I, The Villainess, Will Seduce All The Heroines Instead
Chapter 143: The Trial (2)

Chapter 143: The Trial (2)

When she turned around, it was none other than Vivienne looking utterly lost as if she’d wandered into the wrong Chapter of the story.

Oh. Right.

Now she remembered.

As the novel neared its climax, Vivienne was supposed to make a dramatic reappearance after some tragic fallout. But why the hell was she showing up here, on her path?

This was supposed to happen on Evelyn’s route, for god’s sake!

"...Are you okay?" Verena asked, stepping a little closer—though she couldn’t quite explain why she was being so careful around the girl, like Vivienne might snap or sprout fangs.

Or worse, cry.

"OOMPH!" Vivienne popped up onto her knees, nose bleeding from the unexpected impact. Around them, the space was nothing but endless stone walls, claustrophobic, echoing, and ominously silent. A single hole yawned open above, like the labyrinth had spat her out on a whim. Clearly, this place doubled as a puzzle box; one wrong turn and you’d be wandering forever.

"Vivienne...?"

"OH! Uhh—" She blinked rapidly, glancing around like she’d woken up mid-dream. "Who are you... again?"

Verena exhaled through her nose.

Of course. Forgetful. Clumsy. Adorably confused. That was Vivienne’s whole brand. The "lovably airheaded damsel" trope... wrapped in doe eyes and disaster energy.

And breedable, Verena thought bitterly, then immediately winced. Gross. She wanted to slap herself for even remembering how the novel had framed her.

God, the male gaze needed to be smitten with a brick even though the novel was written by a young girl.

"Do I need to slap some sense into you?"

"AHAHA! NO THANKS!" Vivienne chirped, hands raised defensively like she was swatting away the very idea.

Verena sighed—again. Deeply. Painfully. As if the weight of the entire labyrinth wasn’t enough, now she had an unexpected side quest crashing into her path. This wasn’t supposed to happen here. This emotional detour belonged in Evelyn’s arc, not hers. And now? Bonus baggage unlocked.

"You—"

"I can leave..." Vivienne mumbled, her voice barely above a whisper. Tears welled up and spilled quietly down her cheeks. "I’m fine..."

Ah, fuck.

How the hell do you comfort a crying girl when you’re already having an existential crisis?!

"It’s okay! You’re totally not a burden!"

"Really?"

Not really.That was absolutely, undeniably a lie.

"Yep!" Verena beamed, voice pitched in mock sincerity.

"Ah... well, thanks..." Vivienne sniffled, her voice wobbling like a jelly on a plate. "I got pushed here by my teammates. They said I was too dumb..."

Of course they did.

And she was.

But no matter how airheaded, clueless, or cosmically scatterbrained, no one deserved to be tossed aside like that. From the scraps of her memories, Verena recalled that Vivienne was assigned to another Novae Covenant, one that only took her in because the professor made them. No one actually wanted Vivienne on their team.

Atleast Verena had to admit, this girl was leagues better than a teammate who did absolutely nothing. All it really took to handle her was a little patience. Just grit your teeth, smile through the chaos, and brace for the incompetence.

"You’re not dumb!" Another lie, smooth as butter. "You just need... some learning!"

"Really?... But you don’t even know me..."

Oh, she knew her far too well.

Verena had read Vivienne’s entire arc and gods, did the girl piss her off. There was something so infuriating about a grown-ass woman acting like a lost toddler. It felt like she was hand-crafted to appeal to the worst kind of readers.

The only thing that made her remotely tolerable was that tragic sob story wedged in near the end.

"Just stand up. We’ll get through this... somehow."

[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION][New Mission Unlocked!]

[Title: Stray Star Escort][Objective: Escort Vivienne safely to Evelyn’s team.][Bonus Objective: Complete the entire Labyrinth of Ascendance without losing Vivienne.][Final Requirement: Ensure team victory during the final confrontation.]

[Mission Reward:+100 Affection Points with Evelyn Unlock: "Bound Fate" Affection Milestone Bonus Lore Entry: The Lost Light of Novae]

[Time Limit: Until the final phase of the Labyrinth.]

[Warning: Vivienne’s survival and morale directly affect mission success. Protect her at all costs.]

Ah... Another babysitting quest, huh.

Dragging the girl along, Verena kept gaslighting herself into believing that everything would magically be fine once this was all over.

Just a little longer.

She just had to finish the trial, check the boxes, and maybe she’d get a moment of peace. Even a fleeting second, a couple of minutes, a day or two. Hell, she’d settle for a week.

