I Became the Villain Chapter 161: A Blessing Neither Denied

Chapter 161: A Blessing Neither Denied

"Wow, Your Grace. This place is awesome."

Cherion’s voice was nearly lost the second he stepped off the carriage. The place was loud. Like, aggressively loud.

It wasn’t just noise either, it was everything. People talking over each other, things clattering, someone yelling in the distance... the market hit him at once, like walking straight into chaos.

It felt... real. In the novels he’d read back in his own world, there was always an obligatory "market Chapter" where the protagonist marveled at the local color, but the text never quite captured the grit of it. He didn’t know the names of that strange, translucent charms that looked like trapped frost, or why those bundles of dried berries glowed with a dim, earthy red, he just knew they were exactly the kind of fantasy details he’d once only seen on a screen or a page. Now, the cold was nipping at his nose, and the noise of a thousand haggling voices was rattling his teeth.

Zarius stepped closer, basically turning into a human wall, blocking the wind. He didn’t look like a Duke. He looked like a very dangerous, very well-fed mercenary. "First," Zarius replied, "I agree. It has its charms. Second... drop the ’your grace.’ No titles today."

Cherion blinked, turning to look up at the man. "Why? I mean, you’re the Duke. I figured the people here would actually be thrilled to see you just... out and about, strolling through the market like a normal person."

Zarius’s jaw tightened, though there was a flicker of something, perhaps a rare, weary sort of pride, in his eyes. "That’s exactly why. I’d rather avoid the unnecessary fuss. No bowing. No formal petitions. Just... walking."

Probably afraid his ’scary’ reputation will ruin everyone’s shopping trip, Cherion thought with a hidden smirk. He leaned in, his blue eyes sparkling with trouble. "Fine. But I have to call you something. How about... ’Love’?"

Zarius actually stumbled. It was tiny. Barely noticeable. But it happened. His head snapped toward Cherion like he’d just been hit with emotional damage.

"Kidding! I’m kidding," Cherion laughed, waving a hand dismissively, though his own heart did something deeply unhelpful in his chest. "God, you should see your face. Okay, let’s see... ZeeZee? No, too fluffy. Zarey? Hmm. How about... Little Nugget?"

Cherion bit his lip to keep from howling. He’d seen a flash of a memory of little Zarius. Oh, adorable.

Zarius looked genuinely distressed. "What in the gods’ name is a ’nugget’?"

"It’s... it’s a compliment. Probably," Cherion chirped.

"Zarius is fine," the Duke grumbled, though he didn’t pull away when Cherion’s shoulder brushed his. "Just... Zarius."

They wandered deeper into the market. The "date