I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

"The tears of a woman like you are precious," he muttered. "They shouldn't be wasted on—"

Before he could finish, Luna-Evelyn suddenly pulled him into an embrace.

The gesture took Adam completely off guard. His body stiffened, his mind blanking for a moment.

"T-Thank you…" She whispered, her trembling fingers clutching at his coat like he was the only thing keeping her upright.

Right now, she seemed so different from the composed and confident woman he had come to know—fragile, vulnerable, as if a single gust of wind could shatter her. Was it because he had taken down Krainel when she couldn't? Or was it simply because, unlike everyone else, he had treated her with kindness?

People admired her, but admiration couldn't erase the truth—she had been raised by Krainel. That fact clung to her like a shadow, whispering that no matter what she did, she was still tied to him. She had hesitated when it came time to end him, unable to sever the last thread of the man who had raised her. Deep down, a part of her feared she was just as tainted as he was.

But Adam… Adam had never looked at her that way. From the very beginning, he had never judged her for it. He had supported her, reassured her in his own way, and, more importantly, he had meant it when he said she was a good person. And right now, those words were all she had needed to hear.

Adam stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

It had been so long since someone had held him like this. He could feel her warmth against him, slowly seeping into the cold spaces within him. Luna-Evelyn wasn't crying, but her teary eyes and quivering lips made something shift in his chest—something unfamiliar.

He didn't understand it.

All he knew was that he needed to do something, so—hesitantly, awkwardly—he raised his hand and patted her back.

What was he supposed to say?

Why was she thanking him?

Surely, it wasn't just because he had helped defeat Krainel… That didn't seem like enough of a reason for her to cling to him like this.

Before he could puzzle through it any further, an irritated voice cut through the moment.

"Have you two finished?"

Adam turned to see Lyanna standing there, arms crossed, looking truly upset.

She was clearly displeased, and he had a good idea why—after all, she was the one who had landed the final blow on Krainel, yet somehow, she was the one being completely ignored.

Adam and Luna-Evelyn stood there, wrapped in each other's arms like lovers who had just defied death together. The sight made Lyanna shift uncomfortably. She had never given much thought to love or marriage, but seeing the two of them like this… she couldn't deny a tiny flicker of envy creeping in.

Before she could dwell on it, another familiar voice rang out.

"Wow! What's going on here?"

Ophelia's voice rang out as she joined the group, her wide eyes darting between Adam and Luna-Evelyn. The others, already frozen in shock, didn't know how to react.

"H–He actually did it…" Julius muttered, still trying to process the scene before him.

Luna-Evelyn—the Ice Queen of the Elite Order, known for her untouchable beauty and cold, unreadable demeanor—was hugging a man. Not just standing near him. Not just exchanging words. But clinging to him like he was the only solid thing in her world.

Stephen grimaced. "And here we were, worried that something happened. Turns out, they didn't even need us in the end. They just needed some time alone huh?"

Hearing the voices of her teammates, Luna-Evelyn quickly stepped back, her cheeks tinged with an uncharacteristic shade of pink.

"I apologize…" She mumbled.

"For what?"

When she lifted her eyes to meet Adam's, she found nothing but quiet curiosity. He wasn't upset. He wasn't mocking her. He was genuinely wondering why she felt the need to apologize.

Her heart skipped.

She placed a hand over her chest, confused by the erratic rhythm beneath her fingers. Her lips parted as if to say something, but no words came. She didn't understand what was happening to her.

"N–Nothing," she finally muttered before brushing past him, her gaze settling on Krainel's unconscious form.

Lyanna crossed her arms and sighed. "You can take him to New Earth, but before that, we need to interrogate him personally—just in case, for the wedding."

Luna-Evelyn gave a small nod. "Understood. And… thank you for your help."

Lyanna smirked, tossing her hair over her shoulder. "It wasn't that hard."

Adam, who had been watching her quietly, suddenly stepped closer. His expression was unreadable, but there was something oddly serious in his movements.

"W-What?" Lyanna asked, wary of his sudden attention.

Without a word, Adam reached toward her waist.

"Hey! What do you think you're—" She caught his wrist before he could touch her, her reflexes sharp as ever.

But Adam simply glanced down at where his hand had been headed.

"You're hurt," he said.

Lyanna blinked and followed his gaze. Sure enough, a shallow but bleeding cut stretched across her side, blood seeping through the fabric. It must have happened during the fight, but in the chaos, she hadn't even noticed.

Adam met her eyes again. "It needs immediate treatment."

