THE VILLAIN'S POV Chapter 43 43: I love you

-Frey starlight Pov-

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"Sansa..."

I saw the princess approaching, a rare smile on her face—so unlike her usual cold deanor.

"What's wrong? Didn't expect to follow you?"

"No…"

She sat down without waiting for my response, swinging her legs leisurely as if she were enjoying herself.

"Do you need sothing from ?"

I wanted to get away from her as soon as possible. Sansa was an enigma—unpredictable and unfamiliar. I never knew how to deal with her.

And yet, despite myself, my gaze flickered toward her legs.

She wore long black stockings that reached just beneath her short skirt. The way she moved her legs, the smooth rhythm of it… It was a test of restraint for any man.

I needed to cut this short. She was a princess, after all.

At my question, she stopped swinging her legs and turned toward .

"Actually… yes, I do need you."

"Hmm? And how exactly do you need ?"

A creeping unease settled in my chest. There was a certain possibility I didn't want to consider.

Sansa played with her hair before pointing at .

"Your duel with Feyrith proved sothing important… You've changed, Frey."

"Changed?"

She nodded.

"Yes. You've beco much stronger than before."

I tilted my head, giving her a wry smile.

"And that caught our dear princess's attention?"

"Indeed. You stole the spotlight there. Who would have thought that the despicable noble, Frey Starlight, would reveal such power?"

I chuckled at her choice of words.

"Your opinion of seems to be at an all-ti low."

Sansa gave a look that said, Wasn't it obvious?

"Of course. Do you rember the ti you lured into that basent and left trapped there all day? We were only six years old… What kind of child does that?"

She was clearly enjoying herself as she brought up mories of the past—mories that weren't mine.

"And then there was that ti you wanted Seris's attention… You used to beg for help. How many tis did you manipulate into doing your dirty work? Honestly, you're the worst. You only rember that we're 'friends' when you need sothing."

"Friends?"

I cut her off this ti.

"Did you really consider soone like that a friend?"

She froze for a mont, then quickly recovered.

"I don't know…"

"Hmm."

Now, I was beginning to understand how Frey got her killed in the original draft of this story.

Despite everything… Despite knowing what kind of person he was, she continued to overlook his actions and consider him a friend.

If she was that naïve, she wouldn't stand a chance against that snake, Aegon.

"Let's put that aside… I assu you're here to secure my support in the race for the throne, aren't you?"

Seeing cut straight to the point, her expression turned serious.

"That's right. If I want to win, I need every bit of power I can gather. And sohow… you've beco a necessary force."

I shook my head.

"Sorry, but I have no intention of getting involved in this succession war."

At my response, she lowered her gaze, playing with her fingers.

"So you're siding with my brother, then?"

I frowned. How did she co to that conclusion?

"As I said, I'm not on your side or his. I don't want any part in this ss."

"There's no need to pretend. I already know about your eting with him."

I raised an eyebrow.

She knew about my eting with Aegon? The princess was more perceptive than I thought.

"I don't know what to say… You're all worse than each other, always keeping an eye on everything. It's true that I t Aegon, and he did offer a chance to follow him, but I refused."

Sansa didn't look convinced.

"You expect to believe my brother simply let you walk away after rejecting him?"

Damn it … why was she so persistent?

I sighed, deciding to lay it all out.

"No… He said he wanted to be my friend."

Sansa's golden eyes widened.

Was it really that hard to believe?

I wasn't sure what was going through her mind as she gently bit her lip.

A few seconds of silence passed before she finally spoke.

"Tell , Frey… Will you betray ?"

I frowned at her question.

"Betray you? When was I ever loyal to you in the first place?"

I muttered under my breath but stopped when I saw her frozen in place, sadness flickering in her expression.

Seeing her like that, I found myself asking without thinking,

"What's wrong? Did I say sothing I shouldn't have?"

She quickly snapped out of it and shook her head.

"No… I just didn't expect this. I suppose I'm the only one who rembers…"

I tilted my head.

"Rembers what?"

"Nothing."

She sighed, brushing the topic aside.

"Regardless of what you say, you will be forced to take part. My brother has secured the support of the Sunlight family, while I have gained the backing of the Moonlight family."

"Right now, we're both building our alliances. But the deciding factor will be the Starlight family… which ans, sooner or later, you'll have no choice but to pick a side."

My face must have darkened at her words. I was probably wearing the most annoyed expression possible.

"Spare this nonsense. I'm not even the lord of the Starlight family. What could any of you possibly want from ?"

For the first ti since sitting beside , Sansa laughed.

"It's not just your strength that has changed… Normally, you would have used this situation to your advantage. You really have changed, Frey… I'm starting to wonder if you're even the sa person."

I sighed, tilting my head back to gaze at the sky.

"The Frey you knew died a long ti ago."

She took my words as a taphor.

But I ant them quite literally.

Our conversation had reached its end. The silence between us made that clear.

I was about to let it go, but then sothing crossed my mind.

The girl in front of had forgiven the previous Frey ti and ti again… No matter what he did, to the point that it led to her death in the original story.

In that case…

Sansa was just about to stand and leave, but I moved first.

I stepped in front of her, eting her golden eyes.

She looked at in confusion.

"What are you doing?"

And at that mont, I said the words I had decided on.

"Sansa… I love you. Please go out with ."

I spoke politely, bowing my head.

For a mont, there was only silence.

Then, as expected, I saw the shock on her delicate face—quickly followed by a cold, disdainful look.

She stood up and pushed aside. Her slender hands looked fragile, but she still managed to shove off balance.

With an icy expression, she t my gaze one last ti before turning away.

"Maybe you have changed, Frey… But you're still a despicable person. I'd rather die than be with soone like you."

Without giving a chance to respond, she left.

I scratched my head, watching her walk away.

"I got rejected."

Expected.

What mattered was that I completed a system quest.

Besides, given her past with the original owner of this body, I doubted she'd do anything to .

"Now that I think about it… Frey used to exploit her to get what he wanted. And now, I used her for achievent points."

Maybe I really was a despicable person.

I sighed and glanced at the clock. The practical class was about to start.

Clearing my thoughts, I headed back inside.

None of this mattered.

I got my achievent points, and that was enough.