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Jun 23

Ikemen Villains Chapter 3

Prologue Translation

WARNINGS: Spoilers for new characters on the JP server below, graphic violence and gore mentioned

*Fan translation for funsies! IP owned by Cybird, translations are my own and may be inaccurate. See About page for more info.*

New characters are fully voiced for the prologue! Here is a link to a video of the prologue, so you can hear the voices and follow along!

If life were a fairy tale, what comes after the happy ending would be, “And they lived happily ever after.”

But everyone knows that such a thing can only exist in fiction. Good and evil, life and death, love and hate, happiness and unhappiness. It only takes one moment for the balance to crumble.

It happened one day, some time after I had stepped into the darkness and become a Fairytale Keeper. I had just finished a long report, and it was my first day off in a while.

In the Crown Castle dining hall, a luxurious joint banquet between Crown and Vogel began first thing in the morning. The dining table was packed full with dazzling dishes all handmade by Victor, including Beef Wellington, pies, finger sandwiches, and a seasonal fruit trifle. It was enough to make anyone’s mouth water.

Neema "It’s an extravagant feast today…!"

Victor "I wanted to reward everyone who’s been working so hard day and night. So I got a little excited."

Liam "There’s a huge selection of drinks, too. What would you like, Neema?"

Neema “I’ll have champagne to start.”

Liam “Okay, I’ll bring it over. Just take a seat.”

Roger “Ah, as your doctor I have to tell you, getting drunk in the middle of the day is bad for your health.”

Roger “So, Al, pass me a mug.”

Alfons “You’re a walking contradiction. Go get it yourself.”

Elbert “It’s right there. Why don’t you just get it for him?”

Alfons “Elbert, if you listen to this guy even once, it’ll be the end of you,”

Alfons “Have you forgotten that he’s a bespectacled egoist who gets carried away and forces his will on others?”

Victor “Now, now, let’s all get along and enjoy a delicious meal together…”

Victor “Woah, Harrison, where do you think you’re going? I’m not letting you go until you eat!”

Harrison “Ugh… you’re… too strong.”

Neema “Hehe… you're choking him, Victor.”

Harrison “Hey, you, stop laughing and give me a hand. Tsk… seriously…”

Liam “But Harry, it smells so good.”

??? “Seriously, smelling something like this is making me hungry~”

Liam “Really, teasing us with an aroma like this first thing in the morning, Victor’s such a bad man~”

Liam “Huh?”

??? “Hmm?”

(Wh… Who is that!?)

As if it were the most natural thing in the world, a mysterious man with a suspicious smile suddenly joined the conversation.

The flashy person, wearing a chinoiserie cloak, smiled and tilted his head, unfazed by the attention gathering around him. With every movement, his ornaments jingled softly.

Victor “Hello Euren, it's been a while.''

Euren "Hey, hey there! I figured everyone was probably missing me by now, so I decided to come back to England!"

Alfons "Another surprise visit, I see."

Liam "It’s rare to see you at the castle this early in the morning, isn't it? You’re usually doing dangerous business at night on the streets.”

(So, you all know each other… I'm surprised.)

William "Neema, he’s a broker who does business internationally."

Euren “My name is Euren~ Nice to meet you! I can arrange anything suit my client’s needs!”

Euren "From exquisite foreign carpets… to people and information, that is."

William "Victor and I have been doing business with him for a long time as a source of information."

Neema "So you mean… about Crown…?"

William “Ah, he knows. About the existence of the cursed ones, too."

William "It seems he’s even joined Liam and Alfons in their dangerous night time games a few times."

William "And then—"

Ellis "Oh? We have a special guest."

Jude “……Ugh.”

Euren “Ah!”

William “I hear he and Jude went to the same public school.”

Euren “Isn’t that Jude-senpai~? Yoo-hoo, how’ve you been~?”

Jude “Ugh, I’m hearing voices. Guess I need to go to the hospital. Well, see ya.”

Euren “As always, such a cold attitude♥ That’s our Jude-senpai for you♥”

Jude “Creep. Why don’t you choke on your tongue and die?”

Neema “……You two have a pretty unique relationship, don’t you?”

