I Became The Novel's Biggest Antagonist-Chapter 171: Meeting Nearnal’s Mayor

"You the mayor?"

Isaac's gaze couldn't have been more scornful if he tried.

He looked at the man before him as if he were filth—something to be scraped off the bottom of his shoe and promptly forgotten.

That was one of Isaac's greatest traits—if one could call it that. He was a man of brutal honesty, his emotions displayed as openly as words on a page. There was no guessing how he felt about someone. If he thought you were trash, it was written all over his face.

Unfortunately, his emotional range was rather limited—to the worst emotions imaginable. Disdain. Fury. Contempt. It was no surprise that most saw him as a ruthless tyrant. And to be fair, they weren't entirely wrong.

A smile? That was a rare thing on his lips. And when it did appear, it was never out of kindness. The only time he truly grinned was when he was taking perverse enjoyment in delivering a speech to a condemned prisoner just seconds before their execution.

That was why he was feared—by enemies and allies alike. And that was also why he was hated. But Isaac had never cared about that. Not then. Not now.

He wasn't about to change himself for the sake of others.

Of course, he didn't always walk around wearing a scornful expression, like some theatrical villain. But when he stood before people he deemed utterly worthless—like the two behind him and the man in front of him—he didn't bother hiding it.

On the surface, the man looked like a mayor, sure. Well-dressed. Well-kept. But Isaac had seen enough people in his lifetime to tell, with a single glance, exactly what kind of person he was dealing with.

This man? He was a rat. A scumbag who deserved nothing less than execution.

Isaac had personally judged and sentenced thousands. His instincts were razor-sharp, honed to detect the rot in people's souls. And if his own perception wasn't enough, Adam's influence only made his judgment sharper. No one could escape his scrutiny.

Merlin, on the other hand, lacked that same intuition.

So when Isaac openly radiated contempt toward the very man they had come to ask for help, she froze in shock.

Realizing how quickly the situation was spiraling, she hastily stepped forward, forcing an awkward smile onto her lips.

"I—I apologize for his rudeness. We've had a long journey…" She said, her voice slightly strained.

She could only hope her words were enough to smooth things over.

The man who had been grimacing just moments ago quickly wiped away his discomfort, replacing it with a dazzling smile—the kind of smile one wore when meeting someone truly breathtaking. And at that moment, Rumlan, mayor of Nearnal, was looking at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen in his life.

"It's fine, I understand," he chuckled, as if his previous irritation had never existed. "I am Rumlan, the mayor of Nearnal. It is an absolute pleasure to welcome you, Milady."

Merlin returned his smile. "Thank you very much. We were hoping to ask you a few questions—if you're not too occupied, that is."

"Do you see any reason why he'd be occupied?"

Before Rumlan could respond, Isaac said, his brows furrowing with impatience. His tone was tinged with disdain. Clearly, he had no intention of waiting around for someone he already deemed unworthy of his time.

Merlin's polite smile faltered ever so slightly at Isaac's bluntness, while Rumlan's own smile twitched, struggling to stay in place.

This boy—barely past his teenage years—was already grating on his nerves.

Still, Rumlan forced himself to remain composed. It didn't matter.

Not yet.

Because in his eyes, they were nothing more than lambs who had wandered straight into the wolf's den. And he was the wolf.

His smirk nearly broke through, but he masked it with another chuckle, brushing off Isaac's rudeness as if it were nothing.

"Please, have a seat," he said, gesturing toward the chairs before flicking a glance at his two men, silently ordering them to wait outside.

"Thank you," Merlin said politely as she sat down.

She turned to Isaac, expecting him to do the same, only to notice the way he was eyeing the worn-out chair before him. His expression toward it was nearly the same as the one he had directed at Rumlan—though, perhaps, slightly less hostile.

She sighed internally. Was he seriously debating whether the chair deserved more respect than the mayor?

Choosing to ignore it, she turned back to the matter at hand.

"We're actually a bit lost," she said. "Do you happen to have a map or anything that could help us with our travels?" freēnovelkiss.com

Rumlan raised a brow, clearly not expecting such a simple request. Still, he nodded and turned toward his desk. Pulling open a drawer, he rummaged through its contents, moving to the next one when he didn't find what he was looking for. After a few more moments of searching, he finally retrieved a folded sheet of parchment.

