I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

Chapter 66 [Demon Subjugation Exam] [4]

Ludivine allowed herself a small smile of satisfaction. But it froze the moment she lowered her gaze.

From her vantage point in the tree, she spotted someone leaning casually against a tree trunk below. A lone figure, completely at ease, as if he had no care in the world.

Leon Cromwell.

It was really him.

Though his eyes were closed, it was impossible to discern if he was truly asleep or merely feigning rest.

Yet, for reasons she couldn't quite articulate, Ludivine felt something like tension gripping her.

'It's like before...'

Her instincts screamed at her to be wary, as though a part of her recognized danger in his presence. But why?

At first glance, there was nothing outwardly threatening about him. He lay there, unmoving, seemingly unaware of her scrutiny. By all accounts, she should have felt safe—he was at a reasonable distance and appeared entirely at ease. Yet, she couldn't shake the unease prickling at her nerves.

It was almost as if she was... afraid of him.

But perhaps there was merit to her caution. After all he was currently the first ranked.

And there he was, lying peacefully. No effort to guard himself, no signs of vigilance. Could someone of his standing truly afford to be so careless? It didn't add up. Anyone else in his position—Ludivine included—would have been constantly pushing, striving to maintain their lead over the competition.

He was strange.

That much was undeniable from Ludivine's perspective.

Truly strange.

She stood frozen, torn between her instincts and curiosity as she tried to decide what to do next.

Finally, she stepped forward.

Silently and carefully.

As she crept closer, the sound of his measured breathing grew clearer. Still, there was no reaction from him. He remained as still as a statue, further convincing her that he was simply asleep.

It was then she noticed something unexpected.

Ivan's usual scowl, the one that seemed etched permanently into his face, was gone. In its place was an expression of tranquility. He looked... peaceful.

She found herself studying his features more closely. He wasn't classically handsome—not in the polished, striking way Lucas or Travis were—but there was something compelling about him. Something different.

'He's much better to look at when he's silent and still,' she mused inwardly.

Her gaze drifted downward, catching a glimpse of something barely visible beneath his shirt. A pendant? No, not just that—something dark dangled alongside it, hidden partially by the fabric.

She frowned. It seemed... familiar somehow.

'It can't be...'

"You're just a beginner with the bow. How did you manage it?" She continued to ask. Maybe he had some kind of secret technique with the bow, a skill she could learn. The thought interested her, and she wanted to see firsthand how he handled the Demonic Entities.

Still, Ivan ignored her.

Ludivine sighed, recognizing the futility of her questions. She was beginning to understand what kind of person Ivan was—aloof, distrustful, and profoundly antisocial. At least she'd tried.

What did bother her, however, was his complete lack of remorse for hurting her. The faint marks of his fingerprints were still visible on her wrist.

Then again, maybe she owed him an apology too. She'd tried to touch something that clearly didn't belong to her, something obviously important to him.

"I apologize for my rude behavior earlier," Ludivine said finally.

Ivan slowed slightly but didn't stop walking.

She continued, "I shouldn't have tried to touch it. Whatever it was... it's clearly significant to you."

It wasn't much, but it was a start—a gesture of acknowledgment for crossing a boundary.

Unfortunately for her, Ivan was not the type to care about apologies or explanations. Whether she had tried to touch his Cross or not was irrelevant to him. What truly irritated him was how she had disrupted his thoughts, shattering the brief moment of peace he'd managed to steal.

And now he was stuck with her.

'What a miserable day.'

As if the exam's childish setup weren't bad enough, he now had to babysit Ludivine.

Her presence was, of course, no coincidence. She was heading deeper into the forest, the same direction as Ivan, because she believed that's where the strongest Artificial Demons lurked—where the highest Points could be earned. She likely assumed Ivan was going there to secure his place at the top of the leaderboard.

But she was very wrong.

Ivan had a much more selfish purpose in mind. If not for that, he might have seriously considered skipping the rest of this ridiculous test or simply resting until it ended.

Ludivine, meanwhile, had fallen into silence in resignation. It was useless to get angry at him. Ivan wasn't the type to respond, let alone care.

'I should just let it go...'

She resolved to part ways with him as soon as she could. Truthfully, she wasn't one to talk so much anyway. The only reason she'd been so insistent was her curiosity: How could someone ranked 77th in the Overall Rankings for First-Year Elites suddenly climb to First in this exam? It defied logic.

The two walked in silence for the next five minutes, the awkward atmosphere growing heavier with each passing step.

Finally, Ludivine decided she'd had enough. Without a word, she prepared to take a different path, eager to escape this stifling situation. But as she turned to leave, her gaze was drawn back to Ivan, who had stopped abruptly.

She hesitated. Continue your saga on empire

For a fleeting moment, she thought he might be about to acknowledge her earlier apology—or even offer one of his own. But that hope was dashed as she noticed his attention was focused elsewhere.

His gaze locking on a shadowy figure emerging from the underbrush.

"You saw me?"

The words sent a shiver down her spine as a cloaked figure, clad entirely in black, stepped into view.