I Will Become the Villain’s Poison Taster

Chapter 4

I quickly suppressed my sudden surge of irritation and put on the most harmless expression I could muster, looking at Reniel. If escaping from the prison had been this easy, it was clear that Reniel’s skills were top-notch. That meant I still needed to stay on his good side.

Survival first.

“Since fate brought us together, why don’t we stick together a little longer?”

“And why would I do that?”

Despite his uninterested reply, I didn’t back down. He stood there with his arms crossed, his expression indifferent, but I could sense a faint flicker of interest behind his eyes.

After all, wasn’t he the lunatic who helped me escape just because he found it “intriguing”? If I could keep him interested, surely I could squeeze out another favor or two from him.

“As you know, I’m completely broke. No home, no money—I’ve got absolutely nothing.”

“And?”

“Well... I hate to be a bother, but since you’ve already helped me, maybe a little more charity wouldn’t hurt...?”

“I don’t do anything for free.”

So he’d already fulfilled his promise to help me escape, so now, if I wanted anything more, I’d need to offer something in return?

“What can you do for me if I help you this time?”

I paused, sifting through what I remembered from the original story.

By the time Giselle Rozevin was imprisoned and on the verge of being poisoned, she’d had nothing left. Her entire family was dead, the wealth and power of the once-mighty Rozevin household had crumbled to dust, and her reputation was buried six feet under.

When assassins kept coming for her one after another, yet not a single person came to visit her in prison, it was obvious she had no one left in her corner.

The author of the original story had been ruthlessly thorough in Giselle’s destruction. As a reader, I’d clapped along enthusiastically, thinking it was the perfect downfall for a villain, but now that I was in Giselle’s shoes…

As I bit my lip in frustration, a loud commotion reached my ears. The clatter of metal, shouts echoing through the air—it sounded like soldiers.

They’ve already sent out a search party?

Reniel seemed to have the same thought, as he let out a low sigh and muttered, “Now that I think about it, I could just wait until they put a bounty on your head and turn you back in...”

“I can give you information!”

He’d been watching the commotion beyond the alley with an intrigued gleam in his eye, but now when he turned to look at me, his interest piqued.

“It’s uh, super crucial information. A tip that can get you promoted in record time.”

I had blurted it out in desperation, but as the words left my mouth, they sounded surprisingly convincing.

After all, information was a powerful weapon anywhere, anytime! And the only weapon I had right now was my knowledge of the original story. In this world, that knowledge might as well be a prophecy!

“You said you’re with Black Clouds.”

Having done the mental math, I stood confidently with my hands on my hips.

“I know the futures of some very important people. Like your boss, for instance.”

After a pause, he asked, “What?”

Reniel’s brow twitched, his expression tinged with doubt. For someone who could teleport with a flick of his wrist, why was the idea of knowing the future so hard to believe?

“See, I, uh... drank too many poisons and accidentally gained mystical powers! Hahaha!”

This was a world with magic, so surely this level of nonsense would slide, wouldn’t it?

Even if he didn’t believe me, it didn’t matter. I actually did know the future, after all. I could prove it by revealing a few upcoming events and showing that my predictions were accurate. If this information was good enough, I could even use it to negotiate with the protagonist and ensure my survival. Maybe I’d even be revered as a prophet!

“I’ve never heard of poison giving someone magic.”

“Of course it’s not magic! It’s more like... communicating with spirits!”

“Communicating with spirits...?”

Reniel began looking at me like I’d actually lost my mind.

Was the concept of spiritual communication not a thing in this world? Maybe it would’ve been easier to understand if I said I was an oracle instead. Realizing my slipup, I almost panicked, but quickly reconsidered.

An oracle? Ha. I’d already been branded a witch and was awaiting execution by hanging—babbling about receiving divine prophecies would just earn me a one-way ticket to the stake for blasphemy.

“Well, let’s just say that a mystical being granted me insight that others don’t have.”

Technically, my soul’s presence was a mystical existence in this world, so I wasn’t lying. Moreover, I was the only one who knew how the story would unfold in the future.

As I passionately explained, Reniel stood there quietly. But his eyes narrowed slightly, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the clanking of armor and distant shouting were growing closer.

What if I was actually caught by the soldiers at this rate? Reniel could probably vanish in the blink of an eye if things went south, but without his help, I’d be caught in no time.

Fearing he might leave me behind, I sneakily pinched the fabric of his clothing with my fingers.

“Giselle Rozevin attempted forbidden sorcery just before her capture.”

Reniel broke his silence with an unexpected remark. I looked up at him in confusion.

“What?”