Alfons “Euren’s the type who gets more fired up the colder people treat him.”

Liam “If Jude were just a little nicer to him, he’d probably stop picking on him so much…”

Euren "Don't glare at me like that. Are you still hung up on the fact that I'm 0.3 inches taller than you~?"

Euren “Jude-senpai’s attitude is big enough to make up for his height, so it’s no problem at all! Right?”

Jude “How about I cut off about 3 inches right at your ankles?”

Alfons "Yeah… at this rate, it's a lost cause."

Victor “So, Euren, what brings you here today?”

Euren “Why, to meet the famous ‘Fairytale Keeper,’ of course.”

Euren “You’re the one everyone’s been talking about, right? I’ve been thinking about it for a while now…”

Euren “Yeah… You’re totally my type! Meeting you might just be fate!”

Neema “Huh?”

Euren “Hey, do you have a boyfriend? What’s your type? How about me? I’m rich, and I’d take good care of you as my girlfriend, you know?”

Neema "Huh? Uhh…?"

Roger "Hey now, that's enough pestering."

Roger "You'd better let the young lady go. Her stomach's been growling loud enough to hear all the way over here."

Euren "Huh, is that so? My bad, my bad—I didn't notice at all!"

Grateful for Roger stepping in to help, I quickly put some distance between myself and Euren.

As I watched Euren from afar, already moving on to pester another member of Crown, Lord Elbert sat down next to me and cast a concerned glance my way.”

Elbert “…Are you okay?”

Neema “Yes, I was just a little overwhelmed. Do you know that person too, Lord Elbert?”

Elbert “Ah, yes. We often run into each other at auctions for foreign antiques and art.”

Alfons "We’re constantly vying for the same items, though, so he sees us as a major rival."

Nica "Guten Tag, Crown and Robin—wait, what?"

Ring "…Is that guy the information broker?"

Nica, who had arrived late, blinked in surprise, while Ring openly displayed his wariness.

Darius "…Why is someone from Libra here?"

Darius furrowed his brows, making his displeasure obvious.

("Libra"…?)

Victor "My apologies, it was a sudden visit."

Euren “Sorryyyy. We won’t get in your way, so just think of us as a speck of dust in the corner! Okay?”

Darius "Dust doesn’t talk."

Euren “To have noticed that—wow, that’s just like you, Director. You’re really as sharp as ever today, aren’t you~?”

Nica “Flattery like that is actually refreshing when it’s taken this far, isn’t it?”

Neema “So you all know each other, too?”

Ring “Ah, Nica trades information with him from time to time.”

(So Euren has quite the network.)

Victor “Right then, now that we have a special guest, let’s get this party started!”

With Victor’s call, the atmosphere in the room turned cheerful once again.

And just as the party was in full swing…

Euren “Hey, hey, Neema-chan. Let’s go on a date sometime~ No? I’m the type who’ll do anything to dote on you, you know?”

Jude “You mean the type who clings to people like a leech, right?”

Euren, who had been wandering around and pestering various people, was trying to hit on me again when…

…A sudden new visitor appeared.

Euren "Hey, I'm serious here. Neema-chan, are you free this weekend—"

??? "Too late."

Euren “Ow!!?”

Neema “Eek!?”

Suddenly, a fist appeared from behind and slammed hard into Euren’s head.

Euren “Ouch~! You just caved my skull in!?”

??? “I don’t care. Drop dead.”

A man with a menacing glare and a criminal aura appeared from behind Euren, sending a wave of tension through the air.

(Is he someone Euren knows? That’s awfully rough treatment for an acquaintance, though…)

??? “…Huh? What are you looking at?”

As I was lost in speculation, he glared at me and I was struck by an instinctive sense of danger, as if I were being stared down by a predator.

(It would be unnatural not to look in a situation like this, but………!)

It wasn’t the kind of atmosphere where I could say something like that.

His gaze looked like he was about to kill someone, he was carrying a menacing-looking gun, and on top of that, I sensed he had other weapons hidden beneath his large, thick coat.

The instincts I’d honed during my time as Fairytale Keeper were telling me, “keep quiet.”

Victor "Hey, Zane! What brings you all the way out here?"

Neema "Huh?! You know him too?"

