WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 4 of My Next Life as a Villainess, now streaming on Crunchyroll.
Previously in My Next Life as a Villainess Season 2, someone was stalking the series' isekai-d heroine, Katarina Claes during the school festival, and soon made his move after the school play concluded -- taking the titular 'villainess' hostage.
Selena Berg was uncovered to be part of the kidnapping scheme, planning to take down Prince Geordo to repay her fiance, Ian Stuart, for his kindness. But Episode 4 of the anime reveals a further twist: Rufus is the true threat, and he confronts Katarina directly in the episode.
Selena Berg was knocked out with dark magic but in the latest episode, Rufus prepares to set up Prince Jeffrey as the next king -- for his own purposes. However, once Katarina gets to know him, she realizes that Rufus is nothing more than a pitiable victim and extends a hand of friendship. Rufus accepts it, even as Katarina's friends close in to capture him for his crime.
Katarina receives remarkably good room service from Rufus and his maid, Lana, relaxing her enough to ask about him, since he is clearly not an ordinary butler. Rufus tells Katarina that he grew up poor in a foreign nation, and his name is not actually Rufus. He was born nameless and scraped a living with his young friends until a certain green-haired man arrived and took pity on the boy. The man named him Sora, after his sky-blue eyes, and after becoming Rufus' master, taught him much. Rufus, being good at heart, risked everything to deliver medicine to his sickly master until he was captured by the authorities. He is now desperate to repay his master's kindness somehow.
Rufus knows that his master aims to place prince Jeffrey Stuart on the kingdom's throne and Rufus used insidious dark magic on Selena Berg to enlist her aid. Rufus has no qualms explaining any of this to Katarina, since he is confident in his plan, and Katarina's compassion and kindness inspire him to trust her. Although Rufus kidnapped Katarina, it is he who is trapped by his obligation to his master, and he is not yet free. So, he agrees with Katarina's offer to visit foreign nations freely as tourists and see the world.
Katarina gives Rufus a sapphire as a gift, which matches the color of Rufus' and Katarina's eyes. Since Katarina has recently escaped her doom flags, she feels unburdened in this otome isekai world and wishes to share that freedom with her new friend. Rufus is not evil; he was once trapped by his circumstances, and he still is. Katarina wishes only for Rufus to be happy and Rufus, inspired by this gesture, accepts the sapphire and delivers a promise to travel the world with Katarina.
Ultimately, Rufus knows that he cannot fulfill this promise, especially since he receives news about Katarina's friends continuing their search for her and are about to corner him. As expected, Geordo, Keith, Mary Hunt and the others arrive, and Lana, who is actually a member of the Department of Magic, captures Rufus. Rufus turns himself in and swears that he will hold onto their promise. Though he's lost his freedom once again, he's also found friendship and compassion with Katarina, and at this point in My Next Life as a Villainess, that is all he wants.