Chapter 79

After that, without much conversation, Yumiera 2 said she was tired and retreated to the guest room.

In my room, I talked about her with Patrick.

"Ah... It's different from what I expected. It would have been easier if she were more evil."

"Yeah. She is too... "

"Maybe we should just have her move here... Hmm, but it feels wrong somehow."

I feel sympathy for Yumiera 2, but I'm not sure if she should be forgiven. The destruction of the world is too big to just brush aside as a thing of the past. I can't even imagine how she could make amends.

"She reminds me of Yumiera when we first met. She seems to view the world and herself objectively, as if lacking a sense of being a part of it..."

"Yeah, maybe I was like that in the past. I thought I could just escape to another country if things got bad."

That was how I used to be, but I'm different now. I have a lot more to protect and care for.

Back then, I had nothing. I could have cut off all my relationships and fled the country without losing anything.

She's probably the same. With nothing, she can go anywhere at any time.

"Huh? Thinking about it again, Yumiera 2 doesn't seem to be repentant. Does she think she wasn't wrong?"

"That's not the case."

Patrick immediately denied it. It was surprising because he usually doesn't make such definitive statements based on assumptions. He continued,

"That's impossible. She saw Yumiera, and in doing so, she saw another possibility for herself..."

"My different life is because I had memories of my past life."

"To her, that's irrelevant. Yumiera Darkness is living happily. That fact alone is enough."

I see. My existence proves that her entire life was a mistake. It unintentionally tells her that her efforts were in vain and her choices were wrong.

If she had made just a slightly different choice, she might have avoided the worst outcome. She might have been more successful than me. Just a small difference.

"I, I'm just a little... smarter, more feminine, and better at socializing. And above all, I'm stronger than her..."

"Wasn't this supposed to be a serious conversation?"

"What? This is a serious conversation. Regardless of what she thought about destroying the world, she was confronted with the fact that she was wrong when she met me. Isn't that right?"

For some reason, Patrick looked deflated. We were having a serious conversation, so why did he look like that?

He cleared his throat as if to regain his composure and said,

"Well, let's put aside the differences between Yumiera and her for now. I thought Yumiera 2 might run away."

"Run away? From me? Back to her original world?"

"No."

Given her mistakes, her lack of anything to hold onto, and her willingness to give up everything, where could she possibly run to?

I asked Patrick, who was hesitating to speak.

"Then, what is she running from?"

"...From living."

"Such a thing... can't be..."

She seemed to feel as if she was about to disappear. She had a similar aura to the old Yumiera, but there was something different. It wouldn't be surprising if she chose death.

...But all of this was just Patrick's imagination, and I couldn't dismiss it outright.

Destroying the world and dying with it, such a dramatic act, seemed absurd.

I recalled the last time I saw her. She looked somewhat satisfied after finishing her meal.

I couldn't stand it anymore and rushed out of my room.

"I'm going to check on Yumiera 2!"

No, Yumiera 2. Even though I don't know how to help her, I can't let her choose death.

I ran down the hallway. I knew which guest room she had been assigned to. It was the largest room, which was always cleaned even though no one ever used it.

I had a bad feeling. I burst into the room without hesitation.

"You're alive!?"

"...You scared me. What's your problem?"

Yumiera 2 was looking out the window.

Her black hair blended with the dark night, giving me the illusion that she was disappearing into the darkness.

Could she have been planning to jump out the window!?

"No!"

"What? What are you doing?"

I rushed to her and held her in a headlock to prevent her from jumping.

I tightened my grip from behind.

She resisted with all her might, trying to escape my hold. She was definitely planning to jump, and I wouldn't let her.

I dragged her away from the window to a safer spot before releasing her.

"Phew... I thought I was going to die."

"So you were planning to die."

"What? You almost killed me."

"Huh? Were you planning to jump?"

Wait, was I mistaken? Or was Patrick mistaken?

I felt a mix of embarrassment and relief. She sighed dramatically.

"Look, I can't die from a fall from this height."

"Oh."

Indeed. I overreacted. If she doesn't have suicidal tendencies, that's fine.

"Also, when I die, I plan to take someone I dislike with me. Isn't that amusing?"

She laughed as if she found it truly amusing. This girl is definitely a villain.

But even so, there's no one left for her to take with her, right? No one is left alive in her world.