Alphons "Ah, is he the one?"

Elbert "The guy Victor tried to recruit for the Crown, only to get turned down outright…?"

(So, does that mean he's cursed too?!)

Roger "He's a skilled assassin, right? I've seen him at underground boxing matches."

Liam “What do you mean ‘underground boxing’? Is it some kind of illegal gambling?”

Ring “Just standing there, I can tell he’s no ordinary guy. That guy… he’s strong.”

Victor “Could it be that you’ve finally decided to join the Crown?”

Zane “……………….”

The man named Zane remained silent, giving Victor the middle finger and glaring at him.

(Giving Vi-Victor the middle finger…..)

Victor “You haven’t changed a bit.”

Euren “Hey, hey, Zane, you’re supposed to flatter and suck up to those in power so they’ll give you special treatment, right?”

Zane “Huh? I don’t give a damn about your trash business philosophy. Let’s go.”

With that, Zane grabbed Euren by the scruff of his neck and dragged him away.

Euren “Please keep favoring me~ Neema-chan, I’m not giving up, you know~~”

I watched Euren walk away, still maintaining his salesman’s smile even as he was being dragged along.

(Euren and Zane, huh……)

I thought I already knew quite a bit about the Crown and the Vogel… but…

An unknown darkness still stretched out before me. That was the premonition I felt.

Victor "Neema, wait a moment."

Just as the gathering was winding down and everyone was beginning to leave, Victor called out to me.

Victor "I’d like to have a word with you… if that’s alright?"

Neema "…Yes."

I nodded, sensing that this was likely about the visitors who had come earlier that day. Then, an unexpected person spoke up from the side.

Darius "I’d like to join you as well." Victor “………”

Darius “I think I can provide you with information that benefits you as well.”

Victor “There’s an international organization made up only of cursed individuals.”

Victor “That organization isn’t one like the Crown, formed by a partnership between a nation and its cursed individuals,”

Victor “Nor is it a research organization like Vogel, one that a nation created for the purpose of militarizing cursed individuals…”

Victor "They are a group of outlaws that the state has no collar on."

Victor

"Their name is Libra."

(Libra…)

Neema “What exactly do these people do?”

Victor “The Cursed are usually treated as criminals or the mentally ill and considered a danger to society…”

Victor "Do you remember what William told you earlier?"

Neema "Yes, of course."

Victor "Libra is an organization where the Cursed, people who tend to be outcasts in society, cooperate for their mutual benefit.

Victor “It’s a give-and-take kind of group."

Victor "They engage in charitable work for the Cursed, such as solving problems or providing support for daily life."

Victor "I hear they also mediate disputes between the Cursed."

Victor "Not everyone is actively involved in their activities, though. Some just receive support."

Victor "And apparently, quite a few members simply stay registered without doing anything, only consulting the organization for advice during emergencies."

Neema "So, Euren and Zane are members of it, too?"

Victor "That's right. You catch on quickly, Neema."

Victor "Their headquarters is in France, but they have bases all over the world."

Victor "Since the Crown operates in the UK, they haven't really interfered here much until now, but…"

Victor glanced briefly at Darius before fixing his gaze on me and speaking again.

Victor "It seems their leader has arrived in the UK."

Neema "Why is that…? Perhaps a British cursed one is in some kind of trouble and asked for help?"

(But if that's the case, it's strange that Victor hasn't received any information about it.)

Victor "We still can't figure out what their purpose is."

Victor "But… just as there is no such thing as pure evil, there is no such thing as pure good."

Victor "We've also received information suggesting that Libra has a hidden agenda."

(Libra's hidden agenda…?)

Darius “Why don’t you just tell her straight out?”

Neema “…!”

Darius “That behind the scenes, people are saying it’s ‘an organization dedicated to monitoring and killing the Cursed.’”

(Monitoring and killing the Cursed?)

Neema “……That’s the exact opposite of what Victor said their activities are just now.”

Darius “Let me tell you something, since you’re such a peace-loving person.”

Darius “People who are plotting something evil always approach you with a friendly face at first, right?”

(It’s convincing when Darius says it……)

Darius “Dying under mysterious circumstances or being killed because someone held a grudge against you… that sort of thing isn’t uncommon for the Cursed.”

