I'm the Villain, But the Heroines Keep Choosing Me-Chapter 67: The Trap I

Seria couldn’t focus on her guard duties the next day.

Her mind kept replaying the previous evening – Damien’s vulnerability, her instinctive desire to help, the way sitting close to him had felt natural rather than professional.

"Captain?" One of her lieutenants interrupted her brooding. "The patrol reports are ready for review."

"Thank you." She forced herself to focus on actual work rather than complicated nobles with dark powers and their even more complicated relationships.

But concentration proved difficult. Because beneath the professional concerns about guard corruption and demon collaboration, something more personal was churning.

She’d felt something last night. Sitting close to Damien, listening to him speak about his mother, watching humanity return to his eyes as he shared vulnerability – she’d felt connection that went beyond investigative partnership.

And that terrified her.

Because Aldric was right about one thing: Damien was dangerous. Maybe not in the demonic collaborator way she’d originally suspected, but dangerous nonetheless. The kind of dangerous that made you question everything you thought you knew. That made professional distance feel insufficient. That made you want to help even when helping meant getting closer to darkness.

A messenger arrived mid-afternoon with sealed letter bearing the Valcrest crest.

Captain Thornwood,

I have critical intelligence on the demon collaboration network. The corruption goes higher than we suspected – Guard Commander level. We need to move tonight before they realize we’re close to exposure.

Meet me at the old garrison ruins, eastern district, 9 PM. Come alone – if other guards are compromised, we can’t risk alerting them.

Bring your evidence. We’ll coordinate exposure strategy.

- D.V.

Seria read it three times, professional instincts warring with personal trust.

Meeting alone, at night, in abandoned location with someone she’d been investigating weeks ago would be objectively stupid. Every tactical protocol she’d ever learned screamed trap.

But the intelligence made sense. If the Guard Commander was compromised, going through official channels would alert the enemy. And Damien had been reliable so far – his evidence solid, his cooperation genuine, his vulnerability last night suggesting trust rather than manipulation.

Unless that vulnerability was the manipulation. Unless everything – the investigation, the evidence, the emotional connection – was elaborate setup to get her isolated and vulnerable.

Aldric’s voice in her memory: "Classic manipulation pattern. Isolate you from allies, make you trust him, then strike when you’re vulnerable."

But also Damien’s voice: "I’m fighting to stay human. Some days I’m not sure I’m winning."

Which was truth? Which was performance?

She made her decision and hated herself for it.

She’d go. But she’d bring backup positioned at distance. Trust, but verify. Cooperation, but not stupidity.

---

The old garrison ruins were exactly as abandoned as expected – crumbling stone walls, collapsed training yards, darkness broken only by moonlight filtering through broken roof.

Seria arrived early, positioned her backup guards at three points around the perimeter with orders to intervene only if she signaled or if obvious danger emerged. Then she entered the main courtyard, hand on sword hilt, every sense alert.

Damien was already there, standing in the center of the courtyard examining something on the ground. He looked up as she approached.

"Captain. Thank you for coming." He gestured to what he’d been studying – a map with marked positions. "I’ve identified three key figures in the collaboration network: Guard Commander Pierce, Captain Marcus, and – " He stopped, expression shifting to concern. "You brought backup."

Not a question. Statement.

Seria felt her hand tighten on her sword. "How did you know?"

"Because I would have done the same thing. Trusting someone doesn’t mean being stupid about it." He didn’t seem angry, just pragmatic. "Three guards positioned at distance. Smart tactical decision."

"If you knew I’d bring backup, why ask me to come alone?"

"Because the real conspirators will expect you alone. When they spring their trap, your backup becomes our advantage." He met her eyes. "This is a trap, Captain. Just not one I set."

"Explain. Quickly."

"The letter you received? I didn’t send it. Someone’s trying to frame me while eliminating you. When you die here, evidence will point to me as demon collaborator who lured you into ambush. Two problems solved – you’re eliminated, I’m exposed." He pulled out his own letter. "I received similar message, supposedly from you, asking for urgent meeting. I came early to scout the trap."

Seria’s blood went cold. "You’re saying someone forged both letters to get us both here?"

"To get us here and kill us both, yes. The demon collaborators know we’re close to exposing them. This is their counter-move." 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

As if on cue, the courtyard exploded into violence.

Demons emerged from every shadow – not the mindless beasts Seria usually fought, but the organized, tactically trained ones.

At least twenty, armed and coordinated, blocking every exit.

And leading them was Captain Marcus, her mentor, wearing guard armor and carrying demon-forged blade.

"Captain Thornwood. Lord Valcrest." Marcus’s voice was almost apologetic. "I’m sorry it came to this. You were getting too close. Couldn’t let you expose the operation."

Seria felt something break in her chest. "You’re actually collaborating with demons. Everything Damien said was true."

"Everything that bastard said was designed to turn you against your own people." Marcus gestured with his blade. "He’s been manipulating you for weeks. Now you’re going to die for trusting him."

"I’m going to die for trusting you." Seria’s voice was hard. "You trained me. Encouraged me. And you’ve been selling out to demons the entire time."

"I’ve been surviving. The guard doesn’t pay enough to cover my debts. The demons offered real money for simple information. Easy choice."

"My father died fighting demons you’re now working with!" Her voice cracked. "How is that survival? That’s betrayal of everything we’re supposed to protect!"

[EMOTIONAL CONFRONTATION: SERIA VS MENTOR]

[PSYCHOLOGICAL DAMAGE: SEVERE]

Marcus had the grace to look uncomfortable. "Your father was a good man. But good men die poor while smart men adapt. I chose adaptation."

"You chose cowardice." Damien’s voice was cold, and Seria saw shadows already coiling around him. "And you chose wrong if you think twenty trained demons can take both of us."