“She sacrificed the dark mage she’d been working with as an offering to gain power.”

Excuse me—what? Giselle must’ve been deranged. She sacrificed her one and only ally?

In the original story, it was mentioned that Giselle had made a desperate final move, but I never imagined it was something this crazy.

“Dark magic has rules, and there’s a code among dark mages too,” Reniel said, clicking his tongue with evident irritation.

The way he frowned and brushed his hair back in annoyance was oddly captivating—so much so that I momentarily forgot about the distant rattle of armor and found myself staring up at him.

“I went to the prison to clean up the mess left by the fool who got duped by Giselle Rozevin and died for it. I also needed to verify whether the ritual had succeeded. If it had, I’d have to recover Giselle and study her.”

Why was he suddenly explaining this?

“Aren’t you curious what kind of forbidden sorcery it was?”

It felt odd that he was asking me, Giselle Rozevin, about the nature of a ritual supposedly performed by Giselle Rozevin.

A creeping sense of unease settled in, and I discreetly let go of his cloak. Surely, there had to be someone else in this vast kingdom who could help me beside Reniel. I clung to that hope, trying to calm myself.

But as soon as I let him go, Reniel took my hand in his. His grip was firm, his skin unexpectedly rough, and he interlocked his fingers with mine before lowering his voice.

“The Fall of a Star.”

“The Fall of a Star,” I repeated the words unconsciously, and Reniel’s lips curved into a pretty smile.

“It’s a forbidden ritual to summon an entity from beyond this world and harness its power. But since the research is incomplete and the spell is unstable, there’s a much higher risk of being consumed by the summoned entity.”

Wait. So Giselle Rozevin summoned me? Good lord. She should’ve chosen well if she was going to select someone anyway. Poor girl. Why had she picked a sleep-deprived office worker suffering from overtime, of all people?

“Of course, if the ritual succeeded, don’t you think it’d be worth studying?”

Studying dark magic. Immediately, an image popped in my head of an unlicensed doctor with a bloodied scalpel, laughing maniacally as they dissected a living subject. Something told me Reniel’s research wouldn’t look too different.

I didn’t know who this poor research subject would be, but they had my deepest sympathies.

“So, who are you?”

“Huh?”

Goddammit.

“Who are you to have that information?”

“W-what do you mean? Obviously, I’m Giselle. Giselle Rozevin.”

I was doomed.

“Oh right, you wanted to trade your information for help.”

His bright tone could’ve fooled anyone into thinking we were exchanging friendly banter.

I struggled desperately to pull my hand free, but his grip only tightened, each knuckle pressing in firmly, almost painfully. I could feel the clammy sensation of sweat pooling in the center of my palm.

“But is a trade really necessary? What if I don’t need an exchange to get what I want from you?”

Actually, you seem more than capable of getting everything you want, no exchange required.

“Don’t you want to know what prisons built by dark mages look like?”

Not at all. Not in the slightest.

Unlike me, now devoid of all laughter, Reniel continued to smile sweetly. However, I refused to be charmed by his looks anymore. I had to stay alert.

Behind me loomed the approaching search party, their weapons clicking menacingly. In front of me was a dark mage who was reminiscent of a beautiful, venomous snake.

I don’t want to be dissected alive.

Was this the end for me? What would happen if I died? Would I return to my original body?

But my last memory was of me getting hit by a car. Was I even alive in the first place? What if I went back to wake up in a hospital bed, or worse, to discover that I was paralyzed from the accident? I wasn’t sure I wanted to go back in that case.

“I’m very particular about keeping my body intact.”

Even when I’d worked overtime around the clock, I never skipped my multivitamins or daily red ginseng shots. Weekends were for light exercise at the community gym or a jog in the park. I even paid for extensive health checkups annually.

I couldn’t stand the thought of pain. Absolutely not.

“So?”

“I’ll cooperate even without the threats, so can we keep the mood civil?”

“You’re definitely not Giselle Rozevin. She would never grovel like this.”

Who cared about pride? Dignity wasn’t going to save me from getting killed, or worse.

“You just threatened to torture me.”

“Right.”

Torture by a dark mage? I’d read enough about their atrocities in the original story to know what that would entail. I wanted no part of it. And becoming a research specimen? No, thank you!

“If I have to die, I’d prefer it to be quick and clean.”

“Who said I was going to kill you? You’re claiming to know critical information.”

“Now that I think about it, it’s probably not that important.”

“I’ll decide the importance after I hear it.”

“I’ll just tell you, okay? Let’s go about this peacefully.”

“But how can I trust you?” he asked.

Then what was I supposed to do?!