I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist

Chapter 130 Charlie Dust Again Bullied

"W–Why am I kidnapped again?!" Charlia Dust was doing his best to hold back tears.

It had been over four months since he was first abducted by Gevurah to broadcast the infamous 'wedding of the century'. The union between Gwenyra Pendragon, First Princess of the Britannia Empire, and Ivan Zakharovic Kozlow, Supreme Commander of the invasion that brought Camelot to its knees, was nothing short of a historical shockwave. Camelot, once celebrated as one of the strongest cities in the world, had fallen, and the entire Holy Continent was reeling.

For Charlie, the whole situation was surreal. He knew some of the behind-the-scenes truths about this power play, but he never imagined Gevurah would be capable of such a calculated move. He'd always thought of them as zealots who destroyed everything in their path for the sake of their twisted faith. Instead, they orchestrated a forced but shockingly peaceful marriage. It was a move no one had seen coming, least of all the Holy Continent.

The Holy Lumiera Empire, unsurprisingly, didn't take it well. To make matters worse, during the live broadcast of the wedding, Arthur Pendragon himself was shown smiling. The fallen king looked genuinely delighted to see his daughter in a wedding dress, despite the grim circumstances. And honestly, who could blame him? If anyone were in his shoes—watching their daughter marry in the aftermath of such devastation—they might feel the same bittersweet pride.

When Camelot fell, Arthur had braced himself for the worst: the annihilation of his entire family. That's how conquerors usually operated, wiping out old royal bloodlines to start fresh. But Ivan did something completely unexpected. Not a single member of the Pendragon family was executed. It felt like a miracle. Anyone else would have wiped them out without hesitation, but Ivan charted a different course.

Still, the psychological toll on Arthur was immense. His crushing defeat and the humiliation of Camelot's fall left him a shadow of the steadfast ruler he used to be. His emotions, once tightly controlled, now slipped through cracks in his demeanor. This vulnerability, however human, didn't sit well with the Holy Church of the Savior back in the Lumiera Empire's capital. To the Pope and his followers, Arthur's display of emotion—and the apparent acceptance of this unholy union—was akin to spitting in the Church's face after they had blessed the Pendragons.

After the whirlwind of events surrounding the wedding, Charlie had made himself a solemn promise: never again would he set foot in the Holy Continent again. It just wasn't worth the risk. Unfortunately, fate had other plans.

Once again, he found himself kidnapped, and to his dismay, the culprits were all too familiar. Standing before him were Laura and Jostin, two notorious members of Ivan's Legion. Their smug expressions told him this wouldn't end well.

"Been a while, nerd," Laura greeted, smirking as if this was some kind of casual reunion.

Charlie's face fell. "P–Please! I did everything you asked! I broadcasted the wedding to every kingdom on the Holy Continent, and even beyond! Everyone saw it! I went above and beyond to make sure you wouldn't need me again—"

"Watch your tone," Jostin interrupted with a cold stare.

"...!" Charlie immediately shrank back, his brief burst of courage vanishing.

Laura grimaced in disappointment. "You almost looked respectable for a second, but nope. You're pathetic. Are you even a man? Or is there, like... nothing going on down there?" She asked, with a light kick to Charlie's crotch.

"H–Hey! I–I am a man!" Charlie replied, crawling back in panic.

"Whatever." Laura shrugged. "The Emperor of Britannia wants something from you again. Seems you're not as useless as you look after all."

Charlie gulped. "W–What does he want this time?"

"There's another marriage coming up in two weeks," Laura said, scratching her head as if trying to recall the details.

"What marriage?" Charlie asked.

"The one between Lunaria and Solaria," Jostin spoke up.

"The Imperial Prince of Lunaria and the Imperial Princess of Solaria!" Charlie blurted out, recognition lighting up his face. He was well aware of the event. While it wasn't the biggest news on the Holy Continent, over on the continent of Zelandia, it was the story of the century.

"Yeah, that's it!" Laura said, snapping her fingers as if she'd just remembered.

"I assume Daily Arcadia, one of the most famous news outlets in Arcadia, will be covering such a monumental event?" Jostin asked, his gaze fixed on Charlie.

"Of course we are! I've been preparing for it for weeks!" Charlie answered instinctively, only to freeze when he noticed Laura's smirk widening. A shiver ran down his spine.

"That's even better," Laura said, her smirk widening. "You're going to prepare yourself in Camelot!"

Charlie blinked in shock. Prepare himself? In Camelot? So he had to stay there for the next weeks? That was the last place he wanted to stay!