"I can handle it myself. It's not even that serious," Lyanna said, brushing off the concern.

"No," Adam replied, already pulling out a scalpel. "It needs treatment right now. Krainel's Corruption is trying to seep into the wound."

Lyanna's eyes widened. "W-What?!"

"It's Asmodeus' Corruption," Adam clarified. "If we don't remove it immediately, it'll spread. Take off the armor."

Lyanna swallowed hard, her body tensing.

"T–Take off, you say…"

"Now," Adam nodded, brows furrowed. He didn't understand why she was hesitating when it was clearly a serious issue.

Before Lyanna could respond, Ophelia clapped her hands together. "Alright, both of you—turn around."

Julius and Stephen exchanged glances but complied without argument, turning their backs.

Lyanna lingered for a moment, still hesitant. But when she met Adam's gaze— truly serious, and completely focused—she sighed and relented. Unclasping her armor, she let it fall away, revealing a thin white underdress.

Then, rolling up the fabric until just below her chest, she exposed her toned, battle-hardened skin. Every line of muscle spoke of years of intense training—she had always prided herself on her strength, never once doubting her ability to stand alongside the strongest.

But right now, she was painfully aware of the situation.

For some reason, she expected Adam to react—maybe a glance of acknowledgment, a comment about how strong she was, or even mild admiration. But he gave her nothing. His eyes remained locked on the wound at her waist, completely uninterested in anything else.

Without hesitation, he pressed the scalpel lightly against her skin.

"Ughn…" Lyanna gritted her teeth, suppressing a groan, but she didn't stop him.

Adam wasn't cutting her—he was extracting the Corruption, carefully drawing out the tainted energy. Because he carried a Devil inside him, he had the ability to manipulate such things, removing the impurity with precision. His Stigma flared subtly as he worked, but he was so meticulous that Lyanna barely noticed anything beyond the light sting of his movements.

Meanwhile, Luna-Evelyn and Ophelia worked on securing Krainel, binding him in reinforced restraints designed to suppress any demonic influence. The metal cuffs gleamed, pulsing faintly as they locked into place, ensuring that whatever remained of Krainel's power was completely sealed.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Adam withdrew his scalpel and reached for a syringe.

Before Lyanna could process what he was doing—

"Aghn—!"

A sharp, high-pitched sound escaped her lips as the needle pierced her skin. The noise was so uncharacteristic of her that she instantly stiffened, horrified by the reaction she had just let slip.

Ophelia blinked. "…Did you just squeal?" Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

Lyanna's face burned red. "Sh-Shut up!"

"Don't move," Adam muttered, frowning as he steadied the syringe.@@novelbin@@

"W–What exactly are you injecting me with?" Lyanna asked, her voice laced with panic.

"It's just a precaution," Adam replied. "Some remnants of the Corruption might still be inside your body. This will eliminate them completely and speed up your recovery."

"A little warning next time would be nice," Lyanna said with a glare.

"There likely won't be a next time," Adam said flatly as he finished tending to her wound, sealing it with a plaster before standing up. "I'm leaving."

Lyanna blinked. "Oh? You're not staying for the end of the wedding at least?"

Despite everything, the wedding had been salvaged. The city had suffered some damage, but nothing that couldn't be rebuilt. The ceremony would still reach its conclusion.

Adam shook his head.

"We'll be leaving as well," Luna-Evelyn added, stepping forward. "Our mission here is finished."

Lyanna sighed, rolling her dress back down and fastening her armor. "What a shame." She glanced at Luna-Evelyn. "So, you're heading back to New Earth then? I guess that means we'll likely never see each other again."

It was the truth.

Luna-Evelyn and her team were part of the World Order, handling high-priority cases in New Earth. The only reason they had come to Arcadia was because of Krainel Salvador's presence. Now that he had been dealt with, there was no reason for them to return.

Lyanna turned to Adam. "What about you? You're from Aurion, right?"

Adam stared at her for a brief moment before answering. "We're unlikely to meet again."

It was better this way. Seeing her in Aurion would only create unnecessary misunderstandings—and worse, it would increase the chances of his lies being uncovered.

Lyanna scoffed, crossing her arms. "It's not like I'd go out of my way to see you."

Adam said nothing.

But Luna-Evelyn… she quietly looked at him.

That was right. She was going back to New Earth.

After today, her chances of ever seeing Adam again would be close to zero.

She should have accepted that.

But unfortunately—or perhaps fortunately for her—Adam had no intention of letting Luna-Evelyn waste her talents in a world at peace…