The Villains Must Win-Chapter 82: Valerian Cross 1 & 2

🔸 [Half-Eaten Lollipop] – Tastes like regret. Provides absolutely no benefits.

— Price: 5 Stars

I stared at it. Then at the bunny. Then back at it.

"You’re joking."

The bunny’s ears twitched. "Hey, it’s a collector’s item!"

I pinched the bridge of my nose. "I risk my life, narrowly avoid death twice, and all I can afford is a half-eaten lollipop?"

"Yup." freeωebnovēl.c૦m

I exhaled slowly. "This economy is rigged."

The bunny chuckled, clearly having way too much fun. "Then stop being broke and earn more stars."

I squinted at him. ". . . 5 stars seems kind of low for a mission this hard, don’t you think?"

The bunny raised an eyebrow. "Hard?" He let out a dry laugh. "Oh, honey, we’re just getting started. The worlds you’ve been in? Low-level. Easy mode. Training wheels. If you want bigger rewards, you’ve got to step into the high-rank worlds—where the difficulty actually means something."

My eyes lit up with excitement. "OH! So there’s a higher difficulty?! Let’s go there right now!"

The bunny’s ears twitched. "I wouldn’t suggest that."

I pouted. "Why not?"

"Because," he said, tapping his cane against his palm, "higher-rank worlds will kill you."

"Pfft. So will the low-rank ones."

"Yes, but in high-rank worlds, you don’t just die. You suffer." The bunny gave me a pointed look. "I suggest you pace yourself. Accumulate more stars. Maybe buy something useful instead of jumping into certain doom with nothing but misplaced confidence."

I crossed my arms, still tempted. "Fine. So what’s the next world’s difficulty?"

"The first two you went to? Rank-D. The lowest of the low."

I nodded, absorbing the info. "So the next one is Rank-C?"

"Correct." The bunny smirked. "And if you get another perfect score, you’ll be able to advance to the next rank. But—" his eyes gleamed mischievously— "this time, if you fail to satisfy the villain and end up with a bad ending . . . there will be penalties."

I shivered slightly but refused to let the excitement die down. "Got it. Let’s go!"

The bunny sighed. "Fine, fine. Don’t say I didn’t warn you."

He snapped his cane against the ground—

And everything went black.

Next Stop: Vampires!

Or so I thought . . .

When I next opened my eyes, I found myself in a strange, new world. I was inside a creaky hut crammed with all manner of oddities—shelves bursting with herbs, dusty vials, bubbling potions, and mysterious ingredients. A cauldron roiled over a small fire in the corner, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Outside, the rain hammered down while thunder growled in the distance. I knew immediately: this was no ordinary realm. It was dark, ominous, and brimming with secrets.

Then the information hit me like a bomb.

This world’s tale revolved around a classic forbidden romance. The storyline centered on Stephany Cross—the fearless, spirited heroine who fell for a vampire. And not just any vampire, but one of noble lineage: Lucien Blood.

Determined to secure their happily-ever-after, Lucien fought his own kind to become the vampire prince who ruled the night, all to protect Stephany from those who would do her harm.

But of course, nothing was ever simple. Every shadow held danger, with rival vampires lurking at every turn, eager to snuff out their forbidden love. And the biggest obstacle? The story’s true villain—Stephany’s own older brother, Valerian Cross, the ruthless head of the Cross organization. His mission was clear: eradicate vampires and every dark creature that threatened humanity.

I couldn’t help but laugh. I thought I’d finally get my own vampire saga, but still ended up with a human.

But hey . . . beggars can’t be choosers.

"You’re not ready for that kind of world yet," the ever-grumpy bunny said in my head.

I grinned. "So, who am I going to be this time?"

I glanced at the only mirror in the hut, admiring my reflection. White, flowing hair; a cold, forever poker face; ashen eyes that promised untold secrets; and skin so pale it practically glowed in the dim light.

This was the look—hauntingly beautiful and deadly.

Evelyn Night—a witch with a twist. In the grand narrative, I was just a side character, a footnote who brewed potions for the Cross organization in their clandestine battle against vampires. In exchange for my craft, I was allowed to roam free in the human world.

Not exactly the leading role, but it had its perks.

"This is interesting," I mused, trying to summon a hint of magic. "This means I have the power!" I waved my arms dramatically—and nothing happened. "Shit. I can only brew potions?"

"Good luck, host. And don’t abuse your potion-making abilities if you don’t want to turn this world upside down," the bunny’s voice intoned. "Remember: in every world . . . the villains must win . . ."

The words faded in my head as I took a deep breath, the thrill of possibility surging through me. This was my first foray into a supernatural realm—and if I achieved a perfect score, I might unlock the next rank.

Who knew? The next villain I’d conquer could be a full-blown vampire or even a ferocious werewolf. Maybe I’d even be in a forbidden romance with a dragon or a demon lord!

Motivated beyond measure, I squared my shoulders. Sure, venturing into higher-difficulty worlds might be dangerous—and yes, I might end up in a rather spectacular mess—but I wasn’t about to shy away from the challenge.

Alright. Game on!

Then I heard a rustling outside. "Just in time—who could that be?" I mumbled to myself as I crept over to the door.

Peeking out, I was met with a sight that was both absurd and oddly impressive: a very tall, slender man cloaked in white attire stood there, his presence amplified by a stunning white stallion beside him. Surrounding them were a dozen or so cloaked figures on horseback—as if someone had mobilized an entire cavalry just to greet a single, supposedly frail woman like me.

The rain hammered down in a relentless rhythm, as if nature itself was adding dramatic flair. And then, with an almost theatrical flourish, the tall stranger unwrapped his cloak to reveal his face.

I gasped.