Originally, they had planned to use him to sniff out the right people for invitations to the wedding. But now, they didn't need to bother. Charlie was practically a walking invitation himself. After all, his reputation had soared ever since people learned he was the one who filmed the historic union between the Gevurah Commander and the Britannian Princess. His higher-ups, recognizing his growing fame, had sent him to cover this upcoming wedding—a monumental union between two empires that had been at each other's throats for centuries. It was a once-in-a-century spectacle, and they wanted the best coverage.

"W–What? Wait, I already have assignments. I can't just—"

"You will," Jostin interrupted coldly. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword, a masterpiece crafted by Karna Mishra and gifted to him by his beloved Emperor himself.

Charlie's protests died in his throat. He lowered his head, his body trembling in submission. Explore hidden tales at empire

It wasn't like he had a choice. But the thought of what they might be planning at this wedding filled him with dread.

***

Meanwhile, in throne hall of the Imperial Castle...

"When are we leaving, Your Excellency?"

Urvan stood with his head bowed respectfully in the vast throne hall of the Imperial Palace of Camelot. Before him, Ivan sat on his pitch black throne. Previously it had been a golden throne but it had been changed at Kamila's order much like the entire palace which wasn't fitting Ivan for her.

As usual, Ivan's closest allies—Mikhail, Ludmila, Kamila, and Dimitri—stood by his side.

Mikhail stepped forward, smirking. "Why the rush, Urvan?" He asked with a mocking tilt of his head. "Don't you enjoy it here in Camelot? Ludmila's been working hard to rebuild the city in the image of our Goddess. It's becoming a masterpiece, yet you seem... uneasy."

"N–Not at all, Milord!" Urvan stuttered in panic.

The truth was, he did admire how Camelot had been transformed under Ludmila's hands. The city was becoming a gleaming symbol of their Goddess's glory and Gevurah's victories. But that wasn't why he was restless. No, it was Ivan.

Even before, Ivan's presence had been quite unique. But recently, his Stigma had changed. It had grown darker, more potent, and terrifying in a way Urvan couldn't fully articulate.

Urvan had always been exceptionally sensitive to Stigma. It was both a gift and a curse, allowing him to perceive the emotions and intentions behind a person's Stigma better than anyone else. For years, he had been able to read Ivan's Stigma clearly—a powerful desire to create a world for the people he loved.

But now...

Now, that clarity was gone, replaced by a twisted blend of conflicting desires. Vengeance. Greed. A thirst for blood. A well of deep, seething anger. And something else—a dark, bottomless abyss that sent shivers through Urvan's entire being. It was unlike anything he had encountered before, and Ivan's Stigma had become completely unreadable to him.

"Who sent you to call Ivan?" Ludmila spoke up next.

Urvan straightened nervously. "It was Lord Alexei."

At the mention of the name, there was a subtle change in Ivan's eyes—barely perceptible but enough to make Urvan's stomach twist in anguish. Alexei Zakharovic Kozlow, Ivan's older brother, was one of the highest-ranking figures in Gevurah, a member of the main council, and a peer among the organization's founders.

"Alexei?" Mikhail scoffed coldly, making Urvan flinch. He stepped closer, his dark, piercing eyes bearing down on Urvan. "Who does Alexei think Ivan is? A mere Legion Commander?"

"T–That's not what he meant, Milord," Urvan said awkwardly, feeling the air grow heavier.

"That's exactly how it feels to us," Kamila said, also displeased. "Ivan isn't just another Commander. He's the reason Gevurah is winning. He's the one other kingdoms fear. Or am I mistaken?"

"Not at all…" Urvan quickly nodded.

"Ivan is not just a Commander," Ludmila continued, staring at Urvan coldly. "He's the face of Gevurah, the only one capable of wielding Lost Paradise, and the Emperor of Britannia."

Urvan bowed his head. "And we are always grateful for His Excellency's contributions. But Milady, we are all on the same side. There's no need for—"

"We are on the same side," Ludmila interrupted curtly. "But tell me, who is Alexei to summon Ivan as though he were some subordinate?"

Urvan hesitated, choosing his words carefully. "I thought His Excellency might be pleased to hear from Lord Alexei..." He offered weakly, glancing at Ivan.

But Ivan remained silent, his expression emotionless and unreadable. Yet that very silence spoke volumes.

Mikhail smirked as he circled Urvan. "Only the Father can summon Ivan," he said lowering his tone. "Do you understand, Urvan?"

"I—I do…" Urvan stuttered, his face turning pale.

"Then," Mikhail leaned in closer, his lips curling into a disdainful scoff, "fetch me that summoning."