Darius “If Libra is pulling the strings behind the scenes, that’s extremely infuriating, isn’t it?”

(Since I’ve only heard rumors from one side, I can’t really judge for myself.)

The fact that they have such conflicting reputations certainly suggests they’re not an organization that can be dealt with easily.

Victor “Until their true intentions become clear, I want you to stay on your guard. Got it?”

Neema “…Yes.”　

Leaving Victor’s office and walking down the hallway, I reflected on the encounters I had today.

If someone is targeting the Cursed, then the members of Libra must be met with caution.

Yet, from what I saw today, the people from Crown and Vogel both seemed to be interacting with them simply as human beings.

(I want to treat them as human beings, too.)

If you view things only through a broad lens, there are things that inevitably slip through the cracks. I had learned this firsthand from my work as Fairytale Keeper.

The incident occurred that very night. That night, fog was thick in the air, and the chilly atmosphere clung to my skin.

I had gone to the theater to see a play and make the most of my rare day off when…

(Huh…?)

On the city streets in the darkness of night I spotted William, along with Jude and Ellis.

Neema "Everyone… are you all perhaps on a mission??"

William "We've been spotted. Yeah, that's right, though it's a bit of a rough assignment for a night off."

Ellis "Seeing this lineup, you can probably guess what it is."

Jude "We're gonna crash a banquet, kick around some stuck-up nobles, pass judgment on 'em, and call it a day."

Just as there is no absolute evil, neither is there absolute good.

Those who sit in judgment of evil are, in the end, no less evil themselves.

Yet, here in London, Crown continues to "fight evil with evil" tonight. All to maintain the balance of this nation.

Neema "Since I happened to be here, I can hardly just go home now, not as Fairytale Keeper."

Jude "Huh? You went out of yer way to tag along to a bloody crime scene on yer day off? Have you lost yer mind?"

Ellis "What do you think, Will? This is supposed to be a dangerous mission with many enemies.”

William “If that’s what Neema wants to do, I’ve got no reason to stop her.”

For a dinner party, an eerie silence hung over the entrance hall.

Neema “It’s a pretty grand mansion, so it’s strange that there aren’t any maids in sight…”

Despite my hesitation, the Crown members stepped into the mansion.

And the moment they opened the dining room door, a scene so shocking it was hard to believe my own eyes laid before me.

Silent corpses lay scattered across the floor, surrounding the long dining table.

Neema “What on earth…?”

And there on top of the dining table lay a man and a woman, dead and entwined.

The man had a sword driven into the stomach of the woman who was draped over him. The woman, in turn, had plunged a knife into his chest.

What was eerie was that they had died with their lips pressed together, as if they had been longing for one another.

To my eyes, that scene looked as if two “lovers” had killed each other.

Ellis “…They’re dead, aren’t they?”

Jude “A dinner party for the dead? What terrible taste.”

??? “The dinner party is over.”　

Without warning, a voice echoed, and I snapped my gaze toward it.

Only then did I realize that a man was sitting alone at the head of the long dining table.

He was a man of striking beauty; though he was merely sitting there, gazing at me with his fingers interlaced, I felt a tension so sharp it was as if a blade were being pressed against my neck.

William “It’s been a long time, Lucien. I heard rumors that you’ve come to London, but I didn’t expect to meet you in a place like this.”

Lucien “You haven’t changed, William Rex.”

(Is this person… someone William knows…?)

Hearing the familiar-sounding greeting, Jude and Ellis glanced over to see if they recognized the man, but their eyes were fixed on him with wariness.

William "…It seems you still dislike small talk. Let me get straight to the point. Why were they killing each other?"

Lucien "Because it was foreseen that they would disrupt the order. There is no need to discuss any other reasons here."

His blunt words sounded devoid of emotion regarding the grave matter of death.

(The way he speaks… it’s as if he was the one who judged them…)

(Even though he doesn't have a single drop of blood on him.)

Why is he sitting calmly in this space in the first place?

(Was he sitting here, watching as they fought each other to the death?)

The moment I had that terrifying thought, our eyes met, and I felt a shock run down my spine.