The walls were closing in, the air was stuffy, and sweat clung to her like a second skin. But she kept going. Because if she stopped now, the universe might just throw another adorable disaster at her.

Verena didn’t have the luxury of panic.

The moment the stone corridor gave way to a jagged, open chamber filled with swirling astral mist, the beasts came.

Twisted things, all bone-white and sinew, their eyes glowing like dying stars, claws scraping against the walls with a screech that made her teeth ache.

Starborn Wretches.

Manifestations of corrupted constellations.

Vivienne screamed behind her.

Verena’s body moved on instinct. Her hand flared with Zodiacal Mimicry, threads of Leo’s golden fire spiraling up her arm as her palm blazed like a miniature sun. She thrust it forward.

"Solar Claw."

The blast tore through one of the creatures, ripping its ribs into stardust.

Another lunged from the left. She twisted mid-dodge, grabbed a fallen shard of debris, and hurled it like a javelin. Sagittarius’ aim subtly guiding her, straight into the creature’s skull.

They didn’t stop. Three more charged, faster, more rabid.

"Behind me!" she barked.

Vivienne obeyed surprisingly.

One of the wretches leapt, jaws wide. Verena slammed her foot down, activating Taurus’ ground-bind.

The earth beneath the creature erupted into stone chains, yanking it downward before it could reach her.

Another beast was already mid-swipe, its claws aimed at Vivienne’s face.

Verena slid between them like a comet, letting the creature’s claws tear into her sleeve instead.

Blood welled at her arm, but she didn’t stop.

A sharp inhale. Gemini’s aspect flickered across her form and for a brief moment, two of her moved.

One took the hit, vanishing in a burst of light, while the real Verena spun, delivering a searing uppercut infused with Scorpio’s venom.

The beast shrieked and melted.

Panting, she grabbed Vivienne by the wrist. "Keep your head down. I’ll handle the rest."

Vivienne sniffled, nodding.

There were still two more.

The labyrinth didn’t give breaks. Neither did she.

She combined Aries’ raw speed with Libra’s balance, dancing between the monsters like a flame too quick to catch. Her blade, conjured from the zodiacal threads themselves, gleamed with Virgo’s precision.

With a final cry, she drove the blade through the last creature’s core, the force of it lighting up the chamber in a cascade of shimmering constellations.

Silence returned.

Sweat dripping, breath shallow, Verena turned toward Vivienne, who looked like she was about to cry again.

"You okay?" she asked.

Vivienne nodded quickly. "Y-You were so cool..."

Verena groaned. "Great. You’re still conscious enough to fangirl."

She wiped the blood from her arm, rolled her shoulders, and muttered, "Just a few thousand more to go."

And with that, they moved forward, one disaster barely avoided, another surely waiting.

"Actually..." Vivienne paused. "I know a way to help reduce your stress."

"P-pardon?!" Verena’s cheeks flushed instantly.

Was this one of those affection events that inevitably turned into, well... those kinds of events?

She wasn’t even on Vivienne’s route! And doing something like that here, in the middle of this trial?

That was just way too kinky.

She had no choice but to firmly push the girl away if she made any advances.

Seriously, what did this smut novel think it was doing?

"Yes. My Natal Affinity can’t heal wounds, but it does help ease tension..." Vivienne’s voice was sweet.

Verena blinked, suddenly feeling a little foolish for even thinking about it. "Oh..."

Vivienne’s Natal Affinity was called Dreamtide Magic. She has a Pisces as her Sun Sign.

It flowed like water, bending perception and emotion with effortless grace, allowing her to weave illusions so vivid they felt almost tangible like stepping into a waking dream.

But these illusions weren’t just pretty tricks for the eyes.

They touched every sense, disorienting foes, stirring calm or fear, and cloaking her presence in shadowy mystery.

Beyond illusions, Dreamtide Magic gave Vivienne a subtle sway over the emotional tides around her, softly easing anger, deepening empathy, or gently shifting moods as if she were the ocean’s quiet pull.

This power wasn’t endless; it drew from Vivienne’s own well of emotions.

Her empathy, vulnerability, even pain and confusion, every feeling she connected with made her Dreamtide swell stronger, a delicate balance of heart and magic in perfect harmony.

"Okay, okay, deep breaths," she cooed, summoning a gentle swirl of illusions, soft pastel waves that smelled vaguely like bubblegum and lavender. "Just imagine you’re floating on a cloud made of marshmallows..."

"Marshmallows, are you s-" Verena instantly fell asleep on Vivienne’s shoulder.