I Only Summon Villainesses

”Ha....”

The strange man licked his lips and stared into the dark sky before relaxing his shoulders with a savoring sigh.

He looked at me... this guy was so not human. I could bet all my stolen funds on it.

He had an extremely pale face that bore a lattice of scales, with crimson eyes that gleamed from his forehead like a dormant curse awakened. His main eyes were violet-gold, and they slithered with some cold, eerie amusement, carrying the confidence of a creature that had never known fear.

And then serpents coiled around him, one around his neck, another wrapped around his waist, and the third twisted around his right hand, giving him a vicious aura that was equal parts regal, sinister, and hypnotically dangerous.

Strangely, the moment he landed, the darkness with eyes stopped moving and started to gather around him. Even as he spoke, it was reducing.

”The Black Snow Company... again.”

He turned around, observing us all, from Tristan to Nisha, to Levi, and then to me.

”You people are beginning to become a thorn in our plans. First with the gate, now here again. Are you looking for us?”

He said with a curious and dangerous smile.

Levi, meanwhile, through all of this, stared blankly. His gaze was wide open, and his entire posture was frozen even though a very dangerous enemy had fallen in our midst.

Aside from being dead tired from the battle at the pass, my essence was at its lowest right now and was just barely managing to hold White Feather. Of course, Maggie was good, Kassie also was good; they could be summoned without the need for essence, but I doubt they would be able to use their Signature Abilities.

And with this dude I was looking at... something told me they would need to.

Everything about him was very, very, very wrong.

”It was you...”

Levi’s voice rolled out shakily.

He turned to Levi, that dangerous smile still curled on his pale face.

Levi opened his hands, and immediately, a tachi-style sword manifested in them.

Along with a cold grimace that brought a ruthless darkness to his face.

”You were the one at Greystone...”

The man tilted his head sideways, back and forth, then returned his gaze to Levi.

”Greystone? I ate many people at Greystone. Was one of them your friend?”

Levi’s gaze darkened even further.

At the same time, Tristan’s eyes widened. He seemed to be realizing something in that nick of time. His mouth opened slightly, and he muttered,

”Oh no... Greystone, Hunter’s killer?”

The next moment, though, a resolved frown settled on his face, and before anyone could move, he unleashed an amount of speed he usually had no business unleashing. The wind howled differently and blazed around with fury.

In the midst of it was how Tristan collided with the strange man and sent him skidding across the snow.

Levi’s eyes widened.

”What?”

Nisha was also shocked. She had been beside Tristan, and the moment she heard Hunter, all of her body went rigid.

She slowly walked over to Levi while a snowstorm raged before us.

”What does he mean... Hunter’s killer? You said Hunter was missing?”

Levi looked conflicted. It was the first hard expression I had ever caught on him. He was always either looking cool or unbothered, but right now, neither of those could be found on him.

He simply stared down and gritted his teeth.

”I... I was simply not sure. I wanted to confirm.”

Nisha’s eyes reddened.

”You wanted to confirm what exactly?”

The tone of her voice rose higher.

”You wanted to confirm WHAT, LEVI?!! THAT MY HUSBAND WAS DEAD?!!”

When I heard that part, I slowly twisted and turned my head, my gaze stunned.

’What? Nisha is married?’

”The least you could have done for me, Levi, after everything you put us through. The least you could have done for me was be truthful about it all.”

Levi turned and yelled back, intoxicated with anger.

”I was looking for him! Damnit, Nisha, I was looking for him! These people! I knew who they were, but I sounded crazy for it. They destroyed my family, and they killed my father. Hunter was the only one who had similar experiences; he was the only one who believed me. And he chose to do it of his own accord. Why do you have to blame that on me?!”

He turned to her, his frown pulling even tighter.

”I tried to save him, I tried.”

Nisha raised her chin. Her eyes, at this point, were already a pool of tears that refused to fall.

”No, you didn’t. If you did, you would have died instead of him. And you wouldn’t have dragged Tristan into it yet again.”

The wreckage happening before us continued to resound through the land like a destructive drum roll.

Nisha took agile steps and stopped in front of me.

The tears she had held were finally dropping.

She glanced in the direction of Tristan and the strange man’s battle and turned back to me.

”Levi is a selfish vermin, claimed by vengeance. He will go through any length to have his revenge, including using the people you love, even though he knows very well that they might never survive it.”

She sighed shakily.

”I used to trust him, you know, just like you did. I used to trust him so very much, even to the point where I got taken advantage of several times. It’s what he does. He might not take advantage of you the way he did with me, but just know, the most valuable thing you have to give, Levi is willing to take. And for me, it was my body.”

I stared at her with no words and no emotion.

”He will take everything from you, Cade.”

She glanced toward the battlefield and then began to walk away.

”Wait, Nisha, where...”

She turned back to me.

”You’re better off becoming a monster like him too. See what it does to people... vengeance. Lira would never want that for you. I didn’t know her much, but I knew she was a peaceful person.”

She continued, this time without turning back. No matter how many times I called her name, Nisha did not turn back. Eventually, she fell into the shadows and vanished completely.