As a villain, I just want them to behave 31

Chapter 31: What a Coincidence

Kailun opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out.

He chuckled and shook his head, gently stroking Carol’s hair.

He had intended to manipulate her, but she had turned the tables on him. He had underestimated her.

No, it was more accurate to say they had manipulated each other.

He glanced at the system interface and saw that her favorability had reached 85.

He suddenly realized that 100 wasn’t that far off. Did this mean he had a chance to obtain all of Carol’s future power?

His excitement was fleeting. He knew that making someone love him completely was far more difficult than making them hate him completely.

The remaining favorability points would be a long and arduous journey.

…

The Xiaoyao Street bustled with activity in the early morning. Men with weary faces hurried to work, skinny figures emerged from brothels clutching their waists, and peddlers openly hawked illicit potions.

Merchants replenished their goods on oxcarts, beggars staked out their usual spots, and children in tattered clothes played amongst themselves, their nimble fingers discreetly exploring the pockets of unsuspecting passersby.

Life was cheap here, as was labor. The only things of value were children with magical talent and beautiful girls. Everything else was worthless.

In the Xiya Kingdom, the average lifespan of a commoner was less than fifty years, while Rank 1 mages lived for over eighty.

The vast disparity in wealth and lifespan created an insurmountable class divide.

Anything that granted power came with a hefty price tag, making it impossible for ordinary people to even step onto the path of advancement.

Even those who managed to obtain a stepping stone were often blocked by the rigid hierarchy. To gain strength, they had to submit to the whims of the royal family.

This was the reality of the world, a reality Kailun had only glimpsed after his downfall in his past life.

“Shopkeeper Ella, you’re open so early today?”

“Have you gotten any new dresses, Shopkeeper Ella? My old one ripped, and I need a replacement.”

“Are you sure you won’t accept my proposal, Shopkeeper Ella? I’ll give you three shops if you say yes.”

Ella, a mature and intelligent woman of twenty-five, greeted her customers and admirers with a charming smile as she opened her shop.

Her efficient management kept costs low, giving her a competitive edge. In just a year, she had transformed her small shop into the largest clothing store on the street.

Her customers appreciated her affordable, durable, and stylish clothes.

Of course, at least half of the men crowding her storefront were there to admire her beauty.

Some even spent lavishly to catch her attention, like the Royal City Enforcement Squad Captain, Loston, who was currently slacking off from work.

“This one, this one, and this one. Wrap them all up.” He pointed at a rack of clothes, addressing the salesgirl.

“Right away, sir. Please wait a moment.”

The salesgirl bowed respectfully. As she prepared to wrap the clothes, Loston interrupted.

He smirked. “Actually, I meant everything except those three. Wrap up the rest. Did you not hear me clearly?”

He jingled his coin purse, emphasizing his wealth.

He had just received his salary and was feeling generous.

He believed that if he could win Ella’s heart with a bit of money, it would be a worthwhile investment.

If not for her considerable strength and mysterious background, he would have resorted to other methods instead of pretending to be a gentleman and a wealthy patron.

Faced with the powerful Loston, the salesgirl bowed even lower. “I apologize, sir. I’ll wrap them up immediately. Please wait a moment.”

“Go on, don’t be afraid. This is just a few days’ worth of my salary. It’s nothing to me.”

Loston waved his hand dismissively, trying to impress Ella with his generosity.

However, when he turned to face her, he found her engaged in conversation with a young man. If he hadn’t known that the boy was her nephew, who worked part-time at the shop on weekends, he might have had him taught a lesson.

Sensing Loston’s cold gaze, Paul lowered his voice and said to Ella, “Auntie, is he still bothering you? I told you to reject him firmly. Why didn’t you listen?”

Ella sighed. “I want to, but what if he retaliates? What if he has my shop investigated? What if he uses you and Anna to threaten me? Don’t worry about it, Paul. I can handle this. Once I earn enough money, these people won’t be able to touch me.”

She was confident in her ability to deal with these minor annoyances.

“Alright, I’ll trust your judgment.” Paul glanced at his arm, where two magic circles were now inscribed beneath his clothes.

However, he was still far from reaching Loston’s level of strength. He couldn’t even meet his gaze without feeling intimidated.

“Oh, by the way, you mentioned that Anna disappeared after going to a classmate’s house. I did some investigating, and it seems she never went there. Someone said they saw her heading east after school the day before yesterday, but no one knows where she went. I suggest you inform the academy. If something happened to her, I’ll never forgive you.”

The mention of Anna reminded Ella of her disappearance. She fixed Paul with a serious look.

“I know, I’ll report it when I return to the academy this afternoon.”

Paul nodded. He could return the forbidden scroll then as well.

Thinking of his missing sister, he cursed Kailun inwardly. With all his resources, he couldn’t even find one person. What a useless waste of space!

Ella smiled reassuringly. “Remember, Paul, family is always the most important. Strength can be gained gradually. Alright, it’s almost time to start work. Go to the back and get started. We have a lot to do today.”

“Understood.”

He made his way through the crowd towards the back of the shop.

“Clatter!”

As Paul reached the back, a luxurious carriage pulled up in front of the shop.

Ella watched in surprise as a distinguished-looking butler opened the door, and a young man and woman, dressed in expensive clothes, stepped out hand in hand.

Her eyes widened as she recognized the beautiful girl with white hair. She gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

“Carol?”

Character:

Ella