… Jacob, what are you doing?!"

Indeed, the knights who tried to block me were the ones to attack. They grabbed the priests and brought them to their knees in front of me keeping them pinned to the ground and blocking their mouths.

Zero: "Now let me see what you know."

High-Priest: " The church is not going to let this go…"

Zero: "Yeah, yeah I can guess how it goes so just go and meet your god now."

As I said that I consumed the priests one by one. Now only the knights remained.

Zero: "Your turn."

Knights: "Yes my lord!" – said the knights as they kneeled.

And so one by one the knights were consumed just like the priests. Truly they were more powerful than me. Where I to fight the high priest one on one I would probably win on sheer endurance… but I am not that addicted to chivalry.

'They are right… chivalry is dead, or am I the one killing it given that I am the first to say it in this world?'

Anyway, the church seems to be quite separated at the moment, probably the reason no one came to retrieve Artoria's sword as some kind of holy relic or some other bullshit excuse. Either that or I have read to many novels.

'Anyway I better make my way back to Camelot, I have been having a bad feeling all day. I thought it was because of these guys but it doesn't seem to be so.'

…

As I arrived at Camelot something seemed to have happened, everybody was on high alert, and there wa s a heavy atmosphere in the castle. I immediately went to Artoria's room.

Joseph was keeping guard, a heavy expression on his face.

Zero: "What happened?"

Joseph: "Sir Mordred challenged King Arthur to a duel… to death. The King won, but… she was wounded badly. The doctor doesn't believe she is going to recover."

I slowly tightened my hand

Zero: "Has anyone been inside?"

Joseph: "Lady Guinevere was adamant that only she, her healer, and my lord are allowed inside."

Suddenly I remembered something and my hand caught Joseph by the neck. The story had certainly changed, Guinevere was supposed to betray Artoria, then betray Mordred and let both of them fight it out. Was she behind him this time as well? Also how come it was this convenient?

Zero: "… how come, the only day since the start of this entire season that I was away they dueled. Care to tell me, Joseph? Because from my point of view somebody sent me away on purpose."

Joseph: "… ack… for… forgive me, my lord… His highness ordered it… and he tasked me with it!!!"

I had no reason to believe him… and no reason not to believe him. If one of Artoria's knights was against her she wouldn't want me to intervene.

Zero: "… THAT IDIOT!"

As I got angry I punched the wall.

All of a sudden Guinevere came out of the room. Seeing both of us she turned to me.

Guinevere: "He wants to see you."

'I don't know if you had a hand in his or not…'

As I went inside the room I changed in my normal form. Artoria was laying in the bed, eyes barely open.

Artoria: "Zero."

Zero: "Why did you do it?"

Artoria: "Would you have stayed out of it if I asked you?"

Zero: "…no."

Artoria: "… it was nice, having somebody who sees me for who I really am."

Zero: "I can save you."

Artoria: "I lived a good life… not the best one, not the happiest one, but a good one."

Zero: "I want you to stay with me."

Artoria: "but you also know I will only drag you down."

Zero: "…yes."

After lecturing her she was now lecturing me. I knew it myself. Artoria would only drag me down. She was a human and her life was limited, her strength was limited, be it mental or physical.

Zero: "In this world, at this time, I met you, I got to know you, and I fell in love with you."

Artoria: "Haha… Perhaps in another world, in another time, I wouldn't mind… falling for you once more."

As we laughed and spent these last few minutes next to each other, the time quietly passed and Artoria's heart eventually stopped.