Villain of Fate: The Tyrant System-Chapter 84: Whispers Behind the Smile

Whispers Behind the Smile

"Yes, I’m quite skilled. I was only working as a security guard temporarily to find a place to settle," Evan said with a charming smile.

A quiet comfort lived in his voice - simple, smooth, fitting words together like old friends meeting by chance. Standing still, yet somehow moving the air around him, arms unhurried, weight balanced on both feet. Tension was missing, erased before it could even arrive. Perhaps most telling, suspicion had no place near that face.

Yet things had actually been planned out more carefully.

A quiet look settled in his gaze, soft yet focused, watching her without rush. Though still, it carried weight - not force, but clarity, like light through glass. She noticed, not because he intruded, instead because something shifted, just slightly, in how she stood. Known, somehow. Held, even if only for a breath.

A glance he’d learned well. What that stare could do, it had done before. Something sharp lived behind his eyes. Not every person gets a trick like that. His silence spoke just then.

Move near her first thing. Then stay there a moment before speaking.

Then, stir curiosity.

He’d stick to that way, every single time.

A small shift of his head brought a slow stretch across his mouth, the curve deepening until it seemed real.

"Honestly," Evan added with a quiet chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck as if embarrassed by his own words, "I’ve done a lot of odd jobs while moving around. Security work just happened to be convenient at the time."

A breath hung in the air, heavy, still - then he broke it with words. Silence had stretched thin just before his voice returned.

"Besides... it’s not so bad," he said lightly. "You meet interesting people."

Playfulness slipped into his voice, a lightness that blurred lines between real and acted. Where sincerity stopped became hard to spot.

A creak came from the floorboards as Julian D’Aurelius stood motionless behind the ornate cabinet. His weight rested just a fraction on the dark wood frame, gaze lowered, gold-flecked eyes nearly shut. Silence did not fool him one bit - every word reached his ears without effort.

From his hidden vantage point, the entire scene unfolded like a well-rehearsed play.

Evan’s posture.

His smile.

Even the perfectly timed pauses.

Julian watched it all with a calm expression... though the corner of his mouth twitched faintly.

He almost rolled his eyes.

[Indeed, you’re not just skilled; you took the job as a security guard just to seduce women.]

Julian folded his arms slowly, gaze drifting toward the ceiling as if asking the universe for patience.

[You even thought of throwing a snake into someone’s house and then playing the hero. I’ve never seen anyone as shameless as you.]

His golden eyes slid back toward Evan, watching the man deliver another flawless smile.

It was impressive, in a way.

Disgustingly impressive.

[If you weren’t so wicked, would the Valquin household have Black Magic problems? You’re really good at acting. You should be in movies.]

Julian exhaled quietly through his nose.

There Evan was again—standing tall, looking reliable, speaking with just the right amount of humility.

Anyone watching would think he was the picture of sincerity.

Julian knew better.

[And you keep building a harem. If you love cheating so much, why don’t you try ballet?]

Julian silently mocked in his heart, arms folded casually, expression unreadable from the outside.

Across the shop, Gwen Valquin paused mid-step.

Her fingers, which had been tracing the surface of an old jade ornament, stilled.

She heard it.

A voice.

Clear. Close.

Yet no one around her was speaking.

She slowly lifted her head and looked around Ancient Pull. The air was thick with sandalwood. Zain was quietly rearranging a porcelain vase. No one else seemed disturbed.

But the voice...

It sounded familiar.

Not entirely unfamiliar.

What unsettled her more wasn’t the voice itself—

It was what it said.

Throwing a snake into her house?

Playing the hero?

The Valquin household’s Black Magic problems—caused by him?

Her gaze drifted sideways to Evan.

He stood there calmly, composed, almost patient.

Could this seemingly harmless man truly be behind everything?

Or was she simply too exhausted?

Too many sleepless nights. Too many nightmares.

Was her mind beginning to fracture?

Evan noticed her blank stare and misunderstood it completely.

In his mind, she must have been captivated.

He smiled with more confidence; the kind of smile men wear when they believe the outcome is already secured.

"Miss Gwen," he said smoothly, stepping half a pace closer, lowering his voice slightly as if sharing something intimate. "From my observation, your home’s Black Magic configuration is indeed problematic. It’s attracting negative energy."

He gestured subtly, as if sensing invisible currents.

"Relying on antiques to improve Black Magic isn’t realistic. Here—I have something."

He reached into his pocket and took out a folded yellow talisman. The paper was thin, slightly crumpled, red ink symbols scrawled across it.

He extended it toward her.

"This talisman was taught to me by a master. It took me three months to make. As long as you wear it, it will protect you from negative energy." 𝐟𝕣𝕖𝐞𝐰𝕖𝚋𝐧𝗼𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝗰𝐨𝐦

Julian nearly choked back a laugh behind the cabinet.

[You’re really good at lying. Three months to make this? More like three minutes.]

[This thing is just random scribbles, but it needs your blood.]

[Since you caused the negative energy, your blood will naturally repel it.]

[Sigh... poor Gwen Valquin. Falling for this scam, thinking this man is her knight in shining armor sent to save her.]

Gwen’s heartbeat quickened.

The voice again.

Clearer. Sharper.

It wasn’t imagination.

Someone was speaking directly into her mind—yet no lips moved.

Her fingers tightened slightly around the edge of the glass display case.

Her breathing grew shallow for a second.

Not fear.

Anger.

If even half of this was true...

If the snake incident had been staged—

If the Black Magic issue was manipulated—

Then she had been played like a fool.

She slowly looked at the talisman in Evan’s hand.

The yellow paper seemed ordinary. Cheap, even.

Her gaze lifted again to Evan’s face.

His expression was flawless. Calm. Caring. Almost noble.

Could such a face hide such schemes?

Or was she losing her mind from exhaustion?

She forced herself to steady her voice.

"You made this yourself?"

"Yes," Evan replied gently. "It took time and effort. I wouldn’t give it to just anyone."

The implication hung between them.

Gwen’s lips curved slightly. Not a smile. Not quite.

"I see."

Inside, her thoughts churned violently.

If someone was truly guiding her...

If someone was warning her...

Then she would not act impulsively.

Not yet.

Without concrete evidence, she wouldn’t confront him.

But from this moment onward—

She would watch.

Carefully.