Who Is The Antagonist In 'I Picked Up The Second Male Lead After The Ending'?

The main antagonist in 'I Picked Up the Second Male Lead After the Ending' is Duke Verrat, a scheming noble who thrives on political manipulation. He's not your typical mustache-twirling villain; his danger lies in his intelligence and charisma. Verrat orchestrates conflicts behind the scenes, using others as pawns while maintaining a pristine public image. His hatred for the protagonist stems from their growing influence threatening his carefully built power structure. What makes him particularly terrifying is his ability to adapt - when direct confrontation fails, he shifts to psychological warfare, targeting the protagonist's loved ones. The novel does a great job showing how systemic corruption enables villains like him to flourish.

In 'I Picked Up the Second Male Lead After the Ending', the antagonist role is actually shared between two compelling figures. Duke Verrat represents the political threat - a master manipulator who controls the kingdom's underworld through blackmail and strategic alliances. His network spans across borders, making him nearly untouchable through conventional means.

The second antagonist is Lady Serpentine, originally the heroine of the story's 'first timeline'. Her villainy emerges from bitterness and twisted love. After being abandoned by the original male lead, she develops dangerous resurrection magic that distorts souls. Her arc shows how good people can break when society discards them. The dual antagonists create layered conflict - while Verrat attacks the protagonist's position, Serpentine targets their relationships and moral compass.

The novel's brilliance lies in how these antagonists' schemes intertwine. Verrat funds Serpentine's research, not knowing she plans to use him as a sacrificial pawn. Their uneasy alliance creates unpredictable dynamics where the protagonist must outthink two very different but equally dangerous minds. The final confrontation reveals how their conflicting endgames ultimately cause their downfall.

This novel flips expectations by making the 'original female lead', Lady Serpentine, the true antagonist. At first glance, she appears pitiable - discarded by the story's original male lead. But her desperation transforms into something monstrous. She develops an obsession with rewriting fate itself, experimenting with forbidden soul magic that turns living beings into puppets.

What makes her terrifying is her self-righteousness. Serpentine genuinely believes she's saving others from suffering her fate, even as she erases their free will. Her powers grow more grotesque as the story progresses - from minor memory alterations to full body possession. The protagonist becomes her fixation because they represent the 'happy ending' she was denied.

The narrative cleverly contrasts her with political antagonist Duke Verrat. Where he schemes for power, she spirals into madness chasing love. Their parallel downfalls show how unchecked emotions and ambition corrupt differently. The novel's exploration of how stories can trap people makes her a memorable, tragic villain.