Jude “…The target’s dead, so the mission is over. I’m heading back.”

Euren “Huh, you’re leaving already, senpai?”

(Huh? That voice…!)

When I turned around, two figures were standing at the entrance to the dining hall. One of them was Euren, the shady broker I met at Crown Castle.

The other person is Zane, who is rumored to be a skilled assassin and the one who punched Euren and dragged him away.

Euren “Since you’ve come all this way already, let’s chat a little more, okay?”

Euren "Right? You think so too, don't you, Neema-chan?"

Zane “…Why’s a woman even here? She’s in the way.”

The two showed no surprise at the scene before them, wearing the same expressions they’d had when we had met earlier that day.

Lucien "Euren, if you came here just to make idle chatter, then leave. You're an annoyance."

Euren “Ah, that’s so mean~. But that cold attitude of yours is still the best~♥”

Euren “Don’t worry, I was working hard, you know. Right, Zane? I did my best, didn’t I~?”

Zane "Shut up. Don't talk to me, you annoying piece of trash."

(Euren and Zane are both members of Libra and seem to know each other.)

(And then there’s that rumor William mentioned about someone visiting London. Could it be this man…?)

William "He is Lord Lucien Morsandre. A nobleman from a distinguished French family." William “He’s the man currently in charge of Libra.”

(Just as I thought…!)

According to what Victor had told me, Libra’s activities consisted of charitable work for the Cursed, solving their problems and providing daily living support.

But if they were involved in the scene before my eyes, I couldn’t possibly see them as a “charitable organization.”

William “Would you mind telling me why you came to England?”

Lucien “Why should I tell you that?”

Lucien “I came to do what needs to be done. That’s all.”

As Lucien answered with a few terse words, he stood up and walked over toward us.

As he came closer, I realized just how tall he was and I instinctively held my breath at his overwhelming presence.

William and Lucien’s gazes locked.

A murderous intent sharp enough to pierce skin lingered for a moment, then vanished.

William “If you’re going to operate in England, don’t forget that you’ll be under Crown’s surveillance.”

Lucien “Do as you please. I’ll do as I please, too.”

William “Since you’ve gone to the trouble of coming to England, shall I invite you to the castle sometime?”　

Lucien “If it’s necessary, we’ll come to you.”

As they finished this superficially friendly conversation, their tense gaze finally drifted.

At the same moment, I felt a cold stare fix upon me.

Lucien “I’m interested in you, too. ‘Fairytale Keeper’ Neema.”

(…Me?)

I widened my eyes, not expecting to be someone he’d be interested in as a human with no curse.

Immediately, William and the others stepped in between us, blocking his piercing gaze.

William “Unfortunately, she’s a top-secret asset of the British government.”　

Jude “Let’s go home, Neema.”

Ellis “…I’m sorry. You’ll have to give up on trying to investigate Neema.”

With the three of them shielding me, I left the scene.

Euren

“Wow, she’s really well-protected, isn’t she… Are you sure it’s okay to let her go?”

Zane “Do we actually need to find out more about that woman?”

Lucien “Leave it alone.”

Lucien "…We’ll be seeing each other again soon enough, anyway."

Libra- what exactly are they after?

Little did I know…

…Learning that would be the trigger to upset the balance of both Britain and of my own world.

In the pitch-black darkness, the sound of a broken clock’s hands echoes.

With cold fingertips, the man traces over the “list” that had been tossed carelessly on his desk and mutters to himself.

Lucien "They’ve grown too powerful."

Lucien "It’s time to close the curtain on this fairytale."

Notes:

I've been working on this for houuuurs but now I need to do some errands, so I'll add stills to the text later.

I loooove domestic Crown shenanigans! was just thinking about how Euren would probably annoy the hell out of Jude, and now it turns out they were classmates! Beast-boy Zane is huuuuge as a sprite. I think he and Euren are going to be my favorites from the new group, but I am always surprised with each character so maybe Lucien will grow on me more. That's why his titties are so big, they're full of secrets~ All I think when I see him is this.

So much mystery, I really can't wait for the sequels to release! It's finally summer for me, so I will be catching up on past projects to be ready for the new routes!

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