"This should do. It's a map of Izhantra. I don't have more, unfortunately."

Merlin took it, unfolding it carefully.

It was a detailed map of the empire—though not of the world.

Still, it seemed to be the best they were going to get.

Merlin scanned the map carefully, her eyes tracing the shape of the empire and scanning the names of its towns. None of them rang a bell. Not a single one.

This was an empire she had never heard of before—one she had no prior knowledge of.

Folding the parchment neatly, she looked up and offered a polite nod. "Thank you." Then, after a brief hesitation, she added, "Would you mind if we borrowed one of your horses?"

She didn't ask lightly.

For a town of this size, a horse had to be a valuable asset. Asking for one felt like too much, and a twinge of guilt gnawed at her. But there was no choice. If they wanted to reach a larger city quickly, traveling on foot simply wasn't an option. Merlin needed to find a world map as soon as possible.

She could, of course, ask them directly about the world and its continents, but that carried its own risks. The less she revealed about herself for now, the better.

To her surprise, Rumlan nodded almost immediately.

"Of course."

Merlin blinked. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. We're always happy to help those in need," he assured her. Then, with a thoughtful expression, he added, "However, I would strongly advise you to stay the night here in town. The sun is setting, and the roads ahead are dangerous. Beasts roam after dark, and I doubt you'd want to run into them unprepared."

Merlin hesitated, considering his words.

She had no mana—no way to defend herself. Even if they encountered trouble, she wouldn't be able to do much.

Her gaze flicked toward Isaac. He certainly seemed confident, but did he truly have the strength to back it up? He didn't exactly radiate the overwhelming presence of a warrior.

She waited, expecting him to say something, but he remained silent.

Taking that as his agreement, she turned back to Rumlan and nodded. "Alright. We'll take you up on your offer. Thank you again."

Rumlan's smile widened, something almost smug flashing in his eyes.

"Cline, make sure our guests find a good place to stay," he said meaningfully.

Cline smirked knowingly and gave a small bow. "Of course. Please, follow me."

Merlin stood up, ready to follow—until she noticed something.

Isaac hadn't moved.

She turned to him, hesitating. "You're not coming…?"

She didn't say it aloud, but she felt noticeably safer with him around. Unlike the others in this town, at least Isaac didn't seem like he had ulterior motives.

Isaac had no idea why Merlin was acting as if they were traveling together.

They weren't.

Still, he decided to answer her—if only to make her leave. "I have questions of my own. Go ahead without me."

Merlin hesitated, clearly uncertain.

"He'll catch up later. Don't worry," Tonan added.

"…Alright." Merlin gave one last glance in Isaac's direction before finally nodding and following Cline out of the room.

The moment she was gone, the air shifted.

Rumlan's smile vanished, replaced by a colder, more serious expression. He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands together. "Alright. What questions do you have?"

Isaac didn't waste time. "How many days have passed since Emperor Haran Izhantra died?"

Rumlan let out a dry chuckle. "Days? You should be asking how many months." He leaned forward, amusement flickering in his gaze. "The old Emperor was overthrown six months ago."

Isaac's expression remained unreadable, but inside, something twisted.

Six months.

"Who's ruling now?" Isaac asked next.

Rumlan's lips curled into a smirk. "Who else? Salazar Zen."

The name alone made Isaac's blood run hot.

His expression darkened dangerously.

Salazar Zen.

He knew that name all too well.

Once, they had stood in the same court, both serving the Emperor. But Salazar had been a traitor—one who not only betrayed the Emperor but also orchestrated Isaac's downfall. It was because of him that everything had crumbled.

And now, that very man sat on the throne.

Isaac could barely stomach the thought.

Had Nimue truly sided with that filth to crown him Emperor?

He clenched his fists beneath the table, struggling to push back the surge of hatred boiling in his veins. It didn't matter. This only confirmed what he already suspected. Now, he knew exactly who his enemy was.

Rumlan stood abruptly, dusting off his coat. "Is that all? I have other matters to attend to." His smirk lingered, as if dismissing Isaac as a mere inconvenience.

"Wait."

Isaac's voice rang out stopping Rumlan just as he reached the door.

"I have one last question."