"There's no one left for you to take with you."

"I hate you."

You don't understand? She tilted her head cutely.

I was speechless at her unexpected declaration of war. Yumiera 2 loosened the collar of her shirt and said,

"Hey, I want to take a bath."

"...Oh, sure, I'll have it prepared."

Is this the arrogance of a sub-boss? If she had acquired this level of audacity earlier, she might have had an easier life.

She started whistling happily, as if looking forward to the bath. I felt ignored.

I left the guest room with a sense of unease.

As soon as I stepped out, I saw Patrick leaning against the wall. He must have come to check on Yumiera 2.

We walked down the hallway together and talked.

"Did you hear the conversation?"

"From the middle."

"It seems I was mistaken. She doesn't seem to want to die easily."

I looked up at him. He was trying to hide it, but I could see the relief in his eyes.

I wasn't sure if it was okay to be relieved, but I didn't feel bad about it.

Then, a voice that dampened the mood. It was Remun, who had been silent since our encounter with Yumiera 2.

"That's a shame. It would have been easier if the parallel world's sister had killed herself."

"...Remun, are you a bad god?"

"Why? She's a dangerous person who destroyed a world. It's only natural to want her to disappear to protect this world."

The god of darkness is too much of a collectivist. Perhaps it's inevitable given his role as a god who manages the world, but he doesn't understand human emotions.

"Is Yumiera 2 dangerous?"

"Of course, it's obvious."

"What if she never harms anyone from now on?"

"Even then, she's still a dangerous factor. She has the power to end a world. It's a joke to let someone like that live."

Remun doesn't understand human emotions and isn't used to interacting with people.

Patrick pointed out his mistake.

"A dangerous factor with the power to destroy the world, that also applies to our Yumiera."

"Oh... But the sister is on our side, right? She would be in trouble if the world disappeared."

I finally understood his way of thinking. A thorough collectivist who prioritizes the whole over the individual. He's only being friendly to Yumiera 2 because she's a threat.

His refusal to call people by their names might also reflect his lack of seeing individuals as individuals.

"I don't think about grand things like saving the world."

"Didn't the sister have the will to fight her?"

"If Yumiera 2 hurts me or the people around me, I will fight. I only protect what I can reach."

No matter how much power someone has to destroy the world, they can't make everyone happy.

That's why I only protect what I can.

"...Well, for now, our interests align, so it's fine."

"Also, if possible, I want to help Yumiera 2."

"It's impossible. No matter how long your reach is, it won't be enough."

I was going to ask him for a good plan for Yumiera 2's future, but it seems unlikely.

But Remun has a point. Helping a parallel version of myself who destroyed a world is too ambitious.

What should I do? I don't want to sacrifice myself or the people around me for her...

While having this conversation in the shadows, we returned to my room.

"Oh, Remun, why didn't you talk before? Why did you hide from Yumiera 2? ...Huh?"

There was no response from my shadow. He seemed to have disappeared. Shadows can apparently enter and exit from anywhere, but I don't fully understand the system.

I looked at Patrick, who was staring at my feet.

"Don't make such a scary face. Remun probably left because he was scared of you."

"Yeah, sorry. But the god of darkness is a tricky one. It's not clear if he's an enemy or an ally."

"Yumiera 2 is also ambiguous."

If things could be handled in a binary way, as either enemy or ally, I wouldn't have to worry so much. But I don't want to be hostile to either of them, and it's not that simple.

In the end, will I have to fight Yumiera 2 seriously? I don't want to, even though I'm stronger.

"I need to think about things alone for a while."

"Got it. Call me if you need company."

Dear readers, please be cautious of online rumors that spread fear and anxiety.

I recently discovered a malicious rumor...

From a certain Q&A site:

Q: Is the novel "Villainess Level 99" completed in two volumes?

A: It is completed (Best Answer).

...But it's not true. Volume 3 is coming out. Don't be fooled by the category master!

Yes, Volume 3 will be released one month from now, on May 9, 2020.

The book will cover up to Chapter 3, resolving the issues with Yumiera 2. The web version hasn't caught up yet, but I'll post the final chapters this month.

Please decide whether to purchase the book after reading the web version.

I'll announce original content and store bonuses in future updates.

There's no need to go out of your way to buy it.

You can also buy it online or as an e-book. The web version is mostly complete, even without the illustrations.