How the Villainous Consort Avoids His Death Ending

The shape of the island became increasingly distinct, yet there was no sign of any ships anchored in the harbor or speedboats patrolling the vicinity. The entire island was shrouded in a hazy fog and gripped by a strangely heavy silence.

Then, suddenly, a strange yet familiar scent brushed against the tip of my nose. Tristan’s brow furrowed for a moment.

“…Something is burning.”

His low, sharp voice emerged. Lord Mildred and Gerhardt, who had been guarding his side, examined the front with panicked expressions before their faces stiffened abruptly.

“It is not fog covering the island. This is smoke, my lord.”

A scent as if something were scorched began to envelope the air heavily. Only then did I realize. This was not the smell produced by small flames burning weeds or wood scraps somewhere in a corner of the island.

It was much thicker, more acrid, and suffocating. This was a massive, violent conflagration. It did not seem as if the fire had just started; rather, it appeared as though a great fire had been raging, burning the island for a long time.

“How could this happen… I do not know why not a single ship is visible. There is not even an attempt to suppress the fire, my lord.”

Gerhardt muttered as he stared at the island with a dazed expression.

Tristan’s expression grew as cold as a sharp blade. I unconsciously curled my fingertips and muttered.

“Could it be that Everett set fire to the island…”

It was impossible for a fire of this scale to have occurred naturally. No, even if that were the case, the fact that there were no ships in sight was clearly an ominous sign.

Could this have been done by Everett, or perhaps under the orders of Count Dearsby?

Tristan looked at me. His gaze was heavy and resolute.

“…First, let us get closer. Grasping the situation is the priority.”

Following his order, the fleet moved forward slowly. As we neared the island, the amount of ash floating in the air became noticeably greater. When the island finally revealed itself clearly, everyone on the deck who had been watching the situation anxiously was aghast.

Istenia Island was burning fiercely.

It was as if a scene from hell had unfolded. Dark red flames swallowed everything on the island. A pile of lumber, which seemed to have once been a building, collapsed before our eyes while engulfed in flames. Only piles of ash filled the charred and devastated island, unrecognizable in its form. Pale, black smoke soared high, blocking the sky.

I gazed at the sight blankly. It was then.

A translucent window popped up before my eyes, and a familiar alarm sound rang out cheerfully.

☆ The “Great Fire of Istenia Island, Rescue the Survivor!” event begins! ☆
In the cave beneath the southwestern cliff of Istenia Island, there exists an underground space that Count Dearsby built himself a long time ago.
A concealed underground mansion that does not exist in official documents. It is a secret space designed for long-term survival, disguised externally as a discarded armory.
However, for someone who has lived trapped without ever seeing the sunlight, it would have been a massive underground prison rather than a mansion.
There is only one resident in the underground mansion! What kind of unfortunate person is harboring such a secret?
Mission Objective: Infiltrate the sealed underground mansion on Istenia Island and rescue the survivor ♡
Infiltration Method:
– Infiltrate through the collapsed underground entrance at the bottom of the cliff on the southwestern side of the island.
– The internal structure is a semi-labyrinthine hallway layout, with the central living area consisting of a bedroom, a study, and a parlor.
Precautions:
– Danger of structural collapse of the upper levels.
– The survivor is in a state of severe hemorrhaging and high fever, unable to move on their own.
Time Limit: Not displayed (Changes according to progress / Likelihood of death increases if condition persists)
Reward: Discovery of hidden character “The Second Shadow” / Major route change for the “Story.”
※ Warning:
– If the rescue fails, the character will die, and the acquisition of key clues for the “Story” major route change as well as events related to “Legitimacy” will be permanently sealed.

I looked down at the event window in front of me without a word. The letters floating on the transparent window wavered and rippled, distorted by the flames. At that moment, a scene from the original story suddenly flashed through my mind.

In the original story, just before the final battle between Constantine and Everett, a great fire suddenly broke out on Istenia Island, which had been perfectly fine, and the island was razed. Was that just an accidental fire?